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is a fictional monster, or ''
kaiju is a Japanese media genre that focuses on stories involving giant monsters. The word ''kaiju'' can also refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and battling either the military or other monster ...
'', originating from a series of Japanese films. Debuting in the 1965 film ''
Gamera, the Giant Monster is a 1965 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Noriaki Yuasa, with special effects by Yonesaburo Tsukiji. Produced and distributed by Daiei Film, it is the first film in the ''Gamera'' franchise and the Shōwa era. The film stars Eiji Funako ...
'', the character and the first film were intended to compete with the success of
Toho is a Japanese film, theatre production and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside of Japan, it is best known as the producer ...
's ''Godzilla'' film series. Since then, Gamera has become a Japanese icon in his own right, appearing in a total of 12 films produced by
Daiei Film Daiei Film Co. Ltd. (Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ''Daiei Eiga Kabushiki Kaisha'') was a Japanese film studio. Founded in 1942 as Dai Nippon Film Co., Ltd., it was one of the major studios during the postwar Golden Age of Japanese cinema, producing ...
and later
Kadokawa Daiei Studio Kadokawa Daiei Studio, formerly is the film division of the Japanese company the Kadokawa Corporation. It is one of the four members of the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (MPPAJ), and is therefore one of Japan's Big Four film studi ...
, and various media. Gamera is depicted as a giant, fire-breathing, prehistoric
turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked t ...
monster, mutated by exposure to
nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb ...
s. In the first film, Gamera is portrayed as aggressive and destructive, though he also saves a child. As the films progressed, Gamera took on a more benevolent role, becoming a protector of humanity, and especially children, from extraterrestrial races and other giant monsters. To date, ''Gamera, the Giant Monster'' is the only film to be released theatrically in the United States; however, it was heavily localized and retitled ''Gammera the Invincible''. In the United States, Gamera attained prominence during the 1970s due to the burgeoning popularity of
UHF television UHF television broadcasting is the use of ultra high frequency (UHF) radio for over-the-air transmission of television signals. UHF frequencies are used for both analog and digital television broadcasts. UHF channels are typically given high ...
stations featuring Saturday afternoon matinée showcases such as ''
Creature Double Feature ''Creature Double Feature'' was a syndicated horror show, broadcast in the Boston and Philadelphia area during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. It sometimes also aired under names like ''Sci-Fi Flix'' and ''Creature Feature''. The show aired classi ...
'', and later in the 1990s when five ''Gamera'' films were featured on the television series ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on WUCW, KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1 ...
''.


