BLOOD WORK: KAIJUOLOGY: RODAN

Subject: Rodan a.k.a. Radon

Documentation: Rodan ~ The Flying Monster (1956), Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster (1964), Invasion of Astro Monster (1965), Destroy All Monsters (1968), Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla II (1993), Godzilla: Final Wars (2004).

History: In 1956 a small coal-mining village near Nishi-machi in Japan came into contact with a previously sealed off volcanic cavern deep within the earth. While excavating the coal in one of the many mine shafts, miners breached the cavern wall precipitating a small cave-in and subsequent flooding in the shaft. This incident set in motion a chain of events ultimately leading to the emergence of one of the great kaiju of our time: the flying monster Rodan. Rodan is the third monster to appear during the Rise of the Kaiju era.

The cavern had been hermetically sealed by nature millions of years ago. Regulated high temperatures and high levels of humidity due to the close proximity to natural thermal vents transformed the cavern into a perfectly preserved prehistoric biosphere. Everything existing inside the cavern lay in a perfect state of suspended animation, growing at an incredibly decelerated rate. The high heat and wet environment coupled with millions of years of constant growth are attributed to the enormous size of the creatures that dwelt within. With the seal of the cavern breached everything inside began growing and awaking at accelerated rates.

What followed was a series of grizzly deaths of miners and local policemen. The first creatures to emerge from the cavern were a species of prehistoric dragonfly-nymphs named Meganulon. These creatures were larger than automobiles with incredibly strong pincers, mandibles, and teeth. The Meganulons exited through the mine shaft and attacked and slaughtered those living in the mining village. These creatures were only a precursor of what was yet to come. More on the Meganulon, including the report by the Seibu Nippou reporter is forthcoming.

During the pursuit of the Meganulon, mining engineer Shigeru Kawamura was trapped in the mine shafted when it caved in. He fled into the prehistoric cavern where he discovered a hive of Meganulon along with several types of long-thought extinct plant life. Inside the cavern he witnessed the hatching of an egg larger than most buildings. What hatched from the egg was a previously undiscovered form of reptile believed to be an ancient ancestor to the Pteranodon. However, this species dwarfed all known Pteranodon fossils. Thus scientists named the beast Rodan.

Upon hatching the Meganulons served as Rodan's primary source of food and nourishment. The movements of the enormous creature resulted in a massive cave-in, collapsing the cavern, and devastating the Japanese countryside between Nishi-machi and Mount Aso. The site of the crater showed the full area of the cavern to be much larger than previously theorized. So large, in fact, that the cavern could've housed multiple Rodans.

A report surfaced of a British commercial airliner destroyed in mid flight, attacked. Soon after more reports began surfacing all over Japan and across multiple Asian countries. From Beijing to Manila and back to Japan in the skies above Okinawa. All reports sighted the flying object as moving at supersonic speeds. At first no one knew whether the object was a extra-terrestrial unidentified flying object or a new secret aircraft from a foreign power.

It wasn't until a photograph emerged revealing what was thought to be a colossal wing. Professor Kyuichiro Kashiwagi, a paleontologist working with the Minami Physics Institute near Mount Aso, along with Shigeru Kawamura deduced the creature's origin and proportions. They returned to the crater where the cavern once existed and discovered the location of the Rodan. The creature proved even larger than estimated and had made a nest within the crater.

Then disaster struck as Rodan took to the sky and descended on the city of Fukuoka in Kyushu. The Japanese Self Defense forces were dispatched. Modern weapon appeared useless. Millions of years of volcanic heat evolved Rodan's hide into a nearly impenetrable skin. The gale-force winds created by Rodan's wings were hurricane like in devastation. All the Japanese could do was endure the destruction. Just when all hope seemed lost another terror descended from the sky. A second Rodan, larger than the first, joined its mate in the destruction of Fukuoka. After the nigh total devastation of the city the two Rodans returned to their nest near Mount Aso.

The Japanese government, military, and scientific community set plans in place to cave in the surrounding cliff side in hopes of burying the twin kaiju under a mountain of rock. The attack on the Rodans commenced. The ensuing bombardment of the mountainside triggered the volcanic eruption of Mount Aso. The result was horrific. The nation's leaders watched as the creatures screamed out as they were being bathed in lava, fire rippling across their skin, their bodies thrashing in agony. The Rodans cries of death echoed across the countryside. One Rodan fell flat against the mountainside, the second laying over-top the other as molten lava washed over them. That was the end of the Rodan threat... or so it was believed.

RODAN'S RETURN: GHIDORAH RISING

Eight years later, days prior to the Ghidorah Incident, a "Prophetess" spoke of Rodan's return. Her prediction proved accurate. One of the Rodans, encased in rock at the rim base of the Mount Aso, reemerged, the mysteries of its survival is as of yet unknown. It is theorized that the Rodan which fell to earth first was the surviving creature, the other Rodan's body protecting it from the extreme heat of the lava flow and also providing it sustenance during the eight years of forced hibernation. It is believed that the extreme heat forced the creature into hibernation and the lava provided a stasis seal around it.

Rodan's return was only the beginning of what was to be one of the greatest calamities the Earth has ever known, what is now referred to as the Ghidorah Incident. During this incident Rodan engaged Godzilla in mortal combat. The two kaiju fought across the Japanese countryside unrelentingly, hellbent on destroying one another. Their battle would've continued if not for the intervention of a young Mothra larva. This infant Mothra faced down the golden space dragon Ghidorah alone. Upon seeing Mothra beaten and nearly ravaged by Ghidorah, Rodan and Godzilla joined Mothra to defeat the space monster. The three kaiju succeeded in repelling Ghidorah, the three-headed monster retreating into outer space. Afterwards Rodan nestled in a cavern in Washigasawa, Japan.

