Mecha-King Ghidorah (story arc)
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Mecha-King Ghidorah (メカキングギドラ編 Meka Kingu Gidora-hen) is the seventh story arc of the 1997 television series Godzilla Island. Written by Takahiko Masuda, it comprises the series' 51st through 63rd episodes, which aired from December 15 to 31, 1997.
Episodes
| No. | Title card | Title (Japanese) |
Air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Television | YouTube | |||
| 51 |  |
"Team Zagreth in the Red" ( |
December 15, 1997 | August 29, 2023 |
| 52 |  |
"A Familiar Battle" (いつか |
December 16, 1997 | August 31, 2023 |
| 53 |  |
"How Embarrassing!" (ああ、 |
December 17, 1997 | September 5, 2023 |
| 54 |  |
"Operation Annihilate Vabaruda" (ヴァバルーダ |
December 18, 1997 | September 7, 2023 |
| 55 |  |
"The End for Zagreth?" (ザグレスの |
December 19, 1997 | September 12, 2023 |
| 56 |  |
"Zagreth's Comeback" ( |
December 22, 1997 | September 14, 2023 |
| 57 |  |
"The Mysterious Giant Dark Emperor" ( |
December 23, 1997 | September 19, 2023 |
| 58 |  |
"The Commander Returns" ( |
December 24, 1997 | September 21, 2023 |
| 59 |  |
"Collars of Terror" ( |
December 25, 1997 | September 26, 2023 |
| 60 |  |
"Don't Call Me That" (その |
December 26, 1997 | September 28, 2023 |
| 61 |  |
"Mecha-King Ghidorah, Take Two" (メカキングギドラリターンズ) |
December 29, 1997 | October 3, 2023 |
| 62 |  |
"Commander, Moving Out!" ( |
December 30, 1997 | October 5, 2023 |
| 63 |  |
"All-Out Monster Attack" ( |
December 31, 1997 | October 10, 2023 |
Plot
- "Team Zagreth in the Red"
Unable to get her makeup right and spotting new wrinkles, Zagreth's mood is worsened further by her invasion force's mounting debts. Their finances are so dire that they soon won't be able to afford fuel for the Vabaruda, and the Space Central Bank refuses to loan them any more Space Zeni. Nonetheless, when Zagreth comes across the gigantic Monster Vending Machine floating in space, she samples its offerings, especially impressed by the Special Grade-A Hyper Mecha-King Ghidorah. An underling persuades her to purchase the cheaper Grade B Mecha-King Ghidorah, who pops out of the machine and flies towards Earth.
- "A Familiar Battle"
Torema asks Lucas why humanity made Godzilla Island and what the G-Guard Commander's real name is. Nervously, he responds that the former is highly classified and he can't tell her the latter either. He reports King Ghidorah approaching the island, then realizes that the cyborg is a new creature. Mecha-King Ghidorah lands in front of Godzilla. The two monsters stare each other down, reminding both Lucas and Zagreth of Godzilla's battle with Gigan, but Torema suspects something else is going on. Godzilla finally advances on the cyborg and knocks it to the ground without any resistance, confirming her theory.
- "How Embarrassing!"
Torema shares with the Commander that X-rays and microwaves failed to locate an electronic brain aboard the still-motionless Mecha-King Ghidorah. He's wary of a trap, but Torema notes that no bombs were found onboard either; she believes Zagreth just made a mistake. Meanwhile, the Xilien calls the customer support line for the Monster Vending Machine, demanding to know why her newest pawn won't function. The customer service representative directs her to the user manual, which states that the cyborg's electronic brain and controller are separate purchases. Worse, another vending machine won't arrive in her location for another three days. She tries to launch the Vabaruda to recover Mecha-King Ghidorah, but learns it's out of fuel.
- "Operation Annihilate Vabaruda"
With a satellite probe having determined the Vabaruda's location, the Commander prepares to go on the offensive with the Panna Torte and himself piloting Mecha-King Ghidorah via a freshly-installed cockpit. Lucas and Torema are both worried about the Commander in the field. Lucas thinks she should resign from the mission in protest, but she doesn't want to abandon him, and is tired of constant war ravaging Godzilla Island. The Panna Torte and Mecha-King Ghidorah take off, with the Commander declaring the start of Operation Annihilate Vabaruda.
- "The End for Zagreth?"
Zagreth laments how vulnerable the Vabaruda is without fuel, and is promptly notified of the Panna Torte and Mecha-King Ghidorah's approach. Their lasers rock the ship. The Vabaruda returns fire against the cyborg to little effect, as the ship is running on backup power. G-Guard's continued assault hits the Vabaruda's fuel tank and knocks all of its weapons offline as Zagreth struggles to figure out her next move.
- "Zagreth's Comeback"
Zagreth blames her defeat solely on her lack of funds. The Commander prepares to finish her off, only for a meteor to smack into Mecha-King Ghidorah, who knocks into the Panna Torte. The Vabaruda deploys a tractor beam, capturing the cyborg. Her ship damaged, Torema has no choice but to retreat. Zagreth takes the Commander prisoner and orders his execution, only to be countermanded by a mysterious voice. It belongs to the Giant Dark Emperor, an enormous burning face, who manifests before her ship.
