BLOOD WORK: KAIJUOLOGY: HEDORAH ~ THE SMOG MONSTER

Subject: Hedorah a.k.a. the Smog Monster

Documentation: Godzilla Vs Hedorah (1971) a.k.a. Godzilla Vs the Smog Monster, Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), and the video games Godzilla: Monster of Monsters (NES 1988), Godzilla 2: War of the Monsters (NES 1991) as well as various cameos in others.

History: In 2002, three short years after the planet wide destruction of the Kilaak Alien Invasion, another extraterrestrial threat plunged the world into a planet wide crisis. The creature known as Hedorah emerged threatening all life on Earth. Also worth noting, scientists and environmentalists measured the pollution levels of Earth during this period as the highest pollutant count in our planet's history.

Art by Yasushi Torisawa

The creature was discovered roaming the oceans, first sighted swimming in the polluted harbors off of many of Japan's major cities. Multiple creatures of various sizes were reported in the waters surrounding Japan, all fitting the same description, that of a mammoth tadpole. Larger and larger versions of these creatures were reported until a local news chopper recorded the shocking scene of a gargantuan sized version of the tadpole-like creature attacking a Japanese oil tanker and subsequently consuming the spilled crude oil. The attack happened in Saruga Bay after an oil tanker and freighter broadsided each other by accident. No survivors of the tanker attack were found.

Soon after the oil tanker attack fishermen began reporting bays across the country devoid of fish and sea life, sighting ever-growing amounts of pollution in the waters. One fisherman caught one of these mysterious tadpoles in his net, the creature the size of a sea bass. The fisherman took the tadpole to marine biologist Dr. Toru Yano for analysis. Dr. Yano was the first human being to come into contact with one of the creatures and survive. While scuba-diving in the bay near his home Dr. Yano came into contact with an ink-like expulsion from the creature. The ink proved highly acidic, scarring half of Dr. Yano's face. Moments later that same creature breached the surface of the water sailing overhead of Dr. Yano's son who was waiting among the rocks in the bay. The boy came into direct contact with the creature's body. The boy escaped with only burns to his hand and he was the one who discovered that the creature's body was composed of sludge.

Hedorah Concept Art by Yasuyuki Inoue

The creature was thusly named Hedorah after the Japanese word Hedoro meaning "sludge." Hedorah's next appearance saw the creature upon dry land and in a different form. Now the kaiju appeared as a four legged reptile mounting a local factory's smoke stacks and inhaling the black fumes. The attack occurred on a moonless cloudy night leading some to speculate that the creature may have a natural aversion to sunlight. That night also marked Hedorah's first encounter with Godzilla. The battle was brief, ultimately resulting in Hedorah being repelled back into the sea. Witnesses to the battle claimed that Hedorah's body sparked when hit with Godzilla's radioactive breath leaving charred remains behind.

Hedorah next appeared in the city of Fuji in yet another form resembling the aquatic manta ray or trilobite. Through a kind of jet propulsion the smog monster, as many were calling it, was able to fly. While flying Hedorah emitted a sulfuric mist that corroded metal and melted flesh. Steel girders melted and collapsed. The bodies of the dead filled the streets leaving thousands in the city dead or dying. Godzilla once again appeared driving the creature away.

Art by Yasushi Torisawa

Hedorah's final appearance was at the base of Mount Fuji in its fourth and presumably final form, an upright bipedal figure dwarfing Godzilla in both height and mass. Hedorah covered the area in toxic sludge killing more bystanders. Godzilla emerged once more to combat the creature only to be beaten and outmatched. The Japanese Self Defense Force, under the guidance of Dr. Yano, erected two building size electrodes designed to emit a powerful electrical current similar to Godzilla's heat ray. The JSDF, with Godzilla's help, were successful in defeating Hedorah, effectively dehydrating the creature completely. Hedorah has not been seen since.

HEDORAH'S BIOLOGY

The Smog Monster is unlike any creature known to exist on Earth. All the knowledge on Hedorah we currently have is from the research and notes of Dr. Toru Yano. We have only theories but according to Dr. Yano's study Hedorah is believed to be extra-terrestrial in origin, perhaps arriving on earth via a meteor or as space dust attached to King Ghidorah's hide or even perhaps a mutation of the space monster Dogora. Other theories include a possible alien weapon left behind by the Xilians, Kilaaks, or the Mysterians.

