Godzilla (First Generation): Difference between revisions

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|type1      =Red
|type1      =Red
|type2      =Dark
|type2      =Dark
|type        =[[Godzilla|{{color|white|Godzilla}}]] {{color|white|incarnations}}
|type        =[[Godzilla|{{stroke|white|black|Godzilla}}]] {{stroke|white|black|incarnations}}
|name        =Godzilla (1954)
|prevname    ={{glow|None}}
|next        =Godzilla/Showa
|name        ={{glow|Godzilla (First Generation)}}
|nextname    =Godzilla (Showa)
|next        =Godzilla (Second Generation)
|nextname    ={{glow|Godzilla (Second Generation)}}
}}
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{{Kaiju Infobox  
{{Kaiju Infobox  
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|image            =4621393474_3e21910f93.jpg
|image            =4621393474_3e21910f93.jpg
|caption          =Godzilla in Godzilla (1954)
|caption          =Godzilla in Godzilla (1954)
|name            =Godzilla{{tt|®|Godzilla is a registered Trademark of Toho Company Ltd.}} (1954)
|name            =Godzilla{{tt|®|Godzilla is a registered trademark of Toho Company Ltd.}}
|dt              =Godzilla (1954)
|subtitle        =Giant Hydrogen Bomb Monster<br>{{Nihongo|水爆大怪獣|Suibaku Daikaijū}}<ref name="1954-1999">{{cite book|title=[[Godzilla 1954-1999 Super Complete Works]]|date=1 January 2000|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|page=69|isbn=978-4091014702}}</ref><br>King of the Monsters {{Nihongo|怪獣王|Kaijūō}}<ref name="GvKG">{{cite book|last1=Iwabatake|first1=Toshiaki|last2=Ono|first2=Koichiro|title=[[Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah Monster Complete Works]]|date=5 December 1991|publisher=[[Kodansha]]|page=66|isbn=978-4061777200}}</ref>
|subtitle        =Giant Hydrogen Bomb Monster<br>{{Nihongo|水爆大怪獣|Suibaku Daikaijū}}<ref name="1954-1999">{{cite book|title=[[Godzilla 1954-1999 Super Complete Works]]||date=1 January [[2000]]|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|page=69|isbn=978-4091014702}}</ref><br>King of the Monsters {{Nihongo|怪獣王|Kaijū-Ō}}
|species          =Irradiated prehistoric amphibious reptile
|species          =Irradiated prehistoric amphibious reptile


|nicknames        =Gojira, King of the Monsters, Goji, [[ShodaiGoji]], Shodai Godzilla,<br>First Generation Godzilla, Original Godzilla, Godzilla 1954, Godzilla-1st.{{sup|[[Godzilla Generations|GG]]}}
|nicknames        =Gojira, Gojilla,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Gojilla Wreaks Havoc On Miniature Tokyo|last=Richie|first=Donald|work=Nippon Times|date=4 November 1954}}<br>[[File:Gojilla Wreaks Havoc On Miniature Tokyo - Nippon Times.png|100px]]</ref> Goji, [[ShodaiGoji]], Original Godzilla, Godzilla 1954,<br>First Generation Godzilla,<br>Angurus{{sup|[[Godzilla Raids Again#U.S. release|GtFM]]}}, Godzilla-1st.{{sup|[[Godzilla Generations|GG]]}}


|height          =50 meters<ref name="1954-1999"/><ref name="GodzillaCompendium"/>
|height          =50 meters<ref name="1954-1999"/><ref name="GodzillaCompendium">{{cite book|title=[[The Official Godzilla Compendium]]|author=J.D. Lees, Marc Cerasini|date=24 March 1998|publisher= [[Random House]]|page=124|isbn=0279888225}}<br>[[File:Compendium32.png|150px]]</ref>


|weight          =20,000 metric tons<ref name="1954-1999"/><ref name="GodzillaCompendium">{{cite book|title=[[The Official Godzilla Compendium]]|author=J.D. Lees, Marc Cerasini|date=24 March [[1998]]|publisher= [[Random House]]|page=124|isbn=0279888225}}<br>[[File:Compendium32.png|150px]]</ref>
|weight          =20,000 metric tons<ref name="1954-1999"/><ref name="GodzillaCompendium"/>


|forms            =[[Kiryu]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]-[[Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.|GMMG]]}}
|forms            =[[Kiryu]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]-[[Godzilla: Tokyo SOS|GMMG]]}}


|allies          =[[JSDF]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]-[[Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.|GMMG]]}}
|allies          =[[JSDF]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]-[[Godzilla: Tokyo SOS|GMMG]]}}


|enemies          =[[Humans]], [[Godzilla/Kiryu Saga|Second Godzilla]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]-[[Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.|GMMG]]}}
|enemies          =[[Human]]s, [[Godzilla (Kiryu series)|Second Godzilla]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]-[[Godzilla: Tokyo SOS|GMMG]]}}


|relationships    =Deceased family<ref name="1954 Godzilla Origin"/>
|relationships    =Deceased family<ref name="1954 Godzilla Origin"/>


|originplace      =Undersea cavern off [[Odo Island]]<ref name="TSEAMEncyclopedia">{{cite book|title=[[Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia]]|date=23 July [[2014]]|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|page=8|isbn=4-096-82090-3}}</ref><ref name="OriginPlace" group="note">Undersea cavern in the coastal waters of Odo Island / 大戸島近海の海底洞窟</ref>
|originplace      =Undersea cavern off [[Odo Island]]<ref name="TSEAMEncyclopedia">{{cite book|title=[[Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia]]|date=23 July 2014|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|page=8|isbn=4-096-82090-3}}</ref><ref name="OriginPlace" group="note">Undersea cavern in the coastal waters of Odo Island / 大戸島近海の海底洞窟</ref>


|controlled      =[[JSDF]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]-[[Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.|GMMG]]}}
|controlled      =[[JSDF]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]-[[Godzilla: Tokyo SOS|GMMG]]}}


|conceived        =[[Tomoyuki Tanaka]], [[Eiji Tsuburaya]]
|conceived        =[[Tomoyuki Tanaka]], [[Eiji Tsuburaya]]


|designed        =Wakuse Abe, [[Teizo Toshimitsu]],<br>[[Akira Watanabe]], [[Shinichi Wakasa]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]}}
|designed        =Wasuke Abe, [[Teizo Toshimitsu]],<br>[[Akira Watanabe]], [[Shinichi Wakasa]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]}}


|modeled          =[[Teizo Toshimitsu]], [[Eizo Kaimai]],<br>[[Kanju Yagi and Yasuei Yagi|Kanju Yagi, Yasuei Yagi]],<br>{{small|[[Shinichi Wakasa]]}}{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]}}, {{small|Noriyoshi Honda}}{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]}}
|modeled          ={{Ishowa}}[[Teizo Toshimitsu]], [[Eizo Kaimai]],<br>[[Kanju Yagi and Yasuei Yagi|Kanju Yagi, Yasuei Yagi]]<br>{{Imill}}[[Shinichi Wakasa]],<br>[[Norihiro Honda]]




|written          =[[Tomoyuki Tanaka]], [[Shigeru Kayama]],<br>[[Takeo Murata]], [[Ishiro Honda]]
|written          =[[Tomoyuki Tanaka]], [[Shigeru Kayama]],<br>[[Takeo Murata]], [[Ishiro Honda]]


|portrayed        =[[Haruo Nakajima]], [[Katsumi Tezuka]],<br>[[Tsutomu Kitagawa]]{{sup|[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla|GXMG]]}}
|portrayed        ={{Ishowa}}[[Haruo Nakajima]], [[Katsumi Tezuka]]<br>{{Imill}}[[Tsutomu Kitagawa]]


|debut            =[[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'' (1954)]]
|debut            =[[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'' (1954)]]
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{{Quote|This creature, according to the folklore of [[Odo Island]], is called '''Godzilla'''.|[[Kyohei Yamane]] (''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'')}}
{{Quote|This creature, according to the folklore of [[Odo Island]], is called '''Godzilla'''.|[[Kyohei Yamane]] (''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'')}}
The '''First Generation [[Godzilla]]''' {{Nihongo|初代ゴジラ|Shodai Gojira}} is a [[kaiju]] that first appeared in the [[1954]] [[:Category:Godzilla Films|film]], ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]''.
'''[[Godzilla]]''' {{Nihongo|ゴジラ|Gojira}} is a [[kaiju]] who first appeared in the [[1954]] [[:Category:Godzilla Films|film]] ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]''.


The original Godzilla is a prehistoric amphibious sea creature that was disturbed and burned when an American hydrogen bomb test conducted in the [[Pacific Ocean]] destroyed his habitat and drew him to the surface. Godzilla took out his rage upon humanity, destroying any ships in his vicinity and eventually laying waste to [[Odo Island]] and the city of [[Tokyo]]. [[Daisuke Serizawa]] eventually used his invention, the [[Oxygen Destroyer]], to kill Godzilla, while taking his own life to ensure the weapon could never be used again. Typically, in the various continuities of the Godzilla franchise, a second Godzilla appeared sometime after this Godzilla's death. Despite only being the focus of one film, the 1954 Godzilla has been referenced to some degree in several entries in the series since. In the film ''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'', the remains of this Godzilla were salvaged by the Japanese government and converted into a bio-robot dubbed [[Kiryu]] in order to battle against a [[Godzilla/Kiryu Saga|second Godzilla]]. The original Godzilla's spirit remained attached to the machine, and at some points even took control of Kiryu and rebelled against its human masters.
The original Godzilla is a prehistoric amphibious sea creature that was disturbed and burned when an American hydrogen bomb test conducted in the [[Pacific Ocean]] destroyed his habitat and drew him to the surface. Godzilla unleashed his rage upon humanity, destroying any ships in his vicinity and eventually laying waste to [[Odo Island]] and the city of [[Tokyo]]. [[Daisuke Serizawa]] eventually used his invention, the [[Oxygen Destroyer]], to kill Godzilla, while taking his own life to ensure the weapon could never be used again. Typically, in the various continuities of the [[Godzilla (franchise)|''Godzilla'' franchise]], a second Godzilla appears sometime after this Godzilla's death. Despite only being the focus of one film, the First Generation Godzilla has been referenced to some degree in several entries in the series since. In the film ''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'', the remains of this Godzilla were salvaged by the Japanese government and converted into a bio-robot dubbed [[Kiryu]] in order to battle against a [[Godzilla (Kiryu series)|second Godzilla]]. However, the original Godzilla's spirit remained attached to the machine, and at some points even took possession of Kiryu and rebelled against its human masters.
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==Name==
==Name==
The name "Godzilla" is a transliteration of ''Gojira'' {{Nihongo|ゴジラ}}, a combination of two Japanese words: ''gorira'' {{Nihongo|ゴリラ}}, meaning gorilla, and ''kujira'' (鯨 or クジラ), meaning whale. At one planning stage, the concept of "Gojira" was described as "a cross between a gorilla and a whale." The two words "whale" and "gorilla" describe Godzilla's traditional characteristics. The word whale represents his aquatic lifestyle and his bulky size. The word gorilla represents his sheer strength and the strategic thinking he uses when fighting against other monsters.
<!--- remove the non-incarnation-specific naming info when the
{{See also|Godzilla#Name}}
--->Godzilla's Japanese name, ''Gojira'' {{Nihongo|ゴジラ}}, is a combination of the Japanese approximation of "gorilla," ''gorira'' {{Nihongo|ゴリラ}}, and the Japanese word for "whale," ''kujira'' {{Nihongo|クジラ}}. In-universe, Godzilla's name is known to the natives of [[Odo Island]] by the [[wikipedia:Ateji|ateji]] spelling 呉爾羅 (''Gojira''); the kanji do not have any intended meaning, and are simply used for sound. On at least the cover of one of the revisions of the film's script, Godzilla's name was instead spelled as ゴヂラ, though still pronounced as ''Gojira''.


