TheGodzillafranchise is home to no shortage of iconic movie monsters, from Mothra and Rodan to King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla — and of course, the King of Monsters himself. However, not every kaiju in the series has made quite as big of a splash.
For every monster who becomes a major fixture of theGodzillaseries, there are many more who fade into obscurity after just a single film appearance, becoming mere footnotes in the franchise’s history. However, some of these forgotten kaiju have the potential to become major fan favorites if they’re ever given another chance at greatness. Here are just a few ofthese often-overlooked titanswho deserve a second shot at the spotlight.
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Varan
There are few kaiju in theGodzillaseries who have had as much bad luck as poor Varan. He started out strong with a solo film in 1958 —Varan the Unbelievable, which introduces the titular monster as an ancient mythical creature who emerges to menace humanity. His main claim to fame is being a triphibian, with the power to walk, swim, and fly with equal skill. However, this gimmick wasn’t quite flashy enough to elevate Varan to the same heights as his contemporaries like Rodan and Mothra. His only appearance to date in a properGodzillafilm is a brief cameoin 1968’sDestroy All Monsters. However, that isn’t the full story.
Arguably the most notable thing about Varan is how often he’s come close to making a comeback, only to be left on the cutting room floor. He nearly fought alongside Godzilla against King Ghidorah and Gigan in 1972’sGodzilla vs. Gigan, but was ultimately replaced by Anguirus. Years later, he was the initial choice for Godzilla’s final nemesis in the Heisei era films, but he was eventually replaced by the notorious Destoroyah. And finally, he was meant to fight Godzilla alongside Anguirus inGodzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack— but as the film’s final title indicates, a pair of more famous kaiju wound up filling their spots. After learning how many times Varan has losthis shot at a second chance,it’s almost impossible not to root for him.
Dogora
Arguably the most obscure entry on this list, Dogora has never actually appeared in a properGodzillafilm. Dogora’s 1964 solo film was directed by Ishiro Honda, the same man behind the originalGodzillaand many of its sequels.
Far from the typical kaiju, Dogora isn’t a land-based animalistic creature, but a colossal single-celled organism that hovers menacingly in the skies above, reaching down with its corrosive tendrils to devour all in its path. It’s a truly alien being, and could serve as a fresh new opponent for Godzilla. However, though Dogora has appeared in a couple ofGodzillaspin-offs, it has neverproperly faced the King of Monsters.
Ebirah
One of the top contenders for Godzilla’s least intimidating opponent ever is the title monster of 1966’sEbirah, Horror of the Deep. Unlike more popular villainous kaiju, Ebirah doesn’t have any special powers or distinct personality traits to help him stand out from the crowd. With Ebirah, what you see is what you get: a giant rampaging lobster. He’s not exactly the most impressive foe Godzilla’s faced. Ebirah’s only film appearance after his debut was a minor role in 2004’sGodzilla: Final Wars, in which he’s quickly dispatched by Godzilla.
It may not seem like Ebirah has a lot going for him, but he has plenty of untapped potential. Sea monsters are prominent figures in folklore around the world, and a more menacing take on Ebirah coulddraw on those ancient fears.Even his crustacean appearance could be turned into something creepy and fascinating with the right redesign. He may not have the best track record, but don’t count Ebirah out just yet.
Hedorah
Hedorah is probably the most popular kaiju on this list. He was the main villain of 1971’sGodzilla vs. Hedorah, and he’s remained a fan favorite in both Japan and the west ever since. However, aside from a bit part inFinal Warsand a short film released last year, Hedorah has been largely absent from theGodzillafilms since his debut. Yet despite his lack of appearances, Hedorah has the potential to be one of thegreatest enemies in Godzilla’s rogues’ gallery.
Hedorah begins as a miniscule alien entity who arrives on Earth in a comet, but quickly begins growing in size and power by feeding on humanity’s pollution. Over the course of the film, Hedorah undergoes several stages of development, not unlike the King of Monsters himself inShin Godzilla. Hedorah possesses several impressive abilities, from acidic mist to laser beams to flight. However, his greatest strength is the amorphous toxic sludge that makes up his body, granting him both immense durability and a striking design. Indeed, Hedorah is one of the most deadly and offbeat villains Godzilla’s ever faced — if only he showed up more often.
Battra
Battra was introduced in 1992’sGodzilla vs. Mothraas the evil twinof the benevolent Mothra. Like his nemesis, Battra is a protector of the natural world — but unlike Mothra, Battra believes that Earth will never know peace until all of humanity is exterminated.
As such, Battra is a rare villainous kaiju who possesses noble goals, truly seeking to protect Earth instead of just conquering or destroying it. He even teams up with Mothra in the end, sacrificing his life to help defeat Godzilla. Battra is an interesting foil to Mothra with a stylish design and unique motives, but he still only has one film appearance to his name.
Moguera
Debuting in 1957’sThe Mysterians, Moguera is one of the earliest kaiju in the Godzilla universe, not to mentionits first-ever giant robot.The original Moguera was a rather silly-looking war machine sent to Earth as part of an alien invasion. However, in 1994’sGodzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, Moguera was reinvented as humanity’s latest anti-kaiju weapon, built using salvaged parts from Mechagodzilla.
The new Moguera possesses a massive arsenal of weapons and a sleek new design, but it still retains the bug eyes and drill nose of its past incarnation. However, that only adds to the charm of this underrated robot champion. He may look a bit dorky, but Moguera’s got heart, and it would be a treat to see him make a comeback.
Orga
Evil counterparts to Godzilla are nothing new, from Mechagodzilla to SpaceGodzilla. However, the main villain ofGodzilla 2000providesa new twist on an old trope.Orga begins as a race of squidlike aliens known as the Milennians, who seek to assimilate Godzilla’s DNA into themselves in order to gain the power to conquer Earth. After doing so, they merge together into the monstrous Orga, a flawed facsimile of the King of Monsters.
Orga challenges Godzilla in order to devour him and assimilate his full power, but he’s inevitably defeated. Since then, Orga has never had another film appearance, but he remains a fascinating take on the concept of an evil doppelganger for Godzilla. He definitely has thepotential to become a major villainif he ever receives another starring role.
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