Spanning a legacy of over 60 years, Godzilla has seen just as many changes to his design as he has seen movie appearances. From the most subtle details on the suits to the Japanese names and meanings behind them,Godzilla: Through the Ageswill take an in-depth look at the many iterations of the famous monster.
- Showa Series (1954-1975)
Showa Series (1954-1975)
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Shodai-Goji’s white ray animated |
The original. The 1954 classic and the one that started it all. Ironically, the very first Godzilla suit featured a good number of attributes that didn’t stick all that long with the character’s over all design. Starting with its head, Shodai-Goji’s face was a lot more horror-oriented than what would follow throughout the golden age and the rest of the Showa era. Godzilla’s ears were distinct, as were his fangs. His arms were short and boney and his body bulky with a mixture of fat and muscle. Godzilla’s tail was short and his spines extremely jagged and uneven. The suit also featured only one main row of spines with two adjacent rows of much smaller ones on opposite sides. His tail also ended with a point, something that would change in future designs of the monster. The number of toes this Godzilla had does differ, however. Canonically, the character had four. However, a handful of publicity shots do show this Godzilla with only three toes.
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Shodai-Goji’s atomic breath as a mist |
While the film was in black in white, Godzilla’s suit color was actually brown opposed to the charcoal gray that the fans have come to know and love. This is the biggest attribute that didn’t stick, with all future (colorized) versions (except the first of the millennium versions) of the character being black/gray. Unlike most future designs, there were a few other means to portray this version of the character, including a hand puppet that had much larger eyes compared to the suit.
For Godzilla’s beam, it was primarily a white, misty affect opposed to an animated blast. However, he did use one animated beam during his raid on Tokyo.
The name for this suit comes from the Japanese words of “Shodai”, meaning “first generation” and “Goji”, stemming from the Japanese name of the monster “Gojira.”
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The flexibility of the Gyakushu-Goji suit |
To non-fans and newcomers to the fandom, the 1955 Godzilla suit could appear to be a slightly modified 1954 suit. However, there are some great differences. Starting with its body, Gyakushu-Goji is far slimmer than its predecessor. This was done to allow easier movement for Haruo Nakajima during action shots, namely the climatic battles with Anguirus. The arms of this suit are more well proportioned to the rest of the body, giving the suit greater range. The head, while obviously based on the first’s design, is more thinned out, sometimes giving it a more “compressed” look. The head kept the previous ears and large fangs, but also increased the overall size of the teeth.
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Gyakushu-Goji’s misty atomic breath |
Godzilla’s trademark atomic breath was realized in both mist and animated form almost equally here in this film, with close-ups using the misty breath and longer range shots animating a white beam from its jaws.
The name for this suit comes from the Japanese word for counterattack, that being “gyakushū” followed by “Goji.”
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King-Goji: Godzilla realized in color for the first time |
Named aptly for Godzilla’s battle with King Kong, the King-Goji suit has become a fan favorite of the franchise. This suit returned the large, mountainous size of Godzilla from the first opposed to the thinner design fromGodzilla Raids Again(1955). Being Godzilla’s first foray into color, moviegoers were greeted with a color scheme for the monster king that nobody saw coming: charcoal gray, going against nearly all previous poster artwork for the previous films (showing him green) and the original color for the 1954 suit. Godzilla’s large size came with more changes that would stick in the long run, at least for the next twelve years.
Godzilla’s toes now had only three toes opposed to four. Godzilla’s ears were missing, as well as his large fangs. While Godzilla’s spines were still multi-pointed, they weren’t as sharp and jagged as previous incarnations. Additionally, the smaller rows adorning the main row were starting to become larger. Finally, Godzilla’s tail also ended in a rounded tip, a trait that would stick for the character up until the monster’s return in the millennium era.
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The origin of Godzilla’s iconic blue atomic breath |
Overall, the King-Goji’s design was very frog-ish with a wide but short snout and rounded brows. Its tail had become both longer and thicker compared to both previous suit designs. Additionally, while Godzilla kept his better proportioned arms and hands, each finger now had a much larger claw. Godzilla’s eyes were also constantly locked in a position in which it appeared to be looking up.
For the first time in the franchise, Godzilla’s beam was mostly rendered entirely by hand-made animation, giving it a translucent, blue color opposed to the white fire seen in previous films or the red beam from poster art. There are a few shots of Godzilla using his beam and it being done in a mist form, however the mist has been tinted blue to match the animated breath attack.
The King-Goji name stems from the legendary monster he fought in 1962, King Kong.
