Thanks to a toy leak from an expo, it looks like Mechagodzilla will appear in Godzilla vs. Kong - but Mechagodzilla is a character general audiences may not be familiar with. In classic Toho movies, Mechagodzilla is one of Godzilla’s two biggest enemies, the other being King Ghidorah. Mechagodzilla has appeared in a total of five Toho films. A role in Godzilla vs. Kong would mark the first time an American production has used the mechanical kaiju.

Mechagodzilla would be the fifth Toho kaiju to join the MonsterVerse. Following the release of 2014’s Godzilla, it was announced that Legendary had acquired the licensing rights to King Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra, and that all three would be appearing in the sequel, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Multiple other Titans showed up as well, such as Behemoth, Scylla, a third M.U.T.O., and Methuselah, but these were all original characters. Due to the cost of using Toho properties, King of the Monsters didn’t officially include any surprise Toho monsters (though it did include a skeleton that looked suspiciously liked Anguirus).

It seems that the situation has since changed, and that Legendary may have acquired the rights to Mechagodzilla for Godzilla vs. Kong. Godzilla vs. Kong brings back the King of the Monsters for an epic clash with the King of Skull Island, which is said to be a fight with a definitive winner. The movie’s story will also incorporate Monarch’s investigation into the origin of the Titans in the Hollow Earth tunnels beneath Skull Island. How Mechagodzilla fits in this mystery remains to be seen, but his inclusion suggests that a Godzilla-Kong alliance may be in order.

Mechagodzilla Origin Story

Mechagodzilla’s first appearance came in Toho’s Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla from 1974. When he first came onto the scene, he was disguised as the actual Godzilla. He brutally beat Anguirus, who saw through the facade and exposed him as a fake. As it turns out, the imposter was a giant robot built to resemble Godzilla. He was constructed by apelike aliens from a distant planet for the purpose of conquering Earth.

This is just one version of Mechagodzilla’s origin story. He was reimagined in the 1990s with Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. This time, he was created by humans who wanted to use him to save Tokyo from Godzilla’s rampages. Despite its best efforts to stop Godzilla, Mechagodzilla is destroyed after Rodan fuels Godzilla with his life force.

2001’s Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla added a unique spin on the metal kaiju but kept the basic idea behind his creation from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. In this movie,  the humans built Mechagodzilla using the bones of the Godzilla that was killed by the Oxygen Destroyer in 1954. This version of Mechagodzilla is called “Kiryu”, and is actually treated as the real hero of the movie, which flips the traditional formula of a “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla” story.

Mechagodzilla Powers & Weapons

Mechagodzilla is one of Godzilla’s most fearsome opponents, and for good reason. First of all, the original Mechagodzilla was constructed with a metal called space titanium, which is several times stronger than steel. Mechagodzilla’s reputation as a force to be reckoned with is backed up by the fact that Godzilla hasn’t always been able to beat him alone. He had to have King Caesar at his side in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and it took a heroic sacrifice from Rodan to grant Godzilla the strength needed for a victory in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.

Aside from his immense strength, Mechagodzilla boasts an impressive arsenal of weapons, including a laser cannon that can be fired from his eyes, various types of missiles, and  high-powered beam attacks capable of landing significant damage on Godzilla, and jet boosters that enable him to fly. Mechagodzilla also has several other abilities as well, but most are unique to specific versions of the character. For instance, Kiryu has an energy blade that functions as a sword, high-speed railguns on its wrists, guided missiles, and a hand that can collapse into a drill. The version that appeared in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II featured shock harpoons that nearly killed Godzilla when they struck his second brain. He also had the ability to absorb Godzilla’s atomic breath and convert it to plasma energy, which he can omit back at Godzilla with devastating force.

It should be noted that most of Mechagodzilla’s weapons are long range attacks, which means that Mechagodzilla is always more dangerous to Godzilla when there’s distance between them. Mechagodzilla doesn’t usually hold up well against Godzilla’s brutal assaults in close combat. In most situations, if Godzilla can take away his mobility or keep Mechagodzilla close, he can win.

Mechagodzilla In The MonsterVerse

How will Mechagodzilla be used in the MonsterVerse? It’s possible that even though Godzilla and Kong’s battle is supposed to be the focus of the movie, audiences may see a story that’s similar in premise to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. The two may have to join forces to face down a common foe in Mechagodzilla. Who will be using Mechagodzilla and for what purpose are questions that don’t have answers - yet, but the credits of Godzilla: King of the Monsters may offer an explanation on who builds Mechagodzilla. Carefully hidden in one of the newspaper articles in the credits, is a brief line about Monarch building a “mechanized giant” on Skull Island. This “mechanized giant” may turn out to be Mechagodzilla. Also, this giant’s locations coincides with the setting of Godzilla vs. Kong, since at least part of the movie will take place on Kong’s home.

Whatever Legendary’s plans are for Godzilla vs. Kong, Mechagodzilla will be the first man-made Titan in the MonsterVerse. So far, the MonsterVerse’s Godzilla has only clashed with his own ancient enemies, so Mechagodzilla will pose a new and unique challenge for the King of the Monsters. If Godzilla and Kong do indeed face Mechagodzilla, the movie may revisit the theme of “Man vs. Nature”, which was prevalent in both 2014’s Godzilla and 2019’s King of the Monsters.

More: Godzilla King Of The Monsters’ Missing Titans: Leviathan Explained

  • Godzilla Vs Kong Release Date: 2021-03-31