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{{Short description|Fictional monster, or kaiju}}
{{About|the monster|the 1956 film|Rodan (film){{!}}''Rodan'' (film)|other uses|Rodan (disambiguation)|the French sculptor|Auguste Rodin|the element|Radon}}
{{pp-protected|small=yes}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Rodan
| series = [[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla film series]]
| image = Rodan kaiju.jpg
| caption = Rodan as seen in ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II]]'' (1993)
| first = ''[[Rodan (film)|Rodan]]'' (1956)
| creator = [[Ken Kuronuma]]
| portrayer = '''Shōwa series'''<br />[[Haruo Nakajima]]<br />Kōji Uruki<br />Masaki Shinohara<br />[[Teruo Aragaki]]<br />'''Millennium series'''<br />[[Naoko Kamio]]
| motion_actor = '''Legendary Pictures'''<br />Jason Liles<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/comic-con-2018-jason-liles-on-playing-the-beasts-of-rampage-and-godzilla-king-of-monsters|title=Comic-Con 2018: Jason Liles on Playing the Beasts of Rampage and Godzilla: King of the Monsters|first=Nell|last=Minow|work=RogerEbert.com|date=July 23, 2018|access-date=December 10, 2018}}</ref>
| alias = Radon<br />Monster Zero-Two<br />The Fire Demon<br />Titanus Rodan<br />
| species = Irradiated [[Pteranodon]]
}}
{{nihongo|'''Rodan'''|ラドン|Radon|lead=yes}} is a giant monster, or ''[[kaiju]]'', which first appeared in [[Ishirō Honda]]'s [[Rodan (film)|1956 film of the same name]], produced and distributed by [[Toho]]. Following its debut standalone appearance, Rodan went on to be featured in numerous entries in the [[Godzilla (franchise)|''Godzilla'' franchise]]. Rodan is depicted as a colossal, prehistoric, irradiated species of ''[[Pteranodon]]''.{{sfn|Berry|2005|p=452}} In 2014, ''[[IGN]]'' ranked Rodan as #6 on its "Top 10 Japanese Movie Monsters" list,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/15/top-10-japanese-movie-monsters?page=1|title=Top 10 Japanese Movie Monsters|last=Hawker|first=Tom|work=IGN|date=May 15, 2014|access-date=May 17, 2016}}</ref> while ''[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]'' listed the character as #15 on its "The 15 Most Badass Kaiju Monsters of All Time" list.<ref>Josh Robertson, [http://uk.complex.com/pop-culture/2014/05/most-badass-kaiju-monsters-of-all-time/ "The 15 Most Badass Kaiju Monsters of All Time"], ''[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]'' (May 18, 2014)</ref>

==Overview==
===Name===
The Japanese name ''Radon'' is a contraction of ''[[Pteranodon|Pte'''ra'''no'''don''']]''. The spelling of Radon in Japanese also corresponds to the name of [[Ladon (mythology)|Ladon]], the dragon guarding the Hesperides in [[Greek mythology]] - since there is [[Perception of English /r/ and /l/ by Japanese speakers|no distinction between "l" and "r"]] in Japanese.

It was changed to ''Rodan'' for English-speaking markets in order to avoid confusion with the element [[radon]].<ref name="sequart">{{cite web | author=Harry Edmundson-Cornell | url=http://sequart.org/magazine/56195/rodan/ | title=Tsuburaya Does Colour: Rodan | work=[[Sequart Organization]] | date=March 24, 2015}}</ref> However, in ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II]]'', the English version of the film used the original name ''Radon''.

===Development===
As with [[Godzilla]], writer [[Ken Kuronuma]] turned to prehistoric animals for inspiration in developing the character, though unlike the former, whose species is largely left ambiguous, Rodan is explicitly stated to be a kind of ''[[Pteranodon]]''.<ref name="sequart"/> Just as Godzilla was conceived as a symbol of an American nuclear threat, Rodan was seen as an embodiment of the same danger originating from the [[Soviet Union]].<ref>Jess-Cooke, C. (2009), ''Film Sequels: Theory and Practice from Hollywood to Bollywood'', Edinburgh University Press, p. 38, {{ISBN|0748689478}}</ref>

=== Showa era (1956-1968) ===
[[File:Rodan model 3.png|thumb|left|A model of an early Rodan design.]]