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Top: Head A (MvG)Bottom: Head B (GtTHM) |
Godzilla’s appearance in 1964 was a change from the extremely bulky King-Goji suit used two years prior. Godzilla again thinned down and the design itself lost the frog-like appearance. Godzilla’s spines were still irregular and kept with just one primary row and appeared very much like King-Goji’s costume. Godzilla did retain his three toes and four fingers, a change the prior suit brought about and would keep a staple all the way up to 1984. Probably the most ironic thing about this design is its snout. Do to a mishap behind the scenes, Godzilla’s snout was damaged and caused its upper jaw to wobble uncontrollably during shooting, giving it an almost canine-like muzzle appearance. This same suit was used less than a year later for the release ofGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster(1964), but with a replaced head that corrected the jaw issue and elongated its tongue.
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Mosu-Goji’s atomic breath as seen inMothra vs. Godzilla(1964) |
For Godzilla’s beam, it used a mixture of animation and mist. For its first appearance against Mothra, Godzilla’s beam was primarily animated and translucent blue much like it was in 1962. It kept this same look inGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster(1964) when it was animated, but it was brought to life via mist more so than animation when used. This would be the last time Godzilla’s breath weapon would be done via a live action mist spray.
Mosu-Goji’s name originates by combining the word “Mosu”, a shortened version of the Japanese name for Mothra: Mosura and “Goji.”
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Top: Head A (1965)Bottom: Head B (1966) |
For Godzilla’s rematch with King Ghidorah in 1965, another suit was crafted by the capable hands ofEiji Tsuburaya. This Godzilla design was far more reptilian than the last. Godzilla was also starting to gain a bit more of a “cute” design as the series began to aim toward a younger audience. It was a tad bit more padded compared to the Mosu-Goji design, giving it a bit of a “fluffy” appearance. Godzilla’s claws had also become duller, a trait that would stick up until Godzilla’s revival in the Heisei era. Godzilla’s jaws had become more rounded and his teeth needle-like. The center row of spines was larger with the surrounding rows returning to their much smaller size.
ForEbirah, Horror of the Deep(1966), the suit required a new head due to the previous one being combined with the Mosu-Goji suit to become the monster Jirass in an episode of the 1966 TV seriesUltraman. A nearly identical prop was crafted, but with slightly different eyes. This design is sometimes referenced as Nankai-Goji.
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Daisenso-Goji’s atomic breath as seen inInvasion of Astro-Monster(1965) |
For Godzilla’s beam, it gained a much more streamlined appearance and added a bit of a white wash to it. This white wash was increased even more so for the following film and would become a common affect of the beam for the rest of the franchise.
This design would see future life in water scenes forSon of Godzilla(1967) andDestroy All Monsters(1968), along with the scene inGodzilla vs. Hedorah(1971) where Hedorah traps Godzilla in a pool of toxic sludge.
The name for the suit comes from the Japanese word for “Great War”, that being “Daisensō.” Its secondary name originates from the Japanese word for “South Seas”: “Nankai.”
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Side profile of Musuko-Goji |
ForSon of Godzilla(1967), a new suit was made to look more like an adult version of Godzilla’s newly created son Minilla. This suit returned the very angular, jagged, and uneven spines not seen sinceGodzilla Raids Againin 1955. The spines were also a different color, becoming a tan color opposed to the silvery color of previous designs. Godzilla was extremely large and bulky, looking more fat than muscular. Godzilla’s eyes were now larger and his snout, while still rounded, was shorter and sunken in with bigger nostrils. His neck was longer and Godzilla’s general image made to look more “fatherly” to fit his role in the movie.
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Musuko-Goji’s atomic breath |
This design would prove to be one of the most unpopular designs by far. However, it would see use again in 1972’sGodzilla vs. Giganfor water sequences of the character.
For this design’s breath attack, it remained relatively unchanged.
The “Musuko” part of this design’s name stems from the Japanese word for “Son.”
Soshingeki-Goji
Destroy All Monsters(1968),All Monsters Attack(1969),Godzilla vs. Hedorah(1971),Godzilla vs. Gigan(1972)
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Side profile of Soshingeki-Goji |
One of the most popular Godzilla suits of the later half of the Showa era, the Soshingeki-Goji design fully embraced its new, younger target audience. Godzilla was far more anthropomorphic than before. The neck became longer compared to older suits and the brow line far more pronounced. The spines remained very rounded with only one prominent row. The suit kept the same three toe pattern as previous suits with a very human-proportionate body. The muzzle remained rounded with a line of needle-like teeth behind its lips. For the first time in the series, a new color was added to Godzilla, though one rarely noticed. The underside of this Godzilla’s tail was colored a dull brown opposed to the charcoal color of the rest of its body.
Additionally, this suit was easily one of the most flexible suits in the entire franchise, allowing Godzilla to perform more human-like fighting styles and movement, only really rivaled by the 1955 suit and the following suit from 1973 to 1975.
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Soshingeki-Goji’s atomic breath as seen inGodzilla vs. Hedorah(1971) |
This suit proved to be extremely popular for Toho, having chosen to revive it forAll Monsters Attack(1969),Godzilla vs. Hedorah(1971), andGodzilla vs. Gigan(1972). By 1972’s entry, the suit was starting to show massive signs of wear and tear. This would eventually result in another suit being crafted for the following entry in the franchise.