Since Godzilla is neither a gorilla nor a whale, the name had to be devised in a different way for the original film's story. Godzilla's name was originally spelled in kanji as 呉爾羅 by the [[Odo Island]] natives. However, Toho chose these characters for sound only. In [[Shigeru Kayama]]'s initial story draft for the film, Godzilla's name was instead spelled as ''Godzira'' {{Nihongo|ゴヂラ}}.
This specific incarnation of Godzilla is typically designated as the '''First Generation Godzilla''' {{Nihongo|初代ゴジラ|Shodai Gojira}}, in order to distinguish him from subsequent incarnations. '''ShodaiGoji''' {{Nihongo|初代ゴジ}} is also used for short, and is the nickname of his [[ShodaiGoji|suit design]].
<!---
the non-incarnation-specific naming info in the paragraph below
should be moved to the general [[Godzilla]] page,
however as it uses the old reference format
rather than a bibliography it's not as simple as copy-pasting.
---->
It is debated who exactly devised Godzilla's name and why. In his [[1998]] book ''[[Godzilla Days]]'', Japanese author Shinichi Kabuki posits that the ''Gojira'' name was decided upon by producer [[Tomoyuki Tanaka]], who took inspiration from a Toho employee nicknamed "Gujira" {{Nihongo|グジラ}}, a different combination of ''gorira'' and ''kujira''. Kabuki continues that, after Tanaka's idea was received positively around the studio, the film's codename "''Project G''" was officially changed to ''Godzilla''.{{sfn|Kabuki|1998|p=38}} However, in their [[2017]] book ''[[Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa]]'', Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski state that "there is evidence" to suggest storywriter [[Shigeru Kayama]] had already written of a "Gojira" in his diaries by the time that his treatment for ''Project G'' was completed. They also acknowledge the employee nickname story, albeit an alternate telling in which the man was nicknamed Gojira (rather than Gujira); Tanaka, [[Ishiro Honda]], and [[Eiji Tsuburaya]] are all noted to have cited this explanation over the years, but the authors conclude that "this bit of studio folklore has never been satisfactorily corroborated."{{sfn|Ryfle|Godziszewski|2017|p=88}} Of the potential origin story, Honda's wife Kimi was quoted as saying, "I suspect the name was thought up after very careful discussion between Mr. Tanaka, Mr. Tsuburaya, and my husband. [...] The backstage boys at Toho loved to joke around with tall stories, but I don't believe that one."{{sfn|Ryfle|Godziszewski|2017|p=89}} Despite this, in a 2001 episode of the NHK documentary series ''PROJECT X ~Challengers~'', entitled "The Birth of Godzilla," it was asserted that "Gojira" was a real employee of Toho's theater department named Shiro Amikura. Named as such for his gorilla-like appearance and love of whale meat, the documentary credited Tsuburaya with taking notice of Amikura while eating in the studio cafeteria, and recounted that the man had even once proclaimed "I'm the monster Godzilla!" when coming home to his family.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5jyldc|title=NHKプロジェクトX|第037回「ゴジラ誕生」~特撮に賭けた80人の若者たち~|author=claudinemaisie2307|date=27 April 2017|work=Dailymotion}}</ref>


Contrary to popular belief, the English name "Godzilla" was not the idea of the American distributors. Before Toho sold the film to US distributors, the company's international division had originally marketed an English-subtitled print under the title of ''Godzilla, King of the Monsters!'', which was shown briefly in Japanese-American theaters. Toho devised "Godzilla" as an English transliteration of the name ''Gojira'', which was later validated according to the Americans' Japanese-to-English translation standards of the 1950's.
Contrary to popular belief, the English translation "Godzilla" was not invented by the [[United States|American]] distributors of the original film. Before [[Toho]] sold the film to U.S. distributors, the company's international division had already marketed English-subtitled prints of the film under the title ''Godzilla'', which were shown briefly in Japanese-American theaters. The name was personally chosen by Iwao Mori, then-head of Toho's Production Division, who was presented with three possible translations: Gojira, Gozila, and Godila. Mori liked the use of "God" in Godila, but suggested the addition of a Z after consulting a foreigner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/jack_m_s/status/814071081111719938|title=ゴジラが何故GODZILLAというスペルなのかという話はあまり語られないイメージがあるのだが、LD「モスラ対ゴジラ」ツイン・ディスク版にこんな記載が。|author=@jack_m_s|date=28 December 2016|work=Twitter}}</ref>
 
In ''[[Godzilla Raids Again#U.S. release|Gigantis, the Fire Monster]]'', the [[United States|American]] theatrical version of ''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'', this Godzilla is instead referred to as the first "'''Angurus'''." It is explained that [[Godzilla (Second Generation)|Godzilla]] ("Gigantis") and [[Anguirus (First Generation)|Anguirus]] ("Angurus") come from the same lineage of Angurus "fire monsters," in keeping with producer Paul Schreibman's decision to market the film as an original work rather than a sequel to ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)#U.S. release|Godzilla, King of the Monsters!]]''
==Design==
==Design==
{{Main|ShodaiGoji#Design}}
{{Main|ShodaiGoji#Design}}
==Personality==
==Personality==
The 1954 Godzilla is a creature whose underwater habitat was completely destroyed by a hydrogen bomb test which also killed his family and burned and scarred him. Enraged and driven from his home, Godzilla took out his anger upon humanity, destroying any boats that he encountered and later laying waste to the city of [[Tokyo]].<ref name="1954 Godzilla Origin">{{cite book|title=[[Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction]] (14th Edition)|date=20 November [[1996]]|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|page=54|isbn=4-09-220142-7}}<br>[[File:10689853 398606200295214 8421095972625706709 n.jpg|150px]]</ref>
The original Godzilla is a creature whose underwater habitat was completely destroyed by a hydrogen bomb test which also killed his family and burned and scarred him. With his home and kin taken from him, Godzilla unleashed his vengeance upon humankind, destroying most human vessels he comes across and eventually laying waste to the city of [[Tokyo]].<ref name="1954 Godzilla Origin">{{cite book|title=[[Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction]]|edition=14th|date=20 November 1996|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|page=54|isbn=4-09-220142-7}}<br>[[File:10689853 398606200295214 8421095972625706709 n.jpg|150px]]</ref> In the Kiryu series continuity, Godzilla remains aggressive towards humankind as his spirit is first awakened and takes complete control over Kiryu, causing as much destruction as possible while allowing his energy reserves to deplete. While [[Anti-Megalosaurus Force]] engineers were temporarily able to suppress his spirit, it took over Kiryu again during another confrontation with Godzilla, this time sinking both itself and the monster in the Pacific Ocean to resolve the conflict. Just before plunging into the depths, he opened a door to release mechanic [[Yoshito Chujo]], who had been trapped inside him, and displayed a farewell message to him.
==Origins==
==Origins==
In the [[Godzilla (1954 film)|original ''Godzilla'']], it is proposed that Godzilla was a type of prehistoric intermediary reptile related to both land and sea reptiles that slept deep underwater for millions of years feeding on deep sea organisms before being disturbed and enhanced by an American hydrogen bomb test. [[Kyohei Yamane|Dr. Yamane]] proposes that the original Godzilla might have been living among others of his kind prior to the detonation, but the H-bomb completely destroyed his home and drew him out. This idea is supported by official artwork of the 1954 Godzilla living with other Godzillas underwater before a huge explosion destroys his habitat, killing his companions and burning and enraging Godzilla and drawing him to the surface.<ref name="1954 Godzilla Origin"/> After the original Godzilla is killed, Yamane proposes that other Godzillas may have survived to the present day and could be awakened by future nuclear tests. This explains how in the various continuities that encompass the series, multiple individual Godzillas have appeared.
In the [[Godzilla (1954 film)|original ''Godzilla'']], it is proposed that Godzilla was a type of prehistoric intermediary reptile related to both land and sea reptiles that slept deep underwater for millions of years feeding on deep sea organisms before being disturbed and enhanced by an American hydrogen bomb test. [[Kyohei Yamane|Dr. Yamane]] proposes that the original Godzilla might have been living among others of his kind prior to the detonation, but the H-bomb completely destroyed his home and drew him out. This idea is supported by official artwork of the 1954 Godzilla living with other Godzillas underwater before a huge explosion destroys his habitat, killing his companions and burning and enraging Godzilla and drawing him to the surface.<ref name="1954 Godzilla Origin"/> After the original Godzilla is killed, Yamane proposes that other Godzillas may have survived to the present day and could be awakened by future nuclear tests. This explains how in the various continuities that encompass the series, multiple individual Godzillas have appeared.
{{Clear}}
{{Clear}}
==History==
==History==
===[[Showa era|Showa series]]===
*''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)
*''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (1955) [stock footage]
*''[[Varan (film)|Varan]]'' (1958) [stock footage, erroneous]
*''[[Monster Booska]]'' (TV 1966-1967) [episode 1, stock footage]
*''[[The Return of Godzilla]]'' (1984) [photograph]
**''[[The Return of Godzilla#U.S. release|Godzilla 1985]]'' (1985) [stock footage]
*''[[Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah]]'' (1991) [photograph]
*''[[Godzilla vs. Destoroyah]]'' (1995) [stock footage]
*''[[Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack]]'' (2001) [mentioned]
*''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'' (2002)
*''[[Godzilla: Tokyo SOS]]'' (2003) [stock footage]
*''[[Godzilla Final Wars]]'' (2004) [stock footage]
===[[Showa era]]===
====[[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'' (1954)]]====
====[[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'' (1954)]]====
[[File:ShodaiGoji 0.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[ShodaiGoji|Godzilla]] in [[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'' (1954)]]]]Following an [[United States|American]] hydrogen bomb test at [[Bikini Atoll]] in the South [[Pacific Ocean]], a giant prehistoric reptile was disturbed from its underwater slumber and heavily irradiated. The monster began attacking various ships in the waters off [[Japan]], prompting a search party to be sent to [[Odo Island]], where some of the survivors had washed ashore. The islanders believed the shipwrecks were caused by Godzilla, a giant sea monster from their folklore which they believed would come ashore to feed on humanity. One night, a typhoon struck the island, leaving it devastated. However, it was apparent most of the damage was caused by something other than a typhoon, as houses in the village appeared to have been crushed from above. A research team headed by [[Kyohei Yamane]] was sent to the island, and discovered a giant radioactive footprint on the island, with a [[Trilobite]] embedded in it. Suddenly, the monster that was responsible for the shipwrecks and the damage on the island appeared over a hill on the island. The people fled, realizing the creature was 50 meters in height. Back in Japan, Yamane named the creature "Godzilla" after the monster from Odo Island folklore, and proposed it was a transitional organism from the Jurassic Period, related to both land-living and sea-dwelling reptiles. Yamane believed that Godzilla was exposed to a recent American H-bomb test, hence the radiation found in his footprint, and stressed the monster should be studied to see how he survived to this point. The [[JSDF]] sent battleships to destroy Godzilla with depth charges, declaring him dead. However, Godzilla soon surfaced in [[Tokyo Bay]] completely unharmed, plunging Japan and the international community into a state of emergency. One night, Godzilla came ashore in [[Tokyo]], destroying the outskirts of the city before returning to the bay. In response, the JSDF erected a barrier of power lines around the heart of Tokyo, with 50,000 volts of electricity passing through them, in the hopes they would halt Godzilla. When Godzilla came ashore again one night, he tore through the power lines and melted them with a beam of radioactive heat fired from his mouth. The JSDF fired on Godzilla with [[155mm Howitzer M1|artillery]] and [[M24 Chaffee Tank|tanks]], but their weapons had no effect. Godzilla proceeded into downtown Tokyo, transforming the Japanese capital into a sea of flame overnight. With his rampage concluded, Godzilla returned to the bay, where he was attacked by [[Mitsubishi F-86F Sabre|F-86F Sabre]] fighter jets before finally disappearing beneath the waves.
[[File:ShodaiGoji 0.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[ShodaiGoji|Godzilla]] in [[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'' (1954)]]]]Following an [[United States|American]] hydrogen bomb test at [[Bikini Atoll]] in the South [[Pacific Ocean]], a giant prehistoric reptile was disturbed from its underwater slumber and heavily irradiated. The monster began attacking various ships in the waters off [[Japan]], prompting a search party to be sent to [[Odo Island]], where some of the survivors had washed ashore. The islanders believed the shipwrecks were caused by Godzilla, a giant sea monster from their folklore which they believed would come ashore to feed on humanity. One night, a typhoon struck the island, leaving it devastated. However, it was apparent most of the damage was caused by something other than a typhoon, as houses in the village appeared to have been crushed from above. A research team headed by [[Kyohei Yamane]] was sent to the island, and discovered a giant radioactive footprint on the island, with a [[Trilobite]] embedded in it. Suddenly, the monster that was responsible for the shipwrecks and the damage on the island appeared over a hill on the island. The people fled upon realizing the enormous presence of the 50-meter creature. Back in Japan, Yamane named the creature "Godzilla" after the monster from Odo Island folklore, and proposed it was a transitional organism from the Jurassic Period, related to both land-living and sea-dwelling reptiles. Yamane believed that Godzilla was exposed to a recent American H-bomb test, hence the radiation found in his footprint, and stressed the monster should be studied to see how he survived to this point. The [[JSDF]] sent battleships to destroy Godzilla with depth charges, declaring him dead. However, Godzilla soon surfaced in [[Tokyo Bay]] completely unharmed, plunging Japan and the international community into a state of emergency. One night, Godzilla came ashore in [[Tokyo]], destroying the outskirts of the city before returning to the bay. In response, the JSDF erected a barrier of power lines around the heart of Tokyo, with 50,000 volts of electricity passing through them, in the hopes they would halt Godzilla. When Godzilla came ashore again another night, he tore through the power lines and melted them with a beam of radioactive heat fired from his mouth. The JSDF fired on Godzilla with [[155mm Howitzer M1|artillery]] and [[M24 Chaffee Tank|tanks]], but their weapons had no effect. Godzilla proceeded into downtown Tokyo, transforming the Japanese capital into a sea of flame overnight. With his rampage concluded, Godzilla returned to the bay, where he was attacked by [[Mitsubishi F-86F Sabre|F-86F Sabre]] fighter jets before finally disappearing beneath the waves.


