"SHOKUSHUME"

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Unrevealed (see comments)

Occupation: Unrevealed; presumably rampaging monster (see comments) 

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Godzilla

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unrevealed; likely Japan or Pacific Rim countries/islands (see comments)

First Appearance: Godzilla#2 (September 1977)

Powers/Abilities: The giant kaiju Shokueshume was presumably superhumanly strong and durable, enough to challenge Godzilla (a Class 100 strength being). It had four tentacle-like arms protruding from its upper torso, each ending in twin claws. 

Height: Unrevealed; in excess of 100 feet
Weight: Unrevealed; presumably hundreds of tons
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: None

History:
(Godzilla#2 (fb)) - Shukushume battled Godzilla at some point between the reptilian kaiju being woken in 1956 and subsequently being frozen in the Arctic near Alaska.

Comments: Created by Doug Moench, Herb Trimpe, Frank Giacoia and George Tuska.

   We've only got a single panel appearance for Shokushume, with no dialogue casting further light on the entity other than there being "documented incidents of Godzilla battling any number of bizarre, and probably mutated, behemoths." Not named, I've called the creature Shokushume, which translates from Japanese as "Tentacle Eyes" because it's got eyes on stalks and what look to be four tentacles ending in twin claws, in addition to its clawed feet; it's very much an unofficial designation, but will do unless and until an official name becomes available. Since we've got so little to go on, we don't know its powers, nor exactly when or where it fought Godzilla, nor the outcome of that battle (beyond the fact that Godzilla probably won, given he was around to star in his own comic and Shokueshume didn't show up again).

   The most common origin for kaiju foes of Godzilla seems to be either some unknown prehistoric species or an animal mutated by atomic energy or human pollution; in the Marvel universe you can also throw in Deviant mutates. However extraterrestrial monsters, ancient mythical beasts, magical entities and / or guardian spirits are also options, and so it's possible that Shukushume wasn't a rampaging monster but instead some sort of regional protector against destructive kaiju like Godzilla.

Profile by Loki.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Shokushume has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Godzilla#2, p4, pan2 (main image)

Appearances:
Godzilla#2 (September 1977) - Doug Moench (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Frank Giacoia and George Tuska (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)

First Posted: 04/29/2025
Last updated: 04/29/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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