The Monster Suit Database section includes the suits used in many kaiju films. Each listing includes pictures and info on each suit, currently this section includes Godzilla suits but will feature other suits as we expand the section. Information in this section comes from Becoming Godzilla (a suit related site), Godzilla Wiki, and other sources.
ShodaiGoji Suit (1954)
Films: Godzilla King of the Monsters (1954)
The Shodai-Godzilla is popular with fans who prefer the first, serious tone Godzilla film. This suit featured a heavy lower body, small arms and a large, round head. The face had pronounced brows while the eyes were completely round with tiny pupils, a feature unique to this costume. The suit also included several features particular to itself and to the Gyakushu-Godzilla: fangs, four toes, a rough underside for the tail and pointed tail tip, and staggered rows of dorsal plates (these features would reappear with the “second” series of Godzilla films from 1984 to present). The dorsal plates for both the Shodai-Godzilla and the Gyakushu- Godzilla were dynamic in design and unique to the two costumes. During filming, a separate pair of Godzilla legs were used for close-up shots of Godzilla’s feet.
GyakushuGoji Suit (1955)
Films: Godzilla Raids Again/Gigantis the Fire Monster (1955)
The Gyakushu-Godzilla is generally overlooked by most Godzilla fans. Very similar to the Shodai-Godzilla, the Gyakushu-Godzilla was slimmer in build and had a smaller head. The lean look resulted from the need to make the suit more flexible to battle Angilas. The Gyakushu-Godzilla also featured movable eyes. A separate set of legs, worn like boots, was used for close-ups of Godzilla’s feet. At the request of American International Pictures, Toho built new Godzilla and Angilas costumes for the proposed Americanization of Gigantis the Fire Monster, call “The Volcano Monsters”. This suit is called Godzilla Type 1957. Since it never appeared in its own film, it will not be listed as a separate costume. However, several features of this suit, principally a thick stature and three toes (rather than four) influenced the design of the Kingoji seven years later.
ShodaiAngirasu Suit (1955)
Films: Godzilla Raids Again/Gigantis the Fire Monster (1955)
Anguirus's Japanese name, Angirasu, comes from the Japanese spelling of the name of the dinosaur genus Ankylosaurus (Ankirosaurusu), upon which the monster's design is based. The head of the original Anguirus suit in Godzilla Raids Again was modeled by Teizo Toshimitsu, while the body was modeled by the Yagi brothers Kanju and Yasuei. A 2 shaku (60.6 centimeter) clay model of Anguirus was created, and used as a reference for artwork and posters featuring the monster. When this clay model was made, Anguirus was envisioned as having his carapace split into two pieces and turned upward. The suit was initially built to reflect this, but as the carapace peeled apart each time it moved, it was eventually joined together as a single piece. However, the battle scene between Anguirus and Godzilla at the Osaka port was filmed before the carapace was joined together, and so the effect of the carapace being composed of two separate pieces can be seen during this scene and in promotional images and artwork. The carapace of the Anguirus suit weighed 3 kan (11.25 kilograms), and as such suit actor Katsumi Tezuka experienced difficulty standing up while wearing it.
Rather than being cut from a plaster mold, the head of the original Anguirus suit was composed of a hard "skull" with the softer material used for the skin applied around it. To depict Anguirus opening and closing his mouth and performing facial expressions, a guignol (hand puppet) model was used. The thorns on Anguirus' back were created from paper wrapped together to look like spikes and painted over in rubber. Because of this, the thorns were actually incredibly soft and prone to be damaged during the filming of fight scenes. Modeling engineer Eizo Kaimai noted that performing repairs to the thorns was difficult.
The color of the original Anguirus suit was unclear onscreen, as the film it appeared in was shot in black-and-white. However, according to modeler Masao Yagi the suit was a light emerald green. Numerous Guignols were created to portray Anguirus in addition to the suit.
ShodaiRado Suit (1956)
Films: Rodan (1956)
The ShodaiRado's name comes from shodai (初代), meaning first generation, and Rado, which comes from Rodan's Japanese name, Radon (ラドン). The ShodaiRado suit featured a large but slim body, enormous wings, and a large jagged-head. This Rodan's face was different from any of the later suits as it had a menacing, angry expression on its face. Also, its beak was broader, more jagged and actually bared teeth inside its mouth. On top of its head, the suit had jagged horns. This suit 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. Trivia - This Rodan design is the only portrayal of Rodan to be a mahogany color. This Rodan design appears to have no pupils. However, in a few sculpted dioramas and maquettes, ShodaiRado has been shown to bare pupils. Interestingly enough, the Revoltech Rodan figure didn't have pupils either, but rather pitch black eyes.