Overview


Conception

The original idea for Gamera was developed by Yonejiro Saito,
Masaichi Nagata was a Japanese businessman and served as president of Daiei Film. The self-proclaimed creator of Gamera, he produced the kaiju's second film ''Gamera vs. Barugon'', with the remainder of the Showa ''Gamera'' films produced instead by his son Hi ...
,
Hidemasa Nagata (1925 – October 3, 2017) was a Japanese film producer and served as vice-president of Daiei Film. Filmography * '' Brooba'' (1955) * '' Punishment Room'' (1956) * '' The Crowded Streetcar'' (1957) * '' The Kiss'' (1957) * '' The Invisible ...
, and
Noriaki Yuasa (28 September 1933 – 14 June 2004) was a Japanese director. Yuasa is the main director of the Japanese film series ''Gamera'', about a giant flying turtle that befriends small boys and battles giant monsters. The series was created by Daiei ...
. The character was created as a property of the production company
Daiei Film Daiei Film Co. Ltd. (Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ''Daiei Eiga Kabushiki Kaisha'') was a Japanese film studio. Founded in 1942 as Dai Nippon Film Co., Ltd., it was one of the major studios during the postwar Golden Age of Japanese cinema, producing ...
, and was intended to compete with the ''Godzilla'' film series (featuring the giant monster character of the same name), owned by rival studio
Toho is a Japanese film, theatre production and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside of Japan, it is best known as the producer ...
. Gamera has been described as being a
rip-off ''Rip Off'' is a multidirectional shooter with black and white vector graphics written by Tim Skelly and released in arcades by Cinematronics in 1980. It was the first shooter with cooperative gameplay and an early game to exhibit flocking beha ...
of Godzilla. The name derives from the Japanese ''kame'' ("turtle"), and the suffix ''-ra'', a suffix shared by such other ''kaiju'' characters as
Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film '' Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produ ...
(''Gojira'') and
Mothra is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', that first appeared in the 1961 film '' Mothra'', produced and distributed by Toho Studios. Mothra has appeared in several Toho ''tokusatsu'' films, most often as a recurring character in the ''Godzilla'' ...
. Gamera's name was spelled ''Gammera'' in the title of ''Gammera the Invincible'', the re-titled American release of the first film in the franchise, ''Gamera, the Giant Monster''. Gamera's turtle-like design may have been inspired by the
Black Tortoise The Black Tortoise () is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. Despite its English name, it is usually depicted as a tortoise entwined together with a snake. The name used in East Asian languages does not mention either anim ...
, one of the
Four Symbols The Four Symbols (, literally meaning "four images"), are four mythological creatures appearing among the Chinese constellations along the ecliptic, and viewed as the guardians of the four cardinal directions. These four creatures are also ref ...
of the
Chinese constellations Traditional Chinese astronomy has a system of dividing the celestial sphere into asterisms or constellations, known as "officials" ( Chinese ''xīng guān''). The Chinese asterisms are generally smaller than the constellations of Hellenisti ...
in
East Asian mythology {{Short description, none This is a list of mythologies native to Asia: *Buddhist mythology *Chinese mythology *Christian mythology (in Western Asia) *Georgian mythology *Greek mythology (see Greco-Buddhism) *Hindu mythology **Ayyavazhi mythology * ...
. The Black Tortoise is known as ''Genbu'' in Japanese, and is usually depicted as a turtle entwined together with a
snake Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more ...
. Each of the Four Symbols are said to act as guardians over each of the four
cardinal direction The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the four main compass directions: north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, E, S, and W respectively. Relative to north, the directions east, south, and west are ...
s, with the dragon '' Seiryu'' in the
east East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
; the tiger ''
Byakko The White Tiger (Chinese: 白虎, Pinyin: ''Báihǔ''), known in Chinese as Baihu, is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. It is sometimes called the White Tiger of the West (). It represents the west in terms of direction and ...
'' in the
west West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
; the bird '' Suzaku'' in the
south South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
; and the tortoise ''Genbu'' in the
north North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north ...
. In ''Gamera, the Giant Monster'', the first film in the franchise, Gamera is depicted as awakening in the
Arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
, the northernmost region on Earth. '' Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris'', the 11th film in the franchise, contains a scene featuring a book describing the Four Symbols, including ''Genbu''.


