Bakan

Bakan (バカン Bakan) ) is a kaiju that first appeared in a Draft for The Return of Godzilla called Resurrection of Godzilla Bakan was created by Tomoyuki Tanaka.

## History

### Resurrection of Godzilla (1980 draft)

A shapeshifting mystical creature called Bagan appears in Japan and battles the JSDF, switching between its three forms: an ape, a dragon and a fish. Meanwhile, illegal nuclear dumping in the Pacific Ocean awakens Godzilla, who travels to Japan in search of more nuclear fuel. When Godzilla arrives, he encounters Bagan, who is unable to defeat Godzilla and is eventually destroyed. With Bagan out of the way and the JSDF's advanced "super weapons" destroyed, Godzilla rampages through Japan, causing the government to fear he will attack Tokyo. A scientist named Dr. Inamura is convinced to use his nuclear fission device, the Reiconium, in order to hopefully kill Godzilla. The Reiconium is used to lure Godzilla to a remote atoll, and is detonated once Godzilla nears it. Godzilla is consumed in a fiery explosion and falls into the sea, seemingly defeated. However, Godzilla later washes ashore on the west coast of the United States, where he is awakened by a nearby nuclear power plant and lets out a vicious roar.

### Resurrection of Godzilla (1983 draft)

A shapeshifting mystical creature called Bagan appears in Japan and battles the JSDF, switching between its three forms: an ape, a dragon and a fish. Meanwhile, illegal nuclear dumping in the Pacific Ocean awakens Godzilla, who travels to Japan in search of more nuclear fuel. When Godzilla arrives, he encounters Bagan, who is unable to defeat Godzilla. Bagan transforms into a totem-like composite of his three forms and fights Godzilla again. This time however, Godzilla destroys Bagan for good. With Bagan out of the way and the JSDF's advanced "super weapons" destroyed, Godzilla rampages through Japan, causing the government to fear he will attack Tokyo. A scientist named Dr. Inamura is convinced to use his nuclear fission device, the Reiconium, in order to hopefully kill Godzilla. The Reiconium is used to lure Godzilla to a remote atoll, and is detonated once Godzilla nears it. Godzilla is consumed in a fiery explosion and falls into the sea, seemingly defeated. However, Godzilla later washes ashore on the west coast of the United States, where he is awakened by a nearby nuclear power plant and lets out a vicious roar.

## Name

he original version of Bagan featured in the 1980 and 1983 drafts for *Resurrection of Godzilla* is named **Bakan** (バカン). The majority of official publications make no distinction in name between "Bakan" and "Bagan," and refer to the original 1980-1983 incarnation of the monster as Bagan. the reason is thought to be because in japan baka (馬鹿) means idiot

## Abilities

### Adept Swimming

Bagan's Sacred Water Beast form from the 1980 *Resurrection of Godzilla* draft and his Dragon God Beast form from the first version of *Mothra vs. Bagan* are both adept swimmers. Bagan is also an adept swimmer in the second version of *Mothra vs. Bagan*.

### Flight

Bagan's Sacred Dragon Beast form from *Resurrection of Godzilla*, his Demon God Beast form from the first version of *Mothra vs. Bagan*, and his "Decided Design" from the second version of *Mothra vs. Bagan* all possess physical wings, giving him the ability to fly. Bagan's 1990 "Decided Design" possesses "wings like a bat" (コウモリのような羽) for flight. Storyboards for the film using Bagan's "Design B" depicted him projecting wings of light from his back, which granted him the ability to fly. This ability was carried over but left unused for Bagan's canonical "Design A."

Bagan's Energy Form in *Super Godzilla* is able to levitate.

### Shape-Shifting

The version of Bagan in the 1980 *Resurrection of Godzilla* was capable of shape-shifting into three separate forms by altering its cells while it was in contact with the correct elements, meaning it could only be in its flight-based form in the sky, its water-based form in the sea, and its land-based form on dry land. The Bagan from the 1983 version also had the added ability to heal himself when changing form, and an additional fourth form which lacked the ability to heal.

In *Super Godzilla*, Bagan starts out in its Energy Form. Once Godzilla approached it for battle, it emanated bursts of white light and transmogrified into its final form.