Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla - Plot

Plot

The year is 1999, forty-five years after the first Godzilla attack of 1954. When Lieutenant Akane Yashiro, a mazer technician, fails to kill Godzilla during her first combat engagement, she is made a scapegoat for the military's losses during the battle and consequently transferred to a desk job. During the battle, it is discovered that Godzilla is immune to mazer fire, rendering all of the Japanese military useless against it should it return. Scientists, including single father Tokumitsu Yuhara, are gathered to build a bio-mechanical robot from the original Godzilla's skeleton. Four years later, the cyborg, called Kiryu, is finished and inducted into the Japan Self-Defense Forces along with its human pilots as the Kiryu Squadron. Akane becomes the main pilot for Kiryu. However, memories of Akane's actions during the original engagement in 1999 still linger, and one of her squadron mates, 2nd lieutenant Susumu Hayama, is openly hostile towards her, blaming her for the death of his brother in that same fight.

A while later, Kiryu is shown to the world, and the complete system that controls the unit is explained. Kiryu is controlled remotely from a control craft that resembles a very large jet fighter with VSTOL capabilities. It can be remotely recharged from the ground using microwaves that are relayed through a power system on one of the command aircraft, and then beamed back down to Kiryu. For the end of the presentation, its greatest weapon, the freezing Absolute Zero cannon, is shown. At the same time, Godzilla shows up once again, and Kiryu is launched into battle. In the midst of the first battle, Kiryu's soul is awoken by Godzilla's roar and brings with it the memories of the original Godzilla's death years ago. As if possessed by the original Godzilla, Kiryu proceeds to destroy the city around it after Godzilla retreats to the ocean floor. Horrified, the Kiryu Squadron can only watch in terror and alarm as the rampaging cyborg destroys more city property than Godzilla did. After 1 hour, Kiryu runs out of energy and is brought back to headquarters for further work.

All the while, Akane tries to settle matters involving Hayama, Tokumitsu, and his distressed daughter, Sara; who sees Kiryu as a being with a right to life and that it should befriend Godzilla rather than battle him. Later, Godzilla attacks again. After repairs are made, Kiryu is released from the air and hits Godzilla with immense speed. At this point, Godzilla and Kiryu face off in a head-to-head battle where each combatant sizes up its opposite and exchange powerful blows that also devastate the cityscape around them. During the course of the fight, Kiryu is disabled, and the remote piloting system completely taken offline. In an effort to continue the fight and press what advantage over Godzilla they still have, Akane orders the pilot to land his command craft so that she can make her way to Kiryu and take control from its internal backup cockpit. Now under direct human control, Kiryu rises from the ground one more time and closes in on Godzilla for a final blow, hoping to use the Absolute Zero cannon at point-blank range. The two titans collide, and Akane uses Kiryu's thrusters to propel it and Godzilla out to sea before the cannon fires, freezing a huge portion of the ocean around them. After the blast clears, Godzilla is shown with a huge gash in his chest, steadily walking back into the ocean. Kiryu is heavily damaged, missing its right arm, and the Absolute Zero cannon shown to be devastated. While failing to kill Godzilla, the Kiryu Squardron feels victorious in being able to drive the monster away... for now.

The closing image and post-end credits scene of the film show Akane standing on the shoulder of the heavily damaged Kiryu, watching Godzilla slowly retreat out to the ocean with a respectful expression on her face. Following the credits, an additional scene reveals that Akane agrees to have dinner with Tokumitsu and Sara and gives Kiryu one last salute.