Godzilla has a massive entourage of fellow giant monsters that have joined his franchise over the years. Some are sworn enemies who threaten the fate of the world, prompting Godzilla to tear them apart. Others join Godzilla’s crusade against the forces of evil. The King of the Monsters regularly fights brutal battles against beings that will later become tried and true allies. Anguirus is the first kaiju to ever fight Godzilla on the big screen, but he wasn’t always an enemy.
The old Toho Godzilla movies treated continuity with a charming lack of concern. Some elements stayed consistent through multiple installments, but most details reset after every film. This allows enemies to return as friends. The franchise frequently brought familiar faces back for several movies, but everything could change in their next appearance. Some kaiju became iconic standouts through constant new introductions, like the mighty Anguirus.
Where did Anguirus first appear?
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Names |
Anguirus, Angilas, Angurus, Angorus, Angy |
|---|---|
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Subtitle |
Fierce Dragon Monster |
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Designers |
Shinji Nishikawa and Eiji Yamamori |
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Portrayers |
Katsumi Tezuka, Hiroshi Sekita, Tadaaki Watanabe, Koetsu Omiya, Kinichi Kusumi, and Toshihiro Ogura |
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First Appearance |
Godzilla Raids Again |
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First Appearance Date |
April 24, 1955 |
Anguirus was the first giant monster that Godzilla ever fought. Ishiro Honda’s original 1954 Godzilla established the iconic beast as the living embodiment of the atomic bomb. He was a horror villain who attacked Japan, capitalizing on the nation’s trauma. His second appearance didn’t change his characterization, but it did start the ongoing trend of pitting Godzilla against other monsters. Anguirus is a massive Ankylosaurus, though he only vaguely resembles an armored dinosaur. His design also borrows elements from crocodiles, armadillos, and hedgehogs. Every iteration of the character looks radically different from its predecessor. The version of the character in Godzilla Raids Again is a clay model as often as he is an actor in a suit.
Godzilla Raids Again is not the most logical film in the franchise. It depicts Godzilla inexplicably returning after his on-screen death in the original entry. Anguirus appears alongside him with little in the way of explanation. Godzilla just emerges from the sea with a new quadrupedal monster, and they start fighting to the death. His backstory is exactly the same as Godzilla’s. Anguirus is an Ankylosaurus from the Cretaceous period. He’s presumably part of the same genus as several more familiar dinosaurs, but somehow distinct from those examples. Anguirus would have lived around the same time as Godzilla. He also went into a prolonged period of dormancy to survive the millennia. Atomic bomb testing woke him shortly after it woke Godzilla. The first movie states that he emerged in Siberia. No other Godzilla films bother discussing his backstory.
What is Anguirus capable of?
Anguirus is known for his immense durability. He can survive attacks that would likely kill a lesser kaiju. His armored hide is visibly stronger than that of Godzilla. The spines that cover his back are razor-sharp and extremely resilient. They’re likely his greatest weapon. Anguirus can roll his body into a ball and launch himself at high speeds, smashing, slashing, and grinding enemies into dust like Sonic the Hedgehog. He frequently attacks by leaping toward his opponent back-first. Anguirus lacks a projectile weapon, making him uniquely dependent on his physical features. He can emit an ultrasonic roar, capable of damaging almost all foes. He can also burrow through the ground and swim at high speeds. Anguirus is one of the most intelligent kaiju in the franchise. He can communicate and coordinate with his allies in tense scenarios.
What happened to Anguirus?
Anguirus died in his first appearance, but just like Godzilla, he returned without explanation. Godzilla sinks his teeth into Anguirus’s neck, tosses him aside, and kills him with his atomic breath. 13 years later, he lives in a sanctuary with his fellow kaiju. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters depicts him as one of several giant monsters dealing with an alien invasion. The aliens brainwash Godzilla and most of his friends. They eventually escape their mental prison and strike back, with Anguirus fighting alongside his former enemy. Anguirus sat out the next few entries, returning for Godzilla vs. Gigan. He’s depicted as Godzilla’s closest ally, carrying out missions on the King of the Monsters’ behalf. Anguirus and Godzilla intercept alien invasion plans, but humanity attacks Anguirus when he travels to Japan to investigate. He returns to Monster Island and brings Godzilla back with him. The film depicts a two-on-two clash between the heroes and Ghidorah and Gigan. When humans destroy the tower aliens use to control the monsters, Godzilla and Anguirus force Ghidorah and Gigan to retreat. Anguirus quickly discovers the fake Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. He loses a bout against the robot doppelgänger, but his astute senses ferret out the impostor before most. Finally, Anguirus sat out 30 years of Godzilla cinema before appearing in Final Wars. Brainwashed by yet another group of aliens, Anguirus briefly attacks Godzilla, but the King puts him in his place.
Eagle-eyed viewers of Godzilla: King of the Monsters noticed a skeleton that resembled an Ankylosaurus, suggesting a grisly fate for Anguirus in the modern Monsterverse. That’s no guarantee of absence from Godzilla’s first enemy-turned-ally. Godzilla deserves a best friend, and the giant hedgehog is a perfect candidate.
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