Godzilla is a fictional giant monster originating from a series of Japanese films first produced by Toho Studios. He has appeared in over 30 films to date. Godzilla is characterized by his iconic roar, huge size, atomic breath, and the dorsal plates running down his back. One of his most notable traits is that he has offspring, referred to as “sons” in the movies. So who was Godzilla’s first on-screen son?
The Origin of Godzilla
Godzilla first appeared in the 1954 Japanese film Godzilla. In this original film, Godzilla was depicted as a destructive sea monster awakened and mutated by nuclear radiation. The film was a metaphor for nuclear weapons and a reaction to the frightening potential of such weapons following World War II and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Godzilla went on to become an internationally recognizable monster and starred in over 30 films produced by Toho Studios in Japan.
Godzilla Gains a Son – Minilla
Godzilla’s first son did not appear until the 1967 film Son of Godzilla. In this movie, scientists experimenting with weather control on a remote island called Sollgel Island inadvertently create a second giant monster, a giant mantis called Kamacuras. Godzilla arrives on the island to battle Kamacuras. During the fight, Godzilla hears a cries coming from a giant egg. He blasts the egg open with his atomic breath, revealing a baby Godzillasaurus inside, who comes to be known as Minilla.
Minilla is quite small compared to his father, standing around 20-50 feet tall compared to Godzilla’s 164 feet. He resembles Godzilla but has larger eyes, a rounder head, and little dorsal plates on his back. Minilla walks upright, while Godzilla walks hunched over. Minilla also shoots smoke rings instead of atomic breath. Godzilla takes on a paternal role, protecting and training Minilla, who he seems to care for as his offspring.
Minilla’s Abilities
As Godzilla’s first son, Minilla displays some abilities, albeit much weaker than his father’s:
- Atomic smoke rings – Minilla can shoot smoke rings from his mouth that have weak explosive effect.
- Durability – Minilla’s skin resists damage from other kaiju like Kamacuras.
- Nuclear pulse – Like Godzilla, Minilla can perform a nuclear pulse to repel opponents at close range.
- Burrowing – Minilla can burrow underground.
- Lightning – In later films, Minilla acquired the ability to shoot a weak lightning beam from his mouth.
Minilla relies heavily on Godzilla for protection and training. He is not nearly as strong as his father but does try to mimic some of Godzilla’s abilities.
Minilla and Godzilla in Film
Minilla appeared in several Godzilla films following his debut:
- Son of Godzilla (1967) – Minilla’s introduction where he hatches from an egg and is raised by Godzilla.
- Destroy All Monsters (1968) – Minilla lived with Godzilla on Monsterland prior to the alien invasion.
- Godzilla’s Revenge (1969) – Minilla is the main monster character, living on Monster Island and bullied by a monster named Gabara.
- Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) – Stock footage of Minilla appears living on Monster Island.
- Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) – Stock footage of Minilla appears living on Monster Island.
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) – Stock footage of Minilla appears living on Monster Island.
Minilla provided a way for filmmakers to appeal to younger audiences. His debut kicked off Godzilla appearing as a parent and mentor to offspring. Minilla especially helped make the series more child-friendly during the late 1960s and 1970s Showa era films.
Minilla’s Fate
Minilla’s last film appearance was limited to stock footage in 1974’s Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. The character has not been used since and his fate remains ambiguous in the Godzilla franchise. The Showa Godzilla series ended in 1975 after Terror of Mechagodzilla. When the series was rebooted with 1984’s The Return of Godzilla, Minilla did not return.
The implied in-universe explanation is that Minilla either died off-screen at some point or lives on Monster Island but happened not to get involved in Godzilla’s later adventures. Out-of-universe, Toho likely wanted to drop some of the more childish monsters like Minilla when they revived Godzilla as a destructive force of nature in the 1980s films.
Godzilla’s Later Sons
While Minilla was Godzilla’s first son, he was not his only son or offspring. In later films of the Godzilla franchise, Godzilla had other monster sons:
| Son | Film |
|---|---|
| Baby Godzilla | Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) |
| Little Godzilla | Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) |
| Godzilla Junior | Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) |
Baby Godzilla was another Godzillasaurus that imprinted on a human scientist as its parent. Little Godzilla was Baby Godzilla’s next form, mutating rapidly due to radiation. Finally, Godzilla Junior was the offspring of the adult Godzilla featured in the Heisei films, destined to grow and replace his dying father.
Beyond these biological sons, the human-created robot M.O.G.U.E.R.A. from Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is described as having Godzilla’s DNA and referred to as Godzilla’s “son” – so could be considered a mechanical offspring.
The trend of Godzilla having sons and offspring has continued into the Reiwa era MonsterVerse films as well. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), it’s revealed that one of the Titans, a winged Rodan-like creature called Mothra, lays an egg that hatches into another Mothra. The film ends with Godzilla adopting and caring for this newly hatched Mothra like a son.
Conclusion
So in summary, Godzilla’s first son portrayed on film was Minilla, introduced in 1967’s Son of Godzilla. Minilla displayed some atomic abilities like his father but was much smaller and weaker. He appeared in several Showa era Godzilla films aimed at youth audiences but has not been seen in the franchise since 1974. Godzilla has gone on to father other monsters such as Baby Godzilla and Little Godzilla in later films. However, the original Minilla remains Godzilla’s first son.
