Editing Godzilla (section)

=== Characterization ===
<!-- This article was pared-down and heavily rewritten because it was a bloated with unsourced information and written in an inappropriate in-universe tone. Brevity is the soul of wit, please do not copy/paste information from Wikizilla or remove citations. -->
<!--[[File:Godzilla 1954-2014 incarnations.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.35|Every film incarnation of Godzilla between 1954 and 2017]]-->
Within the context of the Japanese films, Godzilla's exact origins vary, but it is generally depicted as an enormous, violent, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation.<ref>{{cite news|author=Peter Bradshaw |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2005/oct/14/6 |title=Godzilla &#124; Culture |newspaper=The Guardian |date=October 14, 2005 |access-date=September 25, 2013 |location=London}}</ref> Although the specific details of Godzilla's appearance have varied slightly over the years, the overall impression has remained consistent.<ref>Biondi, R, "The Evolution of Godzilla – G-Suit Variations Throughout the Monster King's Twenty-One Films", ''G-Fan'' #16, July/August 1995</ref> Inspired by the fictional ''[[Rhedosaurus]]'' created by animator [[Ray Harryhausen]] for the film ''[[The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms]]'',<ref>Greenberger, R. (2005). ''Meet Godzilla''. Rosen Pub. Group. p. 15. {{ISBN|1404202692}}</ref> Godzilla's character design was conceived as that of an [[Semiaquatic|amphibious]] reptilian monster based around the loose concept of a dinosaur<ref>Kishikawa, O. (1994), ''Godzilla First, 1954 ~ 1955'', Big Japanese Painting, ASIN B0014M3KJ6</ref> with an erect standing posture, scaly skin, an anthropomorphic torso with muscular arms, lobed bony plates along its back and tail,<!-- Oxford comma used to separate list from combination --> and a furrowed brow.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Think Godzilla's Scary? Meet His Lawyers|url=https://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2008/11/godzilla-terror/|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|access-date=May 21, 2013|first=David|last=Kravets|date=November 24, 2008}}</ref>

Art director [[Akira Watanabe (art director)|Akira Watanabe]] combined attributes of a ''[[Tyrannosaurus]]'', an ''[[Iguanodon]]'', a ''[[Stegosaurus]]'' and an alligator<ref>{{cite news|title=Godzilla arouses atomic terror|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-08-28-godzilla-dvd_x.htm|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|access-date=May 30, 2013|first=Mike|last=Snider|date=August 29, 2006}}</ref> to form a sort of blended [[Chimera (mythology)|chimera]], inspired by illustrations from an issue of [[Life (magazine)|''Life'']] magazine.{{sfn|Tsutsui|2003|p=23}} To emphasize the monster's relationship with the atomic bomb, its skin texture was inspired by the [[keloid]] scars seen on the [[Hibakusha|survivors of Hiroshima]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Gojira|url=https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/384918|publisher=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date=June 2, 2013}}</ref> The basic design has a reptilian visage, a robust build, an upright posture, a long tail and three rows of serrated plates along the back. In the original film, the plates were added for purely aesthetic purposes, in order to further differentiate Godzilla from any other living or extinct creature. Godzilla is sometimes depicted as green in comics, cartoons, and movie posters, but the costumes used in the movies were usually painted charcoal gray with bone-white dorsal plates up until the film ''[[Godzilla 2000|Godzilla 2000: Millennium]]''.<ref name="godziszewski">''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSARjZ0OXc Making of the Godzilla Suit!]''. Ed Godziszewski. ''YouTube'' (December 24, 2010)</ref>

In the original Japanese films, Godzilla and all the other monsters are referred to with [[gender-neutral pronoun]]s equivalent to "it",{{sfn|Tsutsui|2003|p=12}} while in the English dubbed versions, Godzilla is explicitly described as a male. In his book, Godzilla co-creator [[Tomoyuki Tanaka]] suggested that the monster was probably male; but also suggested that the original 1954 version could have been female<!--Currently, Godzilla is considered to be a male, apparently due to its caring behavior and attitude towards Minya. However, since animals can not reproduce without males and females, is there a female Godzilla somewhere? Perhaps it was the female that destroyed Tokyo first, and was defeated by Oxygen Destroyer ……. 

