Highlights

• Godzilla's reign as King of the Monsters has been challenged by many powerful kaiju over the years, with Mothra, Rodan, and others taking their shot.
• Some foes like SpaceGodzilla and Mechagodzilla have unique abilities, challenging Godzilla in different ways, providing exciting battles for fans.
• King Ghidorah remains Godzilla's greatest rival, a formidable threat with three heads and immense strength, requiring teamwork from allies to take down.

It's hard being king of the monsters in the MonsterVerse. Many contenders want Godzilla's spot in the apex predator hierarchy, and the only language that works to get there is by being fluent in biting, clawing, and pawing. Suffice it to say, many other kaiju have fought Godzilla. Kong is only one of the latest challengers in the MonsterVerse quadrilogy.

Many others have also tried, particularly in the two other movies. Beyond that, a long list of other kaiju have tried and somehow failed before the MonsterVerse cinema crossover even took place. Over the years in Godzilla's near-seven-decade of existence, these big baddies have come close to dethroning him and who knows, fans might even see some of them in the future.

Updated on April 10, 2024, by Sarah Prado: Godzilla has fought some pretty powerful kaiju in his long reign as King of the Monsters. His first fight with King Kong in the 1962 movie is one of the most iconic because King Kong is one of the few who have managed to defeat Godzilla, which is not an easy thing to accomplish, considering Godzilla has managed to beat several powerful monsters. This list of the strongest kaiju Godzilla has faced has been updated to include more entries and information.

18 Mothra

She’s The Queen Of The Monsters For Various Reasons

• Appears in: Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giants Monsters All-Out Attack, Godzilla Tokyo S.O.S, Godzilla: Final Wars, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

While Mothra has been an ally for Godzilla in some movies, she’s also appeared as an enemy to him. Being a protector of the world, Mothra won’t hesitate to lay her life on the line to protect humanity from Godzilla’s wrath should the time ever come. She might not be as strong as the King of the Monsters, but Mothra is the Queen of the Monsters and is strong in her own way. Being able to fly is one of the few advantages she has over him, and she’s able to dodge his attacks with ease.

However, no one should mistake her kindness for weakness. If her priestesses are ever in danger or taken away, Mothra won’t hesitate to lay waste to anyone unfortunate enough to be in her way. As seen in Mothra (1961), she will turn on humanity until her priestesses are returned safe and sound.

17 Rodan

The Fire Demon Is Fast, Furious, And Deadly

• Appears in: Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Invasion of Astro-Monster, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1993), Godzilla: Final Wars, and Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Like Mothra, Rodan has appeared as an ally to Godzilla but has also been an enemy in some. Rodan is a giant pteranodon kaiju who can fly at supersonic speed. Though one might think he’s on the frailer side because of his build, Rodan is one of the few kaiju who isn’t affected by Godzilla’s Atomic Breath or King Ghidorah’s Gravity Beams. He’s also pretty strong and has lasted for a good amount of time when fighting Godzilla, Mothra, or King Ghidorah.

If this didn’t make him sound deadly enough, Rodan has a variety of abilities for both long and short-range combat. His wings alone can create devastating shockwaves that leave cities destroyed and are very durable even after taking hits. His beak and talons are sharp enough to crush boulders and damage even the strongest kaiju. Just being close to Rodan is deadly because his body emits heat as strong as 1200 degrees Celsius (a little over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit) and can cause serious burns to other kaiju like Mothra.

16 Shimo

The Ice Titan Makes A Memorable Debut

• Appears in: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

One of the newest kaiju created for the MonsterVerse. Shimo is a powerful ice Titan who is known for her benevolence. However, she was enslaved by Skar King and forced to do his bidding and punished if she resisted him. Because of this, she had no choice but to listen when Skar King was ready to conquer the surface world.

Though only in one movie, Shimo has proven she’s ready to take on powerful opponents, as shown in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Her frost breath is powerful enough to cause frostbite in Kong’s arm. Her tail whip sent him flying across the city and threw Godzilla in the air after he tackled her. Her durability is high as she was able to take Godzilla’s Evolved Atomic Breath when aimed at her neck and came out unscathed.

15 Hedorah

A Grotesque Monstrosity Who Came Close To Killing Godzilla

• Appears in: Godzilla vs. Hedorah and Godzilla Final Wars

One would think that most of Godzilla's enemies would be overshadowed by his intimidating form, but the opposite would be true when Hedorah is factored in. Hedorah is one of the most grotesque among all of Godzilla's enemies. It's a sludge monstrosity that hailed from outer space.

Hedorah's form mostly resembles sentient goo and thus, his powers are fitting of his appearance. He can spit acid blobs of mud or dirt. It might sound lame, but Hedorah actually nearly killed Godzilla at one point. Should he reappear in the MonsterVerse, he'd probably get a troublesome creative upgrade.

