A mighty protector has returned from the depths once more! Earlier today, Netflix Japan released a teaser on social media for a project titled Gamera: Rebirth. The teaser can be viewed below.
The teaser in question leaves a lot to the imagination. A slow pan-up reveals the silhouette of the iconic kaiju, then cuts to a close-up of the creature’s eye. As the teaser cuts to black, we hear the roar of the beast, then see the title.
The official Gamera: Rebirth Twitter bio says the following:
According to Anime News Network, the Japanese publishing company Kadokawa is producing the project. There will be a scale figure display at the Tamashii Nation 2022 event to celebrate. Visuals from the project will also be displayed on the Tōkyū Tōyoko train line’s Shibuya Super Board in Tokyo. There will be another display of the visuals on a billboard in Osaka. Kadokawa is a well-known publisher and production company, with numerous titles under its belt, such as Made in Abyss, Penguin Highway, and Weathering with You.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
The Great Turtle Rises Again
Dainichi Eihai
For many fans of kaiju, Gamera is considered either a beloved underdog, or a silly knockoff of Godzilla. The giant turtle made his grand debut in the 1965 film Gamera, the Giant Monster. In the film, the monster is awoken from slumber when an atomic bomb destroys his icy prison in the arctic. As the turtle reaches Japan, it saves the life of the young boy Toshio, who from then on believes that the creature is not evil. This kickstarts Gamera’s most iconic feature — that he is a friend to all children! Gamera, the Giant Monster proved successful at the box office, prompting several more films throughout the ’60s, 70s, and up until 1980 with Gamera: Super Monster. Many of these films would feature Gamera befriending a group of children and saving them from a diabolical foe.
In 1995, Gamera would get his first modern revival in Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. This was an attempt to bring Gamera back with a modern facelift and a bigger budget. The film would be followed up with two sequels, 1996’s Gamera 2: Attack of Legion and 1999’s Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris, thus making a trilogy.
The 2000s were not as successful for Gamera, but the brave turtle wasn’t ready to go down without a fight. In 2006, audiences were reintroduced to the monster through Gamera: The Brave. As the second reboot attempt for the franchise, audiences were given an all-new origin story for the monster. A young boy finds a baby turtle that can fly and breathe fire. But as the turtle grows, a new threat is seen in the city. The film was an attempt to keep the darker and gritty tones of the ’90s trilogy while still including the warm, softer side of the monster that loves children. While the film was generally well-received, no sequels were made.
Gamera has been lying dormant once again since his last battle. But with Godzilla getting so much attention in the last decade, it was only a matter of time before his old rival would want a piece of the action too. Whether it’s a movie or a series, Gamera fans will surely be happy to see an old friend.
