Moguera (in Japanese: モゲラ, Mogera) is a Mysterian mecha created by Toho that first appeared in the 1957 film The Mysterians as a minor antagonist.
History
The Mysterians
Moguera was a war machine created by aliens known as the Mysterians. They sent Moguera to attack a village and destroy its shrine. Moguera moved up the river and was attacked by policemen. Moguera then destroyed a power plant, and then attacked a town. It was attacked by the military, but their weapons had no effect. Moguera was destroyed when it attempted to cross a bridge that was rigged to explode.
Moguera (No. 2)
After the first Moguera was destroyed, another Moguera named Moguera No. 2 (モゲラ(2号) Mogera (2-gō) was released and it attacked from underground. It dug up too close to a Markalite Cannon, which collapsed on it, destroying the machine.
Heisei Series
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla
In Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, a robot is built from the remains of Mechagodzilla by the G-Force to stop Godzilla. Abbreviated as "M.O.G.U.E.R.A." (Mobile Operation Godzilla Expert Robot Aerotype), the mecha shared many characteristics with the original Moguera. Unlike the original Moguera, this one was a hero that helped Godzilla defeat SpaceGodzilla, despite originally built to battle the King of the Monsters. It was ultimately destroyed when it got caught in the atomic beam unleashed by Godzilla towards his counterpart.
Godzilla Island
Moguera appeared in the TV show Godzilla Island, and was known as Proto-Moguera (プロトモゲラ Puroto Mogera) so that it wouldn't be mistaken for the other Moguera that appeared in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla. Proto-Moguera was ultimately stolen by Zaguresu after Black MechaGodzilla was captured by G-Guard. Proto-Moguera was then sent retreating into space with Zaguresu after Torema piloted the superior MechaGodzilla against it.
Weapons
- Moguera can fire beams from its eyes
- Moguera emits a high temperature
- Moguera has the ability to burrow
Trivia
- Moguera's name is derived from "mogura", the Japanese word for "mole". This is because, in addition to being a combat robot, the machine also displays the ability to dig.
- Moguera was the first Toho mecha kaiju introduced, 17 years before Mechagodzilla's introduction.
- In Godzilla: Final Wars, a boy is seen playing with Godzilla toys, and a specific figure among the toys was the Showa Moguera.
- In the TV show Sonic X, when Sonic and his frends enter a volcano, they are attacked by a monster that is almost identical to the Showa Moguera.
- The second Moguera that appeared in Mysterians differs slightly from the one that attacked above ground, being almost completely silver.