INVASION "X"

Not long after the advent of King Ghidorah Rodan was taken from his nest in Washigasawa along with Godzilla by spacemen from the planet X, a celestial body residing within the dark side of Jupiter. The Xileins came to Earth under the guise of peace, wishing to use Godzilla and Rodan to defeat a kaiju plaguing their own world, a kaiju they called Monster Zero. The Xileins took Godzilla and Rodan into space and revived them on the surface of Planet X. There the two kaiju once again battled Ghidorah, the kaiju the Xileins named Monster Zero.

This all was revealed to be a plot by the Xileins to acquire Rodan and Godzilla, to use them along with Ghidorah to conquer Earth. Using magnetic waves, the Xileins manipulated Rodan, Godzilla, and Ghidorah to do the aliens' bidding. The assault on Earth began with the three kaiju leading the charge. Thankfully Earth's scientists were able to disrupt the Xileins control over the kaiju, and through the means of a new invention by Tetsuo Teri were able to destroy the spacemen. Now, free from Xilein control, Rodan and Godzilla joined forces again and repelled Ghidorah once more.

ATTACK ON KILAAK

In the year 1999 Rodan was subdued by Earth's scientists and moved to the Ogasawara Islands for containment and study. Rodan, along with many other of Earth's kaiju, lived peacefully and comfortably within the small island chain. Through the use of sophisticated technology, an invisible magnetic barrier was erected to keep Rodan limited to the skies above the islands. There Rodan made its nest near the peak of the tallest mountain on the central island of Ogasawara. Also nesting near the same peak was the monster Varan. The two kaiju coexisted peaceably.

The tranquility of the island was interrupted when the alien invaders known as the Kilaaks laid siege to the Ogasawara observatory, taking control of the monsters, and loosing them upon the world. Rodan flew halfway across the world to Moscow and reduced the great Russian city to rubble. The Kilaaks then employed Rodan as their sky-guard protecting the airspace surrounding their secret Earth base.

Eventually the Japanese Self Defense Forces along with the crew of the Moonlight SY3 spaceship succeeded in freeing Rodan and the other kaiju from the Kilaak's control. Rodan and the other kaiju descended upon the Kilaak's base encountering the invaders' final weapon: King Ghidorah. Rodan, Godzilla, Minya, Kumonga, Anguirus, Gorosaurus, Mothra, Manda, Baragon, and Varan all fought King Ghidorah together and soundly defeated the evil kaiju. Then they destroyed the Kilaaks and ended the Kilaak alien threat to Earth. Afterward the kaiju returned to Ogasawara.

Since then Rodan has reappeared several times wreaking devastation and occasionally defending its territory from other alpha predators and mega-fauna.

RODAN'S BIOLOGY

The creature scientists have referred to as Rodan (Radon in Japanese) is a prehistoric ultra-saur belonging to the Pteranodon family of dinosaur. Rodan's incredible wingspan make it one of the largest kaiju on record. It has a thick, nigh impenetrable hide able to resist punishing supersonic wind speeds, extreme temperatures both hot and cold, and subsequently all forms of conventional military weaponry. Rodan's hide can even stand up against Godzilla's radioactive breath and Ghidorah's energy beams. In addition to its tough hide Rodan has an even stronger shell-like plating on its chest and belly. Dozens of pointed bone-like extrusions line the shell enabling Rodan to do fly-by attacks overhead knocking other flying kaiju out of the sky.

Rodan can fly at supersonic speeds, breaking the sound barrier. Its jet-stream wake shreds all forms of manmade aircraft. Flying low to the ground creates a devastating shock wave capable of leveling buildings and sending vehicles flying through the air like dust particles. On land Rodan can generate hurricane force winds capable of toppling Godzilla. And lastly, during the attack on Fukuoka Rodan demonstrated a seldom used ability expelling a sonic scream from its mouth. This sonic scream appears invisible and is capable of shattering concrete and blowing tanks away with its force. Rodan can also use its wings to batter other kaiju and can carry kaiju through the air with the talons on its feet. Rodan was strong enough to carry Godzilla through the air this way.

Review: Rodan has been one of my favorite film kaiju since I first saw him as a kid. He has proven to be one of the more popular monsters in TOHO's stable and has made an appearance in each of the three Godzilla series. Rodan is often seen as Godzilla's right hand kaiju and the two have teamed up to stop Ghidorah three times! It is always great to see him in a movie and always a welcomed sight. His best appearances are definitely his first two. His original movie is a true monster movie classic!

In the Heisei series they reduced his size and turned him into a puppet/marionette completely. Personally I find the effect less convincing. His Heisei rendition is my least favorite version of him. His redesign for Godzilla: Final Wars is fantastic. It's just a shame that he wasn't in the movie more. Still, in my opinion nothing will ever match the power and terror of the original 1956 film.

I'd call Rodan one of the big three of Earth's Defenders along with Godzilla and Mothra. I've said this many times before that I have a personal fondness for the more natural looking kaiju designs. Rodan is a wonderful re-imagining of a Pteranodon, enhancing it to kaiju proportions and making it a unique looking creature as well.