In the aftermath of Godzilla's raid, Tokyo was an uninhabitable wasteland, burned to a crater and contaminated with deadly radiation. The Japanese government was at a loss in combating the monster and preventing future attacks. Scientist [[Daisuke Serizawa]] was approached by his former fiance [[Emiko Yamane]] and her boyfriend [[Hideto Ogata]], who asked for him to use his experimental chemical weapon, the [[Oxygen Destroyer]], against Godzilla. Serizawa was horrified by the idea of revealing his invention to the world and refused at first, but was convinced after watching a television program showing Japanese schoolchildren singing a song praying for peace. Serizawa burned his notes on the Oxygen Destroyer and handed it over to the JSDF A boat was sent to Tokyo Bay, using a Geiger counter to locate Godzilla underwater. Serizawa and Ogata donned diving suits to go underwater and detonate the device. Once they reached Godzilla, who was sitting on the ocean floor, Ogata was pulled to the surface while Serizawa severed his line and activated the device, sacrificing his own life to stop Godzilla and prevent his weapon from ever falling into the wrong hands. After a few moments, Godzilla rose to the surface and roared defiantly at the boat before sinking under the waves to his death. While the people on the boat both celebrated Godzilla's demise and mourned Serizawa's sacrifice, Dr. Yamane solemnly warned that it was unlikely Godzilla was the last member of his species, and that if mankind continued nuclear testing, another Godzilla would almost certainly appear.
In the aftermath of Godzilla's raid, Tokyo was an uninhabitable wasteland, burned to a crater and contaminated with deadly radiation. The Japanese government was at a loss in combating the monster and preventing future attacks. Scientist [[Daisuke Serizawa]] was approached by his former fiance [[Emiko Yamane]] and her boyfriend [[Hideto Ogata]], who asked for him to use his experimental chemical weapon, the [[Oxygen Destroyer]], against Godzilla. Serizawa was horrified by the idea of revealing his invention to the world and refused at first, but was convinced after watching a television program showing Japanese schoolchildren singing a [[Prayer for Peace|song]] praying for peace. Serizawa burned his notes on the Oxygen Destroyer and handed it over to the JSDF. A boat was sent to Tokyo Bay, using a Geiger counter to locate Godzilla underwater. Serizawa and Ogata donned diving suits to go underwater and detonate the device. Once they reached Godzilla, who was sitting on the ocean floor, Ogata was pulled to the surface while Serizawa severed his line and activated the device, sacrificing his own life to stop Godzilla and prevent his weapon from ever falling into the wrong hands. After a few moments, Godzilla rose to the surface and roared defiantly at the boat before sinking under the waves to his death. While the people on the boat both celebrated Godzilla's demise and mourned Serizawa's sacrifice, Dr. Yamane solemnly warned that it was unlikely Godzilla was the last member of his species, and that if mankind continued nuclear testing, another Godzilla would almost certainly appear.
===[[Heisei era|Heisei series]]===
====''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]''====
After pilots [[Shoichi Tsukioka]] and [[Koji Kobayashi]] witnessed a [[Godzilla (Second Generation)|second Godzilla]] battling another monster called [[Anguirus (First Generation)|Anguirus]] on [[Iwato Island]], Dr. Yamane was brought to [[Osaka]] to meet with city officials to discuss countermeasures. Yamane showed footage of the first Godzilla's Tokyo rampage from a year prior, and expressed his regret in saying there was no reliable way to combat Godzilla with Dr. Serizawa and the Oxygen Destroyer both gone forever. He did however remark that the first Godzilla had a peculiar instinct toward lights and was enraged by and drawn to them, likely because they reminded him of the hydrogen bomb explosion. Assuming this second Godzilla possessed the same instinct, Yamane proposed instituting a citywide blackout in Osaka, while using flares to lure Godzilla away from the city.
===[[Heisei era]]===
====''[[The Return of Godzilla]]''====
====''[[The Return of Godzilla]]''====
When interviewing [[Hiroshi Okumura]] about the giant monster that supposedly attacked the fishing boat he was on, [[Makoto Hayashida|Doctor Hayashida]] showed him photographs taken of the original Godzilla's attack in [[1954]]. After viewing the photographs, Okumura confirmed that the creature he saw was Godzilla.
When interviewing [[Hiroshi Okumura]] about the giant monster that supposedly attacked the fishing boat he was on, [[Makoto Hayashida|Doctor Hayashida]] showed him photographs taken of the original Godzilla's attack in [[1954]]. After viewing the photographs, Okumura confirmed that the creature he saw was [[Godzilla (Heisei)|Godzilla]].
===[[Millennium era|Millennium series]]===
====''[[Godzilla vs. Destoroyah]]''====
When Godzilla's heart became unstable after absorbing an excessive amount of radiation from a uranium explosion on [[Baas Island]], [[G-Force]] determined that he would eventually explode, setting off a chain reaction that would cause the planet's atmosphere to ignite and wipe out all life on Earth. G-Force sought out the expertise of Dr. Yamane's grandson [[Kenkichi Yamane|Kenkichi]], who had written a thesis paper on Godzilla's biology. Kenkichi proposed that the only way to prevent this cataclysm was to kill Godzilla before he exploded. He stated that they had to kill this Godzilla the same way they killed the first Godzilla, using the Oxygen Destroyer. Kenkichi's aunt Emiko had warned his sister [[Yukari Yamane|Yukari]] that Dr. [[Kensaku Ijuin]]'s recently-unveiled invention, [[Micro-Oxygen]], was dangerously similar to the weapon her friend Daisuke Serizawa had given his own life to ensure would never be used again. Kenkichi convinced Yukari to go against their aunt's wishes and try to get Ijuin to recreate the weapon. However, Ijuin had recently performed analysis on the soil from the part of Tokyo Bay where the Oxygen Destroyer was detonated to kill the first Godzilla in 1954, and found that it had caused microbes trapped in the strata since the Precambrian Era to revive and begin evolving abnormally.
===[[Millennium era]]===
====''[[Godzilla vs. Megaguirus]]''====
====''[[Godzilla vs. Megaguirus]]''====
{{Disclaimer|While the Godzilla featured in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is stated to be the same Godzilla that attacked in 1954, it is treated as a separate incarnation of the character.}}
{{Disclaimer|While the Godzilla featured in ''Godzilla vs. Megaguirus'' is stated to be the same Godzilla that attacked in 1954, it is treated as a separate incarnation of the character.}}
[[File:Godzilla_vs._Megaguirus_-_Godzilla_recreates_Gojira_4.png|thumb|right|200px|[[MireGoji|Godzilla]] raids [[Tokyo]] in [[1954]] in ''[[Godzilla vs. Megaguirus]]'']]
[[File:Godzilla_vs._Megaguirus_-_Godzilla_recreates_Gojira_4.png|thumb|right|200px|[[MireGoji|Godzilla]] raids [[Tokyo]] in [[1954]] in ''[[Godzilla vs. Megaguirus]]'']]
{{Main|Godzilla/Godzilla vs. Megaguirus}}
{{Main|Godzilla (Godzilla vs. Megaguirus)}}
In [[1954]], [[Godzilla/Godzilla vs. Megaguirus|Godzilla]] was awakened by nuclear testing, and immediately vented his rage against [[Tokyo]], annihilating the entire city in one night. After leaving Tokyo in ruins, Godzilla slipped into [[Tokyo Bay]] and vanished. The damage was so great that the Japanese government was forced to move its capital to [[Osaka]]. Over the next decade, Japan began rebuilding and recovering from Godzilla's attack, embracing nuclear power in the process. However, in [[1966]], Godzilla returned to feed on the [[Tokai Nuclear Power Plant|nuclear plant]] in [[Tokai]], leading Japan to realize that the monster was attracted to nuclear power. Japan's nuclear program was shelved, but the nation struggled to find alternate energy sources over the next several decades. A breakthrough was made in the 1990's in the form of plasma energy, a renewable, efficient and non-nuclear energy source that had the potential to power Japan well into the future. However, Godzilla would choose to feed on this plasma energy in the absence of nuclear energy, and attacked a plasma reactor in Osaka in 1996.
In [[1954]], [[Godzilla (Godzilla vs. Megaguirus)|Godzilla]] was awakened by nuclear testing, and immediately vented his rage against [[Tokyo]], annihilating the entire city in one night. After leaving Tokyo in ruins, Godzilla slipped into [[Tokyo Bay]] and vanished. The damage was so great that the Japanese government was forced to move its capital to [[Osaka]]. Over the next decade, Japan began rebuilding and recovering from Godzilla's attack, embracing nuclear power in the process. However, in [[1966]], Godzilla returned to feed on the [[Tokai Nuclear Power Plant|nuclear plant]] in [[Tokai]], leading Japan to realize that the monster was attracted to nuclear power. Japan's nuclear program was shelved, but the nation struggled to find alternate energy sources over the next several decades. A breakthrough was made in the 1990's in the form of plasma energy, a renewable, efficient and non-nuclear energy source that had the potential to power Japan well into the future. However, Godzilla would choose to feed on this plasma energy in the absence of nuclear energy, and attacked a plasma reactor in Osaka in 1996.
====''[[Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack]]''====
====''[[Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack]]''====
{{Main|Godzilla/GMK}}
In [[1954]], [[Japan]] suffered an attack from Godzilla. The monster laid waste to [[Tokyo]], transforming the once-proud capital of Japan into ground zero of a nuclear disaster overnight. Godzilla was finally killed with an [[Oxygen Destroyer|experimental chemical weapon]], while the [[Daisuke Serizawa|weapon's inventor]] took his own life to ensure it could never be used again. In order to avoid facing ridicule for failing to stop Godzilla and ensure the citizens of Japan they were safe from future attacks, the [[JSDF]] claimed credit for killing Godzilla. Over the next several decades, humanity gradually began to forget about Godzilla, with many assuming the creature never existed and was simply a legend. However, a [[Godzilla (GMK)|second Godzilla]] emerged to seek horrible vengeance against Japan in [[2002]].
In [[1954]], [[Japan]] suffered an attack from Godzilla. The monster laid waste to [[Tokyo]], transforming the once-proud capital of Japan into ground zero of a nuclear disaster overnight. Godzilla was finally killed with an [[Oxygen Destroyer|experimental chemical weapon]], while the [[Daisuke Serizawa|weapon's inventor]] took his own life to ensure it could never be used again. In order to avoid facing ridicule for failing to stop Godzilla and ensure the citizens of Japan they were safe from future attacks, the [[JSDF]] claimed credit for killing Godzilla. Over the next several decades, humanity gradually began to forget about Godzilla, with many assuming the creature never existed and was simply a legend. However, Godzilla, whether the original returned to life or another individual entirely, returned to seek horrible vengeance against Japan in [[2002]].
====''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]''====
====''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]''====
{{Main|Kiryu}}
{{Main|Kiryu}}
[[File:GXMG ShodaiGoji 8.png|thumb|right|200px|The [[ShodaiGoji|original Godzilla]] in a flashback in ''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'']]
[[File:GXMG ShodaiGoji 8.png|thumb|right|200px|The [[ShodaiGoji|original Godzilla]] in a flashback in ''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'']]
In [[1954]], Godzilla appeared and laid waste to [[Tokyo]] before being killed by [[Daisuke Serizawa]]'s [[Oxygen Destroyer]]. In the decades that followed, [[Japan]] was frequently attacked by giant monsters, including [[Mothra]] and [[Gaira]]. The Anti-Megalosaurus Force (AMF) was formed to combat these creatures, armed with advanced space-age weapons known as [[Maser Cannon]]s. In [[1999]], a [[Godzilla/Kiryu Saga|second Godzilla]] suddenly came ashore at Tateyama during a typhoon. The AMF was deployed, with their new Type 90 Maser Cannons, to stop Godzilla's rampage. To the AMF's shock, Maser Cannons had no effect on Godzilla, and only served to further enrage him. Godzilla destroyed most of the Maser Cannons attacking him and roared victoriously into the air, with lightning striking his {{scutes}}. In the aftermath of the attack, the Japanese government was scrambling to find a new way to fight Godzilla. When the first Godzilla's intact skeleton was discovered off Boso Peninsula, it was decided to use it to construct a mechanical Godzilla to fight the new one. By [[2003]], the anti-Godzilla weapon built around the first Godzilla's skeleton, codenamed [[Kiryu]], was completed. However, the original Godzilla's restless spirit remained attached to the skeleton, and during Kiryu's first battle against the new Godzilla, it was reawakened upon hearing his roar. Kiryu then went berserk, believing itself to be Godzilla once again, and destroyed much of the surrounding area before powering down. Kiryu was repaired and reprogrammed afterward to prevent it from going berserk again, then was launched into battle against Godzilla once more. This time, Kiryu and Godzilla fought to a draw, with Godzilla wading out to sea and Kiryu being left badly damaged.
In [[1954]], Godzilla appeared and laid waste to [[Tokyo]] before being killed by [[Daisuke Serizawa]]'s [[Oxygen Destroyer]]. In the decades that followed, [[Japan]] was frequently attacked by giant monsters, including [[Mothra]] and [[Gaira]]. The Anti-Megalosaurus Force (AMF) was formed to combat these creatures, armed with advanced space-age weapons known as [[Maser Cannon]]s. In [[1999]], a [[Godzilla (Kiryu series)|second Godzilla]] suddenly came ashore at Tateyama during a typhoon. The AMF was deployed, with their new Type 90 Maser Cannons, to stop Godzilla's rampage. To the AMF's shock, Maser Cannons had no effect on Godzilla, and only served to further enrage him. Godzilla destroyed most of the Maser Cannons attacking him and roared victoriously into the air, with lightning striking his dorsal fins. In the aftermath of the attack, the Japanese government was scrambling to find a new way to fight Godzilla. When the first Godzilla's intact skeleton was discovered off Boso Peninsula, it was decided to use it to construct a mechanical Godzilla to fight the new one. By [[2003]], the anti-Godzilla weapon built around the first Godzilla's skeleton, codenamed [[Kiryu]], was completed. However, the original Godzilla's restless spirit remained attached to the skeleton, and during Kiryu's first battle against the new Godzilla, it was reawakened upon hearing his roar. Kiryu then went berserk, believing itself to be Godzilla once again, and destroyed much of the surrounding area before powering down. Kiryu was repaired and reprogrammed afterward to prevent it from going berserk again, and was launched into battle against Godzilla once more. This time, Kiryu and Godzilla fought to a draw, with an injured Godzilla wading out to sea and Kiryu being left badly damaged.
====''[[Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.]]''====
====''[[Godzilla: Tokyo SOS]]''====
[[File:Kiryu.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Kiryu]], built around the bones of the original Godzilla, in<br>''[[Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.]]'']]Just one year after Godzilla and [[Kiryu]]'s epic battle, [[Mothra]]'s [[Shobijin]] appeared to [[Shinichi Chujo]] and warned him that the first Godzilla's bones must be returned to their resting place in the sea, and that it was blasphemous to use them as a weapon. The Shobijin stated that Mothra would have to declare war on humanity if the bones were not returned, and that she did not want to do that. Chujo spoke to the Japanese Prime Minister [[Hayato Igarashi]], who stated that too many resources had been sunk into the Kiryu project for it to be scrapped now. He expressed his hope that Kiryu would one day kill the current Godzilla, after which the project could finally be scrapped. Meanwhile, Kiryu's former operator [[Akane Yashiro]] told one of the mecha's mechanics that she could sense that Kiryu no longer wanted to fight Godzilla. When Godzilla and Mothra both appeared in [[Tokyo]], Kiryu was launched into battle once again. After Godzilla was subdued by the combined efforts of Kiryu and Mothra's larvae, Kiryu was ordered to finish Godzilla once and for all. However, the original Godzilla's spirit was awakened yet again and took control of Kiryu. Rather than kill Godzilla, Kiryu simply restrained him and flew out to sea, sinking itself along with Godzilla in the Japanese trench. As Kiryu sank into the trench, the first Godzilla's spirit was finally put at rest and Kiryu deactivated.
[[File:Kiryu.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Kiryu]], built around the bones of the original Godzilla, in<br>''[[Godzilla: Tokyo SOS]]'']]Just one year after Godzilla and [[Kiryu]]'s epic battle, [[Mothra]]'s [[Shobijin]] appeared to [[Shinichi Chujo]] and warned him that the first Godzilla's bones must be returned to their resting place in the sea, and that it was blasphemous to use them as a weapon. The Shobijin stated that Mothra would have to declare war on humanity if the bones were not returned, and that she did not want to do that. Chujo spoke to the Japanese Prime Minister [[Hayato Igarashi]], who stated that too many resources had been sunk into the Kiryu project for it to be scrapped now. He expressed his hope that Kiryu would one day kill the current Godzilla, after which the project could finally be scrapped. Meanwhile, Kiryu's former operator [[Akane Yashiro]] told one of the mecha's mechanics that she could sense that Kiryu no longer wanted to fight Godzilla. When Godzilla and Mothra both appeared in [[Tokyo]], Kiryu was launched into battle once again. After Godzilla was subdued by the combined efforts of Kiryu and Mothra's larvae, Kiryu was ordered to finish Godzilla once and for all. However, the original Godzilla's spirit was awakened yet again and took control of Kiryu. Rather than kill Godzilla, Kiryu simply restrained him and flew out to sea, sinking itself along with Godzilla in the Japanese trench. As Kiryu sank into the trench, the first Godzilla's spirit was finally put at rest and Kiryu deactivated.
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
GXMG_-_Godzilla_1954_Skeleton.jpg|The original Godzilla's skeleton
GXMG_-_Godzilla_1954_Skeleton.jpg|The original Godzilla's skeleton
Line 104: Line 130:
===Incandescent light===
===Incandescent light===
[[File:Vlcsnap-174027.png|thumb|right|200px|Godzilla sets [[Tokyo]] ablaze with his incandescent light]]
[[File:Vlcsnap-174027.png|thumb|right|200px|Godzilla sets [[Tokyo]] ablaze with his incandescent light]]
Godzilla can exhale a powerful radioactive '''incandescent light''' {{Nihongo|白熱光|hakunetsu hikari|lit. ''white-hot light''}}, which takes the form of a white vapor-like smoke that is hot enough to melt metal and also causes raging fires that can spread across entire city blocks.
Godzilla can exhale a powerful radioactive '''incandescent light''' {{Nihongo|白熱光|hakunekkō|lit. ''white-hot light''}}, or '''atomic breath''' {{Nihongo|放射熱線|hōsha nessen|lit. ''radioactive heat ray''}},<ref name="TSEMCW">{{cite book|title=[[Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works]]|date=28 September 2012|publisher=[[villagebooks]]|page=6|isbn=9784864910132}}</ref> which takes the form of a white vapor that is hot enough to melt metal and also causes raging fires that can spread across entire city blocks. Whenever Godzilla attacked a human vessel in the water from below, his breath boiled the ocean instantly and reduced said vessel to a sinking shipwreck. After engulfing Tokyo, this beam caused so much destruction, the city was reduced to ruins and rubble after the flames dissipated.
{{Clear}}
===Durability===
===Durability===
The original Godzilla displayed an immunity to conventional weaponry, being virtually impervious to everything the [[JSDF]] threw at him. [[Kyohei Yamane|Dr. Yamane]] states that the very fact Godzilla survived exposure to a hydrogen bomb explosion is a testament to his durability.
The original Godzilla displayed an immunity to conventional weaponry, being virtually impervious to everything the [[JSDF]] threw at him, including power lines charged with 50,000 volts. [[Kyohei Yamane|Dr. Yamane]] noted that Godzilla's ability to survive exposure to a hydrogen bomb explosion was a testament to his durability. While he was disintegrated by the Oxygen Destroyer in ''Godzilla'' (1954), the weapon left his skeleton completely intact in the [[List of Godzilla film continuities#Kiryu series continuity|Kiryu series continuity]], and it was recovered by the Japanese government over 40 years later.
===Amphibiousness===
===Amphibiousness===
[[File:Gojira_-_Godzilla_spies_Serizawa_in_Tokyo_Bay.png|thumb|right|200px|Godzilla walks on the bottom of [[Tokyo Bay]]]]
[[File:Gojira_-_Godzilla_spies_Serizawa_in_Tokyo_Bay.png|thumb|right|200px|Godzilla walks on the bottom of [[Tokyo Bay]]]]
Though technically a reptile and not an amphibian, Godzilla has an amphibious lifestyle. He spends half of his life in water and the other on land. Godzilla is capable of remaining completely submerged underwater for long periods of time, and it is suggested by [[Kyohei Yamane]] that he survived for millions of years living inside a deep underwater cavern. Godzilla's atomic breath is not impeded while underwater, shown when he obliterates boats with it while completely submerged underwater. While underwater, Godzilla can swim or simply march across the sea floor.
Though technically a reptile and not an amphibian, Godzilla has an amphibious lifestyle. He spends half of his life in water and the other on land. Godzilla is capable of remaining completely submerged underwater for long periods of time, and it is suggested by [[Kyohei Yamane]] that he survived for millions of years living inside a deep underwater cavern. Godzilla's atomic breath is not impeded while underwater, shown when he obliterates boats with it while completely submerged underwater. While underwater, Godzilla can swim or simply march across the sea floor.
{{Clear}}
{{Clear}}
<!---=== Intelligence ===
Despite being a creature bent on vengeance, Godzilla has many moments throughout the film that give some insight into his intelligence. According to an anatomy photo of Godzilla, it is said that his brain can "think like that of a 3-year old child".<ref>[[File:Godzilla 54 databook.png|150px]]</ref>--->
===Physical abilities===
Godzilla employed his tail, his fangs, and his sheer brute force while tearing through Tokyo. His strength is enough to tear apart and demolish enormous structures, including uplifting a bridge and dumping it in Tokyo Bay during his second rampage through the city and toppling a radio tower.
===Weaknesses===
===Weaknesses===
====Oxygen Destroyer====
[[File:Death of Godzilla 1954.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Godzilla is killed and his remains are disintegrated by the [[Oxygen Destroyer]]]]
[[File:Death of Godzilla 1954.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Godzilla is killed and his remains are disintegrated by the [[Oxygen Destroyer]]]]
The 1954 Godzilla was eventually killed by the [[Oxygen Destroyer]], a weapon that contained a chemical compound designed to remove all oxygen from water when put into contact with it, causing living creatures to die of asphyxiation as their remains are liquefied by the now-highly corrosive surrounding water. The Oxygen Destroyer was the first, and in many ways only, weapon to defeat Godzilla, completely disintegrating him in the [[Godzilla (1954 film)|original film]]. In ''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'', the original film's ending is altered so that Godzilla's skeleton remained intact, with the monster's spirit still attached to it.
Although his durability proved beyond humanity’s capabilities to harm him, Godzilla was eventually killed by the [[Oxygen Destroyer]], a weapon that contained a chemical compound that liquefies oxygen atoms, causing living creatures to die of asphyxiation as their remains are liquefied by the surrounding water as it becomes corrosive. The Oxygen Destroyer was the first, and in many ways the only, weapon to defeat Godzilla, liquefying the monster on a sub-atomic level. However, in ''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'', the original film's ending is altered so that Godzilla's skeleton remained intact, with the monster's spirit still attached to it and capable of seizing back control after the JSDF build a robot body around it, called [[Kiryu]], that was controlled with DNA computers.
{{Clear}}
 
