When it comes to Toho kaiju monsters,Mothrastands as one of the most fascinating and richly mythological, whose popularity was second only to that of Godzilla. As a colossal sentient larva with the power to transform into a giant mother-like creature, Mothra differentiated itself from the averagestrong kaiju monsterby being primarily a protector whose deep connection to ancient civilizations meant her history dates back millennia. First introduced in their own stand-alone movie titledMothrain 1961, this flying kaiju returned time and again in solo and team-up movies over the years.
As both a friend and a foe to Godzilla, Mothra was a major character in ninekaiju moviesbut has also appeared inminor roles in other releases likeDestroy All MonstersandEbirah, Horror of the Deep. While Mothra has primarily been portrayed as female, her ability to be continually reborn meant she has also returned as a male offspring on some occasions. With characteristics and a sense of purpose that’s unique in kaiju cinema, Mothra was truly one of thegreatest giant monstersever seen on the big screen.
Rebirth of Mothra II
Cast
Rebirth of Mothra II is a 1997 kaiju film featuring the Infant Island fairies who uncover an ancient lost city and encounter a monstrous creature drawn to environmental disturbances. The film continues the adventures of the iconic winged creature Mothra as it confronts these new challenges.
Rebirth of Mothra IIcontinued the reboot series of this Toho classic giant monster and, despite some enjoyable moments, was the weakest of all the movies starring this infamous kaiju. As a series separate from the Godzilla Heisei continuity,Rebirth of Mothra IIleaned into the franchise’s environmental subtextas Mothra acquired a new and more powerful form to fight the pollution of the ancient sea monster Dagahra. While this works as a disposable sequel to a revived franchise, it never truly delivered anything to make it stand out in the overall series.
The biggest complaint aboutRebirth of Mothra IIwas that it essentially repeated much of the same content as the first movie from just one year before. While director Kunio Miyoshi delivered enough special effects and chaotic fun to keep young viewers happy, those looking forward to watching this series grow and develop were disappointed that it was satisfied with simply cashing in on the previous film’s success with a hastily put-together sequel.
The appearance of Mothra in the American MonsterVerse franchise was first hinted at in a post-credits scene inKong: Skull Islandbefore the giant monster was prominently featured inGodzilla: King of the Monsters. This cinematic event reunited not just Mothra and Godzilla but also included classic foes like Rodan and King Ghidorah. While this Michael Dougherty film boasted some impressive special effects and astounding visuals, it was not enough to make up for its lackluster story.
Godzilla: King of the Monstersproved that packing a bunch of classic kaiju together in one movie was less impactful if that movie it squandered its potential from a narrative perspective. With uninteresting human characters, even the monster showdowns felt boring. What should have been an epic piece of kaiju cinematic spectacle, akin toThe Avengersof giant monster movies, resulted inone of the worst releases in the entire MonsterVerse.
Rebirth of Mothra
Rebirth of Mothra, released in 1996, introduces a new Mothra battling Desghidorah to protect humanity. This adventure film is part of the kaiju genre and focuses on the struggles between these titanic mythical creatures, as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
Rebirth of Mothrarebooted this classic giant monster for the 1990s and portrayed Mothra as the last remaining member of a species of giant moths who guard the Elias' civilization. Asthe final kaiju film produced under the supervision of Tomoyuki Tanaka,Rebirth of Mothrarepresented the end of an era as he oversaw not just the originalMothrabut every movie in theGodzillafranchise up to that point. With a focus on the mythology that made the original film so compelling,Rebirth of Mothrahelped introduce a generation of viewers to this giant monster.
With lore that dates back millions of years within its fictional universe,Rebirth of Mothraintroduced the three-headed space dragon Desghidorah and included the tiny, humanoid beings that Mothra has always endeavored to protect. It was thrilling to watch how all this backstory came together when Desghidorah returned and Mothra’s son Mothra Leo hatched to protect their mom, who was too weak to defeat the dragon. With high stakes that harkened back to the mythos of the series’s earliest days,Rebirth of Mothrawas a solid reboot.
Godzilla vs. Mothra
Godzilla vs. Mothra, released in 1992, follows Godzilla as he emerges from hibernation due to a meteorite, joining in an epic three-way battle for Earth against Mothra and Battra. The Cosmos, two tiny fairies, assist by summoning Mothra to combat Battra, an entity determined to eliminate humanity.
Godzilla vs. Mothraswitched the name order of the 1960s kaiju classicMothra vs. Godzillato deliver yet another showdown between these iconic giant monsters. With Mothra as a kind of guardian for the Earth who presided over an advanced civilization for 12,000 years, the movie introduced an interesting backstory where plans to control the Earth’s climate resulted in the creation of the Black Mothra, Battra, who wiped out the ancient civilization. When Battra is revived in modern times, together with Mothra, the two monsters face off against Godzilla and his attempts to attack the city of Yokohama.
