| Hedorah | |
|---|---|
| Godzilla character | |
 Hedorah in land form as portrayed byKenpachiro Satsuma via suitmation inGodzilla vs. Hedorah | |
| First appearance | Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) |
| Last appearance | Chibi Godzilla Raids Again (2023) |
| Created by | Yoshimitsu Banno |
| Portrayed by | Shōwa series Kenpachiro Satsuma Millennium series Kazuhiro Yoshida |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | The Smog Monster |
| Species | Pollutant Monster |
| Forms | Aquatic form Land form Flying form Final form |
Hedorah (ヘドラ,Hedora), also known as theSmog Monster, is a giant monster, orkaiju, who first appeared inToho's 1971 filmGodzilla vs. Hedorah. Hedorah was named forHedoro (へどろ), the Japanese word forsludge, slime, vomit or chemical ooze.
WhereasGodzilla was a symbol of Japanese concerns overnuclear weapons, Hedorah was envisioned as an embodiment ofYokkaichi asthma, caused by Japan's widespreadsmog andurban pollution at the time.[1] DirectorYoshimitsu Banno stated in an interview that his intention in creating Hedorah was to give Godzilla an adversary who was more than just a "giant lobster" and which represented "the most notorious thing in current society". He also stated that Hedorah's vertically tilted eyes were based onvaginas, which he joked were"scary". The monster was originally going to be named "Hedoron", though this changed once the TV seriesSpectreman introduced a character with an identical name.[2]
The monster was realized via various props and a large sponge rubber suit donned by future Godzilla performerKenpachiro Satsuma in his first acting role for Toho.[3] Satsuma had been selected on account of his physical fitness, though he stated later that he had been disappointed to receive the role, as he had grown tired of taking non-speaking roles.[4] In performing as Hedorah, Satsuma tried to emphasize Hedorah's otherworldly nature by making its movements seem more grotesque than animal-like.[5] Several authors have noted that, unlike most Toho monsters, Hedorah's violent acts are graphically shown to claim human victims, and the creature shows genuine amusement at Godzilla's suffering.[3][4] Banno wished to bring back Hedorah in a sequel set inAfrica, but the project never materialized, as he was fired by producer and series co-creatorTomoyuki Tanaka, who allegedly accused him of ruining theGodzilla series.[4]Complex listed the character as #8 on its "The 15 Most Badass Kaiju Monsters of All Time" list.[6]
Banno had hoped to revisit Hedorah in his unrealized projectGodzilla 3-D, which would have had featured a similar monster named Deathla. Like its predecessor, Deathla would have been a shape-shifting extraterrestrial, though it would have fed onchlorophyll rather than gas emissions, and all of its forms would have incorporated a skull motif.[2]
InGodzilla vs. Hedorah, Hedorah originates from theDark Gas Nebula in the constellation ofOrion. It journeys to Earth via a passingcomet, and lands inSuruga Bay as a monstrous tadpole-like creature, increasing in size as it feeds on the pollutants contaminating the water. It proceeds to rampage throughout Japan, killing thousands and feeding on gas emissions and toxic waste, gradually gaining power as it advances from a water stage, to a land stage, and finally a bipedal Perfect Form that it can switch out for a smaller, flying form at any time.Godzilla confronts Hedorah atMount Fuji, but his atomic breath has no effect on Hedorah's amorphous, water-rich body. Hedorah rapidly overpowers Godzilla using a combination of its fearsome strength and incredible durability, and almost kills the King of the Monsters after hurling him into a pit and attempting to drown him under a deluge of chemical ooze. It is later discovered that Hedorah is vulnerable to temperatures high enough to dehydrate it, so theJSDF constructs a pair of gigantic electrodes on the battlefield to use against the alien. Hedorah and Godzilla continue to fight, and the former is subsequently killed when Godzilla uses his atomic breath to power the electrodes, which cripple Hedorah and allow Godzilla to fully dehydrate its body into dust.[7]
Hedorah briefly reappears inGodzilla: Final Wars as one of several monsters under the Xiliens' control before it is destroyed by Godzilla alongsideEbirah in Tokyo.[8]
Hedorah also appears inGodzilla: Planet of the Monsters's prequel novelGodzilla: Monster Apocalypse, in which it was originally a colony of sludge-like microorganisms that lived off dissolved chemicals inside a mine inHebei,China. After the Chinese government discovered it in 1999, they studied and modified the microorganisms to operate as a giant, mist-likebioweapon with red and yellow eyes called Hedorah. In 2005, the Chinese military commenced "Operation: Hedorah" to killAnguirus andRodan with the bio-weapon. Hedorah successfully took down the two monsters, but it achieved sentience afterwards and went on a rampage, consumed the pollutants in the surrounding area, then disappeared, leaving an estimated 8.2 million casualties in its wake.
The 2021 short film "Godzilla vs. Hedorah", created for the 50th Anniversary of the character, features theFinal Wars incarnations of Hedorah and Godzilla in a rematch amid an oil refinery in the daytime.
The webseriesGodziban features a wise elderly Hedorah and his grandson known as Grandpa Hedo and Young Hedo. They initially had their own end segment where Grandpa Hedo shared his wisdom with his grandchild before being shifted to aGreek chorus role in the main series.
Hedorah also appears as a recurring character inChibi Godzilla Raids Again. In this animated series, Hedorah is depicted as male, and serves as a teacher to the other monsters, describing himself as a self-professed 'sage'.[9] He also ironically has a particular interest in protecting the environment.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
