Godzilla has been a representative of the nuclear holocaust from Japan’s perspective since the creature’s introduction in the 1954 movie that started the longest-running franchise in film history. So, Godzilla has been evil in most of its movies, and one of the biggest surprise hits of the last decade, which turned out amazing despite low expectations, is Godzilla Minus One (2023), because it brings back the original interpretation of Godzilla, and serves as a poignant war drama. However, during the nearly seven-decade-long gap between the two films, the character has been reinterpreted and gone on many adventures involving other kaijus.

Godzilla’s encounters with other creatures introduce an interesting shift in Godzilla’s traditional role in movies – it has become a hero in a few films now. There is an entire series of Godzilla movies today where it has played the traditionally heroic role, fighting an ever-growing list of Godzilla movie villains. The character may have been created to symbolically represent the impact of the nuclear holocaust on Japan, but has often turned into a protector of the very people one would expect it to terrorize. Attacks by other kaijus and extraterrestrial creatures give Godzilla the opportunity to become a hero.

10

Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)

Directed by Ishirō Honda

The imaginative goofiness of some Godzilla movies may turn the stories into laughable affairs, but they are still exciting to watch because the funny shenanigans pair well with the looming presence that the monster has. The perfect example of a goofy Godzilla storyline from the earliest days of the franchise is found in Ishirō Honda’s Invasion of Astro-Monster, where Godzilla is mind-controlled by aliens after humans agree to extend Godzilla’s help in exchange for a cure for cancer.

This whimsical premise of the sequel to Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster sets up one of Godzilla’s biggest triumphs as a hero. It fends off the aliens’ mind control and fights against them after wreaking havoc for a while under their influence. This establishes beyond a doubt that Godzilla has officially become a protector of humanity against all sorts of threats. It also depicts how Godzilla isn’t vengeful, and is willing to fight for humanity, even though the danger was created by their actions in the first place.

9

Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Directed by Ishirō Honda

Among Godzilla’s iconic villains is the man-made mech suit, Mechagodzilla, which can confront Godzilla and hold its own in battle against the kaiju. It is one of Godzilla’s recurring villains, and brings a new level of threat every time it appears in a film. Not only did it come back after Godzilla defeated it, it even joined hands with another monster to fight Godzilla in Terror of Mechagodzilla.

One of the most memorable Godzilla villain team-ups happens between Mechagodzilla and тιтanosaurus in Terror of Mechagodzilla. After a disgraced biologist salvages the remains of the defeated Mechagodzilla, he discovers a way to control the dinosaur-like kaiju, тιтanosaurus. Unfortunately, by the time he realizes the mistake in his ways, there is no stopping his creations, and the responsibility falls upon Godzilla to prevent the destruction of humanity.

8

Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Directed by Jun Fukuda

Not only does Gigan continue facing off against Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Megalon, he has teamed up with the beetle god Megalon. Megalon was introduced as a villain against Godzilla after the Seatopians sent him to respond to the disturbance caused by nuclear testing on the surface world. Megalon also teams up with Jet Jaguar, a human robot who is supposed to guide Megalon through the surface world.

However, Jet soon realizes the stakes and approaches Godzilla for help, who is more than happy to come back and fight Gigan. Godzilla and Jet Jaguar vs Megalon and Gigan is one of the best fights in the franchise, an epic showdown that belongs in the Kaiju Hall of Fame. Godzilla vs. Megalon introduced viewers to the character of Megalon, and also showed how Godzilla, as a protector, is willing to take help from and offer help to other kaiju in need.

7

Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

Directed by Jun Fukuda

Godzilla hasn’t lost many fights with villains, but King Ghidorah has managed to defeat the monster twice, although both victories are debatable. However, Ghidorah, while a major threat to Godzilla, loses more fights than it wins, and the best example is its unsuccessful team-up with Gigan, another recurring major Godzilla villain. Godzilla and Anguirus team up to confront Ghidorah and Gigan in Godzilla vs. Gigan.

The introduction of Gigan is based on an interesting premise – a person working at an amusement park discovers a tape emitting a signal. His employer’s reᴀssurance doesn’t help, and he is soon proved right about his reservations as the signal has called Ghidorah and Gigan to Tokyo. Fortunately for the humans, Godzilla and Anguirus also heard the signal and showed up with a strong defense against the duo.