Rodan's debut appearance was the first and only time the character was given a [[Chestnut (color)|chestnut]] color. It originally had a menacing face with a jagged, toothed beak, which would disappear in later incarnations as the character became more heroic. Rodan was portrayed via a combination of [[suitmation]] and wire-operated puppets for flight sequences. During suitmation sequences, Rodan was portrayed by [[Haruo Nakajima]], who almost drowned when the wires holding the 150 lb. suits above a water tank snapped.<ref name="sequart"/> In ''[[Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster]]'', the Rodan suit was of visibly lesser quality than the previous one, having a more comical face, a thick neck which barely concealed the shape of the performer's head within, and triangular wings.<ref name="ryfle1998.1"/> The modification of the character's face was deliberate, as Rodan was meant to be a slapstick character rather than the tragic villain seen in its film debut.<ref name="kalat77">{{cite book|last1=Kalat|first1=David|title=A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series|date=2010|publisher=McFarland & Co.|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-47-49-7|page=77|edition=2nd}}</ref> A new suit was constructed for ''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]'' which more closely resembled the first, having more rounded wings and a sleeker face. The sleek face was retained in ''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'', though the wings and chest area were crudely designed.<ref name="ryfle1998.1">{{cite book |title=Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G |last=Ryfle |first=S. |year=1998 |publisher=Toronto: ECW Press |isbn=1550223488 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/116 116 & 124] |url=https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/116 }}</ref>

=== Heisei era (1993) ===
Rodan was revived in 1993's ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II]]'', this time portrayed entirely via a wire-manipulated marionette<ref name="ryfle1998.2">{{cite book |title=Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G |last=Ryfle |first=S. |year=1998 |publisher=Toronto: ECW Press |isbn=1550223488 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/288 288] |url=https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/288 }}</ref> and hand puppets. Having received criticism for his emphasis on battle sequences relying heavily on beam weapons, special effects artist [[Koichi Kawakita]] sought to make the confrontation between Godzilla and Rodan as physical as possible.<ref name="kalat199">{{cite book|last1=Kalat|first1=David|title=A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series|date=2010|publisher=McFarland & Co.|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-47-49-7|page=199|edition=2nd}}</ref>

===Monsterverse (2019)===
[[File:RodanMV.webp|thumb|184x184px|MonsterVerse Rodan]]
In 2014, [[Legendary Entertainment|Legendary Pictures]] announced that they had acquired the rights to Rodan, [[Mothra#MonsterVerse (2019–2024)|Mothra]] and [[King Ghidorah#MonsterVerse (2019–2021)|King Ghidorah]] from [[Toho]] to use in their [[Monsterverse]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Jeffries |first=Adrianne |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/7/26/5940259/godzilla-2-confirmed-with-director-gareth-edwards |title=Gareth Edwards returns to direct 'Godzilla 2' with Rodan and Mothra |publisher=[[The Verge]] |date=July 26, 2014 |access-date=2014-08-19}}</ref>

Rodan appears in a [[post-credits scene]] of ''[[Kong: Skull Island]]''. It is in the depicting cave paintings showing him, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and [[Godzilla (Monsterverse)|Godzilla]] in the footage that is shown to James Conrad and Mason Weaver.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/kong-skull-island-after-credits-scene-explained/|title='Kong: Skull Island' Post-Credits Scene Explained|last=Goldberg|first=Matt|work=Collider|date=March 11, 2017|access-date=April 27, 2018}}</ref>

A casting call confirmed that Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah would be featured in ''[[Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019 film)|Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/232097/three-kaiju-appear-confirmed-godzilla-king-monsters/|title=These Three Kaiju Appear to Be Confirmed for Godzilla: King of the Monsters|last=Barkan|first=Jonathan|work=Dread Central|date=May 31, 2017|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref> Viral marketing describes him as a titanic kaiju with the skeletal structure of a ''Pteranodon'' and magma-like skin serving as plate armor. The film's promotional website, Monarch Sciences, identifies the fictional island of Isla de Mara off the eastern coast of [[Mexico]] as Rodan's location and describes him as being {{convert|154|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} tall with a weight of 39,043 tons and a wingspan of {{convert|871|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}, making it the shortest version of the character, yet also the heaviest and the one with the greatest wingspan, though part of the short height is this version of Rodan being a quadruped like a real pterosaur as opposed to an upright biped like the Toho versions. He is also stated to be powerful enough to level cities with thunderclaps generated by his wings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/godzilla-2-monarch-site-every-secret/|title=Here's Every Hidden Secret on Godzilla 2's Viral Website|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=19 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.monarchsciences.com |title=Godzilla vs. Kong &#124; Official Site |publisher=Monarchsciences.com |date=2021-03-31 |accessdate=2022-09-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://orca.monarchsciences.com/|title=GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS {{!}} ORCA Communicator|website=orca.monarchsciences.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-12|archive-date=2021-01-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121164231/https://orca.monarchsciences.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In'' [[Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019 film)|Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'', Colonel Alan Jonah uses Dr. Emma Russell to have the ORCA device awaken Rodan from Monarch's Mexican outpost 56. With Rodan awoken, Monarch's jets lead him into fighting King Ghidorah where he is defeated. After Godzilla is presumably killed by the Oxygen Destroyer, Rodan sides with Ghidorah before being defeated by Mothra in [[Boston]] and then switching loyalties to Godzilla after Ghidorah is destroyed, leading the other Titans into bowing to him. According to a news clipping shown in the [[end credits]], Rodan returned to hibernation in [[Mount Fuji|Mt. Fuji]].

