Anyone that has read anything I write knows by now that I love creatures. Just give me a creature, and I’m happy. Is it weird looking? Cute? A hideous monstrosity? Yes, please, it doesn’t matter. Just put it in your game. That is why Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is a perfect game for me. That and the fact that it is based on the character and universe of Ultraman and the Monster Rancher series of games. But what are the ten best kaiju in this beautiful, weird game?
First, a quick history lesson for those not in the know: Ultraman is a television series from Japan that dates back to 1966. The titular Ultraman fights multiple kaiju (people in rubber suits) and keeps the world safe. Without Ultraman, there is no Super Sentai and no Power Rangers. Similarly, Monster Rancher is an iconic game series where you can raise all kinds of monsters to battle. This is a match made in heaven. You’re telling me I can have a ranch where I raise massive weirdos and fuse them to create new ones? Perfection. With that in mind, welcome to my ranch. Please come and look and my favorite freaky monster children.
Bemstar
My perfect, daft-looking son Bemstar. I named him Doy. Look at his face. Nothing is going on behind those eyes. Bemstar is a sort of bird-lizard-starfish hybrid beast with the benevolent fixed smile of pure ignorance. He has an extra and horrifying hexagonal mouth on his stomach. Not only can he eat through this mouth, but he can also suck in enemies and fire them like tummy cannonballs in combat.
When I say “suck them in,” I mean all the way in. I imagine all of Doy’s opponents screamed within him as he looked passively on before firing them out to relive it all. I love you, Doy. Thank you for starting our best kaiju list for Ultimate Kaiju Monster Rancher. Have a good retirement!
Noronga
Behold! The goodest boy!
Neronga is an adorable dog-like beastie that was always one of my favorite kaiju from the Ultraman series. His costume looked like a creature from a Jim Henson movie. He also looks strikingly like the demonic dogs that Dana and Louis transform into in the original Ghostbusters film.
Neronga has unexpected electrical abilities and can burrow underground and pop up an inch in front of opponents before headbutting/punching them. He can also be quite tanky, as his base stats tend to lean heavily on the life and power side of things. Of course, all this can change with fusions, creating multiple versions of most kaiju in the game. Speaking of fusions…
Suezo Gan-Q
Suezo is the defacto mascot for the Monster Rancher series. A yellow-skinned eyeball stalk monster, Suezo remains one of the most popular Monster Rancher characters. Gan-Q from Ultraman is a humanoid that has a massive eye for a head. The fusion of these two was always going to happen. The fusion changes Gan-Q’s usually red, meaty color to a lemony yellow, giving him slightly higher stats when first generated.
Interestingly, Suezo is an unlockable character, and you have to achieve Master Breeder Rank and win a tournament with an S-tier kaiju to unlock him. I got Suezo Gan-Q by typing random words into the keyword generator at the altar. The good thing about this is that once you generate a kaiju, you can regenerate them anytime from the field guide at the altar.
Naga Gandar
Gandar is already brilliant. He’s a gross snail guy who looks like he’s wearing two tents on his back and has freezing powers. Naga Gandar is superior to the original Gandar because he is purple and looks like he is wearing stripey leggings. Gandar has ice abilities meaning he can inflict freezing damage on enemies, and his double tent…wings(?) mean he can also have gliding attacks.
I called my Naga Gandar Prince because he is purple, and I am a genius. Whether by his breed or the fusion stat changes, Prince was easy to become friends with and could quickly raise his stats and learn new moves (Tech) during drills and errantry. I had to retire Prince last night as he had reached his fighting limit. I may or may not have cried while listening to Purple Rain.
Mocchi Sevenger
Sevenger is a kaiju that looks like a giant robot toy. He also reminds me of Jonny 5 from Short Circuit, as his big, round L.E.D. eyes can be extremely expressive. When he’s fatigued, his eyes display Xs, and he also frequently just falls over in the background while you choose what to do in any given week. Mocchi is a monster from the original Monster Rancher games. He’s a tubby little pink penguin/kappa creature available early on and with the DLC.
