Is Ultraman Stronger than Godzilla?

Summary

• Godzilla: iconic mutated lizard with nuclear energy, famous in kaiju films since the 1950s
• Ultraman: alien superhero with solar-powered abilities, known for brawling hand-to-hand combat.
• Ultraman vs. Godzilla: Ultraman’s diverse extraterrestrial superpowers could give him an advantage in a fight.

As the acclaimed big-screen behemoth Godzilla Minus One and the popular TV show Ultraman: Rising battle for viewership supremacy on Netflix, a legitimate debate about the stronger fictional character has emerged. Both gigantic fictional characters were created in Japan in the 1950s and 1960s, with the alien superhero Ultraman often facing humongous Kaiju monsters of Godzilla’s ilk lurking beneath the country.

In addition to their immense size and stature, Ultraman has a host of alien technology in his favor and Godzilla has radioactive atomic energy in his, leading many fans to wonder who would come out on top if they ever clashed onscreen. Although the two iconic monsters once fought in a Japanese baseball video game, it’s time to decipher once and for all which gargantuan guardian has more physical strength and power.

What Is Godzilla?

Introduced by Ishiro Honda in 1954, Godzilla is a giant mutated lizard with immense brute strength. The mutated amphibian stands 393 feet tall and is powered by nuclear energy due to years of atomic bomb testing in the tragic wake of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With the ability to swim and traverse land, Godzilla has appeared in nearly 40 kaiju movies since 1954 and has become one of the most notorious movie monsters ever created.

As such, the character has crossed over to face other famous fictional characters, including King Kong, The Fantastic Four, S.H.I.E.L.D., The Avengers, Justice League, Legion of Doom, the Green Lantern Corps, and more. While often seen as a protector of Japan, Godzilla has also faced many human foes, including the Japanese Self-Defense Force. Beyond humans and superheroes, Godzilla has clashed with and battled alongside such other kaiju as Mothra, Rodan, Gigan, King Ghidorah, and others. Godzilla’s record among such enemies is fairly even, leaving many to question a match-up with Ultraman.

Who Is Ultraman?

Introduced in the eponymous 1966 TV series, Ultraman is a gigantic extraterrestrial superhero co-created by writer Tetsuo Kinjo. Ultraman was originally conceived as a prehistoric reptilian monster called Bemlar, drawing direct comparisons between the creature and Godzilla. Physically, Ultraman can grow to 146 feet tall and embodies the anatomy of the Hindu deity Garuda and the supernatural Shinto entity Tengu. The original TV series concerns Shin Hayata, a Science Patrol member who secretly moonlights as Ultraman when called upon to fight various kaiju.

Defined by his iconic gray and silver superhero costume, Ultraman favors brawling hand-to-hand combat despite his immense alien superpowers that eclipse those possessed by Godzilla. Furthermore, Godzilla is also primarily a brute-force brawler, making the two massive Japanese monsters an ideal match, at least on paper. Yet, beyond their similar stature and preferred combat methods, Godzilla and Ultraman differ most in their superhuman strengths and energy-powered attacks.

Ultraman’s Strength vs. Godzilla’s Powers

Although Godzilla is nearly three times taller than Ultraman, the various superpowers each possesses bring their strengths closer together. For instance, whereas Godzilla draws energy from nuclear radiation and blasts atomic laser beams through his breath, Ultraman is a solar-powered entity that derives its power from the sun. Moreover, Godzilla and Ultraman rely on melee combat before finishing their opponents with energy beams that cause immense damage.

Beyond atomic breath, Godzilla’s main powers and abilities include superhuman strength, thrashing tail, short-range nuclear pulse emitters, magnetic aura, rapid healing and regeneration properties, sharp teeth and claws, powerful jaws, martial arts expertise, and more. When Godzilla isn’t irradiating foes with his atomic breath, he is known for lifting, throwing, and easily outmuscling his enemies.

By comparison, Ultraman’s powers and abilities include his signature Specium Ray, a deadly energy beam powered by a Martian element called Specium. Ultraman’s Specium Ray produces up to 500,000 units of heat and the same amount of horsepower to create a mega-powerful weapon that few on Earth can compete with, including Godzilla. Also, Ultraman is known for his Ultra Slash attack, a solar-powered disc that can dice enemies in half on contact. While Ultraman’s Specium Ray and Ultra Slash are powerful enough to subdue Godzilla in combat, both weapons have vulnerabilities that even the playing field.

Whereas Godzilla has rapid healing and regenerative abilities, Ultraman’s skin is naturally insulated from excessive heat, atomic explosions, and electricity, giving him a more protective forcefield than his larger Kaiju counterpart. Similarly, Godzilla has exhibited more weaknesses and vulnerabilities than Ultraman throughout its existence, including damage sustained from lightning, electricity, cadmium radiation, and mega-weapons like the Oxygen Destroyer and the chemical bacteria ANEB.

Is Ultraman or Godzilla stronger?

Although Godzilla is bigger, taller, and heavier than Ultraman, Ultraman has more strength and power. According to the official character bio, Ultraman weighs 35,000 tons and can lift objects as heavy as 200,000 tons. With the ability to fly at Mach 5 speed, Ultraman would fly literal circles around the plodding, foot-heavy Godzilla in battle. As alluded to, Godzilla (20,000 to 164,000 tons) is vulnerable to electricity, cadmium radiation, lightning, and supersized weapons, all of which Ultraman has at his disposal.

If Godzilla survives Ultraman’s energy attacks, the kaiju will certainly succumb to Ultraman’s Specium Ray and Ultra Slash attack moves. Ultraman has used such skills and weapons to defeat similar kaiju to Godzilla, such as Eleking, Jirass, Telesdon, Gomora, Gabora, Red King, Neronga, Zarab, and many others. Conversely, while Godzillas has also defeated kaiju of his ilk, the monstrous reptile has rarely, if ever, defeated someone as powerful and versatile as Ultraman.

As one Redditor notes:

“Ultraman can spam throw a flying saw can that easily cut kaijus with the same or more durability as Godzilla into pieces. This is a no contest. Ultraman is strong enough to beat Godzilla to death without even using any of his abilities. See the fights against Red King, Jirahs and Telesdon (weighs 120,000 tons).”

Despite the enthusiasm, another Redditor expresses more realistic expectations regarding the hypothetical showdown, adding:

“There is no way Godzilla can beat Ultraman but it ain’t gonna be a walk in a park though.”

Of course, being stronger and having the ability to defeat the other in a fight is hardly the same. Therefore, one can distinguish Godzilla from Ultraman in clearer terms. Godzilla is bigger, taller, heavier, and possesses more raw physical might than Ultraman. However, Ultraman’s diverse extraterrestrial superpowers give the alien giant the advantage of an array of weaponry specifically tailored to target Godzilla’s weak spots. When comparing brute strength alone, Godzilla is superior. When previewing the full gamut of their superpowers in a potential showdown with one another, Ultraman emerges victoriously.

Ultraman: Rising is available to stream on Netflix.