Sketch Menagerie 11-10-2012

Unlike the last Sketch Menagerie ([link]), which featured almost nothing but my own original characters, this time around it's all rough drafts for my Kaiju Portraits series ([link]).

The series is of course portraits of Daikaiju / giant monsters from across various movies and media. And you'll probably be seeing some of these same sketches inked and colored by late December, or January of next year.

Some of them though needs major re-working, either because they're inaccurate to their source material (Gyaos' elongated torso; the Giant Claw's wings), or way too indicative of existing photos featuring them (Saihatari and Keris).

Hopefully you giant monster fans will get a kick out of this picture, even if most of the characters shown are relatively obscure.

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Gyaos, from "Gamera vs. Gyaos" (1967)

My favorite version of the otherwise overused villain, is also my least favorite design connected to him. Now of course, the original Gyaos is totally aerodynamic when in flight, when compared to other flying monsters. But still, it's a pretty sad sight when he's (it's?) grounded, and clumsily fighting the turtle monster Gamera on land. Character and story wise however, the first Gyaos is way more successful, as he manages to be quite menacing, while not disappearing into a massive flock of his own kind - a problem I have with all the other incarnations of the Gyaos.

Original Japanese movie trailer: [link]

The Loch Ness Kaiju, by Onoya Toys (1970's / 1980's?)

Old Japanese toy based on the legendary Scottish lake monster, hence the use of Kaiju in 'her' name, which is Japanese for monster. Or more accurately, 'Strange Beast'. And of course, being a Japanese monster toy, they really bypassed the realistic plesiosaur appearance, for a wonderfully wacky dragon-meets-brontosaurus-with-nasal-horn design. That's all I know about this character, but you can read a full article on the original toy (made from the obscure company Onoya) here: [link]

Desiree, from "Danny Phantom" (2004-2007)

Not a big fan of this Nickelodeon cartoon series, but even I have to admit that many of its villains were pretty nifty. My personal favorite was Desiree; a ghostly genie who was once a beautiful and beloved harem girl in life, but died of a broken heart, after she was banished by the Sultan's jealous wife. Now she travels the world granting anyone's deepest desires, while vindictively twisting their wishes' outcomes soon afterwards. And of course, I wouldn't have included Desiree here if she hadn't gone giant-size in one of her later episode appearances...That, and she's really sexy!

Magnet Priest, from "Gosei Sentai Dairanger" (1993-1994)

Also known as Father Magnet, he is another simplistic, yet enjoyably ludicrous member of the Gorma Tribe; ancient Chinese sorcerers who can assume one-eyed monster forms. And of course, being a Super Sentai series, the majority of Gorma Minions transformed into anthropomorphic furniture or objects, which goes without any real explanation. And with that said, Magnet Priest is exactly what he sounds like - a wacky magnetic villain disguised as a man of the cloth. The character was later renamed Magnet Brain for "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers", as one of Lord Zedd's creations.

Magnet Priest' original "Dairanger" episode (with subtitles) here: [link]

Mongular, from "Ultra Q" (1965-1966)

From episode 8 of the classic television series, which was also the predecessor to the far more famous "Ultraman", and its continuing franchise. Mongular is the indirect result of Dr. Kimura's growth accelerator Lajelly B-1, and some honey bees altered by that experimental chemical. The bees were later released by Dr. Kimura's treacherous colleague Itami, and whose honey is then eaten by a normal lone mole. Days later, the little mole mutates into a giant monster, and goes on a destructive rampage, as all good Japan-based mutations tend to do. Despite his unimpressive appearance, Mongular was a tough bastard, which took the combined forces of a military blitzkrieg, and a volcanic eruption to finally finish him off!

Super Gudis, from "Ultraman: Towards The Future" (1990)

Further information and image gallery dedicated to this monster can be found here: [link]

Saihatari, from "Pachimon Kaiju" (1970's)

Same deal as above, please go see the following link: [link]

Colossa Island Cyclops, from "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" (1958)

I've forgotten how fantastic these Cyclops designs were, until I started drawing them myself! Noticing all the really good body details, and skin textures that animator Ray Harryhausen gave them, as there's supposed to be multiple one-eyed giants on Colossa Island. Unfortunately, the sketch from my end isn't quite as good as said original puppets, but it's still worth sharing all-the-same. And I must admit...I've always been more of a "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger" man anyway.

Re-release film trailer here: [link]

La Carcagne, from "The Giant Claw" (1957)

Yes...that is an "Evil Dead 2" reference. Further information and image gallery dedicated to this ugly space buzzard can be found here: [link]

Susan Murphy, AKA Ginormica, from "Monsters vs. Aliens" (2009)

Everyone's favorite giantess with white hair, and Quantonium-enhanced super strength, from the otherwise 'okay' Dreamworks animated movie. Now don't get me wrong, it fun and all, but not exactly the epic, giant monster-inspired dream comedy I had hoped it to be. And with poor Susan taking a slight backseat to the film's other supporting cast of characters. Many will probably disagree with me, but I thought the Halloween special "Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space" was ten times better than the originating film.

Machine Beast Tamer Keris, from "Choriki Sentai OhRanger" (1995-1996)

Keris is the vaguely dominatrix-looking officer of the Machine Empire Baranoia, whose job was to tame the more ferocious robots of her civilization, so that they can be more useful in their masters' ongoing invasion of Earth. She lasted a good three episode long story arch, where she attempted to destroy the recently reawaken King Ranger (Gold Ranger). Now despite Keris' human disguise was quite tame, her true robotic form is plain silly in her buxomness, and NOT even attractively so at that. And clearly the main reason why Keris never made it into the American adaptation, "Power Rangers Zeo".