Gorosaurus

For the genus of tyrannosaur, see Gorgosaurus.

Gorosaurus
Godzilla film series character
Gorosaurus in King Kong Escapes
First appearance	King Kong Escapes (1967)
Last appearance	Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Created by	Takeshi Kimura
Portrayed by	Yū Sekida

Gorosaurus (ゴロザウルス, Gorozaurusu) is a kaiju film monster which first appeared in Toho's 1967 film King Kong Escapes. It was an opponent of King Kong in the film, and it later had a prominent role in 1968's Destroy All Monsters. Gorosaurus is a typical giant dinosaur, having no special powers like beams or energy weapons, relying on its strength and athleticism to fight. Gorosaurus' most identifiable fighting move is a leaping kick similar to that of a kangaroo. Gorosaurus is an allosaurid, an abrupt descendant of Allosaurus itself.

Overview

In King Kong Escapes, Gorosaurus is an inhabitant of Mondo Island, the film's primary setting. It attacks and attempts to devour the leading female character, Susan Watson. King Kong arrives to save her and fights Gorosaurus. Kong eventually breaks the dinosaur's jaws, defeating Gorosaurus.

In the film All Monsters Attack, Gorosaurus appears in the dreams of a young boy.

In the film Godzilla vs. Gigan, Gorosaurus is seen living on Monster Island.

In Destroy All Monsters, Gorosaurus appears on a new island, Monsterland. It is an artificially created environment for the monsters of Earth. It lives with other monsters including Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, Anguirus, Kumonga, Manda, Minilla, Baragon and Varan. A race of aliens called the Kilaaks invades Earth, capturing and establishing mind-control over the monsters. They then release them in cities throughout the world, with Gorosaurus being released in Paris, France. (In both the original and the English dubbed version, Gorosaurus is misidentified as Baragon in the Paris attack. Gorosaurus had to substitute for the digging monster Baragon because the Baragon suit was reworked several times for monsters in the Ultraman series and not usable beyond the glimpse at the end of the film. The scene was scripted with Baragon, and the dialogue was not rerecorded.) However, the humans retaliate and find a way to break the mind control.

The Kilaaks then unleash the space dragon King Ghidorah to kill the Earth monsters. Gorosaurus plays a pivotal role in the battle, as it twice brings down Ghidorah (the only monster who is able to), the first by pulling on its necks until it falls, heralding the turn of the tide of battle to the Earth monsters' side, and second when it used its kangaroo kick to slam Ghidorah to the ground as Godzilla and Anguirus attack two of the heads, leaving Ghidorah helpless and vulnerable. After killing Ghidorah, Gorosaurus and the other Earth monsters return to Monsterland to live in peace.

Appearances

Films

• King Kong Escapes (1967)
• Destroy All Monsters (1968)
• All Monsters Attack (1969, stock footage cameo)
• Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972, stock Footage cameo)

Television

• Ike! Godman (1972)
• Godzilla Island (1997-1998)

Video games

• Kaijū-ō Godzilla / King of the Monsters, Godzilla (Game Boy - 1993)
• Godzilla Trading Battle (PlayStation - 1998)

Literature

• Godzilla: Rulers of Earth (2013)