ShodaiMosuImago (1961)
Films: Mothra (1961), Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964)
The ShodaiMosuImago (初代モス成虫 ShodaiMosuSeichū) is the Mothra Imago puppet design used in the 1961 Toho film, Mothra. The ShodaiMosuImago's name comes from shodai (初代), meaning first generation, Mosu, from Mothra's Japanese name, Mosura (モスラ), and imago, from the fact that it is a design for Mothra's imago form. The ShodaiMosuImago would set the tone for all of the Mothra imago designs to follow. The prop's body is mostly white in color, with several orange spots, most notably on the top of its head. The body is very thick and rounded, and the legs are very thin and scrawny and are held close to the body. The ShodaiMosuImago's face is flat and its mandibles are very small. The eyes are ovular in shape, and are blue and surrounded by a black outline. For scenes of the imago Mothra flying in the distance, Mothra was portrayed through animation. The ShodaiMosuImago was used in one scene in Mothra vs. Godzilla, during the imago Mothra's battle with Godzilla.
KinGoji Suit (1962)
Films: King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962), Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964)
One of the most popular Godzilla designs, the Kingoji was radically different from any Godzilla suit before or since. The costume was more reptilian in appearance and the build was very stocky, especially in the lower half. The head was small and streamlined, with a strange combination of human-like eyes placed on the sides of the head in a reptilian manner. Other distinctive features for the Kingoji included large hands with spike-like claws and thumbs nearly as large as the three other fingers. The Kingoji also had several features that would be common to all Godzilla suits until the rebirth of the Godzilla series in 1984. These were a lack of ears, no fangs, three toes, smooth underside for the tail, and one main row of dorsal plates flanked by two small rows.
The Kingoji was employed in Godzilla vs the Thing for a few brief scenes; two long shots (from behind) as Godzilla approaches Iwa island and when Godzilla, trapped in the silken web of the twin Mothra larvae, plunges into the ocean. The Kingoji was also used in an obscure 8mm film titled “Legend of the Superbeast: Wolfman vs Godzilla”, which was apparently shot during the production of King Kong vs Godzilla.
GojiKongu Suit (1962)
Films: King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962), King Kong Escapes (1967)
Rather than the stop-motion animation through which he was originally portrayed, Kong was brought to life through the method of suitmation, in which Toho specialized when it came to their kaiju films. The King Kong suit's head was modeled by Teizo Toshimitsu, while the body was handled by Kanju Yagi and Yasuei Yagi. The hair on the suit's body was actually expensive yak hair, which Eizo Kaimai hand-dyed brown. Two heads were constructed for the suit; one for close-ups and one for "action." The close-up head allowed suit actor Shoichi Hirose's eyes to be visible through the mask, while the action head's eyes were covered in a transparent material. RKO, the owner of the character at the time, gave Toho specific instructions regarding Kong's portrayal. For example, they instructed that the face must be very different from the original design's. In line with this demand, Teizo Toshimitsu based Kong's face on the Japanese macaque rather than a gorilla. Early mockup publicity stills for King Kong vs. Godzilla composited images of Kong from his debut film with images of Godzilla from Godzilla Raids Again.
The arms of the Kong suit were equipped with long poles which Hirose grabbed onto and manipulated, in order to make the character appear to have long ape-like arms. However, this had the unintended effect of making Kong's arms appear to lack elbow joints. For some up-close battle scenes with Godzilla, these poles were removed from the arms to assist Hirose in performing the intense fight choreography.
A 2-shaku (Japanese foot) small model of Kong and a stick-manipulated upper body puppet were also created for certain scenes. A "muppet" of Kong's upper body was created to convey facial expressions from the monster in close-up shots and was used for the scene in which he drinks Farolacton juice from jars and part of his battle with the Giant Octopus. In addition, a stop-motion puppet of Kong was created, though it was only utilized for a single stop-motion shot in which Godzilla delivers a punishing drop-kick to Kong's chest.
The suit was reused the following year with a new head as the water suit for Kong in King Kong Escapes.
