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[Akatskimilan]

This has been bugging me since the mid-90's since I've yet to get a definite answer on it.  In the movie Godzilla vs. Biollante, the scientist who created Biollante says he got the name from a plant mentioned in Norse mythology.  I've done all kinds of digging but can't actually find anything on it.  Is the movie making it up or is there really a Norse myth about a giant plant named Biollante (or if the name is different, a flower with a person's soul trapped in it)?

[Gimp]

The only plants I remember referenced were Yggdrassil, the world tree, and mistletoe, which was used to kill Baldur.
 
Perhaps he was drawing on one of them, but using a different language tranlsation.

[Akatskimilan]

I've been doing a lot of digging around and no one can give a clear yes or no.  I'm about to bust down the front door of Toho Studios (I'm only two districts away from it at the moment) and demand an explanation.

[planeswalker]

You should, I've been looking for all the possible variations on ビオランテ and couldn't find ANYTHING. Frustrating...

[Lockon]

Sorry for the bad news, but according to my opinion this is just a made up story.
I know a bit about norse mythology and I have even asked a friend who is more familiar with norse mythology and he even does not know a plant named Biollante or other variation of it.
Maybe Biol(l)ant(e) just means biological ant.

Lockon

[kirara]

Well Biolante could be an odd variant off of Baldur, thus mistletoe, though truth be told it also sounds rather a lot like "Violent" in English.
I agree with Planeswalker, just go ask

Otherwise, we'll all be scratching our heads.  And I don't even like Godzilla.

[Lockon]

I think kirara hits the bull's eye. Violent seems most fitting. Otherwise I agree with the rest and you have to ask.

Lockon

[The Dread Polack]

LOL, I'd love to hear if you ever did ask the studio. If it's not too late, I'd say you absolutely should, while you have the opportunity. I think they'd likely get a kick out of it as well. From what I understand, those guys are pretty cool.

[Akatskimilan]

Never got around to it. I've been getting my butt kicked with translating stuff revving up to the game's launch a couple weeks ago (check out Legend Cards on facebook). I also had to deal with training the guys who will run our US office in San Francisco while being a full time college student.  Needless to say, my storming Toho got pushed to the back burner and forgotten. The said card has already launched in the English version as Deep Lotus.

[FearlessElbow]

Just seen this thread.  Sorry for the late response.

Maybe it's a confusion and it's actually Greek legend, not Norse.

Because the word could be an adaptation of the name Iolanthe, a fairy (e.g. in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta of the same name).

The word Iolanthe is derived from the Greek for "violet" and "flower", so it's definitely plant-based.

Maybe that helps.

[Dynaes]

This is the last place I expected to see Iolanthe come up.  I'm actually performing in a production of it this summer with the Houston GNS society.  It's always amusing to see Gilbert and Sullivan come up in random conversations.