Board Thread:Monster Discussions/@comment-3542924-20121210031415/@comment-25285745-20140810031604

My top 10 would be:

1. Godzilla. Enough said.

2. Mechagodzilla (All three incarnations). You have to love the Mechagodzillas. The original is a psychotic robotic doppelganger, the second is an amazing destructive instrument of human technology, and Kiryu is an incredible mixture of monster and machine. Mechagodzilla is just the full package, a monster just as strong and powerful as Godzilla, but equipped with tons of weapons and features.

3. Biollante. She's the first monster to actually have Godzilla's DNA besides Godzilla himself (a plot device utilized for several of Godzilla's later foes). What's even more, she is a victim of humanity's scientific hubris and greed. An innocent human whose life was stolen because of science, and who was brought back to life as an abomination of biological science. Not to mention she's both beautiful and horrifying to look at, and she's one of the strongest kaiju in the series.

4. Anguirus. The underdog. He was Godzilla's first enemy, and later his most loyal ally. Sure he takes a lot of crap, and he's one of the most underpowered kaiju. Even so, he never back away from a fight, even if he has no chance. Anguirus is just so lovable, he has to rank high on the list.

5. Mothra. I know, she's overused, overrated, and she's a giant butterfly. Mothra's never been my favorite monster, but you can't deny her fan appeal. She's the most popular kaiju in the series besides Godzilla himself, and she has the highest success rate against the King of any monster. She's also one of three monsters to have already appeared in all four series of Godzilla films (since she is confirmed to be appearing in the Legendary series).

6. King Ghidorah. The first kaiju in the Toho eiga to be legitimately evil. While Godzilla and his co-stars were either forces of nature with no allegiance to humanity or benevolent guardians, Ghidorah was a chaotic intergalactic evil who left death and devastation in his wake. He became the main antagonist of the Godzilla series and appeared in all four series of films, as well as inspiring the creation of other monsters of the Ghidorah species. Though I prefer his Showa portrayal, his Heisei and Millennium incarnations are both amazing too.

7. Rodan. He may not be the most original kaiju, being a giant pteranodon, but it's his character that has made him so memorable. He's just as stubborn and aggressive as Godzilla himself, but when his home or those he cares about are threatened, he isn't afraid to join forces with his enemies to protect them. He was Godzilla's first ally along with Mothra, and he saved the King's life in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 2. Plus, he is one of just three monsters to appear in the Showa, Heisei, Millennium, and Legendary Godzilla film series.

8. Gigan. A giant cybernetic chicken from outer space. He looks weird, he has a very unique array of weapons and attacks, and he has quite a distinct personality. Plus he was the first monster who was actually able to draw blood from Godzilla. I like both his Showa and Millennium designs, but the personality and durability of the Showa incarnation are features I found lacking in the Millennium version.

9. Destoroyah. He looks like a demon, but he is actually just a mutated crab colony. But his demonic appearance is fitting, as he is a nightmarish spawn of the dark side of science. Destoroyah is basically the grim reaper of kaiju, he represents death and destruction. Even though he may not have the arch-enemy status that King Ghidorah possesses, he was able to do something Ghidorah never did: hurt Godzilla emotionally. Destoroyah has a nightmarish arsenal of attacks, and he is a truly cold, unfeeling, merciless creature of bloodshed and mayhem.

10. Monster X/Keizer Ghidorah. Yeah, I know he's not one of the most popular kaiju, and he's basically a ripoff of King Ghidorah with some of Desghidorah's traits. But none of that matters to me. He was a fitting final opponent for the King. He was able to toss what is undoubtedly the strongest incarnation of Godzilla around like a ragdoll. As Monster X, he has all of the strength and combat prowess of Godzilla, making him difficult to fight even in this form. But as Keizer Ghidorah, he is arguably the strongest monster in the Godzilla franchise. Not to mention, he just looks plain badass. A mysterious skeletal creature that transforms into a nightmarish gigantic three-headed dragon of the apocalypse.

So that's my top ten. I know it closely resembles Toho Kingdom's list, but that's only because I think they were dead on in the monsters they chose.