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filbarlow — Godzilla: 'Gigan'

Published: 2011-12-23 10:25:16 +0000 UTC; Views: 13628; Favourites: 273; Downloads: 0
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Description This is the "Gigan" design used in the Opening Title of the Godzilla Animated Series. (Requested by fellow DA pyatt. )

Now some facts and disclaimers that may clear up some confusion concerning this design:

It was never meant to be a representation of the original Toho movie creature. Way back in preproduction before we had scripts or even a concept to work with, and the Sony Godzilla movie was still a year away from release. I and artists from my Australian company Zoonimedia began a series of conceptual designs to audition them to join me on the series.

The artists on my team were Darren Roach, Dan Remmel, Milenko Tunjic, and Matthew Brady (who I renamed Gus, because we had two Matthews in our company, subsequently I named another creature 'El Gussano' after him because it was based off his design).

My team's brief was simple, go crazy and impress my boss Richard Raynis. I chose a few designs to redraw into the style I'd created for the show to give Richard an idea of how our process would work. We randomly named the designs with Toho monster names more as a joke than anything, (apologies to the classic film fans). This "Gigan" was one of the designs that made it into the main title.

Currently I cannot remember which artist's design this was based off, but the creature designs on this show became a very collaborative process. The careful inking off my pencils was done by Helen Maier. Helen, by the way, ended up signing away her likeness for the final look of Dr. Elsie Chapman.
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Comments: 63

DCDGojira71 In reply to ??? [2021-10-18 02:54:47 +0000 UTC]

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alorix [2017-03-21 02:12:48 +0000 UTC]

Not sure if this has been asked, but if you were requested to make Gigan ( instead of just randomly using the names) do you have any idea what you'd do?

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filbarlow In reply to alorix [2017-06-20 18:33:40 +0000 UTC]

It depends, if the brief is to base the design on the original I'd figure out a way to make it work logically, or if I was asked to do my own fresh approach I'd do something original.

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alorix In reply to filbarlow [2017-06-20 18:42:21 +0000 UTC]

So...what would ya do for both? Cause i'd LOVE to see. 

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filbarlow In reply to alorix [2017-06-22 11:23:38 +0000 UTC]

I never know until I do it. I like my art to surprise me too.

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alorix In reply to filbarlow [2017-06-22 14:22:17 +0000 UTC]

would you be willing to give it a shot for DA? 

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filbarlow In reply to alorix [2017-06-27 16:24:30 +0000 UTC]

Sorry not on DA. I'd do it on Patreon for the $10 tier though.

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alorix In reply to filbarlow [2017-06-27 17:50:23 +0000 UTC]

oooh. very tempting. Maybe when i have more $ to give out deff!!! Oh wait does that mean we could also request more C-rex art?! 

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BurgerKingGhidorah [2015-06-25 04:32:34 +0000 UTC]

Do you plan on doing a picture of the "Megalon" concept creature you guys made? there's only one sketch of it, and it's in pretty horrible quality. i DO know he appeared in the opening with a LOT of the other toho nicknamed monsters

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filbarlow In reply to BurgerKingGhidorah [2015-06-30 15:53:17 +0000 UTC]

I intend to one day.

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Deim0sThe42ndReap3r [2015-02-02 14:49:17 +0000 UTC]

The coloring in the intro turned those weird chameleon eyes into another set of teeth, which was the only way I ever saw this creature.

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filbarlow In reply to Deim0sThe42ndReap3r [2015-02-14 02:59:59 +0000 UTC]

Yeah they just had the line drawing, and the Color Department kept to themselves at that point.

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Guyverman [2014-02-26 21:43:43 +0000 UTC]

A cool Gigan design would be a combination of this and the classic.

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KaijuInfinity [2014-02-07 03:44:00 +0000 UTC]

Why do some people call this creature Gigan anyway? It dosent even look just like Gigan....Sorry I just had to get that off m chest.

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filbarlow In reply to KaijuInfinity [2014-03-01 01:13:13 +0000 UTC]

I explain it in the description.