Characteristics

Gamera resembles an enormous prehistoric
turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked t ...
, and is capable of both
bipedal Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning 'two feet' (from Latin ''bis'' 'double' ...
movement and
flight Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...
. He occasionally walks on all four legs in the first three films of the ''Gamera'' franchise. He can fly by means of "jets" which can be ignited out of his limb holes when he retracts his legs into his shell. The jets allow Gamera to rise into the air and spin, propelling him forward. In later films, he is shown to be able to fly with only his rear legs drawn inside his shell, allowing his front limbs more freedom. Gamera's shell is presented as being incredibly resilient and strong, and can deflect missiles and other projectiles. His plastron (lower shell) is more vulnerable than his carapace (upper shell), however, and he has been wounded in his plastron to the point of bleeding. He possesses a pronounced crest on his head, his mouth contains rows of teeth, and two
tusks Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine teeth, as with pigs and walruses, or, in the case of elephants, elongated incisors. Tusks share ...
protrude upward from each side of his lower jaw. During the franchise's
Shōwa period Shōwa may refer to: * Hirohito (1901–1989), the 124th Emperor of Japan, known posthumously as Emperor Shōwa * Showa Corporation, a Japanese suspension and shock manufacturer, affiliated with the Honda keiretsu Japanese eras * Jōwa (Heian ...
, Gamera is depicted as feeding on flammable substances, such as oil and fire. According to notes by frequent series director
Noriaki Yuasa (28 September 1933 – 14 June 2004) was a Japanese director. Yuasa is the main director of the Japanese film series ''Gamera'', about a giant flying turtle that befriends small boys and battles giant monsters. The series was created by Daiei ...
, Gamera's internal anatomy includes sacs which allow him to store oil, lava, coal, and
uranium Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...
. In ''Gamera, the Giant Monster'' and '' Gamera vs. Barugon'', cold temperatures are shown to weaken Gamera. During the franchise's
Heisei period The is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Emeritus Akihito from 8 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. The Heisei era started on 8 January 1989, the day after the death of the Emperor Hirohit ...
, Gamera has retractable claws protruding from his elbows, and is shown to be able to shoot plasma fireballs from his mouth. Gamera has also been portrayed as being able to absorb
mana According to Melanesian and Polynesian mythology, ''mana'' is a supernatural force that permeates the universe. Anyone or anything can have ''mana''. They believed it to be a cultivation or possession of energy and power, rather than being ...
from the Earth, to fire a plasma beam from his chest, and to regenerate lost limbs. The original 1965 film, ''Gamera, the Giant Monster'', depicts Gamera's origins as being a result of
United States military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is ...
fighters launching an attack on enemy
bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
s (presumably belonging to the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
), which causes the detonation of an
atomic bomb A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb ...
on board one of the aircraft. The nuclear blast releases Gamera from a state of
suspended animation Suspended animation is the temporary (short- or long-term) slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. It may be either hypometabolic or ametabolic in nature. It may be induced by either endogen ...
in the ice. Meanwhile, a Japanese research team stumbles upon an
Inuit Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territorie ...
tribe in possession of an ancient stone etching that depicts a giant turtle, which the tribe refers to as "Gamera". In the franchise's Heisei era, which began with the 1995
reboot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
film '' Gamera: Guardian of the Universe'', Gamera's in-universe origins were changed. In the Heisei films, Gamera is portrayed as an ancient,
bio-engineered Biological engineering or bioengineering is the application of principles of biology and the tools of engineering to create usable, tangible, economically-viable products. Biological engineering employs knowledge and expertise from a number o ...
creature from
Atlantis Atlantis ( grc, Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, , island of Atlas) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works '' Timaeus'' and '' Critias'', wherein it represents the antagonist naval power that b ...
, created for the purpose of defending the people of Atlantis from Gyaos, a bat-like creature which breathes a destructive supersonic beam when on the attack. Human researchers find Gamera floating in the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...
, encased in rock, and mistake him for an
atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can gro ...
. Within the rock, they discover a large
monolith A monolith is a geological feature consisting of a single massive stone or rock, such as some mountains. For instance, Savandurga mountain is a monolith mountain in India. Erosion usually exposes the geological formations, which are often ma ...
explaining Gamera's origins, along with dozens of
magatama are curved, comma-shaped beads that appeared in prehistoric Japan from the Final Jōmon period through the Kofun period, approximately 1000 BCE to the 6th century CE. The beads, also described as "jewels", were made of primitive stone and ea ...
made from orichalcum, which allow for a
psychic A psychic is a person who claims to use extrasensory perception (ESP) to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance, or who performs acts that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws ...
link between Gamera and humans. In ''Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris'', an undersea graveyard containing numerous Gamera-like fossils is shown, suggesting that Gamera was not the only one of his kind. One character in the film refers to these fossils as "beta versions" of Gamera, possibly failures in Atlantis' attempts to create the final version. The continuity of the franchise was rebooted a second time with the 2006 film ''
Gamera the Brave , is a 2006 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ryuta Tasaki, written by Yukari Tatsui, and produced by Kadokawa Daiei Studio. It is the 12th entry in the ''Gamera'' film series, and serves as the second reboot of the franchise, with the first ...
'', the 12th entry in the series. The opening scene of the film, set in 1973, depicts the original Gamera sacrificing himself by means of self-destruction to save a coastal village from three Gyaos. 33 years later, a young boy named Toru Aizawa finds a glowing, heart-shaped rock near his home, with a small egg lying on top of it. A baby turtle hatches from the egg, and begins to grow in size at an alarming rate. The turtle, dubbed "Toto" by Toru, quickly forms a bond with the boy and develops the ability to breathe fire and fly. After consuming the glowing rock found with his egg, Toto fully transforms into the next incarnation of Gamera, gaining the power to defeat a lizard-like monster known as Zedus.