Godzilla’s beam remained rather unchanged from the previous design and was rendered entirely by hand-drawn animation. However, come 1971, Godzilla’s beam developed a “ridged” edge, almost as if slowly turning into a flame. Some shots of it also returned it to a bit of a misty appearance, despite being drawn by hand.
The name for the suit is derived from “sōshingeki”, Japanese for “attack of the marching monsters.”
Megaro-Goji
Godzilla vs. Megalon(1973),Zone Fighter,Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla(1974),Terror of Mechagodzilla(1975)
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Godzilla’s appearance inGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla(1974) |
With the Godzilla series going strong and the previous suit suffering from vast wear and tear, a new suit was quickly ordered for the next film,Godzilla vs. Megalon(1973). It was reported that this suit was the fastest constructed of them all, taking less than a week in fact. It retained a lot of the features of the previous incarnation, including human proportions, a single row of rounded spines, and a rounded jaw. However, this Godzilla’s muzzle was larger and “fatter” compared to the previous. The brow line was also a lot bigger and the eyes the biggest of all designs and had the ability to move. Additionally, the underside of the tail was returned to a dull gray in color. This same suit would get used again in the monster’s handful of appearances in Toho’s 1973 TV showZone Fighter.
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Megaro-Goji’s atomic breath as seen inTerror of Mechagodzilla(1975) |
By 1974, the suit was called into action again. However, the head went through several changes to become less friendly in appearance. The mouth and eyes were reduced in size, removing a lot of the “muppet” look it had originally. Additionally, the eyes lost the ability to move around. ForTerror of Mechagodzillain 1975, the head was modified even more to make it even less friendly in appearance, with the brow line coming down even more and the mouth slimming down.
Godzilla’s beam was rendered entirely in hand-made animation and was a translucent blue in color with almost fiery appearance on the edges, matching the previous designs while removing most of the white.
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Megaro-Goji’s atomic breath as seen inZone Fighter |
It should be noted that Godzilla’s beam inZone Fighterhad three different appearances. In his first episode, Toho opted to revert back to the classic mist affect for the notorious weapon. However, from then on, it was animated and a lot more traditional. In episode 21, the beam was given a purple hue. While the basic appearance looked the same, the beam itself was a lot more violet in color rather than the typical blue.
The suit name originates from the name of the monster’s 1973 adversary: Megalon.
Heisei Series (1984-1995) & TriStar (1998)
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84-Goji snarling |
Almost a decade after the last entry in the outstanding franchise, Godzilla made a ferocious return in 1984. Ignoring all past films except for the very first, the movie returned Godzilla to his roots of a walking abomination and metaphor for the atomic bomb. Gone was Godzilla’s friendly appearance and returned was his nightmarish visage updated for a new generation. Godzilla remained charcoal in color, but almost every other aspect was changed to reflect this new personality. Godzilla was far larger in size than before, having gained much more muscle mass. He was portrayed at eighty meters in height, thirty more than the last films.
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Face of 84-Goji with upward eyes |
This design returned aspects of Godzilla that hadn’t been seen since 1955. Godzilla’s tiny ears returned along with prominent fangs. His dorsal spines were sharper in appearance and he now had three rows of them running down his back, with the largest of them now at the base of the spine, just above the tail (the first and only design with this trait). Godzilla’s eyes were constantly in an upward look, almost mirroring the eyes of the 1962 design. For the first time in the series, Godzilla’s lips were able to curl, enabling this design to snarl. The mouth was short and filled with many pointed, dagger-like teeth. Godzilla’s toe count returned to four, another aspect that hadn’t been seen since 1955’s design and something that would remain with the character for the rest of the franchise.
Unlike the previous suits, this Godzilla design was exceptionally bulky and returned the character to a walking mountain of flesh. This made it extremely stiff in movement and much slower, no longer allowing the actor inside to perform the crazy stunts of the 1970’s Godzilla designs.
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84-Goji’s atomic breath |
Godzilla’s beam in this film remained blue and rendered in animation. However, the fiery edges of the previous ones were replaced with a smoother look and a much brighter, white interior appearance. Additionally, this movie introduced a drastically different roar that would carry over for the next several films before returning to a more traditional (but still modified) sound for the monster.
The name for this suit originates from the year 1984, the year the movie was made and the revival of the iconic movie monster.
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Spines of Bio-Goji |
Five years after Godzilla’s tremendous return, Toho brought the monster back from his seeming death forGodzilla vs. Biollante(1989). With this new movie came a completely new design that would become the standard for the rest of the series until the 1998 American remake. This suit design took several elements from the previous while introducing a slew of new things that had never been done before.
