The 10 coolest monster designs in Godzilla's movies

In the 70 years since Godzilla First stomping across the silver screen, he has undergone a number of transformations while fighting some of the most powerful and intimidating kaiju ever created. Godzilla's creature design is simple, but it has endured for a reason; Its glowing dorsal spikes, long tail and fiery blue atomic breath are all iconic in the annals of movie history. From the 1954 original tokusatsu Godzilla has retained the same basic shape to Legendary's massive Monsterverse CGI design, albeit with some extremely cool modifications.

Many of Godzilla's enemies, however, are anything but basic. Since his first tussle with on-again/off-again ally Anguirus in the 1955s Godzilla raids againBig G fought off a cavalcade of killer kaiju. While some of the designs are simply enlarged versions of animals or insects (looking at you, Kumonga and Kamakuras), other creature designs are much more elaborate. For the most part, the more complex a kaiju's design is, the deadlier it is, and that's certainly the case for most of the classic monsters Godzilla has fought here.

10

Godzilla (Evolved)

The evolved form of Godzilla debuted in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

When Godzilla Re-emerges from the Sea in Legendary's 2014 Franchise-Starter GodzillaHis plan was applauded. Although he is clearly upgraded in size and detail from Toho's tokusatsu designs, The new version of​​​​​​Goji still captured the most important elements of what makes Godzilla so cool. As the franchise continued, Godzilla found ways to reinvent himself, although his overall design didn't change much.

That changed in 2024 Godzilla x Kong: The New EmpireDuring which Godzilla truly evolved into a new form in both power level and appearance. After killing the titan Tiamat, Godzilla absorbed some of her DNA and a massive amount of energy from her lair to become "Evolved Godzilla", a much more athletic and powerful version of the radioactive lizard. Godzilla's typical bottom-heavy design is replaced by thinner legs and a lean torso that allows him to run just as fast as Kong.

Evolved Godzilla also has much sharper and exaggerated dorsal spikes, and of course his blue glow is replaced with a more powerful pink atomic energy. Godzilla's evolution into a much more agile monster was a refreshing departure from his typical design, but He has not lost the majestic aura that should accompany the king of the monsters. Whether or not the Monsterverse has jumped the shark can be debated, but there's no denying that Evolved Godzilla is a truly cool variation.

9

Battra

The dark reflection of Mothra debuted in Godzilla vs Mothra

Godzilla has had many evil versions of himself over the years, not unlike a comic book superhero. However, 1992s Godzilla vs Mothra Introduced the dark version of the queen of the monsters in Battra, a monster created by the earth itself as a defender. Like Mothra, Battra is a massive moth, and appears in two forms: a larval form and an adult imago form. The larval Battra is pretty badass in its own rightBecause he is made out of the eyes prism rays and the horn that sits on the head.

However, his adult form has a truly awesome design. Cool as it is seeing an evil version of Mothra, the design for Battra goes above and beyond with Her sharp tails, clawed feet, mouth full of spikes, and red and yellow wing patterns. Battra may not be the strongest monster Godzilla has ever put down, but he is one of the coolest to be put on screen.

8

Ghidorah (Monsterverse)

The most intimidating version of Godzilla's archive debuted in Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Ghidorah is one of Godzilla's oldest enemies, and there have been many iterations over the decades. However, the coolest version is undoubtedly the one that sought to shape the earth in 2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Between his incredible size, the detail and personality that comes through in each of the three heads, and the snake-like movement exhibited by Ghidorah, The Monsterverse Ghidorah design really makes him feel like a world-ending threat. The design depicts a vicious creature whose intent is fear and destruction.

7

Shin Godzilla

The terror-inducing mutating menace debuted in Shin Godzilla

2016s Shin Godzilla was a complete reboot of the character, and as such his origin and design is vastly different from previous Godzillas. Shin Godzilla evolved from a much smaller organism as a result of nuclear pollution; The contamination allowed him to mutate rapidly by changing his own DNA. It goes through several stages, however Its most terrifying form is its bipedal, kaiju-sized iteration.

The 4th form of Shin Godzilla has black skin like any other Godzilla, but it is covered in keloid scars where the skin is ripped due to the creature's rapid growth. Shin Godzilla's tail is larger than other iterations of Godzilla, and unlike his predecessors, Shin Godzilla can actually fire atomic energy from his tail and dorsal spikes. The coolest and most terrifying aspect of Shin Godzilla's design is his atomic breath release. Shin Godzilla's jaw unchanging like a snake and his lower jaw split to unleash one of the most devastating versions of Godzilla's Atomic Breath ever.

6

Mechagodzilla (Type 3 Kiryu)

A powerful Earth-protecting version of Godzilla's robotic nemesis debuted in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

The third version of Mechagodzilla is by far the coolest, and has the most interesting backstory to boot. Mechagodzilla, or Kiryu as it is referred to by the people who created it, was built over the bones of the 1954 Godzilla, and that Godzilla's restless spirit even takes over control of Kiryu briefly. As the Mechagodzillas approach him, Kiru has an unbelievable amount of ranged firepowerBy calling out the two axle cannons, which he shocks.

His array of weapons includes upgrades of many weapons used by the original Mecahgodzilla from the Showa Era. For example, his chest beam isn't just a beam of energy, it's an absolute zero cannon, causing a devastating wound to Godzilla's chest. Later upgrades included the Triple Hyper Maser Cannon, the Anti-Beast Drilling Device (the spiral claw with which Kiryu reopens Godzilla's chest wound) and multipurpose guided missiles. Kiryu represents the pinnacle of robot kaiju design In Godzilla movies.