MosuGoji Suit (1964)
Films: Godzilla vs the Thing (1964) and Ghidrah the Three Headed Monster (1964)
Widely regarded as the best Godzilla suit of all time, the Mosugoji was as different from the Kingoji as the Kingoji was from its two predecessors. The body of the Mosugoji was sleek and bell-shaped with a pronounced breast bone and knees. The hands featured slender, sharp claws with the fingers held apart, which looked like they could tear the nicest high-rise OC apartments to ribbons. The dorsal plates were nearly identical to those of the Kingoji. The head was well proportioned to the body and the facial features were chillingly defind, with pronounced brows and splendidly evil eyes. For Ghidrah the Three Headed Monster, the Mosugoji costume was given different facial features. Movable eyes were inserted, the upper lip and teeth were reduced and the tongue elongated, going past the lower row of teeth. This modified costume is also called the SanDaiKaiju (Three Giant Monsters)-Godzilla. The Mosugoji costume was “disguised” and named Gomes for Ultra-Q episode #1, Gomes o Taose (“Defeat Games”) in 1966. All of the armour plating and claws added to the Mosugoji suit to create Gomes were later removed with minor damage. Later in 1966, the Mosugoji was fitted with the head of the Daisenso-Godzilla (see next entry), repainted, equipped with an elaborate frill and named Jiras for Ultraman episode #10, “Secret of the Dinosaur Base” (see John Rocco Roberto’s “The Lost Godzilla Episodes,” for more details on Godzilla’s adventures on the small screen).
DaisensoGoji Suit (1965-1966)
Films: Monster Zero (1965) and Godzilla vs the Sea Monster (1966)
Not as popular as its two predecessors, the Daisenso-Godzilla featured a head slightly larger than that of the Mosugoji, with a round face and jaws. The body was thin and had no defined shape, appearing sack-like and unnatural. The fingers were not held apart like the Mosugoji but were grouped together, with the claws becoming less menacing; all following Godzilla suits until the 84 Godzilla would have this feature. On the plus side, the dorsal plates and the tail of the Daisenso-Godzilla were nicely detailed and the eyes were movable. The Daisenso-Godzilla was employed again for Godzilla vs the Sea Monster. The decapitated head (having previously been grafted to the Mosugoji) was given minor repairs and movable eyelids and was refitted to the original Daisenso-Godzilla body. This suit is also called the Nankai (South Seas)-Godzilla. Though the restored Daisenso-Godzilla was officially retired after Godzjlla vs the Sea Monster, the costume received a good workout as late as 1971, being employed for water shots in Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters and in Godzilla vs the Smog Monster. In the latter film, the suit was also used for the scene when Hedorah traps Godzilla in a ravine and tries to bury him with sludge.
MusukoGoji Suit (1967)
Films: Son of Godzilla (1967)
Unquestionably the ugliest Godzilla suit, the Musuko-Godzilla had a thick body, a fat neck, small hands and crude, odd-looking dorsal plates. The head was horrible, with a stubby face, oversized mouth with crude teeth and large, glassy eyes placed high on the head and at right angles. This suit was equipped with movable eyes and eyelids. The Musuko-Godzilla would fortunately never again receive a starring role and appeared only once more, for water scenes in Godzilla on Monster Island.
SoshingekiGoji Suit (1968-1972)
Films: Destroy All Monsters (1968), Godzilla’s Revenge (1969), Godzilla vs the Smog Monster (1971) and Godzilla on Monster Island (1972)
One of the more popular Godzilla designs, the Soshingeki-Godzilla featured a well proportioned, bell-shape body with a pronounced breast bone, a long neck and a head somewhat similar to the Daisenso-Godzilla, with defind brows and fairly menacing eyes. The eyes on this costume did not move, though the eyelids flutter briefly in the scene when King Ghidora flies overhead at Mt. Fuji. The Soshingeki-Godzilla had the most starring roles, though by counting “unofficial” water/stunt shots, the Daisenso-Godzilla appeared in more movies. Aside from slightly different brows, the Soshingeki-Godzilla was not changed in Godzilla’s Revenge. In Godzilla vs the Smog Monster, the suit had rounded eyes, while the mouth had a frowning expression. In Godzilla on Monster Island, the suit had sharper eyes with movable eyelids. Unfortunately in the last two films, especially Godzilla on Monster Island, the Soshingeki-Godzilla was in an obviously dilapidated condition. For these three films, the Soshingeki-Godzilla has also been nicknamed All Kaiju (All Monsters)-Godzilla, Hedogoji and Gigan-Godzilla.
