Black Hole Planet 3 Alien

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Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens
The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens' true form
Leader Kuronuma,GvMG MugalToMG, GL
Pawns Mechagodzilla, Titanosaurus
Average height 1.8 meters[1]
Average weight 90 kilograms[1]
Homeworld Black Hole Planet 3
Forms Human disguises,
true forms
Allies Shinzo Mafune
Enemies Humans, Dianii
First appearance Latest appearance
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla Terror of Mechagodzilla

The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens (ブラックホール第3惑星人,   Burakku Hōru Daisan Wakuseijin, lit. "Black Hole Third Planet People"), also known as Simians or Simeons, are a species of sapient ape-like humanoid aliens that appear in the 1974 and 1975 Godzilla films, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla and Terror of Mechagodzilla.

Hailing from the third planet orbiting a black hole somewhere in outer space, the aliens scoured the galaxy for a new home, eventually determining Earth to be the ideal destination. It is unknown how long the aliens had been operating on Earth, but at some point a group of them learned of the experiments of Dr. Shinzo Mafune, using their scientific expertise to revive his daughter Katsura as a cyborg after she was injured in a laboratory accident, after which they continued to finance Mafune's work. An invasion force led by Kuronuma covertly established a base of operations in Okinawa, where they studied the planet's most powerful defender, Godzilla, and created a robotic copy called Mechagodzilla in order to eliminate him and destroy human civilization. Mechagodzilla was unleashed in 1974 and clashed with Godzilla, in Tokyo, leaving the machine damaged. The aliens raced to repair their war machine, forcing the unwilling scientist Hideto Miyajima to help them. A group of humans, assisted by members of INTERPOL, who had been trailing the aliens for some time, raided their base and killed Kuronuma and his men while Godzilla and King Caesar destroyed Mechagodzilla. Only a year later, Mugal assumed command of a second invasion force based under Mount Amagi, where they rebuilt Mechagodzilla as the new-and-improved Mechagodzilla 2. The aliens finally revealed their true identities to Mafune, promising him and his daughter a place in their new utopian society in exchange for his assistance. Mafune helped to perfect Mechagodzilla 2, while lending the services of Titanosaurus, the dinosaur monster he had been attempting to control through his experiments, to the aliens' cause. Both monsters were unleashed to destroy Tokyo, with Godzilla powerless against them both. However, INTERPOL assaulted the aliens at Mafune's lab, and in the ensuing gunfight Katsura gave her life to render Mechagodzilla inoperable. Godzilla quickly dispatched Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus, then obliterated the aliens' UFOs with his atomic breath as they tried to flee, ending their invasion for good.

As the primary antagonists of two films, the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens boasted the greatest number of film appearances of any alien race in the Godzilla franchise until the Xiliens returned in Godzilla Final Wars in 2004. The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens are featured in two American comics: Dark Horse's Godzilla and issue #3 of IDW Publishing's Godzilla: Legends.

Name

This alien race is known as the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens (ブラックホール第3惑星人,   Burakkuhōru Dai San Wakuseijin, lit. Black Hole Third Planet People)[2] or alternatively the Universe Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens (大宇宙ブラックホール第三惑星人,   Dai Uchū Burakkuhōru Dai San Wakuseijin).[3] In the English dubs for Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla and Terror of Mechagodzilla, the aliens refer to themselves as the "Spacemen from the Third Planet of the Black Hole," but were frequently called the Simians by English-speaking fans, a reference to their ape-like appearance. This nickname was used to refer to the aliens in issue #3 of the IDW comic series Godzilla: Legends. Another spelling of this name, Simeons, is used in The Official Godzilla Compendium and on Toho's official English-language website.[4] In the book Godzilla 1954-1999 Super Complete Works, they are given the English name Aliens from Third Planet of Black Hole.[5]

Design

In Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens resemble humanoid apes with dark green skin and black hair on their heads and hands. Using unknown technology, the aliens disguise themselves as ordinary humans, though this disguise disappears whenever the aliens are shot or wounded. In Terror of Mechagodzilla, the aliens' human disguises are instead accomplished using skintight masks. Underneath these masks, the aliens look less like apes and more like disfigured humans covered in keloid scars. In both appearances, the aliens wear silver full-body uniforms, though in Terror of Mechagodzilla specifically these uniforms include large helmets with two long antennae.

In the Dark Horse comic Godzilla, the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens appear as they did in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, albeit with brown fur and brown skin. In IDW Publishing's Godzilla: Legends, the Simians are noticeably more human, with heavily wrinkled skin, yellow eyes with black sclera, and wide, flat noses.

History

Showa era

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

Kuronuma, the aliens' leader in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

A Black Hole Planet 3 Alien invasion force led by Kuronuma was sent to Earth, where they established a secret base in Okinawa and constructed Mechagodzilla. The aliens unleashed Mechagodzilla in a Fake Godzilla disguise from Mount Fuji, allowing it to rampage through the Japanese countryside. After defeating Anguirus, the fake Godzilla arrived in Tokyo and was confronted by the real Godzilla. When Godzilla damaged Mechagodzilla's disguise, Kuronuma ordered the machine to shed it and unleash its entire arsenal against Godzilla. After a beam clash, Godzilla was sent into the ocean and left with painful injuries, while Mechagodzilla's head controls were damaged and it was called back to the aliens' base.

