Gigantus

gigantus is a posthumous protagonist of the shanezilla series, as well as the main protagonist of the first half of the Godzilla franchise. in the showa era, he appears as the main antagonist of Godzilla raids again, king kong vs Godzilla and mothra vs Godzilla and the central antagonist turned main protagonist of Ghidorah, the three headed monster and the main protagonist throughout the rest of the showa era and the heisei series. he also appears as the posthumous protagonist/one of the tritagonists of the millennium and monsterverse. he is the fourth king of the kaiju and the emperor of japan. he is also minilla's father as well as the best friend of Rodan, Anguirus, and king kong. he is the enemy of King ghidorah and Destoroyah.

## Personality

The Showa Godzilla undergoes gradual character development throughout his film appearances. In *Godzilla Raids Again*, *King Kong vs. Godzilla* and *Mothra vs. Godzilla*, Godzilla is a destructive beast that comes ashore in Japan and destroys everything in his path and indiscriminately attacks other monsters. Starting in *Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster*, Godzilla begins a transition into a heroic character as he joins forces with Mothra and Rodan to fight off the evil space monster King Ghidorah. In subsequent films in the 1960's, Godzilla is often depicted as the lesser of two evils, doing battle with much more malicious and dangerous creatures such as King Ghidorah, Ebirah and Kumonga. In the film *Son of Godzilla*, Godzilla discovers an infant member of his species named Minilla, which he decides to raise as a son and train to take up his mantle. Godzilla's loyalty and love for Minilla eventually leads to him becoming a primarily heroic and sympathetic character. In the films of the 1970's, Godzilla is depicted as an actual superhero who arrives in Japan to fend off evil monsters from outer space such as Hedorah, Gigan and Mechagodzilla.

According to Mothra's Shobijin's translation of Mothra, Rodan and Godzilla's conversation in *Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster*, Godzilla only "hates humans because they hate him," suggesting that Godzilla never had any true malicious intent but was only reacting to constantly being attacked by humans. Rodan later agrees with Godzilla's statement.

## Origins

The Showa Godzilla is another individual of the same species as the original Godzilla that attacked Tokyo in 1954. Like his predecessor, this Godzilla was presumably awakened by an American hydrogen bomb test in the South Pacific, causing him to absorb huge amounts of radiation and driving him from his natural underwater habitat.

## History

### Showa era

#### *Godzilla Raids Again*

Godzilla in *Godzilla Raids Again*
Less than a year after the first Godzilla's demise, a second one was spotted by pilots Shoichi Tsukioka and Koji Kobayashi on the remote Iwato Island battling the giant ankylosaur monster Anguirus. After a brief clash, Godzilla and Anguirus tumbled into the ocean and disappeared. Tsukioka and Kobayashi told their story to the Japanese authorities, who consulted Dr. Yamane to find a way to stop the monsters. Yamane regretfully stated that with the death of Dr. Serizawa, there was no conceivable way to defeat Godzilla. Yamane suggested that a blackout be enforced on major cities when Godzilla was near, as bright lights reminded him of the nuclear bomb that awakened him and would draw him to the city. When Godzilla appeared in Osaka Bay, the city of Osaka initiated a blackout, while the JSDF used flares to lure Godzilla back out to sea. Meanwhile, a group of convicts escaped from a prison transport in the city and stole a car, engaging in a high-speed chase with police that ended when their car struck a refinery. The resulting explosion produced a raging fire that lured both Godzilla and Anguirus into the city. The monsters resumed their struggle, reducing the city of Osaka to rubble. When the battle neared Osaka Castle, Godzilla tackled Anguirus into the building. Godzilla then bit down on Anguirus' neck before throwing him into the moat below and setting him ablaze with his atomic breath. His enemy defeated, Godzilla calmly swam back out to sea. Weeks later, Godzilla was believed to be active in the waters off Hokkaido, sinking a fishing boat. Tsukioka saw Godzilla come ashore on an icy island while scouting the waters for fish in his plane, and reported it to the JSDF Several fighter jets engaged Godzilla on the island, but their weapons had no effect and Godzilla approached the water. Kobayashi arrived in his plane to try and distract Godzilla, only to be shot down and killed by Godzilla's atomic breath. The avalanche of ice caused by the crash inspired the JSDF to shoot the slopes on the island and try to bury Godzilla in ice. The plan worked, as Godzilla was completely submerged in the ice and finally defeated, at least for the time being.

#### *King Kong vs. Godzilla*

Godzilla in *King Kong vs. Godzilla*
Seven years after Godzilla was encased in ice, his icy prison broke off the island and floated out to sea, gradually thawing. The United Nations submarine *Seahawk* accidentally crashed into the iceberg while in the waters north of Japan, causing it to split open and finally free Godzilla. Godzilla swam to a nearby military base, annihilating the its forces with his atomic breath. Godzilla then surfaced in the Tohoku region, attacking a train in the countryside near Sendai. Godzilla continued on his way, only to eventually encounter the giant ape King Kong. Kong threw boulders at Godzilla, who responded by blasting Kong with his atomic breath, setting the surrounding forests ablaze. Kong, unable to fight back, walked away in defeat. Godzilla continued his rampage, gradually approaching Tokyo. The JSDF dug a huge pit in the ground, filled it with explosives and then covered it with a net covered in dirt and foliage, hoping to trap Godzilla when he reached it. When Godzilla reached the trap, he fell into the pit, prompting the JSDF to detonate the charges. Godzilla merely climbed out of the pit unfazed and continued to approach Tokyo. The JSDF then initiated one last desperate plan to keep Godzilla out of the capital. Tokyo was surrounded by a barrier of high-tension wires, similar to the unsuccessful plan used to try and halt the first Godzilla back in 1954. This time though, the wires carried a charge of one million volts. When Godzilla tried to breach the barrier, he was electrocuted until he turned around and walked away. Godzilla then began to climb Mount Fuji. When King Kong was sedated after climbing the National Diet Building, the JSDF developed a plan to drop off Kong at Mt. Fuji and force him and Godzilla to fight to the death. Kong was carried to the mountain by balloons and dropped onto Godzilla. The monsters resumed their battle, with Godzilla eventually gaining the upper hand, knocking Kong unconscious and setting him ablaze with his atomic breath. Fortunately for Kong, an electrical storm passed overhead, and Kong was struck by lightning, revitalizing him. Kong viciously fought back against Godzilla, pummeling him with electrified punches. Godzilla and Kong continued fighting until they reached Atami Castle and tackled each other off a cliff into the ocean below. After a brief earthquake, Kong surfaced from the water and began to swim back to his home on Faro Island. The humans who had witnessed the battle were unsure if Godzilla had survived, but speculated it was possible.

#### *Mothra vs. Godzilla*

Godzilla in *Mothra vs. Godzilla*
Godzilla was washed ashore and buried underground by a vicious typhoon that struck the coast of Japan. Eventually, Godzilla surfaced and began to rampage, attacking the nearby city of Nagoya. Godzilla destroyed both the Nagoya Tower and Nagoya Castle, then wandered off into the Japanese countryside. The JSDF engaged Godzilla several times, each time unsuccessfully. Meanwhile, a group of humans traveled to Infant Island to ask for Mothra's help in stopping Godzilla. While the natives and even Mothra's Shobijin refused, the elderly Mothra agreed and flew to Japan. When Godzilla approached the incubator in Japan where Mothra's egg was being held by a corporation, Mothra flew down and attacked him. Mothra put up a desperate fight against Godzilla, but was too frail to continue and collapsed onto her egg and died. Victorious, Godzilla continued his rampage. Building on their successful repulsion of Godzilla two years ago with electrical wires, the JSDF constructed several giant electrical towers capable of blasting Godzilla with extremely high voltages of electricity. To further increase the effectiveness of the attack, helicopters dropped a wire net onto Godzilla, which conducted the charge across his entire body. However, the electrical towers overheated and exploded, allowing Godzilla to regain his footing and eradicate the JSDF's forces. Godzilla then approached Iwa Island, where a group of schoolchildren and their teacher were stranded. Thankfully, Mothra's egg hatched and her twin larvae followed Godzilla to the island. There, they managed to trap Godzilla in silk and cause him to fall over a cliff into the water below. Godzilla then disappeared underwater.

#### *Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster*

Godzilla in *Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster*
After destroying a cruise ship with his atomic breath, Godzilla came ashore in Japan, where he encountered Rodan, who had escaped from the crater of Mount Aso. Godzilla and Rodan attacked each other, engaging in a protracted battle for several days that eventually reached Mount Fuji. Meanwhile, the space monster known as King Ghidorah arrived in Japan in a meteor and began attacking the nation's major cities. The Shobijin contacted the surviving Mothra larva, who traveled to Mt. Fuji to try and recruit Godzilla and Rodan to help her stop King Ghidorah. When the monsters would not stop fighting, Mothra got their attention by spraying them with silk until they stopped. The monsters reluctantly decided to hear Mothra out, but refused to help, claiming they had no reason to help her. Mothra told them the Earth belonged to all creatures and that they faced a common threat, but Godzilla claimed he had no willingness to help humanity, as they constantly attacked him. Rodan even agreed with this sentiment. Dejected, Mothra tried to fight King Ghidorah on her own, but was brutally outmatched. Inspired by the larva's courage, Godzilla and Rodan entered the battle against King Ghidorah. Together, the three monsters were able to force King Ghidorah to retreat back to space. Godzilla and Rodan then watched Mothra swim back to Infant Island.

