Manda

Manda (マンダ Manda) is a sea dragon kaiju who first appeared in the 1963 Toho film Atragon.

In his debut film, Manda was the guardian of the undersea empire of Mu, and was unleashed to destroy the Gotengo before it could breach the heart of Mu. The second incarnation of Manda introduced in Destroy All Monsters was one of the monsters contained on Monsterland by the end of the 20th century, and was unleashed to attack Tokyo under the command of the Kilaak invaders. After the aliens' control of the monsters was severed, Manda was present at Mount Fuji when Godzilla and the other monsters battled King Ghidorah. Manda made a brief appearance in Godzilla: Final Wars as well, once again battling the Gotengo underwater. Name Manda was originally conceptualized as a giant snake during production of Atragon, and was given the name "Mammoth Snake" (マンモススネーク Manmosu Sunēku), which later became "Mammoth Serpent" (マンモス蛇 Manmosu Da). Because the upcoming year, 1964, was the year of the dragon, Toho felt it would be appropriate to make the monster a dragon instead. Toho redesigned the creature as a sea dragon, and shortened "Manmosu Da" into "Manda," which became the monster's official name.[8][2] Manda's name has also been speculated to be a combination of the Japanese words "man" (万) and "daija" (大蛇), which when combined mean "ten thousand serpent."[9]

The Manda featured in Destroy All Monsters is sometimes denoted in official books as Second Generation Manda (二代目マンダ Nidaime Manda),[10] while the Manda from Godzilla: Final Wars is called Manda (3rd Generation) (マンダ（３代目） Manda Sandaime).[11]

Development Originally, the kaiju featured in Atragon was planned to be a giant snake, and was given the name "Mammoth Snake," later changed to "Mammoth Serpent." However, because the upcoming year, 1964, was the year of the dragon, Toho decided instead to make the monster a dragon.[12] The Japanese name for "Mammoth Serpent," Manmosu Da, was shortened to "Manda," which became the monster's final name.[8][2] Toho's company New Year's card for 1964 even included an illustration of Manda battling the Gotengo.[2]

Manda was designed by Akira Watanabe, while its head was modeled by Teizo Toshimitsu and its body by the Yagi brothers, Kanju and Yasuei. A unique trait added to Manda's design was his black cat-like eyes, unusual for Toho's kaiju at the time. Eiji Tsuburaya's team built ten different Manda props for the film, ranging in size from twenty centimeters to five meters.[9] The five-meter Manda had a radio-controlled jaw. Tsuburaya Productions later used one of the large Manda props to portray the monster Kai Dragon in episode 6 of Ultra Q, "Grow Up! Little Turtle."

A large Manda prop is prepared for filming of the battle scene with the Gotengo in Atragon.

Eiji Tsuburaya looks on as a Manda prop is coiled around the Gotengo prop.

Tsuburaya with a smaller Manda prop

A large Manda prop in use as Kai Dragon in episode 6 of Ultra Q

The refurbished Manda prop used in Destroy All Monsters For Destroy All Monsters, the large Manda prop which was lent to Tsuburaya Productions was returned to Toho and modified slightly for use in the film. The prop's head was replaced with a new, less ornate, one which lacked the spikes, horns, and mane.[13] As a result, the Second Generation Manda looked more like his original conceived design as a gigantic snake, although he still possessed legs. In addition to the refurbished prop, a small model of Manda was created for long shots.[2] Stock footage of Manda from this film would be used for the monster's appearance in All Monsters Attack the following year, in which he was a resident of Monster Island within the dreams of protagonist Ichiro Miki. Stock footage of Manda from Destroy All Monsters was again employed for a brief scene in Terror of Mechagodzilla in which Katsura Mafune mentions him as one of the monsters responsible for causing destruction in the past, along with Rodan and King Ghidorah.

The Manda prop on set for filming of the monster's attack on Tokyo

The Manda prop alongside all of the other monster suits and props used in Destroy All Monsters

A publicity still of Manda used for All Monsters Attack

Manda concept art for Godzilla: Final Wars by Shinji Nishikawa Manda's next film appearance came over three decades later in Godzilla's 50th anniversary film, Godzilla: Final Wars. Shinji Nishikawa's design for Manda more closely resembled the original from Atragon instead of the one from Destroy All Monsters, though ironically Nishikawa is quoted in All Toho Monsters Pictorial Book as saying that he specifically shied away from the Atragon design, calling it a Manda "without the divinity."[14] A team consisting of Tomoki Kobayashi, Tadashi Ogawa, and Tsumugi Fujino created a six-meter-long physical prop for the monster.[15] In addition to the main prop, Manda was realized with 3D models for certain shots, and a blast model made of hard urethane foam with a plaster exterior was utilized to depict frozen Manda being shredded by the Gotengo.[16]

The Manda prop is wrapped around the New Gotengo prop for their battle in Godzilla: Final Wars

Design Manda resembles an Eastern dragon, as he has an elongated thin body with four legs. In Atragon and Godzilla: Final Wars, Manda's skin is a bluish-green color, and his head is adorned with four horns. The original Manda from Atragon has two long barbs on his face that resemble whiskers, and a mane of hair that extends from the top of his head all the way to his tail. His face is also covered in small spikes. This Manda possesses yellow reptilian eyes with slit pupils.

