Megalon

Portrayed byHideto OdachiIn-universe informationSpeciesGiant beetle

Megalon (メガロ, Megaro) is a kaiju who first appeared in Toho's 1973 film Godzilla vs. Megalon as the titular main antagonist, it is his only film appearance to date.^[1]

Overview

Megalon is a bipedal, humanoid, burrowing insect resembling a beetle, standing 55 meters (180 feet) tall and weighing 40,000 metric tons (44,092 short tons). The creature is worshiped as the god of the subterranean nation of Seatopia. While Megalon possesses limited intelligence (he must be led to his destination by the protagonists' robot, Jet Jaguar), he makes up for it with his strength. Megalon has two drill-like front appendages, which it uses both for burrowing and as weapons, and it possesses a set of wings usually covered by a beetle-like shell. Unlike most kaiju under fire from humans who prevail with brute force, Megalon uses retreat and ambush tactics to defeat human forces in his first encounter. Megalon also has a horn (similar to a rhinoceros beetle) from which it can fire lightning-like bolts of electricity, and it is capable of spitting napalm bombs from its mouth, which are officially called Geothermal Napalm Bullets.^[2] He can also travel at immense speeds, being able to fly through the air and drill through the ground at speeds of up to Mach 3, while he can swim at Mach 4. Megalon is also able to leap through the air for ten kilometres at a time.^[2]

In Godzilla vs. Megalon, Megalon is worshiped as a deity by the people of the subterranean kingdom known as Seatopia. The Seatopians unleash Megalon on the surface world as revenge for the damage caused to Seatopia through reckless nuclear testing. During his assault on the surface world, Megalon comes into conflict with Godzilla and Jet Jaguar.

Megalon returns in Godzilla: Monster Apocalypse, a prequel novel to Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters. Megalon appeared on the West coast of Africa in 2012 and crossed the continent, destroying countless nations, and disappeared into the Indian Ocean. There were 20 million casualties, including the wounded. Shortly after Megalon's attack across Africa, millions of refugees fled to Europe and the Middle East due to civil wars across the continent, this also lead to a dispute between refugees and locals in Egypt that lead to a second civil war. Megalon returned 10 years later and attacked South Africa, forcing humanity to abandon the continent.

In Godzilla: Project Mechagodzilla, a prequel novel to Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle, 7 years later, Megalon moves to Asia. It annihilates India and Pakistan, both of whom just recovered from a nuclear war against each other. After destroying the Philippines, Megalon attacked Okinawa, but was intercepted by King Caesar, a guardian deity of the island, and both monsters died in the resulting battle.

Megalon made his return in the short film Godzilla vs. Megalon, released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the character. He is summoned to fight Godzilla, after his victory over Gigan in the previous short, Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex.

Appearances

Films

• Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Web content

• Godzilla vs. Megalon (2023)

Television

• Godzilla Island (1997-1998)

Video games

• Godzilla Trading Battle (PlayStation, 1998)
• Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee (GameCube, Xbox, 2002 - 2003)
• Godzilla: Domination! (GBA, 2002)
• Godzilla: Save the Earth (Xbox, PS2, 2004)
• Godzilla: Unleashed (Wii, 2007)
• Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash (Nintendo DS, 2007)
• Godzilla: Unleashed (PS2, 2007)
• Godzilla Defense Force (2019)
• Godzilla Battle Line (2021)

Literature

• Godzilla at World’s End (1998)
• Godzilla: The Half-Century War (comic, 2012-2013)
• Godzilla: Rulers of Earth (comic, 2013-2015)
• Godzilla: Monster Apocalypse (2017)
• Godzilla: Project Mechagodzilla (2018)

References