Evolution of Godzilla's Looks and Story

1. Introduction

Godzilla has been a cinematic icon since being awakened by atomic bombs. Over the years, his appearance has changed significantly. Here is a detailed chronological overview of Godzilla's evolving look and story.

2. The Original Godzilla (1954)

• Appearance:
  • Small arms
  • Thick legs
  • Dorsal plates down the spine
  • Tiny pupils
  • Fangs
  • Pointy ears
• Story: Attacks Japan, then gets disintegrated to bone

3. Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

• Appearance:
  • Thinner
  • Longer arms
  • Smaller head
  • Larger pupils
  • Teeth jut out in close-ups
• Story: Appears as Gigantis (another name used), gets buried

4. King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)

• Appearance:
  • In color
  • More plump
  • Lizard-like head
  • Yellow eyes
  • No ears, no fangs
• Story: Fights King Kong, tumbles into the ocean

5. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

• Appearance:
  • Slimmer
  • Wider head
  • Wide eyes
  • Smooth shiny brows
• Story: Gets covered in silk and drops into the sea

6. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

• Appearance:
  • Slimmer face
  • Longer tongue
• Story: Starts defending humanity

7. Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)

• Appearance:
  • Thinner
  • Better defined dorsal plates
  • Dull claws
  • Rounder head
• Story: Dances, gets alien mind control

8. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)

• Appearance:
  • Less angry brows
• Story: Battles a giant lobster, narrowly escapes an exploding island

9. Destroy All Monsters (1968)

• Appearance:
  • Slimmer
  • Malformed face
• Story: Faces alien mind control again, then turns on the aliens

10. Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

• Appearance:
  • Ability to fly by curling up
• Story: Opposes a pollution monster

11. Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

• Appearance:
  • Suit/skin starts ripping
• Story: Gains ability to speak

12. Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

• Appearance:
  • Shorter neck
  • Brighter dorsal fins
  • Round pig-nosed face
• Story: Shows long-distance dropkick

13. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

• Appearance:
  • Angrier expression
  • Detailed muzzle
• Story: Uses magnetic upgrade against Mechagodzilla

14. Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

• Appearance:
  • Same as previous
• Story: Faces off Mechagodzilla, retired after movie

15. Return of Godzilla (1984)

• Appearance:
  • Taller
  • Larger dorsal fins
  • Fourth toe, fangs, and ears return
• Story: Trips into a volcano

16. Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

• Appearance:
  • Smaller head
  • Muscular build
  • Larger outer fins
  • Cat-like face with secondary row of teeth
• Story: Fights a giant plant monster

17. Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

• Appearance:
  • Taller
  • More muscular
  • Angrier
• Story: Battles Mecha King Ghidorah

18. Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)

• Appearance:
  • Thinner
  • Rearranged dorsal plates
  • More ribbed neck
  • Flatter head
  • Golden eyes
• Story: Fights Mothra and Batra, again drops into sea

19. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)

• Appearance:
  • Slimmed shoulders and legs
  • Blue-toned baby Godzilla
• Story: His brain is destroyed but revitalized later

20. Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)

• Appearance:
  • Bulkier
  • Less detailed neck
  • Larger eyes
  • Son Godzilla Jr. is taller and chubbier
  • SpaceGodzilla has blue crystals
• Story: Battles SpaceGodzilla

21. Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

• Appearance:
  • Glowing more
• Story: Melts down, son absorbs radiation becoming new Godzilla

22. 1998 American Godzilla

• Appearance:
  • Mutated iguana
  • Blue dorsal spines
  • Hanging dewlap
• Story: Has offspring taken out by explosives

23. Godzilla 2000

• Appearance:
  • Shorter
  • Green
  • Jagged skin
  • Sharp purple spines
  • Reptilian face
• Story: Faces Orga

24. Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)

• Appearance:
  • Lighter
  • Longer neck
  • Smaller mouth
• Story: Battles giant insect

25. Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)

• Appearance:
  • Formed by ghosts
  • Charcoal skin
  • White dorsal fins
  • Hunched neck
  • White eyes, no ears
• Story: Mutilated by drill missile

26. Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

• Appearance:
  • Jagged design
  • Wolf-like face
• Story: Gets scar on chest from beam

27. Tokyo SOS (2003)

• Appearance:
  • Silk-covered
• Story: Floats to sea bottom again

28. Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)

• Appearance:
  • Taller
  • Smoother and slender
  • Long ears
  • Red eyes
• Story: Fights multiple creatures, retires

29. Shin Godzilla (2016)

• Appearance:
  • Light-colored, armless
  • Red accents
  • Long tail with face at the end
• Story: Froze by a freezing agent

30. Godzilla Anime Trilogy (2017-2018)

• Appearance:
  • Muscular
  • Tree bark texture
  • Grows beard-like spikes
• Story: Becomes ruler of Earth after 19,000 years

31. American Godzilla (2014)

• Appearance:
  • Plump
  • Jagged dorsal plates
  • Wide elephant-like feet
• Story: Stops two creatures

32. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

• Appearance:
  • Taller
  • Beefier
  • Blunt tail tip
  • Less sharp dorsal fins
• Story: Gains fiery look and power upgrade