Zilla (Godzilla)
- For the plant named Zilla, see Zilla (genus). For the internet phenomenon of websites named [something]zilla, see Zilla (internet phenomenon).
Zilla (ジラ) is the American Godzilla that appeared in the 1998 film Godzilla. An iguana or komodo dragon mutated as a result of French nuclear testing in the South Pacific, causing it to grow in size. Lacking the durability of the Japanese Godzilla, this incarnation made up for it with great speed and agility. Godzilla's trademark atomic breath was abandoned, but the film paid homage to it by twice having Zilla expel a blast of air from his lungs, causing an explosion and igniting, giving the illusion of firebreathing. Zilla also has burrowing capabilities—he used the New York subway system to travel underground undetected—and is as adept a swimmer as the Millennium era Godzilla.
The beast first attacked a Japanese fishing ship and was dubbed "Gojira" by the crew (was later mistranslated as "Godzilla" by the U.S. media). After travelling to New York City, the reptile laid several hundred eggs in Madison Square Garden. A trio of F-18s bombed the Gardens, slaying the newborn Godzillas. When an enraged Godzilla appeared at the Gardens' remains, it began chasing a taxi occupied by the protagonists. They lured it to the Brooklyn Bridge, where it became entangled and immobilized by the suspension cables. Godzilla was then killed by the same F-18s that had destroyed its offspring. One egg, however, deep within the subway, had survived the earlier bombing, and hatched.
Later, Godzilla: The Series, a Saturday morning cartoon, continued the story of Godzilla's surviving baby in a role reminiscent of the Japanese films of the late Shōwa era. A human team of researchers, known as H.E.A.T., follow Godzilla and investigate various new monsters around the world. The series returned to Godzilla his durability, aggresiveness, and atomic ray.
This incarnation of Godzilla is mentioned briefly in the prologue of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), where it is suggested that American scientists had mistaken it for the real Godzilla.
A few years later, the creature appeared in Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), finally taking an official place in the ranks of Toho's kaiju and being given the official name "Zilla". (According to Ryuhei Kitamura, the monster was given this name because the American movie had taken the "God" out of "Godzilla".) Under Xilien control, Zilla attacks Sydney, Australia, and is later defeated by the real Godzilla.
Before being given the name of Zilla, this creature was (and still is) often referred to by fans as GINO, an acronym for "Godzilla In Name Only." Other names include "American Godzilla", "Godzilla USA", "TriStar Godzilla", "Godzilla 1998", "Fraudzilla", or "Deanzilla" (after the film's producer, Dean Devlin).
