SpaceGodzilla

SpaceGodzilla (スペースゴジラ, Supēsugojira) is a kaiju and also a copy of Godzila that first appeared in Toho's 1994 film Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla.

SpaceGodzilla
Godzilla film series character
First appearanceGodzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
Created by
  • Kensho Yamashita
  • Hiroshi Kashiwabara
Portrayed by
Ryō Haritani
Designed by
  • Shinji Nishikawa
In-universe information
SpeciesMutated Dinosaur/Crystaline Organism

Overview

Development
Early concept art of SpaceGodzilla

The character was designed as a homage to the monster's hinted progenitor Biollante by incorporating tusks and a hissing roar reminiscent of the latter monster.[1] Creature designer Shinji Nishikawa had initially envisioned SpaceGodzilla as a much more Western dragon-like creature with large fin-like wings on the back.[2] Other early designs for the proposed "Astrogodzilla" included it being an albino Godzilla with expansive wings, two tails, and the ability to fire an ice ray. Another design for SpaceGodzilla had the character be a quadruped or a much more Biollante-like monster commanding a horde of cosmic dragonflies.[3] The final design bore greater resemblance to Godzilla's final form from the video game Super Godzilla, itself also designed by Nishikawa.[2] Special effects artist Koichi Kawakita decided to incorporate crystals onto the SpaceGodzilla design, and added a prominent horn on the creature's head in order to hint at its power and imply it had radar abilities.[4]

In its debut film, SpaceGodzilla's origins are left ambiguous, but it is theorized that it was born through Godzilla cells (transported into space either by Mothra or Biollante's spores) being exposed to the radiation of a black hole. SpaceGodzilla heads for Earth and traps Little Godzilla in a crystalline prison, before travelling to Fukuoka and forming a crystal fortress which drains the city of power, channels it through Fukuoka Tower and transfers it to SpaceGodzilla. It is ultimately stopped through the combined efforts of Godzilla and M.O.G.U.E.R.A.[5]

Reception

While the film received mixed reactions, SpaceGodzilla was generally well received. DVD Cult said, "The monster SpaceGodzilla is excellently designed, and is certainly far more menacing than anything Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich ever dreamed up."[6] Toho Kingdom praised his theme music, and said "SpaceGodzilla has a nice, hectic, theme that suits him and works well when used through out the movie,"[7] while Complex listed the character as #11 on its "The 15 Most Badass Kaiju Monsters of All Time" list, calling him "probably the most powerful thing Godzilla has ever faced".[8] However, the character's design was criticized by Godzilla historian Steve Ryfle, who stated that, although evil-looking, it was too evocative of the haphazardly designed monsters of the generally low-quality Godzilla films of the 1970s like Hedorah and Gigan.[9]

Appearances

Film

Video games

Literature

Other games
  • Ikoria: Lair of the Behemoths, a Magic: The Gathering expansion. The promotional card was renamed due to Spacegodzilla's weapon, the Corona Beam, being too similarly named to the concurrent COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

References
  1. Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. pp. 202–09. ISBN 978-0-7864-47-49-7.
  2. David Milner, "Shinji Nishikawa Interview", Kaiju Conversations (December 1995)
  3. Kawakita, Koichi (2012). 平成ゴジラパーフェク [Heisei Godzilla Perfection] (in Japanese). Dengeki Hobby Books. ISBN 4048861190.
  4. David Milne, "Koichi Kawakita Interview I", Kaiju Conversations (December 1994)
  5. Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994). Directed by Kensho Yamashita. Toho
  6. Godzilla Double Feature DVD - dvdcult.com Archived 2008-12-22 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Anthony Romero, "Review: Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)", Toho Kingdom (February 6, 2003)
  8. Josh Robertson, "The 15 Most Badass Kaiju Monsters of All Time", Complex (May 18, 2014)
  9. Ryfle, S. (1998). Japan’s Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. Toronto: ECW Press. pp. 295–6. ISBN 1550223488.
  10. STATEMENT ON SPACEGODZILLA
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