Movies Like Mothra (1961)

Mothra is a 1961 adventure, fantasy, science fiction film from Ishirō Honda with a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Rebirth of Mothra III and Ebirah, Horror of the Deep.

Adventure Fantasy Science Fiction

Rebirth of Mothra III

1998

To save the world, Mothra goes back in time in an attempt to defeat a younger King Ghidorah.

6.2

MagicScore

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

1966

Searching for his brother, Ryota stows away on a boat belonging to a criminal alongside two other teenagers. The group shipwrecks on Letchi island and discover the Infant Island natives have been enslaved by a terrorist organization controlling a crustacean monster. Finding a sleeping Godzilla, they decide to awaken him to defeat the terrorists and liberate the natives.

6.3

MagicScore

Mothra vs. Godzilla

1964

Journalists Ichiro Sakai and Junko cover the wreckage of a typhoon when an enormous egg is found and claimed by greedy entrepreneurs. Mothra's fairies arrive and are aided by the journalists in a plea for its return. As their requests are denied, Godzilla arises near Nagoya and the people of Infant Island must decide if they are willing to answer Japan's own pleas for help.

7.0

MagicScore

Varan

1958

When a rare species of butterfly is found in a mysterious valley in Japan, a pair of entomologists go to investigate and find more. They discover Varan, a giant monster, who decides to leave the valley and head straight for Tokyo.

5.7

MagicScore

King Kong Escapes

1967

An adaptation of the Rankin/Bass cartoon, "The King Kong Show". King Kong is brought in by the evil Dr. Who to dig for Element X in a mine when the robot Mechani-Kong is unable to do the task. This leads to the machine and the real Kong engaging in a tremendous battle atop Tokyo Tower.

6.2

MagicScore

Gamera: Guardian of the Universe

1995

A ship runs aground on a mysterious atoll leading to an investigation by insurance representative Kusanagi, who discovers an ancient bead that he gives to his daughter Asagi. Meanwhile, ornithologist Nagamine investigates reports of a new species of large bird named Gyaos. As the Gyaos begin to attack, an ancient guardian with a bond to Asagi emerges.

7.4

MagicScore

Destroy All Monsters

1968

At the turn of the century, all of the Earth's monsters have been rounded up and kept safely on Monsterland. Chaos erupts when a race of she-aliens known as the Kilaaks unleash the monsters across the world.

6.9

MagicScore

King Kong vs. Godzilla

1962

The advertising director of Pacific Pharmaceuticals, frustrated with the low ratings of their sponsored TV program, seeks a more sensationalist approach. He orders his staff to Faro Island to capture King Kong for exploitation. As Godzilla re-emerges, a media frenzy generates with Pacific looking to capitalize off of the ultimate battle.

6.9

MagicScore

Godzilla 1985

1985

Originally released in Japan as "The Return of Godzilla" in 1984, this is the heavily re-edited, re-titled "Godzilla 1985". Adding in new footage of Raymond Burr, this 16th Godzilla film ignores all previous sequels and serves as a direct follow-up to the 1956 "Godzilla King of the Monsters", which also featured scenes with Burr edited into 1954's "Godzilla". This film restores the darker tone of the original, as we witness the nuclear destruction of giant lizard terrorizing Japan.

6.8

MagicScore

#10

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

2000

In an alternate timeline the original Godzilla is never defeated and repeatedly reemerges to feed on Japan's energy sources. A new inter-dimensional weapon called the Dimension Tide is created with the intent of eliminating Godzilla. However, the new weapon might also serve as a gateway to something far more sinister.

6.6

MagicScore

#11

Varan the Unbelievable

1962

In an effort to find an economic means of purifying salt water, a joint U.S.-Japanese military command is set up on an isolated Japanese island where an unusual salt water lake is situated. However, their purifying experiments arouse the prehistoric monster Obaki from hibernation at the lake's bottom, and it proceeds to attack Japan. Although made by a U.S. independent film company, this film was based on a Japanese Toho monster film of 1958, "Daikaiju Varan", from which all of the monster effects scenes and a few incidental dramatic shots were edited into it.

