Megalon

Kaiju in the Godzilla franchise From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Megalon (メガロ, Megaro) is a giant monster, or kaiju, who first appeared in Jun Fukuda's 1973 film Godzilla vs. Megalon as the titular main antagonist. Megalon is depicted as a giant beetle-like creature capable of burrowing, flight, and shooting projectiles. Despite its major appearance in the thirteenth film in the Godzilla franchise, it is also his only film appearance to date.[1]

First appearanceGodzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
Last appearanceGodzilla vs. Megalon (2023)
Created by
Portrayed byHideto Odachi
Quick facts First appearance, Last appearance ...
Megalon
Godzilla character
Megalon as featured in Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973).
First appearanceGodzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
Last appearanceGodzilla vs. Megalon (2023)
Created by
Portrayed byHideto Odachi
In-universe information
SpeciesGiant beetle-like deity
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Overview

Design

Megalon is a bipedal, humanoid, burrowing insect-like entity resembling a beetle, standing 55 meters (180 feet) tall and weighing 40,000 metric tons (44,092 short tons).[2] The creature is worshiped as the god of the subterranean Kingdom of Seatopia. Following a series of nuclear tests in the 1973 film, Megalon was sent above ground to seek revenge against humanity.[2][3]

Megalon has two drill-like front appendages, which it uses both for burrowing and as weapons, and it possesses a set of wings usually protected by a beetle-like shell. When flying, Megalon puts its two arms together and its outer wings open allowing two hindwings to be used for flying.[4] When the left and right arms are combined, Megalon's arms turn into a rotating drill which grants it the ability to burrow through ground.[3]

Megalon also has a horn similar to a Japanese rhinoceros beetle, which non-Japanese viewers found odd.[3] Lightning-like bolts of electricity can be fired from Megalon from its horn, in a style similar to King Ghidorah's gravitational rays. Megalon generates napalm bombs in its stomach, which it spits from its mouth.[5] Officially called Geothermal Napalm Bullets,[6][4] these bombs act as timed explosives, giving other kaiju time to throw them back at Megalon.[3] Megalon is also able to leap through the air for ten kilometers at a time,[6][2] in a style similar to a grasshopper.[4] Megalon can fly at speeds up to mach 3, burrow at mach 2, and can swim underwater at mach 4.[7]

The suit created to portray Megalon was the heaviest created by Toho at the time, only being outclassed by the original Godzilla suit from the 1954 film.[8] During production of a scene featuring explosives, the suits for Megalon and Gigan caught fire and the actors had to be rescued by nearby technicians who doused the flames with water hoses.[9]

Appearances

Showa era (1973)

Megalon was originally meant to appear in he 1972 film, Godzilla vs. Gigan, but was cut out of the film by screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa and pushed back to appear in the 1973 film, Godzilla vs. Megalon instead.[10]

In Godzilla vs. Megalon, Megalon is worshiped as a deity by the people of the subterranean kingdom known as Seatopia. The Seatopians unleash Megalon on the surface world as revenge for the damage caused to Seatopia through reckless nuclear testing. Megalon possesses limited intelligence, and the Seatopians had to steal and take control of the protagonists' robot, Jet Jaguar to lead Megalon to its destination.[8] Jet Jaguar leads Megalon to destroy much of Tokyo while under the Seatopians control.[2] During his assault on the surface world, Megalon allies with Gigan and comes into conflict with Godzilla and Jet Jaguar.[11][8][12] Megalon and Gigan are ultimately defeated, and Megalon burrows back underground to return to Seatopia.[7][2]

Unlike most kaiju under fire from humans who prevail with brute force, Megalon uses retreat and ambush tactics to defeat human forces in his first encounter.

Reiwa era (2017-2023)

Megalon returns in Godzilla: Monster Apocalypse, a prequel novel to Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters. Megalon appeared on the West coast of Africa in 2012 and crossed the continent, destroying countless nations, and disappeared into the Indian Ocean. There were 20 million casualties, including the wounded. Shortly after Megalon's attack across Africa, millions of refugees fled to Europe and the Middle East due to civil wars across the continent, this also lead to a dispute between refugees and locals in Egypt that lead to a second civil war. Megalon returned 10 years later and attacked South Africa, forcing humanity to abandon the continent.

In Godzilla: Project Mechagodzilla, a prequel novel to Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle, 7 years later, Megalon moves to Asia. It annihilates India and Pakistan, both of whom just recovered from a nuclear war against each other. After destroying the Philippines, Megalon attacked Okinawa, but was intercepted by King Caesar, a guardian deity of the island, and both monsters died in the resulting battle.

Megalon made his return in the short film Godzilla vs. Megalon, released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the character. He is summoned to fight Godzilla, after his victory over Gigan in the previous short, Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex.

Other appearances

Films

Television

Web content

  • Godziban (2019-2025)
  • Godzilla vs. Megalon (2023)

Literature

Video games

References

Bibliography

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