He remained charcoal gray in color, tiny ears, four toes and fingers, and overall menacing design. However, now Godzilla’s face had feline features and two rows of sharp teeth (he did retain the larger fangs, but they were shorter than the previous design’s). These features would only become even more enhanced in future designs. Godzilla’s brown eyes were enlarged and gave the reptilian monster a far more mammalian gaze. This went along with a more feline appearance for Godzilla’s face, including a tiger-like nose and tongue. Additionally, Godzilla could still curl his lips to snarl.
Godzilla retained three rows of spines, but the largest of which were now located in the center of his back opposed to the bottom. The outer rows were also increased in size to nearly match the center. Additionally, the spines were now able to flash with interior light when charging his beam, giving them a much more realistic appearance.
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Bio-Goji’s atomic ray |
Godzilla kept his highly bulky body, but wasn’t nearly as “fat” in appearance as the previous one, appearing as if more muscular with a longer neck, smaller head, and larger chest muscles.
The beam of Bio-Goji was completely animated and appeared white with a faint blue hue to the outsides of it.
The name for the design stems from the monster Godzilla faces in the 1989 outing: Biollante.
It should be noted that some of the confusion regarding the Bio-Goji suit being used for the next film could stem from the fact that one of the suits was cut up to be used for the water sequences inGodzilla vs. King Ghidorah(1991).
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Ghido-Goji’s atomic ray |
Often confused for a simple retooling of the previous design, 1991’s Ghido-Goji suit was very similar in a lot of ways. It used the same molds used to craft the previous design, but did change the head. The new head was larger than the previous one and neck shorter. However, virtually everything else was nearly identical.
Godzilla’s beam changed to make the blue much more apparent compared to the previous rendition. However, this movie did start the trend of giving Godzilla’s beam spirals for special attacks. This was seen when Godzilla unleashes the attack that decapitates King Ghidorah’s central neck.
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Ghido-Goji using the Spiral Breath |
The name for this design stems from King Ghidorah, Godzilla’s arch nemesis that he battles in the 1991 film for the first time one-on-one.
An interesting side story for the design is that one of the two suits crafted for the film was stolen shortly following the end of production. After a widely reported investigation, the suit was eventually found and returned to Toho before work began on the next outing in the franchise.
One of the two suits would be recycled into parts to be used for the underwater and volcanic scenes of the next film in the franchise:Godzilla vs. Mothra(1992).
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Face of Bato-Goji |
Keeping with the standard design that began in 1989, the Bato-Goji design did decide to slim the monster up a tad. The thighs weren’t as large and the monster was all around sleeker in appearance while still retaining some of the bulk that had become a staple for the character since his resurgence inThe Return of Godzilla(1984). The face retained the feline appearance of the previous ones, but the eye color changed from brown to gold. Godzilla still kept his dual row of teeth, tiger-like nose, tiny ears, and everything else that had become known as the stereotypical “Heisei Godzilla”. However, compared to the last designs, this Godzilla’s skull wasn’t as pointy and the forehead flat instead of rounded. Godzilla’s snout was also a bit thinner compared to the previous designs.
A new trait that was added to this design was an internal component that allowed Godzilla’s head to move up and down on its own.
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Bato-Goji’s atomic ray |
For the first time since the Showa era, Godzilla’s original roar made a comeback for this movie albeit with a more modern sound.
Godzilla’s beam became even bluer in color with the interior white also starting to show a blue tint.
The origins for this design’s name stems from the Japanese name for Battra: Batora, Godzilla’s secondary adversary in the film.
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Side view of Rado-Goji |
Very similar in appearance to the previous costume design, 1993’s Rado-Goji did make some subtle changes to the character. The monster was a bit more streamlined, losing a bit of the bulk in the shoulders and thighs. This gave the creature the appearance of having smaller limbs than the previous ones in the Heisei era. The spines remained extremely large with three rows going down the back, the largest of which still in the center. The creature’s face remained relatively unchanged, but the eyes were changed to a more golden color. The costume retained the internal mechanisms that allowed the head to pivot separately from the body.
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Rado-Goji’s Spiral Fire Ray |
Godzilla’s beam didn’t appear as bright as the last film’s, appearing a bit lighter in hue with a white center that filled out more. This film also did give Godzilla his first crimson beam, that being the Spiral Fire Ray. Outside of Godzilla’s appearances in the old Hanna Barbara cartoons and Marvel comics, this would mark the monster’s first use of a non-blue/white colored breath weapon.
The name for this suit stems from Godzilla’s flying co-star, Rodan, whose Japanese name can be translated as “Radon.”
After the filmGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II(1993), the Rado-Goji costume would see use for theMonster Planet of Godzilla“ride” in 1994 and then limited use in the following film,Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla(1994), where Godzilla is in the water and would also be modified to be used in water scenes forGodzilla vs. Destoroyah(1995), only given the glowing look the monster had acquired for the film.