History

The ''Gamera'' film series is broken into two different eras, each reflecting a characteristic style and corresponding to the same eras used to classify all ''kaiju eiga'' (
monster movies A monster movie, monster film, creature feature or giant monster film is a film that focuses on one or more characters struggling to survive attacks by one or more antagonistic monsters, often abnormally large ones. The film may also fall und ...
) in Japan. The names of the two eras refer to the
Japanese emperor The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the w ...
during production: the
Shōwa era The was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) from December 25, 1926, until his death on January 7, 1989. It was preceded by the Taishō era. The pre-1945 and post-war Shōwa periods are almos ...
and the Heisei era.


Shōwa era (1965–1980)

The film series began in 1965 with ''
Gamera, the Giant Monster is a 1965 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Noriaki Yuasa, with special effects by Yonesaburo Tsukiji. Produced and distributed by Daiei Film, it is the first film in the ''Gamera'' franchise and the Shōwa era. The film stars Eiji Funako ...
'', directed by
Noriaki Yuasa (28 September 1933 – 14 June 2004) was a Japanese director. Yuasa is the main director of the Japanese film series ''Gamera'', about a giant flying turtle that befriends small boys and battles giant monsters. The series was created by Daiei ...
, which is the first and only entry in the entire series to be shot in black-and-white. In 1966, the film was released theatrically in the United States under the title ''Gammera the Invincible''. A total of seven ''Gamera'' films were produced between 1965 and 1971, with one being released in Japan each year. These films, several of which were also directed by Yuasa, became popular with child audiences. During this time, five of the seven films were picked up for television distribution in the United States by
American International Television American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution company known for producing and releasing fil ...
. Just as ''Gamera, the Giant Monster'' becoming ''Gammera the Invincible'', each film (except for ''Gamera vs. Zigra'') was dubbed into English and re-titled for American viewers—'' Gamera vs. Barugon'' became ''War of the Monsters''; '' Gamera vs. Gyaos'' became ''Return of the Giant Monsters''; '' Gamera vs. Viras'' became ''Destroy All Planets''; '' Gamera vs. Guiron'' became ''Attack of the Monsters''; and '' Gamera vs. Jiger'' became ''Gamera vs. Monster X''. Despite several sources stating that a monster called Garasharp was to appear in the eighth entry in the ''Gamera'' series slated for a 1972 release, director Noriaki Yuasa stated that Garasharp was created specifically for the short film ''Gamera vs. Garasharp'' featured on the 1991 LD set, ''Gamera Permanent Preservation Plan'', and that a new two-headed monster was planned for the next film, which was canceled because Daiei Film went into
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debto ...
in 1971 and the ''Gamera'' films were forced to cease production as a result. After Daiei was purchased by
Tokuma Shoten is a publisher in Japan, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The company was established in 1954 by Yasuyoshi Tokuma in Minato, Tokyo. The company’s product portfolio includes music publishing, video game publishing, movies, anime, magazines, ...
in 1974, the new management wanted to produce another ''Gamera'' film, resulting in '' Gamera: Super Monster'' (also known as ''Space Monster Gamera''), released in 1980. The filmmakers were forced to make the movie because of the contract for one more ''Gamera'' film that they owed to Daiei. Approximately one-third of ''Gamera: Super Monster'' is composed of
stock footage Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures, and file footage is film or video footage that can be used again in other films. Stock footage is beneficial to filmmakers as it saves shooting new material. A single piece of stoc ...
from six of the previous seven films. Yuasa had Takahashi end the film by having Gamera be killed by sacrificing his life to save Earth. In 1985, the American distribution rights to the ''Gamera'' films were bought by producer Sandy Frank, who distributed five of the eight films with new English dubbing. In 1988 and 1989, Frank's versions of ''Gamera, the Giant Monster'' (simply re-titled ''Gamera''), ''Gamera vs. Barugon'', ''Gamera vs. Gyaos'' (re-titled ''Gamera vs. Gaos''), ''Gamera vs. Guiron'', and '' Gamera vs. Zigra'' were each used in episodes of the television program ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on WUCW, KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1 ...
'', during the show's first season, which aired on KTMA-TV.