==Filmography==
*''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)
*''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (1955) [stock footage]
*''[[Varan (film)|Varan]]'' (1958) [stock footage; erroneous]
*''[[The Return of Godzilla]]'' (1984) [photograph]
**''[[The Return of Godzilla#U.S. Release|Godzilla 1985]]'' (1985) [stock footage]
*''[[Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah]]'' (1991) [photograph]
*''[[Godzilla vs. Destoroyah]]'' (1995) [stock footage]
*''[[Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack]]'' (2001) [mentioned]
*''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'' (2002)
*''[[Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.]]'' (2003) [stock footage]
*''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004) [stock footage]
==Video games==
==Video games==
*''[[CinemaScope Adventure: Godzilla]]'' (1984) - NEC PC-8801 and Fujitsu FM-7
*''[[CinemaScope Adventure: Godzilla]]'' (1984) - NEC PC-8801 and Fujitsu FM-7
*''[[Godzilla (SystemSoft video game)|Godzilla]]'' (1993) - NEC PC-9801 [stills]
*''[[Godzilla Generations]]'' (1998) - Sega Dreamcast
*''[[Godzilla Generations]]'' (1998) - Sega Dreamcast
*''[[Godzilla: Trading Battle]]'' (1998) - Sony PlayStation
*''[[Godzilla: Trading Battle]]'' (1998) - Sony PlayStation
*''[[Godzilla: Giant Monsters All-Out Typing Attack]]'' (2001) - IBM PC/AT, NEC PC98-NX [opening, end credits]
*''[[Godzilla: Unleashed]]'' (2007) - Nintendo Wii
*''[[Godzilla: Unleashed]]'' (2007) - Nintendo Wii
*''[[Monster Strike]]'' (2013) - Android and iOS
*''[[Monster Strike]]'' (2013) - Android and iOS
*''[[Godzilla (2014 video game)|Godzilla]]'' (2014) - PlayStation 3 and 4 [Kaiju Guide]
*''[[Godzilla (2014 video game)|Godzilla]]'' (2014) - PlayStation 3 and 4 [Kaiju Guide]
*''[[Godzilla: Kaiju Collection]]'' (2015) - Android and iOS
*''[[Godzilla Kaiju Collection]]'' (2015) - Android and iOS
*''[[Kai-Ri-Sei Million Arthur]]'' (2016) - Android and iOS
*''[[Kai-Ri-Sei Million Arthur]]'' (2014; added in 2016) - Android and iOS
*''[[Godzilla Defense Force]]'' (2019) - Android and iOS
*''[[Godzilla Defense Force]]'' (2019) - Android and iOS
*''[[Godzilla Battle Line]]'' (2021; added in 2022) - Android and iOS
*''[[XR World]]'' (2022) - Android, iOS, and PC
*''[[Minecraft: Bedrock Edition]]'' (2011; added in 2024) - Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Fire OS/TV, Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, Samsung Gear VR
===''[[Godzilla: Unleashed]]''===
===''[[Godzilla: Unleashed]]''===
====Godzilla 1954 bio====
====Godzilla 1954 bio====
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In the Wii version of ''Godzilla: Unleashed'', all three Godzilla incarnations are playable, each with a few differences between them, but all are fairly alike. Godzilla is simple to control, and with many different fearsome attacks, he is able to easily floor multiple monsters at once. Although his combat ability might be lacking in some regards, he still retains the deadly atomic breath ray which is an easy attack to execute and deals a lot of damage.
In the Wii version of ''Godzilla: Unleashed'', all three Godzilla incarnations are playable, each with a few differences between them, but all are fairly alike. Godzilla is simple to control, and with many different fearsome attacks, he is able to easily floor multiple monsters at once. Although his combat ability might be lacking in some regards, he still retains the deadly atomic breath ray which is an easy attack to execute and deals a lot of damage.
In the Wii version of the game, [[Godzilla/Godzilla 2000|Godzilla 2000]] is the only incarnation that can be played in Story mode. Godzilla 1954 and [[Godzilla/Heisei|Godzilla 1990's]] are only playable in Brawl mode, although Godzilla 1990's is playable in Story mode in the PlayStation 2 version of the game.
In the Wii version of the game, [[Godzilla (Godzilla 2000: Millennium)|Godzilla 2000]] is the only incarnation that can be played in Story mode. Godzilla 1954 and [[Godzilla (Heisei)|Godzilla 1990's]] are only playable in Brawl mode, although Godzilla 1990's is playable in Story mode in the PlayStation 2 version of the game.
===[[Godzilla (2014 video game)|''Godzilla'' (PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4)]]===
===[[Godzilla (2014 video game)|''Godzilla'' (PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4)]]===
====Kaiju Guide====
====Kaiju Guide====
{{Main|Godzilla (2014 video game)/Kaiju_Guide#Godzilla (Showa Series)}}
{{Main|Godzilla (2014 video game)/Kaiju_Guide#Godzilla (Showa Series)}}
===''[[Godzilla Battle Line]]''===
[[File:Character Godzilla 1954.png|200px|right|thumb|[[ShodaiGoji|Godzilla 1954]] in ''[[Godzilla Battle Line]]'']]
Added in Season 7, Godzilla 1954 is a four-star land unit requiring 6 energy to summon to the battlefield. Godzilla utilizes the Incandescent Light to hit ground and/or aerial enemy units. Godzilla 1954 is one of the units that can be distracted by buildings. If Godzilla is defeated, he will randomly add [[Godzilla (Heisei)|Godzilla 1989]], [[Godzilla (Heisei)|Burning Godzilla]], [[Kiryu]], [[Godzilla (Godzilla Final Wars)|Godzilla 2004]], or [[Godzilla (Godzilla Singular Point)|Godzilla Terrestris]] to your next draw with a -2 energy discount to them. He has a base movement speed of 8, a long reach, a wide search range, and attacks every 2.8 seconds.<ref name="TK">{{cite web|url=https://www.tohokingdom.com/vg/godzilla_battle_line/units_leaders.html|title=Godzilla Battle Line - Units and Monster Leaders <nowiki>[Android/iOS/PC]</nowiki>|work=[[Toho Kingdom]]|accessdate=19 October 2022}}</ref>
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
GKC Godzilla 1954 In-Game.jpg|[[ShodaiGoji|Godzilla 1954]] in ''[[Godzilla: Kaiju Collection]]''
GKC Godzilla 1954 In-Game.jpg|[[ShodaiGoji|Godzilla 1954]] in ''[[Godzilla Kaiju Collection]]''
</gallery>
</gallery>
==[[ShodaiGoji#Gallery|Gallery]]==
 