#### *Invasion of Astro-Monster*

Godzilla in *Invasion of Astro-Monster*
Upon arriving on the newly-discovered Planet X, astronauts Glenn and Fuji encountered a race of sapient aliens known as the Xiliens and their leader, the Controller of Planet X. The Controller revealed that Planet X was being terrorized by King Ghidorah, whom the Xiliens called "Monster Zero." The Controller told the astronauts if they would allow the Xiliens to "borrow" Godzilla and Rodan in order to fight King Ghidorah, the Xiliens would provide mankind with a cure for cancer. While Earth's leaders discussed the offer, the Xiliens secretly arrived on Earth and located Godzilla sleeping under Lake Myojin and Rodan roosting in the side of a mountain. When the Xiliens revealed themselves, they used their flying saucers to transport Godzilla and Rodan to Planet X, accompanied by Glenn, Fuji, and their superior officer Dr. Sakurai. On Planet X, they witnessed Godzilla and Rodan fight and defeat King Ghidorah. The Controller gave the three humans a tape he claimed held the cure and sent them back to Earth. Back on Earth, it was revealed the tape was actually an ultimatum from the Xiliens demanding Earth's surrender, or else the now mind-controlled Godzilla, dubbed **Monster Zero-One** (怪物０１ *Kaibutsu Zerowan*) by the Xiliens, alongside Rodan and King Ghidorah would be set loose on Earth. When humanity would not give in, all three monsters were set loose. Thankfully, Fuji developed a way to sever the Xiliens' mind control, freeing the monsters. The Xiliens' forces were quickly defeated by the JSDF, leaving only the monsters. Godzilla and Rodan teamed up against King Ghidorah once more, eventually falling off a cliff with him into the water. King Ghidorah retreated back to space, while Godzilla and Rodan vanished. However, witnesses were certain neither monster had died.

#### *Ebirah, Horror of the Deep*

Godzilla in *Ebirah, Horror of the Deep*
Godzilla was discovered sleeping in a cave on Letchi Island by a group of people hiding from the island's resident terrorist group, the Red Bamboo. When several members of the group were either captured or disappeared, the remaining people decided to awaken Godzilla by attaching a sword to copper wire during a storm and placing the wire on Godzilla. When the sword was hit by lightning, Godzilla woke up and broke free of the cavern. Godzilla tried to return to the sea, he was attacked by Ebirah, a giant lobster that guarded the waters of the island. Godzilla and Ebirah threw rocks at each other for a while, then Godzilla entered the water to fight Ebirah hand-to-hand. After an underwater clash, Godzilla forced Ebirah to retreat. Godzilla returned to the shore and took up refuge on a mountain. There, he was attacked by a Giant Condor, which he killed with a single blast of his atomic breath. Godzilla was then attacked by a fleet of Red Bamboo fighter jets, which he destroyed easily. Godzilla then retaliated by assaulting the Red Bamboo's base on the island, unwittingly activating a nuclear bomb in the base that would explode and destroy the island. Godzilla approached the ocean once again, but was again confronted by Ebirah. The monsters battled again, with Godzilla virtually boiling Ebirah alive by blasting the water with his atomic breath. Godzilla then tore off both of Ebirah's claws and taunted him, forcing the giant lobster to swim away in defeat. Godzilla then witnessed Mothra fly overhead and went back ashore to challenge her. Mothra had actually come to save the Infant Islanders being enslaved by the Red Bamboo, and knocked Godzilla aside with her wing in order to rescue them before the bomb could go off. As the survivors were airlifted away, they called out to Godzilla warning him to leave the island. Godzilla watched Mothra fly away, and then dove into the ocean just as Letchi Island was consumed by a nuclear explosion, much to everyone's relief.

#### *Son of Godzilla*

Godzilla in *Son of Godzilla*
Godzilla was summoned to Sollgel Island after detecting a distress call from another member of his species. When he arrived, he found three giant mantises called Kamacuras attacking a prematurely hatched infant Godzilla, dubbed Minilla. Godzilla killed two of the Kamacuras and saved Minilla, who began to follow him. Godzilla begrudgingly allowed Minilla to ride on his tail, and the two of them traveled to the interior of the island. Godzilla took up residence next to a lake of boiling red water, where he began to raise Minilla as his son and train him to take up his mantle. Godzilla demonstrated to Minilla how to use his atomic breath, but Minilla was only able to fire a pitiful smoke ring. Godzilla stepped on Minilla's tail, which caused him to fire an atomic beam. Minilla shrieked excitedly, and Godzilla gave him a congratulatory pat on the head. When Godzilla was sleeping, Minilla jumped over his tail several times, eventually tripping over him. Godzilla looked up at Minilla, who stared guiltily at him until he fell back asleep. Bored, Minilla wandered off only to be confronted by the giant spider Kumonga. Kumonga trapped Minilla and a Kamacuras, which he killed by injecting it with poison. Before Kumonga could do the same to Minilla, Godzilla arrived to save his son. Godzilla battled Kumonga while a team of United Nations scientists on the island activated a weather-controlling device intended to freeze the island and allow them to escape the monsters. As snow began to fall on the island, Kumonga trapped Godzilla in its web and prepared to finish him. Thankfully, Minilla used his atomic breath to attack Kumonga. Godzilla recovered and the two monsters used their atomic breath in unison to set Kumonga ablaze. Godzilla then approached the ocean to get off the island before it froze over. Minilla fell in the snow and began to cry out as he started to fall asleep. Rather than abandon his son, Godzilla went back and embraced him in the snow, as they both went into hibernation together.

#### *Destroy All Monsters*

Godzilla in *Destroy All Monsters*
By the end of the 20th century, Godzilla and all of Earth's other kaiju were living together on the human-monitored Monsterland, located in the Ogasawara Islands. A sinister alien force called the Kilaaks invaded the island, brainwashing the island's staff along with the monsters and setting them loose all over the globe. Godzilla surfaced in New York, where he attacked the United Nations building. As humanity struggled to find a way to sever the Kilaaks' mind control, Godzilla, Rodan, Manda and Mothra all assaulted Tokyo at once. The monsters could not be stopped by military might, and Tokyo was reduced to rubble. Godzilla and the other monsters were then recalled to the Mount Fuji area to guard the Kilaaks' base. Fortunately, the crew of the Moonlight SY-3 assaulted the Kilaaks' base on the moon and destroyed their mind control device. Godzilla then led his fellow Earth monsters to attack the Kilaaks' base at Mt. Fuji. The Kilaaks revealed their trump card though, in the form of King Ghidorah. King Ghidorah attacked Godzilla and the Earth monsters, but was no match for the combined might of Godzilla, Minilla, Anguirus, and Gorosaurus. Gorosaurus delivered a punishing kangaroo-kick to Ghidorah's back, while Godzilla stomped his heads into the dust. Minilla then choked off King Ghidorah's last head with a smoke ring, leaving the space monster lying limp on the ground. Mothra and Kumonga then covered King Ghidorah's motionless body in webbing. The Kilaaks then unleashed a flaming UFO dubbed the "Fire Dragon," which was eventually shot down by the SY-3. Godzilla discovered the Kilaaks' base and destroyed it, causing a fissure to open in the ground, into which King Ghidorah's body fell. With the Earth finally saved, Godzilla and his fellow monsters were relocated back to Monsterland to live out their days in peace.

#### *All Monsters Attack*

Godzilla in *All Monsters Attack*
Godzilla appeared in the dreams of the young boy Ichiro Miki when he dreamed about visiting Monster Island. In his dreams, Ichiro met Minilla, and the two of them watched Godzilla battle Kamacuras, Ebirah, Kumonga and a giant eagle. Godzilla then called for Minilla and attempted to teach him how to fight for himself. When Minilla proved unable to fire atomic breath, only a weak ring of smoke, Godzilla stomped on his tail, causing him to fire a powerful beam. Minilla returned to Ichiro and the two of them formulated a plan to defeat Gabara, a giant monster who constantly bullied Minilla. They created a giant teeter-totter trap that launched Gabara into the air, leaving him apparently unconscious. Godzilla congratulated his son, only for Gabara to attack Godzilla in retaliation. Godzilla became enraged and mercilessly beat up Gabara until the monster ran away. Afterwards, both Godzilla and Minilla approach Ichiro, then Godzilla prepares to grab Ichrio and as he was reaching out to get him, Ichiro eventually wakes up from his dream before Godzilla could do anything to him.