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Side view of Moge-Goji |
For 1994’sGodzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, yet another suit was crafted for the King of the Monsters’ latest adventure. Like those before it, it kept the key elements of the Heisei design while making small, subtle changes here and there. The most obvious changes came in the form of the returning bulk to its thighs, shoulders, and arms enlarging their look from the previous suit. The eyes of this design were enlarged a tad, giving Godzilla a less menacing appearance for a role in which he was playing more of a heroic role than the previous entries of the era. A new mechanism was added to the costume that allowed Godzilla to look side to side as well.
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Moge-Goji’s Spiral Fire Ray |
Once again, Godzilla’s beam looked a tad different in this outing, gaining numerous white streaks within the blue instead of one solid streak. Additionally, his newest attack, the Spiral Fire Ray which had been introduced in the previous film, returned for this one’s finale with a similar appearance.
Moge-Goji’s name originates from Moguera, Godzilla’s robotic co-star in the film.
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Desu-Goji’s burning patches |
For Godzilla’s final film in the iconic Heisei era of the franchise, Toho decided to officially kill the character. To do this, the King of the Monsters underwent a drastic change known as “Meltdown.” Instead of crafting a brand new suit entirely, the previous suit was heavily modified into Desu-Goji. Segments of the suit’s body were stripped and replaced by translucent material with hundreds of small light bulbs underneath to give the monster the desired glow that indicated his approaching death. While the basic body shape and facial features remained the same, everything was given a fiery red appearance, down to his eyes and claws which became orange in color. For the first time in the franchise’s history, Godzilla’s spines became orange.
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Spines of Desu-Goji |
A common mistake made by fans is thinking that the spines turned red/orange all the way down to the tip of the tail. The glow ended just at the base of the tail and the tiny spines that run along the lengthy tail were actually the standard gray/whitish color per the rest of the Heisei suits.
Hidden vents and tubes were placed across Godzilla’s body to constantly emit vast amounts of steam as he approached his doom as well, something that has never been done before or since this version of the monster.
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Desu-Goji’s red atomic ray |
Another new milestone for the franchise history is that Desu-Goji’s beam became a constant crimson in color. Fans often mistake this beam as the same one used in the finales against Mechagodzilla and SpaceGodzilla, but closer inspection pinpoints to this beam just being a red/orange/yellow variant without the spirals that were used to obliterate his previous opponents (except during the film’s opening when Godzilla attacks Hong Kong). When Godzilla finally enters his final scenes, his breath attack begins to mirror the attacks used at the end of the previous two films and his beam gains the spirals. New effects were also added at this point, including his spines melting and energy being released as his body broke down.
Desu-Goji’s name originates from the Japanese name for Destoroyah which is “Desutoroia.”
It should be noted that the final scene of this film showcases Godzilla Junior having matured into a brand new Godzilla. For this brief moment, the Desu-Goji suit was again utilized but the glowing effects turned off, giving it the appearance of a traditional Godzilla design of the era.
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Ameri-Goji’s stance |
In 1998, Sony released what some fans consider a less than stellar reinvention of the iconic movie monster. To appeal to a wider demographic, the makers of the 1998 film saw to redesign Godzilla in a more “realistic” way and to be portrayed almost entirely in CGI. Godzilla’s traditional upright stance was traded in for a more horizontal, dinosaur-like stance not unlike that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Godzilla’s legs became digitigrade while his tail hovered off of the ground. This change in design allowed Godzilla to move a lot faster compared to every previous incarnation. Godzilla’s head was enlarged and rectangular with a prominent chin. His teeth were extremely small and often stuck out from his bottom jaw like a crocodiles when its mouth was closed. Godzilla’s standard multi-tipped spines turned more into triangular, forward-pointing plates with the largest of which positioned just below the shoulders. For the first time in franchise history, Godzilla was given an iguana-like dewlap (keeping with his new origins as a mutated iguana instead of a dinosaur) and skin colors a mixture of browns and grays. Godzilla’s arms remained human-like and often kept bent at the elbows and in front of his body. The fingers were much longer than previous incarnations as well.
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Ameri-Goji’s combustible breath |
Despite all of these changes, Godzilla did retain his classic roar though it was given a bit of a remix to sound different than its Japanese counterpart.
In order to maintain a more realistic take on the character, the creators removed Godzilla’s iconic Atomic Ray and replaced it with a naturally combustible blast of gas launched from its jaws.
The name for this design originates from America, the country of origin for this incarnation of Godzilla.
Millennium Series (1999-2004) & Always 2 (2007)
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Face of Mire-Goji |
Just a year following Sony’s remake, Toho resurrected their iconic series and ushered in the millennium era. For this film, they sought to bring forth a new design for the King of the Monsters and dropped the standard Heisei design that had been used for the past timeline. This new design brought in several new traits, including a change of colors. For the first time in the franchise’s live action history, Godzilla actually had a dark green skin tone. The mouth of this design was pointed and the teeth larger than previous versions. Gone was the Heisei era’s double row of teeth in favor of a single row with larger fangs emerging after every few smaller teeth. The face of this version was much more reptilian than the previous ones and the eyes and mouth locked in a frown-like look, not unlike that of 1962’s design.
