Rodan (Showa)
Rodan (ラドン, Radon?) is a giantpteranodonkaiju created byToho and a major kaiju in theShowa era series of films.
The character appeared in the1956Toho standalone film,Rodan, as two individual monsters both identified as Rodan that serve as the film's primary antagonists. An unspecified Rodan would subsequently be introduced in theGodzilla series proper with his appearance in the1964Godzilla film,Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, in which Rodan is portrayed in a more heroic light alongsideGodzilla.
Name[]
The Japanese name of Rodan, "Radon," is a contraction of "pteranodon" and may also have been chosen to suggest radiation. The spelling of Radon in Japanese also corresponds to the name ofLadon, the dragon-like monster represented in Greek Mythology.In theUnited States, the monster's name was changed to and trademarked as "Rodan" by Toho, which in katakana, is written as ロダン (Rodan). This was done to avoid resemblance with "radon", a noble gas discovered in 1898, for the American release ofRodan.[2]
Design[]
Appearance[]
Rodan resembles a large pterosaur that walks upright on two legs. Rodan generally has either brown or burgundy skin with a spiky chest and two horns on the back of his head.
ShodaiRodo[]
TheShodaiRado (初代ラド?) design featured a large but slim body, enormous wings, and a large jagged-head. This Rodan's face was different from any of the later designs, as he had a menacing, angry expression on his face. Also, his beak was broader, more jagged and actually bared teeth inside its mouth. On top of its head were jagged horns. Rodan also had large eyebrows which covered its eyes. It is unknown if this Rodan had pupils, but some models of the design sport distinctive pupils, making it a possibility.
SanDaikajiuRado[]
TheSanDaikajiuRado (三大怪獣ラド?) design was used inGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster andInvasion of Astro-Monster. SanDaikaijuRado looks very similar to its predecessor, but with significant differences. Alterations from Rodan's previous traits include more rounded wings with short claws, a longer neck, a smaller and thinner beak, and large expressive eyes in contrast to the pitch black eyes of ShodaiRado. The suit used is also called the "DaisensoRado" (大戦争ラド?) inInvasion of Astro-Monster.
SoshingekiRado[]
TheSoshingekiRado (総進撃ラド?) was used inDestroy All Monsters. Though similar in appearance to its predecessors, SoshingekiRado has slightly longer horns. The wings appear to be longer and more pteranodon-like, and the beak is longer and pointed downwards. The face of this particular Rodan also appears to have a droopy-like look to it.
Roar[]
Rodan's roar sounds like a mix between bird screeches and jets. Rodan's roar starts off like a shrieking, similar to birds. The roar then gets much deeper, and more screechy. His roar then ends in a long exhale. Rodan's roar was reused for many of thekaiju, such as theHeiseiKing Ghidorah andBattra.
Personality[]
In the originalRodan, the two Rodans are depicted as horrific and dangerous creatures who, despite their destructive nature, care deeply for each other and are unwilling to live without one another.
InGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Rodan displays a great deal of personality, openly mockingGodzilla when the latter is covered inMothra's silk. According to the translation of the monsters' conversation by theShobijin, Rodan agrees with Godzilla's sentiment that he only hates humans because they hate him. Rodan claims he has no obligation to protect human beings and prefers to continue his pointless fight with Godzilla. However, upon seeing Mothra bravely take onKing Ghidorah by herself, Rodan joins with Godzilla to battle the extraterrestrial creature. In subsequent films in theShowa series, Rodan is seen as a loyal ally of Godzilla who assists him and the other Earth monsters in fighting off King Ghidorah.
Origins[]
Every one of Rodan's Toho interpretations have had largely consistent origins, always portrayed as a species ofPteranodon that survived the K-Pg extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period and was enhanced by nuclear radiation. The means in which he was exposed to radiation has varied in each of his appearances, however.
In the firstRodan film, there were originally two Rodans, a male and a female, whose eggs laid dormant deep underground on the island of Kyushu. Kept alive by radiation deposits in the surrounding soil, the eggs were eventually unearthed by miners from the nearby village of Kitamatsu and subsequently hatched. InGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, a third Rodan emerged from the same volcano where the previous two perished, though it is never specified if this individual was an offspring or one of the original two who had managed to survive.
History[]
Rodan[]
Rodan inRodan
In 1956'sRodan, there were two Rodans, a male and a female, both implied to be mates. They were awakened by mining operations in Kitamatsu along with a swarm of prehistoric insects calledMeganulons. One of the creatures hatched from an egg located inside an underground cavern and proceeded to devour several Meganulons before flying out of the cavern. Rodan performed an elusive airborne prowl across various Pacific countries such asChina, thePhilippines andOkinawa before finally revealing itself after it emerged from the foot ofMount Aso. As word spread of the monster's existence, no time was wasted, as the Japanese air force pursued the threat, leading directly to the city ofFukuoka.
