| Toho character | |
|---|---|
| Species | Irradiated Praying Mantis |
| Alias | Gimantis |
| Form(s) | Mutated Human-Sized Form Giant Mutated Form |
| Height | 40-50 meters |
| Weight | 2800-20,000 tons |
| Major enemies | Minilla Godzilla Kumonga |
| Controlled by | Xiliens |
| First appearance | Son of Godzilla |
| Created by | Jun Fukuda |
Kamacuras (カマキラス Kamakirasu), is a fictional gigantic praying mantis that has appeared in the Toho produced Godzilla series. The name alludes to "kamakiri", the Japanese word for mantis. In its first appearance, the creature was called Gimantis in the U.S. version.
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In Son of Godzilla, a species of man-sized praying mantises lived on Sollgel Island. Later, a radioactive accident that occurred due to a weather experiment mutated the insects into even larger proportions. They, now the size of buildings, became known as Kamacuras. Three Kamacuras found a giant egg and cracked it open to find a baby Godzilla. Before they could eat the infant, Godzilla himself arrived on the scene and attacked. Godzilla killed two of the Kamacuras with the third one killed by the giant spider Kumonga. However, a fourth Kamacuras retreated to Monster Island where it has since lived. He can use its very sharp claws to break open minya's egg in "Son of Godzilla."
In Godzilla: Final Wars, Kamacuras made an appearance as one of the many controlled monsters of a race of superior extraterrestrial beings known as the Xiliens. It attacks Paris, France and causes damage to one of the EDF's battleships until it is teleported away by an enormous UFO to make it seem as if the Xiliens eliminated every kaiju. Eventually, it is discovered that the Xiliens were controlling the monsters, who are returned to finish their rampages. Kamacuras battles Godzilla as he lands in Tokyo. Godzilla's resurfacing from the ocean causes a massive tidal wave that forces Kamacuras to flee and camouflage himself into a large forest. Godzilla is able to flush him out with his atomic ray and Kamacuras flies at Godzilla at Mach speed, but Godzilla grabs him and impales him on an electrical tower, killing him. The novelization shows Godzilla crushing his head with his tail.
In addition to his slashing forearm blades and ability to fly, Kamacuras was shown in Final Wars as being able to blend in with the background through a form of chameleon coloration.