Manda

From Wikizilla, the kaiju encyclopedia
Revision as of 21:44, 19 December 2019 by Titanollante (talk | contribs) (do not use same tag name for different references)
Jump to navigationJump to search

Template:Ktab

Manda™ trademark icon
Manda
Manda in Godzilla: Final Wars
Manda in Atragon
Manda in Destroy All Monsters
Subtitle(s) Monster Dragon (怪竜,   Kai Ryū)[1]
Guardian Dragon (守護竜,   Shugo Ryū)[2]
Sea Dragon (海龍,   Kai Ryū)[1]
Mu Empire Guardian Deity
(ムウ帝国守護神,   Mū Teikoku Shugoshin)[3]
Guardian Deity of Mu
(ムウの守護神,   Mū no Shugoshin)ATG[4]
Giant Dragon (巨竜,   Kyoryū)ATG
Undersea Monster
(海底怪獣,   Kaitei Kaijū)DAM[5]
Guardian Deity of the Seabed
(海底の守護神,   Kaitei no Shugoshin)G:TB
Species Sea dragon
Length Showa: 150 meters[6][7]
Millennium: 300 meters[1]
Weight Showa: 30,000 metric tons[6][7]
Millennium: 60,000 metric tons[1]
Girth Showa: 10 meters[2]
Controlled by MuansATG, KilaaksDAM, DevoniansGRoE
Allies Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Anguirus, Varan, Gorosaurus, Kumonga, Baragon, Minilla, GezoraGRoE, TitanosaurusGRoE, DestoroyahGRoE
Enemies Gotengo, King Ghidorah, GodzillaGRoE, AnguirusG:C
Written by Shinichi Sekizawa
Designed by Akira Watanabe,ATG Shinji NishikawaGFW
Modeled by Teizo Toshimitsu,ATG Kanju Yagi,ATG
Yasuei YagiATG
Played by Puppets
First appearance Latest appearance
Atragon Godzilla: Final Wars
Roar(s)
ShowaMillenniumMore roars
Mu High Priest: “How shall we dispose of them?
Mu Empress: “They shall be Manda's sacrifice!
Mu High Priest: “Manda's...! I am sure Manda will gladly accept them!
Muans: “Manda! Manda! Manda!
― The Muans discuss how to handle their prisoners Susumu Hatanaka and Makoto Jinguji (Atragon)

Manda (マンダ,   Manda) is a sea dragon kaiju who first appeared in the 1963 Toho film Atragon.

In his debut film, Manda was the guardian of the undersea empire of Mu, and was unleashed to destroy the Gotengo before it could breach the heart of Mu. The second incarnation of Manda introduced in Destroy All Monsters was one of the monsters contained on Monsterland by the end of the 20th century, and was unleashed to attack Tokyo under the command of the Kilaak invaders. After the aliens' control of the monsters was severed, Manda was present at Mount Fuji when Godzilla and the other monsters battled King Ghidorah. Manda made a brief appearance in Godzilla: Final Wars as well, once again battling the Gotengo underwater.

Name

Manda was originally conceptualized as a giant snake during production of Atragon, and was given the name "Mammoth Snake" (マンモススネーク,   Manmosu Sunēku), which later became "Mammoth Serpent" (マンモス,   Manmosu Da). Because the upcoming year, 1964, was the year of the dragon, Toho felt it would be appropriate to make the monster a dragon instead. Toho redesigned the creature as a sea dragon, and shortened "Manmosu Da" into "Manda," which became the monster's official name.[8][2] Manda's name has also been speculated to be a combination of the Japanese words "man" (万) and "daija" (大蛇), which when combined mean "ten thousand serpent."[9]

The Manda featured in Destroy All Monsters is sometimes denoted in official books as Second Generation Manda (二代目マンダ,   Nidaime Manda),[10] while the Manda from Godzilla: Final Wars is called Manda (3rd Generation) (マンダ(3代目),   Manda Sandaime).[11]

Development

Manda concept art for Atragon

Originally, the kaiju featured in Atragon was planned to be a giant snake, and was given the name "Mammoth Snake," later changed to "Mammoth Serpent." However, because the upcoming year, 1964, was the year of the dragon, Toho decided instead to make the monster a dragon. The Japanese name for "Mammoth Serpent," Manmosu Da, was shortened to "Manda," which became the monster's final name.[8][2] Toho's company New Year's card for 1964 even included an illustration of Manda battling the Gotengo.[2]