MegaroGoji Suit (1973-1975)
Films: Godzilla vs Megalon (1973), Godzilla vs the Cosmic Monster (1974) and The Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
A strong contender with the Musuko-Godzilla for the Worst Godzilla Suit award, the Megaro-Godzilla had a plain, streamlined body, a short neck and fat, simply designed dorsal plates. The face was ghastly, with a sinlple muzzle, oversized brows and huge eyes that made the King of the Monsters resemble a puppy. The eyes of the Megaro-Godzilla were movable and had movable eyelids. The Megaro-Godzilla also appeared in five of the 26 episodes of NTV’s Ryusei Ningen Zone (a.k.a. Zone Fighter) television series in 1973 (see “The Lost Godzilla Episodes”). For Godzilla vs the Cosmic Monster, the Megaro-Godzilla was the same but with some changes to the face; more detail in the muzzle and reduction of the brows, making Godzilla look less playful than in the previous movie. The eyes did not move, nor have movable eyelids. This suit is also called the Mekagoji.
A second Godzilla costume, a publicity suit never intended for use in a feature movie, was also used in Cosmic Monster. The jaw and eyes were immobile, while the suit boasted a toothy grin complete with fangs. It was used when the disguised Mechagodzilla battles Angilas and during the clash with the real Godzilla at the oil refmery. It was also used for a special scene in the Japanese theatrical trailer for Cosmic Monster, when Godzilla is shown morphing into Mechagodzilla. This same “phony-Godzilla” costume was also employed for the final scene in The Terror of Mechagodzilla when Godzilla wades off into the ocean. Another publicity Godzilla suit (which appeared to be smiling) was employed in Cosmic Monster, in the scene when Godzilla appears in the ocean off Okinawa. For The Terror of Mechagodzilla, the Megaro-Godzilla received a further face lift; the muzzle was reduced and given more detail, the height of the brows lowered and the eyes reduced to an acceptable size. The new face thus had a semi- comical, semi-mean look. The eyes did not move nor have movable lids, and the body of the costume was unchanged. This suit is also called the Meka-Gyakshu-Godzilla.
84Goji Suit (1984)
Films: Godzilla 1985 (1984)
For the rebirth of the Godzilla legend, Toho decided to once again portray the King of the Monsters as an evil creature. Thus the 1984 Godzilla would posses the general appearance of the 1954 Godzilla (from Godzilla, King of the Monsters) and the facial expression of the 1964 Godzilla (from Godzilla vs. the Thing), the latter incarnation being arguably the most evil-looking version of Godzilla up to that time. The 1984 Godzilla suit therefore possessed features previously seen only on the 1954 and 1955 (Godzilla Raids Again) suits; fangs, four toes, ears, staggered rows of dorsal plates, and a rough underside of the tail. The detailing in the legs for the 1984 Godzilla was very good, but the musculature for the chest and shoulders were less well-defined, thus diminishing the costume’s overall image of power.
The dorsal plates were very well-detailed, but also appeared to be more numerous compared to the 1954 and 1955 costumes. The largest dorsal plate was placed at waist level, which had not been done before or since. The tail was longer than any previous version, the neck was short and the head was fairly large in proportion to the body. The 1964-style eyes, with red-brown irises, looked suitably evil. The 1984 costume also boasted a new feature for a Godzilla suit; the upper lip could curl up in snarl. It was so advanced, one might think it could even read a 3D barcode. For water scenes, a virtually identical Godzilla suit was built. Since this was the first time molds were used to construct a Godzilla suit (as opposed to the scratch-built methods previously employed), it was very easy to build two matching costumes. It should be mentioned that a 5-meter tall mechanical figure of Godzilla, called the “cybot”, was used for several close-ups in the movie. Unfortunately, the face of “cybot” scarcely resembled the face of the suits, and in the finished film the alternating footage of the Godzilla suits with the “cybot” is very jarring. As with the 1962 Godzilla (from King Kong vs. Godzilla), the 1984 Godzilla is an anomaly in the evolution of the King of the Monsters because it does not resemble prior or subsequent Godzilla costumes.
