Top 5 Godzilla Villains - Number 1

Written by Stu Cooper

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about the release of "GODZILLA" this past week. I have already seen the film and I will be posting my full review later this weekend. To celebrate the release I've been ranking the Top 5 Godzilla villains of all-time. It's been a fun week and I've enjoyed researching these insane creatures. I knew from the start who my number one spot would go to. It won't be a shocker to most Godzilla fans. This monster is considered by most to be Godzilla's true rival. The monster I consider the number one Godzilla villain of all-time is...GHIDORAH!

Ghidorah, sometimes referred to as Ghidrah, is a very iconic monster in the world of TOHO and Kaijus. The creature itself is based on the famous mythological figure, the three headed hydra. The creature has three heads, two tails, and no arms. What it lacks in arm strength it makes up for in fire power. Each head can fire an intense lightning like blast. Ghidorah made it's debut in the 1964 film "Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster" which also served as the fifth Godzilla film. This film actually marked the first occasion in the Godzilla series in which Godzilla was the hero and not the villain. Ghidorah comes to earth and causes destruction, only to be defeated by Godzilla,Rodan AND Mothra. One funny thing about Ghidorah is that he rarely gets a fair fight. It's often three on one or two on one. In the "Destroy All Monsters" film Ghidorah gets beaten to death by nearly every TOHO creation at once. The thing is, he always comes back. Nothing can keep this monster down.

As far as Ghidorah's story, there isn't much history. All we really know is that the creature is from space and is often under the influence or control of some alien race. My personal favorite appearance of Ghidorah is in "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" otherwise known as "Invasion of the Astro Monster". In that film Ghidorah is quite powerful and is controlled by a pretty entertaining group of aliens. The aliens actually trick the humans quite easily and are free to use Godzilla as they please. It's a very goofy plot but makes for a fun film. That film was always featured on TNT's "Monstervision" with Joe Bob Briggs. But that show is another article for another day.

In the later incarnations of the Godzilla franchise we again see Ghidorah become a main nemesis. In the film "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah" we actually see Ghidorah get a "Mecha" upgrade and become even more badass and dangerous. That film is considered a favorite among many hardcore Godzilla fans because of it's crazy story, intense action, and cool monsters. I highly recommend checking that film out if you're looking to experience Godzilla at it's best. Ghidorah appeared in another film called "All Out Monsters Attack" and that one is also quite intense and cinematic. Ghidorah is portrayed as some type of God and is actually a protagonist! It's an odd departure. Ghidorah's final Godzilla film appearance would be in the appropriately titled "Final Wars". Planet X once again attempts to takeover the earth, except this time they use every Godzilla villain at once. The final monster is Ghidorah, who transforms into a creature called "Monster X". They sure do love their X's. I wish they'd take some of mine into outer space!

You really can't go wrong with any of the Ghidorah appearances. Ghidorah is also a friend of the number 5 entry in the countdown, Gigan. The two of them teamed up in "Godzilla vs. Gigan". Ghidorah also appeared in the "Zone Fighter" tv show. The Rebirth of Mothra films also feature many references to Ghidorah, and even two incarnations of the creature. Ghidorah is also often a main villain in several Godzilla video games, namely the NES and SNES games. Maintaining the idea that Ghidorah is Godzilla's main rival. It's safe to say he is one of the more popular TOHO villains.

The decision to rank Ghidorah at number one was due to his power, relentless pursuit of Godzilla, and overall intimidation factor. This creature is considered a frightening figure in mythology for a reason! The three headed hydra has been scaring human beings for generations, so it's naturally going to be a competitor in the monster arena. If we are lucky we might see a creature of this magnitude in future Godzilla films.

It's been a fun countdown and I think we've only really touched the tip of the Godzilla universe. I encourage you all to explore these films and the mythos behind them. Some of them are campy, some of them are symbolic, and some of them are the 1998 garbage pile starring Matthew Broderick. I will return with my full review of the 2014 Godzilla!

Monster Mania Day 16: Zedd's Monster Mash

Written by Stu Cooper

As a young child I grew up in the peak period of several awesome trends. G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, and of course The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The Power Rangers ruled my world from 730am to 800am every weekday, and of course the new episodes on Saturday Mornings. I bought all the toys, coloring books, games, and video tapes I could get. I even saw the movie in theaters opening day and it was absolutely remarkable. Unfortunately as an adult my imagination is somewhat limited and my tolerance for terrible jokes, corny dialogue, and insane over-exaggerated fight sequences is somewhat lacking. I still love the show, but I usually have to be intoxicated or in a very weird mood to sit through several episodes of the Power Rangers. I do love the character Lord Zedd who was the main villain in seasons 2 and 3 of Power Rangers. He has an incredibly creepy voice and an appearance that absolutely screams villainous. It came to my attention after getting Netflix that there was an actual Power Rangers Halloween special called "Lord Zedd's Monster Mash"! Since it's the Halloween season, what better time to take a look at it.

The episode starts off with the whole crew of rangers in goofy costumes (Pirate, Einstein, some kind of cheerleader, etc) and they are throwing a Halloween party for kids. The parents are dropping off the kids and leaving them in the hands of these annoyingly happy teenagers, who are apparently obsessed with helping the community. The camera pans out and Lord Zedd is usually his super space telescope to watch the party. Instead of being pissed that the rangers are partying he reveals he is actually quite interested in Halloween since it appears to be a celebration of monsters. This gives Zedd the idea to throw a Monster Mash party, which basically means he is going to invite older villains and one new Halloween themed villain to all gang up on one ranger. This would be Zedd's idea of a party. So Zedd sends these creepy little fake kids to the party and convinces Tommy (the white ranger) to go off on his own. This is when we are introduced to one of the most random villains in Power Ranger history...DOOMSTONE! A grave stone that has come to life. He is joined by several other villains like Pumpkin Rapper, Rhinoblaster, Primator, Snizzard, and Invenusable Fly Trap. Shew what a collection of weirdos. They all proceed to gang Tommy but eventually he is joined by the rangers and they open a can. Nothing out of the ordinary here. The cool parts are really seeing the collection of villains. It's worth a watch if you want a random halloween oriented 90's special to watch.