Evolution of Godzilla's Looks and Story

Original Appearance

• First Appearance (Atomic Bomb Awakening):
  • Features: Small arms, thick legs, dorsal plates, tiny pupils, fangs, pointy ears
  • End: Disintegrated to bone

Theatrical Appearances

• Godzilla Raids Again:
  • Changes: Thinner, longer arms, smaller head, larger pupils
  • End: Buried
• King Kong vs. Godzilla:
  • Changes: In color, more plump, lizard-like head, yellow eyes, no ears, no fangs
  • End: Tumbles into the ocean
• Mothra vs. Godzilla:
  • Changes: Slimmer, wider head
  • End: Covered in silk, drops into the sea
• Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster:
  • Changes: Slimmer face, longer tongue
  • Role: Starts defending humanity

Evolutions in Original Series

• Invasion of Astro-Monster:
  • Changes: Thinner, more defined dorsal plates, rounder head
  • Events: Shows dance moves, mind controlled by aliens
• Ebirah, Horror of the Deep:
  • Changes: Less angry brows
  • Events: Battles a big lobster, escapes exploding island
• Son of Godzilla:
  • Changes: Elongated neck, pudgy, flimsy dorsal fins, stubby nose, bugged out eyes
  • Events: Raises hideous son
• Destroy All Monsters:
  • Changes: Slimmer, mutilated face
  • Events: Under alien mind control, then turns on them

Continued Appearances

• Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971):
  • Abilities: Can fly backwards
  • Opponent: Pollution monster
• Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972):
  • Abilities: Can speak
  • Changes: Slimmer
• Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973):
  • Changes: Shorter neck, bright dorsal fins, round face
• Subsequent Films:
  • Changes: Angrier expression, detailed muzzle
  • Events: Defends ancient god, faces MechaGodzilla, faces King Ghidorah

Reboots and Further Evolutions

• New Generation (1984):
  • Changes: Taller, larger dorsal fins, four toes, fangs and ears return
  • End: Falls into a volcano
• Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991):
  • Form: Godzillasaurus exposed to radiation
  • End: Dumped into the ocean
• Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992):
  • Changes: Thinner, rearranged dorsal plates, ribbed neck
  • End: Locked in the ocean by Mothra's magic
• Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994):
  • Changes: Bulkier, larger eyes
  • Events: Battles space Godzilla, defeats
• American Godzilla (1998):
  • Features: Mutated iguana, blue dorsal spines, hundreds of offspring

Millennium Series

• Godzilla 2000:
  • Changes: Shorter, green jagged skin, sharp purple spines
• Godzilla vs. Megaguirus:
  • Changes: Lighter, longer neck, smaller mouth
  • End: Sent to a black hole

Modern Reboots

• Shin Godzilla (2016):
  • Changes: Multiple evolutions, blood-red accents
  • End: Frozen to cease evolution
• 2014 American Reboot:
  • Features: Plump, jagged dorsal plates, elephant-like feet, noticeable gills
  • End: Fights off star-crossed lovers
• Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019):
  • Features: Taller, beefier, tail tip more blunt, artfully glowing fins
  • Events: Gains fiery new look and power