BioGoji/GhidoGoji Suit (1989-1991)
Films: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) and Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
The 1989 Godzilla featured a triangular build, with stocky legs recalling the 1962 Godzilla. The chest and shoulders featured pronounced musculature, which gave the 1989 Godzilla a very powerful appearance. The number of dorsal plates was reduced, but oddly the largest plate placed at shoulder level. The tail was shorter than the previous suit and the underside was smooth, in common with all Godzilla suits from 1962 to 1975. The other features of the 1984 Godzilla, such as the fangs, ears and four toes were all retained. The neck of the 1989 Godzilla was longer and the size of the head reduced. The face was changed radically, and featured a fierce expression with several new features; a feline-like upper lip, multiple rows of shark-like teeth and eyes with large, brown irises and very little white showing. The new face added much to Godzilla’s evil personality, making the King of the Monsters appear fiercer and more dragon-like than before. It also made him look more intelligent, as it seems like he would even know how to make a QR code.
A second costume was specially built for water scenes. Called Sea 1989 Godzilla, this suit was made of lighter material. Although constructed from the same molds as the land suit, the sea suit featured some differences, such as a pronounced crest at the top of the head and odd-looking, square shoulders. The sea suit was also used for Godzilla’s grand appearance as he lumbers out of the volcano at Mt. Mihara. Interestingly, the first constructed 1989 Godzilla suit was rejected, and is thus called the NG (No Good) 1989 Godzilla suit. Compared to the land and sea suits, the NG suit featured a wide, flat head, a short, thick neck and thinner thighs. The NG suit was employed for publicity photos, but also appears in the finished film when Godzilla approaches the Twin 21 Towers in Osaka. Previously, all Godzilla suits featured a zipper that ran along one side of the body to allow entry for the suitmation actor. Both the land and sea Godzilla suits had a new feature that would apply to all later Godzilla suits; the dorsal plates were mounted on a separate block-shaped piece of rubber that could be detached from the suit by means of velcro strips. This set could be alternated with a special set of dorsal plates made in Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) that would glow electrically, giving greater realism when Godzilla’s dorsal plates emitted light. Furthermore, a mechanical upper-half for Godzilla, which was constructed from the same molds as the costumes, was employed for close shots. This method was also employed in the subsequent films, though with a varying degree of success in matching the mechanical figures with the Godzilla suits.
The Land and Sea 1989 Godzilla costumes were repaired and employed in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). The Land 1989 suit was fitted with a new head and used for the climatic battle with Mecha-King Ghidorah at Shinjuku. Compared to the previous head of the land suit, the new head looked a bit wider and flatter. This costume, 1991 Godzilla A, was later cut in half. The upper half was used in the scenes when Godzilla emerges in the Bering Sea, advances up the hill at Hokkaido, and also for tight shots during the first battle with King Ghidorah. The lower half of the suit was later used when Godzilla tramples Rodan at Adonoa Island in Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla (1993). The Sea 1989 suit was fitted with round shoulders, an especially pronounced chest, and a new head that featured a high crest and a splendidly fierce face. This costume, 1991 Godzilla B, was employed for the majority of the filming of Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah. In this author’s opinion, 1991 Godzilla B is the best and most powerful image of Godzilla in the Heisei Series of Godzilla films.
In Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), 1991 Godzilla B was used in the underwater battle with Battra, when Godzilla emerges from the volcano at Mt. Fuji, and when Battra toppled the Landmark Tower onto Godzilla (though in this last instance the suit was empty and rigged into position with over-head wires). 1991 Godzilla B should have had QR code stickers on it, as it has the dubious distinction of being stolen from Toho before shooting commenced on Godzilla vs. Mothra (see note).
Note: On March 17, 1992, someone snuck into Toho's special effects department and stole this suit from Toho Studios and remained stolen for several weeks. Ultimately, an old lady discovered this stolen suit laying on a beach near Tokyo Bay in a poor state. It was returned to Toho and repaired in time to be used in both the underwater fight sequence with the larval Battra, and for Godzilla's rise from the erupting Mt. Fuji in Godzilla vs. Mothra, its last film appearance before a well-earned retirement.