Meanwhile, Kuronuma deployed an agent named Yanagawa to retrieve the statue of King Caesar before it could be used to awaken the legendary beast. Yanagawa eventually tracked the statue to a cruise ship called the Queen Coral, but was shot and killed by INTERPOL agent Nanbara. Hideto Miyajima, a scientist, discovered the aliens' base in Gyokusen Cave, and was subsequently captured by the aliens. Kuronuma forced Miyajima to help repair Mechagodzilla in exchange for the life of his daughter and their friend Masahiko Shimizu. Nanbara and Keisuke Shimizu raided the aliens' base and rescued Miyajima and the other captives, then rendezvoused outside of the cave with Saeko Kanagusuku. Nanbara, Miyajima and Masahiko agreed to go back inside and deal with the aliens, while the others went to awaken King Caesar. They were ambushed by two aliens, but were saved by Nanbara's partner Tamura. King Caesar was successfully awakened, and Kuronuma deployed Mechagodzilla to destroy him. During the battle, Godzilla reappeared and joined with King Caesar, eventually overcoming the mechanical monster. Inside the aliens' base, Miyajima, Nanbara and Masahiko were captured and forced to watch the battle. However, Nanbara undid their bindings while Miyajima used his experimental electrode pipe to sabotage the aliens' equipment. A gunfight ensued, in which Kuronuma was killed. The base began to self-destruct, but Nanbara and the others escaped in time. The aliens' base and Mechagodzilla both exploded, ending the aliens' scheme for the time being.

Terror of Mechagodzilla

Mugal, the aliens' leader in Terror of Mechagodzilla

A year after their previous defeat, a new Black Hole Planet 3 Alien invasion force led by Mugal arrived on Earth. They planned to destroy Tokyo and rebuild it as a high-tech utopian city, then commence their conquest of the rest of the planet from there. The aliens salvaged the remains of Mechagodzilla from the ocean and began rebuilding him, while also recruiting the assistance of the disgruntled scientist Shinzo Mafune. Mafune provided the aliens with a second weapon, the monster Titanosaurus, which Mafune controlled. The aliens did not really care for Mafune, seeing him as a mere tool in their master plan and Titanosaurus as a way to weaken Godzilla so the rebuilt Mechagodzilla 2 could more easily destroy him. Unbeknownst to Mafune, the aliens had actually converted his daughter Katsura into a cyborg years before when performing surgery on her after she was injured in a laboratory accident. When Katsura was injured again after being shot by INTERPOL agents, the aliens installed Mechagodzilla's controller inside of her. Mafune was horrified to see what had become of his daughter and begged for forgiveness, but reluctantly swore loyalty to Mugal.

After INTERPOL discovered the aliens' base of operations in the countryside, they moved their operations to Mafune's laboratory. From there, they released Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus in Tokyo, reducing much of the city to a crater in a matter of minutes. Godzilla arrived to battle the monsters, but was overwhelmed by their combined power. Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus beat Godzilla unconscious and then buried him in a ravine. The JSDF discovered that Titanosaurus was vulnerable to sonic waves and used a sonic ray gun to distract him, allowing Godzilla to re-enter the fight and take on Mechagodzilla. Meanwhile, INTERPOL raided Mafune's lab, killing Mafune and wounding Katsura while forcing Mugal to retreat. Akira Ichinose, a biologist who had feelings for Katsura and had been captured by the aliens, held her in his arms when she regained consciousness. Katsura was ridden with guilt for her role in the aliens' twisted plan, and realized that Mechagodzilla's controller was still inside of her. Katsura shot and killed herself, allowing Godzilla to easily destroy Mechagodzilla once and for all. Godzilla made short work of Titanosaurus as well, blasting him with his atomic breath and causing him to fall into the ocean. INTERPOL chased Mugal to a cliff, where he jumped off into a UFO and tried to flee. Godzilla saw the aliens' UFOs retreating and quickly destroyed them all with his atomic breath, ending the aliens' invasion for good.

Technology

Mechanical skills

The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens are skilled roboticists, demonstrated by their ability to construct Mechagodzilla. Very little else of their technology is shown, however.

Flying saucers

The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens also possess flying saucers; however, these did not display any weapons as they were shot down by Godzilla with a single atomic heat ray. According to Mugal, their saucers can travel from their planet to Earth in 1,000 hours.

Disguise

The Black Hole Aliens are able to disguise themselves as humans using unknown technology, at least in their first appearance. These disguises disappear when the aliens are shot or wounded. In their second appearance, the aliens' disguises appeared to be rubber masks that fit perfectly over their faces.

Bulletproof suits

In their second appearance, they also possess bulletproof bodysuits.

Video games

Godzilla: Archipelago Shock

In this game, the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens ally themselves with the Xiliens to invade Earth.

