Meganulon (Rodan)

Template:Tabber2Showa Template:Infobox MonsterMeganulon (メガヌロン,   Meganuron^?), also known as Meganula (メガニューラ,   Meganyūra^?), are giant Paleozoic dragonfly kaiju created by Toho, that first appeared in the 1956 Toho film, Rodan.

Name

The Meganulons' name comes from Meganeura, a species of extinct dragonflies from the Carboniferous period approximately 300 million years ago.

Roar

Meganulon's chirps were erroneously used for Mothra Larva's cry in the Japanese Mothra vs. Godzilla trailer.

Origins

Presumably, the Meganulons, like Rodan, are from the Cretaceous Period. They were awakened by mining operations in Kitamatsu village, Kumamoto Prefecture.

History

Showa Series

Rodan

Meganulon in Rodan

In this film, the Meganulon are a species of prehistoric dragonfly nymph. They escaped a mass extinction in the past by burrowing underground. The Meganulon in this film were awoken by volcanic activity at Mount Aso, and entered a coal mine that was nearby. There they attacked first two miners, Yoshi and Goro. Both were supposedly killed by the giant dragonfly nymphs' pincers before Yoshi's body was recovered by colliery engineer Shigeru Kawamura and his fellow miners, but Goro was still missing. An investigation was immediately set into place by the authorities, trying to resolve both the murder weapon and the murderer. The authorities returned to the mine shaft where Yoshi's body was uncovered, dispatching a police officer and two miners, to try and locate Goro. However, the three meet a untimely demise at the claws of another Meganulon that is hiding below the water which has leaked into the area.

The death toll of a police officer and two miners and still missing whereabouts of Goro prompt suspicion that the missing miner is in fact behind the series of killings. A hunch which is quickly dismissed as one of the Meganulons ventures out of the mine and enter the local mining village of Kitamatsu and attack Goro's survived sister, Kiyo and her fiance, Shigeru, who flee to get help. Shortly after, the police arrive on the scene and ineffectively try to shot the giant insect down while it bids a hasty retreat back to its lair. The police are quick to pursue towards the mountain and open fire at one of Meganulon with their handguns with no effect against the thick carapace of the ravenous insect, until Meganulon pounced and killed two officers who advance too close before returns to the mine shaft, killing more innocents along the way.

With the killer finally revealed, and the seriousness of the situation grasped, the self defense force is quickly dispatched to the area to exterminate the threats. Armed with mountable machine guns, a few regiments of soldiers, along with Shigeru, march into the mine to hunt down the creatures. While searching for the Meganulon, Shigeru enter the deepest part of the mine shaft and finally found the butchered Goro's corpsed body that was laying on the floor of the mine as one of Meganulons start to emerge to fend off the intruders. The military open fire at the creature with the machine gun fire, but still ineffective as the carapace, once again, deflects the bullets. Meganulon chases after the humans back to the mine shaft before Shigeru manage to killed one of the Meganulon by releasing a mine cart loaded with coal, which rolls down the shaft and collides with the insect, crushing its exoskeleton and killing it. But another Meganulon emerges and attacks Shigeru, who had been trying to retrieve Goro's corpse. An earthquake then strikes causing the tunnel to begin caving in, killing another Meganulon and trapping Shigeru in the mine.

Shigeru able to regain conscious after he survived the cave-in and only realize that he is now trapped inside the Meganulon's lair, surrounded by hundreds of Meganulons, where he discovered that the Meganulon weren't the only creatures that are awakened by the atomic weapon test, but also a giant egg that was sitting right in the middle of the cave as the egg sudden began to stir and hatches into the gigantic pterosaur known as Rodan. Rodan proceeds to eat the entire group of Meganulons in the cave until it has enough strength to break through the ground and fly away.

Millennium Series

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

Meganulon in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

The Meganulon were prehistoric insects that were released into the modern world through a black hole experiment. A giant dragonfly flew through a black hole and laid an egg in the forest, which was discovered and taken home by a young boy. The boy dumped the egg into the sewers of Tokyo when it started to ooze. The egg hatched into several Meganulons, which flooded the city and attacked and ate several citizens before molting into Meganula.

Meganula

Meganula in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

The Meganula (メガニューラ^?, Meganyūra) were the second form of the Meganulon. They attacked Godzilla to steal his energy for their queen. Godzilla managed to kill most of the Meganula, but some escaped with his energy. They flew to Tokyo and gave the energy to Megaguirus, dying in the process.

Video games

Godzilla (2014 video game)

The larvae of an ancient insect that emerged from a coal mine at the foot of Mt. Aso. Breeding in underground caves, the Meganulon feed on the humans around the coal mine one after another. Despite their hard exoskeletons that are impervious to bullets, they are a staple in the diet of the Pterosaur descendant, Rodan. Although they were brought back to life by the volcanic activity of Mt. Aso, the Meganulon were ultimately devoured by the hatchling Rodan.

The ancient insect Meganulon in "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus" (2000) lived in an ancient lake 300 million 5 thousand years ago, but they were thrust into the present day due to side effects from ground tests of the anti-Godzilla weapon Dimension Tide. They nested in Shibuya's underground water veins as they preyed on nearby residents.

The original Meganulon full-body costume was about 4.5 meters long and operated by three stuntmen. The Meganulon fed to the hatchling Rodan were actually crayfish dressed up in miniature-sized costumes.

― Meganulon Kaiju Guide bio

Meganulon in Godzilla: Kaiju Collection

Comics

Godzilla: Rulers of Earth

In Rulers of Earth #17, Lucy Casprell and her team travel to Brazil, where a large number of Meganulon eggs have been uncovered in a nearby rainforest. As Lucy and her team investigate the eggs, the Meganulons hatch and attack all of the humans in the area. As the Meganulons move into Sao Paulo, Godzilla and Ebirah suddenly surface and continue their battle. The Meganulons climb onto Ebirah and pierce through his shell while Megaguirus arrives and enters the battle. After Ebirah retreats and Megaguirus captures Godzilla, she brings him to her nest, where hundreds of Meganulons and Meganula surround him. The Meganulons and Meganula climb onto Godzilla and bite into his flesh, drawing blood. Godzilla releases a nuclear pulse, incinerating the insects and destroying the nest.

Godzilla: Cataclysm

In Godzilla: Cataclysm #3, the Meganula arrive in the refugees' village along with Megaguirus in order to feed on Biollante, who is still regenerating from her battle with Godzilla. Mothra arrives to protect Biollante and battles Megaguirus. The Meganula attempt to swarm and bite Mothra, but are knocked away by her wings.

In Other Languages

• Russian: Меганулон

Trivia

• The Meganulon is based on the actual giant prehistoric dragonfly genus Meganeura, which lived during the Carboniferous period. Of course, Meganeura never reached the size of the Meganulons that appeared in Rodan and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus.
• The Meganula are some of the smallest monsters to have ever fought and survived a battle against Godzilla.

List of appearances

Films

Showa era

• Rodan (First appearance)

Millennium series

• Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

Video games

• Godzilla: Save the Earth (Megaguirus's rage attack)
• Godzilla: Kaiju Collection
• Godzilla: The Game (Kaiju Guide)

Comics

• Godzilla: Rulers of Earth
• Godzilla: Cataclysm

References

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