Heisei era (1995–2015)

In the 1995 series reboot, '' Gamera: Guardian of the Universe'', three Gyaos are discovered on a remote island. The Japanese government discovers that they are all female and decides that since they are the last of their kind, they should be captured and studied. Meanwhile, a search has been assembled for a moving atoll in the Pacific. They find it, along with small gems made of an unknown metal and a stone sticking up out of the center of it. They manage to take pictures and collect some of the strange gems, but the stone crumbles and the atoll takes off towards Japan at high speeds. It ends up that the atoll is actually an ancient monster, made by the Atlanteans, called Gamera. He attacks the Gyaos, killing two, but one escapes. The remaining Gyaos grows to Gamera-like proportions and the two battle. Gamera manages to defeat his foe and heads out to sea. In '' Gamera 2: Attack of Legion'', released in 1996, Earth is attacked by an alien force known as Legion. In '' Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris'', released in 1999, Gamera has to face hordes of Gyaos and a new foe known as Iris. In ''
Gamera the Brave , is a 2006 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Ryuta Tasaki, written by Yukari Tatsui, and produced by Kadokawa Daiei Studio. It is the 12th entry in the ''Gamera'' film series, and serves as the second reboot of the franchise, with the first ...
'', released in 2006, Gamera battles Gyaos and Zedus. This was the 12th and most recent movie in the franchise. In March 2014,
Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and ...
reported that a new ''Gamera'' production was planned, with no release date specified. On October 8, 2015, at the
New York Comic Con The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006. History The New York Comic Con is a ...
,
Kadokawa Daiei Studio Kadokawa Daiei Studio, formerly is the film division of the Japanese company the Kadokawa Corporation. It is one of the four members of the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (MPPAJ), and is therefore one of Japan's Big Four film studi ...
's senior managing director Tsuyoshi Kikuchi and producer Shinichiro Inoue screened a full proof-of-concept film in honor of the franchise's 50th anniversary, the short was directed by
Katsuhito Ishii is a Japanese film director best known for directing '' The Taste of Tea'' (2004), '' Funky Forest'' (2005), and ''Smuggler'' (2011). Career After graduating from Musashino Art University, Ishii got a job at Tohokushinsha Film and began dir ...
. The proof-of-concept film featured a newly designed Gamera, a swarm of newly designed Gyaos and a new, as yet unnamed monster, all of which were created and rendered through the use of
computer-generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The image ...
. It has been rumored since the film's release at New York Comic Con that it was never completed. However, the film's official website and an interview with the director both state that it was only a short proof of concept film.


Reiwa era ()

On November 16, 2022, Kadokawa announced plans for a new ''Gamera'' production, entitled ''Gamera -Rebirth-'', which will be released globally on
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
. Shusuke Kaneko, director of the Heisei ''Gamera'' trilogy, had proposed an idea for a new film. However, Kadokawa had already proceeded with their new project by the time Kaneko presented his pitch. Regardless, Kaneko had expressed his support for the project. A figure of the new Gamera will be exhibited at Tamashii Nation 2022 between November 18 and 20, along with a newspaper featuring Gamera that will be distributed at the event.


