Megalon

Megalon (メガロ, 'Megaro') is a fictional daikaiju (giant monster) featured in the 1973 Japanese tokusatsu film Godzilla vs. Megalon, the 13th Godzilla film produced by Toho. A cockroach/beetle-like arthropod, Megalon is the primary antagonist of the film. Godzilla vs. Megalon is one of the most unpopular and frequently criticised of Godzilla films, and Megalon himself plays no small part in that. Despite this, the character has remained a fixture of the popular imagination.

History
Concealed in the depths of the great lands of Seatopia, a living god sleeps. Laying in slumber within his sculpted frame, an untapped power that is unequalled coleuses. Revered as the symbol of Seatopia's Kingdom, the giant was worshipped daily. But the prayers in his name were never as strong as when the people of the undersea city challenged war against the surface dwellers. Calling and pleading with the creature, they shouted for revenge on the lands of Japan. For their ignorance, the human race will die, and their blood would run in great torrents in flashing rivers. Screaming for their savior, the god awoke and shrieked into the sacred lands. Then, in a blinding act of speed, took to the air, and began his ascension to the surface. It did not take the insect beetle long to tunnel through the layers of rocky strata, and soon he made his presence felt. Attacking with unrelenting fury, tanks, jets, and men met their fates. All being crushed at the burning standards of the rampaging creature.

The road of mankind's survival looked grim, until the intervention of a robot. Originally captured and controlled to lure Megalon to his targets, Jet Jaguar gained freedom. Striping the bonds of his Seatopian controllers, through the help of his creator, the robot grew to a massive size and prepared to battle. Assaulting the armored creature with a fury of punches and kicks, it seemed that the light at the end of the tunnel would be realized. But more tricks were yet to be revealed. Seeing that trouble could arise from their strayed robot, the king of Seatopia quickly sent word to the colony of Nebula Space Hunter M for Gigan. Adding in their struggle, the cyborg arrived on Earth and changed the tide of battle. Double-teaming the hapless Jet Jaguar, the demonic duo was about to literally shred that humanoid machine to pieces, when Godzilla arrived on the scene. Beckoned by the man made machine earlier, the leviathan turned the battle once again and for the final time. Alarmed and fearful, Gigan retreated to space, leaving his ally at the mercy of the terrestrial heroes. Bashing the god a bit more, Megalon finally was given a breather in which he took the opportunity to flee. Diving back beneath the ground, heading back to Seatopia where he has since stayed at bay.

Appearance
Megalon's unique appearance has no doubt contributed to his cultural resonance. Superficially resembling a cross between a cockroach and a rhinoceras beetle, though standing upright, the costume is colourful, combining silver and grey with an orange-and-black carapace and wings. Megalon's forelimbs terminate with two sharp, drill-like appendages, which are never seen to be prehensile, always moving in tune with the monster's arms.

The character also has many abilities. For instance, he can emit lightning from his horn-like appendage, and launch napalm bombs from the mouth. In addition to being able to jump extremely high and take flight, he is able to burrow underground at incredible speeds.

Criticism
Godzilla vs. Megalon is frequently criticised for its poor special effects work and overuse of stock footage from previous Toho efforts. Megalon is no exception; the costume has been criticised by fans as poorly designed and cheap-looking, more befitting a televised Japanese tokusatsu superhero program than the relatively glamorous theatrical production.

The costume's various features have been ridiculed, being likened to a Christmas tree when the film was featured on the comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000, (with Crow T. Robot referring to the drill hands being similar to the tops of the Chrysler building).

All the footage featuring the Megalon costume itself is new, but many of the special effects associated with it are reused footage, such as the destruction of buildings and its battle against the JSDF (footage reused from Godzilla vs. Gigan and War of the Gargantuas, it also caused the scenes to turn from day to night and back in a matter of seconds). In addition, the bolts Megalon shoots from his horn are simply a reuse of an effect used to create the bolts King Ghidorah fired from his mouth in previous films.