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Mire-Goji’s atomic ray |
Godzilla’s skin was given small points, especially around his shoulders. Ridged, scute-like scales were placed on either side of the neck, giving it the appearance of a pseudo-hood. His spines were extremely large and jagged, almost sword-like and colored a deep purple. Godzilla’s hands and feet remained four digits, but the center toes were now placed further back behind the rest to give it a more saurian-like look. The tail remained long, but ended in a point instead of a round nub like previous designs. All around, this new iteration of the monster king had a much sharper, jaggier appearance.
Godzilla’s iconic atomic ray returned, but was given an orange and yellow tone. The look of the beam even gained a sort of blurry, fiery appearance and erupted from Godzilla’s mouth following a small explosion. Additionally, while it was given a more traditional roar, it was once again remixed to have its own sound opposed to sounding like an exact roar of any previous incarnation.
The name for this design comes from “mireniamu”, meaning “millennium” in Japanese.
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Gira-Goji’s spines and atomic ray |
For the next entry in the long lasting series, the Mire-Goji suit was brought back but modified to be even brighter in color. The skin was a lighter, natural shade of green and spines an even brighter purple with silver shading added to the base. Godzilla’s mouth was smaller and neck even longer.
Godzilla’s roar was mostly unchanged for this film and his beam kept the same general effect design. However, the color of the atomic ray was made more chalky in color, losing a lot of the orange and yellow tints from the previous.
The name for this version of the character comes from the Japanese name for Megaguirus: Megagirasu.
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Side view with longer neck |
Following the disappointing performance of 2000’sGodzilla vs. Megaguirus, Toho returned Godzilla to his roots once more and turned to directorShusuke Kanekofor the next outing in the franchise. Once again, this film ignored all previous continuity and acted as a sequel to the 1954 original. Godzilla’s design was once again redone, losing the “edgy” look of the previous two. Godzilla was returned to his charcoal gray color scheme with bone-white spines. His body was significantly more bulky than the original millennium designs, but not as much as the 1990’s. Godzilla’s neck was also significantly longer than most designs post Showa.
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Back view with spines |
Godzilla’s face was redone to be much scarier than any incarnation previous. His eyes were made completely white, removing any visible pupils to enhance his new “possessed” origin. Godzilla’s teeth were larger than previous incarnations as well. Additionally, Godzilla lacked notable ears, a trait that had been with Godzilla since the beginning of the Heisei era. Godzilla’s claws, both on his toes and hands, were enlarged in size with the hand claws bearing a slight resemblance to the 1962 King-Goji. Additionally, Godzilla’s spines shrank in size and looked more traditional compared to the more sword-like appearance of the 1999 and 2000 incarnations.
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Sokogeki-Goji’s atomic ray |
Godzilla’s iconic atomic ray returned to its blue and white look not seen in it’s entirely since 1994’sGodzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla. This time the beam had a very clean look with solid blue outer streams and a vibrant white interior. This color of beam would now stick with the character for the rest of the millennium era up until 2016. The charge up of the beam was also changed with the spines glowing a ghostly white while particles gathered inside of its mouth during a big intake of air before firing.
This design’s name originates from the “sokogeki” part of the film’s Japanese title,Gojira, Mosura, Kingu Gidora: Daikaiju Sokogeki. This translates the name as “All-Out Attack Godzilla.”
It should also be noted that this incarnation of Godzilla was originally meant to lean forward like a stereotypical dinosaur, but the suit’s limitations prevented this.
Kiryu-Goji
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla(2002),Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.(2003)
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Side view with spines |
Following the previous film’s successful run in Japan, Toho looked to return another iconic foe for the King of the Monsters.Masaaki Tezukareturned to helm the next two installments and with him returned his sharper, “edgier” design for the monster king. The design itself was very reminiscent of 2000’s Mire-Goji design, but with some significant differences. Godzilla kept the darker color scheme reintroduced in 2001. His spines were also drastically smaller than the 2000 design while bringing back the sword-like, sharp design of them. Additionally, the spines retained the classic color scheme and were a more silver-ish in color opposed to the purple made famous by the 1999 and 2000 designs.
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Chest scar introduced inGodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.(2003) |
The Kiryu-Goji face was also enhanced with animatronics that allowed it to perform far more expressions than previous designs. The animatronics in its face allowed this Godzilla to widen its eyes in shock and anger, along with moving side to side. The eyes were also changed compared to the 2000 design the suit was based on and appear more mammal-like than reptilian. Godzilla’s tiny ears and “hood” around its neck also returned after being absent from the 2001 design.
