Matango
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- This page is about the fungus. For the film in which it appeared, see Matango (film).
Matango (マタンゴ Matango) is a mutant fungus kaiju that appeared in the 1963 Toho film Matango.
A species of fungus native to a remote island in the South Pacific, the Matango were mutated by the radiation from nuclear tests conducted in the area. Their growth accelerated, the Matango overran the entire island. The crew of a fishing boat which ran aground on the island fell victim to the Matango after eating it, transformed into grotesque creatures covered in spores. When a yacht also ran aground on the coast of the island not long afterwards, the passengers found the older shipwreck and discovered a log warning about the dangers of consuming the fungus. However, one-by-one the survivors gave in and ate the fungus, and were themselves transformed into Matango zombies. Only one survivor managed to escape back to Japan, but still ended up being infected by exposure to the Matango spores.
Name
The name "Matango" comes from "Mamadango" (ママダンゴ), another name for the fungus Astraeus hygrometricus. Humans in the process of being assimilated by the Matango are called Matango Kaijin (マタンゴ怪人).[5] Within the film itself, the protagonists discover the name for the mushrooms after reading a label on a crate containing one of them.
Design
When not colonizing a host, the Matango resemble large orange-brown mushrooms. After infecting a human host, the host will gradually grow mats of fungus over their skin, and gradually go insane. Once the Matango has matured, the human's upper body is replaced by a fungal cap, and their lower body becomes equally deformed, with giant legs and long claws attached to gigantic, muscular arms.
Origins
According to the records of a wrecked research ship discovered on the Matango's island, the Matango are a previously-undiscovered species of fungus native only to that island. As the island is located in irradiated waters, it is suggested that the Matango's gigantic size and bizarre abilities are the result of native fungi mutating as a result of atomic radiation.
History
- Matango (1963)
- Godzilla Final Wars (2004) [toy]
- Godziban (web 2019-) [episodes 44-46, 54, and 57]
Showa era
Matango
The Matango are an unusual and undiscovered species of mushroom which inhabit their own island in the South Pacific Ocean. After a ship, which had been damaged in a storm, landed on the island, its crew tried to search for food, and came across a natural marvel. Hollows in the ground were filled with fresh rainwater, and an endless supply of the mysterious mushrooms could be found growing across the island on almost any surface which could support them. The crew went searching for other food, but found none except the mushrooms. Fearing the effects of eating something which they didn't know whether it was harmful or not, the crew resisted the urge to eat them. While scouring the island, two of them noticed a bird that suddenly turned away as it neared the island. Strangely, they also discovered that another boat had previously arrived on the island, yet it was covered in mold which they tried to clean away using bleach. It was theorized that these mushrooms may have been assisted in growing so large by the presence of nearby nuclear testing. It was also discovered that the mold had strayed away from areas covered in disinfectant as well as an alcohol lamp. Three of them cracked open a crate containing a Matango mushroom, and later found a captain's log about the mushrooms. Later, two of them would go out into the forest looking for something to eat, eventually finding more of the Matango mushrooms. A fully assimilated Matango watched them; it fled after they fired at it.
Later, a partially assimilated Matango entered their shipwrecked vessel, ambushing Kasai before the fear-stricken man fell to the ground and crawled towards the rest of the group asking for help. The Matango then slowly walked towards the group as they were barricaded in a room and opened the door, frightening most of them. However, it left without attacking them, causing most of them to assume they were losing their minds and that it was only an illusion. After further investigation and discovering footsteps in the sand outside their ship, most of them concluded the incident had actually happened, barring Yoshida. Eventually, hunger set in, and Yoshida, desperate, ate some of the mushrooms, still not believing the assimilated Matango was real. At first, he seemed to be perfectly fine, but over time, the mushrooms began to colonize his body in a way that was similar to the Cordyceps fungus. In addition, Yoshida convinced more of his friends to eat the mushrooms, though this was a result of the Matango's own abilities. Eventually, all but one of the of the crew, Kenji, became infected by the Matango, and were reduced to the point of lumbering, insane, walking mushrooms.
After being forced to leave behind Akiko, Kenji managed to escape on the repaired yacht, and traveled to Tokyo for several days before being rescued. Kenji finishes telling his story to a group of doctors, lamenting that he should have stayed behind instead of escaping. He too was infected by the Matango and was slowly beginning to transform, noting that humans and the Matango are very much alike.
