Varan | Monster Profile

Name: Varan

Movie Appearances: Varan the Unbelievable, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla: Final Wars

Varan is a kaiju with a distinctly reptilian appearance. It has white, pointy dorsal spikes that run down its back, resembling the spines of an iguana. Additional spikes line the top of its head, with three smaller spikes on each side of its face.

Varan alternates between walking on all fours and standing upright on its hind legs, depending on the situation. It also features web-like membranes beneath its arms that connect to its sides, allowing it to glide through the air by spreading its limbs much like a flying squirrel or a wingsuit. Varan can use its powerful tail as a weapon to smash obstacles or strike enemies.

Thanks to its thick, durable skin, Varan is nearly impervious to missiles, bombs, and gunfire. The creature made its debut in Varan the Unbelievable, where it wreaked havoc on a small island off Japan before moving on to attack Tokyo. Varan proved unstoppable until it ingested a chemical agent, forcing it to retreat back into the sea.

Varan later reappeared briefly in Destroy All Monsters, confirming that it survived the chemical assault. The monster also makes a quick cameo in Godzilla: Final Wars, using recycled footage from earlier films.

Varan is an underrated kaiju with a great design and some fascinating abilities. Its gliding capability is particularly unique something you wouldn’t expect from a creature of its size. In Varan the Unbelievable, it takes a serious beating without showing much damage, proving just how resilient it is. Originally, Varan was even planned to appear in Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, but was replaced by Mothra and King Ghidorah due to their greater popularity.

While Varan hasn’t had much screen time since the Showa era, it still holds a special place among Toho’s classic monsters. At least Varan got its own feature film a rarity for many of the lesser-seen kaiju of Monster Island.