Filmography


Films


Other media


Home media

In 2003,
Alpha Video Alpha Video (also known as Alpha Home Entertainment) is an entertainment company, based near Philadelphia, that specializes in the manufacturing and marketing of public domain movies and TV shows on DVD. Alpha Video releases approximately 30 ...
released the American versions of four Shōwa films on pan and scan DVDs: ''Gammera the Invincible'', ''Gamera vs. Barugon'' (as ''War of the Monsters''), ''Gamera vs. Viras'' (as ''Destroy All Planets'') and ''Gamera vs. Guiron'' (as ''Attack of the Monsters''). In 2010,
Shout! Factory Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...
acquired the rights from Kadokawa Pictures for all eight of the Showa ''Gamera'' films in order to release the uncut Japanese versions on DVD for the first time ever in North America. These "Special Edition" DVDs were released in sequential order, starting with ''
Gamera, the Giant Monster is a 1965 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Noriaki Yuasa, with special effects by Yonesaburo Tsukiji. Produced and distributed by Daiei Film, it is the first film in the ''Gamera'' franchise and the Shōwa era. The film stars Eiji Funako ...
'' on May 18, 2010, followed by '' Gamera vs. Barugon'' and two double features: '' Gamera vs. Gyaos'' with '' Gamera vs. Viras'', and '' Gamera vs. Guiron'' with '' Gamera vs. Jiger''. On March 15, 2011, Shout! Factory released the last two films of the Showa series in a double feature of '' Gamera vs. Zigra'' with '' Gamera: Super Monster''. Shout! Factory later released ''MST3K vs. Gamera'', a special 21st volume of ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on WUCW, KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1 ...
'' containing the episodes featuring all five ''Gamera'' movies from the show's third season. On April 29, 2014, Mill Creek Entertainment released the eight Showa ''Gamera'' films (1965–1980) on Blu-ray in two volumes, ''Gamera: The Ultimate Collection Volume 1'' and ''Gamera: The Ultimate Collection Volume 2'', featuring the original widescreen video and original Japanese audio only with English subtitles, and also the first 11 films (1965–1999) on DVD again as ''The Gamera Legacy Collection: 1965 - 1999'', also featuring the original widescreen video and original Japanese audio only with English subtitles. The Heisei trilogy was re-released on Blu-ray earlier from Mill Creek Entertainment on September 27, 2011, once again featuring the original widescreen video and original Japanese audio only with English subtitles. On August 17, 2020,
Arrow Video An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers ca ...
released a Blu-ray box set titled ''Gamera: The Complete Collection''. The set features the original Japanese cuts for all 12 films, with English audio options; the Blu-ray debut of ''Gammera the Invincible'' and ''War of the Monsters''; digital HD transfers and 4K restorations of the Heisei trilogy; case artwork by Matt Frank; audio commentaries by August Ragone, David Kalat, Steve Ryfle, and Ed Godziszewski; a full color hardcover reprint of Dark Horse Comics' four-issue comic book miniseries ''Gamera the Guardian of the Universe''; the English-language printing debut of the comic book story ''Gamera: The Last Hope'' by Matt Frank and Joshua Bugosh; and an 80-page book featuring a retrospective on the series by Patrick Macias with illustrations by Jolyon Yates.


Comics

Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops know ...
published a four-issue miniseries based on Gamera called ''Gamera the Guardian of the Universe'' in 1996. The miniseries features Gamera, Gyaos, Zigra, and Viras. The
manga Manga ( Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is ...
series '' Dr. Slump'', written and illustrated by
Akira Toriyama is a Japanese manga artist and character designer. He first achieved mainstream recognition for his highly successful manga series '' Dr. Slump'', before going on to create '' Dragon Ball'' (his best-known work) and acting as a character des ...
, depicts Gamera as appearing in the land of Penguin Village. In the manga series ''
Dragon Ball is a Japanese media franchise created by Akira Toriyama in 1984. The Dragon Ball (manga), initial manga, written and illustrated by Toriyama, was serialized in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from 1984 to 1995, with the 519 individual chapters colle ...
'', also by Toriyama, a flying turtle which resembles a smaller version of Gamera is summoned by Master Roshi to carry him to Fire Mountain. There are references to Gamera in chapters of the manga series ''
Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo , often shortened to , and known in English as ''KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops'', is a Japanese comedy manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Akimoto. It takes place in the present day, in and around a neighborhood police station ( k� ...
'', written and illustrated by Osamu Akimoto, and ''
Kinnikuman is a Japanese manga series created by the duo Yoshinori Nakai and Takashi Shimada, known as Yudetamago. It follows Suguru Kinniku, a superhero who must win a wrestling tournament to retain the title of prince of Planet Kinniku. N ...
'', created by
Yudetamago is the pen name of the Japanese manga artists duo consisting of story writer Takashi Shimada and artist Yoshinori Nakai. They are best known for the popular manga ''Kinnikuman'', ''Ultimate Muscle'' (Kinnikuman Nisei), and ''Tatakae!! Ramenman''. ...
. These chapters appear in ''Gamera: Super Monster'', the eighth film in the franchise.


