BABY

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BABY
Emmy Kano putting on a BABY in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
Alternate names Flying Scooter (predecessor)[1][2]
Piloted by Emmy Kano, M11, Kenichiro Terasawa
Launched from MOTHER
First appearance Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
For the monster frequently called "Baby" in his first appearance, see Godzilla Junior.

BABY (BABY (ベビー),   Bebī) is a futuristic, backpack-like propulsion device which appears briefly in the 1991 Godzilla film Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah.

Name

BABY's name is never spoken in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, but can be seen written on the side of the unit Emmy Kano puts on. This name has been echoed in books such as Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah Monster Complete Works[3] and the more recent Godzilla Dictionary [New Edition][4] and All Toho Mechanic Pictorial Book.[5] Prior to BABY's appearance being decided, concept art and the film's script instead envisioned Emmy riding a Flying Scooter (フライングスクーター,   Furaingu Sukūtā).[1][2][6]

Development

Concept art of Emmy Kano riding a "Flying Scooter," BABY's predecessor (artist unknown)

BABY was not included in the final draft of Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, with Emmy Kano instead utilizing a Flying Scooter.[1] Concept art of the scooter was created by Shinji Nishikawa[2] and Kunio Aoi,[6] who both envisioned it as partially enclosed like a sidecar. Nishikawa's version would also be able to shift between high and low speed configurations.[2] Another concept piece by an unidentified artist depicts the scooter as closer to a futuristic moped.[1]

History

Heisei era

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah

Emmy Kano using a BABY in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah

When a group of 23rd-century terrorists from the Equal Environment of Earth Union, better known as the Futurians, traveled back in time to 1944 and replaced the Godzillasaurus on Lagos Island with three Dorats, hydrogen bomb testing in 1954 created the monster King Ghidorah instead of Godzilla. Ghidorah, who was under the Futurians' control, was unleashed on Japan in the present day of 1992. Moderate EEE member Emmy Kano, seemingly unaware as to the extent to which her colleagues were willing to go to stint Japan's economic power, was horrified by the destruction caused by King Ghidorah. One night, she sneaked off of the Futurians' time machine MOTHER and used a BABY to fly to the residence of writer Kenichiro Terasawa, landing in his stairwell. She explained the Futurians' true mission to Terasawa, but was secretly spied on by the time travelers' android M11.

Later, after being dragged back to MOTHER by M11, Emmy reprogrammed the android to no longer be subservient to the other Futurians. Terasawa was again visited at night, this time by M11. The android floated in front of Terasawa's window using a BABY and signaled him to come with him. Equipping Terasawa with a BABY of his own, the two flew to MOTHER and met with Emmy, who plotted to overthrow the Futurians and hijack the time machine.

Abilities

Flight

BABY functions by projecting an anti-gravity field around itself, allowing the wearer to float.[3] A handheld remote appears to control the direction of flight.

Comics

Emmy flees MOTHER in the Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah manga

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah

A BABY appears in two panels of Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah's manga adaptation, with a slightly altered role. After objecting to King Ghidorah's use, Emmy seems to immediately storm off of MOTHER rather than waiting until nighttime. Furthermore, when M11 catches Emmy in Terasawa's car, he brings both of them to MOTHER rather than just Emmy. Therefore, the scenes from the movie in which M11 and Terasawa fly on BABYs are entirely absent. The design of the BABY is also changed, more convincingly resembling a futuristic jetpack, and has two remotes connected to the device by cables. Instead of a helmet, Emmy wears goggles while operating it.

References

This is a list of references for BABY. 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]

Bibliography

  • Iwabatake, Toshiaki; Ono, Koichiro (5 December 1991). Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah Monster Complete Works. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-177720-3.
  • Nishikawa, Shinji (24 June 2016). Shinji Nishikawa: Drawing Book of Godzilla. Yosensha. ISBN 978-4-8003-0959-4.
  • Nomura, Kohei (7 August 2014). Godzilla Dictionary [New Edition]. Kasakura Publishing. ISBN 978-4-7730-8725-3.
  • Ozawa, Ryoko; Murai, Shugo; Imai, Atsushi; Nakamura, Satoshi; Tomoi, Taketo; Shimazaki, Jun, eds. (20 July 2018). All Toho Mechanic Pictorial Book (2nd ed.). Yosensha. ISBN 978-4-8003-1461-1.
  • Matsunomoto, Kazuhiro; Kojima, Kazuhiro; Shimazaki, Jun; Tomoi, Kento; Taketomi, Gentaro; Ofuna, Ryuji (14 July 2014). Heisei Godzilla Chronicle (2nd ed.). Kinema Junpo. ISBN 978-4-87376-319-4.

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