In light of recent announcements that the Monsterverse will continue to stomp forward with a Godzilla Vs Kong sequel as well as an animated and Live action series set in the universe, we take a look at some of Godzilla’s most famous friends/foes who have yet to make an appearance in the colossal franchise.

News of the continuation of the Monsterverse isn’t exactly a shock considering the announcement of the animated Netflix show and Live action series on Apple+; it’s the fact that Godzilla himself will be making a return. The rights to Godzilla are owned exclusively by Japanese studio Toho who sold limited rights for the G Man and other Kaiju such as Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Rodan to feature in Legendary’s Monsterverse, a deal which was set to conclude with the release of Godzilla Vs. Kong, leading many to speculate that Godzilla would hand the torch to Kong who would take over as the poster boy of the universe. In contrast, all Godzilla appearance rights would return to Toho.

Now that the door is open for Godzilla to return we look at some of Toho’s other classic Kaiju we would love to see show up in the Monsterverse.

Hedorah

Featuring in probably the most bizarre Godzilla film to date, Godzilla Vs. Hedorah, this literal thrash Kaiju proves more than a match for the G Man. Created as a less than subtle metaphor for rising pollution levels during the start of the environmentalist movement of the 70s, Hedorah aka The Smog Monster is a by-product of human pollution and negative effect on the environment. Essentially a sentient pile of toxic waste, Hedorah can change scale and form at will and increase size with the more smog and waste it absorbs. While the costume looks cheap and goofy, Hedorah is still one of Godzilla’s most unique foes and proves a deadly force to be reckoned with.

Baragon

Very few of Toho’s Kaiju galleries have a more pathetic show than Baragon to date. Every appearance has ended with Baragon getting thoroughly rinsed. Despite having a worse record than Glass Joe, Baragon might be one of the most adorable Monsters Toho has conceived. With the big ears, a large horn, and dog-like features, I can’t help but think Baragon is a good boi and deserves some justice with at least one on-screen win for the big guy/girl. Also, this video of Baragon’s costume actress roaring while in the suit is equally adorable.

Dogora

Truthfully, the inclusion of Dogora here is a chance to show off my vast but useless knowledge of Kaiju films and also because a giant floating space squid makes for a terrifying monster. Dogora is a pretty weird film considering the monster is mainly used as the backdrop for a heist flick that doesn’t quite know what to do with the Kaiju. However, the design is pretty fantastic. The eldritch and ethereal nature of the monster could undoubtedly introduce a Lovecraftian element to the Mosnterverse, and who knows, could open the door for a future Cthulu showdown with the G Man.

King Caesar

Based on the guardian deities Shisa of Japanese folklore, King Caesar could be the perfect bridge character to introduce more mythology and historical significance to the Monsterverse. The Shisa were guardian spirits or wards that fought off evil spirits. Found in both Japanese and Chinese folklore, these creatures shared a similar appearance to lions and dogs. King Caesar is a bipedal incantation of the Shisa, usually awoken from a great slumber to throw down with Godzilla’s latest foe. Portrayed as agile and mastering some forms of martial arts, King Caesar always delighted me with his readiness to throw hands at a moment’s notice. Introducing Caesar as the protector of an ancient people or land, possibly found within the hollow earth, could be an exciting chance to add another mammal-based Kaiju to the series.

Battra

Evil Mothra, need I say more?……

Alright, I suppose I need to give some explanation for his inclusion. King of the Monsters not only introduced fan-favorite Mothra to Western audiences but also adapted her faithfully as a guardian of the planet with the ability to restore and strengthen the environment. On the other side of the coin, Battra was also created as a guardian to protect the world. However, he viewed humanity as the greatest threat to the earth and went about destroying humans until he was defeated and locked away. Battra has only made one appearance in all of Toho’s kaiju filmography, and yet I consider it one of the most exciting monsters from the Heisei period due to it mirroring the abilities of Mothra but with more lethality and sinister intentions. Hilariously Godzilla ends up the biggest asshole of that particular film, with Battra redeeming himself by tag-teaming the G Man with Mothra and sacrificing himself to cast a beaten Godzilla out to sea.

Anguirus

Technically, Anguirus, or a member of his species, has already made his Mosnterverse debut in King of the Monsters as a very dead pile of bones at the bottom of the mysterious ancient city containing Godzilla’s lair. Regardless, most Godzilla fans would agree that an actual living version of Anguirus would be significantly appreciated considering he is not only Godzilla’s first rival but also his greatest and oldest ally/friend. While the Monsterverse has established Mothra and Kong as allies of Godzilla, Anguirus was his original ride-or-die homie throwing himself into the thick of it with his iconic spiked ball attack. Fingers crossed for a more meaningful appearance from the spiky bestie in the upcoming films/series.

Manda

If we are being entirely honest here, no one is really demanding a Manda appearance in the Monsterverse. This sea serpent/dragon Kaiju has never even been featured as a primary antagonist in any Toho films, let alone his own feature film. So why is Manda on this list above so many more deserving Toho monsters? Simply, I’m a fan of sea monsters and think Manda has a lot of potential for an updated design. There’s plenty of fan art for this little-known Kaiju that looks stunning and shows how flexible the SFX team could be with an aquatic serpent-type Monster. Even referencing the Norse mythological world serpent, Jormungandr, could open the door for a Manda appearance. I’m not saying throw Manda into the Monsterverse as the main villain, but rather a cameo or surprise referee.

Destoroyah

While King Ghidorah is infamous as Godzilla’s most well-known rival, Destoroyah has proven his most dangerous to date. This demonic crustacean only sports one appearance in Toho’s vast gallery of Kaiju films. Still, his showdown has been regarded as one of the most memorable and frightening in the series, not only killing Godzilla’s offspring Zilla Jr but also taking the G Man to the brink. Destoroyah looks fantastic with a hellish appearance but also sports several deadly powers, including the ability to evolve and devolve into numerous sentient creatures at will. Created as a direct result of the original weapon to kill the 1954 Godzilla, the Oxygen Destroyer, Destoroyah is an ironic side effect of a weapon meant to kill Godzilla, who himself was a side effect of atomic weapons. While the inclusion of the Oxegen Destroyer missile in King of the Monsters felt lazy and out-of-nowhere, it allows ample opportunity to introduce Godzilla’s most deadly foe yet.

Gigan

El Pollo Loco himself. Few Godzilla villains are as truly bizarre in design as Gigan. While a colossal extraterrestrial cyborg killing machine sounds terrifying on paper, Gigan hilariously resembles a giant chicken cyclops with scythes for hands and a buzzsaw in his chest for good measure. Looks can be deceiving, however as this chicken is no slouch when it comes to a scrap, preferring to get close and personal. Gigan has always been depicted as one of Godzilla’s most bloodthirsty and psychotic enemies. It would be interesting to see what origin story and design the Monsterverse writers and artists could come up with for a modern version of Gigan

Biollante

Certainly, in my opinion, the most inspired Kaiju of Toho’s monsters, Biollante, is a plant-based monster infused with both human and Godzilla DNA. While sinister in appearance, Biollante posed no immediate threat to humans and only proved aggressive when attacked by Godzilla. While the original conception of a rose infused with the DNA of a dead scientist’s daughter might be a little too out there for the Monsterverse, a monstrous plant kaiju would undoubtedly be a welcome surprise, especially with the potential to use Godzilla’s genetic material in its origins. Perhaps a strange vegetation or foliage found in the hollow earth, or experimentation by Monarch or another sinister organization using Godzilla’s DNA could open the door for a Biollante appearance in future films.

Thumbnail art by Noriyoshi Ohrai