Following a fierce aerial dogfight, afighter jet crashed into Rodan's wing, injuring the beast and neutralizing its ability to fly at supersonic speeds, although this does not stop Rodan from laying waste to the city. Soon enough, a second Rodan appears to escort the other to safety, ending the rampage. As the two monsters prepare to hibernate by returning to their nest in Mount Aso, Japan's defense force performs a last-ditch effort to defeat the Rodans by bombarding the active volcano, triggering an eruption. As the two monsters attempt to escape, one is incapacitated by the lava and falls, burning to death. The second Rodan flew down to its dying companion, incinerating itself, leaving both Rodans to burn away in the molten rock.
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster[]
Rodan reappears in the 1964 film, although it is unknown whether he is a survivor from 1956, the baby who hatched from an egg, or another Rodan entirely. This Rodan was resurrected by accumulated volcanic gas underMount Aso, where he broke out of the crust of the volcano and started fighting Godzilla. When Mothra asked Godzilla and Rodan to assist her in fightingKing Ghidorah the humans asked theShobijin to translate the conservation between the monsters. The Shobijin translated that Rodan argued that it does not matter to him if the human race perishes, to which Godzilla agreed and stated that they have always had trouble with men and men hate them. Mothra gave up convincing the two to help her out, and resolved to fight King Ghidorah alone, much to the humans' dismay, knowing that the larva wouldn't stand a chance.
Rodan and Godzilla, feeling sympathetic for Mothra after watching King Ghidorah attack her, came to help her out as she had requested. Rodan helped get Mothra to ride him and shoot silk at Ghidorah as Godzilla grabbed Ghidorah from behind and held him still so he could become cocooned in the silk. Ghidorah was overwhelmed by the combined force of the three kaiju and flew back to space. Godzilla and Rodan then watched Mothra and the Shobijin swim back to Infant Island. In this film, Rodan is portrayed as being about as tall as Godzilla with a wingspan a little wider than he is tall, while later installments portrayed Rodan as significantly smaller than Godzilla.
Invasion of Astro-Monster[]
Rodan inInvasion of Astro-Monster
Rodan appeared again with Godzilla inInvasion of Astro-Monster, where they were both transported toPlanet X. They battled King Ghidorah before being subjected to powerful mind-control by theXiliens and sent to destroy Earth's cities. The two monsters again fought King Ghidorah when the mind control was broken by theA-Cycle Light Ray Gun.
Destroy All Monsters[]
Rodan inDestroy All Monsters
InDestroy All Monsters, Rodan was again controlled by aliens, the Kilaaks, to attackMoscow. Again the mind control was broken and the monsters fought King Ghidorah. After King Ghidorah was defeated, Rodan was set on fire by a rogueFire Dragon, but he recovered, and is later shown with the other monsters to be peacefully inhabiting Monsterland. Rodan would only appear again in the Showa series through stock footage inGodzilla vs. Gigan,Godzilla vs. Megalon, andTerror of Mechagodzilla.
Godzilla vs. Megalon[]
While Rodan only appears through stock footage, his small role in the film is somewhat significant. Rodan and Anguirus are resting onMonster Island when a Nuclear Bomb is tested nearby, creating a massive fissure and a massive earthquake which crippled both the island and the capital city ofSeatopia under the ocean close by. Rodan tries to escape, but Anguirus falls on him and both of thekaiju fall into the growing chasm. This act of destruction by the humans was the last straw for theSeatopian people, who commandedMegalon to attack the humans for their perceived crimes.
Abilities[]
Atomic heat ray[]
It can be noted that inGodzilla: Domination!, Rodan also sports an "atomic heat ray" which in fact, resembles a fireball rather than an actual ray.
Durability[]
Rodan was one of the few monsters not affected by Godzilla's atomic breath. InGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Godzilla uses his breath against Rodan several times but Rodan seemed unaffected by it at all, only shaking his head in an annoyed manner. Rodan also shrugged off King Ghidorah's gravity beams inGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster andInvasion of Astro-Monster. He was struck several times on his wings but showed no pain or reaction.
Flight speed[]
Rodan's most noticeable trait is his flying speed, which has allowed him to effortlessly outmaneuver and outrun supersonic jets at speeds of up to Mach 1.5 (1,150.9 mph). Aside from his impressive speed and agility, Rodan possesses a variety of special abilities. He is capable of creating destructive shockwaves when flying, which he has used to demolish major cities such as Tokyo and Moscow. In addition, Rodan can cause powerful winds while on the ground by simply flapping his wings.
Heat breath[]
In the first film, Rodan was seen emitting a gaslike breath to ignite and explode a tank lorry.
Radioactive mist[]
Rodan could emit a blast of wind from his mouth in hisfirst appearance, but this ability has never been used again.In the Gameboy Advance video gameGodzilla: Domination!, Rodan can release a radioactive mist from specialized glands located in his torso area for two seconds, which, if it connects, can score up to three hits against the opponent.
Wing Shockwave[]
In the 2014 Godzilla video game, Rodan had the ability to emit energy shockwaves from his wings simply by flapping them.