#### *Godzilla vs. Hedorah*

Godzilla in *Godzilla vs. Hedorah*
Godzilla was attracted by the presence of Hedorah, a monster composed of pollution, and attacked him at a port while the latter was trying to feed on a smokestack. Godzilla was able to overpower Hedorah, and forced him to retreat to the ocean. Godzilla then followed after Hedorah. When Hedorah appeared on land in broad daylight in a new flying form, Godzilla attacked him near a refinery. However, the sulfuric mist given off by Hedorah's flying form caused Godzilla to collapse and gasp for air, allowing the smog monster to fly away. Hedorah later arrived at the summit of Mount Fuji in his gigantic final form, with Godzilla in hot pursuit. Godzilla battled Hedorah, but was gruesomely wounded, losing an eye and having his hand eaten down to the bone by Hedorah's acidic blood. Godzilla fell into a pit, where Hedorah dumped a huge amount of sludge onto him. Hedorah was lured away by the JSDF, who had created a Giant Electrode to dry him out. When the electrode failed to function, Godzilla got back up and activated it with his atomic breath, drying Hedorah into a husk. Godzilla tore into Hedorah and removed two white orbs, then dried them out with the electrode. As Godzilla walked away, he hit Hedorah's husk with his tail, only for it to split open and release a second Hedorah, which flew away. Godzilla used his atomic breath to propel himself into the air and chase after Hedorah, eventually colliding with him in midair and tackling him to the ground. Godzilla subdued Hedorah and brought him back to the electrode, drying him out again. This time, Godzilla tore Hedorah into pieces, then dried them all individually until Hedorah was nothing but dust. Godzilla then looked at the JSDF for a moment before walking down the mountain into the ocean and swimming away.

#### *Godzilla vs. Gigan*

Godzilla in *Godzilla vs. Gigan*
While sleeping on Monster Island, Godzilla overheard the M Space Hunter Nebula Aliens' "action tape" being played, alerting him to their nefarious plans to conquer the Earth. Godzilla told his friend Anguirus to travel to Japan to investigate the Nebulans' activities. When Anguirus was repelled from Japan by the JSDF, who were unaware of his intentions, and returned to Monster Island, Godzilla joined him and the two of them swam to Japan. When they reached the outskirts of Tokyo, the Nebulans had already unleashed their two monster pawns, Godzilla's arch-enemy King Ghidorah and the cyborg Gigan. Godzilla and Anguirus engaged the space monsters in battle, with their struggle reaching to construction site of the World Children's Land, the secret base of the Nebulans' operations. The Nebulans' activated their Godzilla Tower, which fired a laser beam at Godzilla. Godzilla was unable to withstand the brutal onslaught of both the tower and Gigan and was seemingly knocked down for the count. Anguirus tried to take on Gigan and King Ghidorah by himself, but was overwhelmed. When Godzilla got back to his feet, his vision was blurry and he stumbled into the Godzilla Tower, which was already damaged by a TNT explosion, completely destroying it. Godzilla regrouped with Anguirus while Gigan and King Ghidorah tried to regain their composure after they ceased receiving commands from their alien overlords. Godzilla and Anguirus attacked their foes again, eventually forcing Gigan to retreat. Godzilla and Anguirus then double-teamed King Ghidorah, who retreated back to space shortly after. With the planet safe from alien invaders once again, Godzilla and Anguirus began swimming back to Monster Island.

#### *Godzilla vs. Megalon*

Godzilla in *Godzilla vs. Megalon*
Following a nuclear test in the Pacific Ocean, violent tremors spread across the Pacific islands, eventually reaching Monster Island and tearing it apart. During the earthquake, Anguirus tumbled into an underground fissure, while Godzilla found himself surrounded by growing fissures releasing volcanic gases. After the tremors had ceased, Godzilla was approached by the robot Jet Jaguar, who warned him that the giant monster Megalon was attacking Japan. Godzilla left the island and swam toward Japan, while Jet Jaguar grew to kaiju size to occupy Megalon until Godzilla arrived. Unfortunately, Megalon's masters, the Seatopians, contacted the M Space Hunter Nebula Aliens and borrowed their monster Gigan to assist him. Jet Jaguar found himself overwhelmed by the duo of Gigan and Megalon, until Godzilla finally arrived. After a lengthy battle, Gigan retreated as he had done a year before, leaving Megalon at the mercy of Godzilla and his robot ally. Jet Jaguar held Megalon still as Godzilla delivered a punishing kick to his chest after sliding on his tail. Firmly beaten, Megalon burrowed back underground to Seatopia, leaving the surface world safe. Godzilla shook hands with Jet Jaguar, then swam back to Monster Island.

#### *Zone Fighter*

Godzilla in *Zone Fighter*
Godzilla would be called upon several times by the Sakimori family to assist them and the hero Zone Fighter against various monsters sent by the Garogas to conquer the Earth, including Gigan. Godzilla gradually developed a friendship with Zone Fighter and the Sakimori family, who came to know him as the "Monster of Justice." Around this time, Godzilla seemed to have also taken up residence inside a cave located in Japan.

#### *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla*

Godzilla in *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla*
After Godzilla emerged from Mount Fuji and wreaked havoc across the countryside and broke Anguirus' jaw, it appeared he had returned to his villainous ways. When Godzilla reached Tokyo and began destroying it, another Godzilla appeared from underneath a building. This second Godzilla fired his atomic breath at the other one, revealing it as a robotic impostor. The robot, Mechagodzilla, burned off the rest of its disguise and revealed its full arsenal of weapons. Godzilla fired his atomic breath at Mechagodzilla, which countered with its eye-mounted laser beams. The monsters' beams locked and exploded, sending Godzilla crashing into Tokyo Bay, with his blood welling to the surface. Mechagodzilla was damaged as well, and returned to the base of his alien masters, the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens, in Okinawa. Godzilla came ashore on an island (possibly Monster Island) to recover, where he was struck repeatedly by lightning. However, the lightning had an unforeseen side effect, allowing Godzilla to harness magnetic forces. Godzilla then swam to Okinawa to engage his robotic counterpart in battle once again. When Godzilla arrived, Mechagodzilla was battling the Okinawan guardian beast King Caesar. Godzilla joined forces with King Caesar, and with his help was able to overwhelm Mechagodzilla and force it to retreat. As Mechagodzilla flew away, Godzilla activated his new magnetic powers and drew Mechagodzilla toward him. Godzilla held Mechagodzilla still from behind, as King Caesar repeatedly slammed into the machine. Godzilla then grabbed Mechagodzilla's head and twisted it until its entire upper torso was torn from the rest of its body. Meanwhile, a group of humans infiltrated the aliens' base and destroyed it, triggering a self-destruct sequence that also detonated Mechagodzilla, sending Godzilla tumbling into the ocean below along with Mechagodzilla's wreckage. Godzilla surfaced and began to swim away, as King Caesar returned to his slumber in the side of a cliff.

#### *Terror of Mechagodzilla*

Godzilla in *Terror of Mechagodzilla*
When the mad Dr. Mafune unleashed the monster Titanosaurus in Tokyo, Godzilla arrived to challenge him. Godzilla briefly fought Titanosaurus until the monster abruptly retreated, confusing Godzilla. Godzilla later returned to fight Titanosaurus and the rebuilt Mechagodzilla, who were under the control of the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens and had just obliterated most of Tokyo. Godzilla fought valiantly, but was no match for the combined might of both monsters. After Titanosaurus had pummeled Godzilla, Mechagodzilla blasted him with its finger missiles, knocking him unconscious. Titanosaurus kicked Godzilla into a ravine, while Mechagodzilla used its missiles to bury him alive. The JSDF used a sonic oscillator to distract Titanosaurus, allowing Godzilla to emerge from underground and focus his attention on Mechagodzilla. Mechagodzilla unleashed its full payload of weapons against Godzilla, but Godzilla eventually reached his mechanical doppelganger and tore its head off once again. This time though, Mechagodzilla was not destroyed and was still able to fire a powerful laser beam from the mechanical "brain" atop its neck. Meanwhile, Katsura Mafune, who had Mechagodzilla's controller installed inside of her, broke free of the mind-control the aliens had placed over her and shot and killed herself to stop Mechagodzilla. With Mechagodzilla immobile, Godzilla grabbed his robot double and threw it into the same ravine where he had been buried earlier, then blasted it with his atomic breath, causing Mechagodzilla to explode, destroyed for good. Godzilla then turned his attention to Titanosaurus, easily overpowering him. The aliens' leader, Mugal, and his remaining underlings tried to flee in their UFOs, but Godzilla saw them escaping and destroyed them with his atomic breath. Godzilla then blasted Titanosaurus in the chest with his atomic breath, sending him falling over a cliff into the sea below. Godzilla waded back out to sea and swam away, victorious.