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AkityMH [2013-08-23 06:24:56 +0000 UTC]

Hey, good old Pyatt requested this? That sonuvab- well he's my friend. Why did he not tell me he was freinds with you!? RAGE! Rage all around!
I kid, course.
I wish this monster made the TV show so dam nbad.

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filbarlow In reply to AkityMH [2013-08-25 05:24:42 +0000 UTC]

This monster was in the intro but not featured in it's own episode.

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Imperator-Lawrence [2013-07-31 21:26:39 +0000 UTC]

What a weird beast. I could believe that thing coming from space anyway, even if it wasn't the real Gigan.

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filbarlow In reply to Imperator-Lawrence [2013-08-15 03:00:05 +0000 UTC]

This could be a larval stage of the "real" Gigan.

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Pulsarium In reply to filbarlow [2015-04-08 18:35:55 +0000 UTC]

That's actually a really neat idea. Might develop it, if you give the word.

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filbarlow In reply to Pulsarium [2015-04-10 14:28:34 +0000 UTC]

Have fun with it

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Pulsarium In reply to filbarlow [2015-04-10 19:57:01 +0000 UTC]

Will do!

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austintrench [2013-05-30 12:52:41 +0000 UTC]

yeah thats a better version than a giant chicken. wait you helped design this show fascinating.

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filbarlow In reply to austintrench [2013-06-05 11:44:39 +0000 UTC]

Yup, I was Head of the Character Design Department for this show.

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austintrench In reply to filbarlow [2013-06-05 15:29:45 +0000 UTC]

Interesting I'm a designer as well..well mostly on paint but I do enjoy the design of a Tim burton like look but had its own unique style

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Kaiju-Human [2013-04-17 21:02:20 +0000 UTC]

Very nice work sir! I applaud what you did, you brought many smiles to my childhood

However, I do have some bad news, someone traced your work line for line, and called it his own original work. I would suggest reporting this to deviantART staff. Here's the "work" by the "artist": [link]

Peace be with you!

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filbarlow In reply to Kaiju-Human [2013-04-17 22:58:35 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad you enjoyed my monsters.

Yeah I've seen that guys traces before, I like how he can't even get Photoshop to work for him. He's ripped 4 other designs from the show as well. The way I see it he's learning to draw by tracing, he's no threat, and he'll have to live with his lies as people like you comment on his posts. One day he'll copy one too many people and it will all come back on him.

Thank you for bringing it to my attention and defending my work

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Kaiju-Human In reply to filbarlow [2013-04-18 03:38:33 +0000 UTC]

It's no problem at all, sir! I've always been a fan of the series, and it's a great honor to finally get to meet one of the people who made the whole thing possible!

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filbarlow In reply to Kaiju-Human [2013-04-18 08:52:03 +0000 UTC]

I am blessed to have your support

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DrZock [2012-08-04 18:40:19 +0000 UTC]

You know, the name is actually kind of fitting, in a way, even if it was assigned randomly. To me, this fella looks like one of Gigan's distant ancestors from millions of years in the past, gradually evolving into the buzzsaw chicken we all know and love today.

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filbarlow In reply to DrZock [2012-08-05 01:43:49 +0000 UTC]

Haha I agree!... Buzzsaw Chicken

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DrZock In reply to filbarlow [2012-08-05 06:47:24 +0000 UTC]

Wish I could take credit for that nickname, but I heard it somewhere else.

You have some awesome artwork under your belt, by the way. I took a look at your gallery after being linked there from a blog I frequent, and saw that you had a hand in pretty much every great cartoon show that wasn't produced in-house at Disney or Cartoon Network from the past 30 or so years. That's something to proud of, says I.

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filbarlow In reply to DrZock [2012-08-06 00:04:45 +0000 UTC]

Thank you I have so much work still to show, and I am proud of it, as you can imagine it's been hard to see other people take credit over those decades for my work and having no means to link it all back to me. Because my styles are so diverse, I make a new one up for every show, it seemed impossible to imagine that one person could be responsible. So, thanks to DA I have a chance to knit them all together.

