Real Godzilla fans know that there are two ways to enjoy the King of the Monsters’ output. The first is best exemplified by the 1954 original, Shin Godzilla, and last year’s Godzilla Minus One. Those standout examples of cosmic horror elevated to sweeping spectacle demonstrate the power of kaiju media. On the other hand, films like Godzilla vs. Megalon demonstrate the goofy, silly, comical fun of talented performers in suits punching each other.
Legendary Pictures’ ongoing Monsterverse is the most consistent place to see Godzilla these days. The most recent offerings introduced new antagonists. Fans seem to enjoy figures like Scar King and Frost Vark, but that won’t stop them from requesting their favorite returning faces. No one seems off-limits after King of the Monsters, but some kaiju seem more likely to return than others.
Where did Megalon come from?
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Names |
Megalon, Megaron, Megalo |
|---|---|
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Subtitles |
Insect Monster, Guardian of Seatopia |
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First Appearance |
Godzilla vs. Megalon |
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First Appearance Date |
March 17, 1973 |
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Written By |
Shinichi Sekizawa, Kaoru Mabuchi |
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Designed By |
Nobuyuki Yasumaru, Tomoki Kobayashi |
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Portrayed By |
Hideto Date |
Megalon is a towering beetle monster with drills for hands. Like a lot of monsters, Megalon started as something entirely different. The idea that morphed into Megalon was a mole cricket called “Gebara.” Gebara became Gabara, a giant frog who later became a lizard kaiju in All Monsters Attack. The idea of a big bug stuck around, however. Megalon became a fusion of several insects. His face and large frontal horn took after the Japanese rhinoceros beetle, a popular insect among kids in the nation. His body resembles that of a cicada, but his bizarre movements are based on grasshoppers. His dynamic orange and black color scheme helps him stand out. The Megalon suit was the heaviest kaiju ensemble in the franchise when they created him. They crafted his back shell out of rigid urethane. Crew members had to lift the Megalon suit with a series of ropes to simulate jumping. He was a tough monster to work with, potentially leading to his limited appearances in other media.
In fiction, Megalon is the mighty guardian deity of the Seatopians. Seatopia is a subterranean nation that holds a mighty empire. Some 3,000 years ago, the nation of Lemuria descended into the ocean. Its residents escaped into a hollow area, founding a new land. The Seatopians developed advanced technology, including a functioning artificial sun. While the Seatopians enjoyed their underground society for thousands of years, the advent of the nuclear age awakened their anger. Convinced that the surface dwellers would destroy the world they believed they should own, the Seatopians call upon Megalon to wipe out humanity. To support their god, they stole a robot from the surface and planned an all-out assault. Nuclear war awakened yet another monster to wreak havoc.
What was Megalon capable of?
Megalon is a uniquely mobile monster. He can leap more than 10 kilometers, or 6.2 miles. His massive wings can carry him at speeds higher than Mach 3. He can also burrow through the ground at a similar rate with the drills on his hands. With his land and aerial supremacy established, Megalon can also swim at speeds over Mach 4. His wings allow him to produce gale-force winds. The drills are powerful melee weapons that can pierce the armored hide of most enemy kaiju. At longer ranges, Megalon can fire a lightning-like beam from the tip of his horn. This laser, nicknamed the Beast Killer Light Ray, is actually repurposed stock footage of King Ghidorah’s lightning breath. He can also spit “Geothermal Napalm.” These explosive red bullets may be his most powerful weapon, creating rings of flames and dealing massive damage. Though Megalon is well-armed, he’s, unfortunately, one of the least intelligent kaiju in the franchise.
What happened to Megalon?
Megalon followed Jet Jaguar into a fight with Japanese authorities. Megalon wins the encounter, but the bout allows Jet Jaguar’s inventor to free him from the Seatopian’s control. With Jet Jaguar working against him, Megalon and his temporary ally, Gigan, face Godzilla and the giant robot. While Megalon and Gigan hold off Jet Jaguar, Godzilla arrives to even the odds. Gigan, who had already previously lost an encounter with the King of the Monsters, wisely fled the scene. This led to one of the most iconic Godzilla moments in the franchise. Jet Jaguar placed Megalon in a full nelson hold, prompting Godzilla to signal his excitement for his next move. With unimaginable might, Godzilla launches his body across hundreds of feet, gliding horizontally as if carried by several wires, to collide in a massive sliding drop-kick. Faced with no other option after that display of power, the Seatopians withdrew Megalon and sealed all pathways to the outside world.
Megalon only appeared in his debut feature. His other notable appearances occur in video games, comics, novels, and one award-winning short film. Though he was a one-off antagonist, Megalon stars in one of the best Godzilla outings of all time. It’s no Minus One, but anyone seeking the hilarious side of the King of the Monsters would have a hard time doing better than Godzilla vs. Megalon.
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