### Heisei era

#### *The Return of Godzilla*

Three months after a volcanic eruption on Daikoku Island, the Japanese fishing vessel *Yahata-Maru* came face-to-face with a giant monster at sea that destroyed the ship and killed most of the crew, the rest of whom were killed by a parasite that fell off the monster. The lone survivor of the crew, Hiroshi Okumura, was rescued by reporter Goro Maki and brought back to Japan, where he was interviewed by scientist Makoto Hayashida, who showed Okumura photographs of Godzilla's rampage from 1954. After viewing the photographs, Okumura confirmed that the monster he saw was in fact Godzilla. In order to prevent a panic from breaking out, the Japanese government kept Godzilla's return hidden from the public. Meanwhile, Godzilla encountered a Soviet nuclear submarine in the waters off Japan and attacked it, causing the Soviets to believe the Americans were responsible. In order to prevent a nuclear war between the two superpowers, the Japanese government revealed to the world that Godzilla had returned. Both the Americans and Soviets demanded that they be allowed to use their nuclear weapons against Godzilla, but the Japanese government denied their requests. The Soviets secretly placed the controls for a nuclear attack sattelite in a cargo ship called the *Balashevo* in Tokyo Bay should the need to use it arise. One night, Godzilla surfaced at Mihama and attacked the nuclear power plant there, as Dr. Hayashida knew that Godzilla fed on radiation. While feeding on the reactor, Godzilla suddenly left and followed a flock of birds out to sea. Hayashida realized that Godzilla, being related to dinosaurs, shared a part of his brain with birds, and like birds used magnetic patterns in the atmosphere to navigate. Hayashida began work on a magnetic wave transmitter to try and use it to lure Godzilla into Mount Mihara on Izu Oshima and imprison him.

Before Hayashida's plan could be completed, Godzilla appeared in Tokyo Bay. The JSDF scrambled and lined up on the coast to try and stop him. Godzilla simply annihilated the soldiers on the shore with his atomic breath and climbed onto land. Godzilla made his way through Tokyo, eventually passing by Hayashida's laboratory. Hayashida activated his transmitter, which made Godzilla pause. Just then, the JSDF's N1-00s opened fire on Godzilla, causing him to react and damage the building. Godzilla followed the N1-00s to Shinjuku, where the Super X, a craft designed in secret by Japan to defend the country against nuclear attacks, was sent to engage him. The Super X used its flares to distract Godzilla, then fired its cadmium shells down his throat as he roared. The cadmium slowed the nuclear reactions in Godzilla's body, causing his heart to stop and him to collapse against a skyscraper. The JSDF believed Godzilla was dead, but Hayashida assured his assistant Naoko Okumura and Maki that Godzilla was still alive. Hiroshi Okumura arrived in a helicopter and airlifted Hayashida and his device to Oshima, while Naoko and Maki were left behind and had to escape the building themselves. Meanwhile, the Soviets' nuclear satellite had been accidentally triggered when Godzilla destroyed the *Balashevo* and a nuclear missile was headed straight for the heart of Tokyo. Fortunately, the Soviets warned the Japanese that the missile had been fired, giving the Americans enough time to shoot it down in the skies far above Tokyo. However, the radiation showered down onto Godzilla, reviving him. Godzilla reengaged the Super X, shooting it down with his atomic breath and toppling a skyscraper onto it. Godzilla continued his rampage, until Hayashida activated the device on Oshima, causing Godzilla to leave Tokyo and swim there. Godzilla came ashore on the island and climbed to the summit of Mt. Mihara. When Godzilla had reached the summit, explosive charges on the volcano were detonated, triggering a controlled eruption and sending Godzilla plummeting into the crater below, where he was finally imprisoned.

#### *Godzilla vs. Biollante*

Over five years after being imprisoned inside Mount Mihara, Godzilla began to stir within the volcano's crater. The JSDF's anti-Godzilla unit, headed by Colonel Goro Gondo and Major Sho Kuroki, was placed on high alert, while the government began work on a weapon called the Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria (ANEB). This bacteria, engineered from genes within Godzilla's own cells, was designed to consume the radioactivity inside Godzilla's body and weaken and ultimately kill him. In order to engineer this bacteria, the government sought the help of geneticist Genichiro Shiragami, who accepted for the sole purpose of acquiring a sample of Godzilla cells, which he spliced with a rose containing the cells of his dead daughter Erika, hoping to keep it alive forever. When the terrorist group Bio-Major learned that Japan had engineered the ANEB, their agent John Lee placed explosives on Mt. Mihara and demanded that the ANEB be handed over to him, or else Godzilla would be released. Gondo and scientist Kazuhito Kirishima were sent to make the exchange, but it was sabotaged by the Saradian agent SSS9, who killed Lee and stole the ANEB. The charged exploded, and Godzilla was released once again. As Godzilla swam toward the Japanese mainland, the JSDF scrambled the Super X2, a new warcraft built from the remnants of the Super X, to engage him in the ocean. The craft held its own against Godzilla, but the heat of his atomic breath caused the Super X2's fire mirror to overheat and forced it to retreat. Godzilla made his way to Lake Ashi, where the result of Shiragami splicing Godzilla's cells with the rose, the creature Biollante, had taken root. Godzilla stared at the strange creature, which panicked and began to attack him. Biollante wrapped her vines around Godzilla, pulling him underwater. Godzilla surfaced and immediately retaliated by blasting Biollante with his atomic breath, causing her to hemorrhage and erupt in flames. Biollante broke apart into spores of energy and floated into space, as Godzilla returned to the ocean.

Running low on nuclear energy, Godzilla began to search for a nearby nuclear plant. The JSDF expected Godzilla to surface at Iso Bay, where the nearest nuclear plant was, and lined up their defenses there. However, Godzilla unexpectedly surfaced at Osaka Bay instead, leaving the city of Osaka defenseless. The JSDF rushed to evacuate the city and send its units there. Gondo and Kirishima managed to recover the ANEB from the Saradia Oil Corporation office in Osaka, and Gondo quickly assembled a commando team with rockets loaded with the ANEB. Gondo and his men took point inside skyscrapers in the city center while Kuroki remotely piloted the Super X2 to distract Godzilla. Godzilla destroyed the Super X2 and made his way to the city center, where he was successfully injected with the ANEB rockets. Godzilla approached the building where Gondo was and roared, with Gondo firing a rocket straight into his mouth and mocking him. Godzilla retaliated by destroying the building and killing Gondo. The next day, Godzilla was showing no visible signs of being affected by the ANEB. Kirishima concluded that Godzilla's body temperature was too low for the ANEB to take effect, and proposed a plan to raise it. The JSDF organized an assault with multiple MBT-MB92 Maser Cannons and the experimental M6000 T.C. System at Wakasa Bay. When Godzilla arrived, the onslaught of Maser beams and artificial lightning raised his temperature, causing him to weaken. Just then, Biollante's spores rained from the sky and traveled underground. Biollante emerged from underground in her colossal final form, wiping out all of the JSDF's units and attacking Godzilla. Both monsters seriously wounded each other, but Biollante's corrosive sap spray raised Godzilla's body temperature even more and he became severely weakened. Godzilla tried to walk back to the sea, but collapsed headfirst into the water. Biollante then broke apart into energy spores again and floated back to space. The water washing over Godzilla caused his temperature to lower, and he regained enough strength to wade back out to sea and disappear beneath the waves.

#### *Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah*

The ANEB caused Godzilla to remain dormant underwater in the Sea of Japan for two years. The JSDF closely monitored Godzilla, but it appeared he was too weak to ever leave the water. One day, a group of time-travelers from the year 2204 arrived in their ship MOTHER and asked for an audience with the Japanese government. They claimed that Godzilla would return in the near future and completely destroy Japan, leaving it an uninhabitable wasteland by the 23rd century. They also claimed to know a way to prevent this future, by erasing Godzilla from history itself. They cited a book titled *The Birth of Godzilla* by Kenichiro Terasawa, which offered the theory that Godzilla was once a dinosaur living on Lagos Island in the Marshall Islands, which was exposed to the Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb test conducted at nearby Bikini Atoll in 1954 and subsequently transformed into Godzilla. They said they believed this theory was likely correct, and that they could travel back to 1944, when the dinosaur was seen by a Japanese garrison during a World War II battle on the island, and teleport it away. The Futurians sent their member Emmy Kano, their android M11, and a group of selected individuals from present-day Japan back to Lagos Island in 1944 in the ship KIDS. Once they arrived, they witnessed the battle between Japanese and American forces, where the Godzillasaurus appeared and fought off the Americans. The dinosaur was injured by American artillery and appeared to be left to die by the Japanese garrison. Emmy and M11 used KIDS to teleport the Godzillasaurus to the Bering Sea, where they believed it would die, far away from nuclear testing. In the dinosaur's place, Emmy secretly left behind three genetically-engineered creatures called Dorats. When KIDS returned to the present, Wilson, the Futurians' leader, reported Godzilla had vanished from the Sea of Japan, making the mission an apparent success.

