Top 20 Best Godzilla Monsters

#20: Jet Jaguar

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GODZILLA: King of the Monsters EXPLICADA

Imagine getting the chance to design your very own monster for the next Godzilla film. What would you draw? In the early 70s, a contest was held for kids to do just that. The winning entry was a monster called Red Alone, which was renamed Jet Jaguar and debuted in 1973's "Godzilla vs. Megalon." Mind you, it went through an extensive redesign, coming out looking like the titular hero from another famous Japanese franchise, "Ultraman". Is Jet Jaguar the coolest? No...no he's not, but he DOES arrive armed with his own theme song. And his assistance allows Godzilla to deliver one infamous coup de grace on Megalon: a flying drop kick!

Speaking of "Godzilla vs. Megalon," this titular baddie may not be as popular as some of his more famous contemporaries, but he does have his share of fans. Resembling a giant beetle, Megalon is the god of the underground Seatopian civilization. He's not the smartest or toughest Godzilla villain around, and he's soundly beaten by the tag team of Big G and Jet Jaguar. But his hand-drills are definitely cool, and he even spits bombs for some reason? Megalon never again appeared in a Godzilla film, but the character did enjoy a more detailed life in television, novels, comic books and video games.

Compared to the more extravagant monster designs in the franchise, the Gorosaurus is refreshingly down to earth. He's basically an average, everyday dinosaur, a descendent of Allosaurus. Gorosaurus actually debuted in the film "King Kong Escapes," but eventually made his way to duke it out with King Ghidorah in the 1968 monster mash, "Destroy All Monsters." Toho Studios intended the Gorosaurus design as a tribute to the T-Rex that faced off with the original Kong in 1933, and his fighting style is much more basic and realistic. Bites and kicks are Gorosaurus' weapons of choice, although foes shouldn't mistake his lack of superpowers for weakness.

They say everyone has their dark side, but does this also apply to kaiju? Meet Battra, the dark shadow to Mothra's light. He's an old foe of the Moth Queen, having battled her twelve thousand years ago. Defeated, he was sealed away in the North Sea, until the events of the 1992 film, "Godzilla vs. Mothra." Battra's appearance is exactly what you'd imagine a bizarro version of Mothra to look like: he's impeccably marked, but with a face only a moth mother could love. His roar is also harsh and unsettling, as opposed to the more lyrical voice of Mothra. He's another Godzilla franchise monster with a one-and-done cinematic legacy, with Battra only getting the expanded treatment in other forms of media.

The film "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus" is, depending on who you ask, something of a hidden gem from the Millennium era. This is thanks to its surprisingly good effects, as well as the nightmarish appearance of its titular creature. Megaguirus is the mutated queen of the Meganula, a species that first appeared in 1956’s “Rodan”. Her appearance is hideous, incorporating features of both dragonflies and waps, complete with a powerful tail stinger. Megaguirus is an incredibly quick and agile opponent, with a complex fighting pattern and the ability to summon powerful winds by flapping her wings. She's a product of Godzilla's own DNA, as well, making her a doubly dangerous opponent.

The Godzilla franchise has a history of aliens using mind control to make kaiju do their bidding. Titanosaurus was one such creature, an apparently friendly dinosaur that's nevertheless used as a pawn, alongside a new Mechagodzilla, to take down Godzilla. That's not to say that Titanosaurus is a push over, as he's a skilled close quarters combatant, with strong jaws and punches that push even Godzilla to the limit. He also sports a cool, punk rock fin on his head, and is able to whip up huge waves or gusts of wind with his powerful tail. Although "Terror of Mechagodzilla" remains his only major appearance, the impact of Titanosaurus is still remembered fondly by fans of the Showa era films.

The next monster in our list is proof that some kaiju are actually more famous outside of the Godzilla universe. Baragon receives much more focus in the 1965 film "Frankenstein Conquers the World," where he appears as the main antagonist. Elsewhere, the small but hardy horned dino....dog? usually plays second fiddle in his battles alongside and against Godzilla. This isn't to say that Baragon doesn't have plenty of admirers, however, thanks to his spunky personality and comparatively diminutive stature. We'll say it, Baragon is just kind of, well, cute, and we're always rooting for him when he appears in the Godzilla franchise.