Manda was designed by Akira Watanabe, while its head was modeled by Teizo Toshimitsu and its body by the Yagi brothers, Kanju and Yasuei. A unique trait added to Manda's design was his black cat-like eyes, unusual for Toho's kaiju at the time. Eiji Tsuburaya's team built ten different Manda props for the film, ranging in size from twenty centimeters to five meters.[9] The five-meter Manda had a radio-controlled jaw. Tsuburaya Productions later used one of the large Manda props to portray the monster Kai Dragon in episode 6 of Ultra Q, "Grow Up! Little Turtle."

The refurbished Manda prop used in Destroy All Monsters

For Destroy All Monsters, the large Manda prop which was lent to Tsuburaya Productions was returned to Toho and modified slightly for use in the film. The prop's head was replaced with a new, less ornate, one which lacked the spikes, horns, and mane.[12] As a result, the Second Generation Manda looked more like his original conceived design as a gigantic snake, although he still possessed legs. In addition to the refurbished prop, a small model of Manda was created for long shots.[2] Stock footage of Manda from this film would be used for the monster's appearance in All Monsters Attack the following year, in which he was a resident of Monster Island within the dreams of protagonist Ichiro Miki. Stock footage of Manda from Destroy All Monsters was again employed for a brief scene in Terror of Mechagodzilla in which Katsura Mafune mentions him as one of the monsters responsible for causing destruction in the past, along with Rodan and King Ghidorah.

Manda concept art for Godzilla: Final Wars by Shinji Nishikawa

Manda's next film appearance came over three decades later in Godzilla's 50th anniversary film, Godzilla: Final Wars. Shinji Nishikawa designed Manda for the film, and a single new prop was created for the monster, one which more closely resembled the original Manda from Atragon instead of the one from Destroy All Monsters. In addition to the new prop, Manda was depicted using CGI in shots which showed him swimming quickly through the water.

Design

Manda resembles an Eastern dragon, as he has an elongated thin body with four legs. In Atragon and Godzilla: Final Wars, Manda's skin is a bluish-green color, and his head is adorned with four horns. The original Manda from Atragon has two long barbs on his face that resemble whiskers, and a mane of hair that extends from the top of his head all the way to his tail. His face is also covered in small spikes. This Manda possesses yellow reptilian eyes with slit pupils.

The second generation Manda from Destroy All Monsters resembles a snake with legs rather than a traditional oriental dragon. He has no horns or spikes on his head, and there is no hair on his body. His eyes are more rounded and mammalian, and are light blue rather than yellow. The third generation Manda from Godzilla: Final Wars closely resembles the original Manda, though the hair on his back is replaced with a row of pointed spikes and his whiskers are removed. This Manda has a small hood behind his head similar to that of a cobra, and four long barbs extending from the underside of his body. He also has spikes on his arms and legs, and a forked snake-like tongue rather than the rounded mammal-like tongue possessed by previous incarnations.

Origins

In Atragon, Manda was the guardian of Mu, an underwater kingdom. How Manda became its protector and how long he had been protecting it is unknown. In Destroy All Monsters, Manda is one of the monsters contained on Monsterland, a human-monitored island located in the Ogasawara Islands, at the end of the 20th century. Manda's origins in Godzilla: Final Wars are unknown.

History

Showa Series

Atragon

Manda in Atragon

The guardian of the underwater kingdom of Mu, Manda was unleashed by the Mu Empress when the Gotengo approached Mu. Manda attacked the ship, wrapping his body around it and trying to crush it. The Gotengo discharged a powerful electrical shock, forcing Manda to release it and retreat to a nearby rock. The Gotengo fired its Absolute Zero Cannon at Manda, freezing him in place and allowing it to proceed unopposed to Mu.


