Three years later, in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Anguirus, having been resting and travelling underground ever since he fell into the fissure a year earlier, traveled to Japan in search of Godzilla. Anguirus knew something wasn't right, when he saw his friend Godzilla was attacking buildings mindlessly and walking around the Japanese countryside with no specific pattern. Anguirus burrowed out of the ground after Godzilla attacked an apartment building, tripping him over. Anguirus then challenged Godzilla, but Godzilla threw him through a bridge and into a valley. As Anguirus got back up, he leapt out of the valley, knocking off some of Godzilla's scales with his claws as he passed, revealing metal underneath. The now-revealed Fake Godzilla then fought back viciously, beating Anguirus and slamming him into the ground. The Fake Godzilla broke Anguirus' jaw in a violent and bloody fashion, forcing Anguirus to burrow back underground and retreat. Chronologically, this wasn't Anguirus' last appearance in the Showa era, as at some point between 1975 and 1999, he was found and taken to Monsterland, his injuries having been completely healed.