Toku Tuesdays: The Gamera Franchise!

WARNING SPOILERS ABOUND!

While preparing the next Ultra installment of Toku Tuesdays, I’ve come to realize that I’ve included my rankings for both Godzilla and Gamera on this blog along guide to the Godzilla franchise, but I haven’t really delved into the  Titanic Terrapin like I have the Big G. But with the release of the (now-sold out) Arrow Gamera Set, and last year’s Criterion release of the Godzilla: The Showa Era boxset (for more on what these eras are, refer to the aforementioned guide to Godzilla), I thought it was worth doing a giving Gamera a little love! So consider this article a nice introduction/overview of the series, releasing just a few months before the 55th anniversary of the very first installment (if you end up wanting to know more, check out the early episodes of the wonderful Kaiju Transmissions for a good overview of each era as well as the phenomenal Tokyo Lives for deep dives into several of the individual films) Since there aren’t consistent characters through a movie franchise, this article will be a bit different. You’ll get a brief introduction to the origins of the franchise, ratings for the first film as a well as a general overview of the Showa era’s evolution, the key kaiju, the last film, and the top three entries into the franchise complete with ratings,, Finally, we’ll have a deeper analysis on the star of Gamera, with a final score for the franchise to follow.

An Introduction toGamera:

In 1965, Japan was introduced to a new giant monster during the Kaiju Boom of the 60s- Gamera. Daiei Films, producers of incredible films like Rashomon and the Zatoichi series, wanted to compete in the kaiju market against Toho’s mammoth Godzilla franchise. Their more artistic directors refused to sign on to helm their attempt, so Noriaki Yuasa (who had directed one film prior) was hired to direct their first real stab at a kaiju film- known today by American fans as Nezura. The premise was straightforward- it was about a giant swarm of rats. However, the studio’s effects department attempted to execute the sequences using real rats, and the whole production was so disastrous in part due to the fleas on these rats that the whole film was shut down. The studio still wanted their giant monster flick though, and eventually the concept shifted towards a giant turtle named Gamera. The movie, Gamera, The Giant Monster, was finished, in part due to assistance from some special effects workers from Toho on loan to Daiei, and went to be a surprise hit, leading to the development of subsequent sequels.

That’s a fairly condensed history of the development of the first film. The biggest takeway here is a constant theme of the series and this article. Gamera is the ultimate underdog. A movie that wasn’t even supposed to be made, given to an inexperienced director, and featuring a slashed budget due to the failure of the intended film, went on to become a hit. What begins as a clear attempt to cash in on the box office success of Godzilla and other kaiju flicks of the time, would go on to carve its own unique identity and even influence the Godzilla films down the line.

THE FIRST FILM– GAMERA, THE GIANT MONSTER

The story to the first Gamera film can summed up in a sentence- Gamera, a giant fire breathing and fire eating flying turtle, is released from the arctic after a nuclear bomb mishap and menaces Japan while humanity scrambles to defeat the monster. While Yuasa would go on to develop his own style of kaiju films down the road, his first attempt, while very competent all things considering, was also a fairly standard kaiju film. Within Gamera, the Giant Monster are flashes of what would become the signature Showa Gamera style with complicated (dare I say convoluted) military plans to defeat the monster. The big difference here is that Gamera in later films would become an unambiguous hero, indeed labeled as the “Friend of all children.” Once again there are seeds of that here, with Gamera inexplicably saving a child from a crumbling lighthouse (that Gamera himself is destroying by the way). The kid in question, Toshio, becomes somewhat obsessed with the giant turtle, and his antics often get in the way of the military’s operations to stop Gamera’s rampage.Nevertheless, there are sequences in Gamera’s first outing that work. The reveal of his fire-eating and ability to fly around like a flying saucer are both effective and help the monster stand apart from Godzilla and others. While it’s clear that the film is trying to be the new Godzilla on the block, structurally it has more in common with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, and includes both lighthouse scene and the title monster breaking out of the ice in the arctic. Both scenes are technically well done, and Gamera is given a great introduction in particular. Rather than teasing the monster, the movie gets right to business. However, despite all of these positives, Gamera, The Giant Monster, simply cannot stand up to many of its subsequent sequels, let alone the other kaiju films being released at the same time. The inclusion of Toshio is tonally confusing, and the human story of simply “let’s stop the monster” is not all that engaging, and gets repetitive fast. The special effects work isn’t bad, especially considered the slashed budget- one of the reasons the film is in black and white- but it cannot hold a candle to the work in Godzilla. Perhaps worst of all, Gamera’s first outing is just plain forgettable in terms of story. Very little of the film will stay with the audience. This is one of the few franchises where the first film is also one of the worst. SCORE- 5/10

