I love a good mammalian kaiju. There aren’t many of them, which is disappointing given how many mammals are prime for kaiju-fication. For example: the humble aardvark. To my knowledge the sum total of aardvark kaiju in filmed media is zero, despite being wacky little buggers with noodle schnozes. True story: some of my earliest nightmares were of aardvarks. I feared that they would emerge from the darkness and nibble at my toes with their weird tongues. Of course I’m more pro-aardvark these days than I was when I was five, but nonetheless I think there’s some untapped potential with ol’ Orycteropus afer*

Thus I give you Butardon, who exists somewhere within the intersection of aardvark and sinister Muppet. I wanted this guy to look like a little stinker who was up to no good, and indeed, might nibble your toes if you aren’t careful. For some reason he reminds me a bit of the Fireys from Labyrinth (1986), though they don’t resemble each other much design-wise. I guess it’s more a color and disposition sort of thing.

*(Latin name for the aardvark. Had to Google it.)