Synapsid Godzilla - Yay or nay?

[CrimsonBloodX]

Could you care to explain why? Does the fact the idea originates among fan art taint it?

Because a change in design like that is too much for me personally. At least the 1998 Godzilla looks somewhat like Godzilla and Shin Godzilla was terrifying in a badass way, but a synapsid redesign? That's just going too far. Having the fans experiment and come up with a new look for Godzilla is fine by me, but I rather not have something like a synapsid Godzilla be an actual thing in movies and TV shows.

Don’t worry, making him a synapsid would by no means lead to a drastic change in design. It would just be there to explain the character’s quasi-mammalian features as I stated before. It won’t require a change in design as much as *cough* making him a plant-based creature.

If you still have doubts, perhaps this will ease things a little : https://www.deviantart.com/xxhxclionxx/ ... -190549582

Oh, that is a good design. When I was talking about a synapsid Godzilla, I was picturing a Godzilla that is a quadruped like a dimetrodon, which is what I'm fine for fan art, but not for an official studio film. But that fan art of a synapsid Godzilla kept the traditional Godzilla. I like that. So, I changed my mind. A synapsid Godzilla would be neat as long as Godzilla is not a quadruped like other synapsids.

[LegendZilla]

Because a change in design like that is too much for me personally. At least the 1998 Godzilla looks somewhat like Godzilla and Shin Godzilla was terrifying in a badass way, but a synapsid redesign? That's just going too far. Having the fans experiment and come up with a new look for Godzilla is fine by me, but I rather not have something like a synapsid Godzilla be an actual thing in movies and TV shows.

Don’t worry, making him a synapsid would by no means lead to a drastic change in design. It would just be there to explain the character’s quasi-mammalian features as I stated before. It won’t require a change in design as much as *cough* making him a plant-based creature.

If you still have doubts, perhaps this will ease things a little : https://www.deviantart.com/xxhxclionxx/ ... -190549582

Oh, that is a good design. When I was talking about a synapsid Godzilla, I was picturing a Godzilla that is a quadruped like a dimetrodon, which is what I'm fine for fan art, but not for an official studio film. But that fan art of a synapsid Godzilla kept the traditional Godzilla. I like that. So, I changed my mind. A synapsid Godzilla would be neat as long as Godzilla is not a quadruped like other synapsids.

Will you tolerate a Godzilla that alternates between bipedal and quadrupedal locomotion?

[Gomi: Ninja Monster]

Don’t worry, making him a synapsid would by no means lead to a drastic change in design. It would just be there to explain the character’s quasi-mammalian features as I stated before. It won’t require a change in design as much as *cough* making him a plant-based creature.

If you still have doubts, perhaps this will ease things a little : https://www.deviantart.com/xxhxclionxx/ ... -190549582

Oh, that is a good design. When I was talking about a synapsid Godzilla, I was picturing a Godzilla that is a quadruped like a dimetrodon, which is what I'm fine for fan art, but not for an official studio film. But that fan art of a synapsid Godzilla kept the traditional Godzilla. I like that. So, I changed my mind. A synapsid Godzilla would be neat as long as Godzilla is not a quadruped like other synapsids.

Will you tolerate a Godzilla that alternates between bipedal and quadrupedal locomotion?

Just reminding everyone that humans are also synapsids, so are kangaroos, so a fully bipedal synapsid Godzilla design isn't unthinkable.

[Desghidorah]

If it's a setting where Godzilla's origins are explained in detail, like the Heisei series? Sure. Synapsid is no more or less egregious than him being a dinosaur, crocodilian, marine reptile, or some other known group.

If it's a setting where Godzilla's origins are deliberately kept vague and there is a possibility something supernatural or totally unknown is afoot? I'd say no.

That said, you can have a bit of a mix of both. For example in many mythologies, supernatural forces can act on a mundane human, animal, or object and make it something entirely new.

[edgaguirus]

That said, you can have a bit of a mix of both. For example in many mythologies, supernatural forces can act on a mundane human, animal, or object and make it something entirely new.

Look to Space Amoeba for an example. The suits are not Toho's best work, but Kamoeba and Ganime show how a real animal can be turned into something monstrous.

On the topic, a synapsid version of Godzilla wouldn't be an exact copy of one. Designers would take inspiration from one, but they'd know that some fans would have a fit if Godzilla didn't look like Godzilla.

[tbeasley]

For me it's not so much was what Godzilla is in terms of pseudoscientific backstory, but how he looks and behaves, his powers and abilities. They can throw out any kind of explanation (prehistoric amphibious reptile, Godzillasaurus, iguana, controlled by spirits of WWII, prehistoric deep-sea organism, hyper-evolved plant-based organism, etc.), but as long as he's Godzilla in form and function I'm fine.

[Malchik]

For me it's not so much was what Godzilla is in terms of pseudoscientific backstory, but how he looks and behaves, his powers and abilities. They can throw out any kind of explanation (prehistoric amphibious reptile, Godzillasaurus, iguana, controlled by spirits of WWII, prehistoric deep-sea organism, hyper-evolved plant-based organism, etc.), but as long as he's Godzilla in form and function I'm fine.