As a return to the more fantasy-based origins of theMothrafranchise and with a family-friendly sensibility that meant it had more in common with classic kaiju releases, there was plenty to love aboutGodzilla vs. Mothra. Western audiences will also notice several nods to American cinema, such asIndiana Jones, which helps make thisa good jumping-in point for those who don’t normally watch Japanese kaiju movies.
Rebirth of Mothra IIIintroduced time travel to the trilogy for a fascinating addition that added depth and intrigue to the series. With Mothra travelling to the Cretaceous Period to retroactively kill the space dragon King Ghidorah, her plans to remove him from history were foiled when a stronger form of Ghidorah emerged in the future. AfterMothra hibernated in a cocoon for 65 million years, she awoke in the present day with her own stronger form to face off against Ghidorah once again.
The most enjoyable thing aboutRebirth of Mothra IIIwas that 37 years after this giant monster was first introduced, writers and directors were still finding new and interesting ways to explore this kaiju creature. With a narrative that traversed millions of years and leaned into Mothra’s identity not just as a protector but as an eternal deity,Rebirth of Mothra IIIwas a uniquely interesting addition to the franchise. As one of the few final entries of a trilogy that was actually the best in the series, kaiju lovers should seek outRebirth of Mothra III.
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attackserved as a direct sequel to the originalGodzillamovie and once again reintroduced Mothra and King Ghidorah to the franchise. This time, Mothra was portrayed as one of the three guardians of Yamato imprisoned in Lake Ikeda, only to be reawakened in 2001 to halt Godzilla’s destruction of Tokyo. While Mothra was defeated, she transferred her soul into King Ghidorah for yet another showdown.
As an exciting revival ofthe classic premise of Godzilla facing off against equally destructive giant monsters,Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorahtapped into the over-the-top nature of kaiju cinema that made it so fun to watch in the first place. As a violent epic with modern special effects and a more adult-oriented tone,Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorahgot to the heart of the entire Godzilla franchise’s appeal, withGodzilla Minus Onedirector Takashi Yamazaki even stating (viaMovie Walker) it was a major influence on his movie.
Following directly from the events ofMothra vs. Godzilla,Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monsterrevealed that just one of the two larvae seen at the end survived, and this new reborn version ofMothra asks for Godzilla and Rodan’s helpin fighting the three-headed kaiju King Ghidorah. While Mothra’s initial plea was rejected, after being defeated by Ghidorah, Godzilla and Rodan step in and fight the creature together.
While Toho had already made standalone movies for Mothra and Rodan, as well as releases, such asKing Kong vs. Godzilla,where giant monsters fought one another,Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monsterwas the first release to feature several giant monsters combining their powers to defeat a major antagonist. For this reason alone,Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monsterdeserves credit for helping to lay the groundwork for countless more massive team-up kaiju movies.
2Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964)
Directed by Ishirō Honda
The mythology of Mothra met the utter destruction of Godzilla in this iconic pair’s first movie together,Mothra vs. Godzilla. With a set-up involving a Mothra egg being exploited as a tourist attraction before the larvae creature goes back to Infant Island,humanity finds they need to ask for Mothra’s help after Godzilla reemerges and starts causing havoc once again. Through themes of unity and the need to look out for one another despite our differences,Mothra vs. Godzillawas an effective showcase of the deep need for diplomacy and cooperation between cultures, no matter how different they are.
WhileMothra vs. Godzilla’sspecial effects were notably dated, the use of mechanical props, puppetry, and monster suits made this an endearing release to look back on. With a story that can be enjoyed equally by adults and kids alike,Mothra vs. Godzillawas one of the most family-friendly releases of all the early Toho kaiju movies. By embracing the lore of the originalMothramovie and combining it withGodzilla’sundeniable popularity,Mothra vs. Godzillabecame one of the most beloved kaiju movies of the 1960s.
When it comes to the greatest Mothra movies, the original stands supreme for laying the groundwork for all that was to follow. As perhaps the second most popular kaiju monster after Godzilla, Mothra was so compelling because her origins, intentions, and entire backstory were richly mythological and explored a much different side of giant monster stories than simply chaotic, destructive creatures.Mothra was shown to be a protector of an ancient civilization, and this unique, almost god-like origin story added a sense of spirituality that had been previously missing from kaiju monster movies.
Mothra was a mystical being who was not feared but worshiped by an ancient civilization. While later Godzilla movies would recontextualize the creature as a protector of Japan in later installments,Mothraoriginated the idea that a kaiju could be a force for good, whose entire motivation and backstory was about preserving rather than destroying. There’s an environmental subtext to Mothra’s depiction, which is effectively paired with the atomic bomb origins ofGodzilla, making her one of the few creatures whose characterization stands on its own and who has led her own films without always standing in the shadow ofGodzilla.