The second generation Manda from Destroy All Monsters resembles a snake with legs rather than a traditional oriental dragon. He has no horns or spikes on his head, and there is no hair on his body. His eyes are more rounded and mammalian, and are light blue rather than yellow.

The Manda from Godzilla: Final Wars more closely resembles the original Manda, though the hair on his back is replaced with a row of pointed spikes, and his whiskers are removed. This Manda has a small hood behind his head similar to that of a cobra, and four long barbs extending from the underside of his body. He also has spikes on his arms and legs, and a forked snake-like tongue rather than the rounded tongue possessed by previous incarnations.

Origins In Atragon, Manda was the guardian of Mu, an underwater kingdom. How Manda became its protector and how long he had been protecting it is unknown. In Destroy All Monsters, Manda is one of the monsters contained on Monsterland, a human-monitored island located in the Ogasawara Islands, at the end of the 20th century. Manda's origins in Godzilla: Final Wars are unknown.

History Showa series Atragon

Manda in Atragon The guardian of the underwater kingdom of Mu, Manda was unleashed by the Mu Empress when the Gotengo approached Mu. Manda attacked the ship, wrapping his body around it and trying to crush it. The Gotengo discharged a powerful electrical shock, forcing Manda to release it and retreat to a nearby rock. The Gotengo fired its Absolute Zero Cannon at Manda, freezing him in place and allowing it to proceed unopposed to Mu.

Destroy All Monsters

Manda in Destroy All Monsters At the end of the 20th century, Manda was one of the monsters contained on Monsterland, a facility in the Ogasawara Islands. When the Kilaaks came to Earth and took control of Manda and the other monsters of the island, they made them attack major cities around the world. Manda appeared in Tokyo alongside Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra, where he crushed a monorail line. When the crew of the Moonlight SY-3 freed the monsters from the Kilaaks' control, they all assembled outside of Mount Fuji to assault the Kilaaks' base. Manda did not fight in the battle against King Ghidorah, and watched from the sidelines with Varan and Baragon. After King Ghidorah was defeated, Manda and the other kaiju returned to Monsterland.

All Monsters Attack

Stock footage of Manda from Destroy All Monsters in All Monsters Attack Manda was one of the monsters inhabiting Monster Island in the dreams of Ichiro Miki.

Terror of Mechagodzilla As Dr. Shinzo Mafune prepared to unleash Titanosaurus to take his revenge on the rest of humanity, his daughter Katsura begged him not to turn Titanosaurus into a monster of destruction like Manda, Rodan, or King Ghidorah.

Millennium series Godzilla: Final Wars

Manda in Godzilla: Final Wars In 20XX, Manda attacked Normandy, causing the Earth Defense Force to deploy the Gotengo to engage him in the English Channel. At first, Manda was able to constrict himself around the Gotengo and pull the warship further and further into the depths of the water, severely damaging it. However, the crew spotted an underwater volcano and charged into it, with Manda stuck on their ship. Unable to withstand the heat, Manda was forced to uncoil himself and swam away. The Gotengo managed to get out of the volcano, but Manda charged at the ship. The Gotengo turned around 180 degrees and fired the Absolute Zero Cannon to freeze the weakened Manda, and then rammed into him with its powerful drill, breaking him into pieces and killing him in the process.

Abilities Constriction Manda can wrap his body around an enemy or structure and crush it similar to how a snake constricts his prey. In Godzilla: Final Wars, this constriction ability is known called Binding Breaker (バインディング・ブリーカー Baindingu Burīkā).[1]

Amphibiousness Although he is slow on land, Manda can swim very fast and can breathe while submerged in water.

Supersonic Wave Cannon In the novel GODZILLA: Monster Apocalypse, Manda was able to emit a powerful Supersonic Wave Cannon (超音波砲 Chōonpa-hō) from his evolved bio-sonar organ.[17]

Fireballs In the video game Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!, Manda has the ability to spit fireballs.

Weaknesses Manda is vulnerable to being frozen, which is how the Gotengo defeated him in both Atragon and Godzilla: Final Wars. In Atragon, the Gotengo forced Manda to stop constricting it by releasing an electrical current.