Considering how long-running and iconic of a cinematic franchise Godzilla is, it’s no wonder that the King of the Monsters has experienced some incredibly bizarre moments over the years that make little sense. Even the best kaiju movies are inherently unrealistic, ignoring the square-cube law that would make such massive monsters impossible. That being said, the Godzilla franchise in particular has featured some scenes that don’t even follow the fantasy logic established by the movies.
It’s no secret that the mainline Godzilla movies, particularly in the Showa era of Godzilla, can get fairly silly, with all sorts of plots involving aliens, mutants, and all other manner of strange creatures. The modern Monsterverse series is certainly no exception to this, presenting its own nonsensical moments that are ridiculous to consider even in the context of a giant monster movie. But perhaps the strangest situations Godzilla has found himself in come from the advertising and crossover sequences Godzilla has experienced as a beloved pop culture icon.
10 Godzilla Gains Magnetokinesis
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
In every series he appears in, Godzilla is one of the most powerful kaiju around, earning his title as the King of the Monsters. His powerset is also fairly standardized, with extreme regeneration, strength and durability scaling to his massive size, and the iconic atomic breath all coming as standard issue with a given Godzilla incarnation. But Godzilla has also demonstrated some odd lesser-known powers at times, which are often used once before being shelved and never referenced again.
Related All 7 Times Godzilla Was Beaten By The Humans (& How They Did It)
Godzilla has been beaten by humans a total of seven times throughout the franchise, despite fighting multiple kaiju, which is an impressive feat.
In previous films, Godzilla is sometimes depicted with the ability to absorb various forms of energy, especially radiation, but also sometimes including electricity. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla expands upon the latter to an impressive degree, suddenly gifting Godzilla the power of magnetokinesis, similar to X-Men‘s Magneto. In the film, he uses this power to wrap transmission towers around himself and hold Mechagodzilla in place for a legendary beatdown. This power-up comes out of nowhere, and is never mentioned or used by Godzilla ever again in the Showa era films.
9 Godzilla Speaks To Angirus In English
Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
Though Godzilla’s intelligence varies wildly from film to film, at the end of the day, he is still an all-powerful animal with little in the way of human traits. Because of this, various Godzilla movies would have to find clever ways to showcase his intelligence, never allowing him to simply speak or plainly communicate in a way humans can readily understand. That being said, the English dub of Godzilla vs. Gigan doesn’t trust audiences to come to their own conclusions about Godzilla’s intentions, giving Godzilla an actual speaking English voice actor in one scene.
To-date, this remains the only cinematic instance of Godzilla speaking in a human voice, something that will never truly make sense for the series.
In Godzilla vs. Gigan, Godzill and his friend Angirus have to track down the source of an alien broadcast that gives orders to Gigan and King Ghidorah. In the original dub, Godzilla gets his points across by a simple series of gestures, nods, and grunts, wordlessly telling Angirus where to go. The English version suddenly grants Godzilla a gravelly speaking voice for this singular scene, never explaining how or why he was able to do so. To-date, this remains the only cinematic instance of Godzilla speaking in a human voice, something that will never truly make sense for the series.
8 Godzilla Flies With Atomic Breath Recoil
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
If there’s one advantage many of Godzilla’s opponents have historically had over him, it’s the ability to fly. From King Ghidorah’s gravity-manipulation to the impressive wingspan of the pterodactyl-like Fire Rodan, Godzilla has always had the limitations of a terrestrial animal. However, one film, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, sought to level the playing field by justifying a hilarious-looking way for Godzilla to soar through the sky in order to catch up to a new airborne monster.
Godzilla vs. Hedorah sees Godzilla face off against the titular beast, a goo-like mutant born from the Earth’s pollution. While Hedorah’s combat-oriented humanoid form is its better-known appearance, it also appears in a strange flying form reminiscent of a UFO. Towards the end of the movie, Godzilla catches up to a fleeing Hedorah by firing his atomic breath behind him, propelling him backwards through the sky like a giant shrimp. If the recoil of atomic breath is fierce enough to fling Godzilla around, it seems strange that he’d be able to use it effectively on land at all.
7 SpaceGodzilla Is Borne From G-Cells And A Black Hole
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
Mechagodzilla is far from the only Godzilla look-alike the King of the Monsters has had to battle across his storied career. Enter SpaceGodzilla, an extraterrestrial version of Godzilla that represents one of the beloved monster’s strongest foes. SpaceGodzilla’s origins are, fitting enough, detailed in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, which provides a kaiju origin even more unbelievable than Godzilla’s own.
