ASTOL-MB93

From Wikizilla, the kaiju encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
ASTOL-MB93
Two ASTOL-MB93s in Godzilla vs. Mothra
Height 4.1 meters[1]
Length 15.2 meters[1][2][note 1]
Weight 8.2 metric tons[1][2]
Width 6.3 meters[1]
Targets Godzilla, Mechani-Kong IIKM, Mechagodzilla IIIKM,AnguirusKM, Neo GiganKM, King GodzillaKM
Piloted by Multiple, Yosuke KanekoGKotM
First appearance Godzilla vs. Mothra

The ASTOL-MB93 (93式メーサー攻撃機,   Kyūsanshiki Mēsā Kōgekiki, lit. Type 93 Maser Attack Aircraft) is a Maser-equipped fighter jet that appears in the 1992 Godzilla film, Godzilla vs. Mothra.

Name

The ASTOL-MB93 is referred to in Japanese as the Type 93 Maser Attack Aircraft (93式メーサー攻撃機,   Kyūsanshiki Mēsā Kōgekiki)[1]—"93" referencing the year of its completion, 1993—or simply Maser Attack Aircraft (メーサー攻撃機,   Mēsā Kōgekiki).[2][3] Toho's official English website also uses the name Maser Attack Aircraft Type-93,[4] while the ASTOL model possessed by G-Force is described by the full title ASTOL-MB93 Maser Attack Aircraft (ASTOL-MB93メーサー攻撃機,   Asutōru Emubī Mēsā Kōgekiki) in Godzilla vs. G-Force Superweapon Manual.[5] The craft is nicknamed the Maser helicopter (メーサーヘリ,   Mēsā heri), despite behaving more like a jet.[3]

Its designation ASTOL-MB93 (ASTOL (アストール)-MB (エムビー)93,   Asutōru Emubī Kyūsan) is derived from STOL, standing for "short takeoff and landing." The MB portion stands for "maser beam," with the 93 again being a shortening of 1993.

Origins

The ASTOL-MB93 was jointly developed by Bill, Co. of the United States and Fuji Heavy Industries of Japan.[1][3] Equipped with dual turbojet engines and the latest in Maser technology,[1] the ASTOLs were employed by the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, despite being aerial vehicles.[3] While it was originally believed impossible to fit a fighter jet with Maser cannons, the reduced power consumption of the newly developed Type 93 Masers allowed for the ASTOLs' success.[1]

Despite not appearing in another film after Godzilla vs. Mothra, numerous books including Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla Super Complete Works describe G-Force as possessing ASTOL-MB93s in their arsenal,[6][7] possibly featured in cut footage from Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla. The publication Godzilla vs. G-Force Superweapon Manual goes into further detail, describing the ASTOLs as the "primary forces" of G-Force's Air Force. While their firepower was inferior to that of G-Force's ground forces due to their comparatively more streamlined frame, the ASTOLs' aerial bombardment capabilities provided a significant advantage on the battlefield. A typical assault force consisted of twin ASTOLs.[5]

History

Heisei era

Godzilla vs. Mothra

The ASTOL-MB93s received their baptism of fire after Godzilla emerged from Mt. Fuji and advanced towards Yokohama. As soon as he finished demolishing JSDF ground forces attempting to drive him out to sea, two of the aircraft began their attack. While their rays held Godzilla at bay for a time, he soon shot down one with his atomic breath and continued his march.

Capabilities

Flight

The ASTOL-MB93 is capable of flight at 650 kilometers per hour.[1][2]

Type 93 Maser cannons

The ASTOL-MB93 is equipped with dual 800,000-volt Type 93 Maser cannons.[1]

Additional weapons

The ASTOL-MB93 is outfitted with dual 20mm Vulcan Gatling guns and a 70mm rocket launcher.[1]

Drill missiles

In the 1992-3 Godzilla, King of the Monsters manga by Kodansha, Yosuke's ASTOL-MB93 is equipped with rotating drill missiles during its engagement against Fake Godzilla. However, the missiles exploded on contact with its skin rather than penetrating it, giving an initial hint to its true identity.

Filmography

Comics

Godzilla, King of the Monsters

Shortly after the defeat of Megalon and Neo Biollante, Godzilla appeared in Tokyo and began to rampage. Hideo Kaneko knew that something was wrong, but his brother Yosuke reasoned that Godzilla was now attacking humanity, and set off to mobilise along with the rest of G-Team to stop him, much to Hideo's objections. Shortly afterward, Yosuke returned piloting an ASTOL-MB93 and began firing on Godzilla to try and drive him back. After shooting at 'Godzilla' with the ASTOL-MB93's Drill Missiles, which exploded harmlessly against the monster's neck, it suddenly began firing blasts from its hands. Yosuke followed up by firing his aircraft's masers at 'Godzilla', blowing off some of the giant monster's skin on its head upper right arm, exposing metal underneath and foiling its disguise. The giant machine shed its failed disguise and revealed itself to be Mechagodzilla III. Yosuke's ASTOL-MB93 came to Godzilla's aid again during the second half of the battle, in which it first stunned Mechani-Kong II with its Masers, allowing Godzilla to incapacitate the mechanical ape, then used its masers to destroy Mechagodzilla's Super Radar, leaving it unable to defend itself against Godzilla's Atomic Breath.

