Turtle Terror: Every Gamera Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

I find myself reminiscing about the cinematic journey of Gamera, a less expensive and more playful counterpart to the global phenomenon known as Godzilla. Emerging roughly a decade subsequent to Ishirō Honda’s Godzilla (Gojira), this franchise has managed to persist across various epochs of Japanese cinema, boasting eight films in the Shōwa era (compared to Godzilla’s 15), three in the Heisei era (versus Godzilla’s seven), and now an animated web series in the Reiwa era. Akin to its colossal counterpart, the Gamera films exhibit a diverse range of quality, with offerings varying from dreadful to remarkably heartfelt. However, what sets Gamera apart is its perpetually kind-hearted nature, while Godzilla took some time to develop such warmth (and didn’t always maintain it).

12) Gamera: Super Monster

The low point of the Gamera series, Gamera: Super Monster, was primarily produced to help Daiei Company out of their financial difficulties. This film came almost a decade after the last installment, Gamera vs. Zigra, by which time the dwindling audience’s interest had already significantly decreased. Consequently, it served as the final blow for the company.

Instead of being a standalone film, “Super Monster” functions more like a montage of various Gamera clips sourced from different movies. The unique aspect of this production lies primarily in its concluding scenes, where it ends with Gamera’s demise.

Stream Gamera: Super Monster on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

11) Gamera vs. Zigra

In simpler terms, “Watching the seventh installment of the Gamera franchise and the almost-last movie from the Shōwa era, titled ‘Gamera vs. Zigra,’ is quite an unengaging experience. It’s noteworthy that it barely surpasses ‘Super Monster.’

In this new take on an extraterrestrial invasion storyline, the focus is primarily on two young characters, as per the franchise’s established pattern, within a setting reminiscent of a SeaWorld-style park. The movie predominantly consists of lengthy dialogues, with minimal monster-related action. When monster action does occur, it’s fleeting, hinting at Daiei’s financial constraints during production. However, the concept for the alien bird-shark creature is creatively inspired by a character from Godzilla, named Gigan.

Stream Gamera vs. Zigra on Prime Video and Tubi.

10) Gamera vs. Guiron

Certain installments in the Gamera series exhibit an unexpectedly brutal and gory tone, considering they are primarily marketed towards children (of course, the blood is typically portrayed as purple or light green). None of the films illustrate this more vividly than “Gamera vs. Guiron“, which centers around two kidnapped children on a planet controlled by aliens who feast on brains.

While viewers don’t actually witness aliens consuming brains, they do watch as the film’s monstrous antagonist, resembling a kaiju with skull-like features, brutally slashes the flying Gyaos into pieces. Subsequently, it tries to repeat this violent act against Gamera. This installment of the franchise is known for its unusual and occasionally slow-paced scenes.

Viewers don’t catch aliens eating brains in the movie, but they do observe the gruesome scene where the kaiju-like antagonist slashes the Gyaos into pieces before attempting to harm Gamera. This installment of the franchise is known for its peculiar and sometimes leisurely tempo.

Stream Gamera vs. Guiron on Prime Video and Tubi

9) Gamera vs. Viras

In my excitement as a fan, I’d express it this way: “The fourth film of the Shōwa era, Gamera vs. Viras, took an unexpected turn towards the absurd! The plot revolves around an invasion by extraterrestrial beings from Planet Viras, seeking Earth’s Nitrogen. Despite Gamera’s valiant efforts to stop them, we discover a twist – he has a soft spot for protecting children. Leveraging this vulnerability, the invaders capture a duo of boy scouts and hold them hostage. To make matters worse, they implant a mind control device into Gamera’s turtle shell, causing him to rampage uncontrollably.

At the end of the story, we discover that the inhabitants of Planet Viras are actually disguised as humans, but they look more like squids. This is shown when the two abducted boy scouts come across the aliens’ leader. Interestingly, the head Viras doesn’t wear a disguise and communicates, which was a unique twist for the series. The most peculiar scene in this strange movie occurs during the climax, when the head Viras decapitates its followers, who then transform into smaller Virases that combine to form a giant Viras so it can battle Gamera directly. Aside from that, the fight’s conclusion shares some similarities with the ending of the original Iron Man.

Stream Gamera vs. Viras on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

8) Gamera, the Giant Monster

If you thought the initial Gamera movie would be the greatest of all, you’d be quite mistaken. Instead, it follows a typical kaiju movie formula, which is less impressive in this context. In fact, if any film from the series borrows heavily from Godzilla’s playbook, it’s definitely “Gamera: The Giant Monster.” There are even instances where scenes seem to have been copied directly from the 1954 original, like when the kaiju is shocked by strategically placed high-voltage power lines, only to walk away unscathed moments later.

In simpler terms, the main difference between “Gamera the Giant Monster” and “Godzilla” is that Gamera is portrayed as somewhat friendly (as a young boy repeatedly mentions), while the film lacks the deep, moving themes found in Ishirō Honda’s original masterpiece.

