Over the decades, the Godzilla franchise has introduced no shortage of rivals and villains for the King of Monsters to face in battle. But out of all of Godzilla’s foes, there is perhaps none who come closer to being his true equal than his mechanical duplicate, Mechagodzilla.
There have been several interpretations of Mechagodzilla throughout the decades. Some have been malevolent forces of destruction, while others have been defenders of humanity. However, not every take on Mechagodzilla is held in equal esteem by fans. So without further ado, here’s a list of every version of Mechagodzilla throughout the series’ history, ranked from worst to best.
Anime Mechagodzilla
Mechagodzilla is briefly featured in the first film of the Godzilla anime film trilogy, Planet of the Monsters, which sees the anti-kaiju weapon destroyed by Godzilla before it can even be used. However, the second installment, City on the Edge of Battle, reveals that Mechagodzilla’s head survived the assault and began converting its surroundings into a sprawling, futuristic city using nanomachines. The film’s protagonists use this Mechagodzilla City as a safe haven, hoping to fend off Godzilla using its powerful defenses, but soon risk being assimilated by the nanomachines.
There are a few interesting ideas at play with this interpretation. The idea of Mechagodzilla essentially becoming a technological deity by absorbing other life into itself is a fascinating premise, which speaks to the franchise’s theme of humanity’s hubris leading to disaster. However, Mechagodzilla remains an immobile city for the duration of the film, never once using its original robot form in battle — much to the dismay of many fans. Mechagodzilla City is certainly a bold reimagining, but it takes so many liberties with the character that it’s hardly recognizable as Mechagodzilla at all.
Ready Player One Mechagodzilla
Some purists may argue that this iteration of Mechagodzilla shouldn’t be on the list at all, considering it didn’t appear in a Godzilla movie. However, as an official theatrical appearance of Mechagodzilla, it’s included anyway for the sake of completeness. Ready Player One, Ernest Cline’s notorious reference-fest of a novel, features a climactic final battle in which main antagonist Nolan Sorrento pilots a digital replica of Mechagodzilla into the fight. And sure enough, the 2018 film adaptation by Steven Spielberg retains this scene.
Because Mechagodzilla is a fictional character within the story, his inclusion has no real narrative importance beyond adding a bit of spectacle. But even so, there’s still something surreally entertaining about watching Ben Mendelsohn pilot Mechagodzilla into battle against the Iron Giant and a Gundam, all within a film directed by Spielberg himself. Plus, the design itself is quite nice, saving this Mechagodzilla from the bottom of the list.
Heisei Mechagodzilla
The Heisei era Mechagodzilla, as featured in 1993’s Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, is the first version of the character to be created by humans. Indeed, instead of an alien superweapon built to take over Earth, this Mechagodzilla was made as a defender of humanity against kaiju threats.
But despite putting up a good fight against both Godzilla and Rodan, Heisei Mechagodzilla could easily be seen as the awkward middle child of the bunch. It brings a few new ideas to the table, but not quite enough to escape the shadow of its predecessor the way that some of its successors have. Still, though it may not have the charm of other versions, Heisei Mechagodzilla deserves credit as a fresh take on the character that would lay the groundwork for nearly every later iteration.
Showa Mechagodzilla
The Showa era Mechagodzilla made his debut in the aptly named Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla back in 1974, and reappeared the next year’s Terror of Mechagodzilla. This original iteration was built by the apelike Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens — or the Simians for short — who sought to conquer Earth and make it their new home. And though he may look clunky and comical by modern standards, make no mistake, this Mechagodzilla is an absolute powerhouse. In fact, he’s one of Showa Godzilla’s deadliest foes, capable of delivering merciless beatdowns to both the King of Monsters and his stalwart ally Anguirus.
The original Mechagodzilla is notable for being the only take on the character to be fully alien in origin, while all subsequent versions have been anti-kaiju weapons built by humanity. But even so, Showa Mechagodzilla set a high bar for all of his successors, establishing him as one of Godzilla’s greatest nemeses. And while his design may be dated, its industrial, rivet-covered aesthetic still has a retro, almost steampunk appeal. Love him or hate him, Mechagodzilla wouldn’t be the franchise mainstay he is now without his Showa incarnation.
MonsterVerse Mechagodzilla
Like his Heisei incarnation, the Mechagodzilla featured in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong is an anti-kaiju weapon of human origin. However, this take on the character comes with a massive twist — he’s powered by one of the severed heads of King Ghidorah, who ends up taking control of Mechagodzilla to exact revenge on his ancient nemesis. It’s an interesting, unique twist on the character that both builds upon the story of the previous film and manages to unify Godzilla’s two greatest enemies into a single ultimate foe.
And indeed, the Ghidorah-powered Mechagodzilla lives up to the hype, effortlessly demolishing the King of Monsters until Kong swoops in to lend a hand. In terms of sheer spectacle and intensity, the final battle of Godzilla vs. Kong is a strong contender for the best Mechagodzilla fight in the series’ history. The only real weakness of MonsterVerse Mechagodzilla is his design, which is decidedly blocky-looking compared to the other, more stylish looks he’s had over the years. But despite that, the most recent Mechagodzilla is one of the most exciting interpretations in the entire Godzilla franchise.
Kiryu Mechagodzilla
Featured in 2002’s Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla and its 2003 sequel Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., the third Mechagodzilla — codenamed Kiryu by its creators — features the Heisei version’s backstory as a heroic protector of humanity, but with a macabre twist. Instead of being fully mechanical, Kiryu’s armor is actually built over the decaying remains of the original Godzilla from the 1954 film. After facing the new Godzilla in battle, Kiryu goes berserk as the original Godzilla’s will briefly resurfaces, turning humanity’s greatest weapon against the people it was built to protect. It’s only after Mothra intervenes at the end of Tokyo S.O.S. that Kiryu is returned to the ocean, allowing the original Godzilla’s spirit to rest once again.
Despite being the heroic kaiju of the film, Kiryu is nevertheless a walking avatar of humanity’s hubris, showing how arrogant they are for attempting to exploit forces beyond their control. Plus, his origin gives him a closer connection to Godzilla than any other Mechagodzilla, making their rivalry fiercer than ever. And between his powerful ranged weapons and his surprising agility, Kiryu is truly a worthy opponent for the King of Monsters. Between his sleek, powerful design, his incredible prowess in combat, and his creative, thematically rich backstory, Kiryu has more going for him than any other Mechagodzilla in the series.