I couldn't make a better argument for myself. I also think we hate GINO as much as we do because he lacked a lot of Godzilla's abilities rather than his appearance. And the movie just outright sucked.

(Was Godzilla a plant monster in the CGI films? I guess I missed that.)

[Agent Smith]

Godzilla evolves with time times so I would not mind this IF it is only a one time kind of thing. It is fun to dabble and experiment every now and then but don't radically change what the character is known for. I'm looking at you Zilla.

[LegendZilla]

For me it's not so much was what Godzilla is in terms of pseudoscientific backstory, but how he looks and behaves, his powers and abilities. They can throw out any kind of explanation (prehistoric amphibious reptile, Godzillasaurus, iguana, controlled by spirits of WWII, prehistoric deep-sea organism, hyper-evolved plant-based organism, etc.), but as long as he's Godzilla in form and function I'm fine.

You should still be mindful that for some people, it may take more than just Godzilla being Godzilla in form and function to make them happy.

[ShinGojira14]

For me it's not so much was what Godzilla is in terms of pseudoscientific backstory, but how he looks and behaves, his powers and abilities. They can throw out any kind of explanation (prehistoric amphibious reptile, Godzillasaurus, iguana, controlled by spirits of WWII, prehistoric deep-sea organism, hyper-evolved plant-based organism, etc.), but as long as he's Godzilla in form and function I'm fine.

You should still be mindful that for some people, it may take more than just Godzilla being Godzilla in form and function to make them happy.

If I wrote a script for a Godzilla movie, I'd be perfectly mindful of such people and I'd still put my own new spin on him but still keep him 'Godzilla in form and function' as tbeasley eloquently put it.

[Bigdog]

Oh, that is a good design. When I was talking about a synapsid Godzilla, I was picturing a Godzilla that is a quadruped like a dimetrodon, which is what I'm fine for fan art, but not for an official studio film. But that fan art of a synapsid Godzilla kept the traditional Godzilla. I like that. So, I changed my mind. A synapsid Godzilla would be neat as long as Godzilla is not a quadruped like other synapsids.

Will you tolerate a Godzilla that alternates between bipedal and quadrupedal locomotion?

Just reminding everyone that humans are also synapsids, so are kangaroos, so a fully bipedal synapsid Godzilla design isn't unthinkable.

So a Shin Godzilla sequel around those bizarre human-Godzilla hybrids could easily suffice for this?

[JAGzilla]

Generally speaking, Godzilla's origin is fairly unimportant to me. Nuclear energy and folly of man should be involved in most cases, but the Legendary/Reiwa era has shown that alternatives are possible. I'm willing to be pretty flexible as long as the end result looks and acts like Godzilla. And, you know, ideally the movie/show shouldn't suck.

So yeah, a synapsid would be perfectly acceptable for me. It's really no different from the traditional dinosaur/prehistoric something-or-other origin.

[Executive Hamster]

Ive been around this franchise literally my whole life, and I remember when the whole synapsid thing came up (though I also remember people specifically referring to him as a therapsid). Ive said before I generally would prefer that "scientific accuracy" stay far away from Godzilla, but this is definitely one thing I can get behind. It just makes sense. Godzilla may have been based on an inaccurate dinosaur, but so much of his anatomy is mammalian, probably being the eastern dragon influences. Some have mentioned its best Godzilla and co remain undefined and mysterious and fantastical, and I get that, but to many people synapsids and therapsids ARE sorta a weird group of mystical animals. We have no modern point of comparison and their strangeness is beyond many peoples comprehension. I find that very fitting.

[LegendZilla]

^Did you do that Godzilla artwork on your profile pic?

[Executive Hamster]

^Did you do that Godzilla artwork on your profile pic?

Yes I did! If you like it, you can check out my art thread here....or if you dont like it hehehe
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=31081

[LegendZilla]

^Did you do that Godzilla artwork on your profile pic?

Yes I did! If you like it, you can check out my art thread here....or if you dont like it hehehe
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=31081

Would you be opposed to me using your art for reference?

[Executive Hamster]

^Did you do that Godzilla artwork on your profile pic?

Yes I did! If you like it, you can check out my art thread here....or if you dont like it hehehe
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=31081

Would you be opposed to me using your art for reference?

For the sake of not bogging down this thread Ill just make it simple: as long as you dont try to claim ownership over my art and dont copy the design, I dont mind.

[Voyager]

Man I'm sick of all this "scientifically accurate Godzilla" bull. What does making Godzilla a synapsid add?

[Executive Hamster]

I see it as just a fun thing to think about. Godzilla is supposed to be an irradiated prehistoric creature after all, so its fun to play around with that concept a bit since he really doesn't look in any way like a dinosaur.

[edgaguirus]

What Godzilla is species, family, or order wise is a minor concern. The majority of depictions show Godzilla as a prehistoric beast of some kind, and explanations like that are usually good enough for the general audience. It's just fun to speculate. Besides, take a look at the Gornaxis from Monster that Challenged the World. The scientist identifies it as a sea snail, but it looks more like a caterpillar.