Television

The third season of ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on WUCW, KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1 ...
'' contains five episodes which each feature a film from the ''Gamera'' franchise's Shōwa period: ''Gamera, the Giant Monster'', ''Gamera vs. Barugon'', ''Gamera vs. Gyaos'', ''Gamera vs. Guiron'', and ''Gamera vs. Zigra''. In a similar manner to events depicted in the manga series upon which it was based, the
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series ''
Dragon Ball is a Japanese media franchise created by Akira Toriyama in 1984. The Dragon Ball (manga), initial manga, written and illustrated by Toriyama, was serialized in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from 1984 to 1995, with the 519 individual chapters colle ...
'' features a creature known as Baby Gamera, a flying turtle resembling a miniature version of Gamera which transports Master Roshi to Fire Mountain. Gamera was parodied in the ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand ...
'' episode "
Mecha-Streisand "Mecha-Streisand" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the first season of the American animated television series ''South Park''. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on February 18, 1998. In the episode, Barbra Streisa ...
", and was featured in the ''
Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, a ...
'' episode "
Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo "Thirty Minutes over Tokyo" is the twenty-third and final episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 16, 1999. In the episode, after being ...
".


Video games

Gamera appeared in several video games released in 1995, including ''Gamera: Daikaiju Kuchu Kessen'' for the
Game Boy The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same t ...
, ''Gamera: Gyaosu Gekimetsu Sakusen'' for the
Super Famicom The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South ...
, and ''Gamera: The Time Adventure'' for the
Bandai Playdia The (developed under the codename "BA-X") is a fifth-generation home video game console released exclusively in Japan in 1994 at the initial price of ¥24,800. It was intended for a young audience and, like many consoles of the era (e.g. the ...
. In 1997, '' Gamera 2000'' was released exclusively in Japan for the
PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a di ...
. In 2017, Gamera appeared in the video game ''
City Shrouded in Shadow is a video game for the PlayStation 4 developed by Granzella, who confirmed that it is the spiritual successor to their ''Disaster Report'' series of games, and several characters from that series also make cameo appearances in the game. The o ...
'', released for the
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 i ...
, alongside such characters as Legion, Godzilla,
Ultraman ''Ultraman'', also known as the , is the collective name for all media produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad monsters. Debuting with ''Ultra Q'' and then ''Ultraman'' in 1966, the series is one ...
, and Evangelion Unit-01.


Reception


Box office performance and critical response

Many of the ''Gamera'' films were commercially successful in Japan, rivaling the ''Godzilla'' franchise at the
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a wicket. By extension, the term is fre ...
during the 1960s. However, they were commonly regarded as being inferior to the ''Godzilla'' films, with criticism being aimed at the derivative and absurd nature of the series. Despite this, the 1995 reboot ''Gamera: Guardian of the Universe'' was both a critical and financial success, remaining in the top 10 films in Japan for its first six weeks of release and grossing more than '' Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla'', which was also playing in Japanese theaters at that time.


