Titanosaurus (Godzilla)
| Godzilla film series character | |
|---|---|
| Titanosaurus | |
 | |
| Species | Aquatic dinosaur |
| Height | 60 meters |
| Weight | 30,000 tons |
| Major enemies | Godzilla Spacegodzilla (IDW Godzilla Issue #10-11) |
| Allies | Mechagodzilla Godzilla (IDW Godzilla Issue #10) Rodan (IDW Godzilla Issue #10-11) Mothra (IDW Godzilla Issue #10-11) Anguirus (IDW Godzilla Issue #10-11) Kumonga (IDW Godzilla Issue #10) Battra (IDW Godzilla Issue #10-11) |
| Controlled by | Black Hole Aliens |
| First appearance | Terror of Mechagodzilla |
| Created by | Yukiko Takayama |
| Portrayed by | Tatsumi Nikamoto |
Titanosaurus (チタノザウルス Chitanozaurusu) is a fictional kaiju (Japanese giant monster) featured in the 1975 Showa film Terror of Mechagodzilla, the fifteenth Godzilla film to be produced by Toho.
Abilities
As well as using teeth and claws to fight, Titanosaurus can, by employing his tail as a fan, generate winds strong enough to demolish buildings and hurl debris at great velocities. When used in the water, it creates whirlpools powerful enough to completely immobilize submarines, in addition to its use as a high-powered propeller and rudder.
Titanosaurus is quite hardy as well as a determined combatant, standing toe-to-toe and exchanging blows with Godzilla on a number of occasions, and in addition landing kicks and punches that propel his opponent great distances (seemingly in defiance of conventional physics). Though the latter's atomic ray, superior physical strength and extensive combat experience ultimately give him a decisive edge when facing Titanosaurus one-on-one, Mechagodzilla's timely interventions allow his ally to retain or regain the initiative, as necessary.
In the video game Godzilla: Unleashed, Titanosaurus has a sonic beam as his primary weapon, which is ironic, considering that sonic energy is what lead to the downfall of his movie counterpart. This may explain his vulnerability to outside sonic waves; it disrupts the sonic waves he emits himself to navigate in deep-sea environments.
Origins
An amphibious dinosaur found in the Pacific Ocean, the character appeared only once, as one of two antagonists in the film Terror of Mechagodzilla. Characters in the film state that the Titanosaurus was originally a gentle creature, not aggressive by nature; it was only under mind control that it became hostile. Titanosaurus shares its name with a real dinosaur species, though they do not share much beyond nomenclature. Titanosaurus more closely resembles a Spinosaurus or a Suchomimus than a real Titanosaurus. Toho's Titanosaurus is more like a Japanese version of the British giant movie monster Gorgo, sporting the same webbed ear-like appendages, and has a dorsal sail like that of Spinosaurus. Originally, Titanosaurus was going to be two separate monsters that would eventually form into one, but due to budget restraints, only one Titanosaurus suit was made.
Terror of Mechagodzilla
In Terror of Mechagodzilla, a mad scientist named Shinji Mafune (Akihiko Hirata) becomes so obsessed with studying the brain patterns of marine life that he loses his academic credentials and is cast out from the scientific community. Quickly descending into madness, Mafune is able to gain control of Titanosaurus and joins forces with the Black Hole Aliens; the monster is used as the guardian of the destroyed Mechagodzilla's remains; an attack by Titanosaurus on a submarine sent to investigate the remains opens up the film. Dr. Mafune aids in the rebuilding and reconstruction of Mechagodzilla, and with both monsters under control, begins his revenge on humanity. After a lengthy battle in Tokyo, Mechagodzilla is destroyed by Godzilla, who then hits Titanosaurus with a blast of atomic ray. Titanosaurus then falls off a cliff into the ocean. Whether or not he survived is unknown.
Titanosaurus has not appeared in any films since, although he briefly appeared as stock footage in the opening credits of the 2004 Millennium film Godzilla: Final Wars as one of many monsters that arose from the devastation brought by the World Wars, along with Varan, Gezora, Baragon, Gaira, and Megaguirus.
Film appearances
- Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
- Godzilla: Final Wars (2004, stock footage)
References
