In 1998, TriStar Pictures and director Roland Emmerich introduced America's first attempt at the King of the Monsters with Godzilla. By reimagining the kaiju from a slow-moving titan to a lean speedster, the results of the film were less than stellar for audiences and critics alike. Any planned sequels were canceled, and the film is considered a blemish of the franchise, with its titular creature being renamed Zilla by Toho - Godzilla's parent company - because the movie "took the God out of Godzilla."
Zilla was such a poor representation in Toho's eyes, that they took Godzilla back to his roots in Godzilla 2000 and later would feature a grudge match between Zilla and Godzilla in 2004's Godzilla: Final Wars. In this film, the King of the Monsters goes on a brutal warpath against many members of his rogues' gallery, and at one point comes face-to-face with his American-made counterpart. Within the span of less than a minute, Godzilla obliterates Zilla in a show of cinematic domination. This satisfies his thirst for vengeance against the lesser kaiju, and since then, he has not been used as a reptilian punching bag.
Despite the backlash, Zilla has gained a small following in other media, especially in Godzilla: The Series, an animated show that aired on the FOX Kids Saturday-morning block. The cartoon picks up where the movie leaves off and has protagonist Nick Tatopoulos meet and adopt Godzilla's last surviving hatchling. The series has a monster-of-the-week formula as the movie's cast reunites to travel the world as HEAT (Humanitarian Environmental Analysis Team), looking for other giant monsters for their kaiju companion to fend off.
The series garners praise from Godzilla fans, who feel this incarnation of the monster is more in line with the franchise's overall style. Godzilla, Jr. is more durable than his father and possesses an atomic breath attack similar to the traditional character, as opposed to the '98 version's ignitable gas-like breath. The focus on giant monster fights also calls to mind the colossal smackdowns that the series is known for, and at one point even hosts a multi-episode arc reminiscent of the classic 1968 ultimate reunion, Destroy All Monsters. This same arc even brings back Junior's father as the partially-mechanical Cyber-Godzilla, a nod to the classic series' Mechagodzilla.
The animated series would eventually find itself canceled, a casualty of the ongoing ratings war between fellow monster-themed programs Pokémon and Digimon, but luckily the entire run is available via DVDs and streaming services. The cartoon keeps the radioactive reptile's flame burning, even if it is dimly lit, but it's enough for Zilla to garner more glory in the comics.
IDW Publishing's Godzilla: Rulers of Earth features multiple Toho kaiju throwing down against each other before gathering together to battle a formidable alien threat. Rarely does Godzilla team up with monsters he hasn't bested before, and things are no different here when Zilla makes his comic book debut.
At the end of Rulers of Earth #1, the new and improved quicker kaiju steps into the ring, preparing to have his second throwdown with his Japanese predecessor, and within the following issue he proves to be a much better match for the King of Monsters. With sharp claws that can pierce Godzilla's hide and the cunning strategy of burrowing underground to create pitfalls, this reinvention of the creature is a more worthy challenger to the throne. Despite having to make a hasty retreat, Zilla sets himself up as an interesting foil to Godzilla's brute strength, and this would not be his final appearance within the comics.
For the finale of Issue #25, Zilla returns as Godzilla leads the planet's monsters against the terrifying Trilopods. The alien creatures have Godzilla on the ropes after boosting their strengths by absorbing his allies' energy and becoming doppelgangers of sorts of these kaiju, possessing their abilities and looks. After coming in for the save for Jet Jaguar, Zilla would later bail out Godzilla, causing the latter to take pause.
The Trilopods and their massive overlord Magita are bested after the titanic struggle. As the kaiju return to Monster Islands to recover, Zilla is among the masses that included longtime familiar faces like Rodan and Anguirus, seemingly cementing his place among the great radioactive family.
America's first Godzilla faced his share of scrutiny and controversy over the past decades, but if there's one perk that Zilla has, it's the fact that he was never truly forgotten. From being the butt of jokes to collecting a small following, every Godzilla fan is aware of the unconventional take on the classic kaiju. While the entirety of Zilla's concept is nothing one would expect when thinking about the famous monster, there are enough differences that make this creature a strange and unique one that towers just as tall as the rest.