===Reiwa era (2017–2021)===
The skeletal remains of an individual Rodan appears in the prologue of ''[[Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters]]'', having been killed in [[China]]. This is expanded upon in the prequel novel ''Godzilla: Monster Apocalypse'', in which it is revealed the Rodan emerged from [[Paektu Mountain]] in November 2005, attacked China, and battled [[Anguirus]] before they were both killed by a bio-weapon created by the Chinese military called [[Hedorah]]. In 2036, a flock of Rodans took over Siberia, competing against a swarm of [[Megaguirus]]es to prey on European refugees on the [[Trans-Siberian Railway]]. In ''[[Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle]]''{{'}}s prequel novel ''Godzilla: Project Mechagodzilla'', a second Rodan was said to have attacked [[Kyushu]] in 2029 while another flock of Rodans attacked [[Rome]] to prey on humans and eventually took over the [[Italian Peninsula]] in the mid-2030s. While enacting "Operation: Long March" and "Operation: Great Wall" in 2044 and 2045 respectively, United Earth forces faced attacks from an individual Rodan, among other monsters, in [[North Africa]] as well as a third flock of Rodans feeding on Meganulon in China.

In [[Godzilla Singular Point]], the show features various Rodans which are based on the [[Quetzalcoatlus]]. Most times, Rodan is smaller than its older counterparts, however, a larger, dark Rodan appears in the show, which is shortly killed by [[Godzilla]].

Rodan would appear in ''[[Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle]]'', a 5-minute short film directed by [[Takashi Yamazaki]], In the film, Rodan fights against King Ghidorah, but Ghidorah kills him mid-flight.

===Roar===
The character's shriek was created by sound technician Ichiro Minawa, who sought to replicate the "[[contrabass]] technique" composer [[Akira Ifukube]] used for Godzilla. He layered it with a sped up human voice.<ref>Erik Homenick, [http://www.akiraifukube.org/biography_part_nine.htm "Biography: Part IX - Myths, Monsters and Laments"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209124326/https://www.akiraifukube.org/biography_part_nine.htm |date=2016-02-09 }}, Akiraifukube.org (accessed May 30, 2016)</ref> The sound would be remixed and reused for several other Toho monsters, including the Heisei incarnation of [[King Ghidorah]]<ref name="ryfle1998271">{{cite book |title=Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G |last=Ryfle |first=S. |year=1998 |publisher=Toronto: ECW Press |isbn=1550223488 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/272 272] |url=https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/272 }}</ref> and Battra.<ref name="kalat2010.roar">{{cite book|last1=Kalat|first1=David|title=A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series|date=2010|publisher=McFarland & Co.|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-47-49-7|page=188|edition=2nd}}</ref>

==Appearances==
===Films===
* ''[[Rodan (film)|Rodan]]'' (1956)
* ''[[Valley of the Dragons (film)|Valley of the Dragons]]'' (1961, stock footage cameo)
* ''[[Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster]]'' (1964)
* ''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Godzilla vs. Gigan]]'' (1972, stock footage cameo)
* ''[[Godzilla vs. Megalon]]'' (1973, stock footage cameo)
* ''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'' (1975, stock footage cameo)
* ''[[Bye-Bye Jupiter]]'' (1984, stock footage cameo)
* ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters]]'' (2017, skeleton)
* ''[[Kong: Skull Island]]'' (2017, cave painting)
* ''[[Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019 film)|Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'' (2019)
* ''[[Godzilla vs. Kong]]'' (2021, stock footage cameo)

===Television===
* ''[[Godzilla Island]]'' (1997–1998)
* ''[[Godzilla Singular Point]]'' (2021)
* ''[[Godzilland]]'' (1992–1993)
* ''Godziban'' (2019–present)
* ''[[Chibi Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (2023–present)