Legacy

Todd McCarthy Todd McCarthy (born February 16, 1950) is an American film critic and author. He wrote for '' Variety'' for 31 years as its chief film critic until 2010. In October of that year, he joined ''The Hollywood Reporter'', where he subsequently served ...
, in his review of ''Gamera: Guardian of the Universe'' for ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'', wrote that "Despite its horrific countenance and plated shell, Gamera remains one of the most likable of all movie monsters". Brian Solomon of the website
Bloody Disgusting Bloody Disgusting is an American multi-media company, which began as a horror genre-focused news site/website specializing in information services that covered various horror medias, including: film, television, video games, comics, and music. T ...
ranked Gamera eighth on his list of "Most Kick-Ass Giant Monsters in Movie History". Gamera was also ranked eighth on Rick Mele of ''
Sharp Sharp or SHARP may refer to: Acronyms * SHARP (helmet ratings) (Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme), a British motorcycle helmet safety rating scheme * Self Help Addiction Recovery Program, a charitable organisation founded in 199 ...
s list of "Greatest Giant Monsters in Movie History". Chris Coffel of
Film School Rejects Film School Rejects is an American blog devoted to movie reviews, interviews, film industry news, and feature commentary. It was founded by Neil Miller in February 2006. The site was nominated for Best News Blog by ''Total Film'' magazine and n ...
wrote that "I would argue that the ''Gamera'' franchise is better than the ''Godzilla'' franchise", complimenting Gamera's turtle-like design and his affinity for children. The extinct Cretaceous sinemyidid turtle with long spines on its carapace, ''
Sinemys ''Sinemys'' is an extinct genus of turtle from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of China and Japan. Three species have been named: ''S. lens'', the type species, from the Kimmeridgian- Tithonian of Shandong; ''S. gamera'' (named ...
gamera'', classified in 1993, was named after Gamera. The extinct Cretaceous baenid turtle '' Gamerabaena sonsalla'', classified in 2010, was named after Gamera. The
University of Maryland Gamera I human-powered helicopter The University of Maryland Gamera I is a human-powered helicopter designed to win the $250,000 Sikorsky Prize. Development The Gamera I is purpose-designed quadrotor helicopter to meet the criteria of the 1980 Sikorsky Prize. Two other teams h ...
, along with its successor, was named after Gamera. Developed by
University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of ...
engineering students in 2011 and 2012, respectively, the name was also chosen in reference to the university's mascot, the
diamondback terrapin The diamondback terrapin or simply terrapin (''Malaclemys terrapin'') is a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal tidal marshes of the Northeastern and southern United States, and in Bermuda. It belongs to the monotypic genus ''Mal ...
, as well as to flights undertaken by Japanese human-powered helicopters years prior. In July 2011,
Washington State University Washington State University (Washington State, WSU, or informally Wazzu) is a public land-grant research university with its flagship, and oldest, campus in Pullman, Washington. Founded in 1890, WSU is also one of the oldest land-grant uni ...
veterinarians successfully fixed a prosthetic
caster A caster (or castor) is an undriven wheel that is designed to be attached to the bottom of a larger object (the "vehicle") to enable that object to be moved. Casters are used in numerous applications, including shopping carts, office chairs, ...
onto an
African spurred tortoise The African spurred tortoise (''Centrochelys sulcata''), also called the sulcata tortoise, is a species of tortoise inhabiting the southern edge of the Sahara desert in Africa. It is the largest mainland species of tortoise in the world, and the ...
named Gamera (after the giant turtle), who was a single amputee.


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Official ''Gamera: Rebirth'' website
by
Kadokawa Kadokawa may refer to: *Kadokawa Corporation, the holding company of the Kadokawa Group **Kadokawa Content Gate and Kadokawa Mobile, both former names for BookWalker **Kadokawa Future Publishing, a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation and the publi ...
*
The Shrine of Gamera
' {{Gamera Kaiju Film characters introduced in 1965 Fictional monsters Fictional Atlanteans Fictional mutants Fictional turtles Kadokawa Dwango franchises Japan in fiction Science fiction film characters Fantasy film characters Fictional characters with superhuman strength Fictional cryonically preserved characters Fictional suicides Films adapted into comics Films about children Fire-breathing monsters