There’s an inherent appeal in the kaiju genre. Whether it’s thewanton destruction of recognizable landmarks, the messaging about tampering with forces beyond our control, or just the fun of seeing two guys in bulky costumes duke it out, kaiju movies remain an entertaining niche ever sinceKing Konghit the scene in the 1930s. Since then, we’ve seen monsters in the form of irradiated lizards, multi-headed dragons, and gargantuan insects ravage the world on the off chance they’re not brawling with each other.Coming soon to Netflix, however, is a series based around an especially interesting kaiju with a history that rivals that ofGodzilla.
Gamera -Rebirth-will be an animated series that sees everyone’s favorite jet-flying turtle taking on five other notorious monsters. Instead of fighting for who gets to destroy the world, however, Gamera is a monster of the people, opting to defend Earth from whatever comes its way. Of course, we’ve seen monsters defend the planet before – what makes Gamera so different, and why should you be excited for it?
What is Gamera?
Gamera is a kaiju with a long and fascinating history. Seeing as how his upcoming Netflix series will be the firstGamerainstallment since 2006, it’s important to have some context as to whyGamera -Rebirth-is such a big deal.
Gamera would enter the public consciousness in 1965’sGamera, the Giant Monster, which remains the onlyGamerafilm to hit theaters in the United States. Over the next few decades, Gamera’s films would enter two distinct eras – the Shõwa and Heisei eras – to reflect how the monster grew and changed over time. While being initially critiqued as aGodzillarip-off during the Shõwa era, fans have re-evaluated the 1990s HeiseiGameratrilogy as some of the greatest kaiju films to date.
Of course, we wouldn’t have theGamerafilms without Gamera himself. Gamera is a giant turtle kaiju with the power to breathe fire and fly via expelling fire from the holes in his shell. It’s worth noting that whenever he does this, his limbs retract into his shell. No, we don’t know how that works. While he was initially depicted as a monster in the same vein as other kaiju, hellbent on annihilating humanity, his relationship with humanity gradually changed with each successive film. Specifically, he took on more of a “protector” role for humanity, at first only sparing children from destruction and eventually growing to fight extraterrestrials and other giant monsters for the planet as a whole.
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LikeGodzilla, Gamera has built up his ownrogue gallery of monsters. While they may not be as famous as Mecha-Godzilla or King Ghidorah, they’re still particularly ruthless. These villains include some notable staples: Barugon, a giant reptile that possesses an extendable tongue and a “Rainbow Death Ray” that erupts from his back; Gyaos, a winged bat with supersonic abilities that serve as Gamera’s main rival; and Guiron, an alien kaiju that walks on all fours with a head that resembles a gigantic knife blade.
How Does Gamera Compare to Godzilla?
Beingdirectly inspired by Godzilla, it’s natural to compare Daiei’s creation to that of Toho’s. Even in his latest incarnations, some consider Gamera a blatant rip-off of Godzilla. Thankfully, Gamera would eventually come into his own in a variety of ways.
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Gamera presents a unique quality not typically found in other kaiju films: instead of acting on opportunity or outright villainizing humanity, Gamera acts in humanity’s interests. Instead of being sandwiched between the plights of human characters, Gamera could act on his own as the “good guy” of his own series. We’re not saying he should make comedic quips or deflate the tension with out-of-place jokes, but he has the background necessary to carry a heroic story by himself.
On top of this, Gamera has an uneven relationship with collateral damage. He’s more likeZack Snyder’sSupermancomparedto Richard Donner’sSuperman: the lives he saves are largely determined by those he doesn’t destroy as a result of his battles. Despite this and how the resulting military response equally targets him and his attackers, he doesn’t fight back against their traditional munitions. We can reasonably expect this to be addressed inGamera -Rebirth-.
What Can We Expect from Gamera Rebirth?
Expanded plot details forGamera -Rebirth-are sparse, but we do have some broad strokes as to what the series will be about. Over the course of six episodes, we can expect a “monster-of-the-week” format to take place, with one episode leftover after each monster is defeated. It’s possible that it’ll feature Gamera fighting his rivals all at once, or it’ll be an episode solely to introduce the titanic turtle to the world.In keeping with Gamera’s friendlier side, a handful of children are given ample screen time in the trailer, leading us to believe they’ll befriend the monster at some point in the series.
Beyond that, we can expect a triumphant return for one of the oldest kaijus to date, one that reinvigorates him with the kind of action that only animation can provide. Expect widespread destruction, higher stakes, and what will likely be some of the most intense battles the kaiju genre has seen in a long while.
Gamera -Rebirth-is set to stream exclusively on Netflix sometime in 2023.