Video games[]
Gojira-kun[]
Godzilla 2: War of the Monsters[]
Rodan is one of the monsters encountered in the game.
Battle Soccer[]
Rodan is in the SNES game as a goalie for the Godzilla Team.
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee[]
Rodan was playable in both the Nintendo Game Cube and the Xbox versions.
Godzilla: Domination![]
Rodan appeared within the gameGodzilla: Domination!.
Godzilla: Save the Earth[]
Rodan re-appears in the sequel again with the same design in both of the games for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash[]
Rodan appears inGodzilla Unleashed: Double Smash as one of the flyers.
Godzilla (2014 video game)[]
The version in "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" (1993) took the form of a descendant of a pteranodon that hatched and mutated from its egg after lying in a dormant state since the Mesozoic era on the Island of Adonoa in the Bering Sea. Stimulated by the wavelengths of ancient lotus japonicus plants that were amplified by a chorus of girls from the ESP Research Institute, it spit heat rays and mutated into "Fire Rodan".
The Rodan in "Godzilla: Final Wars" (2004) was controlled by theXiliens, invading New York and wreaking mass destruction. It also took down theEarth Defense Force (EDF)'s airship "Rumbling", subsequently attacking Godzilla at the foot ofMt. Fuji along withKing Caesar andAnguirus, but it found itself in an ambush instead.
Rodan appears exclusively in the PlayStation 4 version of the 2014Godzilla video game as a playable monster. He is based on his 1956 appearance fromRodan. Rodan has the ability to fly around the map far faster than the other flying monsters in the game, and can produce powerful sonic booms by clapping his wings together.
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Moveset[]
| Square | One tap: Peck Two taps: Peck Three taps: Multi-Peck |
| X | Tap: Jump Hold: Hover Roar + Tap: Swooping Shockwave Tap (Mid-Air): Land |
| Triangle | Tap: Kick Up Tap (Mid-Air): Double Kick |
| Circle | Tap: Wing Shockwave Roar + Tap: Sonic Ram Tap (Mid-Air): Wing Shockwave |
| R2 | Tap: Area Shockwave |
Godzilla: Kaiju Collection[]
Rodan appeared in his many incarnations within the gameGodzilla: Kaiju Collection.
Comics[]
Godzilla, King of the Monsters[]
In this manga, Rodan appears under the control of Doctor Oniyama, flying across Tokyo and dropping large bombs from his talons. He later attacks Godzilla while he is out at sea and carries him off, only to get slammed into the ground and get his wing torn off by Godzilla. One of his extra bombs was later used by Godzilla as a weapon to kill Anguirus.
Godzilla: The Half-Century War[]
In other languages[]
- Russian: Родан
- Chinese: 拉顿(Lā Dùn)
Trivia[]
- Rodan is one of a select few monsters to appear in all three series ofGodzilla films, along with Mothra,King Ghidorah,Mechagodzilla,Godzilla'sson, and Godzilla himself. Rodan also appeared in theMonsterVerse along with Mothra and King Ghidorah.
- Rodan, like his kaiju cohorts, has appeared in external media outside of the movies and series' he's featured in.
- Along with a few otherkaiju, Rodan appeared in a occasion in Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump series.
- In the animeFairy Tail, during the Edolas arc, dragon-like creatures known as Legions have Rodan's roar.
- During filming ofRodan, the strings holding Nakajima snap and broke and fell into the water.
List of appearances[]
Films[]
- Rodan(First appearance)
- Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
- Invasion of Astro-Monster
- Destroy All Monsters
- All Monsters Attack(Mentioned)
- Godzilla vs. Gigan(Stock Footage)
- Godzilla vs. Megalon(Stock Footage)
- Terror of Mechagodzilla(Stock Footage)
- Bye-Bye Jupiter(Stock Footage)
Video games[]
- Gojira-kun
- Godzilla (Gameboy)
- Battle Soccer
- Circus Caper(Cameo)
- Rodan (NES)(Unmade)
- Godzilla, King of the Monsters (Gameboy)
- Godzilla 2: War of the Monsters
- Godzilla (Arcade)(Cameo)
- Godzilla: Giant Monster March
- Godzilla: Battle Legends
- Godzilla: Archipelago Shock
- Godzilla: Heart-Pounding Monster Island!!
- Godzilla: Trading Battle
- Godzilla Generations
- Godzilla: Domination!
- Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee
- Godzilla: Save the Earth
- CR Godzilla 3S-T Battle
- Godzilla: Unleashed(Wii and PlayStation 2)
- Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash
- CR Godzilla: Descent of the Destruction God
- Godzilla: Kaiju Collection
- Godzilla (2014 video game)
Comics[]
References[]
- ↑1.01.1The Official Godzilla Compendium. Profiles of the Monsters; Page 138.
- ↑Edmundson-Cornell, Harry (March 24, 2015). "Tsuburaya Does Colour: Rodan".Sequart Organization.
