Shockirus (ショッキラス, Shokkirasu?) is a mutated sea louse kaiju created by Toho that first appeared in the 1984 Godzilla film, The Return of Godzilla.
Design
Appearance
Shockirus resembles marine arthropods like the horseshoe crab with its multiple legs and hard shell. Its shell has many bumps, and it has a two-pronged spike tail.
In the manga adaptation of The Return of Godzilla, the Shockirus looks akin to a giant woodlouse.
Roar
Shockirus' roars are Ebirah and Kumonga roars that have been raised/lowered in pitch and sped up and slowed down respectively. In the U.S. cut, the roars are replaced with a different hissing screech.
Origins
According to Doctor Hayashida, Shockirus was likely a parasitic sea louse that fed on Godzilla's blood and was subsequently mutated by the radiation contained within.
History
The Return of Godzilla
When Godzilla attacked the fishing boat Yahata-Maru, Shockirus jumped off his body and boarded the boat. From there, it proceeded to hunt down and kill the surviving crew members, draining their bodily fluids and leaving behind desiccated husks.
The last survivor, Hiroshi Okumura, despite being injured by Shockirus, managed to shut himself inside a locker in order to hide from the creature. When reporter Goro Maki came aboard the ship the next day he was attacked by Shockirus, who jumped onto his chest and crawled toward his throat. Fortunately, Okumura regained consciousness and stabbed Shockirus in the back with a hatchet, killing the creature.
Abilities
Jump: Shockirus is an extraordinary jumper.
Vital fluid suction: Can suck vital fluids out of it host for consumption.
Carapace: Its hard carapace also protects it from harm or attacks.
Comics
The Return of Godzilla
Shockirus were featured within the manga adaptation of the 1984 film.
Godzilla, King of the Monsters
Shockirus appears in the Dark Horse Godzilla comics where it attacks Kino and Take' when they climb up Godzilla.
In other languages
- Russian: Шокирус
Trivia
- Shockirus was the last completely original monster in general to appear in the Godzilla series, being unconnected to any previous monsters, until MUTO. The remaining monsters that appear in the Heisei and Millennium series are linked to Godzilla or another monster (Biollante-Godzilla, Battra-Mothra, SpaceGodzilla-Godzilla, Destoroyah-Godzilla, Orga-Godzilla, Megaguirus-Meganulon, Monster X-Keizer Ghidorah-King Ghidorah) in some way.
- Shockirus appeared as a cameo in the Godzilla Singular Point ending.
List of appearances
Films
- The Return of Godzilla (First appearance)
