Gamera Rebirth (2023) Netflix


I have been a fan of Gamera ever since seeing a photo of him in a pamphlet for a local exhibition on dinosaurs. That image of the fanged giant turtle just captivated me after thinking for years that Godzilla was the only giant monster around. Eventually I got my hands on the Gamera movies and became a fan and as Gamera fan I wholeheartedly recommend this anime GAMERA: REBIRTH.
It is the perfect distillation of Gamera for both new viewers and old. If all you remember about Gamera is the corny late 60s/70s movies and the MST3K movies then good news, this isn’t like that. The corny kid protagonists, long since the main point of ridicule for Gamera movies, have been greatly improved upon. Here they are a homage to classic kid character movies like The Goonies or Sandlot. It’s very nostalgic; summer vacation pals, secret tree club house, innocent hijinks, confronting bullies, overcoming personal fears etc. 
The monsters and battles are also very well done. The designs themselves give a very otherworldly feel to the monsters with exaggerated features, exposed bone-like protrusions, and weirdly textured skin all heightening their fearsome nature. I particularly loved the portrayal of the one called Guiron. Imagine a living skeletal slinky shaped like a Komodo dragon but with a massive knife for a head, leaping around with shocking agility, and hurling bits of its razor sharp bony protrusions with pin point accuracy. That’s Guiron.
Gamera himself is shown to be equal parts majestic, ferocious and just a bit endearing, with surprisingly expressive eyes. His silhouette conveys immense power like that of a Sumo wrestler, and that power is showcased in the intensity of the monster battles.
 My only nitpick is the design of the human characters, no doubt a limitation of trying to mimic 2D designs with 3D CGI. Like some of the hair look like clumps of bananas or dough hanging off the head and everyone seems to have that 😦 face without much varying expression. 
The story has similarities to Netflix’s Stranger Things series with what begins as a wistful coming of age stpry with fantastical hijinks soon transforms into a much larger and darker tale of ancient machinations, mysterious cabals, and clandestine conspiracies as the true nature of the giant monsters and their link to the children is revealed. The 6 episodes may seem short but turns out to be very well paced without feeling convoluted. It even manages to get political with jabs at foreign intervention in Japanese defence measures and political affairs, something usually left for Godzilla movies.
Keeping it spoiler free I would say it is a great introduction for new viewers to Gamera and why the franchise is so beloved by its fans. It should be on Netflix as of September 2023. 
(To end off here is my set containing all the Gamera movies and the comic series)

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