Gamera Returns To Hammer Ya

Gamera, the legendary giant fire-breathing turtle and Guardian of the Universe (heckuva résumé), turns 50 on November 27th, 2015. To commemorate a job shell done, Japan’s Kadokawa Pictures is releasing a new, special effects loaded movie, titled simply Gamera. For those of us who are lifelong fans of Gam-Gam, this is gleeful news.

Intended to reboot the Gamera series (the last movie, Gamera the Brave, was released in 2006), this one will be the 13th such entry. Mind you, it only exists as a proof-of-concept trailer, which kicks mega ass, by the way. But if you’re gonna put that much effort and money into a sampler, you can wager your wages Gamera is forthcoming.

The trailer picks up where Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999) left off: hundreds of Gyaos (flying prehistoric vampire monsters) descending on yet another hapless Japanese city, swooping down and gulping down fleeing citizens as if munchie-maddened pelicans picking off screaming sardines caught in tide pools.

Massive destruction everywhere, especially when Gamera shows up to j-block the Gyaos. Tired of their relentless B.S., Gamera unleashes a fireball so destructive, he actually wipes out the entire city. (Note to land developers: Gamera doesn’t care about real estate – his job is to defend, or “deep fry” Gyaos like prehistoric fish ’n chips.)

Fast-forward 10 years – a new giant monster arrives to make a mega mess. It shoots sonic destructo-ball energy out of its orifices, which dissolves buildings/people. Once again, Gamera shows up to make the monster stop doing that. (Note to the Universe: Didn’t catch what they’re calling this new a-hole enemy, so I call dibbs on naming rights and bestow upon it the title of Shiri Bakuhatsu – Destroyer of Stuff. (That translates to “Butt Blaster.” I changed it from Japanese squiggle marks to letters you can understand.)

Gamera is/was supposed to be released pretty much now. If they want to do this on his anniversary, it better happen quick. (Note to filmmakers: I’m available to do last minute heroic poses over smoking rubble.)

Space Turtle vs. Space Squid

I’ve always wanted to destroy all planets. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine. Some aliens in ping-pong ball shaped spaceships painted to look like bumblebees taped together have the same idea. I had it first, though.

Gamera, being the giant space turtle an self-appointed Guardian of the Universe, intervenes and jams his head into the spaceship and makes it explode. Just before Gamera did that, though, the aliens got off a signal telling their home planet that Gamera is now their enemy. Well, duh.

Back on Earth, two boy scout kids are visiting Marine Land (or whatever its called) and get aboard a mini-sub. That they’re able to fire it up and figure out the controls is a testimony to the Federation of Boy Scouts. Today’s scouts are tomorrow’s neckerchief-wearing sub commanders.

While underwater, they see Gamera and race him. Gamera could totally win, but he LOVES horsing around with them, and at one point even looks like he’s smiling. But a second ping-pong ball spaceship arrives and snags the mini-sub in a “super catch ray.” Crap – it worked on Gamera, too!

The boys are taken aboard the ship and Gamera’s brain waves are scanned for clues as to his weakness: children. Gamera loves kids so much, he won’t stomp on them or eat them raw.

Eventually the super catch ray weakens and Gamera escapes. But the aliens threaten to kill the boys if Gamera does not allow them to attach a brain-controlling device on his big turtle-y head. This device makes Gamera do the Riverdance™ all over Tokyo, smecking (smashing and wrecking) plaster buildings, balsawood bridges and cardboard dams.

Meanwhile, the boys are causing hell for the Virans aboard their own spacecraft. They find a squid monster and think it, like Gamera, was captured as well. The joke’s on them – it’s Viras, the mutli-tentacled leader of the Virans. Double crap! The resourceful scouts, though, manage to help free Gamera, who then proceeds to make destruction happen on the aliens.

Viras kicks into high-gear and grows to the size of Gamera (approximately 2,160 inches) and the two knock boots, but not in a good way. Gamera wins. Gamera ALWAYS wins. When Destroy All Planets came out in 1968 it was called Gamera Vs. Outer Space Monster Viras. It should’ve been titled Gamera Kicks Your Space Face In.