(現在のゴジラは、そのあばれかたや、ミニラに接する態度などから見て、どうやらオスだと考えられる。しかし、動物はオスとメスがなければ、繁殖できないから、どこかにメスゴジラがいるのではないだろうか。

もしかしたら、最初に東京を破かいして、オキシジェン•デストロイヤーに倒されたのが、メスだったかもしれない……が。)-->.<ref name="Tanaka">{{Cite book |last=Tanaka |first=Tomoyuki |url=https://mykaiju.com/an-introduction-to-godzilla-2/ |title=Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction |publisher=[[Shogakukan]] |year=1984 |isbn=4-09-220142-7 |edition=14th |publication-date=November 20, 1996 |pages=18, 30, 117, 120 |quote= |orig-date=July 15, 1984}}</ref> In the 1998 film ''[[Godzilla (1998 film)|Godzilla]]'', the monster is referred to as a male and is depicted laying eggs through [[parthenogenesis]].{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=336}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/culture/2014/05/godzilla-male-or-female-what-gender-is-the-movie-monster.html|title=Is Godzilla Male or Female?|last=Harris|first=Aisha|work=Slate|date=May 16, 2014|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=May 2, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502225708/https://slate.com/culture/2014/05/godzilla-male-or-female-what-gender-is-the-movie-monster.html}}</ref> In the [[Monsterverse|Legendary Pictures ''Godzilla'']] films, Godzilla is specified as a male.<ref name="/Film Gender">{{cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/1746895/godzilla-gender-kaiju-male-female/|title=Godzilla's Gender: Is The Iconic Kaiju Male Or Female?|first=Ryan|last=Scott|work=[[/Film]]|date=December 31, 2024|access-date=January 1, 2024|url-status=live|archive-date=January 1, 2025|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250101200156/https://www.slashfilm.com/1746895/godzilla-gender-kaiju-male-female/}}</ref>

For the English translations for the ''[[Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again]]'' novellas, writer [[Jeffrey Angles]] settled on male pronouns for Godzilla, stating that "Kayama [writer of the original novellas] thought about Godzilla as a stand-in for the nuclear bomb, and it was men in America who were developing the hydrogen bombs that frightened Japan so much in 1954. So maybe it's perhaps not inappropriate to call Godzilla 'he'." Angles also noted that Toho prefers to keep Godzilla and their other ''kaiju'' characters as gender-neutral as they see them more as objects akin to natural disasters.<ref name="/Film Gender"/>

Godzilla's allegiance and motivations, as well as its level of intelligence, have changed from film to film to suit the needs of the story. Although Godzilla does not like humans,<ref>''[[Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster]]'' (1964). Directed by [[Ishirō Honda]]. [[Toho]].</ref> it will fight alongside humanity against common threats. However, it makes no special effort to protect human life or property<ref>''[[Godzilla: Unleashed]]'' – Godzilla 2000 character profile</ref> and will turn against its human allies on a whim. It is generally not motivated to attack by predatory instinct; it does not usually eat people<ref name="penny"/> and instead sustains itself on nuclear radiation<ref>''[[The Return of Godzilla]]'' (1985). Directed by [[Koji Hashimoto (director)|Koji Hashimoto]]. [[Toho]]</ref> and an omnivorous or piscivorian diet consisting especially of [[cetaceans]] and large fish.<ref>Milliron, K. & Eggleton, B. (1998), ''Godzilla Likes to Roar!'', Random House Books for Young Readers, {{ISBN|0679891250}}</ref><ref name=Tanaka /> When inquired if Godzilla was "good or bad", producer [[Shōgo Tomiyama]] likened it to a [[Shinto]] "God of Destruction" which lacks moral agency and cannot be held to human standards of good and evil. "He totally destroys everything and then there is a rebirth. Something new and fresh can begin."<ref name="penny"/> [[Tomoyuki Tanaka]] noted in his book that Godzilla and humanity can become temporary allies against greater threats, but they are essentially enemies due to the difficulty to co-exist.<ref name=Tanaka />