Destroy All Monsters

At the end of the 20th century, Manda was one of the monsters contained on Monsterland, a facility in the Ogasawara Islands. When the Kilaaks came to Earth and took control of Manda and the other monsters of the island, they made them attack major cities around the world. Manda appeared in Tokyo alongside Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra, where he crushed a monorail line. When the crew of the Moonlight SY-3 freed the monsters from the Kilaaks' control, they all assembled outside of Mount Fuji to assault the Kilaaks' base. Manda did not fight in the battle against King Ghidorah, and watched from the sidelines with Varan and Baragon. After King Ghidorah was defeated, Manda and the other kaiju returned to Monsterland.


All Monsters Attack

Stock footage of Manda from Destroy All Monsters in
All Monsters Attack

Manda was one of the monsters inhabiting Monster Island in the dreams of Ichiro Miki.


Terror of Mechagodzilla

As Dr. Shinzo Mafune prepared to unleash Titanosaurus to take his revenge on the rest of humanity, his daughter Katsura begged him not to turn Titanosaurus into a monster of destruction like Manda, Rodan, or King Ghidorah.

Millennium Series

Godzilla: Final Wars

In 20XX, Manda attacked Normandy, causing the Earth Defense Force to deploy the Gotengo to engage him in the English Channel. At first, Manda was able to constrict himself around the Gotengo and pull the warship further and further into the depths of the water, severely damaging it. However, the crew spotted an underwater volcano and charged into it, with Manda stuck on their ship. Unable to withstand the heat, Manda was forced to uncoil himself and swam away. The Gotengo managed to get out of the volcano, but Manda charged at the ship. The Gotengo turned around 180 degrees and fired the Absolute Zero Cannon to freeze the weakened Manda, and then rammed into him with its powerful drill, breaking him into pieces and killing him in the process.


Abilities

Constriction

Manda can wrap his body around an enemy or structure and crush it similar to how a snake constricts his prey. In Godzilla: Final Wars, this constriction ability is known called Binding Breaker (バインディング・ブリーカー,   Baindingu Burīkā).[1]

Amphibiousness

Although he is slow on land, Manda can swim very fast and can breathe while submerged in water.

Supersonic Wave Cannon

In the novel GODZILLA: Monster Apocalypse, Manda was able to emit a powerful Supersonic Wave Cannon (超音波砲,   Chōonpa-hō) from his evolved bio-sonar organ.[13]

Fireballs

In the video game Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!, Manda has the ability to spit fireballs.

Weaknesses

Manda is vulnerable to being frozen, which is how the Gotengo defeated him in both Atragon and Godzilla: Final Wars.

Filmography

Video Games

Godzilla (PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4)

Main article: Godzilla (2014 video game)/Kaiju Guide#Manda.

Books

Who's Afraid of Godzilla?

Manda appears as a minor character in this children's book, frolicking in the ocean.

GODZILLA: Monster Apocalypse

Manda appeared in the Atlantic Ocean in 2022, and continuously terrorized it for more than a decade, and was unable to be defeated due to his agility, sturdy body that was resistant to damage, and his ability to emit a Supersonic Wave Cannon. In 2039 humanity launched "Operation: Eternal Light" to regain control of the Atlantic from the kaiju. Manda was engaged and destroyed by the Goten in the Strait of Dover as part of this operation.[13]

GODZILLA: Project Mechagodzilla

In the 2040's, another Manda appeared in the Persian Gulf and attacked United Earth engineers engaged in "Operation: Great Wall."[14]

Comics

Godzilla: Rulers of Earth

Manda appears in Godzilla: Rulers of Earth issue #3 along with Gezora, destroying a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. Both were under the control of the Devonians, an undersea race which had formed a shaky alliance with the alien Cryogs. After exposing the Cryogs' betrayal, the Devonians sent Manda, Gezora, and Titanosaurus to attack a U.S. carrier group. Godzilla intervened, and while Manda tried to choke him out, he quickly sent the trio packing. Speaking with Lucy Casprell on Infant Island, the Shobijin revealed an ancient monster classification system that aligned Manda with the element of water. Later, the trio, now joined by a revived Destoroyah, sought a rematch with Godzilla underwater. During the fight, the military used a new sonar gun to distract Destoroyah, while the other kaiju continued their fight in the Devonians' undersea city. Godzilla drove them off one by one, dispatching Manda by unleashing his atomic breath while biting him. Though Manda's whereabouts after that battle were a mystery, a Trilopod with his characteristics took part in the final battle between the Cryogs and Earth's monsters in Los Angeles.

