If there's any kaiju, in Toho's library, that can possibly equal Godzilla's fame and popularity... it's gotta be the giant moth.

She's been in tons of movies now, mostly opposite Godzilla in some fashion, but she's also had her own seperate movies as well.

Debuting in her 1961 film, the world was first introduced to Mothra, and taking a distinct departure from her fellow kaiju colleagues, she wasn't really exactly a threat to humanity. The destruction she sowed (including toppling over the Tokyo Tower) was a direct result of humans kidnapping her beloved tiny twin maidens, these seemingly magical beings that have a link to the mystical moth.

So as soon as she got them back, her "reign of terror" ended, and the trio returned home, Infant Island.

Mothra would then return in 1964's "Godzilla vs. Mothra" (aka: Godzilla vs. the Thing), Toho's big follow-up to the phenomenally successful "King Kong vs. Godzilla". Here the two collided over the fate of a large egg, which belongs to Mothra. But the large moth proves too weak (possibly from whatever process spawned such a large egg) to withstand the onslaught of Godzilla, and soon expires, wrapping her wings around her egg as she expires. Soon twin larvae emerge from this egg and eventually engage the Big G in combat, wrapping him in a suffocating blanket of silk, which leads to Godzilla tumbling into the nearby ocean.

This was soon followed, in that same year, by "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster" where one of the Mothra larvae (the fate of the other never being fully revealed) is brought in to try and convince Godzilla and Rodan, who had been locked in combat through out most of the film, to unite against the threat posed by the giant three-headed space dragon Ghidrah (aka: Ghidorah). After some initial difficulties, the three do eventually combine their efforts and manage to drive off the alien invader.

While Godzilla, Ghidorah and Rodan would make a return appearance in "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" (aka: Invasion of Astro Monster) in 1965, Mothra would take a break, only to return the following year (in Moth Form) in "Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster" to save the human characters, who were stranded on an island controlled by a violent terrorist organization who were also enslaving members of Mothra's people to work for them. But they didn't count on one thing, that being Godzilla, who was also on that island.

As Godzilla battled against these terrorists, as well as their own giant monsters, Mothra finally makes her move and arrives to make the big save and pick all the non-bad guys up before a big nuclear bomb explodes. But her presence also brings Godzilla's attention, and the two briefly fight. Not having much time to bother with Godzilla, Mothra just simply knocks the big G aside and goes on her merry little way.

Again she would take a brief rest in 1967, while Toho made "Son of Godzilla", only to reappear (in Larva form) in 1968's monster mash known as "Destroy All Monsters!" where she appears alongside other Toho kaiju such as Godzilla, Rodan, Minya, Anguirus, Varan, Baragon, Kumonga, Manda, Gorosaurus and the big return of Ghidorah. She didn't do much throughout the movie, cept attack Beijin when under alien control, and team-up with the giant spider Kumonga (a fellow kaiju with the ability to spray opponents with sticky silk) during the big curb-stomping of Ghidorah.

This would be the last time anyone would see Mothra for a long time, outside of a brief glimpse, during some re-used stock footage, in 1972's "Godzilla vs. Gigan". There was an attempt, in the 1990, to bring her back, in a new solo movie, (fighting another monster no less). But this was not to be, as the poor box-office performance of "Godzilla vs. Biollante" in 1989, convinced Toho not to take such a risk.

It was in 1992 that the mighty moth would make her grand return in "Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth" of the 90's Godzilla series, this would also be the debut appearance of Mothra's mirror opposite, Battra, a more dark and malevolent moth. Though they started out as enemies, near the end the two creatures would eventually join forces against Godzilla.

Sadly, Battra has yet to make a return appearance.

Mothra wouldn't appear again in the 90's Godzilla series, but that wasn't the end for her, not by a long shot. One year after 1995's "Godzilla vs. Destroyah", Toho would begin a short-lived series (from 1996-1998) of Mothra movies, known as the "Rebirth of Mothra" trilogy. This series played up the " earth guardian" role more, and even introduced us to "Mothra Leo", a male Mothra, who took over his mother's fight against dire threats to not only humanity, but the Earth itself. This series would also bring back King Ghidorah, in two different incarnations.

After that was over, Mothra went into a brief retirement, till she was brought in 2001, for the infamous/popular "GMK" movie, where she fought alongside Ghidorah (a heroic kaiju this time) against the relentless onslaught of a more evil Godzilla, possessed by the War Dead of World War 2.

She then made continuous appearances throughout the rest of the "Millenium Series", appearing in Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." as well as the zany "Godzilla Final Wars".

She has proven to be quite popular, especially in Japan, where her films manage to bring in quite the crowd. There's even rumors that, with Godzilla's current "retirement" that Toho may in fact be gearing up for yet another solo Mothra movie. These rumors, as usual, have yet to be fully confirmed.