====Abilities====
[[File:Godzilla King of the Monsters (1956) Atomic ray.png|thumb|Godzilla's atomic heat beam, as shown in ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)]]
[[File:KK v G trailer (1962).png|thumb|right|Godzilla battles [[King Kong#King Kong (Toho)|King Kong]] in ''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' (1962). This film attracted the highest Japanese box office attendance figures in the entire ''Godzilla'' series to date.<ref>{{cite web|title=キングコング対ゴジラ＜高画質版＞|url=http://www.nihon-eiga.com/program/detail/nh10005863_0001.html|website=nihon-eiga.com|publisher=Nihon Eiga Broadcasting Corp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016003938/http://www.nihon-eiga.com/program/detail/nh10005863_0001.html|archive-date=October 16, 2014|language=Japanese|access-date=June 20, 2022}}</ref>]]

Godzilla's signature weapon is its "atomic heat beam" (also known as "atomic breath"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://movieweb.com/godzilla-king-of-the-monsters-poster-2/ |title=Godzilla Blasts His Atomic Breath in Stunning King of the Monsters Poster |first=Ryan |last=Scott |website=[[MovieWeb]] |date=April 18, 2019 |access-date=July 10, 2019}}</ref>), nuclear energy that it generates inside of its body, uses electromagnetic force to concentrate it into a laser-like high velocity projectile and unleashes it from its jaws in the form of a blue or red radioactive beam.<ref name="ReferenceA">''An Anatomical Guide to Monsters'', Shoji Otomo, 1967</ref> Toho's special effects department has used various techniques to render the beam, from physical gas-powered flames<ref>{{cite AV media|title=Interview with Haruo Nakajima|work=Godzilla – Criterion Collection 2012 Blu-ray/DVD Release}}</ref> to hand-drawn or computer-generated fire. Godzilla is shown to possess immense physical strength and muscularity. Haruo Nakajima, the actor who played Godzilla in the original films, was a [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belt]] in judo and used his expertise to choreograph the battle sequences.<ref>''The Art of Suit Acting'' – Classic Media [[Godzilla Raids Again]] DVD featurette</ref>

Godzilla is [[Semiaquatic|amphibious]]: it has a preference for traversing Earth's [[hydrosphere]] when in hibernation or migration, can breathe underwater due to pore-shaped [[gill]]s<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name=Tanaka /> and is described in the original film by the character Dr. Yamane as a [[transitional form]] between a marine and a terrestrial reptile. Godzilla is shown to have great vitality: it is immune to conventional weaponry thanks to its rugged hide and ability to [[Regeneration (biology)|regenerate]],<ref>''[[Godzilla 2000]]'' (1999). Directed by [[Takao Okawara]]. [[Toho]].</ref> and as a result of surviving a nuclear explosion, it cannot be destroyed by anything less powerful. One incarnation possesses an electromagnetic pulse-producing organ in its body which generates an asymmetrical permeable shield, making it impervious to all damage except for a short period when the organ recycles.<ref>''[[Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters]]'' (2017)</ref>

Various films, non-canonical television shows, comics, and games have depicted Godzilla with additional powers, such as an atomic pulse,<ref name="GvKG">''[[Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah]]'' (1991). Directed by [[Kazuki Ōmori]]. [[Toho]]</ref> magnetism,<ref name="GvMG">''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla]]'' (1974). Directed by [[Jun Fukuda]]. [[Toho]]</ref> precognition,<ref name="GvB">''[[Godzilla vs. Biollante]]'' (1989). Directed by [[Kazuki Ōmori]]. [[Toho]]</ref> fireballs,<ref>''[[Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee]]'' (2002). [[Pipeworks Software]]</ref> convert electromagnetic energy into intensive body heat,<ref>[[Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle]] (2018)</ref> converting shed blood into temporary tentacle limbs,<ref>''[[Godzilla Singular Point]]'', Episode 9 (2021)</ref> an electric bite,<ref>''CR Godzilla Pachinko'' (2006). Newgin</ref> superhuman speed,<ref>''[[Zone Fighter]]'' (1973). Directed by [[Ishirō Honda]] et al. [[Toho]]</ref> laser beams emitted from its eyes<ref>''[[Godzilla (1978 TV series)]]'' (1978). Directed by [[Ray Patterson (animator)|Ray Patterson]] and [[Carl Urbano]]. [[Hanna-Barbera Productions]]</ref> and even flight.<ref name="GvH">''[[Godzilla vs. Hedorah]]'' (1971). Directed by [[Yoshimitsu Banno]]. [[Toho]]</ref>

