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Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla#King Caesar

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+#REDIRECT [[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla#King Caesar]]
-{{short description|Fictional Godzilla monster or kaiju}}
-{{About|a character in the Godzilla film series||}}
+{{Rcat shell|
-{{Infobox character
+{{R to related topic}}
-| color              = #001
-| name               = King Caesar
-| series             = [[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla film series]]
-| image              = King Caesar kaiju.png
-| first              = ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla]]'' (1974)
-| last               = ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004)
-| creator            = [[Jun Fukuda]]
-| portrayer          = '''''Shōwa series'''''<br />[[Kin'ichi Kusumi]]<br />'''''Millennium series'''''<br />[[Motokuni Nakagawa]]
-| species            = [[Shisa|Stone Lion]] God
 }}
-{{nihongo|'''King Caesar'''|キングシーサー|Kingu Shīsā}} is a [[kaiju]] who first appeared in [[Toho]]'s 1974 film ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4zR__HFvn0 |title=Top 10 Godzilla Villains |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2015-09-26}}</ref> In his first film appearance, King Caesar is portrayed as a [[guardian deity]] and the protector of an ancient Japanese family. Awakened from a dormant state, King Caesar joins forces with [[Godzilla]] to vanquish [[Mechagodzilla]].
-==Overview==
-===Name===
-[[Image:Miyakojima-Shisa.jpg|thumb|left|130px|Shisa statue]]
-King Caesar's name and appearance are based on [[Shisa]], which are artistically embellished stone lion statues common in [[Okinawa]], where the film ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla]]'' took place. They are an Okinawan variation on the [[Chinese guardian lion]] (石獅; Shishi, meaning "Stone Lion"), which in turn originates from Buddhist tradition in India, where [[Asiatic lion]]s are native. Shisa only loosely resemble actual lions on account of being based on second-hand descriptions by people who had never seen one in person.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tofugu.com/2014/09/11/tracing-the-history-of-japans-mythical-lion-dogs/|title=Tracing the History of Japan's Mythical Lion Dogs - Tofugu|author=Adam Ledford|work=Tofugu|accessdate=20 December 2014}}</ref> In the 1970s, general East Asian folklore were relatively unknown to Western audiences, which resulted in the translators interpreting name "Shisa" to be a Japanization of the name "Caesar".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Barr |first1=Jason |title=The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema's Biggest Monsters |date=2016 |publisher=McFarland |location=Jefferson, NC |isbn=978-0786499632 |pages=185-86n3}}</ref> Toho has since trademarked it, making "King Caesar" the character's official English name.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--LCNsQ7Cv--/t_Preview/b_rgb:36538b,c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1507861758/production/designs/1968085_1.jpg|title=King Caesar Monster Icon|website=TeePublic|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref>
-===Overview and development===
-King Caesar's character concept was inspired by a traditional Okinawan folk tale in which a Shisa protects a village from a rampaging dragon.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://renz15.wordpress.com/2018/10/27/shisa-tales-stone-dog-guardians/|title=Shisa: Tales of Stone Dog Guardians|last=Chan|first=Rence|date=2018-10-26|website=Collector's Connection|language=en|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref> This myth is referenced in the character's introductory film, ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla]]'', in which the titular Mechagodzilla plays the role of the evil "dragon".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mykaiju.com/the-mystery-of-king-caesar/|title=The Mystery of King Caesar|last=Ruffin|first=John|date=2015-08-05|website=MyKaiju.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref> It is portrayed as a loyal and powerful protector of mankind, in reference to the role Shisa play in Okinawan tradition.<ref name=":0" /> Character profiles in supporting media describe the monster as standing 50 meters (164 feet)-100 meters (328 feet) tall and weighing 30,000 tonnes (33,069 short tons)-50,000 tonnes (55,115 short tons).<ref>{{Cite book|title=東宝特撮全怪獣図鑑|last=|first=|publisher=Shogakukan|year=2014|isbn=9784096820902|location=|pages=69|language=ja}}</ref> King Caesar is shown to be swift and athletic. It can also draw an enemy's energy weapons into its right eye and reflect them back from its left eye with ten times the force,<ref>Godzilla Movie Studio Tour PC Game - King Caesar character profile</ref> and empower itself with solar energy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tohokingdom.com/kaiju/analysis/king_caesar_showa.html|title=Character Analysis: King Caesar [Showa Series]|last=Romero|first=Anthony|date=2010-04-29|website=Toho Kingdom|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref>
-===Powers and abilities===
-King Caesar is portrayed as an incredibly agile [[martial artist]], possessing both speed and super-strength. He is also capable of absorbing energy beam attacks or energy projections and reflecting this energy back at his opponent through his eyes. In the television show ''[[Godzilla Island]]'', King Caesar is depicted as being able to fire an electricity beam from his mouth.
-===Reception===
-Along with fellow 1970s Showa era monster [[Gigan]], King Caesar is the favourite monster of director [[Ryuhei Kitamura]], which led to the character's inclusion in the film ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ryuhei Kitamura versus Kitamura Ryuhei|url = http://injapan.gaijinpot.com/uncategorized/2010/03/29/ryuhei-kitamura-versus-kitamura-ryuhei-2/|website = GaijinPot InJapan|access-date = 2016-02-09|language = en-US}}</ref>
-==Appearances==
-===Films===
-* ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla]]'' (1974)
-* ''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'' (1975, very brief stock footage mistake)
-* ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004)
-===Television===
-* ''[[Godzilla Island]]'' (1997-1998)
-===Video games===
-* ''[[Battle Soccer: Field no Hasha]]'' ([[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]] - 1992)
-* ''[[Kaijū-ō Godzilla]]'' / ''King of the Monsters, Godzilla'' ([[Game Boy]] - 1993)
-* ''[[Godzilla Trading Battle]]'' ([[PlayStation]] - 1998)
-* ''[[Godzilla: Unleashed]]'' ([[Wii]] - 2007)
-* ''Godzilla Defense Force'' (2019)
-===Literature===
-* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Rulers of Earth]]'' (comic - 2013-2015)
-* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Oblivion]]'' (comic - 2016)
-==References==
-{{Reflist}}
-{{Godzilla}}
-[[Category:Fictional golems]]
-[[Category:Fictional male deities]]
-[[Category:Godzilla characters]]
-[[Category:Mothra characters]]
-[[Category:Anthropomorphic martial artists]]
-[[Category:Toho Monsters]]
-[[Category:Fantasy film characters]]
-[[Category:Film characters introduced in 1974]]
-[[Category:Fictional monsters]]
-[[Category:Kaiju]]