14 Battra

Mothra's Evil Sibling Is Almost As Strong As Her

• Appears in: Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth

As some fans might have guessed, Battra is the mirror monster for Mothra. Whereas Mothra is seen as benevolent, feminine, and helpful, Battra is destructive and evil. He most certainly resembles a more demonic and uglier form of Mothra with spikes and a thicker carapace.

When it comes to powers, Battra is quite a handful for Earth. Apart from being able to fly faster than most jet planes, he can also encase himself in a shield that protects him from energy attacks. His most devastating capabilities also come in the form of laser beams from multiple sources in his body.

13 Anguirus

The First Kaiju Godzilla Ever Fought

• Appears in: Godzilla Raids Again, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Gigan, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), and Godzilla Final Wars

Anguirus looks rather tame compared to other kaiju but he still holds a significant spot in Godzilla's hit list. He's Godzilla's earliest enemy, dating back from prehistoric times when the Earth was still young and unpolluted by mammals.

That's why Anguirus looks like an ankylosaurus but bigger and spikier. He's also the first kaiju to be introduced to Godzilla and then fight him on the big screen. Anguirus' best weapon is his spiked carapace which he uses like a porcupine against enemies. If he's ever to re-appear in the MonsterVerse, then it would likely be similar to the Kong encounter where he becomes Godzilla's ally later on.

12 Gigan

A Longtime Rival From Space Who Has Some Sick Weapons

• Appears in: Godzilla vs. Gigan, Godzilla vs. Megalon, and Godzilla Final Wars

Gigan is what happens when Godzilla's creators wanted an alien version of him. Needless to say, Gigan is from outer space much like Ghidora, another of Godzilla's extraterrestrial enemies. That pretty much explains the odd monster design.

Gigan sports a huge buzz saw blade embedded in his stomach and also has two huge hooked blades for his arms. Those proved a bit much for Godzilla to handle at times and caused a lot of damage and scars for the radioactive Earth lizard.

11 Orga

An Enemy Who Absorbs The Traits And Powers Of His Enemies

• Appears in: Godzilla 2000: Millennium

Funny name aside, Orga is another one of Godzilla's extraterrestrial enemies, and he's actually a group of aliens who formed a biomass and adopted another being's form, kind of like three kids under a trench coat. Unfortunately, for Earth, the life-form Orga chose to copy was Godzilla, not humans.

Hence, it looks like a deformed version of Godzilla-- the resemblance is certainly there though the hunchback and weird claws work well to make it distinct. In terms of abilities, Orga is pretty standard for a kaiju with energy projectile attacks and physiological advantages. The difference is that he can also remotely control a UFO to aid in the fight.

10 Biollante

A Kaiju Created By A Human

• Appears in: Godzilla vs. Biollante

Much like Orga, Biollante is a wannabe Godzilla who also doesn't like Godzilla. This time, however, Biollante is synthetic and came from Earth. It's supposedly a fusion of Godzilla, roses/rosebushes, and a human being, created through the twisted mind of a certain scientist.

In terms of appearance, Biollante is likely the most abnormal out of all Godzilla enemies (and to think that it was a human creation). Biollante also serves as Godzilla's heaviest enemy, weighing at a hefty 220,000 tons, making it less mobile than others though a bigger problem for Earth's defender.

9 King Caesar

A Guardian Who Can Be Friend Or Foe

• Appears in: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) and Godzilla Final Wars

King Caesar bears a bit of a resemblance to King Ghidora but this gigantic cross between a lion and a lizard is an original resident of Earth. Moreover, he serves as a guardian beast for a Japanese family who can call upon him for protection.

King Caesar is similar to Kong when it comes to allegiances. Depending on which way the wind blows, he's either helping Godzilla or trying to pummel him into submission. Apart from physical capabilities, King Caesar generously serves up several variations of energy attacks, such as heat and lightning beams.

8 Kumonga

A Giant Spider Kaiju Who Can Spin Webs And Regrow Lost Limbs

• Appears in: Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, and Godzilla Final Wars

Good thing Godzilla's no arachnophobe because otherwise, he wouldn't be able to contend against the freaky Kumonga. Kumonga, simply put, is a huge spider and does what a spider can. That includes everything from slinging gargantuan webs to jumping around, making him more mobile than most Godzilla enemies.

Like most of Godzilla's enemies, Kumonga is a native of Earth, and like Godzilla, it's been hibernating for a while until humans started becoming too uppity or nosy. Kumonga, for that matter, is one of Godzilla's toughest opponents, being able to survive multiple atomic breaths and regenerate severed legs.

7 Manda

A Guardian Of The Deep Sea Who Can Fly

• Appears in: Destroy All Monsters and Godzilla Final Wars

Well, there's bound to be a long, flying, serpent enemy for Godzilla, and Manda takes that spot. He mostly looks like a less intimidating, one-headed version of King Ghidorah but Manda is a monster of his own class.

The difference is that Manda is native to Earth and resides undersea, supposedly as a protector of a hidden kingdom deep in the Earth's oceans. Manda is a primordial beast, just like Godzilla. He can utilize supersonic shock waves and breath fireballs to deal with his opponents as well as employ a boa constrictor's tactics in melee.