THE SHOWA ERA OVERVIEW

Gamera’s second film, Gamera vs. Barugon, is the only film in the Showa era not directed by Yuasa. The creative team had the added advantage of being able to use color, and they also managed to craft an engaging human story with a truly despicable villain. Furthermore, the snowy setting, stage lighting, and even monster blood color lead to a visually more interesting, and at times beautiful film. Barugon’s abilities, including a freezing breath and rainbow beam (TASTE THE PAINBOW- joke I stole), begin the trend of giving Gamera’s foes unique powers. These days, Barugon’s rainbow beam has made him something of an icon to the LGBTQ members of the community.

The lack of additional directors allows no room for standout solo outing like the near art house styled Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Yoshimitsu Banno’s only Godzilla film. On the flip side, the Gamera series also maintains a level of consistency due to the single steady hand. One area of variety Gamera DOES beat Godzilla is the variety of kaiju foes. Gamera never repeats a main foe twice, until the clipshow that is Gamera, Super Monster (more on that in a bit). Yes Gyaos is spray painted silver to lazily create Space Gyaos, but that monster is killed almost immediately by the title adversary, Guiron.

In terms of stock footage usage, outside of Super Monster (I promise you we’ll get there) only Gamera vs. Viras uses it to an egregious degree. Much of the reused footage is essentially the aliens learning about Gamera, but the subsequent Arrow Video release of that film thankfully includes different versions of the films which cut that montage down by a substantial amount, leading to the film only really reusing one sequence- a dam breaking scene from Gamera vs. Barugon– to a detrimental degree. Gamera vs. Viras also begins the formulaic approach to the story, with two children, with an American kid often in one of the rolls, team up to assist Gamera in his adventures. Gamera usually saves them, they in turn save Gamera. Typically Gamera will have a couple of fights and lose the first one, only to mount a comeback. Finally, Gamera vs. Viras is also the first film to feature aliens, which the series would return to in three subsequent films in the Showa Era.

After going with a non-alien for the bizarre Gamera vs. Jiger (at one point Gamera is injected with an egg by his monster foe and the kids pilot a sub into him to get rid of it. Gamera also sticks telephone poles in his ears), the series went back to space for their final original monster of the era in Gamera vs. Zigra.

If you are watching these films, you will notice overall declining budgets (although Gamera vs. Jiger was given a slight increase), which were already a fraction of the budgets the Godzilla films were being given. No film represents that more than Gamera, Super Monster (see I told you I’d get there!)

The movie reworks all of the past films and reuses the fights to tell a story of an alien threat sending down a gauntlet of monsters for Gamera to face. What new Gamera footage there is features an awful looking suit/puppet, and it’s clearly the cheapest film they made. There is a nice parable about growing up and the inclusion of space women, one of which gets a decent redemption arc. However, there’s also a rip-off Star Destroyer and very little narrative flow between the fight scenes. Additionally, there is the inexplicable use of completely unrelated anime footage. Kudos should be given to Yuasa for trying to give Gamera a proper sacrificial ending. But you can tell this is not the farewell Gamera deserves,  and the elements just don’t fit together cohesively.  Although, it should be pointed out that Gamera, Super Monster still has its defenders (like the excellent Monsters vs. Men podcast). The final point here is that, Gamera ended its Showa era on this films which, along with its immediate predecessor, are considered the worst of the franchise. All in all though, the Gamera films from this era are charming, goofy, and extremely fun (his theme song rules too). They are like a child’s dream come to life. This even bled into the Godzilla films as they too began to embrace, in part, the inclusion of children in their films and featured a child lead or supporting character in three separate movies. Speaking of bleeding, I would be remiss to add that these films are BRUTAL. Gamera is impaled, sliced, stabbed, you name it. He also tends to give as good as he gets (eventually), even stabbing Jiger in the face with a frickin dagger. There are certainly quite a few lows here, and overall they lack the polish of the Toho films. Still, that charm factor goes a long way in my book. SCORE: 7/10

KEY KAIJU

Barugon is the very first enemy Gamera fought, so it feels appropriate to start here. This monster set the tone for the ones that follow- cheaper suits, unique designs, and a plethora of really fun abilities. Barugon can do it all including freezing his enemies, blasting them with his rainbow beam, or simply using his tongue and horn as weapons. While his weakness (water) doesn’t make too much sense, Barugon is one of those unique enemy monsters that truly feels like the star of the film rather than Gamera. His presence draws Gamera, and the defense force spends its time trying to figure out how to kill Barugon rather than defeat Gamera. For his place in Gamera history, Barugon deserves a mention here.