However, a new threat had appeared, in the form of the giant three-headed dragon called King Ghidorah, which had seemingly taken Godzilla's place and was terrorizing Japan. Terasawa and the others learned that the Futurians had double-crossed them, using the Castle Bravo test to transform the Dorats into King Ghidorah and attempting to remove Godzilla from history so he could not defend them. The Futurians demanded that Japan surrender to them, so they could rebuild the country and prevent it from becoming a corrupt superpower in the future. Miki Saegusa, a psychic who was an expert on Godzilla, remarked that she could still sense Godzilla moving somewhere in the ocean. Terasawa and Emmy, who had defected from the Futurians after learning their true plan, remarked it was strange that Miki still sensed Godzilla and that they all still remembered him. Emmy suggested it was possible Godzilla was created through some method other than the Castle Bravo test. The Japanese government meanwhile, believing Godzilla was the only defense against King Ghidorah and that the Godzillasaurus was still dormant in the Bering Sea, sent a nuclear submarine to transform it into a new Godzilla. Terasawa, after learning that Godzilla was never erased from history and was actually mutated by a nuclear submarine crash in the Bering Sea prior to 1985, tried to warn them against the plan, but was too late. The submarine encountered Godzilla en route to the Bering Sea, who fed on the sub, curing his ANEB infection and causing him to grow from 80 to 100 meters in height. Godzilla came ashore in Hokkaido, prompting the Futurians to send King Ghidorah against him. Godzilla fought King Ghidorah, who eventually gained the upper hand and began to strangle him with his necks. Terasawa, Emmy and the reprogrammed M11 mounted an assault on MOTHER, destroying the computer controlling King Ghidorah and allowing Godzilla to take the upper hand and sever King Ghidorah's middle head with his spiral heat ray. Emmy then used KIDS to teleport MOTHER in front of Godzilla before it could time-warp back to 2204. Godzilla blasted the ship with his atomic breath, killing Wilson and his assistant Grenchko and ending their scheme. King Ghidorah tried to fly away, but Godzilla blasted out his wings and sent him plummeting into the ocean below.

Revitalized and more powerful than ever, Godzilla began a rampage across Japan, making his way through Hokkaido and reaching Sapporo. After destroying the Sapporo Tower, Godzilla was engaged by two MBT-MB92 Maser Cannons, which he destroyed with his atomic breath. As Godzilla approached Tokyo, Emmy formed a desperate plan: she would travel to 2204 and recover King Ghidorah's preserved corpse, then use the advanced technology of her time to transform him into a cyborg. Emmy and M11 returned to 2204, as Godzilla reached Tokyo. After Godzilla had leveled much of the city and reached its heart, Mecha-King Ghidorah appeared in the sky and descended. Godzilla battled Mecha-King Ghidorah, but his enemy's upgrades gave it an advantage over him. Mecha-King Ghidorah used its electrical capture cables and machine hand to restrain Godzilla and carried him out over the open ocean. Godzilla blasted out Mecha-King Ghidorah's wings, sending them both crashing into the sea. Thankfully, Emmy escaped the mech inside of KIDS, and returned to the future. Meanwhile on the ocean floor, Godzilla regained consciousness and roared angrily.

#### *Godzilla vs. Mothra*

When a large meteor crashed in the Pacific Ocean, it awakened both Godzilla and another dangerous creature, the dark divine moth known as Battra. Godzilla appeared when a group of people working for the Japanese government were attempting to carry Mothra's egg from Infant Island to Japan. Godzilla attacked the barge carrying the egg, forcing it to hatch into a larva. Mothra fought Godzilla in the ocean, until Battra arrived as well, knocking Mothra into the air and dragging Godzilla to the ocean floor. As Godzilla and Battra fought underwater, a huge volcanic fault opened beneath them and both were pulled into the magma below. Both monsters were believed dead, but they had actually survived and simply swum through the magma. Godzilla emerged from the crater of Mount Fuji, and made his way toward Yokohama. The JSDF deployed a squadron of Maser Cannons, including MBT-MB92s as well as the new MBAW-93 models and the ASTOL-MB93 Maser attack aircraft, to try and stop Godzilla before he could reach the city. Godzilla made short work of the JSDF's forces and reached the Minato Mirai 21 district of Yokohama, where the imago Mothra and Battra were fighting. Battra knocked Mothra aside and attacked Godzilla, who easily overpowered the moth and knocked him to the ground. Before Godzilla could kill Battra, Mothra intervened and saved him. Mothra and Battra communicated and ultimately decided to join forces against Godzilla. Mothra used her reflective scales to trap Godzilla in a 3D mirror, but he retaliated by sending Mothra flying with a nuclear pulse. Mothra fell near the Cosmo Clock 21, which began to collapse onto her before Battra caught it and threw it at Godzilla. Both moths assaulted Godzilla, with Mothra using her scales to trap Battra's prism beams within a 3D mirror, allowing them to hit Godzilla multiple times. Mothra and Battra's onslaught proved too much for Godzilla, and he was subdued. Mothra and Battra began to carry Godzilla out to sea, but Godzilla bit into Battra's throat and then fired his atomic breath into the wound, killing him. With Battra dead, Mothra was unable to carry Godzilla any further, and dropped both Godzilla and Battra's lifeless corpse into the ocean. She then created a glyph from glowing scales to commemorate the fallen Battra.

#### *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II*

Godzilla appeared at remote Adonoa Island, where a group of Japanese scientists had discovered an intact prehistoric egg and were under attack by the mutant Pteranodon Rodan. Godzilla came ashore on the island and attacked Rodan, buying time for the scientists to escape with the egg. Rodan knocked a mountain onto Godzilla, burying him in rubble. Godzilla broke free and hit Rodan with his tail several times. Rodan flew into Godzilla and knocked him onto his back, then tried to dive-bomb him. Godzilla grabbed Rodan by the throat and choked him before throwing him and blasting him with his atomic breath, leaving him seemingly dead. Godzilla returned to the sea, following the scientists and the egg back to Japan. The egg was brought to an institute in Kyoto, where it hatched into a baby Godzillasaurus, which the scientist it imprinted on, Azusa Gojo, named BabyGodzilla. Godzilla came ashore on the coast of Japan and began making a beeline for Kyoto, intent on recovering the hatchling and raising it as his own. G-Force, a military task force formed by the United Nations to fight Godzilla, sent their newest weapon, Mechagodzilla, to stop him. Mechagodzilla engaged Godzilla in the countryside, overwhelming him with its impressive arsenal of weapons. After Mechagodzilla knocked Godzilla to the ground with its plasma grenade, it fired its shock anchor cables into Godzilla, electrocuting him. Godzilla managed to reverse the electrical current, causing Mechagodzilla to short-circuit and fall. Godzilla got up and continued to Kyoto, where he reached the institute. Azusa and a few other humans hid Baby Godzilla in the building's basement until Godzilla finally left. Baby Godzilla was kept at G-Force's headquarters, where he was raised and studied. G-Force scientists discovered that Baby Godzilla possessed a secondary brain in his hip which controlled motor function in his lower body. Since Baby and Godzilla were both of the same species, G-Force concluded that Godzilla must have the same feature. A plan was formed, codenamed "G-Crusher," to use Baby Godzilla to lure Godzilla to the Ogasawara Islands, where Mechagodzilla would use its shock anchors to destroy his secondary brain, cripple and finally kill him. Azusa protested the use of Baby as bait, but since she had no say she instead insisted to accompany Baby on the trip to the islands. En route, the revived Rodan, now Fire Rodan, intercepted the canister holding Azusa and Baby and touched down. Mechagodzilla and Garuda were sent to kill Rodan and save Baby and Azusa, with Mechagodzilla apparently killing Rodan with its plasma grenade.

Shortly after Rodan was defeated, Godzilla appeared from the ocean and came ashore to challenge Mechagodzilla and recover Baby Godzilla. Godzilla charged toward his opponent and fired his atomic breath while Mechagodzilla fired its mega buster beam. The beams locked and exploded, knocking both monsters off their feet. Godzilla managed to get up close to Mechagodzilla, and dominated the mech in hand-to-hand combat, grabbing it by the head and slamming it up and down. The Garuda flew in and distracted Godzilla until Mechagodzilla was able to get back up. Mechagodzilla and the Garuda then combined into Super Mechagodzilla, which hovered in the air and blasted Godzilla with a barrage of beams. Super Mechagodzilla then fired paralyzer missiles at Godzilla, allowing it to fire its shock anchor cables directly at his hip. Mechagodzilla discharged electricity into Godzilla's secondary brain until it burst, crippling Godzilla and sending him falling to the ground. Super Mechagodzilla began blasting Godzilla with all of its weapons, intending to kill him once and for all. As this was happening, Baby Godzilla broke free of the canister holding him and called out, getting the attention of the mortally-wounded Rodan. Rodan flew over to Godzilla, and was shot down by Mechagodzilla's mega buster. Rodan fell onto the paralyzed Godzilla and transferred his life force into him. Rodan vanished, while Godzilla's brain was reconstituted and he rose back to his feet. Revitalized by Rodan's energy, Godzilla gave off a huge amount of heat, which caused Super Mechagodzilla's diamond armor plate to melt. Godzilla fired his newly-acquired red spiral atomic breath, which severely damaged Mechagodzilla. Mechagodzilla countered with its mega buster, starting another beam lock with Godzilla. This time, Godzilla's beam was far too powerful, and Mechagodzilla was sent falling backwards into a building. Godzilla blasted Mechagodzilla with his beam again, destroying it in a fiery explosion. Godzilla approached Baby Godzilla, who cowered in fear. Miki Saegusa used her telepathic abilities to tell Baby to go away with Godzilla. Baby complied, and followed his new adoptive father out to the ocean.

