Across dozens of movies, anime, and spin-offs, the king of movie monsters has undergone some pretty drastic design changes. Godzilla has stomped across screens as a CGI lizard, as an enormous animated plant thing, and as an ever-changing fleshy abomination. However, Godzilla finds his origins (and in the minds of many fans, his definitive appearances) in the classic suitmation of the Toho Godzilla films.
With decades of history behind the production process, the suits used to portray Godzilla have varied significantly throughout the years. Some are substantially larger than others, some attempt to make Godzilla more or less intimidating, and some feature advanced articulation and animatronics to bring the iconic monster to life.
10 KingGoji
King Kong vs. Godzilla is an iconic entry in the Godzilla canon, and the suit featured in that film is notably different from most of the other Showa-era looks. The appearance of Godzilla's head is streamlined significantly compared to the other suits of the period, and its claws appear larger and more pronounced.
This design can be somewhat divisive on account of its uniqueness, with some arguing that the distinctive look worked for the film, with others claiming that Godzilla's face looks out of place and awkward. Regardless, it's definitely an interesting entry in the history of the franchise, especially when considering that this movie was Godzilla's first fight with King Kong and the genesis of many of the hilarious Godzilla vs. Kong memes that we have today from the 2021 movie release.
9 MusukouGoji
Although Son of Godzilla has its fans, it's an uphill battle in Godzilla discussions to argue that his appearance in the film isn't goofy to the point of being meme-worthy. Perhaps Toho was aiming for a more personable, responsible-parent look for Godzilla, leading to them blowing up his eyes and rounding out his head.
Although these changes might have looked friendlier, they don't quite suit the legendary King of the Monsters. Thankfully, most of the other Showa-era Godzilla suits look structurally similar to this one but preserve more of Godzilla's historical menace.
8 BatoGoji
BatoGoji is a suit featured in the Heisei period's Godzilla vs. Mothra (not to be confused with 1964's Mothra vs. Godzilla). It's basically similar to most of the other suits of the era, featuring Godzilla's classic hide color, as well as the menacing eyes.
It doesn't quite rise above the other Godzilla suits of the era, though, because it isn't quite as distinctive as 1984's design, and it isn't as refined as the suit that would be used in later Heisei films like Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.
7 KiryuGoji
KiryuGoji was the suit used in the Mechagodzilla films of the new millennium and is broadly reflective of the post-Heisei and pre-Reiwa design philosophy. Here audiences see a leaner, thinner Godzilla, notably more reptilian and smaller in size than the bulky suits of the later Heisei films.
It's undoubtedly one of Godzilla's more unique looks, but the smaller scale and sleeker build give it a persistent freshness that sets it apart from other Godzilla designs of the era. A bold look for a new era, this suit helped usher in the trend of highly experimental Godzilla designs that we see in Godzilla media today.
6 84Goji
1984's Godzilla, or Return of Godzilla, features an extremely interesting suit. This was Godzilla's triumphant return to theatres after many years on hiatus, so it makes sense that it's distinct from many of its counterparts. Clearly attempting to return to the more menacing Godzilla of the first film, 84Goji is also notable for being one of the physically biggest iterations of the suit out there.
It's an interesting midpoint between the design ethos of the Showa and Heisei periods, and Heisei fans will be able to point out some familiar design elements in this taller, stockier Godzilla. At the same time, though, it's also clear that some of the principles of Showa-era suits have held on in this new version.
5 SoshingekiGoji
Likely one of the most widely-loved Showa period suits, SoshingekiGoji had a storied career in the Godzilla films of the '60s and '70s. Easily the most widely-used suit of the era, SoshingekiGoji appeared in a record of four films, including the iconic Destroy All Monsters and Godzilla vs. Hedorah.
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When a suit boasts as many appearances as this one, it's easy to see why it's come to be considered one of Godzilla's definitive looks. Plus, who could forget the suit that gave audiences Godzilla's singular moment of flight in Godzilla vs. Gigan?
4 MosuGoji
Godzilla's look in Mothra vs. Godzilla, considered by some to be the highlight of the Showa period, is fittingly one of Godzilla's most iconic designs. Perfectly combining the menace of the first Godzilla film with the goofier design zeitgeist of the period, Godzilla looks great in his inaugural confrontation with Mothra.
Perhaps one reason why this suit is so well-remembered is that Godzilla's dramatic entry in Mothra vs. Godzilla is one of the franchise's most impressive. It's hard to forget the iconic scene of this Godzilla suit erupting from the earth while that classic theme song plays.
3 GMKGoji
Godzilla underwent a lot of design changes in the new millennium, with most films choosing to adopt a sleeker, more streamlined build for the iconic monster. Outside of the Kiryu films and other such entries, GMKGoji from Shunsuke Kaneko's Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack stands out as one of the most interesting and intimidating suits of the franchise.
This is one of Godzilla's most purely menacing designs, which fits because this is a film that has Godzilla reprising an unambiguously villainous role. Featuring dagger-like teeth and white, unfeeling eyes, GMKGoji has all of the marks of a monster nobody wants to run into.
2 ShodaiGoji
At the end of the day, it's hard to beat the classics. Godzilla's appearance in his 1954 debut made him the world's most iconic kaiju for good reason, and it's obviously the common ancestor from which all other Godzilla designs are born. ShodaiGoji also shows us a Godzilla designed first and foremost to be scary, before the later entries in the Showa period would make him less menacing.
ShodaiGoji is also done a lot of favors by Ishiro Honda's stark, dramatic direction in black and white, having Godzilla cut a menacing figure against the smoke and fire of a ruined Tokyo. It's this look that cemented Godzilla's status as a symbol for mankind's nuclear trauma and a deadly reminder that parts of nature are best left undisturbed.
1 MogeGoji
MogeGoji is indisputably the definitive suit of the Heisei period, improving on past designs in Godzilla vs. Mothra in virtually every way. Deployed in the final two films of the period, Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, MogeGoji gave audiences pretty much everything they wanted to see out of a Godzilla design.
Its chief advantages over its Heisei predecessors are improved special effects in the articulation of the head and face, leading to a more expressive and interesting Godzilla and a stockier, larger build overall. The debate over which Godzilla suit is the best will not likely end any time soon, but MogeGoji certainly makes a strong bid for the top.
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