{{Main|ShodaiGoji}}
==Gallery==
{{Main|ShodaiGoji#Gallery}}
==Sightings==
==Sightings==
{{Main|Godzilla in popular culture}}
{{Main|Godzilla in popular culture}}
==Roar==
==Roar==
Godzilla's roar is a famous sound effect. Over the years, it has changed considerably, sounding different almost every time and having many variations for the different emotions.
When he first signed onto ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'', composer [[Akira Ifukube]] thought that the monster, being a reptile, shouldn't roar at all.<ref name="Ifukube.org">{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731021229/https://www.akiraifukube.org/biography_part_seven.htm|title=Part VII - Godzilla|author=Homenick, Erik|work=AkiraIfukube.org}}</ref> Director [[Ishiro Honda]] explained it as another consequence of his mutation by nuclear testing. Sound technicians Ichiro Minawa and Hisashi Shimonaga tried modifying the cries of lions, tigers, and night herons recorded at Ueno Zoo, but everything they produced was still too natural. It was Ifukube who hit upon the idea of using a musical instrument: the contrabass. He unwound the E string and recorded his assistant, Sei Ikano, drawing his hands across it with gloves covered in pine tar. Minawa then manipulated the speed of the recordings, added echoes, and overlaid some of the animal sounds he had previously gathered. This roar would later be altered for use as the roar of other [[Toho]] monsters, including [[Varan]], [[Baragon]], and [[Gorosaurus]].  
 
