So I don't know if you've noticed... But I'm a major Godzilla fan. Now naturally, Godzilla is my favorite monster, but I do have other favorites. Now there are different versions of the same monster, so I'm going by name only. (Note: the pictures appear ABOVE the bio) This is my Top 10 favorite Godzilla monsters who aren't Godzilla.
10. Hedorah. Ah yes, the big pile of sludge that's made of space minerals and pollution. I like Hedorah because of his capabilities and being one of the deadliest creatures in the Godzilla franchise. I believe he holds the title of highest human body count besides Godzilla. Being the first multi form in the Godzilla series, Hedorah started out as a tadpole like creature, growing into a frog like creature capable of traveling via land, then became a flying saucer shaped being that flew around while releasing deadly smog and finally its final form, bigger than Godzilla and almost as strong. Hedorah has the ability to change into any previous form and launch parts of his body outwards as a projectile weapon, along with eye beams. Although he appeared in what is considered the worst American dubbed Godzilla film, Hedorah has been popular enough to reappear in the 50th anniversary Final Wars.
9. Kamacuras. Kamacuras (which means mantis in Japanese) is a giant praying mantis. The reason I like him is because he's the only 'goon' like monster in the franchise. There is no one Kamacuras, they're actually a species, Godzilla fights multiple Kamacuras at the same time, making a sort of 'basic video game baddie', the kind that you encounter every level but by the end of the game you can take them out without even attacking them. That and I also like the look of a praying mantis and their lawyers gutting fast reflexes.
8. Megalon. The guardian of Seatopia and best friend of Gigan, Megalon actually possesses more powers than Godzilla. He has the ability to burrow, fly (though Godzilla can kind of do that.....I'll talk about it later), shoot energy beams out of his horn, and launch small projectiles from his mouth that burst into flames. This is mostly the reason why I like him. He has these powers and abilities that you wouldn't expect to see from a giant bug.
7. Mothra. Mothra, the second most popular Toho monster. Don't let the name or looks fool you though, Mothra is BAD@$$. She (though sometimes a he, there's more than one) has been able to hold her own against Godzilla, defeating him three times (not without help though) two of those time were in her larval form. Her larval form can shoot silk out of its mouth... and that's it. We rarely see it do anything else to attack an opponent (except in the video games) and if two of them were able to take down Godzilla, then imagine what her Imago (adult/moth) form could do. Her Imago form possesses a military base's worth of offensive and defensive powers. From glitter emanating from her wings (not inhaling them is highly recommended) to eye beams and lasers from her antennae, Mothra is arguably the most powerful of monsters in the franchise. Appearing in the first Godzilla movie I ever saw (Godzilla vs. Mothra: The Battle for Earth) I've developed a bit of attachment to her as she's one of the kaiju that got me hooked on Godzilla.
6. Mechagodzilla (Showa). Okay, I said I would only list kaiju by their name only, but the Mechagodzilla from the Showa era was built by aliens, whilst the ones from the Heisei and Millennium eras were built by humans, so technically they are two separate beings. Just like Mothra, Mechagodzilla has a military base's worth of weapons, however his weapons are most likely from a military base. With fingers that can be shot as projectiles that can either impale or explode, rainbow-y eye beams, a short-range flamethrower in the nostrils, a force field (created by rapidly spinning his head), a chest beam and missiles in the knees and toes (no, I'm not joking) Mechagodzilla was able to take out Godzilla within seconds of their first meeting, only to be defeated at the hands of the combined force of Godzilla and King Caesar (Seesar? Ceasar? Has Toho even said what the correct spelling is?) only to be rebuilt and, along with a mind controlled Titanosaurus, attacked the world once again, but was defeated by Godzilla again. Being one of Godzilla's toughest foes, I definitely took a liking to him.
5. Ebirah. Ebirah, the horror of the deep (Ebi means shrimp in Japanese) is...well.. a giant shrimp. But that's not the reason why I like him. I like him because of his fighting tactics. Being a water-born creature, he knows that once an enemy is in the water, he has the home advantage. He's able to knock Godzilla underwater and actually did a good job fighting him if you ask me. His mobility underwater makes him a difficult opponent, and one of my favorites.