Gyaos- In terms of Gamera’s foes, Gyaos is about the only with any real staying power. Right off the bat, let’s get one thing out of the way- the execution of the monster suits for Gamera’s foes tends to fall short of the enemies Toho produces. They tend to be a bit bulky, silly, and cheaper looking. However, let’s talk about what makes them stand out! Gyaos has a sonic cutting beam and fire extinguishing nipples. He’s also a vampire who obviously flies. In the 90s, Gyaos is reimagined as an ancient civilization’s creation gone awry. In fact, it is the creation of the Gyaos which necessitates the creation of Gamera in this series by those same creators, forging a unique rivalry which will become the backbone of the 90s trilogy. Whether he’s being spray painted to become Space Gyaos or simply being updated in the 90s or 2000s, Gyaos has certainly earned the legacy of being the most iconic monster from the series.

Guiron is the second best of the Showa monsters. He has suction cup hands and, as you can see above, his head is a knife. While he IS the only monster under the control of of someone (aliens), his mean fighting style helps him stand out from the pack. Our introduction to this kaiju is a brutal fight with Space Gyaos where Guiron reflects a sonic beam, severing his foe’s leg, then proceeds to chop Space Gyaos up like salami. Oh and he’s destroyed by Gamera shoving a rocket in his nose hole. Truly great stuff.

Zigra is one of the other alien kaiju, and the execution is actually pretty effective (when he’s not on land). He’s also the last Showa Gamera monster (Super Monster, the last film, just features the evil Space Woman and a space ship). In a fun twist on the formula, Zigra controls a human. He also gives Doctor Doom style monologues, setting him apart from other giant monsters. He has razor sharp back spines, which incidentally can be used like a xylophone by a giant turtle with a rock to play a certain Friend of all Children’s theme song. This one’s just iconic, and even though his movie isn’t great, Zigra deserves some love as a goblin shark alien overlord.

Legion is the second monster Gamera fights in the Heisei era. More specifically, I think of the Legion Queen pictured here fighting Gamera. She controls a hive minded swarm of smaller insect-like creatures (hence the name “Legion”). The suit makers really went all out in creating a creature that looks NOTHING like a humanoid in a suit. There is an alien presence here, and the metallic roars hammer home the otherworldly nature of the beast. She has multiple weapons including energy blasts and deflection shields, as well as these lazer whip/spears she uses towards the end. Unique, deadly, and completely sold as the superior monster to Gamera in terms of power, Legion truly assists Gamera’s continuation of being the underdog.

Iris is one of the hardest enemies to visually describe, and the film which he stars in features very few full body shots. Here is a picture of the suit and if you just imagine those hanging daggers are connected by tentacles you have the idea. Everything about the design is imaginative from the “wings” formed by the tentacles to his single eye orb which only looks like two eyes because of his face slits. But what sets Iris apart isn’t his design as much as his character. We get to see him hatch and evolve, feeding off of the revenge and negative feelings of a girl (Ayana) who hates Gamera for his part in the battle that killed her family. There are plenty of ties to mythology with the character, yet we are also led to believe Iris is a creation of those who created the Gyaos. But putting aside the convoluted origin, this is the character who challenges Gamera on a different kind of battlefield. While their fight is spectacular, Iris truly tests Gamera’s previous moniker of “Friend to All Children” (and current title of “Guardian of the Universe” as he sees how far Gamera will go to save Ayana and protect the planet.

BEST FILM- THE HEISEI TRILOGY

Yes these are technically three films, so this is a bit of a cheat. However, while the first two films in particular do stand on their own quite well, the entire three part story retroactively makes each one a bit better. Director Shusuke Kaneko put to rest the idea that you have to be a fan to make good movies in this genre, as he disliked the Showa Gamera films yet he along with screenwriter Kazunori Itō  and effects director Shinji Higuchi crafted three films which kaiju fans often claim some of the best of all time.