Reiwa era
Godziban
Matan and Tango were a pair of friendly Matango that had come to Godzi Godzi Island from the Bio Forest along with Erika to seek out assistance for Sakuya to help save her from Desghidorah. Using their magic, they transported the Three Godzilla Brothers to the island and gave them plant disguises to protect them from the man-eating plants.
Abilities
Physical abilities
In Matango, a fully assimilated Matango briefly restrained Kasai with its arms as he attempted to run away from a horde of them. Partially-assimilated Matango broke through the wood hull of the shipwrecked yacht with their fists and smashed through the windows. One overpowered Akiko, while another wrestled with Kenji over his rifle. While Kenji ran back to the boat, multiple fully-assimilated Matango pushed him around, with one shoving him to the ground.
Infection
In Matango, two groups of shipwrecked humans slowly transformed into humanoid Matango after eating the mushrooms. Once a person eats even one, they will be compelled to keep eating more until they are fully assimilated. It was noted within the captain's log that the mushrooms possessed an agent inside them that affects an organism's nervous system. They can also seemingly infect hosts through touch alone, as demonstrated by Kenji after he was simply grabbed by one.
Growth
In Matango, Matango mushrooms grow substantially from contact with water. Sustained rainfall can cause Matango to grow at accelerated rates in very little time.
Hive mind
In Matango, the Matango seem to possess a hive mind, and the various infected hosts are capable of forming coordinated attacks to capture and infect more hosts.
Intelligence
In Matango, after commencing the colonization of their host, the Matango can speak through their host to convince non-infected humans to consume the Matango and become infected. Partially assimilated individuals also retain enough autonomy to open doors and to wield and fire guns.
Spore projectile
In Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!, the Matango hives can fire spore projectiles at Godzilla or Mothra.
Flight
In Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!, the smaller Matango fly towards Godzilla or Mothra upon being encountered.
Weaknesses
In Matango, mold spread by the Matango could be combated by chemicals, such as disinfectant. An alcohol lamp was also shown to be free of the mold. Fully and partially-assimilated Matango hosts appear to be somewhat vulnerable to gunfire, though they can withstand several shots without visible injury. Matango are also somewhat physically frail, as one's arm was severed instantly when Kenji struck it with his rifle. In Godziban, Desghidorah could steal their life force.
Video games
- Monster's Fair (1986) - Microsoft MSX
- Godzilla: Monster of Monsters! (1988) - Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom
Matango in Monster's Fair
A Matango hive from Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!
A Matango from Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!
Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!
In Godzilla: Monster of Monsters!, the Matango appear in their own hyperspace level sections in which the player, controlling Godzilla or Mothra, must destroy or evade a large Matango hive (coming in three different levels of difficulty) in order to clear the level. While trying to destroy the hive the player must also contend with projectile spores and even smaller individual floating Matango. Matango hives can also appear shortly before the player fights one of the game's bosses, and attacking the Matango spawned from the hive rewards the player with health power-ups.
Gallery
- Main article: Matango/Gallery.
Roar
Initially, a Matango's host sounds and speaks like any human. After the Matango begins to fully colonize the person, their sounds are reduced to grunts and deep-voiced laughter. The iconic deep laugh of the Matango would later be recycled for the iconic laugh of Alien Baltan from Ultraman. Their laughter was also slightly raised in pitch, then reused for the Ultraman Leo villain Alien Flip. The Matango's laugh was also used as the groaning sound of a zombie in the Japanese trailer for Dawn of the Dead. The higher-pitched giggling laughter of the Matango was used in the Ultra Series for the laughter of the child-like specter Lilly from Ultra Q, the laugh of Alien Perolynga in Ultraseven, and the laughs of Yojo in Ultraman Ace. Matango's laugh, in reverse, would provide the signature roar of the Kemur aliens in the Ultra Series.
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Trivia
- A location named after the Matango, Matango Island, appears in the 1997 television series Godzilla Island.
- The Matango, and by extension the parasitic fungi from the horror short story "The Voice in the Night" upon which they are based, are likely inspired by the real-life fungal genera Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps, which contain many species of endoparasitic fungi which infect insects. Like the Matango, these infectious fungi have the capability to influence the behavior of their hosts, and infection with them results in the mushroom's fruiting body emerging from a location on the host.
- The Matango are referenced in the manga and anime The Seven Deadly Sins in the form of the Chicken-Matango, sentient mushrooms that release spores to shrink predators.
References
This is a list of references for Matango. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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