BatoGoji Suit (1992)
Films: Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)
The build of the 1992 Godzilla suit was thinner than the 1989/1991 suits, which gave this costume a sleek, sturdy but less powerful image than the previous ’90’s vintage Godzilla suits. For the 1992 Godzilla, the arrangement of the dorsal plates was changed and the largest plate was located in the middle of the back. The legs were very well-detailed, though less bulky than the legs of the 1989/1991 costumes. The arms were jointed with more flexibility at the biceps, but unfortunately this made the suit appear unnatural from certain angles. The face was essentially the same as the 1989/1991 costumes, though the 1992 suit featured new attributes: a smaller, flat forehead, golden eyes and a thick neck with pronounced ribbing. The golden eyes made the face of the 1992 Godzilla look more expressive than the 1989/1991 costumes, yet also compromised the more realistic, animal-like expression of the latter suits. The size of the teeth also appeared smaller than the 1989/1991 costumes. The 1992 Godzilla suit also included a new feature; by means of an electronic device the head could tilt up or down independently of the body.
A three-quarter suit, Sea 1992 Godzilla, was constructed from the remains of previous ‘90’s vintage Godzilla costumes and was used for the fight with Mothra and Battra in the Philippine Sea. This suit, which had brown eyes though the main suit had golden eyes, would later appear for water scenes in Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla. Since the Sea 1992 Godzilla suit and the 1991 Godzilla B suit were used extensively in Godzilla vs. Mothra, the 1992 Godzilla suit only appears in the precredit sequence, during close shots in the sea battle with Mothra and Battra, and from when Godzilla destroys the powerlines at Mt. Fuji to the finale.
The 1992 Godzilla suit was also used in Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla, specifically for the battle with Rodan at Adonoa Island (though several close-ups of the 1993 Godzilla suit were intercut during this sequence), for several scenes of Godzilla’s initial rampage through Japan, and when Godzilla wades into the ocean at the finale.
Additionally, the 1992 Godzilla suit was employed for water scenes in Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994). Since this costume would only be seen from the waist up, the legs were cut off at the knees and the tail was removed. The tail was manipulated underwater by means of a lever-like device, which was a good but not always convincing effect.
RadoGoji Suit (1993)
Films: Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla (1993)
Though similar in appearance to its’ predecessor, the 1993 Godzilla suit was bulkier, particularly in profile, while the head appeared to be wider than the 1989/1991 and 1992 suits. The problem of the arm joints for the 1992 Godzilla suit was corrected for the 1993 costume, but the shoulders on the latter suit appeared to be smaller. Moreover, the legs of the 1993 costume were slimmer and lacked detail, while the tail was placed a bit higher than on the previous costumes. These latter factors unfortunately caused the 1993 Godzilla suit to appear top-heavy from certain angles. As with the 1992 Godzilla suit, the head of the 1993 costume could tilt independently of the body. The 1993 Godzilla suit was also employed for the “Monster Planet of Godzilla” 3-D amusement park ride which opened in Japan in March 1994.
In Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla, the 1993 Godzilla suit was used for Godzilla’s entrance and exit at Birth Island, and when Space Godzilla levitates Godzilla and hurls him into a building. The 1993 Godzilla was again employed for water scenes in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995). This time, the suit was modified to match the critical mass appearance of the main filming suit (see next entry). Since the costume would only be seen waist-deep in the water, the legs and tail were removed, as was previously done with the 1992 suit for Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla.
MogeGoji/DesuGoji Suit (1994-1995)
Films: Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994) and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995).
The 1994 Godzilla costume was perhaps the best proportioned of the Godzilla suits since Godzilla vs. Biollante. Featuring a stocky, triangular build, broad shoulders and heavy legs, the 1994 Godzilla combined the best featured of the 1992 and 1993 suits. The neck of the 1994 suit was quite wide at the shoulders and featured much less pronounced ribbing. The face of this costume was basically the same as the 1992 and 1993 costumes. However, the eyes of the 1994 Godzilla appeared bigger than those of the previous suits, while the white areas of the eyes become more pronounced, thus giving this suit a slightly less menacing expression than its predecessors. The head of the 1994 Godzilla could also fully rotate independently of the body. However, this new feature was barely seen in the final film, perhaps because it caused a visible fold in the nape of costume’s neck.
