Over the past decade-plus, we have been living in a new golden age of Godzilla media. Godzilla (2014) launched a bonkers cinematic universe that also included Kong: Skull Island (2017), leading to multiple sequels and crossovers between the two headlining titans. The production company, Legendary, eventually got into the TV space as well, expanding the story in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters for Apple TV in 2023. Back in Japan, Toho Studios has produced both Shin Godzilla (2016) and the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One (2023).
We are due for both another season of TV and another movie in 2026, with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 premiering on February 27 and Godzilla Minus Zero hitting theaters on November 6. While we know Godzilla and Kong will be fighting the mysterious Titan X in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2, we don’t know much at all about the more grounded Godzilla Minus Zero. But for all of the intense human drama and allegorical destruction of that duology and the original Japanese film in 1954, it’s hard not to enjoy kaiju throwing down with the fate of the world on the line. Godzilla x Kong: Supernova will certainly feature plenty of that in 2027, at the very least.
So without further ado, here are my rankings of the top 10 monsters in the Godzilla universe:
#10: Skar King
That’s right, the main antagonist of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire made the cut. Lanky, cruel and cunning, Skar King rules the Hollow Earth while wielding a whip made from the spine of a Warbat. He uses said whip to control an ice-breathing dragon, Shimo, who he rides into battle. For as sadistic as the character is, there are just so many layers of goofy fun that make him hard not to appreciate.
#9: Ion Dragon
Another more recent addition to the Godzilla canon, the Ion Dragon debuted in season 1 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, following a mention in Kong: Skull Island. The titan looks like a giant, scaly bat with horns and an armored tail, not to mention the blue mucus it uses to try and blind Godzilla himself. Of course, the king of the monsters rips the Ion Dragon’s wing off and burns it with his atomic breath, but even that doesn’t kill it. A scrappy, cunning fighter, despite not being the most formidable foe in the cinematic universe.
#8: Destoroyah
Destoroyah only ever graced the silver screen one time, but he has lived on through his 12 video game appearances since. In Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), we discover that prehistoric crustaceans underwent 40 years of mutation after being exposed to the Oxygen Destroyer that initially defeated Godzilla, eventually evolving into a hive mind. Eventually, they use Godzilla Jr.’s DNA (yes, we are firmly in the Godzilla Jr., rubber suit era of the franchise here) to combine into Destoroyah. A beast with wings, horns and the rest of the kitchen sink, Destoroyah kills Godzilla Jr. and only goes down once Godzilla himself collapses in a nuclear meltdown.
#7: Biollante
It’s been a while since audiences have seen Biollante, who again has almost exclusively appeared in video games over the past few decades. She first showed up in Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989), where a scientist splices his dead daughter’s DNA with a rose bush. When a volcano erupts and threatens to kill the rose bush, the scientist uses Godzilla’s DNA to keep it alive, only for the plant to turn into a kaiju. Deliciously campy origin aside, Biollante is basically a massive plant monster with vine tentacles and a crocodile head. Here’s hoping we see more of her in the future.
#6: Rodan
Design-wise, Rodan isn’t much more than a gigantic pterodactyl. But he is such a consistent staple in the franchise, appearing in several films between Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964) through Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019). Like a lot of these monsters, Rodan has taken on the roles of friend and foe to Godzilla over the years. Whether he emerges from a mountain or a volcano, the flying beast is as cool as it gets.
#5: Mechagodzilla
Plenty of the monsters on this list are meant to represent the hubris of man and mother nature fighting back, but none are quite as on-the-nose as Mechagodzilla. Scientists build a giant robot to fight Godzilla and – surprise, surprise – they lose control. Mechagodzilla actually started out as an alien creation sent to conquer Earth in the 70s, but the human-made origin has been a staple for the character since the 90s. Godzilla’s chrome doppelgänger launches missiles, lasers and blades, often making him an equal to Godzilla himself. Whether he is controlled by AI, the severed brain of King Ghidorah or remote human pilots, Mechagodzilla is a real contender for being Godzilla’s No. 1 rival.
#4: Mothra
Almost every monster mentioned here started out as a villain and is still used as an intimidating, destructive force. Mothra, on the other hand, is almost universally portrayed as a hero. Like her name would suggest, Mothra is a giant moth. But in case that’s too simple for you, she is worshipped as a deity by priestesses and is accompanied by identical twin fairies who speak her thoughts. Mothra brings balance to the world of giant monster battles, sometimes fighting to save humanity from Godzilla and sometimes teaming up with him to take down an even larger threat. Mothra has made more appearances in the Godzilla franchise than anyone outside of the titular lizard himself, thanks in large part to her constant resurrections and rebirths.
#3: King Ghidorah
When it comes to character design, King Ghidorah has everyone else beat. As a three-headed dragon, he is conceptually terrifying. At the same time, he isn’t too complicated and doesn’t have too many bells or whistles distracting from his defining traits. As a character, King Ghidorah works perfectly as Godzilla’s – and Mothra’s – arch nemesis. He can use his wings to fly and create a shield, as well as shoot lightning from his mouths and absorb the energy of other monsters. More often than not, Ghidorah is an extraterrestrial intruder, disrupting the balance of the other ancient beasts on this list. He presents the perfect opportunity for Godzilla to become a hero, just because he is an existential threat above any of these other contenders. Just as Batman has the Joker and Harry Potter has Voldemort, Godzilla has King Ghidorah.
#2: King Kong
King Kong predates every other kaiju on this list, as well as coming from an American background rather than a Japanese one. The towering ape from Skull Island who makes his way to New York City has been in dozens of movies, shows and video games at this point, standing apart as one of the most iconic fictional characters of the 20th century, regardless of franchise. Kong has dipped in and out of the Godzilla series since the 60s, often as a combatant but sometimes as an ally. The tragic figure and antihero is critical to the lore of the modern Monsterverse, and seeing him pop up in spinoffs, sequels and crossovers is always a welcome sight.
#1: Godzilla
Was it ever going to be anyone else atop this list? While King Kong came first and literally has “King” in his name, Godzilla is the real alpha in this franchise. From his origins as stand-in for nuclear disaster in Japan through his status as a modern Hollywood mainstay, there are few characters with the staying power of Godzilla. Everyone has their favorite – and least favorite – iteration, to the point that multiple can exist at the same time. Batman and James Bond don’t have that luxury, but Godzilla does. Long live the king.
Honorable Mentions: MUTOs, Shimo, Hedorah, Gigan, SpaceGodzilla
