Anguirus was discovered on the barren shores of Iwato Island, locked in battle with the second Godzilla. The struggle soon continued to the city of Osaka, where Godzilla defeated and apparently killed Anguirus. Anguirus, or another member of the same species, later turned up as one of the monsters imprisoned at Monsterland on Ogasawara. The Kilaaks used Anguirus to protect their Mt. Fuji base, along with the monster's one-time foe Godzilla. Escaping from Kilaak control, Anguirus was one of the principal battlers in the fight against King Ghidorah. Anguirus later assisted Godzilla in defeating the Nebula M Spacehunter aliens and their space monsters, King Ghidorah and Gigan. Anguirus was also the first to sense the disguised Mechagodzilla, although the robot monster soundly defeated Anguirus in their brief struggle, very nearly killing the dinosaur.

Anguirus displayed a very tenacious and determined fighting style. Even when decidedly overmatched, Anguirus would refuse to give ground to an enemy, charging forward regardless of his injuries. Anguirus would harry an enemy with his claws and fangs, or batter the foe with his horned head. In rare instances, Anguirus would rear up on his hind legs and propel himself backwards to strike an enemy with his spiky shell. Anguirus was very loyal to his allies, refusing to retreat even when facing the combined menaces of Gigan and King Ghidorah. It is a testament to the awful power of Mechagodzilla that the robot monster was able to drive off this tenacious brute.