Stream Gamera, the Giant Monster on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

7) Gamera vs. Barugon

We’ve moved into more refined territories now. In the movie “Gamera vs. Barugon,” we follow a group of three men who venture to New Guinea where one of them unscrupulously takes a massive opal. However, what he thought was an opal turned out to be an egg, and the creature born from that egg expands at an alarming rate (literally, instantly) and wreaks havoc across Osaka.

In the first movie, Gamera was quite amicable among the kaijus, but it wasn’t until “Gamera vs. Barugon” (six months later) that he solidified his role as a guardian of humanity. The primary adversary in this film may not be impressive, except for its ability to emit a rainbow from its back. However, “Gamera vs. Barugon” earns merit by minimizing the screen time dedicated to an irritating child character throughout the storyline.

Stream Gamera vs. Barugon on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

6) Gamera vs. Gyaos

Among the memorable films from Gamera’s Shōwa period, none is more iconic than “Gamera vs. Gyaos“. It’s indisputable that Gyaos serves a role similar to Ghidorah within the Gamera series. Given this, it seems fitting that the Heisei era would commence by reintroducing this formidable foe.

In this third movie, the series shifted more towards content for children than before. However, it had a mix of dark and light themes, which created a discordant tone similar to what we’d find in “Return of the Jedi” later on. Despite these inconsistencies, it was almost the top-tier film of its time.

Stream Gamera vs. Gyaos on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

5) Gamera the Brave

From the year 2000 onwards, the Godzilla series transitioned into what’s known as its “Millennium period.” Although these six films (from Godzilla 2000 to Godzilla: Final Wars) were still considered part of the Heisei era, they were more commonly referred to by this name. Similarly, Gamera the Brave is often classified as the final film of the Heisei era, but its content and themes are very similar to those of the Godzilla franchise’s Millennium period.

In terms of style and seriousness, the “Heisei trilogy” of this franchise hit just the right note, offering a gripping narrative without being overly stylized. Compared to that, “Gamera the Brave” leans too heavily in both aspects, yet it still outshines most of the Showa era. The unique charm lies in watching Gamera grow from a baby into Earth’s protector. In essence, “Gamera the Brave” can be seen as the “Casino Royale” of this franchise.

Stream Gamera the Brave on Prime Video and Tubi.

4) Gamera vs. Jiger

In contrast to most franchises, Gamera’s Shōwa period saw its best performances just before concluding. While it may not be sophisticated art, “Gamera vs. Jiger” is the closest the franchise’s initial phase got to delivering a storyline that holds weight, coupled with some entertaining monster clashes that are downright fun.

The key strength of the movie lies in its title villainess. She’s not exactly an adversary, but rather a creature that has been wronged. To add intrigue, there’s a subplot involving an egg implanted in Gamera’s lung (a common issue in Gamera films that kids have to solve). In breaking away from the tired formula, Gamera vs. Jiger did a commendable job.

Stream Gamera vs. Jiger on Prime Video and Pluto TV.

3) Gamera: Guardian of the Universe

The “Heisei Trilogy” stands out significantly as an upgrade compared to the Shōwa era, which still feels somewhat shocking. Unlike Gamera’s initial phase that was a weak and economical copy of Godzilla, during the Heisei period, both intellectual properties are quite comparable in quality.

Despite the fact that each part of a trilogy is essential, it’s often acknowledged that one might be considered weaker than the others. In this case, I’m referring to the first film, “Gamera: The Guardian of the Universe”. While it was smart to reintroduce the iconic kaiju adversary, Gyaos, from the Shōwa era, it’s worth noting that the following two films excelled in introducing fresh monsters for Gamera to combat. From a narrative standpoint, the trilogy would have become more engaging as it progressed.

Stream Gamera: The Guardian of the Universe on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

2) Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris

One of the standout aspects of the Heisei trilogy is that it carries a sense of urgency, unlike Gamera’s Showa era films where it seemed as though even severe injuries like being dismembered or having an egg implanted in his lung would not be fatal by the end of the movie. However, in the Heisei era, it feels as if Gamera could truly perish.

In the film “Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris,” this was indeed accomplished. It’s a movie that packs a significant emotional punch, boasting an intriguing villain with a personal connection reminiscent of Biollante and her bond with Godzilla. The monster battles in this installment are arguably the franchise’s finest offerings to date.

Stream Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

1) Gamera 2: Attack of Legion

Despite the strength of “Revenge of Iris”, “Gamera 2: Attack of Legion” surpasses it. Much like its successor, it features a battle with an inherent sense of peril, but unlike “Gamera the Brave”, it avoids excessive stylization. To top it off, it boasts one of the most compelling plots in the series, arguably even the best.

In his role as Earth’s protector, Gamera shines most. If he weren’t around, our planet would be lost. To highlight this importance, let’s imagine an antagonist – a destructive insect species – that aims to eradicate humanity and rule the earth for itself. This is the premise of Attack of Legion, which can be compared to Godzilla vs. Destoroyah in the Gamera series, and it’s a fantastic development indeed.

Stream Gamera 2: Attack of Legion on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

2025-04-10 03:41