====Roar====
Godzilla has a distinctive disyllabic roar (transcribed in several comics as ''Skreeeonk!''),<ref>Stradley, R., Adams, A., et al. ''Godzilla: Age of Monsters'' (February 18, 1998), Dark Horse Comics; Gph edition. {{ISBN|1569712778}}</ref><ref>Various. ''Godzilla: Past Present Future'' (March 5, 1998), Dark Horse Comics; Gph edition. {{ISBN|1569712786}}</ref> which was created by composer [[Akira Ifukube]], who produced the sound by rubbing a pine tar-resin-coated glove along the string of a [[Double bass|contrabass]] and then slowing down the playback.<ref name="npr"/> In the American version of ''Godzilla Raids Again'' (1955) titled ''Gigantis the Fire Monster'' (1959), Godzilla's roar was mostly substituted with that of the monster [[Anguirus]].{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=74}} From ''[[The Return of Godzilla]]'' (1984) to ''[[Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah]]'' (1991), Godzilla was given a deeper and more threatening-sounding roar than in previous films, though this change was reverted from ''[[Godzilla vs. Mothra]]'' (1992) onward.<ref>David Milner, [http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/okawar.htm "Takao Okawara Interview I"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224172354/http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/okawar.htm |date=February 24, 2021 }}, ''Kaiju Conversations'' (December 1993)</ref> For the 2014 American film, sound editors Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl refused to disclose the source of the sounds used for their Godzilla's roar.<ref name="npr">{{cite news|last1=NPR Staff|title=What's In A Roar? Crafting Godzilla's Iconic Sound|newspaper=NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/05/18/312839612/whats-in-a-roar-crafting-godzillas-iconic-sound|publisher=National Public Radio|access-date=September 7, 2015}}</ref> Aadahl described the two syllables of the roar as representing two different emotional reactions, with the first expressing fury and the second conveying the character's soul.<ref name="ew">{{cite magazine|last1=Ray|first1=Amber|title='Godzilla': The secrets behind the roar|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2014/05/22/godzilla-roar-interview-timeline-video|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 22, 2014|access-date=May 19, 2016}}</ref>

====Size====
[[File:Godzilla (1954) Teizô Toshimitsu.jpg|thumb|left|Teizō Toshimitsu sculpting a prototype for Godzilla's design]]
Godzilla's size is inconsistent, changing from film to film and even from scene to scene for the sake of artistic license.<ref name="penny">{{cite web|url=http://www.pennyblood.com/godzilla2.html |title=Godzilla Stomps into Los Angeles |last=Schaefer |first=Mark |work=Penny Blood |date=November 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050203181104/http://www.pennyblood.com/godzilla2.html |archive-date=February 3, 2005}}</ref> The miniature sets and costumes were typically built at a {{frac|1|25}}–{{frac|1|50}} scale<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gvsdestoroyah.dulcemichaelanya.com/Bsmodels.htm |title=Godzilla |publisher=Gvsdestoroyah.dulcemichaelanya.com |access-date=September 25, 2013}}</ref> and filmed at 240 frames per second to create the illusion of great size.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/hitech/godzilla/godzilla03.html |title=Amazing and Interesting Facts about Godzilla Special Effects – Special Effects in Godzilla Movies – Hi-tech – Kids |publisher=Web Japan |access-date=September 25, 2013}}</ref> In [[Godzilla (1954 film)|the original 1954 film]], Godzilla was scaled to be {{convert|50|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} tall.{{sfn|Lees|Cerasini|1998|p=124}} This was done so Godzilla could just peer over the largest buildings in Tokyo at the time.{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=27}} In the [[Godzilla, King of the Monsters!|1956 American version]], Godzilla is estimated to be {{convert|400|ft|m|1|abbr=on|order=flip}} tall, because producer [[Joseph E. Levine]] felt that 50 m did not sound "powerful enough".{{sfn|Tsutsui|2003|p=54-55}}