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Kiryu-Goji’s atomic ray |
In 2003, a sequel toGodzilla Against Mechagodzillawas released and the Kiryu-Goji design was returned, but with some slight modifications. Godzilla now wore an ugly scar across its chest after being hit with Kiryu’s Absolute Zero Cannon in the previous film. Aside from this scar, the design was virtually unchanged.
Godzilla’s atomic ray retained the blue and white colors reintroduced in the 2001 outing, but also returned the “fiery” look to it introduced in 1999. Additionally, the small “explosion” generated in Godzilla’s more just prior to firing returned once more, only blue to match this beam’s color.
Finally, Kiryu-Goji’s name originates from the name of the latest incarnation of Mechagodzilla, Kiryu. The modified suit used in the 2003 film is often referred as “SOS-Goji.”
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Spines of Final-Goji |
For Godzilla’s fiftieth anniversary film, Toho opted to reboot once more and ignore all previous timelines. This allowed for yet another Godzilla design to be introduced for the film. This design also returned Godzilla to a more traditional look, once again loosing the “edgy” and sharp look reintroduced previously. The monster retained its charcoal color scheme and bone-white spines, but was far sleeker than any design post Showa. This allowed the design to perform more outlandish moves and poses not unlike some of the Showa suits. Additionally, it has been reported that its range of movement was directly inspired by the 1955 suit.
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Final-Goji’s atomic ray |
Godzilla’s face was designed to be more canine-like than previous designs, becoming far narrower than most before it. The eyes were made that with certain shadows, they would gain an almost “anime”-like look. The ears were more noticeable and the spines given a single, large row going down the back surrounded by noticeably smaller spines, something not seen since the Showa era. While the suit itself was sleeker, Godzilla’s arms remained larger and gained a more human-like proportion compared to other designs.
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Final-Goji’s spiral beam |
The atomic ray retained its blue and white appearance of the previous three films, but the blue became more aqua in color and the white effect more pronounced. Like the previous design’s, the small explosion in Godzilla’s mouth just prior to firing was included. Additionally, near the end of the film, Godzilla’s spiral beam made a triumphant return since the Heisei era and came with a new, updated look to match the regular beam’s more fiery appearance while retaining the orange/red look and spirals.
This suit’s name originates from the film it starred in:Godzilla: Final Wars(2004).
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Face of Always-Goji |
Just a mere three years followingGodzilla: Final Wars(2004), it was announced Godzilla would have a brief cameo inAlways: Sunset on Third Street 2(2007). Rumors spread like wildfire that the company was “testing the waters” for an unexpected revival for the character. While these rumors proved false, the film did break some grounds for the character, even in his brief scenes. For the first time ever, Godzilla was rendered completely in CGI. Without a suit actor or limitations of those of a suit, the monster was able to move about a bit more “lifelike.”
The design for the monster was very reminiscent of 2001’s Godzilla, complete with white eyes. The head was blocky and lines of sharp teeth prominent. The head also lacked ears, a trait not seen since 2001’s design as well. The body shape was thick, especially in the neck and thighs. Additionally, like the 2001 design, the feet were larger than most with big toes and claws on each foot. The spines were extremely boney in appearance, a stark contrast to previous designs. They also lacked the stereotypical “maple leaf” or “sword”-like designs of previous spines, appearing more random as if broken rock.
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Always-Goji’s atomic ray |
For the brief appearance of his beam when he destroys the recently constructed Tokyo Tower, Godzilla’s atomic breath was given a white appearance with a slight, bluish hue on the edges.
The name of this design was never actually given its own, “Always-Goji” and “Sunset-Goji” are both names fans have become accustomed to using for this version of the King of the Monsters.
MonsterVerse (2014-Present) & Shin Godzilla (2016)
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Front view of Legendary-Goji |
It was a time many fans waited years, if not decades, for: a proper, Hollywood rendition of the iconic movie monster. When Legendary announced the project, everyone held their breath. The 2014 movie featured a Godzilla that was purposely designed to be as close to the Japanese versions as much as possible while introducing its own “flavor” to stand out on its own. The result was a design that has divided many fans. The basic design for the monster combined elements of a bear, Komodo dragon and an eagle.
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Side view with spines |
The body shape is extremely thick and muscular, possibly even more so than the 1990’s Japanese Godzillas. The head is modeled after both a bear’s and an eagle’s, keeping the ferocity of the mammal with the “nobility” of the bird in certain angles. This Godzilla lacked ears like many of the Japanese designs and the teeth were a lot smaller than most previous incarnations. Interestingly, this design introduced gills to the character. While hidden in many shots, they can be clearly seen on his neck in others.