#### *Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla*

Despite the failure of Mechagodzilla to kill Godzilla, G-Force began work on two new anti-Godzilla projects: Project T, a plan to telepathically control Godzilla, and Project M, a plan to use their new mecha MOGUERA to do what Mechagodzilla had come so close to doing. Godzilla had taken up partial residence on the remote Birth Island, where his adoptive son, now grown to 30 meters in height and dubbed LittleGodzilla, spent all of his time. Two G-Force agents, Koji Shinjo and Kiyoshi Sato were sent to assist Miki Saegusa, Chinatsu Gondo and Susumu Okubo with Project T, while rogue G-Force major Akira Yuki plotted to kill Godzilla himself. When SpaceGodzilla, an alien creature spawned by some of Godzilla's cells that had gone into space, arrived on the island and attacked Little Godzilla, Godzilla came ashore. Shinjo successfully implanted a telepathic transmitter onto Godzilla's neck, but his psychic energy was too much for Miki to be able to control him. Godzilla confronted SpaceGodzilla and tried to save his son, but SpaceGodzilla proved too powerful and knocked Godzilla down. SpaceGodzilla used his telekinesis to kidnap Little Godzilla and trap him in a crystal prison. SpaceGodzilla then flew away, leaving Godzilla behind. Enraged and determined to free his adopted son, Godzilla chased SpaceGodzilla back to Japan.

Godzilla came ashore at Kagoshima, and made his way through Kyushu, eventually reaching Kumamoto. MOGUERA, now piloted by Yuki, diverted from its course and attacked Godzilla. Shinjo and Sato, who were co-piloting the mech, subdued Yuki and sent MOGUERA back after SpaceGodzilla. Eventually, Godzilla reached SpaceGodzilla's crystal fortress in Fukuoka, where MOGUERA and SpaceGodzilla were already fighting. Godzilla attacked SpaceGodzilla, but was again overpowered. Godzilla realized that SpaceGodzilla was drawing his power from the crystal spires he had erected all over the city as well as the Fukuoka Tower, which SpaceGodzilla had instilled with cosmic energy. Godzilla and MOGUERA, now split apart into Star Falcon and Land Moguera, joined forces to destroy the crystals and bring down the tower. When the tower was destroyed, SpaceGodzilla's power was reduced and Godzilla was able to put up a better fight. MOGUERA recombined and used its spiral grenade missiles to destroy the crystals on SpaceGodzilla's shoulders, making him unable to control his energy. SpaceGodzilla retaliated and destroyed MOGUERA with his tail, but Godzilla began pummeling him, releasing energy through his punches. SpaceGodzilla began to absorb too much energy and glow red, signifying he would soon explode. Godzilla utilized his hyper spiral ray to knock SpaceGodzilla to the ground, then blasted him again until he finally exploded. With SpaceGodzilla gone, the crystals on Birth Island disappeared and freed Little Godzilla. Godzilla then swam back out to sea, intent on returning to his son.

#### *Godzilla vs. Destoroyah*

In 1996, a nuclear reaction in Godzilla's heart ignited uranium deposits on Birth Island, causing the island, along with Godzilla and his adopted son, to vanish in a fiery explosion. Godzilla soon resurfaced in Hong Kong, now covered in glowing red rashes and called **Burning Godzilla** (バーニングゴジラ *Bāningu Gojira*). Godzilla annihilated the city with his red atomic breath and eventually disappeared out to sea. During a meeting the next day, G-Force discussed Godzilla's appearance. Professor Marvin, an American scientist employed by the United Nations Godzilla Countermeasures Center, suggested that something had happened to Godzilla's heart, which was essentially a biological nuclear reactor. Marvin suggested G-Force seek out college student Kenkichi Yamane, who had written a thesis paper about Godzilla's physiology. Kenichi, the grandson of Kyohei Yamane, revealed that his father Shinkichi devoted his life to studying Godzilla, but he himself thought of Godzilla as a hobby and had no interest on studying him professionally. However, upon learning he would be working with Miki Saegusa, Kenichi readily agreed to join G-Force. Kenichi concluded that the Birth Island explosion had caused Godzilla to absorb a substantial amount of radiation, causing the nuclear fission in his heart to go out of control. Kenichi said that it if Godzilla continued to increase in power, he would explode, igniting the atmosphere and vaporizing the Earth. Kenichi stated that there was only one way to kill Godzilla before this happened, the same way the first Godzilla in 1954 was killed: the Oxygen Destroyer. Kenichi and his sister Yukari sought out Kensaku Ijuin, a physicist who had developed an invention similar to the Oxygen Destroyer called Micro-Oxygen, and asked him to create a new Oxygen Destroyer. Ijuin refused, warning that the Oxygen Destroyer had mutated a colony of crustaceans from the Precambrian era and that these crustaceans had evolved and started to come ashore. Without the Oxygen Destroyer and knowing a direct attack on Godzilla could cause him to explode, G-Force turned to the Super X3, the third vehicle in the Super X line, which was armed with cadmium shells and freezer weapons. The Super X3 engaged Godzilla in the Bungo Channel as he approached the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant. The Super X3's freezer weapons successfully lowered Godzilla's core temperature and encased him in ice. As Godzilla thawed, the fission in his heart appeared to be reducing, and humanity breathed a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Godzilla's adopted son surfaced at Omae Cove, and had been mutated into a sub-adult Godzilla by the Birth Island explosion. Godzilla Junior, as G-Force Commander Takaaki Aso now dubbed him, appeared to be heading back to his nest on Adonoa Island. G-Force soon learned some troubling news, as although Godzilla's fission had been brought under control, his reactor was now overheating. Now, Godzilla would undergo a nuclear meltdown, which would cause him to burn into the Earth's core and destroy the planet. G-Force had no clue about how to prevent this worst-case scenario, while Godzilla would melt down in less than a week. After learning that Godzilla was following Junior, Kenkichi Yamane proposed a desperate plan: use Junior to lure Godzilla to Tokyo, where the crustaceans mutated by the Oxygen Destroyer had merged into a giant monster called Destoroyah. Kenichi believed that since Destoroyah was the living Oxygen Destroyer, it was the only thing that could kill Godzilla. Miki Saegusa reluctantly used her telepathy to change Junior's course and bring him to Tokyo. Junior was attacked by Destoroyah, but managed to defeat him. When Godzilla appeared in Tokyo Bay, Dr. Ijuin proposed a new plan to use G-Force's freezer weapons to freeze Godzilla as he melted down in order to minimize the damage. The Super X3 and G-Force's new CLT-95 ULT Maser Cannons, along with modified MBT-MB92s and MBAW-93s, were sent to Tokyo in anticipation of Godzilla's meltdown, which would occur once his core temperature reached 1200 degrees Celsius.

As Godzilla and Godzilla Junior reunited near Haneda Airport, Destoroyah appeared in his demonic final form and blasted Godzilla with his Micro-Oxygen beam. Destoroyah grabbed Junior and flew high into the air, dropping him onto the Ariake Coliseum and blasting him with his beam until he appeared to die. Godzilla roared out in grief, but Destoroyah wrapped his tail around Godzilla's neck and dragged him into Tokyo Bay, bellowing maniacally. Determined to avenge his son, Godzilla walked back onto land and confronted Destoroyah. Destoroyah sliced into Godzilla's flesh with his laser horn, leaving a huge scar across Godzilla's chest. Godzilla retaliated by firing his atomic breath at Destoroyah's chest, opening a wound in the beast's chest cavity. Godzilla fired into the open wound, causing Destoroyah to vomit blood and collapse, disintegrating into a white mist. Destoroyah was not defeated, as several of the creature's smaller aggregate forms swarmed Godzilla. Using a nuclear pulse, Godzilla defeated the aggregate Destoroyahs. His temperature climbing, Godzilla approached his fallen son. Godzilla tried to breathe energy back into Junior, whose eyes briefly opened. Junior stared up at his father before closing his eyes and passing away. Godzilla's dorsal fins began to flash as he roared and fired his atomic breath into the air. As Godzilla grieved, Destoroyah returned in his final form and grabbed Godzilla by the neck with his tail once again, dragging him to the outskirts of the city. Godzilla got right back to his feet and approached Destoroyah, ready for one final confrontation with his son's killer. Godzilla's temperature began to climb to critical levels, as his dorsal plates started to melt. Giving off waves of intense heat, Godzilla fired his hyper spiral ray at Destoroyah, blasting off part of his head and wounding his shoulder. Godzilla and his atomic breath caused the area around Destoroyah to erupt in flames, until Destoroyah could no longer withstand the heat. Destoroyah began to take flight, but G-Force opened fire with their freezer weapons, freezing and shredding the beast's wings and sending him plummeting to the superheated ground. Destoroyah struck the ground and instantly exploded into a white mist, which soon dissipated. His son's killer finally dead, Godzilla stood silently as his temperature reached critical, ready to die in peace. G-Force opened fire on Godzilla with all their freezer weapons as he melted down. Finally, Godzilla's heart burst, and his outer body and skeleton melted away to nothing. G-Force prevented Godzilla's meltdown from destroying the planet, but they could not prevent him from releasing catastrophic levels of radiation into the air. When it appeared Tokyo would be rendered uninhabitable, all of the radiation suddenly vanished. Soon, Godzilla Junior was visible through the smoke, revived and transformed into a new Godzilla, ready to take up his father's mantle.