The sound effects team originally tried to create Godzilla's roar by using animal roars that had been edited. They sampled all kinds of birds and mammals, but nothing seemed to be the right match for the reptile-like noises a monster like Godzilla would make. [[Akira Ifukube]], who was the film's composer, proposed stepping away from using animal samples. He took a string off of his contrabass and rubbed it with gloves soaked in pine tar. The sound that came from it was used as Godzilla's roar. This roar would later be altered for use as the roar of other monsters in the [[Showa era]], including [[Varan]], [[Baragon]] and [[Gorosaurus]].


Godzilla's roar can be written in readable characters and has been done so in comics, and not only by a simple "roar." In Japanese, the official onomatopoeia for Godzilla's roar is "Gyaoon" {{Nihongo|ギャオーン|Gyaōn}}--additional "o"s can be added to extend the roar.
Godzilla's roar can be written in readable characters and has been done so in comics, and not only by a simple "roar." In Japanese, the official onomatopoeia for Godzilla's roar is "Gyaoon" {{Nihongo|ギャオーン|Gyaōn}}--additional "o"s can be added to extend the roar.
{{Videos|
{{Videos|
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">AMr7HIewL-E</youtube>|Godzilla's roars in the [[Godzilla (1954 film)|1954 film]]}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">htiplwngJ9A</youtube>|Godzilla's roars in the [[Godzilla (1954 film)|1954 film]] and ''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]''}}
}}
}}
==Videos==
==Videos==
{{Videos|{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIFQCOP1Us8</youtube>|{{WZYT|Kaiju Profile: Godzilla 1954}}}}}}
{{Videos|{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIFQCOP1Us8</youtube>|{{WZYT|Kaiju Profile: Godzilla 1954}}}}}}
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*The first and, by extent, [[Godzilla/Showa|second]] [[Showa era|Showa]] Godzillas' weights of 20,000 metric tons are said to be equal to that of 5,000 elephants.<ref name="TSEMCWorks">{{cite book|title=[[Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works]]|date=28 September [[2012]]|publisher=Village Books|page=6|isbn=4-864-91013-8}}</ref>
*In [[Godzilla (1954 film)#U.S. release|the American version of the first ''Godzilla'' film]], Dr. [[Kyohei Yamane]] estimates Godzilla's height as "over 400 feet," more than twice his canonical height.
*In explaining the existence of [[Minilla]] in the book ''[[Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction]]'', producer [[Tomoyuki Tanaka]] speculated that this Godzilla could have been female.<ref name="DefEdGI">{{cite book|title=[[Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction]] (14th Edition)|date=20 November 1996|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|page=18, 117|isbn=4-09-220142-7}}</ref>
*The first and, by extent, [[Godzilla (Second Generation)|second]] [[Showa era|Showa]] Godzillas' weights of 20,000 metric tons are said to be equal to that of 5,000 elephants.<ref name="TSEMCW"/>
==Notes==
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
{{Notelist}}
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Godzilla 1954}}
===Bibliography===
*{{cite book|last=Kabuki|first=Shinichi|title=[[Godzilla Days]]|date=15 July 1998|publisher=Shueisha|isbn=4-08-748815-2}}
*{{cite book|last1=Ryfle|first1=Steve|author-link1=Steve Ryfle|last2=Godziszewski|first2=Ed|author-link2=Ed Godziszewski|title=[[Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa]]|date=3 October 2017|publisher=Wesleyan University Press|isbn=978-0819577412}}
{{Toho Monsters}}
{{Toho Monsters}}
{{Comments}}
{{Comments|scroll=yes}}
{{Era|FTD|TOH|SHO|HEI|MIL|KAI|GOD|KIR}}
{{Era|FTD|TOH|SHO|HEI|MIL|KAI|GOD|KIR}}
<seo metakeywords="godzilla, 1954, wikizilla, gojira, kaiju, king of the monsters, shodaigoji" description="The original Godzilla (ゴジラ Gojira) is a prehistoric amphibious sea creature that was disturbed and burned when an American hydrogen bomb test conducted in the Pacific Ocean destroyed his habitat and drew him to the surface. Godzilla took out his rage upon humanity, destroying any ships in his vicinity and eventually laying waste to the city of Tokyo." og:image="http://wikizilla.org/wiki/images/e/e4/4621393474_3e21910f93.jpg"/>
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[[Category:Godzilla]]
[[Category:Godzilla]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Villain Monsters]]
[[Category:Villain monsters]]
[[Category:Aquatic Creatures]]
[[Category:Aquatic Creatures]]
[[Category:Showa Kaiju]]
[[Category:Showa Kaiju]]

Latest revision as of 18:08, 1 March 2024

Godzilla incarnations
None
Godzilla (First Generation)
Godzilla (Second Generation)
Godzilla® trademark icon
Godzilla®
Godzilla in Godzilla (1954)
Alternate names Gojira, Gojilla,[1] Goji, ShodaiGoji, Original Godzilla, Godzilla 1954,
First Generation Godzilla,
AngurusGtFM, Godzilla-1st.GG
Subtitle(s) Giant Hydrogen Bomb Monster
(水爆大怪獣,   Suibaku Daikaijū)[2]
King of the Monsters (怪獣王,   Kaijūō)[3]
Species Irradiated prehistoric amphibious reptile
Height 50 meters[2][4]
Weight 20,000 metric tons[2][4]
Forms KiryuGXMG-GMMG
Place(s) of emergence Undersea cavern off Odo Island[5][note 1]
Controlled by JSDFGXMG-GMMG
Relations Deceased family[6]
Allies JSDFGXMG-GMMG
Enemies Humans, Second GodzillaGXMG-GMMG
Conceived of by Tomoyuki Tanaka, Eiji Tsuburaya
Written by Tomoyuki Tanaka, Shigeru Kayama,
Takeo Murata, Ishiro Honda
Designed by Wasuke Abe, Teizo Toshimitsu,
Akira Watanabe, Shinichi WakasaGXMG
Modeled by ShowaTeizo Toshimitsu, Eizo Kaimai,
Kanju Yagi, Yasuei Yagi
MillenniumShinichi Wakasa,
Norihiro Honda
Played by ShowaHaruo Nakajima, Katsumi Tezuka
MillenniumTsutomu Kitagawa
First appearance Latest appearance
Godzilla (1954) Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Design(s) ShodaiGoji
Roar(s)
This creature, according to the folklore of Odo Island, is called Godzilla.
„ 

Kyohei Yamane (Godzilla)

Godzilla (ゴジラ,   Gojira) is a kaiju who first appeared in the 1954 film Godzilla.

The original Godzilla is a prehistoric amphibious sea creature that was disturbed and burned when an American hydrogen bomb test conducted in the Pacific Ocean destroyed his habitat and drew him to the surface. Godzilla unleashed his rage upon humanity, destroying any ships in his vicinity and eventually laying waste to Odo Island and the city of Tokyo. Daisuke Serizawa eventually used his invention, the Oxygen Destroyer, to kill Godzilla, while taking his own life to ensure the weapon could never be used again. Typically, in the various continuities of the Godzilla franchise, a second Godzilla appears sometime after this Godzilla's death. Despite only being the focus of one film, the First Generation Godzilla has been referenced to some degree in several entries in the series since. In the film Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, the remains of this Godzilla were salvaged by the Japanese government and converted into a bio-robot dubbed Kiryu in order to battle against a second Godzilla. However, the original Godzilla's spirit remained attached to the machine, and at some points even took possession of Kiryu and rebelled against its human masters.

Name

Godzilla's Japanese name, Gojira (ゴジラ), is a combination of the Japanese approximation of "gorilla," gorira (ゴリラ), and the Japanese word for "whale," kujira (クジラ). In-universe, Godzilla's name is known to the natives of Odo Island by the ateji spelling 呉爾羅 (Gojira); the kanji do not have any intended meaning, and are simply used for sound. On at least the cover of one of the revisions of the film's script, Godzilla's name was instead spelled as ゴヂラ, though still pronounced as Gojira.

