Monster Vault: Godzilla

To kick “Monster Vault” off, I’m going to start off with The King of Monsters himself, GODZILLA!

The timing feels appropriate due to all of the recent news of Godzilla 2 and the announcement of King Kong vs Godzilla. But all of that is in the next few years, and our green scaly friend has been around since 1954.

Godzilla’s History

Originating from Japan, Godzilla has since become a worldwide pop culture phenomenon spawning numerous video games, comic books, television shows, 28 films produced by Toho and two Hollywood films.

So where does this beast come from? Well, there are many different ways his origin has been told over the years, but the main theme draws to him being a prehistoric sea creature who is awoken and empowered by nuclear radiation.

As this monster comes walking out of the ocean, his path is always filled with destruction, yet he is sometimes hailed as a hero. I say sometimes because there have been different incarnations of the monster. In some films, he comes stumbling out and all hell breaks loose, as he literally destroys everything in his path, just because he can, with the military trying to stop him.

But other versions, such as 2014’s Godzilla, he comes out of at the end as a hero as he protects the city from the other giant monster who had been attacking the poor citizens below. Although there’s still a lot of collateral damage, he often goes back to sleep in the ocean after his exhausting battle until he is needed again.

Godzilla’s appearance has also changed vastly over the years. The one common theme, that everyone knows him as, is that he is a cross-breed of a reptile and dinosaur. He stands tall with muscular arms, scaly skin, usually spikes on his back down to his tail, with a smaller head.

His signature characteristic traits are his iconic roar and his atomic breath that is usually blue. His original 1954 version gives the monster a simple grey look, but over time his colors have mixed with green, black, blue, and the newest version from Godzilla: Resurgence gives him more of a red and evil look.

As said before, Godzilla sometimes helps humanity fight off the other monsters that come along. In Godzilla’s universe, there are a number of different enemies (and allies) that he crosses paths with.

Some of the most iconic monsters he’s faced are ones such as: Mothra (a giant moth), Rodan (a dragon-like creature), King Ghidorah (a three-headed dragon creature), and even a Mechagodzilla (well, you get what that is).

You can expect Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah in the upcoming sequels to Godzilla. As many monsters that Godzilla has faced over the years, he always stands tall at the end and defeats them, thus giving him the name: The King of Monsters.

Godzilla is a beloved character that adults and children have grown to love. He has destroyed humanity and saved them more than once. He continues to become a powerful force through cinema and other pop culture mediums.

The Future of Godzilla

The future is only looking brighter for this monster as he paves way for a shared universe with King Kong and other monsters to fight. With him being one of my all-time favorite monsters, I am happy to see the success he’s brought to the world.

You can see Godzilla next in Godzilla: Resurgence (releasing in Japan first) on July 29, 2016; Godzilla 2 on March 22, 2019; and King Kong vs Godzilla on May 29, 2020.

What do you like most about Godzilla? Do you have a favorite version or monster that he fights? Join the discussion below!