We love our Merlion… don’t we? As a symbolic personification of our country (that the Singapore Tourism Board initially designed in 1964 as their corporate logo), it’s supposed to represent our roots as a fishing village and the sighting of a lion by Sang Nila Utama that prompted the rebrand of Temasek into Singapura.
But at its core, the Merlion is simply a Thing For Tourists To Take Pictures With — a statue that reminds us that Singapore’s mythologies are manufactured.
But imagine if the Merlion was actually badass and fearsome. What if it’s actually a… Kaiju?
Say no more, fam.
Beautifully illustrated and posted on Deviantart by local artist Sandara – whose portfolio on her profile page boasts a wide range of similarly impressive works as well — this piece of artwork has garnered international attention with over 52,000 views and 4,946 downloads (and counting).
Now all we need is a follow-up piece featuring a beefy, cyborg Sir Stamford Raffles piloting a giant mech that’s made out of The Esplanade.