## Abilities

### Atomic Breath

Godzilla fires his atomic breath in *All Monsters Attack*
In *Godzilla Raids Again*, Godzilla fires a white radioactive mist called the **incandescent light** (白熱光 *hakunekkō*) or **radioactive spray** (放射能噴出 *hōshanō funshutsu*) from his mouth. This attack can destroy military weapons and cause raging fires, and is also used by Godzilla to finish off Anguirus. Starting in *King Kong vs. Godzilla*, the incandescent light is replaced by a more focused, blue beam called **atomic breath** (放射熱線 *hōsha nessen*, lit. *radioactive heat ray*) or **atomic flame** (放射火炎 *hōsha kaen*, lit. *radioactive flame*). Godzilla uses his atomic breath to destroy buildings and military weaponry, and to burn enemy monsters. While it is effective in hurting most of Godzilla's opponents, both Rodan and King Ghidorah have demonstrated resistance to it. Godzilla's atomic breath reaches a temperature in excess of 100,000 degrees Celsius. It is unknown whether Godzilla always possessed his atomic breath, or if it was an ability he gained from exposure to the hydrogen bomb.

### Magnetic powers

Godzilla uses his magnetic powers in *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla*
In *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla*, Godzilla found a way to generate powerful magnetic fields from his body after being struck several times by lightning, which proved devastating against his metallic foe. This is the only time Godzilla ever used this power.

### Durability

Like his predecessor in 1954, the Showa Godzilla is completely immune to conventional human weaponry. Godzilla is also capable of withstanding attacks from most other kaiju that he battles. This is all possible thanks to his incredibly thick armored skin, which evolved as an adaptation to allow Godzilla to withstand underwater pressure and allowed him to survive a nuclear detonation in his immediate vicinity. The only monsters who were able to penetrate Godzilla's skin and seriously injure him are Hedorah, Gigan and Mechagodzilla. In *Godzilla vs. Hedorah*, Hedorah melts his right hand down to the bone.

### Regeneration

Between having his hand melted down to the bone in *Godzilla vs. Hedorah* and the events of *Godzilla vs. Gigan*, Godzilla's hand had visibly regenerated slightly; while the palm and lower sections of his fingers on the injured hand had repaired themselves, the tips of his fingers remained as bare bones. Godzilla had also regained function in the eye previously burnt away by Hedorah's acidic body.

### Physical abilities

Godzilla displays his formidable physical strength by throwing King Ghidorah over his head in *Godzilla vs. Gigan*
As attributed to his size, weight and mass, Godzilla has displayed varied levels of physical strength that are, at the very least, sufficient enough to lift weights exceeding 2,000 tons and smash skyscrapers. Godzilla boasts immense arm strength, which allows him to lift heavy objects or deliver powerful physical blows. He has been depicted lifting and throwing monsters in excess of his own weight, such as King Ghidorah, Hedorah, Mechagodzilla and others. Godzilla's punches are known as **Megaton Punch** (メガトン•パンチ *Megaton Panchi*). He is adept in various martial arts techniques, such as boxing and judo throws, and sprinted at high speeds in episode 21 of *Zone Fighter* to rescue Zone Fighter from Jellar. Godzilla is able to use his massive legs and feet to stomp on objects such as buildings and vehicles, destroying them instantly, as well as to kick boulders at or directly kick his enemies. Godzilla may also elect to simply use his mass to destroy buildings or knock over enemy monsters by ramming them.

Godzilla's long tail is also a formidable weapon in addition to balancing his body and allowing him to walk on land. It has been shown to be very flexible and powerful, able to lash out quickly and topple over buildings and enemy monsters. Godzilla can use his tail to propel himself into the air and pounce at enemies. In *Godzilla vs. Megalon*, he was able to slide on his tail a great distance to deliver a devastating kick. In all of his incarnations, he has been shown to have powerful jaws, sharp teeth, and claws, although these are more prominent in some incarnations than in others. Rarely, Godzilla also showed the ability to use his dorsal fins as a weapon, such as in *Godzilla vs. Hedorah*, where he used them to cut into Hedorah during the flying scene. Godzilla's head is very hard, which allows him to headbutt his enemies or bounce incoming projectiles such as boulders off of it. Godzilla's large mouth is extremely strong and filled with sharp teeth, making his bite lethal to other monsters. He killed the First Generation Anguirus by biting down on his throat and disarmed Ebirah by biting off both of his claws.

Godzilla also sometimes prefers to battle his opponents from a distance, either by blasting them with his atomic breath or throwing objects such as boulders at them.

### Amphibiousness

A diagram detailing Godzilla's traits, including his gills
Though technically a reptile and not an amphibian, Godzilla has an amphibious lifestyle. He spends half of his life in water and the other on land. He is as adept a fighter underwater as he is on land. Capable of marching on the sea floor or swimming by undulating his tail like a crocodile, Godzilla is displayed as being able to breathe underwater, occasionally hibernating in the ocean depths between movies. According to the informational book *Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction*, written by Tomoyuki Tanaka, the small holes located on the front of the Showa Godzilla's neck are gills, which allow him to breathe underwater. It is unknown whether these gills allow Godzilla to breathe indefinitely underwater, or if he must occasionally surface for air like a whale.
Godzilla flies in *Godzilla vs. Hedorah*

### Flight

In a memorable, and somewhat infamous scene in *Godzilla vs. Hedorah*, Godzilla used his atomic breath to fly by aiming it at the ground and lifting off like a rocket. He can reach a speed of up to Mach 1 with this technique.

### Intelligence

In one of the scenes filmed for the American version of *King Kong vs. Godzilla*, Dr. Arnold Johnson states that Godzilla "has a brain about this size" while holding up a marble, claiming that Godzilla is simply "sheer brute force." Godzilla's behavior throughout the Showa series does little to support this assertion, which was likely only included in the American version of *King Kong vs. Godzilla* to suggest that King Kong was more intelligent than Godzilla. Aside from his skill in hand-to-hand combat, he frequently demonstrated the ability to coordinate attacks with his kaiju allies, including Rodan, Anguirus, Jet Jaguar, and King Caesar. He was also able to kill Hedorah by powering the Giant Electrodes constructed by the JSDF with his atomic breath. The Showa Godzilla in particular seems to possess almost human-like intelligence and is capable of abstract thought and communicating with other kaiju. This is demonstrated first in *Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster*, where Godzilla holds a conversation with Mothra and Rodan, which Mothra's Shobijin translate. Godzilla also is shown "talking" to Anguirus in *Godzilla vs. Gigan*, their conversation taking the form of speech bubbles in the Japanese version, and garbled speech in the film's English dub.

#### Spiral Heat Ray

Godzilla fires his spiral heat ray in *Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah*
A stronger variation of Godzilla's standard atomic breath introduced in the Heisei series was the spiral heat ray. This version of Godzilla's atomic breath is typically portrayed as much more powerful than his normal atomic breath and is wrapped in an electrical spiral. The first variant of this attack, simply called the **Spiral Heat Ray** (スパイラル熱線 *Supairaru Nessen*), is used by Godzilla in *Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah* to decapitate King Ghidorah's middle head after his normal atomic breath was shown having little to no effect on his enemy. In this film, the spiral heat ray is still blue in color, but is surrounded by a purplish spiral of energy. Before Godzilla fires the spiral breath, his dorsal fins are surrounded in blue electricity.
Burning Godzilla fires his infinite heat ray in *Godzilla vs. Destoroyah*
As a result of Godzilla absorbing Fire Rodan's life energy in *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II*, Godzilla gained a more powerful spiral heat ray called either the **Hyper Uranium Heat Ray** (ハイパーウラニウム熱線 *Haipā Uraniumu Nessen*), **Super Flame Heat Ray** (超火炎熱線 *Chō Kaen Nessen*), or **Red Heat Ray** (赤い熱線 *Akai Nessen*). This beam is considerably more powerful than the original spiral breath, with a temperature of one million degrees Celsius, hot enough to burn Godzilla's mouth. The Hyper Uranium Heat Ray is red in color rather than blue, and is powerful enough to overpower Super Mechagodzilla's Mega Buster and subsequently destroy the mech in only a few blasts. Because it places a considerable burden on Godzilla's body, he cannot fire it for extended periods of time. In *Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla*, Godzilla uses runaway cosmic energy he absorbed after the destruction of SpaceGodzilla's shoulder crystals to fire a version of the spiral heat ray called the **Burn Spiral Heat Ray** (バーンスパイラル熱線 *Bān Supairaru Nessen*) or **Nuclear Fusion Heat Ray** (融合反応熱線 *Yūgō Han'nō Nessen*). This beam only reaches a temperature of 900,000 degrees Celsius, but demonstrates even more destructive power than the Hyper Uranium Heat Ray as it completely destroys both SpaceGodzilla and MOGUERA in three blasts, along with a large portion of Fukuoka. In *Godzilla vs. Destoroyah*, Godzilla's standard atomic breath is permanently replaced by a red beam called the **Burning Heat Ray** (バーニング熱線 *Bāningu Nessen*) after he absorbs a large amount of atomic energy from the explosion of Birth Island and becomes Burning Godzilla. He uses this beam to devastate Hong Kong, and also utilizes it in battle with the Super X3, with Sho Kuroki even remarking that it is stronger than his normal atomic breath. Once Burning Godzilla begins to enter meltdown, he begins using the **Infinite Heat Ray** (インフィニット熱線 *Infinitto Nessen*), also called the **Burning Spiral Heat Ray** (バーニングスパイラル熱線 *Bāningu Supairaru Nessen*) or **Hyper Heat Ray** (ハイパー熱線 *Haipā Nessen*). This beam is said to increase infinitely in power each time Burning Godzilla uses it, and is capable of blasting off part of the frill on Destoroyah's head and severely wounding his shoulder while setting the entire surrounding area ablaze, forcing Destoroyah to try and retreat.