This specific incarnation of Godzilla is typically designated as the First Generation Godzilla (初代ゴジラ,   Shodai Gojira), in order to distinguish him from subsequent incarnations. ShodaiGoji (初代ゴジ) is also used for short, and is the nickname of his suit design. It is debated who exactly devised Godzilla's name and why. In his 1998 book Godzilla Days, Japanese author Shinichi Kabuki posits that the Gojira name was decided upon by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, who took inspiration from a Toho employee nicknamed "Gujira" (グジラ), a different combination of gorira and kujira. Kabuki continues that, after Tanaka's idea was received positively around the studio, the film's codename "Project G" was officially changed to Godzilla.[7] However, in their 2017 book Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa, Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski state that "there is evidence" to suggest storywriter Shigeru Kayama had already written of a "Gojira" in his diaries by the time that his treatment for Project G was completed. They also acknowledge the employee nickname story, albeit an alternate telling in which the man was nicknamed Gojira (rather than Gujira); Tanaka, Ishiro Honda, and Eiji Tsuburaya are all noted to have cited this explanation over the years, but the authors conclude that "this bit of studio folklore has never been satisfactorily corroborated."[8] Of the potential origin story, Honda's wife Kimi was quoted as saying, "I suspect the name was thought up after very careful discussion between Mr. Tanaka, Mr. Tsuburaya, and my husband. [...] The backstage boys at Toho loved to joke around with tall stories, but I don't believe that one."[9] Despite this, in a 2001 episode of the NHK documentary series PROJECT X ~Challengers~, entitled "The Birth of Godzilla," it was asserted that "Gojira" was a real employee of Toho's theater department named Shiro Amikura. Named as such for his gorilla-like appearance and love of whale meat, the documentary credited Tsuburaya with taking notice of Amikura while eating in the studio cafeteria, and recounted that the man had even once proclaimed "I'm the monster Godzilla!" when coming home to his family.[10]

Contrary to popular belief, the English translation "Godzilla" was not invented by the American distributors of the original film. Before Toho sold the film to U.S. distributors, the company's international division had already marketed English-subtitled prints of the film under the title Godzilla, which were shown briefly in Japanese-American theaters. The name was personally chosen by Iwao Mori, then-head of Toho's Production Division, who was presented with three possible translations: Gojira, Gozila, and Godila. Mori liked the use of "God" in Godila, but suggested the addition of a Z after consulting a foreigner.[11]

In Gigantis, the Fire Monster, the American theatrical version of Godzilla Raids Again, this Godzilla is instead referred to as the first "Angurus." It is explained that Godzilla ("Gigantis") and Anguirus ("Angurus") come from the same lineage of Angurus "fire monsters," in keeping with producer Paul Schreibman's decision to market the film as an original work rather than a sequel to Godzilla, King of the Monsters!

Design

Main article: ShodaiGoji#Design.

Personality

The original Godzilla is a creature whose underwater habitat was completely destroyed by a hydrogen bomb test which also killed his family and burned and scarred him. With his home and kin taken from him, Godzilla unleashed his vengeance upon humankind, destroying most human vessels he comes across and eventually laying waste to the city of Tokyo.[6] In the Kiryu series continuity, Godzilla remains aggressive towards humankind as his spirit is first awakened and takes complete control over Kiryu, causing as much destruction as possible while allowing his energy reserves to deplete. While Anti-Megalosaurus Force engineers were temporarily able to suppress his spirit, it took over Kiryu again during another confrontation with Godzilla, this time sinking both itself and the monster in the Pacific Ocean to resolve the conflict. Just before plunging into the depths, he opened a door to release mechanic Yoshito Chujo, who had been trapped inside him, and displayed a farewell message to him.

Origins

In the original Godzilla, it is proposed that Godzilla was a type of prehistoric intermediary reptile related to both land and sea reptiles that slept deep underwater for millions of years feeding on deep sea organisms before being disturbed and enhanced by an American hydrogen bomb test. Dr. Yamane proposes that the original Godzilla might have been living among others of his kind prior to the detonation, but the H-bomb completely destroyed his home and drew him out. This idea is supported by official artwork of the 1954 Godzilla living with other Godzillas underwater before a huge explosion destroys his habitat, killing his companions and burning and enraging Godzilla and drawing him to the surface.[6] After the original Godzilla is killed, Yamane proposes that other Godzillas may have survived to the present day and could be awakened by future nuclear tests. This explains how in the various continuities that encompass the series, multiple individual Godzillas have appeared.

History

Showa era

Godzilla (1954)

Following an American hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific Ocean, a giant prehistoric reptile was disturbed from its underwater slumber and heavily irradiated. The monster began attacking various ships in the waters off Japan, prompting a search party to be sent to Odo Island, where some of the survivors had washed ashore. The islanders believed the shipwrecks were caused by Godzilla, a giant sea monster from their folklore which they believed would come ashore to feed on humanity. One night, a typhoon struck the island, leaving it devastated. However, it was apparent most of the damage was caused by something other than a typhoon, as houses in the village appeared to have been crushed from above. A research team headed by Kyohei Yamane was sent to the island, and discovered a giant radioactive footprint on the island, with a Trilobite embedded in it. Suddenly, the monster that was responsible for the shipwrecks and the damage on the island appeared over a hill on the island. The people fled upon realizing the enormous presence of the 50-meter creature. Back in Japan, Yamane named the creature "Godzilla" after the monster from Odo Island folklore, and proposed it was a transitional organism from the Jurassic Period, related to both land-living and sea-dwelling reptiles. Yamane believed that Godzilla was exposed to a recent American H-bomb test, hence the radiation found in his footprint, and stressed the monster should be studied to see how he survived to this point. The JSDF sent battleships to destroy Godzilla with depth charges, declaring him dead. However, Godzilla soon surfaced in Tokyo Bay completely unharmed, plunging Japan and the international community into a state of emergency. One night, Godzilla came ashore in Tokyo, destroying the outskirts of the city before returning to the bay. In response, the JSDF erected a barrier of power lines around the heart of Tokyo, with 50,000 volts of electricity passing through them, in the hopes they would halt Godzilla. When Godzilla came ashore again another night, he tore through the power lines and melted them with a beam of radioactive heat fired from his mouth. The JSDF fired on Godzilla with artillery and tanks, but their weapons had no effect. Godzilla proceeded into downtown Tokyo, transforming the Japanese capital into a sea of flame overnight. With his rampage concluded, Godzilla returned to the bay, where he was attacked by F-86F Sabre fighter jets before finally disappearing beneath the waves.

In the aftermath of Godzilla's raid, Tokyo was an uninhabitable wasteland, burned to a crater and contaminated with deadly radiation. The Japanese government was at a loss in combating the monster and preventing future attacks. Scientist Daisuke Serizawa was approached by his former fiance Emiko Yamane and her boyfriend Hideto Ogata, who asked for him to use his experimental chemical weapon, the Oxygen Destroyer, against Godzilla. Serizawa was horrified by the idea of revealing his invention to the world and refused at first, but was convinced after watching a television program showing Japanese schoolchildren singing a song praying for peace. Serizawa burned his notes on the Oxygen Destroyer and handed it over to the JSDF. A boat was sent to Tokyo Bay, using a Geiger counter to locate Godzilla underwater. Serizawa and Ogata donned diving suits to go underwater and detonate the device. Once they reached Godzilla, who was sitting on the ocean floor, Ogata was pulled to the surface while Serizawa severed his line and activated the device, sacrificing his own life to stop Godzilla and prevent his weapon from ever falling into the wrong hands. After a few moments, Godzilla rose to the surface and roared defiantly at the boat before sinking under the waves to his death. While the people on the boat both celebrated Godzilla's demise and mourned Serizawa's sacrifice, Dr. Yamane solemnly warned that it was unlikely Godzilla was the last member of his species, and that if mankind continued nuclear testing, another Godzilla would almost certainly appear.

Godzilla Raids Again

After pilots Shoichi Tsukioka and Koji Kobayashi witnessed a second Godzilla battling another monster called Anguirus on Iwato Island, Dr. Yamane was brought to Osaka to meet with city officials to discuss countermeasures. Yamane showed footage of the first Godzilla's Tokyo rampage from a year prior, and expressed his regret in saying there was no reliable way to combat Godzilla with Dr. Serizawa and the Oxygen Destroyer both gone forever. He did however remark that the first Godzilla had a peculiar instinct toward lights and was enraged by and drawn to them, likely because they reminded him of the hydrogen bomb explosion. Assuming this second Godzilla possessed the same instinct, Yamane proposed instituting a citywide blackout in Osaka, while using flares to lure Godzilla away from the city.

Heisei era

The Return of Godzilla

When interviewing Hiroshi Okumura about the giant monster that supposedly attacked the fishing boat he was on, Doctor Hayashida showed him photographs taken of the original Godzilla's attack in 1954. After viewing the photographs, Okumura confirmed that the creature he saw was Godzilla.

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah

When Godzilla's heart became unstable after absorbing an excessive amount of radiation from a uranium explosion on Baas Island, G-Force determined that he would eventually explode, setting off a chain reaction that would cause the planet's atmosphere to ignite and wipe out all life on Earth. G-Force sought out the expertise of Dr. Yamane's grandson Kenkichi, who had written a thesis paper on Godzilla's biology. Kenkichi proposed that the only way to prevent this cataclysm was to kill Godzilla before he exploded. He stated that they had to kill this Godzilla the same way they killed the first Godzilla, using the Oxygen Destroyer. Kenkichi's aunt Emiko had warned his sister Yukari that Dr. Kensaku Ijuin's recently-unveiled invention, Micro-Oxygen, was dangerously similar to the weapon her friend Daisuke Serizawa had given his own life to ensure would never be used again. Kenkichi convinced Yukari to go against their aunt's wishes and try to get Ijuin to recreate the weapon. However, Ijuin had recently performed analysis on the soil from the part of Tokyo Bay where the Oxygen Destroyer was detonated to kill the first Godzilla in 1954, and found that it had caused microbes trapped in the strata since the Precambrian Era to revive and begin evolving abnormally.

Millennium era

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

Disclaimer: While the Godzilla featured in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is stated to be the same Godzilla that attacked in 1954, it is treated as a separate incarnation of the character.
Main article: Godzilla (Godzilla vs. Megaguirus).

In 1954, Godzilla was awakened by nuclear testing, and immediately vented his rage against Tokyo, annihilating the entire city in one night. After leaving Tokyo in ruins, Godzilla slipped into Tokyo Bay and vanished. The damage was so great that the Japanese government was forced to move its capital to Osaka. Over the next decade, Japan began rebuilding and recovering from Godzilla's attack, embracing nuclear power in the process. However, in 1966, Godzilla returned to feed on the nuclear plant in Tokai, leading Japan to realize that the monster was attracted to nuclear power. Japan's nuclear program was shelved, but the nation struggled to find alternate energy sources over the next several decades. A breakthrough was made in the 1990's in the form of plasma energy, a renewable, efficient and non-nuclear energy source that had the potential to power Japan well into the future. However, Godzilla would choose to feed on this plasma energy in the absence of nuclear energy, and attacked a plasma reactor in Osaka in 1996.