6 Destoroyah

The Most Sadistic Kaiju Godzilla Has Ever Faced

• Appears in: Godzilla vs. Destroyah

They probably ran out of creative naming schemes for this one. It's pretty self-explanatory what Destroyah does. He's a winged monster that closely resembles a typical western dragon, complete with wings, horns, and satanic imagery.

Destroyah is one of the most troublesome villains to Godzilla ever, and most fights with him take more than several minutes of screen time. Destroyah is also man-made and was born out of the Oxygen Destroyer detonated to kill Godzilla. He may very well appear in the MonsterVerse's future since that same superweapon was also deployed in 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

5 Megaguirus

One Of The Oldest Kaiju Who Drains The Energy From Her Enemies

• Appears in: Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

One of the few female monsters, Megaguirus is the second oldest kaiju, just behind Destroyah. She is one of the fastest kaiju that Godzilla has ever gone against. Using her speed to get around him, Megaguirus attacks by using her pincer-like claws and stinger. Her stinger allows her to drain energy from the unfortunate victim that she’s stinging, and they won’t be able to use any energy-based attacks against her.

With the energy that she gets from her opponents, Megaguirus is able to use her own energy attack which is shooting fireballs from her wings. However, Megaguirus is quite frail and has to rely on her speed to dodge all attacks. She was taken out in one Atomic Breath attack from Godzilla.

4 Mechagodzilla

A Man-Made Kaiju Using The Bones Of Deceased Kaiju

• Appears in: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla Tokyo S.O.S, and Godzilla vs. Kong

Since its appearance in 1974, Mechagodzilla has consistently appeared throughout the Godzilla series. It’s usually created using the remains of another kaiju, whether from the original Godzilla from the 1954 movie or King Ghidorah. Mechagodzilla is Godzilla’s cyborg counterpart that is piloted by humans. Throughout the series, it is equipped with various weapons such as laser cannons in its eyes and missiles.

Mechagodzilla was designed to protect humanity from Godzilla and other kaijus, so it’s no surprise that Godzilla has trouble when going up against it. In Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, the latter was able to defeat Rodan and Godzilla in battle. In the Monsterverse, Mechagodzilla got a major upgrade and came close to defeating both Godzilla and Kong.

3 SpaceGodzilla

Godzilla’s Space Clone Is A Strong Glass Cannon

• Appears in: Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla

He’s only appeared in one movie, but SpaceGodzilla was a pretty tough foe for the original. Created from Godzilla’s DNA, SpaceGodzilla had some unique abilities and was able to defeat Godzilla when they first met. He had regenerative abilities, telekinesis, fly, and his Corona Beam rivals Godzilla’s Atomic Breath. Plus, he is able to create a shield that can deflect projectiles.

The best way to describe SpaceGodzilla is a glass cannon. While he is strong when on offense, his defense capabilities leave a little to be desired. His skin is able to resist Godzilla’s Atomic Breath, but against the human drill named M.O.G.U.E.R.A, his skin was penetrated easily. Plus, after his shoulder crystals were taken out, his power was reduced significantly.

2 The MUTOs

A Power Couple Who Came Close To Defeating Godzilla

• Appears in: Godzilla (2014) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters

The King of the Monsters had to defeat two MUTOs in 2014's Godzilla. The male MUTO could fly and was pretty strong on his own. Despite his large size, he was able to fly great distances in a short amount of time. The male MUTO had little difficulty pulling Godzilla off the female MUTO and used his speed to his advantage to fight him. However, the male was quite fragile and was taken out by one hit of Godzilla’s tail.

The female MUTO was considerably tougher than her mate. Larger and stronger, she couldn’t move fast, but she was strong enough to take Godzilla head-on. She was very protective of her nest and almost succeeded in killing Godzilla along with the male MUTO. Though Godzilla defeated this couple, there are still MUTOs out there, as shown when the queen MUTO appeared in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

1 King Ghidorah

The Biggest Threat To Humanity And All Kaiju

• Appears in: Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Invasion of Astro-Monster, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giants Monsters All-Out Attack, Godzilla Final Wars, and Godzilla: King of the Monsters

King Ghidorah is considered Godzilla’s greatest rival, and for good reason. He’s bigger, badder, and stronger than any other kaiju Godzilla has fought. Being able to fly and having three heads, King Ghidorah proves to be a lot to handle and Godzilla usually needs aid from others to be able to take him down. In his debut film, King Ghidorah was stopped by the combined efforts of Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan. Very rarely does Godzilla actually fight Ghidorah by himself and sometimes the three-headed dragon will win against him when he’s alone.

With his immense strength and having three heads, King Ghidorah is pretty fearsome and possibly the strongest foe Godzilla has ever fought. Fighting him is basically fighting three enemies in one body. Each head has their own thoughts and personality, making it tough to predict their movements.