Godzilla developed a bizarre ability in order to defeat one of his biggest enemies in the 1970s. Godzilla transformed himself into a powerful magnetic force in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. For this one movie, Godzilla was able to manipulate metal like Marvel's Magneto.
Released in 1974, Toho's Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla introduced one of Godzilla's greatest enemies. Designed solely for killing Godzilla, Mechagodzilla tested the limits of Godzilla's power. Mechagodzilla's devastating arsenal of missiles forced Godzilla to team up with a new monster, King Caesar, but even that wasn't enough. Godzilla had to rely on a completely new ability to take down Mechagodzilla.
During a thunderstorm, Godzilla acted as a living lightning rod, whether by accident or on purpose. Throughout the storm, he was continuously bombarded with bolts of lightning. Each lightning strike appeared to fuel him with energy. Supercharged by the storm, Godzilla joined King Caesar in battle against Mechagodzilla. After Mechagodzilla tried to fly away, Godzilla activated a new power. Being hit with lightning so many times allowed Godzilla to become a magnetic force.
Metal objects in the vicinity, including Mechagodzilla himself, were drawn to Godzilla. Everything metal was magnetically pulled toward Godzilla. He used his new magnetic powers to reel in Mechagodzilla like a fish. In that moment, Godzilla was less like the King of the Monsters and more like the Master of Magnetism himself, Magneto, who is known for manipulating metal on a grand scale. With Mechagodzilla no longer having any means of escape, he was soon destroyed by the combined efforts Godzilla and King Caesar.
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla wasn't the last time Godzilla used electricity to recharge himself, but it was the last time he used his magnetic abilities. They were never mentioned again. Interestingly, there have been other instances of Godzilla displaying an unusual, uncharacteristic ability. 1972's Godzilla vs. Gigan is remembered as the movie where Godzilla actually spoke English while trying to communicate with Anguirus. Godzilla famously had access to a whole new set of powers in Toho's 2016 reboot, Shin Godzilla. In Godzilla vs. Hedorah from 1967, Godzilla shocked the Japanese military -- and the audience -- by using his atomic breath to fly. Like Godzilla's magnetic powers, Godzilla's ability to fly has since been ignored, but not forgotten by fans.
While these strange, seldom-used powers of Godzilla's are considered out of step with the character, they have created some fun, memorable moments for Godzilla fans.