Gamera Rebirth: Unleashing the Ultimate Kaiju Experience

The anime adaptations of classic kaiju films often fail to meet expectations. While it costs a fortune to bring Legendary's Godzilla to life, a 3D-animated series can be quickly produced with a modest budget and added to Netflix. Even King Kong and the kaiju from Pacific Rim have had their fair share of animated projects on Netflix. Gamera, a lesser-known giant monster, has also fallen victim to the trend of lackluster, straight-to-streaming releases.

Netflix has recently premiered Gamera Rebirth, which is produced by Studio ENGI. Owned by Kadokawa and Sammy Pictures, ENGI specializes in in-house animation for various projects. Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! is perhaps their most well-known venture, and they are currently working on a full-length anime adaptation of Kantai Collection. Interestingly, Gamera Rebirth showcases the studio's prowess in 2D animation, outshining their previous attempts in 3D animation.

For those unfamiliar with Gamera, Guardian of the Earth and a beloved companion of all children, this introduction may not provide an ideal overview. Similar to other kaiju that emerged after 1954, Gamera was created to capitalize on the incredible success of Godzilla, which is owned by Toho. In response, Daiei Film introduced Gamera, a colossal turtle capable of breathing fire and battling other kaiju. Gamera is a valiant character deeply committed to safeguarding the Earth against various adversaries. During his initial encounter, he rescued a child amidst a devastating rampage, an act of kindness that subsequently became his defining characteristic. Unlike Godzilla, Gamera possesses unmistakable magical abilities. By harnessing the Earth's mana, he gains the power to defeat his enemies. Astoundingly, Gamera can fly by retracting his limbs into his shell, releasing energy from each aperture, and spinning effortlessly akin to a Beyblade. This delightfully peculiar franchise features a wonderfully eccentric character in Gamera. To truly appreciate his portrayal as intended, one is encouraged to select entries at random or explore the 90s Heisei era.

Gamera Rebirth marks the beginning of a new era in the Reiwa franchise, reintroducing the iconic turtle and his adversaries. The story follows four teenagers who find themselves caught in the midst of a battle between colossal monsters. Just as a winged creature threatens their lives, Gamera swoops in to save them. Government agents interrogate the group to understand the situation, while the teens argue that Gamera is a force for good. However, the armed forces view him as just another dangerous monster. As the teens delve deeper into the world of these kaiju, they uncover a ludicrous conspiracy that borders on comedic. It is revealed that humanity itself is the true monster, though not in a clever way. The audience will be more captivated by the unexpected plot turns rather than the spectacle of the monster battles.

The animation style of Gamera Rebirth is unsettling, reminiscent of stop-motion animation used in shows like Robot Chicken, albeit lacking the impressive craftsmanship of manipulating action figures. The constant jittering and shaking visuals give a disconcerting feel throughout the show. The human characters are poorly rendered, and the series devotes more time to them than necessary. While the action sequences have some thrilling moments and the monster designs are unique and entertaining, the show receives little credit for this as it mainly relies on adapting monsters from 50 years ago. After a hiatus of 17 years, it is nice to have Gamera back, even if he occasionally exhibits new powers. However, it is difficult not to desire something more substantial for the Guardian of the Earth.

Gamera Rebirth presents a flawed concept, with its most unsettling aspect being its tone. Despite the presence of numerous distasteful jokes and intense monster battles, the series carries a profound sense of sorrow. Warning: spoilers ahead. To avoid them, skip to the final paragraph. Towards the end of the season, a tragic incident occurs involving a child's demise. This event alone may deter certain audiences, but it is handled as the most pivotal moment in the entire series. The concluding episode revolves around a heartfelt dialogue where a young character comprehends the concept of mortality through the unfortunate loss of their best friend. Such somberness does not align with the typical essence of a Gamera narrative. It is especially ill-fitting for a series that explores the wealthy's attempt to exploit kaiju in order to cleanse most of the population, leaving only a select few to survive. Picture the scenario where Millie Bobbie Brown's character was eradicated in Godzilla vs. Kong, and the last 15 minutes of the film were devoted to grieving over her loss. Now imagine stretching that grieving period to 90 minutes, and you have Gamera Rebirth's grand finale. To make matters worse, there is a teaser for a subsequent season and an utterly ridiculous post-credits joke. This conclusion is undeniably disheartening.

The start of Gamera Rebirth is rough, followed by a strange middle, and concludes with a rather unimpressive ending. All the successful elements are borrowed from a previous Gamera film. While the series has the potential for a fresh adventure for the character, it falls short in terms of ambition, ultimately risking the chance for success. Instead of looking to Singular Point for inspiration, Daiei should have taken cues from Shin Godzilla. In the future, it would be wise to hire a professional to portray Gamera in a realistic suit.