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GIGAN!!! Rise!
Overview

Gigan (ガイガン,   Gaigan?) is an alien cyborg kaiju created by Toho. He is the secondary antagonist of the 2004 Godzilla film, Godzilla: Final Wars.

Name[]

Gigan's name is a combination of naisu gai (ナイスガイ), the Japanese words for "nice guy", which was a nickname for actor Yujiro Ishihara, and the word for "goose" (雁,   gan?).[3]

The upgraded version of Gigan is referred to as Modified Gigan (改造ガイガン,   Kaizō Gaigan?), which means "reconstructed Gigan".

The crimson version of Gigan is referred to as Death Trigger (デストリガーバージョン Desutorigābājon), a play on the name "Bloody Trigger".

Design[]

Appearance[]

The Gigan design of Godzilla: Final Wars is referred to as "FinalGigan" (ファイナルガイガン,   FainaruGaigan?). Gigan retains his avian traits of the Showa era, such as his beak, mandibles, and fin-like spines, as well as his circular saw weapon, steel hooks for hands, and red visor. However, he is changed to appear more cybernetic: his skin is now a dark blue, his body is much thinner and more streamlined, and the fin-like spines are now red. In addition, the buzzsaw in the abdomen is not as predominant or as noticeable and the beak appears to be a bit shorter than previously. There are wire-like structures running across his body, emphatic of a cyborg aspect.

Modified Gigan (改造ガイガン,   Kaizō Gaigan?) was Gigan's second form in Godzilla: Final Wars, where he is rebuilt with a different head after being decapitated in his earlier battle with Godzilla. His hook hands are replaced with double-pronged chainsaws and his metallic mandibles and head horn are now serrated.

Death Trigger (デストリガーバージョン Desutorigābājon) was an alternate form for Gigan. Initially found in the concept art of Godzilla: Final Wars, the design would be brought to life in a variety of ways in the following years. In his Death Trigger variation, his silver portions (save for the mouth) are painted blood red, with his visor and the membranes of his wings given a magenta hue. There are no significant model changes in any of its appearances.

Roar[]

Gigan's roar is an electronically styled chirp like his Showa counterpart, although it was elongated slightly.

Personality[]

Gigan is quite brutal and violent. In battle, he is also vicious and sadistic in combat, preferring to shred his opponents up close with his hook hands and buzzsaw, as shown when he attempted to drag Godzilla toward it. However this aspect of his fighting style tends to end badly for Gigan, having his head easily blown off by Godzilla's atomic breath and later slicing his own head off with two razor discs intended for Mothra.

Origins[]

In the Millennium film, Gigan is an ancient cybernetic space monster that was sent to Earth by the Xiliens thousands of years ago, where he was defeated by Mothra and subsequently mummified. In the year 20XX, Gigan's mummified corpse was discovered by the Earth Defense Force, and the monster was later reactivated by X during the Xiliens' invasion.

History[]

Godzilla: Final Wars[]

Gigan1ij4

Gigan in Godzilla: Final Wars

Gigan was discovered as a mummified monster in Hokkaido by the Earth Defense Force. According to the Shobijin, Gigan invaded the Earth thousands of years ago, but was defeated by Mothra. Gigan was awakened by the Xiliens to help them conquer the Earth. He was sent to destroy the Gotengo which was heading to Antarctica to release Godzilla. He nearly destroyed the ship, but he was blasted by Godzilla's atomic breath. Gigan battled Godzilla, trapping him in barbed wire and pulling him toward his buzzsaw. However Godzilla fired his atomic breath at Gigan's head, decapitating him and causing him to fall to the ground.

Godzilla

Modified Gigan in Godzilla: Final Wars

After his defeat, Gigan is rebuilt with a different head and chainsaws instead of hooks. Gigan was released by X to battle Mothra, and seemingly defeated her after slicing off part of her wing. Gigan then attempted to help Monster X in his battle with Godzilla, slicing him in the chest while Monster X held him still. Mothra flew into the battle and knocked Monster X and Gigan over. Gigan shot his blades at Mothra, but she dodged them. Gigan then blasted Mothra with his laser beam, causing her to burst into flames. Gigan struck a victory pose, but his razor discs flew back and sliced his head off. Gigan wandered around blindly after his head was severed until Mothra, now on fire, flew into him, causing him to explode and die.

Abilities[]

Anti-Gravity Flight[]

Gigan is capable of flying at speeds of up to Mach 3 while in Earth's atmosphere. Unlike its Showa counterpart, Gigan utilized its Flight a lot more flying after the Gotengo and chasing down Mothra, Gigan lacks his flying ability in the Wii port of Godzilla: Unleashed

Buzzsaw[]

Gigan has a buzzsaw built into his abdominal area made of an unknown alien alloy; granting it considerable durability and sharpness. In Godzilla: Final Wars, it was even able to lacerate the hull of the Gotengo.

Bloody Triggers[]

Gigan's forelimbs sport a pair of large metal hooks dubbed "Bloody Triggers" in place of hands which he can use these to batter and stab an opponent. In Godzilla: Final Wars, instead of hooks Gigan's forearms ended in scythe like blades, although we never actually see him use them in combat he does utilize the dual grappling hooks attached to them which Gigan used to bind an enemy and then drag them straight into his buzzsaw. Following his initial defeat by the recently awakened Godzilla, the Bloody Triggers were replaced with double-pronged chainsaws.

Gigarium Cluster[]

Godzilla Final Wars - 3-4 Gigan Joins The Brawl!