6

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

Directed by Jun Fukuda

Jun Fukuda’s time directing Godzilla movies permanently changed the franchise and introduced some of the kaiju’s most iconic villains. However, none of them has a bigger significance than Mechagodzilla, introduced in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. After humans discover a rare metal whose origins seem extraterrestrial, the protector Godzilla suddenly turns on the people, to everyone’s despair.

However, the real Godzilla soon emerges to fight this creature, revealing that it is a man-made replica. With the aid of King Caesar, Godzilla finally beats Mechagodzilla after a grueling battle that proves once again how far Godzilla is willing to go to protect people. The interesting thing about Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is that Godzilla becomes the hero against a monster resembling it, sent by beings from another planet. It suggests the aliens who sent Mechagodzilla are exploiting people’s fear that Godzilla could turn on them.

5

Godzilla (2014)

Directed by Gareth Edwards

The Hollywood Godzilla movies may not hold up to the standards of the classic vintage Japanese kaiju films, but they are strong stories with interesting reinterpretations. The first of them, made in the modern era, a little over a decade ago, reinvents the kaiju as a protector of the people. He’s not even an anti-hero, let alone a villain, as he makes every effort to reduce loss of humanity and human infrastructure when hunting down his villains.

Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla is a classic creature feature, a beautifully made blockbuster that explores the helplessness of humans in the face of destruction brought by creatures later branded by the Monsterverse as тιтans. Its focus on the very human story of a man trying to uncover the truth behind his wife’s mysterious death provides a perspective that adds a level of reliability to an otherwise large-scale film with stakes that usually feel too big to comprehend.

4

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Directed by Yoshimitsu Banno

One of the most horrifying Godzilla movies of all time is Godzilla vs. Hedorah, which introduced an intriguing villain who has a symbolic significance in the relationship between humans and Godzilla. Hedorah was a microscopic extraterrestrial enтιтy when it entered Earth, but it gradually fed on the pollution caused by humans to turn into a gigantic monster that kills more humans in its wake than one can count.

Symbolically, Godzilla is fighting the consequences of human actions to protect humanity from itself. There is no better evidence to prove Godzilla’s new role as the protector of humanity. In fact, he has to rely on help from the humans, resulting in a humorous moment when the latter fails to come through in a timely manner.

3

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)

Directed by Takao Okawara

Rodan is now a villain in the Monsterverse, but ever since his first introduction, Rodan has been an ally of Godzilla. The biggest moment of allyship came in the form of his sacrifice that helped Godzilla beat Mechagodzilla in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. Rodan has one of the most powerful arcs in the 1993 film, as he is driven by his wish to protect his brother in the face of a seemingly certain fatality. Moreover, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II flips the script on the original dynamic between Godzilla and humans, as humans steal the egg of Godzilla, thus providing a rare justification for his invasion of Japan.

Not only does Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II reintroduced Rodan and Mechagodzilla in the ’90s, but it also rewrote the backstories of both iconic characters. The humans recover the remains of Mecha-King Ghidorah to create Mechagodzilla, in the monster’s strongest form until then. This culminates in a surprisingly emotional finale involving Rodan, Godzilla, and Mechagodzilla.

2

Destroy All Monsters (1968)

Directed by Ishirō Honda

It is a rare phenomenon for a classic-era Godzilla film to depict not just Godzilla but also most kaiju monsters in the franchise as heroes. 1968’s Destroy All Monsters introduced a premise where every kaiju on Earth turns into a hero after initially being relocated to a secure island where they can live in peace and leave humans out of their scuffles.

However, after a group of aliens unleashes various monsters at important locations in the world to initiate a hostile takeover, all the monsters on the island enter residential areas to fight off the extraterrestrial monsters. Moreover, they choose to return to the island after they have successfully rid the Earth of the attacking monsters, thus proving that they have actually changed their view of humanity, and have become protectors.

1

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

Directed by Ishirō Honda

Ishirō Honda forever changed Godzilla in 1964 after introducing the new monster, the three-headed King Ghidorah, whose existence gives Godzilla its first arc as a hero. Not only does Godzilla take on a heroic role, it joins hands with one of its iconic villains, Mothra. Mothra, Rodan, and Godzilla all unite to fight away King Ghidorah, who threatens to destroy the Earth as we know it.

Rodan and Godzilla put aside their differences after Mothra makes an impᴀssioned plea to them to unite and face King Ghidorah. Godzilla is expected to behave like a villain, but Mothra is able to convince him to reconsider, since the planet that King Ghidorah threatens is home to Godzilla, as well as humans. It’s been over six decades since Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, but the trend it started of featuring Godzilla as a hero is far from finished today.