It turns out that following the previous film, Godzilla vs. Biollante, some of Godzilla’s cells (referred to as “G-Cells” in the movies) were flung into space. Upon being sucked into a black hole, his cells apparently created a new creature by rapidly assimilating crystalline organisms before being spat out of a cosmic wormhole, resulting in the birth of SpaceGodzilla. Even for a Godzilla monster, this origin is utterly far-flung, making the matter-of-fact cadence with which the film’s human characters hypothesize it all the more unintentionally hilarious.
6 The Monsterverse’s Kong Has An Inconsistent Size
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
The movies of the Monsterverse are certainly not without their share of nonsensical additions to the Godzilla canon, particularly when it comes to their depiction of the kaiju’s size. The Titans of the Monsterverse often vary wildly in size from scene to scene and movie to movie, with no great lore explanation as to why.
One of the most obvious of these is Kong’s growth from Kong: Skull Island to Godzilla vs. Kong, which can admittedly be attributed to the increased levels of Hollow Earth radiation pouring into him after the events of the tie-in comic book. That being said, King Kong’s size is called into question again in the final act of Godzilla vs. Kong.
While he’s estimated in official materials to stand at 337 feet tall, the battle in Hong Kong suggests a much bigger estimate, with Kong standing closer to around 550 feet tall after comparing him to the real-life building, the Bank of China Tower. His interactions with Jia further skews his conflicting scaling, with Kong’s finger suggesting yet another size when compared with the young Iwi survivor.
5 Godzilla Uses Atomic Breath To Dig A Hole To The Hollow Earth
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Despite being such a modern film, Godzilla vs. Kong provides many more examples of nonsensical moments in the Godzilla franchise. The crux of the Monsterverse revolves around the idea of Hollow Earth, a secondary world deep underneath the planet’s surface from which all the series’ massive Titans hail.
At one point in Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla realizes he needs a path to the Hollow Earth quickly, so he turns his atomic breath downwards, drilling a hole into the Earth’s crust deep enough to penetrate the hidden world in mere moments. This beat of the action makes zero sense for multiple reasons. Other entrances to the Hollow Earth seem to imply some mystical or interdimensional aspect of travel there, yet Godzilla’s breath digging a hole seems to imply it truly is just a matter of physical distance and raw materials.
It’s also quite the stretch for Godzilla’s breath to be powerful enough to displace the raw materials needed to reach such a depth, considering it was able to be stopped by Kong’s scale ax earlier in the same film. To top it all off, the moment the hole is dug, Kong and Godzilla are able to somehow vocalize to one another, despite the vast distance.
4 Godzilla Plays One-On-One Basketball With Charles Barkley
Godzilla vs. Charles Barkley (1992)
In many instances, Godzilla becomes even stranger when put through the lens of advertising, with commercially-minded crossovers fueling some of Godzilla’s most bizarre moments ever. The easy standout of these collaborations is Godzilla’s one-on-one basketball match with legendary NBA power forward Charles Barkley. Their fateful meeting was the result of a 1992 Nike commercial which aired on MTV with the goal of promoting the brand’s latest line of sneakers.
The commercial begins with Godzilla on a classic rampage through a city, only for a kaiju-sized Charles Barkley to stroll up to him with a basketball. Accepting the challenge, Godzilla slaps a pair of goggles on his face before proceeding to get utterly driven through by Barkley, who makes a firm slam dunk on a suspicious basketball hoop-shaped building. The best part of the ad is when Barkley offers Godzilla a spot on the Lakers, leaving TV audiences with one confusing but enjoyable experience of surprisingly high production-value.
3 Godzilla Plays Soccer With Angirus
Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
A true satisfying sendoff for Godzilla’s suited era, Godzilla: Final Wars sees Godzilla going on a one-monster-rampage against nearly every enemy and ally he has ever had. Among the combatants included his traditional allies, the turtle-like Angirus, the flying monster Rodan, and the mystical guardian King Caesar. Their encounter in the film quickly dissolves into a high-stakes soccer match, with Angirus’ spiky curled-up body serving as the ball.