4.3

MagicScore

#12

Godzilla

1954

Japan is thrown into a panic after several ships are sunk near Odo Island. An expedition to the island led by Dr. Kyohei Yamane soon discover something far more devastating than imagined in the form of a 50 meter tall monster whom the natives call Gojira. Now the monster begins a rampage that threatens to destroy not only Japan, but the rest of the world as well.

7.6

MagicScore

#13

Shin Godzilla

2016

When a massive, gilled monster emerges from the deep and tears through the city, the government scrambles to save its citizens. A rag-tag team of volunteers cuts through a web of red tape to uncover the monster's weakness and its mysterious ties to a foreign superpower. But time is not on their side - the greatest catastrophe to ever befall the world is about to evolve right before their very eyes.

7.2

MagicScore

#14

Godzilla

1977

A re-edited Italian-language dubbed version of the original Godzilla, using as a basis the U.S. version, "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" (1956), plus WWII newsreel footage and clips from other science fiction films. The re-edited film was then colorized via a process called "Spectrorama 70" consisting of applying various colored gels to the black and white footage. The film's opening and ending also features new music composed by musicians Fabio Frizzi, Franco Bixio, and Vince Tempera (under the pseudonym Magnetic System).

6.7

MagicScore

#15

Son of Godzilla

1967

Reporter Goro Maki stumbles upon scientists conducting weather experiments on Sollgel Island in the South Seas. He discovers the island is inhabited by giant mantis and a woman named Saeko who's been cast away since the death of her father. The pair soon find a helpless infant monster that Godzilla must adopt and learn to raise as one of his own.

6.5

MagicScore

#16

Space Amoeba

1970

When a space probe crash-lands on a far-flung Pacific atoll, the craft's alien stowaways decide to take over their new world one creature at a time. Soon, the parasitic life forms latch onto three indigenous critters -- a squid, a crab and a snapping turtle -- and transform them into colossal mutant monsters.

6.4

MagicScore

#17

Godzilla Raids Again

1955

Two fishing scout pilots make a horrifying discovery when they encounter a second Godzilla alongside a new monster named Anguirus. Without the weapon that killed the original, authorities attempt to lure Godzilla away from the mainland. But Anguirus soon arrives and the two monsters make their way towards Osaka as Japan braces for tragedy.

6.0

MagicScore

#18

Gappa, the Triphibian Monster

1967

An expedition in the South Pacific lands on a tropical island where the natives worship the mysterious deity Gappa. An earthquake opens up an underground cavern and a baby reptile is discovered inside. The natives warn the foreigners to leave the hatching alone, but they don't listen and take it back to a zoo in Japan. Soon after, moma and papa Gappa start smashing Tokyo looking for their kidnapped child.

5.7

MagicScore

#19

Gamera vs. Barugon

1966

Gamera escapes from his rocket enclosure and makes his way back to Earth as a giant opal from New Guinea is brought back to Japan. The opal is discovered to have been an egg that births a new monster called Barugon. The creature attacks the city of Osaka by emitting a destructive rainbow ray from his back, along with a freezing spray capable of incapacitating Gamera.

6.4

MagicScore

#20

Godzilla, King of the Monsters!

1956

During an assignment, foreign correspondent Steve Martin spends a layover in Tokyo and is caught amid the rampage of an unstoppable prehistoric monster the Japanese call 'Godzilla'. The only hope for both Japan and the world lies on a secret weapon, which may prove more destructive than the monster itself.

6.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Mothra?

The top films similar to Mothra by MovieMagicScore are Rebirth of Mothra III (6.2), Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (6.3), Mothra vs. Godzilla (7.0). Each shares adventure/fantasy/science fiction themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Mothra worth watching?

Mothra holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10 from 173 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Mothra?

Mothra (1961) is a adventure, fantasy, science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda, starring Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kyōko Kagawa.

Where can I find more recommendations like Mothra?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more adventure recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Rebirth of Mothra III Movies like Ebirah, Horror of the Deep Movies like Mothra vs. Godzilla Movies like Varan Movies like King Kong Escapes Movies like Gamera: Guardian of the Universe

About movies like Mothra

This ranked list pairs Mothra (1961), a adventure and fantasy and science fiction film from Ishirō Honda, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Frankie Sakai take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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