4. King Ghidorah. The three-headed Destroyer of Worlds, King Ghidorah holds the record for highest body count in the entire franchise (he wiped out all life on Mars) and is Godzilla's strongest foe. Godzilla has always needed help in defeating King Ghidorah, only beating him once without it (Keizer Ghidorah is a separate creature). The reason why he is called King Ghidorah is to differentiate him from the other Ghidorahs out there (they're a species). With Gravity beams from his three mouths, and powerful wings that can blow away several tanks with one flap, there's a reason why I chose him as one of my favorites.
3. Rodan. Rodan (known as Radon in Japan) is one of the fastest monsters alive, sometimes going as fast as Mach 3 (though in other versions he's faster) and one of Godzilla's closest friends. Though when they first met they fought, Rodan and Godzilla were forced to work together along with Mothra larva to defeat King Ghidorah. From then on, Rodan and Godzilla were allies (until the Heisei series, when everything started all over again), with Godzilla sparing a mind-controlled Rodan from destruction in Final Wars. Being one of the most recurring and popular of monsters, I definitely have a strong like for Rodan.
2. Anguirus. Anguirus (Aka Angilas, Anguris, etc.) is Godzilla's most loyal friend. But it didn't start out that way. Anguirus is actually the first monster that Godzilla ever fought, appearing in the second film Godzilla Raids Again (Aka Gigantis the Fire Monster). Anguirus has the ability to curl up into a ball and roll around, making himself a deadly projectile. He has helped Godzilla in taking down many different foes, playing a key role in killing King Ghidorah in Destroy All Monsters. Fun fact (That I didn't know of until I did some research for this post) Mothra's roar is actually a sped up version of Anguirus'. As one of the most prolific (half original footage, half stock footage) Anguirus found a place in my love for Godzilla monsters.
And finally Number 1 is.....
A tie.
1. Tie: Gigan and Battra
Gigan. The cyborg assassin working for anyone basically (The Nebula M Spacehunter Aliens(let's call them 'the Roachra' as a bit of a Star Godzilla reference... Can we make this their official name?) and the Garoga and Xiliens) Wanna Know why I like him? Just look at him (this is the Showa era version, from the early 50's-60's, look up the Final Wars version for a cooler version). He has a buzzsaw in his chest, one laser-firing eye, sharp sword-hammer-sickle combos for arms, and flight at Mach 3. Gigan is also very popular for one particular reason: he's the first monster to make Godzilla BLEED. All other injuries that the King of the Monsters has sustained were pretty minor, Gigan is the first to truly injure him, proving that Godzilla isn't as unstoppable as he seems. I've always liked the look of Gigan and thought of him as one of the coolest kaiju in the franchise.
Battra. Battra is Mothra's twin (sorta). The Yin to her Yang (I know, I know, clich
é metaphor, but that's literally what they are). Battra was created to save the Earth from its destruction at the hands of an ancient civilization, which tampered in trying to control the climate and other things that should not be controlled by any one being. So he's kinda like an Eco-terrorist, he wants to protect the Earth, but his ways of doing so are a bit extreme (Disclaimer: I mean no offense to anyone with this comment). Battra is also my first kaiju in the Godzilla franchise (besides Godzilla) though Godzilla appears during the title for Godzilla vs. Mothra: The Battle for Earth, Battra is the first kaiju to make an appearance in the film proper (Mothra's egg in the opening credits doesn't count). The best way I can describe Battra is that he's overpowered. He has Prism beams from his horn and eyes in his Larval form, and flight at Mach 3 along with all the other powers from his Larval form while he's in his Imago form. Unfortunately, Battra has only appeared in one movie, but was popular enough to appear in other forms of media, from comics to video games. I just hope he comes back to film someday. (Just to clarify, Toho never gave Battra a gender, however he is often portrayed as a male).
So, that's my Top 10 kaiju from the Godzilla franchise that aren't Godzilla. Though before I end this post, I want to take a moment to thank all the men and women who have ever been associated with a Godzilla project. Had it not been for you, the world's biggest kaiju would never had become as popular as he is today. Thank you for all of your work and dedication. A special thanks to the creators: Tomoyuki Tanaka, Ishiro Honda, Akira Ifukube, and Eiji Tsuburaya. Had these four men not gotten together, Godzilla would not exist. Thank you to all of Toho.
Ishiro Honda
Akira Ifukube
Eiji Tsuburaya
Tomoyuki Tanaka
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