The first film (Gamera: Guardian of the Universe) introduces us to the new status quo, with two monsters destined from their creation to fight each other as Gamera protects the Earth from the Gyaos. Gamera is tied to humanity through a comma shaped bead given to a girl, Asagi, and their connection means Asagi feels Gamera’s pain. In a lot of ways, these films are about faith. It is said that the first film is about discovering faith, and thus the second film (Gamera 2: Attack of Legion) addresses the reaffirmation of faith. The Legion threaten Earth through the construction and life cycle of a giant flower, but Gamera constantly stands in their way, even seemingly giving his life to try and save a city. He comes back, thanks to the strength (faith?) of the children nearby who believe in him, and finally vanquishes his foe using the Earth’s energy, but at a great cost. His connection with humanity is apparently seperated due to this use (the comma bead from the first film breaks). So the third film (Gamera: Revenge of Iris) tackles challenging faith. We see Gamera, scarier looking than a giant turtle has any right to be, destroy a city to kill some Gyaos, as he is singularly focused on their destruction regardless of collateral damage. This action just fuels Ayana’s rage at Gamera, as she pours her hurt and anger at losing her family to Gamera and Gyaos’s battle from the first film into Iris (named after her cat who also died). Gamera does reveal that he still cares for the children of Earth, but the film leaves us with a one armed Gamera about to take on a swarm of Gyaos with humanity fully in his corner. As the director has pointed out, it comes down to faith. Asagi, for her part, believes in Gamera, and if you share in that belief- have no fear, Gamera wins that fight despite the odds.

So many other (better) essays and videos have been made about this trilogy, some focusing on the characters or the faith aspects of the films, so I’ll try and wrap things up here. Simply put, these are not just good monster films, they are good movies, period. There is so much care put into them from the spectacular practical effects, suit design/execution, and human drama that they stand out above the pack. For a clearer look at just how different these films are, Godzilla in the 90s primarily consisted of reused characters and ideas while Mothra went into a more kid friendly direction with a new trilogy that often felt uninspired. Toho put considerably more money in their Godzilla films, yet Gamera’s effects top them quite easily.

The miniatures are meticulous, and the fights are nasty and brutal. Each film has its own set of flaws, from iffy CGI use to confusing narratives at times, yet combined, the flaws, at times, erode. Together they make a trilogy that can legitmiately stand against trilogies in any other genre, including the Dark Knight trilogy, Hobbit series, and others. In fact, there are a lot of structural similarities with the Dark Knight series- the first film reintroduces a new status quo and mythology for our hero who, while victorious, suffers a spiritual defeat in the second installment after being truly challenged to win the day. All of this concludes with a third installment featuring less screentime for the title character, and takes our hero down the darkest path with enemies from the first film featured heavily before ultimately being triumphant. In fact, if they had left Alfred seeing Bruce more ambiguous and off screen, the endings would have been the same. Additionally, each film has tropes from other subgenres, with the first being a fairly straight-up monster film, the second taking on the structure and tone of a war film (with some Ultra Q sci-fi thrown in), and the third has clear anime influences. Watch these films, then rewatch them at least once to appreciate the scope of the story being told and just enjoy the ride. SCORE- 9.8/10

KEY FILMS-

Gamera vs. Gyaos– The highlight of the Showa era, this film is relatively straightforward, as construction of a road through a village is halted when Gyaos appears from the mountain/volacano and is confronted by Gamera. The rest of the film follows the multiple attempts to stop Gyaos, with Gamera firmly in the role of hero monsters after saving a boy (Eiichi) and placing the child on his back to fly him to safety. This film, as I like to say, is Baby Bear- juuuuuuust right. It balances the more serious approach of Gamera vs. Barugon with the inclusion of the child main character integral (in a positive way) to the plot that every subsequent film of the Showa era would embrace fully, with Eiichi naming the monster and providing the response team most of the information leading to the planning of Gyaos attack schemes. The real joys of the movie are the increasingly whacky attempts to kill Gyaos, including luring him to a fake bowl of blood and spinning the building the bowl is on until Gyaos gets dizzy in order to prevent him from escaping the sun, and the gory monster fights. Gyaos loses a foot, Gamera is cut open by a sonic beam, it’s just good stuff. The road building subplot is also a subversion of expectations with the villagers opposing the road not out of environmental concern, but greed due to a (failed) plan to get the construction companies to offer more money for their houses. A bit unpolished, but a wild ride! SCORE- 8/10