As the series progressed, Toho would rescale the character, eventually making Godzilla as tall as {{convert|100|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Lees|Cerasini|1998|p=125}} This was done so that it would not be dwarfed by the newer, bigger buildings in Tokyo's skyline, such as the {{convert|243|m|ft|0|adj=mid|-tall}} [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building]] which Godzilla destroyed in the film ''Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah'' (1991). Supplementary information, such as character profiles, would also depict Godzilla as weighing between {{convert|20,000|and|60,000|metric ton|short ton|-1}}.{{sfn|Lees|Cerasini|1998|pp=124–125}}

In the American film ''[[Godzilla (2014 film)|Godzilla]]'' (2014) from [[Legendary Pictures]], Godzilla was scaled to be {{convert|355|ft|m|1|abbr=on|order=flip}} and weighing {{convert|90,000|short ton|metric ton|-1}}, making it the largest film version at that time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Godzilla Ultimate Trivia|url=http://www.themoviebit.com/2014/04/godzilla-ultimate-trivia.html|publisher=The Movie Bit|access-date=May 21, 2014|archive-date=June 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606203438/http://www.themoviebit.com/2014/04/godzilla-ultimate-trivia.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Director [[Gareth Edwards (filmmaker)|Gareth Edwards]] wanted Godzilla "to be so big as to be seen from anywhere in the city, but not too big that he couldn't be obscured".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movietribute.com/874/new-godzilla-is-350-feet-tall-biggest-godzilla-ever/|title=The New Godzilla is 350 Feet Tall! Biggest Godzilla Ever!|last=Owusu|first=Kwame|work=MovieTribute|date=February 28, 2014|access-date=February 20, 2018|archive-date=August 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830223625/http://www.movietribute.com/874/new-godzilla-is-350-feet-tall-biggest-godzilla-ever/|url-status=dead}}</ref> For ''[[Shin Godzilla]]'' (2016), Godzilla was made even taller than the Legendary version, at {{convert|118.5|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=2016年新作『ゴジラ』 脚本・総監督：庵野秀明氏＆監督：樋口真嗣氏からメッセージ |url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/special/47834/ |website=oricon.co.jp |access-date=April 1, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://augustragone.blogspot.com/2015/12/japanese-press-reveals-shin-godzillas.html|title=Japanese Press Reveals Shin Godzilla's Size|last=Ragone|first=August|work=The Good, the Bad, and Godzilla|date=December 9, 2015|access-date=February 20, 2018}}</ref> In ''[[Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters]]'' (2017), Godzilla's height was increased further still to {{convert|300|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Miska |first1=Brad |title=The Latest Godzilla is Three Times the Size of its Predecessors! |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3476184/latest-godzilla-three-times-size-predecessors/ |website=Bloody Disgusting |date=December 27, 2017 |access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref> In ''[[Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019 film)|Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'' (2019) and ''[[Godzilla vs. Kong]]'' (2021), Godzilla's height was increased to {{convert|393|ft|m|1|abbr=on|order=flip}} from the 2014 incarnation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/godzilla-size-chart-comparison-king-monsters-ghidorah-1439644|title='Godzilla' Size Chart Shows How Much the 'King of Monsters' Has Grown Over the Years|first=Andrew|last=Whalen|work=[[Newsweek]]|date=May 30, 2019|access-date= February 16, 2022|url-status=live|archive-date=February 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216194754/https://www.newsweek.com/godzilla-size-chart-comparison-king-monsters-ghidorah-1439644}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/godzilla-vs-kong-who-will-win/|title='Godzilla vs. Kong' Tale of the Tape: Who Ya Got?|first=Vinnie|last=Mancuso|work=Collider |date=March 29, 2021|access-date= February 16, 2022|url-status=live|archive-date= February 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216193641/https://collider.com/godzilla-vs-kong-who-will-win/amp/}}</ref>