Mechani-Kong
|
Mechani-Kong (メカニコング, also known as Robot Kong Mekanikongu) (ロボットコング, is a robotic version of Robottokongu)King Kong created by Rankin/Bass Productions and Toho that first appeared in the 1966 animated series The King Kong Show, and later appeared in the 1967 Toho film, King Kong Escapes.
Name
Mechani-Kong's name comes from the word "mechanical" and the "Kong" part of King Kong's name. In the Japanese version of The King Kong Show, he was referred to as "Robot Kong" (ロボットコング. Robottokongu)
Design
In The King Kong Show, Mechani-Kong has a bulky body that is brown in color, with lighter tan segments on his joints and midsection. Mechani-Kong has two black squares for eyes and a window on the top of his head, behind which Dr. Who controls the machine.
In King Kong Escapes, Mechani-Kong's entire body is a metallic gray color, with visible bolts on his limbs and joints. Mechani-Kong has a utility belt containing grenades around his waist, powerful light bulbs for eyes, and a hypnotic light attached to the sagittal crest atop his head.
History
The King Kong Show
Mechani-Kong appeared as a recurring antagonist, and was built by the evil scientist Dr. Who in order to destroy King Kong.
Showa Series
King Kong Escapes
Mechani-Kong was both designed and built by the international criminal, Dr. Who, to mine the radioactive Element X from the Arctic underground, but the robotic ape failed his creator, the radiation of Element X damaging his controls. However, Dr. Who came up with another plan to abduct the real King Kong and using Mechani-Kong, hypnotize Kong to mine Element X instead. However, the combination of Kong's mind and the cries of Nurse Susan Watson, who Kong had a liking for, were able to overcome the hypnotism and Kong escaped to Tokyo. With Mechani-Kong being damaged from its encounter with Kong, some quick repairs are done to it.
In Tokyo, a repaired Mechani-Kong called Mechani-Kong No. 2 (メカニコング2号 Mekanikongu Ni-gou)[2] appears, and engages King Kong, both eventually climbing up Tokyo Tower. In the end, an attack back on Dr. Who's ship crippled Mechani-Kong's controls and turned the tide of battle in Kong's favor. The crippled Mechani-Kong then fell from the tower, crashing into the street below and shattering into several pieces.
Weapons
- Hypnotic light emitted from head
- Grenades on waist
- Super strength
- High Beam eyes
Comics
Godzilla, King of the Monsters
Having been reconstructed by Doctor Oniyama and christened Mechani-Kong II, Mechani-Kong was deployed to assist Mechagodzilla III in fighting Godzilla. Mechani-Kong II took Godzilla by surprise, punching through a refinery tank and holding Godzilla steady while Mechagodzilla III taunted and injured his biological counterpart. After Godzilla broke free of Mechani-Kong II's grip, the two fought again, only for Godzilla to disable the machine and throw him over his shoulder, breaking the robot ape's arm. Unable to move, Mechani-Kong II was then destroyed after Godzilla shot his atomic breath at the robot's head, causing the machine to explode violently.
Video Game Appearances
Konami Wai Wai World
Mechani-Kong appears in the fifth stage of Konami Wai Wai World, called City Stage, as one of the naturally-occurring enemies along side Jumping Hopper, Flyer, and Laserwalker. Later in the level another Mechani-Kong-like monster appears named Bosskonger, who serves as the stage's boss.
Mechani-Kong's sprite in Konami Wai Wai World
Mechani-Kong in the Konami Wai Wai World manual
Gallery
- Main article: Mechani-Kong/Gallery.
Sightings
- In an episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy titled "Giant Billy And Mandy All-Out Attack," there was a parody of Mechani-Kong named "Mecha-Gorillasaur," who was piloted by Mandy.
Roar
Mechani-Kong's roar is a modified Toho King Kong roar, which was sped up and echoed. Mechani-Kong's roar would later be used for the capsule monster Windom in Ultraseven.
|
Trivia
- Mechani-Kong was a personal favorite kaiju of Koichi Kawakita, special effects director for most of the Heisei Godzilla films. Kawakita planned to pit Mechani-Kong against Godzilla in several unmade projects in the early 1990's, including Micro Super Battle: Godzilla vs. Gigamoth, Godzilla's Counterattack, and Godzilla vs. Mechani-Kong. Ultimately, Toho found that it would be difficult to use even the likeness of King Kong in one of their own films, and so these various projects were replaced by the film Godzilla vs. Mothra. However, Kawakita later payed tribute to Mechani-Kong with the monster Bulgario in the show Phantom Star God Justirisers and the film Super Star Fleet Sazer-X the Movie: Fight! Star Soldiers, which he claimed was based on the unused Heisei design for Mechani-Kong.[3]
- Mechani-Kong, being a robotic doppelganger of King Kong, was likely the inspiration for Mechagodzilla.
- In King Kong Escapes, Mechani-Kong's theme is actually an updated version of the military march from King Kong vs. Godzilla. Akira Ifukube later modified and included this theme in his score for Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.
- Mechani-Kong makes a brief cameo alongside Maguma in a drawing in an episode of the 1993 trivia show, Adventure! Godzilland.
References
This is a list of references for Mechani-Kong. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
|