Video Games
Even though Megalon only appeared in one film, he remains a popular character, and has appeared in several computer and video games based upon the Godzilla franchise, including Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, Godzilla: Domination, Godzilla: Save the Earth, and Godzilla: Unleashed.

Godzilla Unleashed Bio

Height:88 meters Weight:64,000 tons

"Megalon is a guardian monster of the Seatopians, who live beneath the earth's oceans. Having no special love for human beings, he has once again aligned himself with the alien invaders in hope of eliminating the human population once and for all. Megalon is a very well-rounded combatant, with decent melee, grappling, and ranged capabilities. He has a special affinity for electricity, allowing him to employ lightning and EMP attacks without danger to himself. Megalon's hands are high-speed drills, which allow him to burrow underground or simply gore his opponents in hand-to-hand combat."

Lost Projects
Megalon was originally going to be featured in Godzilla Vs. the Space Monsters: Earth Defense Command (ゴジラ対宇宙怪獣　地球防衛命令, Gojira tai Uchū Kaijū: Chikyū Bōei Meirei), one of the two screenplays that eventually became Godzilla vs. Gigan. It featured Godzilla, Anguirus and the Daimajin-like Majin Tuol fighting King Ghidorah, Gigan and Megalon (the latter two were new monsters). The three evil monsters are controlled by an alien brain called Miko. This script also had a theme park and the Godzilla Tower (which Gigan mistook for the real Godzilla in one scene). Megalon eventually appeared in his own film, Godzilla vs. Megalon.

Megalon, in an unproduced version of Rebirth of Mothra, would be seeking revenge against humans. Being the protector of humanity, Mothra would've had to stop him.

Megalon would also be in an unproduced first draft of Godzilla: Final Wars. The draft had Megalon in the place of Hedorah, and would ally with the aliens and end up being defeated by Godzilla.

Weapons
Can travel underwater at speeds of Mach 4
 * lightning bolts from horn
 * napalm bombs from mouth
 * drill hands enable Megalon to burrow under the earth at mach 2
 * can fly in hops of 10km.
 * Flight at Mach 3

In the Game Boy Advance video game Godzilla: Domination!, the Seatopian beetle god has the power to do a leech probe, in which Megalon grabs on to his opponent and bites them four times, each time hurting the opponent and healing Megalon. This move can only be done if Megalon is next to a enemy. He also has the ability to unleash three blasts of energy from his horn, which will quickly fly around him before slamming into the ground. In the same game, Megalon's napalm bombs are altered to resemble real bombs or naval mines.

In the video game Godzilla: Save the Earth, the Seatopian beetle god has the ability to execute an energy punch and create a damaging arc of energy. As a Rage Attack, Megalon can create a Magnetic Vortex, in which Megalon shuffles his wings and all the monsters get drawn close to him. When one is close he releases a mini-pulse of energy, dealing immense damage.

Trivia

 * Megalon's name is similar to the Transformers' main villain, Megatron, the Deceptions' commander.
 * Despite Megalon's enduring popularity, he has only appeared in one film. (This has, however, not stopped him from staring in many (if not most) Godzilla video games.)
 * Megalon's lightning-firing horn was described by Variety magazine as a "death-dealing electric daisy" when the film was released.
 * Megalon might be the least inteligent of Toho's many kaiju. This is proven by the fact that the creature is easily manipulated by external stimuli. For example, Megalon followed Jet Jaguar simply because he was curious, and he is also very tempermental (as seen when he goes into shock when he loses sight of Jet Jaguar). His battle tactics also seem to be lacking something, as he never once utilizes his lightning horn beam against Godzilla nor Jet Jaguar.  He also seems to enjoy charging at both his enemies headfirst, although all said enemies had to do was simply step out of the way to avoid him. Without Gigan by his side, Megalon would probably not have lasted long during the film's climactic last battle.