### Nuclear Pulse

Godzilla uses his nuclear pulse against Biollante in *Godzilla vs. Biollante*
In addition to his very deadly atomic breath, Godzilla can also emit atomic energy in all directions from every inch of his body in a short-range attack dubbed the **Nuclear Pulse** (体内放射 *Tainai Hōsha*, lit. *Internal Radiation*). The pulse was first seen in his fight against Biollante, where he used it to break free from Biollante's tendrils. Godzilla also utilized this attack against King Ghidorah when the latter was attempting to strangle Godzilla with his necks. During his battle with Mothra, Godzilla used a nuclear pulse to break free of the 3-D mirror Mothra created with her scales.

In the 1993 film *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II*, Godzilla demonstrated another ability that may have been a variant of his nuclear pulse. After being struck with Mechagodzilla's Shock Anchor harpoons, Godzilla discharged a form of energy up the cables, severely damaging the robot's internal mechanisms. However, this was not the only time Godzilla ever used this ability. In *Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla*, Godzilla discharged energy through his physical blows in his offensive against the sinister space mutant SpaceGodzilla. In *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II*, Godzilla also demonstrated the ability to give off huge amounts of radiation and heat after absorbing Fire Rodan's energy. This heat proved to be so intense that it caused Super Mechagodzilla's synthetic diamond armor to literally melt, allowing the mech to be easily destroyed by Godzilla's spiral ray.

In the 1995 film *Godzilla vs. Destoroyah*, when Godzilla's body temperature begins to approach critical due to his meltdown, he constantly emits more powerful orange-colored nuclear pulses. While these pulses were ineffective against the Super X3, they did stun Destoroyah a few times and caused the area surrounding Godzilla to erupt in flames. In this case, the nuclear pulses appear to be uncontrollable and are a symptom of Godzilla's meltdown.

### Durability

Godzilla emerges from the crater of Mount Mihara after being trapped inside the volcano for five years in *Godzilla vs. Biollante*
Like previous incarnations, the Heisei Godzilla is extremely durable and resistant to all forms of conventional human weaponry. Godzilla's durability and regeneration are also a much larger plot point in the Heisei series. This incarnation of the character possesses an enhanced healing factor as well, though it does not grant him unlimited stamina in battle. In the film *Godzilla vs. Biollante*, Godzilla's cells, referred to as G-cells, are a sought-after scientific commodity. In addition to being used to genetically engineer plants to be resistant to drought, G-cells are used by the JSDF to engineer the Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria (ANEB), a strain of bacteria capable of breaking down nuclear material. Godzilla's cells also give rise to the mutant creature Biollante, the result of G-cells being spliced with a rose also containing human DNA. Biollante retains Godzilla's durability and healing factor, and is also stated to be immortal and incapable of dying. The creature SpaceGodzilla would later be spawned as a result of Godzilla cells being absorbed into a black hole and exposed to cosmic energies.

Godzilla's regenerative abilities seem to increase when he consumes or absorbs a large amount of radiation. In *Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah* the radiation dose absorbed from a nuclear submarine allowed Godzilla to purge the ANEB from his body. In *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II*, after Fire Rodan imparted his energy into Godzilla, Godzilla was able to rapidly reform his second brain, which had previously been destroyed by Super Mechagodzilla. In *Godzilla vs. Destoroyah*, Burning Godzilla had absorbed enough radiation from the Birth Island explosion that his power and regeneration were seemingly enhanced, shown when Destoroyah's energy horn attack left only external injuries despite slicing straight through his body. However, the massive dose of radiation from Birth Island would ultimately prove fatal, with Godzilla's reactor breaking down faster than his G-cells could heal.

Godzilla also shows a resistance to extreme temperatures, spending long periods of time completely submerged in molten magma. In *The Return of Godzilla*, Godzilla was trapped in the molten crater of Mount Mihara, where he remained completely submerged for five years before emerging completely unharmed in *Godzilla vs. Biollante*. In *Godzilla vs. Mothra*, Godzilla fell into a volcanic fault and managed to swim through miles of molten, 1500°C magma before emerging from the crater of Mount Fuji. He also survives being frozen solid in *Godzilla vs. Destoroyah*.

### Energy absorption and projection

Godzilla absorbs nuclear energy from a reactor at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant in *The Return of Godzilla*
While still a Godzillasaurus, the Heisei Godzilla was exposed to the detonation of a Soviet nuclear submarine, which mutated him into an 80 meter-tall atomic-powered monster. Because his heart is a biological nuclear reactor, the Heisei Godzilla relies on nuclear power to sustain his metabolism, and derives his sustenance from absorbing energy from active man-made nuclear reactors. Godzilla was also able to absorb the energy of nuclear submarines; in one case the energy absorbed from a nuclear sub was enough to allow Godzilla's immune system to purge the Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria from his body and cause him to grow 20 meters in height. When nuclear reactions in his heart caused uranium deposits under Birth Island to ignite and vaporize the island, Godzilla absorbed the radiation given off by the explosion. While this influx of radiation did eventually cause Godzilla's heart to undergo a catastrophic meltdown and kill him, it made Godzilla substantially more powerful for a period of time. According to Kenkichi Yamane, Godzilla's heart contained enough nuclear power to create "a burst of energy unseen since time began" which would cause the Earth's atmosphere to ignite if it exploded. If Godzilla's meltdown was not kept under control by G-Force's freezer weapons, his heart would have melted down into the Earth's core and caused the planet to implode.

Godzilla also has a capacity to emit various forms of energy. Godzilla is able to weaponize his own nuclear power in the form of his atomic breath or nuclear pulse, and constantly gives off strong nuclear radiation that is lethal to humans. In *Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla*, Godzilla emits energy through his punches to overload SpaceGodzilla with power and cause him to explode. In *Godzilla vs. Destoroyah*, Godzilla attempts to revive Godzilla Junior by breathing energy into him. This does manage to briefly stir Junior to life after he is seemingly killed by Destoroyah, but only temporarily. When Godzilla melts down, he imparts his energy into Junior's lifeless body, reviving him and mutating him into a fully-grown Godzilla.

### Weaknesses

Godzilla is buried under an avalanche of ice in *Godzilla Raids Again*
Despite his incredible power, Godzilla has displayed a few weaknesses. In *King Kong vs. Godzilla* and *Mothra vs. Godzilla,* he is shown to be vulnerable to strong voltages of electricity. As the series progressed, lightning (i.e., electricity found in nature) has been shown to have the opposite effect, at times serving to revitalize him.

Godzilla has also displayed at least some vulnerability to cold temperatures. He becomes weak and lethargic in the cold, and may be forced into hibernation if exposed to the cold for an extended period of time. In *Godzilla Raids Again*, Godzilla was frozen in an iceberg for seven years before emerging again in *King Kong vs. Godzilla*. In *Son of Godzilla*, Godzilla was forced into hibernation when a massive manmade snowstorm descended on Sollgel Island. In both scenarios, cold and ice have proven effective in trapping Godzilla and causing him to go dormant temporarily, although Godzilla has never suffered any visible physical harm from being frozen.

## Filmography

* *Godzilla Raids Again* (1955)
* *King Kong vs. Godzilla* (1962)
* *Mothra vs. Godzilla* (1964)
* *Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster* (1964)
* *Invasion of Astro-Monster* (1965)
* *Ebirah, Horror of the Deep* (1966)
* *Son of Godzilla* (1967)
* *Destroy All Monsters* (1968)
* *All Monsters Attack* (1969)
* *Godzilla vs. Hedorah* (1971)
* *Godzilla vs. Gigan* (1972)
* *Godzilla vs. Megalon* (1973)
* *Zone Fighter* (TV 1973) [episodes 4, 11, 15, 21, and 25]
* *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla* (1974)
* *Terror of Mechagodzilla* (1975)
* *Bye-Bye Jupiter* (1984) [stock footage]
* *Godzilla: Final Wars* (2004) [stock footage]
* *20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope* (2009) [stock footage]
* *Godzilla Tales* (2020) [stock footage] [episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16]
	+ *The Return of Godzilla* (1984)
	+ *Godzilla vs. Biollante* (1989)
	+ *Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah* (1991)
	+ *Godzilla vs. Mothra* (1992)
	+ *Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II* (1993)
	+ *Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla* (1994)
	+ *Godzilla vs. Destoroyah* (1995)
	+ *Godzilla: Final Wars* (2004) [stock footage]