Megalon

**Megalon** (メガロ *Megaro*) is a giant insectoid kaiju created by Toho that first appeared in the 1973 *Godzilla* film, *Godzilla vs. Megalon*.

## Name

Megalon's name likely comes from the combining form "megalo," which means 'abnormally large' or 'great.'

## Appearance

Megalon superficially resembles a cross between a cockroach and a rhinoceros beetle, though standing upright. Despite being an underground creature, Megalon is noticeably colorful, combining silver and grey tusks and claws with an orange-and-black carapace and wings. Megalon's forelimbs terminate with two sharp, drill-like appendages, which are never seen to be individually prehensile, at least in *Godzilla vs. Megalon*, always moving in tune with the monster's arms.

## Roar

Like Baragon and Gorosaurus, Megalon's roar is an edited pitch of Varan's roar, whose roar was originally from Godzilla at the end of the original Godzilla film. In addition, Megalon also produces screeching sounds which are adapted from Ebirah's chirps and screeches. Megalon can also emit a deep laugh, created by altering his normal roar.

## Personality

Megalon is sometimes considered one of the least intelligent Toho kaiju. This is demonstrated by the fact that he is easily manipulated by external stimuli. For example, Megalon followed Jet Jaguar simply because he was curious, and he is also very temperamental, as seen when he goes into shock when he loses sight of Jet Jaguar and begins to jump and thrash about.

His battle tactics also seem to be lacking in terms of strategy, as he never once utilizes his lightning horn beam against Godzilla nor Jet Jaguar. Additionally, he seems to enjoy charging at both his enemies headfirst, although all said enemies had to do was simply step out of the way to avoid him. Without Gigan by his side, Megalon would probably not have lasted as long as he did during the film's climactic last battle.

## Origins

Megalon is a gigantic insectoid being that lives deep underground in the subterranean kingdom of Seatopia. Megalon is seen as the Seatopians' god, and is called upon by them to defend their home from threats.

## History

### Showa Series

#### *Godzilla vs. Megalon*

Megalon is the god to the Seatopians, and he was their way to take revenge on the humans who were damaging their world with nuclear tests. They called upon Megalon to destroy the humans and sent the captured Jet Jaguar to guide the monster on his rampage through Japan. The people of Japan revolted and attacked the beast, to no avail. Help arrived when Goro Ibuki, the scientist who created Jet Jaguar, managed to free the robot from the control of the Seatopians.

He sent Jet Jaguar to Monster Island to find Godzilla. In the time that Jet Jaguar was gone, Megalon was lost and confused. Jet Jaguar returned to Japan and reprogrammed himself to grow to kaiju size then attacked Megalon, causing the Seatopians to contact the M Space Hunter Nebula Aliens and ask for Gigan's assistance. Gigan arrived and he and Megalon double-teamed Jet Jaguar. Eventually, Godzilla arrived and joined forces with Jet Jaguar against Gigan and Megalon.

After a long battle, Gigan retreated back to outer space, leaving Megalon at the mercy of Godzilla and Jet Jaguar. The two monsters pummeled the helpless Megalon before he finally burrowed back to Seatopia, defeated.

## Abilities

Megalon possesses a sizable array of abilities.

### Lightning Horn

He is capable of firing a lightning beam from the horn on his head.

### Napalm Bombs

Megalon can also spit napalm bombs from his mouth.

### Drill hands

Megalon's most notable feature is his drill hands. These drills are useful in hand-to-hand combat, and can combine together into a single rotating drill which allows Megalon to burrow underground at the speed of mach 2. Megalon can jump high into the air, and travel for up to ten kilometers at a time using this method.

In the video games, each of his drill hands are prehensile, making his punches capable of drilling into an opponent's flesh. He can also discharge electrical energy through his strikes.

### Flight

Megalon can use his wings to fly at a speed of mach 3, and can travel underwater at a speed of mach 4. In video games such as *Godzilla: Save the Earth* and *Godzilla: Unleashed*, Megalon's abilities vary from his film appearance. He can no longer fly for extended periods of time, only use his wings to briefly hover in the air.

### Magnetic field

In these games, Megalon's special ability consists of him generating a magnetic field that draws opponents towards him, before unleashing a powerful pulse that damages enemies and sends them flying.

## In other languages

* Russian: Мегалон
* Chinese: 中央大廳 (Zhōngyāng dàtīng)

## Trivia

* Megalon was originally conceptualized as an opponent for Godzilla in the unmade film *Godzilla vs. the Space Monsters: Earth Defense Directive*, which was an early draft of *Godzilla vs. Gigan*. In this film, Megalon would have been a pawn of an evil alien brain called Miko, and would have fought alongside Gigan and King Ghidorah against Godzilla, Anguirus and a new monster called Majin Tuol.
	+ Following this film's cancellation, Megalon was revived to be the villain in the film *Jet Jaguar vs. Megalon*, a film centered around Jet Jaguar, the result of a contest held by Toho to create a new tokusatsu hero. However, Toho worried that Jet Jaguar didn't carry enough marquee value to guarantee the film's success, so Godzilla and Gigan were worked into the plot of the film, which eventually became *Godzilla vs. Megalon*.
* With the exception of *Godzilla Island*, Megalon has not directly appeared in any films or television programs since his debut in 1973. He is also one of a select few kaiju characters who debuted in theShowa series to have never had more than one film appearance, with the others being Gabara, Jet Jaguar and Titanosaurus.
* Despite being a monster native to Earth, Megalon is normally associated with other alien kaiju because of his association with Gigan, and his role as an antagonist in *Godzilla vs. Megalon*. For this reason, he has traditionally been depicted as an ally of alien invaders in his video game appearances.
* In the 2008 *Go! Godman* film, a Megalon figure can be seen in a pail of sand during a flashback of Mika Ayase's childhood.
* A monster that appears in the opening sequence of *Godzilla: The Series* is named Megalon.
* Megalon and Godzilla were seen in a magazine in *Friday the 13th Part 3*.

## List of appearances

### Films

* *Godzilla vs. Megalon* (First appearance)

### Video games

* *Godzilla vs. 3 Giant Monsters*
* *Godzilla*(Arcade)
* *Godzilla: Battle Legends*
* *Godzilla: Great Monster Battle*
* *Godzilla: Heart-Pounding Monster Island!!*
* *Godzilla Movie Studio Tour*
* *Godzilla: Trading Battle*
* *Godzilla Generations*
* *Godzilla: Domination!*
* *Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee*
* *Godzilla: Save the Earth*
* *Godzilla: Unleashed* (Wii and PS2)
* *Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash*
* *Godzilla*(2014 video game) (Kaiju Guide)
* *Godzilla: Kaiju Collection*

### Comics

* *Godzilla vs. Megalon*(comic adaptation)
* *Godzilla, King of the Monsters*
* *Godzilla: The Half-Century War*
* *Godzilla: Rulers of Earth*
* *Godzilla: Rage Across Time*