#13: King Caesar

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Top 10 Things You Missed in Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Speaking of monsters that resemble man’s best friend, the next monster in our list may be cute and furry, but don't take this royal kaiju guardian for granted. King Caesar aids Godzilla against his battle against Mechagodzilla, summoned into action by his own nifty theme song. Caesar is considerably more agile than other burly monsters in the Godzilla-verse, making him adept at physical combat. This makes up for his lack of major projectile weapons, although he can bounce back energy beams with his eye. In the TV show “Godzilla Island”, he can also fire an electrical beam for long range attacks.

Offering further proof that you just shouldn't mess with nature, Orga was an attempt by aliens to absorb Godzilla's DNA. The result was this unstable and mutated abomination, a huge, somewhat unfinished clone of the G Man, with a hunched gait and huge claws. It's this size that makes Orga such a threat to Godzilla, as he actually attempts to swallow the Big Guy whole, in yet another futile attempt at absorption. This ultimately proves to be his undoing, however, as Godzilla actually lets him attempt it, before blasting him from within with an atomic blast.

#11: King Kong

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Top 10 Things To Remember Before Seeing Godzilla: King of the Monsters

How could we NOT mention Godzilla’s American counterpart, the mighty King Kong? Arguably the second most popular giant monster in history, Kong may not match Godzilla when it comes to size or strength, but he more than makes up for it with intelligence and cunning. Kong is just a natural fighter, able to adapt in combat and utilize tools to get the job done. He knows when he's at a disadvantage, and this aids him not only in his own films, but also his famous 1962 battle with Godzilla. Now, with a fresh 2021 rematch and a popular modern film franchise of his own, this King of the Jungle stands even taller as one of the toughest giant monsters to ever walk the Earth.

Sure, the name might not be particularly inventive, but SpaceGodzilla is nevertheless a memorable kaiju from the Big G Universe. This impressively designed beast is an alien clone of the original Godzilla, and boasts bonus powers such as psychic abilities, and an energy shield that can reflect back Godzilla's fearsome atomic breath. SpaceGodzilla proves to be more than a capable foe for Big G, and even kidnaps (or is that kaiju-naps?) Godzilla's son, imprisoning him in a crystal cage. Sure, he may not have the big name recognition of a Rodan or Mothra, but SpaceGodzilla is a relatively recent Godzilla villain with plenty of personality.

Fans are split as to whether or not 1971's "Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster", also known as “Godzilla vs. Hedorah”, is one of the best or worst films in the franchise. All can agree, however, that it's certainly one of the weirdest. The film is a heady trip of psychedelic visuals, featuring an environmentalist message and one of the strangest antagonist's Big G has ever faced. The titular "Smog Monster," named Hedorah, is a continually evolving, anthropomorphic creature of pollution and sludge that poisons Godzilla with toxins. The beast is pretty disgusting across all of his different forms, and poses a suitable challenge for Godzilla in their final battle. Sadly, Hedorah didn’t come back for future films in the franchise, other than a small cameo in "Godzilla: Final Wars."

Godzilla doesn't always play well with others, but there's one kaiju that's been a friend to him more often than most: Anguirus. This take on an Ankylosaurus actually served as Godzilla's first ever monster opponent in the franchise’s second film, "Godzilla Raids Again," but since then Big G and a new Anguirus seemed to have patched up their past differences. This four legged fighter makes up for his lack of ranged weapons with intelligence, speed and regenerative abilities. Anguirus also has five brains, using them to increase his reaction speed during battle. Anguirus can bite, smash and even roll into a Critter-esque ball of destruction: making him the kind of kaiju you definitely want on your side.

The 1995 film "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah" made headlines worldwide when Toho announced that they were actually going to kill off Godzilla. The demonic Destoroyah is actually a colony of microscopic crustaceans, mutated by the “Oxygen Destroyer” that killed Godzilla in the original 1954 film. Able to take on different forms, he pushes both Godzilla and his newly evolved son to the absolute limit in their encounters. He’s only destroyed when Godzilla’s heart goes into nuclear meltdown… Destoroyah is somewhat unique on this list as he's one of the few kaiju that seems to relish in the destruction he creates. This is reflected in his hideous scowl and surprisingly high pitched, shrill death roar. Ugh, it still gives us chills.

