One of the biggest differences between the modern Monsterverse approach to Godzilla and his classic film franchise is focus. Legendary’s kaiju offerings keep their narrative details straightforward, ensuring tangible connections between every notable character. Every monster is a Titan from the Hollow Earth, and their backstories tie together neatly. Toho threw everything at the wall to see what would stick. Gigan is a fascinating example, as he represents one of several alien invaders struggling to wipe out humanity.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire introduced a few new enemies for the titular titans to fight. The Monsterverse has several well-received newcomers. Fans generally request their favorite characters for future outings, but its current state suggests a strong flow of new faces. While Scar King and Shimo were fun to see, beloved returning icons could always spice things up.
Where did Gigan first appear?
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Names |
Gigan, Gaigan, Geigan, Borodan, Gailen, Gorgo, Gargon, etc. |
|---|---|
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First Appearance |
Godzilla vs. Gigan |
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First Appearance Date |
March 12, 1972 |
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Created By |
Kaoru Mabuchi, Teruyoshi Nakano |
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Designed By |
Takayoshi Mizuki, Yashushi Nirasawa, and Takuya Uenishi |
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Portrayed By |
Kenpachiro Satsuma, Isao Zushi, Kazuhiro Yoshida, and Hikaru Yoshida |
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Subtitles |
Cyborg Monster, Future Monster, Space Monster, Future Terror-Beast, etc. |
Gigan is a cybernetically enhanced alien monster that appeared several times in the Godzilla franchise. His debut came in the 1972 classic Godzilla vs. Gigan, which paired the newcomer with King Ghidorah and pitted both against Godzilla and Anguirus. Gigan’s first outing came at the end of the Shōwa era, which comprised the first fifteen Godzilla films. The conclusion of that period in the King of the Monsters’ history saw the character shift toward his playful anti-hero persona, which became internationally iconic. This creative choice mirrored the new antagonists, many of whom appeared as aliens. This allowed the writers to air closer to science fiction and eschew the thematic depth of earlier entries. Gigan, like his immediate successor, Megalon, represents Toho’s desire to create new creatures without concern for things like biology.
Narratively, Gigan is an alien dinosaur fitted with cybernetic weaponry. An extraterrestrial race called the M Space Hunter Nebula Aliens created Gigan and sent him to Earth alongside Ghidorah. Godzilla: Final Wars gave Gigan a slightly new backstory in which a different set of aliens sent him to Earth. Mothra defeated him some 12,000 years ago, leaving him mummified so that the aliens could later reawaken him. Shōnen Magazine illustrator Takayoshi Mizuki designed Gigan based on Karou Mabuchi’s script. Noboyuki Yasamaru created the original suit, much of which was difficult for actor Kenpachiro Satsuma to use. His stomach buzzsaw featured a motorized mechanism with a remote control rig, allowing it to mimic the circular motion. Later additions gave him more modernized design elements, including wire structures and chainsaws.
What is Gigan capable of?
Gigan earned a reputation as Godzilla’s most violent foe. He fights dirty, exhibiting an extreme bloodlust that seems to exceed that of any other kaiju. To carry out his brutal work, he has several built-in weapons. Gigan’s arms transition awkwardly from scaled flesh into shiny metal hooks. His “Hammer Hands” can pierce Godzilla’s armored body with repeated strikes. In Final Wars, Gigan reappears with more developed scythes on his arms, referred to in-universe as the “Bloody Triggers.” They also come equipped with grappling hooks to drag opponents in. Their final form is a set of “Bloody Chainsaws.” If two massive chainsaws on each arm weren’t enough, Gigan has a “Rotating Cutter” in his abdomen. The alien alloy slices through almost anything, prompting Gigan to base most of his strategies around that close-range weapon. His long-range arsenal includes a laser beam fired from his eye and smaller saws fired from his neck. Gigan can fly faster than Mach 3 in Earth’s atmosphere, but his traveling speed in space can reach more than Mach 400. Gigan is likely not Godzilla’s strongest foe, but he may be his most versatile. Godzilla games even imagine new abilities like teleportation and fire breath.
What happened to Gigan?
Gigan and Ghidorah fought Godzilla and Anguirus in the Cyborg Monster’s debut. They lost the bout after nearby humans bombed the radio tower transmitting alien orders to the kaiju. They quickly mounted a retreat, escaping into space to fight another day. That day came in Godzilla vs. Megalon, in which Gigan invades Earth to support the titular drill-handed insect against Godzilla and the giant robot Jet Jaguar. Jet Jaguar snapped Gigan’s bladed arm, and Godzilla blasted him out of the air, prompting Gigan to escape again. He returned with his new backstory in Final Wars. As is often the case in that perfect movie, Godzilla quickly dispatched the new Gigan with a targeted jet of atomic breath. The aliens remodified Gigan into his final form, which did tremendous damage to Godzilla with his chainsaws. Mothra dealt Gigan his final defeat by dodging and redirecting his ranged buzzsaws into the cyborg’s neck. Mothra kills Gigan with a burning tackle, ending his campaign of violence.
Gigan is an iconic kaiju for his design, unique suite of abilities, and brutal fighting style. He’s a great choice in almost any video game, but his record on the big screen features no victories. Gigan is unlikely to return in the modern Monsterverse, but his impact will always remain in the hearts of fans of this gloriously silly franchise.
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