Gamera vs. Guiron– Right of the bat- this is a super dumb film. But it’s dumb in all the right ways, and really shows off that Showa Era charm. two kids sneak aboard a spaceship, which takes them to another planet where two spacewomen want to eat their brains. Gamera steps in to help and must battle the spacewomen’s controlled monster Guiron. I have far less to say about this one. The battles are once again gory, and Gurion is a unique monster for sure. The spacewomen are appropriately hammy, and the “two-kids must foil an evil plot” formula, used in four straight films, is on display at its best here. It’s a simple premise, but the insanity of these fight scenes make this one a must-watch. Gamera, in a now GIF-famous moment, does some Olympic-level acrobatics using a bar (for seemingly no reason) and the result is amazing. SCORE- 7.2/10

FINAL FILM- GAMERA THE BRAVE

The most criminally underrated film of the franchise (and maybe in the genre), Gamerathe Brave is exactly what the series needed after the Heisei Trilogy. The movie is at first glance a return to the classic formula focusing on a child (Toru) and his relationship and dependence on a baby Gamera named Toto. Yet this film refuses to talk down to its audience, employing the care seen in the previous trilogy to present us with real characters. Toru has lost his mother, his friend is having heart surgery, and he is deathly afraid of losing his new found turtle companion, Toto as it becomes more clear that Toto is indeed an infant Gamera. Where IS Gamera in this film? The opening sequence reveals Gamera sacrificed himself in the 70s to defeat a Gyaos swarm attacking a village. Toru is naturally afraid that Toto, while battling the new villain Zedus, will do the same, and leave him alone. As someone who lost my mother at a young age, this film really connected with me. The designs may be a little cutesy for some people’s taste, and the small plot about the government’s interest in Toto doesn’t really go anywhere. Furthermore while the villain is executed perfectly, there isn’t nearly as much character here as the previous films showcased for their enemies. Nevertheless, the scene where the children are relay racing a stone- needed to fully power Toto- through a destroyed city is one of my favorites from the whole series. In the end, the film confirms it is addressing the grieving process, letting us see Toru in the “acceptance phase” as he refers to Toto as Gamera in the scene, signifying his understanding of his friend’s destiny. A great entry for kids, and a wonderful exploration of the character that, while far from perfect, is one of the best of the series. SCORE- 8.3/10.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In the end, there are far more good films in the series than bad. Moreover, the good films are among the best and most fun in the genre. However, the drawing power of the Gamera series is the character himself. More than Godzilla or King Kong or even more humanoid characters like Ultraman (next installment everyone!), Gamera’s character shines many of his films in a consistent, evolving and nuanced way. Even in the Showa era, Gamera evolves into a monster who will always try to save a child after being fairly mindless for two entries. The giant turtle is the underdog in his fights. often challenging kaiju with several abilities and aliens with diabolical schemes. In each era, Gamera shows that he is willing to sacrifice himself to save others. He will truly fight until the very end, and in Super Monster, the Showa Gamera does just that, sacrificing himself to destroy a space ship and save Earth.

While the underdog savior status of the Showa era is great, the Heisei trilogy takes that characterization to the next level. What is the cost of saving the planet, and how important IS Gamera’s connection to humanity. These questions are asked and answered, though not definitively as it is a judgment only the audience can make. More so than any monster film before or since, we get to truly know just who Gamera is, and this is explored from a different perspective in Gamera the Brave as we see that the hero’s life is hard on those who truly care about the hero.

There are some bad moments and low points. The Showa Era sometimes feels more amateurish, silly, and formulaic, but without that era, the Heisei Trilogy simply wouldn’t exist. The trilogy is a response to this era and the characterizations and tropes it introduced. What does it look like when a kid really IS connected to Gamera? Guardian of the Universe covers this beautifully and the three films address the reality of living in a world of monsters. Much like the trilogy, the flaws of the entire series begin to ebb away when looking at what the entire 12 film franchise accomplishes. A giant turtle who is an underdog in every way from onscreen battles to off-screen budgets and reputation has gone on to soar (probably spinning around with his rocket holes) above all the other kaiju films with a genre defining trilogy and follow up proving the classic approach has merit. Watching the meta journey over the course of 12 films and few different continuities is a real treat. Our boy Gamera sure has come a long way. FINAL SCORE- 9/10