The 1994 Godzilla suit was employed again for Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. To create the critical mass appearance of Godzilla for this movie, sections of the costume were removed and approximately 200 tiny orange light bulbs were inserted. These areas were then covered with semi-transparent vinyl plates. The suit was also fitted with a mechanism that allowed steam to pour from various parts of Godzilla’s body. The eyes were also modified to glow electronically. When enhanced with computer graphics, these changes to the 1994 Godzilla suit made the image of Godzilla reaching critical mass appear very convincing. Incidentally, Godzilla actor Ken Satsuma reported that the steam generated from the costume was pure carbon monoxide and that it caused him to faint several times during filming.
MireGoji Suit (2000)
Films: Godzilla 2000 (Millenium) and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
Godzilla returned from the grave, so to speak, in Godzilla 2000. The new suit, created for the film by suit maker Shinichi Wakasa and worn by new suit actor Tsutomu Kitagawa, was an all new, very radical look for Godzilla. Heavily inspired by the KingGoji suit, this suit contained many new and old features. The scales on this suit were more detailed and prominent, his dorsal plates were large and jagged with a rose tint to them, and his head shape was thinner, making him look more reptilian. Godzilla’s mouth and eyes contained the trademark “frown” present on other suits; the tongue was long and teeth had the old fangs, and his eyes were white with black pupils, much like the eyes used on the 84Goji suit. The tiny ears that existed in the original Godzilla suit and those in the Heisei series had also returned. This suit was painted a natural, dark shade of green. It was the first Godzilla suit to be officially painted green, where as previous suits were mostly painted charcoal black, except the ones in the original film.
For the next film, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, very few changes were made to this suit design. It now had a smaller mouth, flatter face, longer neck, the skin color was changed to an even lighter shade of green, and the color of the dorsal plates was changed to more of a light purple color, but otherwise, it’s the same suit. - Godzilla Wiki
SokogekiGoji Suit (2001)
Films: Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
For Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, Shusuke Kaneko decided to give Godzilla a whole new look. He took both the designs of the Godzilla 1954 suit and the Heisei series suits and combined them to keep Godzilla looking like he did in the original Godzilla film, but he also looked very modern.
The SokogekiGoji, infact, is the tallest suit in the entire history of Godzilla, measuring in at over seven feet tall. Significant muscle was given to this suit and the pointer and thumb claws were made longer then the other two. The pupils and irises in the eyes were removed, projecting the impression of Godzilla’s now evil nature.
Godzilla’s dorsal plates also shrank in size from the previous Millennium suit design and returned to their original look, smooth and bone-white in color. The skin of the suit also returned to its original texture and charcoal black color. - Godzilla Wiki
KiryuGoji Suit (2002-2003)
Films: Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla (2002) and Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)
For the film Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla, Toho decided to stray away from Shusuke Kaneko’s Godzilla design and go back to the look of the MireGoji/GiraGoji design. This new version, dubbed KiryuGoji, did however go under some pretty obvious changes from those two previous designs. The head was completely changed and made smaller to sort of represent the head of the Heisei series Godzilla. The dorsal plates were reduced a bit and lost their purplish hue, deciding to keep the classic bone-white color, but still remained jagged like the MireGoji/GiraGoji`s dorsal plates. Godzilla’s skin also returned from the MireGoji/GiraGoji green to the old charcoal black, Godzilla’s traditional color.
The following year for the film Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., the sequel to Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla, Godzilla’s appearance remained basically the same. The KiryuGoji suit was repaired and used again, but this time had a new, large scar on the chest of the suit. - Godzilla Wiki
FinalGoji Suit (2004)
Films: Godzilla Final Wars (2004)
For Godzilla’s 50th Anniversary film in 2004, Godzilla: Final Wars, director Ryuhei Kitamura wanted Godzilla to take on a leaner, meaner look while combining the looks of the previous three eras of Godzilla films. They seem to have succeeded in doing this. The arms and legs are slimmer than usual, allowing the actor’s arms, fingers, and legs to fit perfectly into the suit. Godzilla’s thighs are also one size smaller and the tail from the KiryuGoji suit used in the previous two films was reused. This suit also has much more noticeable ears than previous suits, which sets this suit apart from the others.
To create this leaner, more flexible suit, the suit makers at Toho used less urethane foam and rubber, instead adding a special material resulting in a lighter suit. They also made the dorsal plates smaller, making them look much like the dorsal plates of the Showa era with a single prominent row with smaller surrounding plates. Toho managed to reduce the weight of the suit by almost 44 pounds, allowing the actor inside much more movement and flexibility, and making this one of the most realistic-looking suits ever. - Godzilla Wiki