| Varan | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Baradagi | ||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Original | バラン | ||
| Romanization | Baran | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Reptilian | ||
| Average height | 50 meters | ||
| Average weight | 15,000 tons | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-Sapient | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Tohoku, Japan | ||
| Habitat | Mountain lake | ||
| Diet | Carnivorous | ||
| Locomotion | Facultative biped Swimming Gliding | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Godzilla | ||
| Created by | Ken Kuronuma | ||
| Designed by | Eiji Tsuburaya | ||
| Performed by | Haruo Nakajima Katsumi Tezuka | ||
Varan is a giant, prehistoric "varanopode": a descendant of a group of Mesozoic reptiles believed to have died out about 185 million years ago. It has survived in the mountainous area of Tohoku, up the Kitagami River, known as "the Tibet of Japan", where the natives know it by the name Baradagi and worship it as a god.
This daikaiju is most notable for its ability to operate just as well on water, land or air; the latter being achieved by gliding.
Biology[]
Varan glides in the air.
Varan is a formidable reptilian creature, capable of switching from bipedal to quadrupedal posture at will. It's also an adept swimmer, regularly inhabiting lakes, and capable of operating in the ocean. A pair of membranes, not usually visible when not in use, allows it to glide over the mountainous valleys, in spite of its massive weight.
Physically, Varan resembles a daikaiju-sized lizard, with scaly skin, clawed limbs, a long tail, and a row of white spikes running along its back, from the top of the head down to the tip of the tail. It is strong enough to crush vehicles like they were paper toys, and its impenetrable skin can withstand repeated attack from machine guns, tanks, missiles and cannons.
Appearances[]
Showa era
- Varan the Unbelievable (1958)
- Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Millennium era
- Godzilla Final Wars (stock footage) (2004)