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack

In 1954, Japan suffered an attack from Godzilla. The monster laid waste to Tokyo, transforming the once-proud capital of Japan into ground zero of a nuclear disaster overnight. Godzilla was finally killed with an experimental chemical weapon, while the weapon's inventor took his own life to ensure it could never be used again. In order to avoid facing ridicule for failing to stop Godzilla and ensure the citizens of Japan they were safe from future attacks, the JSDF claimed credit for killing Godzilla. Over the next several decades, humanity gradually began to forget about Godzilla, with many assuming the creature never existed and was simply a legend. However, a second Godzilla emerged to seek horrible vengeance against Japan in 2002.

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla

Main article: Kiryu.

In 1954, Godzilla appeared and laid waste to Tokyo before being killed by Daisuke Serizawa's Oxygen Destroyer. In the decades that followed, Japan was frequently attacked by giant monsters, including Mothra and Gaira. The Anti-Megalosaurus Force (AMF) was formed to combat these creatures, armed with advanced space-age weapons known as Maser Cannons. In 1999, a second Godzilla suddenly came ashore at Tateyama during a typhoon. The AMF was deployed, with their new Type 90 Maser Cannons, to stop Godzilla's rampage. To the AMF's shock, Maser Cannons had no effect on Godzilla, and only served to further enrage him. Godzilla destroyed most of the Maser Cannons attacking him and roared victoriously into the air, with lightning striking his dorsal fins. In the aftermath of the attack, the Japanese government was scrambling to find a new way to fight Godzilla. When the first Godzilla's intact skeleton was discovered off Boso Peninsula, it was decided to use it to construct a mechanical Godzilla to fight the new one. By 2003, the anti-Godzilla weapon built around the first Godzilla's skeleton, codenamed Kiryu, was completed. However, the original Godzilla's restless spirit remained attached to the skeleton, and during Kiryu's first battle against the new Godzilla, it was reawakened upon hearing his roar. Kiryu then went berserk, believing itself to be Godzilla once again, and destroyed much of the surrounding area before powering down. Kiryu was repaired and reprogrammed afterward to prevent it from going berserk again, and was launched into battle against Godzilla once more. This time, Kiryu and Godzilla fought to a draw, with an injured Godzilla wading out to sea and Kiryu being left badly damaged.

Godzilla: Tokyo SOS

Kiryu, built around the bones of the original Godzilla, in
Godzilla: Tokyo SOS

Just one year after Godzilla and Kiryu's epic battle, Mothra's Shobijin appeared to Shinichi Chujo and warned him that the first Godzilla's bones must be returned to their resting place in the sea, and that it was blasphemous to use them as a weapon. The Shobijin stated that Mothra would have to declare war on humanity if the bones were not returned, and that she did not want to do that. Chujo spoke to the Japanese Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi, who stated that too many resources had been sunk into the Kiryu project for it to be scrapped now. He expressed his hope that Kiryu would one day kill the current Godzilla, after which the project could finally be scrapped. Meanwhile, Kiryu's former operator Akane Yashiro told one of the mecha's mechanics that she could sense that Kiryu no longer wanted to fight Godzilla. When Godzilla and Mothra both appeared in Tokyo, Kiryu was launched into battle once again. After Godzilla was subdued by the combined efforts of Kiryu and Mothra's larvae, Kiryu was ordered to finish Godzilla once and for all. However, the original Godzilla's spirit was awakened yet again and took control of Kiryu. Rather than kill Godzilla, Kiryu simply restrained him and flew out to sea, sinking itself along with Godzilla in the Japanese trench. As Kiryu sank into the trench, the first Godzilla's spirit was finally put at rest and Kiryu deactivated.


Abilities

Incandescent light

Godzilla sets Tokyo ablaze with his incandescent light

Godzilla can exhale a powerful radioactive incandescent light (白熱光,   hakunekkō, lit. white-hot light), or atomic breath (放射熱線,   hōsha nessen, lit. radioactive heat ray),[12] which takes the form of a white vapor that is hot enough to melt metal and also causes raging fires that can spread across entire city blocks. Whenever Godzilla attacked a human vessel in the water from below, his breath boiled the ocean instantly and reduced said vessel to a sinking shipwreck. After engulfing Tokyo, this beam caused so much destruction, the city was reduced to ruins and rubble after the flames dissipated.

Durability

The original Godzilla displayed an immunity to conventional weaponry, being virtually impervious to everything the JSDF threw at him, including power lines charged with 50,000 volts. Dr. Yamane noted that Godzilla's ability to survive exposure to a hydrogen bomb explosion was a testament to his durability. While he was disintegrated by the Oxygen Destroyer in Godzilla (1954), the weapon left his skeleton completely intact in the Kiryu series continuity, and it was recovered by the Japanese government over 40 years later.

Amphibiousness

Godzilla walks on the bottom of Tokyo Bay

Though technically a reptile and not an amphibian, Godzilla has an amphibious lifestyle. He spends half of his life in water and the other on land. Godzilla is capable of remaining completely submerged underwater for long periods of time, and it is suggested by Kyohei Yamane that he survived for millions of years living inside a deep underwater cavern. Godzilla's atomic breath is not impeded while underwater, shown when he obliterates boats with it while completely submerged underwater. While underwater, Godzilla can swim or simply march across the sea floor.

Physical abilities

Godzilla employed his tail, his fangs, and his sheer brute force while tearing through Tokyo. His strength is enough to tear apart and demolish enormous structures, including uplifting a bridge and dumping it in Tokyo Bay during his second rampage through the city and toppling a radio tower.

Weaknesses

Godzilla is killed and his remains are disintegrated by the Oxygen Destroyer

Although his durability proved beyond humanity’s capabilities to harm him, Godzilla was eventually killed by the Oxygen Destroyer, a weapon that contained a chemical compound that liquefies oxygen atoms, causing living creatures to die of asphyxiation as their remains are liquefied by the surrounding water as it becomes corrosive. The Oxygen Destroyer was the first, and in many ways the only, weapon to defeat Godzilla, liquefying the monster on a sub-atomic level. However, in Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, the original film's ending is altered so that Godzilla's skeleton remained intact, with the monster's spirit still attached to it and capable of seizing back control after the JSDF build a robot body around it, called Kiryu, that was controlled with DNA computers.

Video games

Godzilla: Unleashed

Godzilla 1954 bio

"The original king of the monsters, this towering behemoth was the first post-war radioactive monster unleashed upon the world. Godzilla '54's atomic-powered body was so powerful that each footprint he left was a crater seeping with lethal radiation. The infamous day that Godzilla rose from the sea to conquer Tokyo will be remembered as the beginning of the humanity's epic struggle against the reign of giant monsters."

In the Wii version of Godzilla: Unleashed, all three Godzilla incarnations are playable, each with a few differences between them, but all are fairly alike. Godzilla is simple to control, and with many different fearsome attacks, he is able to easily floor multiple monsters at once. Although his combat ability might be lacking in some regards, he still retains the deadly atomic breath ray which is an easy attack to execute and deals a lot of damage.

In the Wii version of the game, Godzilla 2000 is the only incarnation that can be played in Story mode. Godzilla 1954 and Godzilla 1990's are only playable in Brawl mode, although Godzilla 1990's is playable in Story mode in the PlayStation 2 version of the game.

Godzilla (PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4)

Kaiju Guide

Main article: Godzilla (2014 video game)/Kaiju_Guide#Godzilla (Showa Series).

Godzilla Battle Line

Added in Season 7, Godzilla 1954 is a four-star land unit requiring 6 energy to summon to the battlefield. Godzilla utilizes the Incandescent Light to hit ground and/or aerial enemy units. Godzilla 1954 is one of the units that can be distracted by buildings. If Godzilla is defeated, he will randomly add Godzilla 1989, Burning Godzilla, Kiryu, Godzilla 2004, or Godzilla Terrestris to your next draw with a -2 energy discount to them. He has a base movement speed of 8, a long reach, a wide search range, and attacks every 2.8 seconds.[13]

Gallery

Main article: ShodaiGoji#Gallery.

Sightings

Main article: Godzilla in popular culture.

Roar

When he first signed onto Godzilla, composer Akira Ifukube thought that the monster, being a reptile, shouldn't roar at all.[14] Director Ishiro Honda explained it as another consequence of his mutation by nuclear testing. Sound technicians Ichiro Minawa and Hisashi Shimonaga tried modifying the cries of lions, tigers, and night herons recorded at Ueno Zoo, but everything they produced was still too natural. It was Ifukube who hit upon the idea of using a musical instrument: the contrabass. He unwound the E string and recorded his assistant, Sei Ikano, drawing his hands across it with gloves covered in pine tar. Minawa then manipulated the speed of the recordings, added echoes, and overlaid some of the animal sounds he had previously gathered. This roar would later be altered for use as the roar of other Toho monsters, including Varan, Baragon, and Gorosaurus.

Godzilla's roar can be written in readable characters and has been done so in comics, and not only by a simple "roar." In Japanese, the official onomatopoeia for Godzilla's roar is "Gyaoon" (ギャオーン,   Gyaōn)--additional "o"s can be added to extend the roar.

Godzilla's roars in the 1954 film and Godzilla Raids Again

Videos

Wikizilla: YouTube Kaiju Profile: Godzilla 1954

Trivia

Notes

  1. Undersea cavern in the coastal waters of Odo Island / 大戸島近海の海底洞窟

References

This is a list of references for Godzilla (First Generation). 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. Richie, Donald (4 November 1954). "Gojilla Wreaks Havoc On Miniature Tokyo". Nippon Times.
    Gojilla Wreaks Havoc On Miniature Tokyo - Nippon Times.png
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Godzilla 1954-1999 Super Complete Works. Shogakukan. 1 January 2000. p. 69. ISBN 978-4091014702.
  3. Iwabatake, Toshiaki; Ono, Koichiro (5 December 1991). Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah Monster Complete Works. Kodansha. p. 66. ISBN 978-4061777200.
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.D. Lees, Marc Cerasini (24 March 1998). The Official Godzilla Compendium. Random House. p. 124. ISBN 0279888225 Check |isbn= value: checksum (help).
    Compendium32.png
  5. Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia. Shogakukan. 23 July 2014. p. 8. ISBN 4-096-82090-3.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction (14th ed.). Shogakukan. 20 November 1996. p. 54. ISBN 4-09-220142-7.
    10689853 398606200295214 8421095972625706709 n.jpg
  7. Kabuki 1998, p. 38.
  8. Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 88.
  9. Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 89.
  10. claudinemaisie2307 (27 April 2017). "NHKプロジェクトX|第037回「ゴジラ誕生」~特撮に賭けた80人の若者たち~". Dailymotion.
  11. @jack_m_s (28 December 2016). "ゴジラが何故GODZILLAというスペルなのかという話はあまり語られないイメージがあるのだが、LD「モスラ対ゴジラ」ツイン・ディスク版にこんな記載が。". Twitter.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works. villagebooks. 28 September 2012. p. 6. ISBN 9784864910132.
  13. "Godzilla Battle Line - Units and Monster Leaders [Android/iOS/PC]". Toho Kingdom. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  14. Homenick, Erik. "Part VII - Godzilla". AkiraIfukube.org.
  15. Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction (14th Edition). Shogakukan. 20 November 1996. p. 18, 117. ISBN 4-09-220142-7.

Bibliography

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