- "The Mysterious Giant Dark Emperor"
The Giant Dark Emperor, contacting Zagreth for the first time in years, instructs her to hypnotize the Commander and send him back to Godzilla Island to further her aims. Recognizing her potential, he offers to fund her future campaigns to conquer Earth and expand the Dark Galactic Empire. He fades away after shrugging off her praise, then materializes again to tell her that he was responsible for the meteor that struck Mecha-King Ghidorah, a sampling of his power. He also expects her to eventually pay him back.
- "The Commander Returns"
Torema and Lucas ponder the Commander's fate. Lucas, believing he's been killed, whispers his real name to Torema, which causes her to burst out laughing. They're interrupted by the returning Commander, who tells them that he escaped the Xiliens, although he can't specify how. After ordering Torema out of his seat, he demands that she bring him tea. Outside, Torema ponders his sudden sternness and mysterious escape. She's startled to see Mechagodzilla and MOGUERA standing in front of most of the kaiju residents of Godzilla Island, each of the beasts fitted with a metal collar. Inside G-Guard headquarters, the Commander contacts Zagreth and tells her she'll soon conquer the island.
- "Collars of Terror"
The Commander explains to Lucas that the collars are to tame the monsters. Godzilla, Gorosaurus, and Baragon try to leave, only for towers positioned nearby to tighten their collars. When Torema tries to reason with him, he berates her for abandoning him and orders Mechagodzilla to attack her. She realizes that Zagreth is controlling him. Godzilla flips Mechagodzilla over despite the pain caused by the collar, then tail-whips MOGUERA and leads the other monsters towards G-Guard headquarters. Torema convinces him to stand down, as the Commander isn't in his right mind, and the collar's constriction soon causes Godzilla to topple.
- "Don't Call Me That"
Godzilla gets to his feet and continues his march towards G-Guard headquarters. Torema manages to break the Commander free of Zagreth's control by taunting him with his real name: Beisuke Jinguji. He pops off the monsters' collars just before Godzilla can crush him. A fuming Zagreth asks how someone with that name could've become a commander, but brightens as the Monster Vending Machine approaches. Mecha-King Ghidorah again speeds towards Earth.
- "Mecha-King Ghidorah, Take Two"
Godzilla and the other monsters prepare to leave the island, with Godzilla explaining to Torema that they're unable to trust a G-Guard commander so easily controlled by the enemy. Jinguji regrets the suffering he caused them. Lucas reports Mecha-King Ghidorah's return. The cyborg sprays lasers at Anguirus, Baragon, and Gorosaurus, then trains its fire on G-Guard headquarters. Jinguji calls for the monsters to help, but they stand idly by.
- "Commander, Moving Out!"
Torema fires a volley of lasers at Mecha-King Ghidorah. King Caesar, Gorosaurus, and Baragon turn to leave, but Godzilla keeping staring, then charges forward. He blasts the cyborg with atomic breath before grappling it, drawing the other monsters' attention. Mecha-King Ghidorah knocks him back and bombards him with lasers. Jinguji, determined to prove himself to the monsters, enters the battle as Mechagodzilla's pilot.
- "All-Out Monster Attack"
Mechagodzilla lands behind Mecha-King Ghidorah, drawing its attention with eye lasers. It returns fire, knocking Mechagodzilla over, but it quickly recovers and tackles the cyborg to the ground. King Caesar rallies Baragon, Gorosaurus, Rodan, and Anguirus, and they all mob the three-headed monster. Godzilla bends Mecha-King Ghidorah's right head towards the left head as it wildly fires. Mechagodzilla, Godzilla, and King Caesar all direct their rays at the weakened head as Gorosaurus bites down, severing it. Anguirus tries holding onto Mecha-King Ghidorah's tail as it retreats, but it drops him. Jinguji celebrates their victory, and Torema confirms he's won back the monsters' respect.
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Jiro Dan as Commander Beisuke Jinguji
- Maimi Okuwa as Torema
- Kaori Aizawa as Zagreth
- Shun Mizutani as Lucas (voice, as Kenichiro Shimamura)
- Yutaka Aoyama as narrator (voice) / Giant Dark Emperor (voice)
Appearances
Monsters
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Weapons, vehicles, organizations, and races |
Videos
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Trivia
- The official English subtitles for "Don't Call Me That" explain that Torema's taunts of "Bei-sukebe" are a play on words, with "sukube" meaning pervert, in a rare translation note for the series.
- The final battle of the arc, in which Mecha-King Ghidorah is overwhelmed by multiple Earth monsters, is similar to the climax of Destroy All Monsters, in which Earth's monsters unite to kill King Ghidorah. Anguirus also falls to the ground after latching onto one of the fleeing Mecha-King Ghidorah's tails, similar to King Ghidorah flying him into the air and dropping him after he bit down onto one of his necks in Destroy All Monsters.
- The Japanese title for the final episode in this arc, "All-Out Monster Attack" (怪獣総攻撃 Kaijū Sōkōgeki), is also a portion of the Japanese title of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.
- Godzilla would direct another Ghidorah's beam to strike one of its other heads in Godzilla Final Wars (2004).
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