The arms of this Godzilla were very lizard-like, especially Komodo dragons when reared up on their hind legs. The fingers, as well, were webbed. This was another new aspect never seen in a Godzilla before. The hide was rugged and scaly, appearing more armored than all previous designs. Godzilla legs were also extremely large with his feet being designed after those of an elephant’s or brachiosaur’s, meaning he lacked the typical “T-Rex feet” that previous designs had. Once again, this was another new aspect for this design. The claws on both his hands and his toes were black.
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Legendary-Goji’s atomic breath |
Godzilla’s famous atomic ray made a triumphant return in 2014 and was given a more flamethrower-like appearance, only blue in color. Additionally, during the charge up of this attack, Godzilla’s spines all glow, including those on his tail (another new introduction for this design) with a “hum” coming from his body just prior to the firing of the attack.
Like the 2007 cameo of the character, this Godzilla was realized entirely in CGI. However, for the first time, he was brought to life via motion capture, bringing with it a degree of lifelike movement and expression never seen in Godzilla prior.
This Godzilla did not gain its own name. Instead, fans often refer to this design as “Legendary-Goji.” Other names often cited as “Gareth-Goji” (after the director, Gareth Edwards) and “14-Goji.”
Shin-Goji
Shin Godzilla(2016)
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Head of Shin-Goji |
Godzilla was back! Following Legendary’s 2014 reboot, Toho saw fit to bring their titan out of retirement in a big way in his homeland. With Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi at the helm, they returned Godzilla back to his dark roots. Gone was the monster that would sometimes act goofy and fight others. Godzilla was returned to a lumbering metaphor for the world to see. This Godzilla would evolve from lesser forms, not unlike some of the foes the icon has faced in prior movies. However, it is the beast’s fourth form that truly gained the name “Godzilla.”
For this incarnation, the pair took Godzilla’s classic 1954 design and heavily updated it for a modern audience. The head took design inspiration from the original concept artwork from 1954, giving the beast a somewhat mushroom cloud-like forehead. Godzilla’s teeth were nightmarish and needle-like, woven in random manners. His eyes were incredibly tiny, almost hard to see in some shots. Continuing downward, his arms were extremely small and almost permanently clenched in upside down claws as if withering in pain.
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Shin-Goji’s body shape |
Godzilla also sported a bizarre point on its chest that appeared to jettison upward from its rib cage. His lower body proportions were extremely off with a body shaped like that of a pear, wide at the bottom and thin at the top. His legs, for the first time in the Japanese franchise history, were digitigrade with the ankle not touching the ground, but instead above it like traditional dinosaur feet. Additionally, the beast sported a new number of toes and claws: five, with the fifth being extremely small on the outsides of the feet. He also sported a strange, sixth claw on the top of his feet.
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Spines of Shin-Goji |
The spines of Godzilla were based on the 1954 design, but increased in size and number. Now he had multiple rows of jagged spines of various points running down his entire back and tail. And finally, the behemoth’s tail. Shin Godzilla sported, without a doubt, the longest tail of any Godzilla. It usually hovered above his head, moving about as if it had a mind of its own. With saw-like spines racing down the tail, the tip ended in a sort of face of its own, complete with empty eye sockets and a bizarre mouth-like ending. The monster could even fire a version of his trademark beam from the mouth-like tip.
To make this Godzilla stand out even more when compared to the legions of others in the franchise, this behemoth was given a black color pattern with glowing red splotches, based entirely on lava. This differed greatly from 1995’s Burning Godzilla, which had a more clean appearance. The glow here was almost random, with some spots glowing like veins.
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Shin-Goji’s atomic ray |
Finally, Godzilla’s famous atomic breath was changed drastically. Now he spewed a noxious cloud of black smoke which would transition into a thick flamethrower. After a few seconds, this flame would condense and form a thin beam of purple energy that could wipe a city clean in but a few blasts. He could also fire this thin beam of purple energy from various points on his spines and his tail. Additional changes to the beast was a shiny membrane that would lower over his eyes, protecting them. However, one of the most iconic design updates for this Godzilla actually comes when he fires his trademark weapon. Godzilla’s lower jaw seemingly unhinges and splits like that of a snake’s and parts of his entire body, not just his spines, start to glow purple opposed to red.
Another new addition, this Godzilla was also able to self-evolve in order to reach his best potential. Originally starting out as but a tail-like object waving in the water, it evolved into land forms before finally becoming the Godzilla that appeared half way through the film. However, it was stated this wouldn’t end and Godzilla could potentially evolve further, possibly gaining the ability of flight. The final shot of the movie actually shows humanoid, Godzilla-like beings starting to crawl from his tail before being frozen.
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Shin-Goji’s tail tip |
While this Godzilla was meant to return the series to its dark and gritty roots, Godzilla’s final form was given the classic, 1960’s era roar the beast sported in movies such as Mothra vs. Godzilla and Invasion of Astro-Monster. However, near the end of the film and just as its body is frozen solid, Godzilla releases the distinct roar of the 1984 Godzilla.
Article first published on December 14, 2016.