Yosuke's ASTOL-MB93 was later deployed during the fight between Godzilla and Anguirus at the dinosaur expo festival and fired its missiles at the two monsters. Godzilla managed to catch one of the two missiles launched from the ASTOL-MB93 and jammed it down Anguirus's throat. Anguirus attempted to escape, but the missile detonated, killing him instantly and destroying KIDS in the process.

Yosuke continued to use the ASTOL-MB93 throughout the rest of the manga; it was ultimately destroyed deliberately during the fight against Neo Gigan as part of a plan to restore Godzilla's energy. Yosuke ejected from the aircraft to send it crashing into Godzilla's mouth, giving him the energy he needed to fight back against the cyborg.

Yosuke later received a second ASTOL-MB93 to pilot, but this was destroyed by King Godzilla in the penultimate chapter when he attempted to mobilize it against the chimeric kaiju.

Godzilla: Rulers of Earth

Following the end of the Trilopod threat, the Counter-Kaiju Reaction Forces expanded its fleet to include various new superweapons such as ASTOL-MB93s in their efforts to defend humanity from the monsters.

Video games

Godzilla

The ASTOL-MB93 is one of the opponents Godzilla may face in the bonus stage quiz following level 2.

Godzilla: Giant Monster March

ASTOL-MB93 units are available to the player in stages 3 and 4, based on Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II and Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla.

Godzilla: Trading Battle

The ASTOL-MB93 is a one-star Wind/Electricity Monster Card.

Godzilla (PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4)

Alongside MBT-MB92 Maser Cannons, ASTOL-MB93s spawn once the player reaches Disaster Level 4, and behave in a similar way as the Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jets encountered at lower levels, making low passes towards the player's monster while firing their Maser beams at them. At Disaster Level 5 all remaining weapons, including the ASTOL-MB93, start using Cadmium missiles.

Godzilla Kaiju Collection

Seven ASTOL-MB93 variants are available in the game: default green, red (紅), olive green (鶯), blue (蒼), purple (藤), orange (桔) and steel silver (鋼).[8]

Godzilla Defense Force

Combat Airfield II sites available in Sydney, Australia and New York City produce ASTOL-MB93s for the player to command. An ASTOL card can also be obtained from card packs, providing a temporary +50% damage boost to aerial forces when used.

Gallery

Concept art

Screenshots

Godzilla vs. Mothra

Post-production

Merchandise

Toys

Trivia

  • Though the ASTOL-MB93 is a fighter jet, it appears to be largely based on attack helicopters such as the Apache and Cobra.
  • The sound the ASTOL-MB93s make in flight resembles that of TIE fighters from Star Wars.
  • Curiously, while the ASTOL-MB93 is listed as having an M61 Vulcan cannon, the weapon only has three barrels instead of the standard six. It is likely based off the M197 with a triangle muzzle clamp plate on the end or the experimental XM301, both of which are three-barreled lightweight versions of the M61 Vulcan with the latter designed in 1992, the same year Godzilla vs. Mothra came out.
  • While official supplementary material states the ASTOL-MB93 is armed with a rocket launcher to fire 70mm rockets, no such weapon system is visible on it. It is unknown if rocket-pods are optionally attached to pylons under the wings or if the system is internal with a weapon bay opening up for firing rockets.

Notes

  1. The 2012 publication Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works (p. 234) erroneously lists the ASTOL-MB93's length as 13.2 meters.

References

This is a list of references for ASTOL-MB93. 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. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Takenaka 1995, p. 58
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sagami 2014, p. 52
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Nomura 2014, p. 274
  4. "Godzilla vs. Mothra". TOHO. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Takenaka 1995, p. 102
  6. Abe 2014, p. 70.
  7. @BirthHopeMetor (18 July 2017). "こちらになります。ASTOL-MB93メーサー攻撃機(Gフォース仕様)は児童書籍でも存在が確認できます。". Twitter.
  8. SuperGodzillaGaming (16 May 2016). "ALL MONSTERS & MECHA - Godzilla Kaiju Collection (ゴジラ怪獣コレクション)". YouTube.

Bibliography

Comments

Showing 8 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 - Heisei.png
Vehicle