Godzilla: Trading Battle

In this game, a Black Hole Planet 3 Alien is among the various opponents who can challenge the player to a duel.

Godzilla Defense Force

In the face of a great Xilien invasion, past foes become allies, with the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens being an unlockable ally who can join forces with the player and the Earth Defense Force against the Xiliens' monsters.

Comics

Godzilla

The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens reveal themselves in Godzilla #7

With their homeworld being dragged to its inevitable demise by a black hole within their solar system, the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens launched expeditions to explore new planets suitable for colonization - with one such planet, Earth, being designated as a suitable replacement for their species. After their scientists developed the means of altering their appearance to blend in with humans, the aliens were able to successfully infiltrate the United States military, where one, Colonel Cameron, quickly rose through the ranks and used his increasing influence to place in agents in positions that would best serve their cause - eradicating humanity. Colonel Cameron believed Godzilla to be the ultimate weapon they could use to achieve their goal, though, knowing how unlikely they were to gain control over Godzilla, his race also sought ways of producing their own monsters that they could control. Colonel Cameron's agents went on to sabotage a beacon G-Force had hoped would grant them control over Godzilla, and launched the Cybersaur and All-Terraintula against Godzilla. Following the arrival of the Dianii, the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens managed to gain control of their massive ship and prepared a full-scale assault against humanity using the ship and the All-Terraintula. Ultimately, however, the efforts of Godzilla, the Dianii, and G-Force to stop them would succeed, and their bid to conquer the planet was halted after Godzilla annihilated the All-Terraintula and the Dianii ship.

Godzilla: Legends

Mugal talks with a fellow Simian in Godzilla: Legends #3

Funded by the United Nations, an academy for psychic students was established in the hopes of finding countermeasures to deal with the epidemic of giant monsters, run by psychic Miki Saegusa and the mysterious Headmaster Mugal. While addressing a new class, Mugal revealed that the institution's goal was for the young psychics to channel their abilities into telepathically communicating with the monsters of the world, as Miki had done with Godzilla. After the young psychic named Tristan excelled above his peers, Mugal began the next phase of his training to see if he was capable of connecting with a kaiju. Tristan went on to psychically connect with the mind of Titanosaurus, though Miki chastised Mugal for harming Tristan in the process. Later, after Tristan suffered a nightmare about his parents being abducted and inadvertently drew the destructive Titanosaurus to his home, he was attacked by the Simians under the direction of Mugal, their leader. After the Simians abducted Tristan and Titanosaurus, the UN and Mugal shuttered the academy in response to the damage caused, with the UN and Miki never discovering his true identity or ulterior motives behind his work. Returning to their home planet, Mugal and the Simians intended on further manipulating the the bond between Tristan and Titanosaurus in order to gain control over the latter and force him to aid their armada and Mechagodzillas in their coming invasion of Earth in a bid to escape their dying homeworld.

Godzilla: Monsters & Protectors - Summer Smash

Two Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens appear in a video thumbnail captioned "Space Bloopers," with both of their different film designs being utilized.

Gallery

Production

Screenshots

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

Terror of Mechagodzilla

Comics

Merchandise

Trivia

  • The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens were likely influenced by the ape characters from the Planet of the Apes films. Their true forms in Terror of Mechagodzilla specifically may be a nod to the subterranean race of mutant humans from Beneath the Planet of the Apes.
  • The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens are the only alien race in the Showa era to not control King Ghidorah.
  • The Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens' blood is green.
  • The Bilusaludo from GODZILLA: Planet of the Monsters are inspired by the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens, as their homeworld is said to be the third planet of the black hole Cygnus X-1, and like the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens the Bilusaludo helped to construct Mechagodzilla.[6] A Bilusaludo lieutenant general, Mulu-elu Galu-gu, is named after Mugal.
  • A story illustrated by Yuji Kaida in the March 1983 issue of Terebi Magazine features an alliance of Toho's various malevolent alien races from the Showa era called the Dark Mysterious Star Alliance, which includes the Nebulans. The invaders collaborate to construct a robot called Mecha-Ghidorah in order to conquer the Earth.[7]

References

This is a list of references for Black Hole Planet 3 Alien. 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]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Godzilla Giant Monsters Super Encyclopedia (4th ed.). Kodansha. 15 March 1994. p. 32. ISBN 978-4063042702.
  2. "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (ゴジラ対メカゴジラ)". Toho. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  3. Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia. Shogakukan. 23 July 2014. p. 69. ISBN 4-096-82090-3.
  4. "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla". TOHO GLOBAL SITE. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  5. Godzilla 1954-1999 Super Complete Works. Shogakukan. 1 January 2000. p. 195. ISBN 978-4091014702.
  6. GODZILLA: Planet of the Monsters (theater program). TOHO Visual Entertainment. 17 November 2017.
  7. Driscoll, Nicholas (2 March 2020). "Space Super Monster Robo! Mecha-Ghidorah vs. Monster King Godzilla". Toho Kingdom.

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