Obtaining a Mocchi Sevenger means a couple of things. Firstly, his anger will be easier to decrease, which can prevent rampages and destruction. His friendship is also easier to raise than a standard Sevenger. Secondly, he is pastel pink. He is honestly so cute I did not expect how much a color scheme would affect my feelings toward Sevenger. Godspeed RoboMocch, may you pick flowers for eternity in kaiju Valhalla.
Birdon Miclas
Originally I was going to put Plant Miclas on this list as he looks like an Aztec forest god. However, Birdon Miclas won out because his stats are just better. He also looks like he is wearing a multicolored feather necklace and yellow Doctor Strange gloves. Miclas, in general, has pretty decent base stats all around, and one of his natural traits is the ability to raise his power stat more easily. Couple these already impressive base stats with Birdon’s even better base states, and there’s the potential for a real powerhouse in tournaments.
Miclas tends towards the slower end of the scale, and the infusion of sweet chicken D.N.A. doesn’t fix that issue. His skill points and intelligence also remain low. However, the trade-off is higher life and power base states and a more even and obedient nature making him easier to raise. Any form of Miclas is good for landing hugely devastating hits. They might not always land, but their opponent is getting rocked when they do.
Santa Red King
Already hilarious to look at with its towering height, immense and wide body, and tiny little pin head, Santa Red King is the funniest iteration of the Red King subtypes. It is very closely followed by Gomora Red King, which has Gomora’s horns at Gomora’s proportions but maintains the tiny pinhead of Red King.
Every new Red King is a delight, but this one had me actively laughing when it appeared from the altar. His massive hands were raised in a defensive stance. His tiny little head was tapered to a soft point. He was wearing a Santa outfit. All of these things are perfect. Red King is also a solid fighter with high power, intelligence, and speed base stats. However, he does come out freshly minted with terrible defense, skill, and life stats. All things are in balance, unlike his proportions.
Garamon
Also known as Pigmon, this weird hedgehog-pig thing is a fan favorite from the Ultraman universe. His smushed-up face, furry/spiky body, horrible long fingers, and limp hands somehow engender endearment. Garamon is the kaiju version of a pug. Unfortunately, like a pug, he has terrible speed, skill, and intelligence stats, and the rest are pretty mid. However, all is forgiven because he is truly a top-tier monster, design-wise.
Is he a pinecone? Is he soft like a pillow? Can he actually raise his spindly little hands? Unfortunately, all these questions can’t be answered with our current technology, but I hope that someday, I will be able to pet the beast for real and find out.
Super C.O.V.
Next on our best kaiju list for Ultimate Kaiju Monster Rancher is a true monster in the actual scary sense. Super C.O.V. looks like a mix between Goldar from Power Rangers and a knife-wielding lizard. Super C.O.V. is a late-game unlock requiring you to be Breeder Rank 6 with a B rank or higher kaiju that you allow to rampage throughout the year.
If you meet these requirements, Super C.O.V. will eventually appear, and winning the battle against him will allow you to regenerate your scythe-armed nightmare. As for stats, its base levels are pretty decent, apart from speed and intelligence, which are truly abysmal. In addition, it has a longer lifespan, which means a more extended period to get those stats up.
Five King
Obtaining Five King is a huge pain, but ultimately worth it because, well, look at him. A towering, winged beast with a razor-sharp crab claw and a massive club arm ending in an eye. The reason for his appearance is that he is an amalgamation of five different kaiju – Golza, Melba, Gan-Q, Reicubas, and Super C.O.V. To get a Five King, you have to raise one of each of these monsters to S tier, and then win the Catastrophe Cup.
Regarding combat, Five King has some wicked base stats, which can vary slightly depending on which of the five combinations he regenerates with. Five Kings is an absolute S tier of a monstrosity, and he isn’t even the hardest unlock in the game.
Honorable Mention – Any Nova Combination
We’re throwing in an extra entry on our best kaiju list for Ultimate Kaiju Monster Rancher!
This haunted child’s art project of a creature is made of your nightmares, and no fusion will lessen its terrible haunting visage. It can also be a really pretty speedy creature making it difficult to hit. But, mostly, it’s just terrifying.