===Video games===
* ''[[Godzilla (Game Boy)|Godzilla]]'' / ''Godzilla-Kun: Kaijuu Daikessen'' ([[Game Boy]]; 1990)
* ''[[Circus Caper]]'' ([[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]; 1990)
* ''[[Godzilla 2: War of the Monsters]]'' ([[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]; 1991)
* ''[[Battle Soccer: Field no Hasha]]'' ([[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]; 1992)
* ''[[Kaijū-ō Godzilla]]'' / ''King of the Monsters, Godzilla'' ([[Game Boy]]; 1993)
* ''[[Godzilla: Battle Legends]]'' ([[Turbo Duo]]; 1993)
* ''[[Godzilla: Giant Monster March|Godzilla Giant Monster March]]'' ([[Game Gear]]; 1995)
* ''[[Godzilla Trading Battle]]'' ([[PlayStation]]; 1998)
* ''[[Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee]]'' ([[GameCube|GCN]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]; 2002/2003)
* ''[[Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee|Godzilla: Domination!]]'' ([[Game Boy Advance|GBA]]; 2002)
* ''[[Godzilla: Save the Earth]]'' ([[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[PlayStation 2|PS2]]; 2004)
* ''[[Godzilla: Unleashed]]'' ([[Wii]]; 2007)
* ''[[Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash]]'' ([[Nintendo DS|NDS]]; 2007)
* ''[[Godzilla: Unleashed#PlayStation 2 version|Godzilla: Unleashed]]'' ([[PlayStation 2|PS2]]; 2007)
* ''[[Godzilla (2014 video game)|Godzilla: The Game]]'' ([[PlayStation 3|PS3]]/[[PlayStation 4|PS4]]; 2015)
* ''Godzilla Defense Force'' (2019)
* ''Godzilla Battle Line'' (2021)

===Literature===
* A version of Rodan appears in the 1986 novel ''[[It (novel)|It]]'' by [[Stephen King]], in which the eponymous creature takes the form of the bird-like kaiju.
* ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II'' (1993)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tohokingdom.com/comics/godzilla_vs_mg2_shog.html |title=Manga: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla |publisher=Tohokingdom.com |access-date=2015-09-27}}</ref>
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#Trendmasters Godzilla Comic|Godzilla King of the Monsters]]'' (1994)
* ''Godzilla vs. Gigan and the Smog Monster'' (1996)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tohokingdom.com/books/godzilla_gigan_smog_monster.htm |title=Book: Godzilla vs. Gigan and the Smog Monster |publisher=Tohokingdom.com |access-date=2015-09-27}}</ref>
* ''Godzilla on Monster Island'' (1996)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tohokingdom.com/books/godzilla_monster_island.htm |title=Book: Godzilla on Monster Island |publisher=Tohokingdom.com |access-date=2015-09-27}}</ref>
* ''Godzilla Saves America: A Monster Showdown in 3-D!'' (1996)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tohokingdom.com/books/godzilla_saves_america.htm |title=Book: Godzilla Saves America: A Monster Showdown in 3-D! |publisher=Tohokingdom.com |access-date=2015-09-27}}</ref>
* ''[[Godzilla (Marc Cerasini series)#Godzilla 2000|Godzilla 2000]]'' (novel; 1997)
* ''[[Godzilla (Marc Cerasini series)#Godzilla at World's End|Godzilla at World's End]]'' (novel; 1998)
* ''[[Godzilla (Marc Cerasini series)#Godzilla vs. the Robot Monsters|Godzilla vs. the Robot Monsters]]'' (novel; 1998)
* ''[[Godzilla (Scott Ciencin series)|Godzilla: Journey to Monster Island]]'' (novel; 1998)
* ''[[Godzilla (Scott Ciencin series)|Godzilla vs. the Space Monster]]'' (novel; 1998)
* ''Godzilla Likes to Roar!'' (1998)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tohokingdom.com/books/godzilla_likes_to_roar.htm |title=Book: Godzilla Likes to Roar! |publisher=Tohokingdom.com |access-date=2015-09-27}}</ref>
* ''Who's Afraid of Godzilla?'' (1998)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tohokingdom.com/books/whos_afraid_of_godzilla.htm |title=Book: Who's Afraid of Godzilla? |publisher=Tohokingdom.com |access-date=2015-09-27}}</ref>
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters]]'' (comic; 2011 - 2012)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Gangsters & Goliaths]]'' (comic; 2011)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Legends]]'' (comic; 2011 - 2012) featuring Baby Rodan
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla]]'' (comic; 2012)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: The Half-Century War]]'' (comic; 2012 - 2013)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Rulers of Earth]]'' (comic; 2013 - 2015)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Cataclysm]]'' (comic; 2014)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla in Hell]]'' (comic; 2015)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Oblivion]]'' (comic; 2016)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Rage Across Time]]'' (comic; 2016)
* ''Godzilla: Monster Apocalypse'' (novel; 2017)

===References in music===
* The monster is mentioned in [[UMC's]] "Blue Cheese".

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last=Berry|first=Mark F.|year=2005|title=The Dinosaur Filmography|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn=9780786424535}}
* "Miniatures" by [[Stephen Dedman]], ''Eidolon Magazine'' summer 1996, volume 5, issue 3 (also known as whole number issue 20 and the "Harlan Ellison Conference Issue"). Eidolon Publications, North Perth, Australia. {{ISSN|1038-5657}}.

{{Godzilla}}
{{MonsterVerse}}

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