Matango
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- This page is about the fungus. For the film in which it appeared, see Matango (film).
Matango (マタンゴ is a mutant fungus Matango)kaiju that appeared in the 1963 Toho film Matango.
A species of fungus native to a remote island in the South Pacific, the Matango were mutated by the radiation from nuclear tests conducted in the area. Their growth accelerated, the Matango overran the entire island. The crew of a fishing boat which ran aground on the island fell victim to the Matango after eating it, transformed into grotesque creatures covered in spores. When a yacht also ran aground on the coast of the island not long afterwards, the passengers found the older shipwreck and discovered a log warning about the dangers of consuming the fungus. However, one-by-one the survivors gave in and ate the fungus, and were themselves transformed into Matango zombies. Only one survivor managed to escape back to Japan, but still ended up being infected by exposure to the Matango spores.
Name
The name "Matango" comes from "Mamadango" (ママダンゴ), another name for the fungus Astraeus hygrometricus. Humans in the process of being assimilated by the Matango are called Matango Kaijin (マタンゴ怪人).[5]
Design
When not colonizing a host, the Matango resemble large orange-brown mushrooms. After infecting a human host, the host will gradually grow mats of fungus over their skin, and gradually go insane. Once the Matango has matured, the human's upper body is replaced by a fungal cap, and their lower body becomes equally deformed, with giant legs and long claws attached to gigantic, muscular arms.
Origins
According to the records of a wrecked research ship discovered on the Matango's island, the Matango are a previously-undiscovered species of fungus native only to that island. As the island is located in irradiated waters, it is suggested that the Matango's gigantic size and bizarre abilities are the result of native fungi mutating as a result of atomic radiation.
History
- Matango (1963)
- Godzilla Island (TV 1997)
- Godzilla Final Wars (2004) [toy]
- Godziban (web 2019-) [episodes 44-46, 54, and 57]
Showa era
Matango
The Matango are an unusual and undiscovered species of mushroom which inhabit their own island in the South Pacific Ocean. After a ship, which had been damaged in a storm, landed on the island, its crew tried to search for food, and came across a natural marvel. Hollows in the ground were filled with fresh rainwater, and an endless supply of the mysterious mushrooms could be found growing across the island on almost any surface which could support them. The crew went searching for other food, but found none except the mushrooms. Fearing the effects of eating something which they didn't know whether it was harmful or not, the crew resisted the urge to eat them. Strangely, they also discovered that another boat had previously arrived on the island, yet it was covered in mold which they tried to clean away using bleach. It was theorized that these mushrooms may have been assisted in growing so large by the presence of nearby nuclear testing.
Eventually, hunger set in, and one of the crew, desperate, ate some of the mushrooms. At first, they seemed to be perfectly fine, but over time, the mushrooms began to colonize their body in a way that was similar to the Cordyceps fungus. In addition, the infected crew member convinced more of his friends to eat the mushrooms, though this was probably a result of the Matango's own abilities. Eventually, all but one of the of the crew, Kenji, became infected by the Matango, and were reduced to the point of lumbering, insane, walking mushrooms.
Kenji escapes on the intact boat, and travels to Tokyo. At the end of the film it is revealed that he too is infected by the Matango, and is slowly beginning to transform, noting that the humans and the Matango are very much alike.
Heisei era
Godzilla Island
In the year 2097, the Matango resided on Matango Island, the island neighboring Godzilla Island. A monster called Neo Hedorah left the island and attacked Godzilla Island, spreading the Matango with it. The Matango were able to infect the local kaiju, growing on their skin and draining their energy. Thankfully, Misato Jinguji discovered a way to kill Neo Hedorah and the Matango it produced by exposing them to temperatures higher than 10,000 degrees Celsius. Rodan transformed into Fire Rodan and used his heat beam to destroy Neo Hedorah and the Matango.
Reiwa era
Godziban
Matan and Tango were a pair of friendly Matango that had come to Gojigoji Island from the Bio Forest along with Erika to seek out assistance for Biollante to help save it from Desghidorah. Using their magic, they transported the Three Godzilla Brothers to the island and gave them plant disguises to protect them from the man-eating plants.
Abilities
Infection
The Matango were able to transform a group of humans into Matangos upon being eaten. They can also seemingly infect hosts through touch alone, as demonstrated by the character Kenji.
In Godzilla Island, the mushrooms are also able to infect kaiju, doing so via spores spread by Neo Hedorah.
Influence
After commencing the colonization of their host, the Matango can speak through their host to convince non-infected humans to consume the Matango and become infected.
Physical abilities
The Matango have strong arms and claws which they can use to attack and restrain opponents.
Growth
Matango mushrooms grow substantially from contact with water. Sustained rainfall can cause Matango to grow at accelerated rates.
Hive mind
Matango seem to possess a hive mind, and the various infected hosts are capable of forming coordinated attacks to capture and infect more hosts.
Siphoning
In Godzilla Island, the Matango generated by Neo Hedorah are incapable of mutating those they infect, but are capable of sapping their energy instead.
Weaknesses
Fully and partially-assimilated Matango hosts appear to be somewhat vulnerable to gunfire, though they can withstand several shots without visible injury. Matango are also somewhat physically frail, as one's arm was severed instantly simply due to Murai striking it with his rifle. In Godzilla Island, the Matango can be killed by temperatures higher than 10,000 degrees Celsius. In Godziban, Desghidorah was able to steal their life force.
Video games
- Godzilla: Monster of Monsters! (1988) - Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom
Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!
In Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!, the Matango appear in their own hyperspace level sections in which the player, controlling Godzilla or Mothra, must destroy or evade a large Matango hive (coming in three different levels of difficulty) in order to clear the level. While trying to destroy the hive the player must also contend with projectile spores and even smaller individual floating Matango. Matango hives can also appear shortly before the player fights one of the game's bosses, and attacking the Matango spawned from the hive rewards the player with health power-ups.
A Matango hive from Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!
A Matango from Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!
Gallery
- Main article: Matango/Gallery.
Roar
Initially, a Matango's host sounds and speaks like any human. After the Matango begins to fully colonize the person, their sounds are reduced to grunts and deep-voiced laughter. The iconic deep laugh of the Matango would later be recycled for the iconic laugh of Alien Baltan from Ultraman. Their laughter was also slightly raised in pitch, then reused for the Ultraman Leo villain Alien Flip. The Matango's laugh was also used as the groaning sound of a zombie in the Japanese trailer for Dawn of the Dead. The higher-pitched giggling laughter of the Matango was used in the Ultra Series for the laughter of the child-like specter Lilly from Ultra Q, the laugh of Alien Perolynga in Ultraseven, and the laughs of Yojo in Ultraman Ace. Matango's laugh, in reverse, would provide the signature roar of the Kemur aliens in the Ultra Series.
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Trivia
- While the Matango is often classified as a kaiju, a Japanese term for monster literally meaning "strange beast," human hosts infected by it are classified as kaijin, a term literally meaning "mysterious person" typically used to describe humanoid or human-sized kaiju.
- The Matango, and by extension the parasitic fungi from the horror short story "The Voice in the Night" upon which they are based, are likely inspired by the real-life fungal genera Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps, which contain many species of endoparasitic fungi which infect insects. Like the Matango, these infectious fungi have the capability to influence the behavior of their hosts, and infection with them results in the mushroom's fruiting body emerging from a location on the host.
- The Matango are referenced in the manga and anime The Seven Deadly Sins in the form of the Chicken-Matango, sentient mushrooms that release spores to shrink predators.
References
This is a list of references for Matango. 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]
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