Gigan fires his eye laser in Godzilla: Final Wars

In addition to his melee weapons, Gigan has a laser blast fired from Gigan's eye itself. It fired as a large energy blast that-in a manner similar to a cluster bomb-would split into smaller explosive bolts of energy upon entering close range of a target, saturating the target in multiple hits simultaneously. The eye beam has been officially titled the "Cluster Light Beam," and while featured in the video games, unlike its film counterpart the beam scatters the instant it leaves Gigan's eye, has a limited range, and is referred to as "Shotgun Blast." In Godzilla: The Game, Modified Gigan's laser beam is called "Gigarium Cluster."

Bladed Slicer[]

After being repaired and upgraded following his initial fight with Godzilla in Godzilla: Final Wars, Gigan displayed the ability to fire homing razor discs from two hidden slots in his upper torso labeled the "Breast Device". Six of the discs were stored on each side, presumably with the ability to automatically lock onto targets. This ultimately led to Gigan's downfall when Mothra's scales interfered with the Bladed Slicers' electronics, sending them back toward their sender, decapitating him.

In the 2014 Godzilla game, Gigan's razor disc attack is called "Blooded Slicer." He also possesses a more powerful version called "Surging Wave Blooded Slicer".

Spike-like Tail[]

Gigan was also able to use his scorpion-like tail to aid him in melee combat.

Video games[]

Godzilla: Unleashed[]

Gigan is the vanguard of the Alien Invaders. He is the finest fighting monster the Vortaak have at their command. Gigan is a cyborg infused with Vortaak technology designed to augment his powerful natural combat abilities. This latest upgrade makes him faster, stronger, and more ferocious than ever.

Gigan projects powerful alien energy from his single eye to engage opponents at range, though with quick footwork and lightning-fast edged attacks he is clearly designed with close combat in mind.

In addition, Gigan has the ability to teleport short distances to confuse and outflank his opponents.
― Gigan Godzilla: Unleashed bio

Gigan appears in Godzilla: Unleashed. His bio differs slightly in the Wii and PS2 versions in the sense that the latter has contains a different closing sentence.

Godzilla (2014 video game)[]

In "Godzilla: Final Wars" (2004), Gigan was a cyborg monster for the Xilien Invasion. Notable features include the "Gigarium Cluster," a diffused light beam it can shoot from his eyes, rotating "Bladed Slicers" it its abdomen, and the talon-shaped "Bloody Triggers" that make up both its arms. 12,000 years ago it felled Mothra, and after destroying the civilization of prehistory, it ended up in a mummified state resting at the bottom of the sea until reactivated by the Xiliens during their reinvasion. Despite its first failed attempt, it was improved and powered up to go after Godzilla again.

A biological weapon with built-in combat weaponry all over its body, Gigan is a strikingly popular monster despite having appeared in only a few movies.
― Gigan Kaiju Guide bio

Modified Gigan is the version of Gigan that appears as a boss in many levels throughout the 2014 Godzilla game. He was the final kaiju revealed to be in the original PlayStation 3 release of the game. Gigan attacks with his buzzsaw, razor disks, chainsaw hands, and eye beams. He also charges at enemies with the blade on his head. When defeated, Gigan's head will explode, which is a reference to Godzilla: Final Wars.

Moveset[]

Square One tap: Right Bloody Chainsaw
Two taps: Left Bloody Chainsaw
Three Taps: Middle Kick
X Tap: Chainsaw Tackle
Triangle Tap: Somersault Kick
Circle Tap: Giganume Cluster
Forward + Tap: Blooded Slicer
Roar + Tap: Surging Wave Blooded Slicer
R2 Tap: Revolving Chainsaw Slice

Godzilla: Kaiju Collection[]

Gigan appeared within the mobile title Godzilla: Kaiju Collection.

Godzilla Battle Line[]

This incarnation of Gigan was introduced in Season 9 for Battle Line, it's a 4 Star Unit that utilizes its grappling hooks to stun enemies and rapidly propel itself towards its targets to slash at them, its attack is AoE and just like its Showa counterpart is immune to the Water debuff


Additionally in Studio Mode at studio rank 20 (or Gigan level 10 for translation) you can unlock a Skin based around his mummified appearance in Final Wars

In other languages[]

  • German: Monster Zero (2004)
  • Russian: Гайган
  • Chinese: 盖刚 (Gài gāng), 吉岡 (Jígāng),
  • Spanish: Galien (1972-1973)

Trivia[]

  • Gigan's ability to fire off shurikens in Godzilla: Final Wars is very similar to Guiron's secondary attack, where he can fire four shurikens from indents in the side of his head.
  • In Godzilla: Rulers of Earth, Gigan appears in his Showa design in issue #1 and is later upgraded to his Millennium design in issue #5.
  • The 2004 Gigan appears in a piece of concept art for Godzilla: King of the Monsters[4]
  • The FinalGigan suit was also used to characterize Gigan in Toho's CR Godzilla 3S-T Battle game in 2006 and 2010.[5]
  • This is the first live-action version of Gigan to make use of the head laser. The original Gigan was said to be equipped with a beam aperture set into his forehead, but never appeared in the films or his Zone Fighter appearances.

List of appearances[]

Films[]

Video games[]

Comics[]

References[]

  1. Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works. Godzilla vs. Gigan; Page 155
  2. 2.0 2.1 Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia. Godzilla: Final Wars; Page 118.
  3. All Toho Monsters Pictorial Book (4th Edition). Yosensha. 4 September 2016. ISBN: 978-4-8003-0362-2.
  4. Godzilla KOTM 2019 concept art by Fathom
  5. Godzilla 2012 Millennium Ultimate kaiju
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