Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster

The pivotal Toho film in which Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra put aside their differences to defend Earth from Ghidorah, a three-headed golden space dragon who becomes the series' greatest recurring villain. It is the moment Godzilla shifts from menace to protector, and the monster-summit scene, with Mothra's fairies translating, is pure fun.

It is faster and more purely entertaining than the sombre early films, and it established the team-up formula that carried the series for years. Ghidorah remains the definitive Toho villain. A key turning point in the franchise.