Better King Ghidora: Showa or Grand King Ghidora?

[Legion]

[Arrow]

I never really thought much of Grand King Ghidorah, honestly. He's got a good design, but even then I prefer the Showa one. It's been ages since I've bothered with Rebirth of Mothra III, but I never remembered the monster impressing me all that much. For all the intimidation within the design, the way the monster is executed never really convinced me that it's any more than just another suit. One of the many things I really like about Showa Ghidorah is the performance - the way the heads moved, the cackle (which GKG completely lacks and makes up for with a disappointing roar), the way it flew through the air and actually looked as if could create those windstorms, and that it never went down easily (which is more than what could be said for Grand King Ghidorah).

He's a good design, but I still prefer the original. It just left a much bigger impression on me.

[Flame of Udin]

I have to say Mike, this is one of the most difficult questions I have ever been asked! Both designs are flawless in my opinion plus the character themselves are damn diabolical my head can explode trying to think of who is better.

I will say the Showa design probably 98% because of respect for Tsuburaya's original design; plus, Showa KG has a more traditional and very Asian look to him which is a beautiful sight. His small heads with their beady eyes are just stunning to look at while the hair around their heads add a very natural look and feel to the design. It is a shame the hair concept was dumped for all future incarnations of the creature.

With Grand KG you have the most respect paid to KG's origins, something which, for some stupid reason was also dumped with all other KG's. My ideal KG isn't a mutated Furby or some ancient guardian Camel; he is a damn hellbent space dragon with no purpose in life other then to destroy all he sees. Something Toho did great with Grand KG. Had he had been in a more mature film Grand KG would probably be no. 1 by a long shot. The fact that he only attacks children kind of takes his badassism down a notch . Plus I have to agree with Arrow, KG's iconic high pitched cry (you can't really call it a roar) is missed with Grand KG, however I am glad they replaced it. Grand KG is a much bigger and bulkier monster so to give this behemoth a high pitched cry would totally kill it. It works for the Showa because his character fits it perfectly.

While I must say I kind of dig the design of Grand KG a tad better then the Showa design, I will have to say for overall character I will go with the Showa. and I'll probably change my mind after I post this .

[Legion]

Again, GKG is a decent design. But I think it goes too far in trying to make the monster look mean. What I love about the original Tusuburaya Ghidora is that even though he's evil he looks like he's actually having a good time. He's practically smiling and the cackling is just perfect. GKG just has these stone cold scowls and the lame Heisei wanna-be Rodan roar.

And as I always say, for me there's more to appreciating a monster than just liking a design. There's the execution and how I feel about the movie it appears in. Some people are able to separate the GKG design from everything else around it. That's fine but I can't do that. Mothra 3 is just an awful movie and to me the execution of GKG is incredibly stiff and unconvincing and it's defeat is just laughable.

Don't get me started on the idea that FW Gigan could possibly be better than the original. Yuck.

[Tyler E. Martin]

While I really like Grand King Ghidorah's design, and to some extent his origins as a ruthless space demon, the original has it trumped in all categories, as so eloquently pointed out above. It doesn't help that Mothra 3 is one of the very worst films in the genre.

As for Gigan, again, I think the Final Wars--again, not a huge fan of the movie itself--look is pretty darn cool, but it's in no way superior to the original. The goofier, friendlier-looking suit used in Megalon, maybe (dude looks like he fell out of a derp tree and hit every branch on the way down :goofy:), but never the original.

[Gamzilla]

[Bio_Goji_89]

Not to be the cynical "get off my lawn type" but I definitely feel as though younger fans are growing further and further apart from the truly original Godzilla films. It's very disconcerting.

[Legion]

Seriously. If you really think that Grand King Ghidora and FW Gigan are better than the Showa versions, so much so that you're convinced that they're actually more popular...I urge you to seek therapy. It's almost insulting.

[MekaGojira3k]

I haven't really thought about Grand Ghidorah in years. While I do like the update Mothra 3 gave him, I feel like Showa Ghidorah is and will continue to be my favorite Ghidorah.

[Benjamin Haines]

[ryuuseipro]

The original Showa King Ghidorah, hands down.

HOWEVER... Grand King Ghidorah is the best Ghidorah design in all of the Heisei Era to this very day. (Followed closely by the GMK Ghidorah design.)

[Gman2887]

[Benjamin Haines]

My second-favorite Ghidorah is definitely the Heisei version from Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah. He comes across as less maniacal and more directly ferocious than the Showa incarnation, with mean-looking faces each complemented by a crest of horns instead of a mane and a more vicious-sounding snarl in place of the classic cackle. Maybe I'm just used to it because it was one of the first movies with Ghidorah I ever saw as a kid, but I don't mind the fact that his roar was changed at all. I think the new roar was appropriate for the character's more angry appearance, just like how Godzilla's deeper roar was better-suited for him in that movie than the higher-pitched one that would be brought back the following year.

[Goji 84]

The Tsuburaya King Ghidorah. NO effin' contest here. None.

GKG looks "cool" and all, but my praise really ends there. The grating teeth expression just doesn't work, and the suit is just so...stiff. Overall, I like the design, but I definitely could live without it.

[TerranigmaFreak]

We all know Desghidorah's the best.















Seriously though, I do wonder what Grand King Ghidorah would be like if they put more effort into making him come alive. It's just a very stiff looking monster in the movie.

[Andrew Nguyen]

[king_ghidorah]

[RaymondBurr]

[MekaGojira3k]

[king_ghidorah]

[heroforhirerob]

[metal_bryan]

[ebirahsmeg1]

[The Real McCoy]

[Rodanex]