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SPDUDE18 [2012-07-20 18:29:40 +0000 UTC]

I used to love the monsters in the show, and this is no exception. I would love to write a poem involving this guy and maybe take a mythical approach to it.

Is it a suppose to be a bat? I thought the show already had the giant mutant bat in Monster wars.

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filbarlow In reply to SPDUDE18 [2012-07-22 06:59:22 +0000 UTC]

Knock yourself out

I always saw it as a mutant creature not based on any terrestrial animal.

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uberbomb [2012-06-12 03:46:14 +0000 UTC]

man i love and miss this show ... nice drawn

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filbarlow In reply to uberbomb [2012-06-17 01:07:50 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, thanks for letting me know

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Jazon19 [2012-03-02 15:43:06 +0000 UTC]

This is great. To be honest, it reminds me of H.P. Lovecrafts elder things :3 Thats a good thing!

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filbarlow In reply to Jazon19 [2012-03-03 12:07:04 +0000 UTC]

Just for the record I've never read any Lovecraft, nature is where I've been getting all this from.

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Jazon19 In reply to filbarlow [2012-03-03 15:25:50 +0000 UTC]

Ya should give it a read! Theres some good inspiration within those hallowed pages! XD

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cbiv85 [2012-02-20 04:59:53 +0000 UTC]

Awesome. I love this design

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filbarlow In reply to cbiv85 [2012-02-20 06:43:34 +0000 UTC]

Thank you.

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Undrave [2011-12-24 13:41:54 +0000 UTC]

Ack I wouldn't want to make it angry.

It's great to be able to see this in better detail! All the little nuances in the design like the eye stalks or the stomach tentactles. A somewhat unsettling monster. Nice colouring by Helen there too.

Love the little tidbits of trivia you're giving out about El Gussano and the design of Elsie hahaha.

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filbarlow In reply to Undrave [2011-12-30 01:20:23 +0000 UTC]

I think it's already angry lol. Just to clarify I did the color, Helen inked the line in during production (that's her hand writing). I'm working towards posting more, but recoloring takes some time. Glad you are enjoying it

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Undrave In reply to filbarlow [2011-12-30 01:31:54 +0000 UTC]

Maybe it's just always angry hahaha.

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filbarlow In reply to Undrave [2012-01-05 11:47:59 +0000 UTC]

Yeah lol

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Groudan383 [2011-12-24 07:28:11 +0000 UTC]

Wow, this is so cool seeing this come from you. It not only great to see you, out of all people, to draw the monsters from my favorite cartoon of all time, but its also cool that you give a background story and facts about them too. I mean, the fact that you named the worm after you co- worker is hilarious lol. Really awesome job dude! Maybe I should request something

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filbarlow In reply to Groudan383 [2011-12-30 01:16:36 +0000 UTC]

Happy to clarify anything. I'm busy at the moment but I've been thinking about posting the original designs of my team along side the final creatures I did, unfortunately I don't currently have all of their designs.

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DinoHunter2 [2011-12-23 20:20:55 +0000 UTC]

Quite the interesting recolor. I really like the two-toned bluegreen body, very easy on the eyes and natural looking. I'm thrilled that you're doing these, by the way. I'm a big, BIG fan of the show and especially the various monsters that everyone designed. The "Gigan" here is one of my favorites among the monsters that never made it into the show, so it's neat to see him (her? it?) again.

I know you said these early guys were made mostly to impress and give an idea of the show's style, but just out of curiosity, did anyone ever mention what this monster's powers or abilities might have been? I've always wondered what the function of those purple "fangs" were.

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filbarlow In reply to DinoHunter2 [2011-12-23 22:46:39 +0000 UTC]

I was never completely happy with the colors on this one, so I started from scratch. As I mentioned to Pyatt (above) it has stomach tentacles, plus I can't help wondering if those fangs are poisonous. Possibly some special vision with all those eyes.

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