Hedorah: First Stage. Art by Yasushi Torisawa

Hedorah is a protean being, able to metamorph into many different forms. On Earth our scientists observed four separate stages, the first resembling a tadpole growing from a microscopic size to one larger than most seafaring vessels. These numerous Hedorai would grow by feeding on toxic pollutants in Earth's oceans, encounter each other, and merge together forming a singular larger Hedorah. The continued merging of Hedorai eventually resulted in the creation of a second bodily form.

Hedorah: Second Stage. Art by Yasushi Torisawa

The second stage the creature took on the shape of a reptile similar in size to the kaiju Anguirus or Baragon. The third stage was saucer like with flight capability. The fourth stage was even more enormous than any before it, a bipedal form larger than Godzilla. These were the only stages observed while the creature was on Earth. If Hedorah truly did come from outer space, and if multiple Hedorai continue to merge no matter the size, it is surmised that further stages of metamorphosis would occur. If Hedorah would continue to grow and change it is possible that Hedorah would wipe out all organic life on the planet and, given enough pollutants, grow to mountainous or even planet size proportions.

Hedorah: Third Stage

Dr. Yano, through his tests, discovered that Hedorah, despite its sludge-like organic appearance, is actually a living mineral. This living mineral, the core of Hedorah's being, was named Hedrion. Hedrion feeds on toxic pollutants, growing in size. When the pollutants it consumes come into contact with Hedrion sulfur is created. Veins of pure sulfur run through its body. Not only does Hedorah consume toxic sludge, smoke, and gases, it is capable of emitting the same products from its body with one-hundred times the toxicity. Everything from it is lethal to organic matter. Hedorah is also capable of energy projection via its eye in the form of a red laser-like ray. The eyes of Hedorah are the areas of its body with the highest concentration of Hedrion.

Hedorah: Final Form

The only known weakness to Hedorah is dehydration. Godzilla atomic heat ray also appears to have adverse effects on Hedrion resulting in an electrical discharge that dries out Hedorah's tissue. However as long as Hedorah has moisture it can shed its dried husk and escape. Godzilla effectively gutted the composite alpha Hedorah creature and dried out the kaiju completely. However even when dried out all Hedorah needs to assume life once more is moisture. After the final battle at Mount Fuji all the dried out Hedorah tissue was carefully collected and moved to a facility located in the Atacama desert. Significant efforts have been made in the intervening years to reduce pollutants the world over as it is unknown whether or not more Hedorai still roam the sea.

Review: Hedorah is probably the most terrifying monster of any of Toho's kaiju. Godzilla barely defeated it and it so easily could reform. The human devastation caused by Hedorah is second to none. Not since the original Gojira in 1954 has there been such a focus on the human damage inflicted. Imagine if they revisited Hedorah today in a new film, showcasing with top of the line special effects human beings putrefying onscreen? You couldn't make a new Hedorah film without going for an R rating. Anything less wouldn't do the kaiju justice and would be less than the original.

Hedorah also takes up where Godzilla left off as Humanity's punishment for destroying the Earth. He's Godzilla's spiritual brother in that sense. The Godzilla series had changed by 1971 into something different. With Hedorah we saw a combination of the new ethos of the series merge with the old. I have to give Hedorah the respect he deserves for bringing back the original message.

His only other film appearance is in 2004's Godzilla: Final Wars. His central scene was cut out of the finished picture and what is left of him in the film is so brief you'll miss it if you blink. Parts of his deleted scene can be viewed during the end credit role. This is a major let down and a major waste of a limitless character. Hedorah's mistreatment in Final Wars exemplifies my feelings toward that film as whole. Otherwise his best appearance since his 1971 debut is in the IDW comic book GODZILLA: LEGENDS #4. The comic book really captures the total devastation wrought by Hedorah. He also makes a fun appearance in the novel GODZILLA: AT WORLD'S END by Marc Cerasini.

Personally I feel he's one of the most creative and unlimited kaiju in the entire roster. He really established the multi-form kaiju formula that would be reused so very often in future kaiju films all over. Even how he was brought to life, via many different types of effects, is protean in essence. Hedorah is one of the great kaiju of cinema history. If he were revisited today using state of the art special effects it would truly by a spectacle to behold.