Evolution of Godzilla On Screen

Original Appearance

• First Appearance: Small arms, thick legs, dorsal plates, tiny pupils, fangs, pointy ears
• Story: Attacks Japan, disintegrated to bone

Godzilla Raids Again

• Appearance: Thinner, longer arms, smaller head, larger pupils, teeth jutting out
• Story: Buried in ice

King Kong vs. Godzilla

• Appearance: In color, plump, lizard-like head, yellow eyes, no ears, no fangs
• Story: Faces King Kong, tumbles into ocean

Mothra vs. Godzilla

• Appearance: Slimmer, wider head, wide eyes, smooth shiny brows
• Story: Covered in silk, drops into sea

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster

• Appearance: Slimmer face, longer tongue
• Story: Defends humanity, slimmer with defined dorsal plates, dull claws, rounder head, performs dance moves

Invasion of Astro-Monster

• Appearance: Thinner, more defined dorsal plates, dull claws, rounder head
• Story: Shows new dance moves, alien mind control

Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (Ebirah, Horror of the Deep)

• Appearance: Less angry brows, battles lobster, narrowly escapes exploding island

Son of Godzilla

• Appearance: Elongated neck, pudgier, flimsy dorsal fins, stubbier nose, bugged-out eyes
• Story: Raises a hideous son

Destroy All Monsters

• Appearance: Slimmer, face appears more modified
• Story: Alien mind control again, turns on them

Godzilla vs. Hedorah

• Appearance: Slimmer, detailed muzzle
• Story: Opposes pollution monster, can fly backwards

Godzilla vs. Gigan

• Appearance: Slimmer, suit starts ripping
• Story: Gains ability to speak

Godzilla vs. Megalon

• Appearance: Shorter neck, bright dorsal fins, round pig-nosed face
• Story: Long-distance dropkick

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla & Terror of Mechagodzilla

• Appearance: Angrier expression, more detailed muzzle
• Story: Uses magnetic upgrade, faces Mechagodzilla again

Return of Godzilla (1984)

• Appearance: Taller, larger dorsal fins, fourth toe, fangs, ears return
• Story: Reign is short, falls into volcano

Godzilla vs. Biollante

• Appearance: Small head, muscular build, larger outer fins, cat-like face with secondary row of teeth
• Story: Takes out plant monster

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah

• Appearance: Taller, muscular, angrier
• Story: Bites Mecha King Ghidorah, dumped into ocean

Godzilla vs. Mothra

• Appearance: Thinner, rearranged dorsal plates, more ribbed neck, flattened head, golden eyes
• Story: Battles Mothra and Batra, locked in ocean

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II

• Appearance: Slimmed down shoulders, slimmer legs
• Story: Raising baby Godzilla, defeated and revitalized

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla

• Appearance: Bulkier, less detailed neck, larger eyes
• Story: Battles SpaceGodzilla, son takes mantle

American Godzilla (1998)

• Appearance: Mutated iguana, blue dorsal spines, hanging dewlap
• Story: Has many offspring, taken out by explosives

Godzilla 2000

• Appearance: Shorter, green jagged skin, purple spines, reptilian face
• Story: Nearly swallowed, continues to next reboot

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

• Appearance: Lighter, longer neck, smaller mouth
• Story: Defeats flying insect, sentenced to black hole

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla

• Appearance: Jagged design, wolf-like face
• Story: Blasted by beam, scar on chest

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S

• Appearance: Similar to prior, silk covered, floated to sea

Godzilla: Final Wars

• Appearance: Taller, smoother, more slender, longer ears, red eyes
• Story: Battles many monsters, returns to sea

Shin Godzilla

• Appearance: Light-colored, armless, evolves with tiny arms, red blood accents
• Story: Massive main form with long tail, emits freezing agent

Anime Trilogy

• Appearance: Muscular, tree bark-like texture
• Story: Grows to largest size, ruler of Earth

Godzilla (2014)

• Appearance: Plump, jagged dorsal plates, wide feet, gills
• Story: Stops hideous monsters

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

• Appearance: Taller, beefier, less stubby lower half
• Story: Extra radiation, fiery power upgrade, retains crown