Gigan has been a fan favorite Godzilla monster for years and honestly, can you blame us? The cyborg's design is the product of complete creative overkill, and that's why we love it. He's got hooks for hands (and sometimes chainsaws), a buzzsaw on his stomach, and he even rocks a cool visor! Beyond this, however, Gigan has also proven to be a perennial pain in the ass whenever he squares off with Godzilla. It could be the space monster’s tough exterior, impressive tactical abilities or his dogged persistence, but this creature was always a threat, even making Godzilla bleed for the first time on screen. It's always a party when Gigan shows up.

Time seems to have been kind to 1989's "Godzilla vs. Biollante," with more and more fans appreciating this kaiju's original and tragic origin story. Biollante is the result of DNA splicing between Godzilla cells, a rose, and the DNA of one Erika Shiragami. Erika was the daughter of biological scientist Genichiro Shiragami, who was the victim of a terrorist bombing while working in her lab. Biollante retains uniquely feminine features in her character design, both in rose form and its final crocodilian final form. She also has incredible healing abilities, carnivorous tendrils and an acidic spit projectile with extremely corrosive properties. It's truly a shame she didn't return for more cinematic outings, although Biollante has lived on in other forms of Godzilla media.

This irradiated Pteranodon is one of the most enduring monsters in the Godzilla Universe. Rodan debuted in his own film back in 1956, along with a female mate. He first entered the Godzilla franchise in 1964 with “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster”, and has since appeared in numerous others right up to the present day. Rodan's staying power is likely due to his ultra-cool design as an agile winged assassin, who eventually becomes even more powerful after transforming into Fire Rodan. Godzilla and Rodan seem to butt heads quite often, although the pair can occasionally be convinced to team up against a greater threat. That’s smart, because facing the supersonic winds of Rodan head-on is not a good time.

#3: Mechagodzilla

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Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla

Sometimes, you just gotta fight Godzilla with Godzilla. This giant monster is one of the most stubborn and resilient enemies Godzilla has ever faced, to the point where Big G has almost always needed backup to take it down. Mechagodzilla has something of a convoluted history, sometimes being built by aliens and sometimes by humans. The latter includes Kiryu, the Mechagodzilla created with the bones of the original 1954 Godzilla, and connected to that Godzilla’s spirit. The one constant throughout it all is Mechagodzilla's absolute badassery in combat, thanks to projectile missiles, energy beams, and its nearly impenetrable exterior. This thing is an armada all on its own, and always a challenge.

She's starred in her own film debut, Godzilla entries, and her own spin-off series: she's Mothra and she's ready to rumble. Mothra is the Queen Bee, or make that Moth, of the Godzilla Universe, a creature of beauty that’s also immensely powerful. Depending on the film, she’s armed with lightning, incapacitating silk threads, strong mandibles, and in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” a single deadly stinger. Mothra is one of the few kaiju that's presented as heroic, causing destruction only when provoked, such as when her priestesses, The Shobijin, are kidnapped. Speaking of the Shobijin, fans likely have fond memories of Mothra's theme song that's used to summon her in the films. Mothra is a true original. Before we name our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions! The Mutos Because Two Are Better Than One Ebirah An Early Underwater Enemy for the G-Man Zilla Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing Minilla [aka Minya] Baby Godzilla! M.O.G.U.E.R.A. A Mini-Mechagodzilla

#1: King Ghidorah

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Godzilla: King of the Monsters Explained!

Since his debut in 1964, King Ghidorah’s origin story has changed several times. But whether you know him as a three-headed space dragon, an interdimensional god, or a genetically engineered monster, he’s a fearsome foe and a worthy archnemesis for Godzilla. One of his biggest claims to fame is that he destroyed an entire civilization on Venus. Like Mechagodzilla, Ghidorah seldom loses a fight unless the numbers are stacked against him. That’s in no small part thanks to his devastating gravity beams and triple head attacks. Honestly, just LOOK at him: from the golden scales to the regal horns on his heads, we know a King when we see one.