At first, Godzilla is able to send the flying Angirus back into the sky with a powerful tail-swipe, sending him careening into the airborne Rodan. Soon after, the more humanoid King Caesar executes a classic soccer shoot using Angirus, sending him flying at Godzilla again, only for the King of the Monsters to dive after him like a goalie.
Related 10 Best Godzilla Movies To Watch First: Where To Start
Godzilla’s movie career dates back to 1954, and for those who have never seen a Godzilla movie, there are a number of perfect entry points.
2
The very next shot implies that Godzilla failed to prevent the “goal”, as Angirus smashes into a mountainside feebly guarded by Rodan. While a fun visual gag that turns Godzilla’s fight against his historical allies into a sporting event, it’s hard to say the way this battle plays out makes any sense.
2 Spilling Liquor On A Control Station Kills Mechagodzilla
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
The human characters of the Monsterverse can easily accomplish feats just as ridiculous as the Titans themselves, as proven by the lazy writing of Godzilla vs. Kong. In the B-plot of Godzilla vs. Kong‘s hectic climax, Godzilla and Kong face off against the cybernetic Mechagodzilla, with the humans Madison, Josh, and Bernie stumbling upon a control room meant to direct the now-rampaging Mechagodzilla, having been overtaken by the latent consiousness within King Ghidorah’s skull. The method the gang uses to stop Mechagodzilla’s rampage is one of the most nonsensical moments in any Godzilla movie.
The method the gang uses to stop Mechagodzilla’s rampage is one of the most nonsensical moments in any Godzilla movie.
Making an absurd leap in logic, the nerdy adolescent Josh steals Bernie’s liquor flask and spills it all over the Mechagodzilla control panel. Somehow, this manages to stun Mechagodzilla long enough for Kong and Godzilla to gain back the upper hand, killing him. One of the most egregious leaps in logic in the entire Monsterverse so far, the absurdity of this moment rivals even the most heinous of Show era shenanigans.
1 Godzilla Makes Pancakes With A Co-Host
Get Going! Godzilland (1994-1996)
American companies weren’t the only ones to seek the brand recognition of Godzilla in the 90s, with Nike being far from the only commercial suitor for the King of the Monster’s likeness. To promote the latest Godzilla film, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II,Toho once commissioned the creation of a children’s show to air in syndication in Japan. This series went on to inspire the creation of another show aimed at kids, Get Going! Godzilland!, which combined animated segments of cutesy versions of Godzilla’s monsters alongside live-action segments featuring the typical Godzilla suits.
In one of these segments, Godzilla infamously helps whip up a hot stack of pancakes alongside a human chef. This time around, Godzilla is given a friendly Japanese voice, which he uses to talk excitedly to his friend in the kitchen. Whether the woman and the house are giant, if Godzilla has become small, or how he gained the ability to speak will all remain mysteries for this lighthearted and obscure Godzilla appearance.
Godzilla
The Godzilla franchise, spanning over six decades, follows the adventures of the titular kaiju, a colossal, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. Originating in Japan, Godzilla has evolved from a destructive force of nature to a protector of humanity, battling various other giant monsters, including iconic foes like King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla. The series explores themes of environmental destruction, nuclear anxiety, and human resilience. With numerous films, TV series, and an expanding universe, Godzilla remains a cultural icon, captivating audiences worldwide with its epic battles and compelling narratives.
Movie(s) Godzilla , Godzilla 2 , Godzilla 3 , Shin Godzilla , Godzilla (2014) , Godzilla (1998) , Godzilla Vs Kong , Godzilla Minus One , Mothra vs. Godzilla , Godzilla Vs King Kong , Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. , godzilla: monster planet , Godzilla vs. Gigan , Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla , Godzilla: Final Wars , King Kong vs. Godzilla , Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II , Godzilla: The Showa Era Films , Godzilla vs. Biollante Created by Tomoyuki Tanaka , Akira Watanabe Latest Film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Cast Akira Takarada , Momoko Kôchi , Akihiko Hirata , Takashi Shimura , Anna Sawai , Kiersey Clemons , Ren Watabe , Kurt Russell , Wyatt Russell TV Show(s) Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Video Game(s) Godzilla , Super Godzilla , Godzilla (1990) , Godzilla: Unleashed , Godzilla: Monster War , Godzilla: Battle Legends , Godzilla: Save The Earth , Godzilla: Monster of Monsters! , Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Expand