Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire sees the titular giant lizard get an all-new look, turning bright pink when he powers up, and it turns out the transformation was inspired by one of the biggest anime of all time, Dragon Ball.
On Twitter, a fan asked the movie's lead character designer Jared Krichevsky if Godzilla's new, magenta look was inspired by Rose Goku, AKA a pink, powered up version of the character.
"I didn't see Goku Rosé until years later," Krichevsky wrote in a now deleted tweet (H/T IGN). "But I did base the transformation off of Kaio-Ken." Kaoi-Ken is another, colorful power boost.
In the film, Godzilla gets his pink form after defeating Tiamat, which Krichevsky confirmed is a temporary look for the kaiju. "Yeah it was always supposed to be temporary transition," he wrote. "In the movie he absorbs the DNA of Tiamat."
Plus, the new look is taking a bit of a toll. "The massive amount of energy required for his transformation would force him to burn all his extra fat away," Krichevsky added. "This will change as he gains back full control."
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire sees the two kaiju join forces to battle a dangerous foe named the Skar King. Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, and Brian Tyree Henry co-star.
Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama recently passed away, and tributes have poured in – including one from Toonami, which credited the legendary manga creator for putting it on the map.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is in theaters now. For much more on the movie, check out our deep dives on:
- The Godzilla x Kong ending explained
- Is there a Godzilla x Kong post-credits scene?
- When will Godzilla x Kong be on streaming?
- Director Adam Wingard on letting the monsters tell their stories
- Director Adam Wingard names his favorite Godzilla movie
- The Godzilla x Kong kaiju, listed and explained
- Kong has always been better than Godzilla – and the new MonsterVerse movie Godzilla x Kong perfectly highlights why
- Godzilla x Kong sealed the deal: I just really want the kaiju to be friends
