The Gamera monster special-effects series began with Daikaiju Gamera, released in 1965. Since then, 12 live-action movies and one animated series have been produced by Daiei, Tokuma Daiei, Kadokawa Herald Pictures, and Kadokawa Corporation. Following the success of Toho’s Godzilla series, Daiei’s Gamera series was born, becoming uniquely popular with a character clearly defined as “a friend of children”. The Heisei Gamera Trilogy produced by Tokuma Daiei, brought thorough realism to the world of special- effects movies. As a result, it became a masterpiece that continues to exert a great influence on modern special-effects movies such as Shin Godzilla (2016) by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi. Without Gamera, Godzilla might not have been able to continue shining in the rich special-effects culture we see today. The two monsters can be described as “rivals and allies” who co-existed while inspiring each other. If Godzilla is the “pioneer of monster movies”, then Gamera can be described as a “symbol of challenge and evolution”, having developed monster movies in new directions through trial and error. Eiji Tsuburaya, known as the “God of Special Effects”, used elaborate miniatures to create incredibly realistic images, which astonished audiences and established the genre known as special-effects movies. Through an unceasing pursuit of new technologies, special-effects movies further expanded the expressive possibilities of cinema, leading to the creation of a wide variety of films.

Miki Zeze