Over the years, Godzilla has pulled off some amazing feats, some of which being acts that would be impossible for anyone else. Across a movie franchise that’s spanned over 30 movies since 1954, Godzilla has done more than enough to earn his reputation as the King of the Monsters. In fact, well over a dozen monsters have been killed by Godzilla in combat, with a few of these actually serving as repeat victims.
Of course, it’s not just Godzilla’s power level or his body count that stands out. There’s also the matter how he’s defeated his enemies over the last 60 years. Simply beating them into submission or blasting them with his atomic breath are among his most common ways of taking down an opponent on the big screen. However, Godzilla has also been known to utilize some rather unorthodox methods as well. Taking this direction has allowed the Godzilla franchise to deliver a number of remarkable, over-the-top moments worth revisiting.
8 Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla – Godzilla’s Magnetic Powers
In a moment that received no explanation whatsoever (scientific or otherwise), Godzilla manifested a bizarre new power in the final minutes of his first showdown with his robotic counterpart. After a long struggle, Godzilla used electromagnetic abilities to defeat Mechagodzilla in 1974’s Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. By pulling metal objects toward him (a fleeing Mechagodzilla included), Godzilla was able to secure the win. Adding to the peculiarity of the scene is the fact that it never returned, making it an anomaly of the franchise.
7 Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster – Godzilla Plays Volleyball With A Boulder
Godzilla, and by extension, Rodan, demonstrated an unusual skill in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster when one kaiju tossed a boulder at the other. Remembered as the famous volleyball scene, it featured Godzilla and Rodan bouncing a boulder back and fourth, with Godzilla using his head to accurately bounce the large rock right back to Rodan. This led to a lengthy yet humorous exchange that mirrored a volleyball match. Released just two years after the 1964 movie, Ebirah, Horror of the Deep included a similar sequence between Godzilla and Ebirah, this one taking place in the ocean.
6 Godzilla vs. Megaguirus – Godzilla Body Slams Megaguirus
Among the overpowered depictions of Godzilla’s strength came courtesy of Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, the 2000 film that saw him do battle with a mutated, prehistoric dragonfly. In a scene that perfectly honored the ridiculous nature of his Showa-era fights, Godzilla did a vertical leap, bounding hundreds of feet into the sky before crushing a surprised Megaguirus under the force of his immense body weight. Godzilla attacking Megaguirus with a body slam was a move that neither the villain nor audiences saw coming. The reveal that a being as massive as Godzilla can jump so high would hold terrifying implications for any future adversaries (and civilization as a whole), but the move never made a second appearance.
5 Godzilla vs. Megaguirus – Godzilla Survived A Black Hole
The body slam was actually just one of two impressive stunts pulled off by Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus. The second involved a satellite called the Dimension Tide, which could generate black holes. Due to the immense amount of energy stored within a black hole, it seemed logical to the government that a black hole would be the one force Godzilla couldn’t overcome. After obliterating one black hole with an atomic breath blast, Godzilla collided with another, yet somehow lived through it. His roar, heard at the end of the film, confirmed his miraculous survival. Godzilla’s ability to walk away from being sucked into a black hole is a testament to his nigh-invulnerability.
4 Godzilla vs. Kong – Godzilla Blasts A Tunnel Through The Earth
It’s not just Toho’s movies that stretch the imagination in terms of what Godzilla can do. While the MonsterVerse has attempted to take a somewhat grounded approach to the monster action, that’s not the route it took in Godzilla vs. Kong when Godzilla detected Kong accessing the Hollow Earth energy source. In response, Godzilla charged up his atomic breath and blasted a hole all the way through to the Hollow Earth. The geological consequences of such an act – not to mention the implausibility of it all – weren’t addressed in the film. Considering the amount of energy this must have required, it’s hard to imagine how any of his foes have endured hits from his atomic breath.
3 Godzilla: Final Wars – Godzilla Sends Keizer Ghidorah Into Outer Space
Godzilla set up one of his wildest finishing moves of all time when he picked up Keizer Ghidorah by its tails and tossed him into the air at the end of Godzilla: Final Wars. As if tossing a monster much heavier than himself wasn’t enough, Final Wars upped the ante by having Godzilla fire a blast of atomic breath so powerful that it launched the villain all the way into outer space. In dramatic fashion, the scene culminated in Keizer Ghidorah dying in a massive explosion.
2 Godzilla vs. Hedorah – Godzilla Flies With His Atomic Breath
Not unlike what happened with Godzilla’s magnetic powers in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Godzilla vs. Hedorah is another Toho film where the fan-favorite kaiju demonstrates a shocking new power, only to never use it again. In order to pursue Hedorah, Godzilla accomplished something that once felt impossible for the King of the Monsters: he flew. By firing his atomic breath downward, Godzilla was able to keep his entire body mass suspended in the air while maneuvering himself in Hedorah’s direction. To this day, Godzilla flying in Godzilla vs. Hedorah remains one of the most talked-about moments from the Showa era.
1 Godzilla vs. Megalon – Godzilla’s Gravity-Breaking Dropkick
When it comes to the wildest scenes in the history of the Godzilla franchise, none are more extraordinary than what played out in 1973’s Godzilla vs. Megalon. In the movie, Godzilla engaged in a memorable team-up with Jet Jaguar where the two had to contend with the combined forces of Gigan and Megalon. At a point in the fight where victory appeared imminent, Godzilla signaled for Jet Jaguar to restrain Megalon. After stepping back to ensure enough room for a running start, Godzilla leaned back on his tail, using only it to support all of his body weight. By sliding on his tail for several hundred feet, Godzilla managed to execute a devastating kick (with both legs outstretched) on Megalon.
The dropkick, which Godzilla actually used again immediately afterward, was physically impossible, and likely wouldn’t have worked in anything but a Showa era Godzilla film. Needless to say, the monster sliding on his tail in such a manner completely breaks the laws of physics. However, the improbability of the scene does little to ruin it. Ridiculous as it may be, Godzilla’s gravity-defying dropkick is in keeping with the kid-friendly spirit of the film, which never tries to take itself too seriously.