Godzilla: Cataclysm

Manda is briefly shown in issue 1, fighting Anguirus by wrapping himself around the monster.

Gallery

Main article: Manda/Gallery.

Sightings

Roar

In Atragon, Manda's growls were derived from lions.[15] For AIP's Americanization of Atragon, Manda was given stock roars (including those used in Reptilicus) to supplement the Toho sound effects. Media Blasters gave him a more intimidating roar for the English surround mix on its 2006 Atragon DVD. The original sounds would later be reused for the Showa Godzilla from Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster onward, Gaira, and King Kong in King Kong Escapes. In Destroy All Monsters, Manda's roars were sped up and raised in pitch. His roars in Godzilla: Final Wars closely resemble his roars from the Showa era.

Manda's roars in the Showa series
Manda's roars in Godzilla: Final Wars

In Other Languages

Language Name Meaning
Chinese Flagicon Hong Kong.png Cantonese 曼达 Transcription of name
China and Taiwan Flags.png Mandarin 曼达 Màndá Transcription of name
Flagicon Russia.png Russian Манда Transliteration of English name
Flagicon Serbia.png Serbian Манда Transliteration of English name

Trivia

References

This is a list of references for Manda. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia. Shogakukan. 23 July 2014. pp. 32, 117. ISBN 4-096-82090-3. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works. Village Books. 28 September 2012. p. 75-76, 125. ISBN 4-864-91013-8. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. Godzilla: Final Wars Super Complete Works. Shogakukan. January 20, 2005. p. 77. ISBN 978-4091014986.
  4. The Pictorial Book of Godzilla 2. Hobby Japan Co., Ltd. 1 December 1995. p. 4. ISBN 978-4894251175.
  5. Ultra Books: Destroy All Monsters. Asahi Sonorama. 1968. Check date values in: |date= (help)
    Ultra Books Kaiju Soshingeki Manda.jpg
  6. 6.0 6.1 Godzilla Giant Monsters Super Encyclopedia. Kodansha. 15 March 1994. p. 52. ISBN 978-4063042702. Unknown parameter |ed= ignored (|edition= suggested) (help)
  7. 7.0 7.1 J.D. Lees, Marc Cerasini (24 March 1998). The Official Godzilla Compendium. Random House. p. 134. ISBN 0279888225 Check |isbn= value: checksum (help). Check date values in: |date= (help)
    Compendium20.png
  8. 8.0 8.1 『海底軍艦/妖星ゴラス/宇宙大怪獣ドゴラ』(Atragon/Gorath/Dogora). Toho. 〈東宝SF特撮映画シリーズ (Toho SF Special Effects Movie Series) VOL.4〉, 1985. ISBN 4924609137.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Atragon: A Toho Classic Revisited by Ed Godziszewski, published in G-Fan #21 (May/June 1996)
  10. Nomura, Kohei (5 December 2004). Godzilla Dictionary. Kasakura Publishing. p. 254. ISBN 4773002921. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. Nomura, Kohei (28 September 2014). Godzilla Dictionary. Kasakura Publishing. p. 398. ISBN 978-4-7730-8725-3. Unknown parameter |ed= ignored (|edition= suggested) (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. Godzilla 1954-1999 Super Complete Works. Shogakukan. 1 January 2000. p. 130. ISBN 978-4091014702. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. 13.0 13.1 Oki, Renji (25 October 2017). GODZILLA: Monster Apocalypse. Kadokawa. pp. 186–212. ISBN 9784041061817.
  14. Oki, Renji (25 April 2018). GODZILLA: Project Mechagodzilla. Kadokawa. pp. 86–111. ISBN 9784041063453.
  15. Toho Kingdom - Manda [Showa]
  16. Godzilla: Defense Force - Unreleased Content

Comments

Showing 206 comments. When commenting, please remain respectful of other users, stay on topic, and avoid role-playing and excessive punctuation. Comments which violate these guidelines may be removed by administrators.

Loading comments...
Era Icon - Toho.png
Era Icon - Showa.png
Era Icon - Millennium.png
Kaiju
Era Icon - Manda.png