5

Biollante (Plant Beast Form)

The genetic monstrosity that nearly killed Godzilla in Godzilla vs Biollante

Biollante has one of the most convoluted Godzilla villain stories, providing the background for his extremely cool final form. In his first showdown with Godzilla, The genetic monstrosity created from Godzilla's own DNA Appears like a giant, monstrous flower, complete with petals, leaves and vines with mouths. Although Godzilla dispatched the "Flower Beast" form in relatively short order, Biollante wasn't done yet.

Days after her initial defeat, Biollante re-emerges from Earth in her "plant beast" form: A hulking mass of Godzilla cell-infused plant material, complete with a humanoid mouth lined with razor sharp teethAnd even more vines with snapping jaws at the end. Biollante manages to wound Godzilla severely with the stabbing vines and acidic juice, but ultimately Godzilla's atomic breath proves too much for her. Biollante may not have survived her second battle with Godzilla, but her final form is one of the coolest kaiju Godzilla has ever faced.

4

Destoroyah (perfect form)

Godzilla's demonic ultimate opponent debuted in Godzilla vs. Destroyah

Destoroyah is another monster that undergoes transformation to reach its final, coolest form. Technically, Destoroyah's rapid evolution ability causes him to mutate into six different forms, but the one that breaks the mold is his "perfect form", which is what Godzilla ultimately battles. With a concept born from a crazy, unused Godzilla villain design, Destoroyah's perfect form is a bipedal beast much larger than GodzillaAnd is intended to look like a demon, complete with hellish spikes and horns, yellow eyes, and massive bat-like wings.

Destoroyah's many forms each have their own types of attack, but Destoroyah's perfect form has one of the most deadly: the variable slicer. Destroyah's star horn is capable of generating a blast of energy that the villainous kaiju wields like a blade.And it is able to cut Godzilla to the bone and cause massive bleeding. Destoroyah doesn't have the most versatile array of ​​attacks, but from a sheer power perspective, he's near the top of the class, and he has the creature design to match.

3

Gigan (Last Wars)

The souped-up version of ​​the killer cyborg covered in blades debuted in Godzilla: Final Wars

Gigan emerged as a secondary rival for Godzilla in the 1972s Godzilla vs GiganAnd established himself as a very real threat immediately by drawing a ton of blood from both Godzilla and his ally Anguirus. His original Showa Era design was certainly among the coolest of the time frame; His belly saw, bladed hands, and four-pronged metal beak made him a formidable enemy. As awesome as the original design was, the cool factor has been dialed up to 11 inches Godzilla: Final Wars.

Gigan returned to battle Godzilla once more as part of the lineup of monsters controlled by the Xillians, but in place of the somewhat silly "space chicken" design of the Showa Era was a sleek, badass modern version of The cyborg. The new Gigan had many of the same weapons, but each blade was much sharper and more menacing. Its body changed from the bright green and yellow of the Showa Era to a more modern black with red trim combinationMaking him look even more intimidating.

Gigan actually lost his first fight against Godzilla very quickly, with Big G blasting his head off (literally) in just a minute or two. He was rebuilt and modified to join the final fray on Earth alongside the Xiliens' Monster X, and in place of his bladed hands he was given two "bloody chainsaws" that draw blood from Godzilla. There is no wrong answer to either of these two final wars Gigans is the coolest, though The original blade-handed version comes closer to Gigan's first creature design.

2

Monster X (Keizer Ghidorah)

The bipedal incarnation of Ghidorah's final form debuted in Godzilla: Final Wars

Not surprisingly, the "final boss" of final wars Turns out to be Godzilla's all-time greatest enemy: King Ghidorah. However, the three-headed beast is not revealed in its final form, a four-headed callback to the demonic "Desgidura" form of Rebirth of Mothra (1996). While the Keizer Ghidorah form is certainly cool, the cooler version of ​​​​​​​​​the character comes before the Xiliens' Keizer energy is transferred to the monster. Keizer Ghidorah first appeared as Monster X, A bipedal white and black animal with one central head flanked by two half heads on its shoulders.

Monster X still boasts King Ghidorah's gravity beams, but they are shot out of all four eyes of the monster and are powerful enough to completely offset Godzilla's atomic breath. Monster X's defining traits are its physical strength and durability; He is able to lift Godzilla completely off the ground with his wrists before snapping them, and he withstands a direct blast of atomic breath with seemingly no effect. Monster X may not be quite as powerful as its Keizer Ghidorah form, but its nimble bipedal design sure is cooler.

1

Godzilla (Mogegoji '94)

One of the most brutal and powerful versions of Godzilla debuted in Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla

Coolest monster design in any Godzilla movie has to go to Big G himself, and even with Legendary's Monsterverse version in the conversation, Many Godzilla fans believe that the design was perfected in 1994. The same Godzilla suit was used for both the 1994 movie Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla And the 1995 movie Godzilla vs. DestroyahAnd is known as "MogeGoji" or "DesuGoji" after the other monsters in each movie (MOGUERA and Destoroyah, respectively). This version of Godzilla would be the last version seen in the Heisei Era.

MogeGoji's body shape is similar to past versions of the Heisei Era, with a strong, bottom-heavy build and broad shoulders, but it has some more unique features. Perhaps the most important feature is MogeGoji's eyes; The suit's eye weights are much larger than other versions of GodzillaWhich gives him a more intelligent and intimidating appearance.

MogeGoji gets even cooler Godzilla vs. DestroyahDuring which Godzilla is on the verge of a nuclear meltdown. In that "Burning Godzilla" form, Godzilla's eyes glow a nightmarish redAnd when he approaches critical mass, his skin starts to glow orange from the inside out as smoke pours from his body. The movie would end with the Heisei Godzilla's death, but the plan he was sent in was the best he's ever looked at.