Mechagodzilla I

Mechagodzilla is a giant robot mecha whose form and function is designed to be similar to that of the daikaiju known as Godzilla. Played by "suitmation" actor Ise Mori, it appeared in the 1974 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.

Overview
A race of simian aliens who hailed from a planet within a black hole set their sights on conquering Earth. To dispose of the planet's greatest threat, Godzilla, they constructed their own artificial robotic version of the creature dubbed Mechagodzilla. Housed within a synthetic skin covering to look like the real Godzilla, this mecha was sent to Earth and began razing Japan, until the real Godzilla appeared and burned away its false covering with his atomic breath, exposing the true robotic visage underneath. After which, the battle began in earnest.

Wikipedia entry
First appearing in a pseudo-flesh outer covering and masquerading as the real Godzilla, Mechagodzilla makes a few attacks against Japan. Godzilla's ally Anguirus wasn't fooled by the impostor's disguise, but in the resulting fight Mechagodzilla swiftly overpowered the beast, breaking Anguirus' jaw and sending him fleeing underground. Anguirus attacking his ally was a complete shock; and the battle had also exposed a piece of Mechagodzilla's true mechanical nature (though most humans did not seem to notice it), tipping any keen eyes off to the robot's charade.

Godzilla then reappeared from a warehouse and, in the ensuing brawl, used his atomic heat ray to destroy large chunks of the pseudo-flesh, utterly ruining the robot's disguise and forcing Mechagodzilla to reveal itself in full. The battle resulted in a tie, however, as Godzilla was severely wounded and Mechagodzilla forced back into the Simian's base for a repair job. Fearing for the robot's advance, a priestess of the Azumi royal family, prepares to awaken King Caesar, an ancient Okinawan deity. Mechagodzilla was finished repairs and, due to the Simians catching onto the idea, sent to Okinawa to destroy the golem before he could awaken. Unfortunately, the Simians were too slow, and King Caesar was awoken to fend off the robot. Despite the shisa golem's best efforts, however, Mechagodzilla still proved too much, and the guardian was soundly trounced. However, Godzilla had been following his doppelganger, and he immediately resumed engagement with Mechagodzilla. After a long, hard and bloody battle, Godzilla and King Caesar's cooperation pays off when Godzilla manages to forcibly turn Mechagodzilla's head around his shoulders against its will and tear it clean off, causing the robot to detonate, defeating the menace.

Battles
While still disguised as Godzilla, Mechagodzilla had an encounter with Anguirus. It proved victorious in the battle, breaking Anguirus' jaw.

After this fight, Mechagodzilla had his first battle with Godzilla. Both combatants fired their own version of atomic breath, but when Godzilla's struck Mechagodzilla's synthetic covering, it forced the robot to dispel the disguise. This battle ended in a stalemate.

Mechagodzilla then sought to prevent the awakening of another creature, King Caesar. He was too late to prevent the emergence of this monster, but the two fought, and Mechagodzilla likely would have destroyed his opponent, but for the timely intervention of Godzilla. Godzilla and King Caesar teamed up to battle Mechagodzilla and the robot was badly disabled when Godzilla succeeded in tearing apart its head.

The defeat and destruction of Mechagodzilla forced the black hole aliens to abandon their plans for the conquest of Earth and they returned to their homeworld.

Notes & Trivia

 * The concept of Mechagodzilla was created by director Jun Fukuda and screenwriters Masami Fukushima, Shin'ichi Sekizawa and Hiroyasu Yamamura.


 * This version of the character is the first of four different characters named Mechagodzilla. It is one of two to appear in the Shōwa period. A second Mechagodzilla, which was a different robot altogether, appeared in Terror of Mechagodzilla in 1975.

Prophecy
The coming of Mechagodzilla was foretold in an ancient prophecy that was discovered in Okinawa. The prophecy reads as follows:
 * When a black mountain appears above the clouds, a huge monster will arise and try to destroy the world
 * But then, when the red moon sets and the sun rises in the west, two more shall appear to save humanity