ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Monster Mondays

Monster Mondays: Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant-Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)

by

Admiral Taizo Tachibana (Ryudo Uzaki) receives word that an American submarine has gone missing.??A rescue team spots a giant creature with glowing dorsal spines swimming away from the wreckage.

While filming a TV program near Mount Myoko, Niigata, Yuri Tachibana (Chiharu Niiyama), Admiral Tachibana?s daughter, experiences an earthquake and sees a mysterious man who quickly disappears.  That night, a motorcycle gang is buried in a tunnel collapse in the same area and the only witness, a trucker, claims he saw Godzilla do it.  Yuri?s co-worker, Teruaki Tekeda (Masahiro Kobayashi), brings her a book about some legendary guardian monsters.  One of the monsters in the book, Baragon, aligns with the incidents at Mount Myoko.

At Lake Ikeda, several youths are found dead and wrapped in silk.  While investigating, Yuri and her crew find the mysterious man she saw near Mount Myoko in jail, Professor Hirotoshi Isayama (Hideyo Amamoto), and he warns them Godzilla is coming back.

In a forest, a man trying to hang himself finds a giant three-headed dragon sleeping underground.  While the man is reporting his discovery to the police, Baragon soon breaks out of the ground and frees Professor Isayama from jail. Shortly after, Godzilla surfaces at Yaizu.  Baragon and Godzilla eventually meet at Gotemba, where Godzilla easily kills the much smaller Baragon.

A giant cocoon is found at Lake Ikeda, which hatches into the adult Mothra.  Ghidorah also emerges from the ground in Aokigahara.  With all the monsters converging on Yokohama, the JSDF is dispatched to the city, including Admiral Tachibana.

After a hard-fought battle, Godzilla defeats Mothra and many of the JSDF troops.  Godzilla is wounded in the battle, and as he continues to fight Ghidorah, Admiral Tachibana takes a minisub loaded with a boring missile to face Godzilla himself.

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant-Monsters All-Out Attack (or GMK for short) is a very noticeable step up from the last two Godzilla movies and a look behind the scenes reveals why.  Shusuke Kaneko, the man behind the spectacular Heisei Gamera trilogy, was finally given his chance to direct a Godzilla film.  Though GMK doesn?t quite reach the heights of Kaneko?s Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris, it is easily the best Godzilla film of the Millennium Godzilla series.  Composer Kow Otani, who had scored Kaneko?s Gamera films, also joins the crew behind the scenes, bringing with him a very unique musical sound for a Godzilla film.  On screen, Yukijiro Hotaru, who portrayed the easily frightened Inspector Tsutomu Osako in the Heisei Gamera trilogy, also makes an appearance in GMK as the suicidal man in Aokigahara, and Mizuho Yoshida, who portrayed the Queen Legion in Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996), plays Godzilla.

GMK is a direct sequel to Godzilla (1954), and it returns Godzilla to a serious threat to the nation.  Godzilla deliberately kills people in this movie, blasting them with his atomic breath or pushing mountains down on top of them.  The monster also gets a bit of a new origin.  Rather than just being a giant mutation created by nuclear testing, this version of Godzilla also contains the souls of those killed in Asia during World War II who are angry at the people of Japan for having forgotten what the nation did during that conflict.  In keeping with his new personality and origin, Godzilla is given a redesign, with more rounded dorsal spines than the previous suits and solid white eyes.

The monster Baragon first appeared in Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965) and GMK is his first appearance in a film since his small cameo in Destroy All Monsters (1968).  Interestingly, Baragon is portrayed by Rie Ota, making him the first monster in a Godzilla film to be portrayed by a female suit actor.  Baragon no longer has a ray weapon and his colour is changed to red instead of brown, but otherwise isn?t altered all that much from his Showa era appearances.

Unlike Baragon, Mothra and Ghidorah are changed quite a bit.  Mothra is given a more wasp-like appearance and no longer comes from a remote island with tiny fairies to mediate between her and humanity.  For the first time, King Ghidorah is smaller than Godzilla and is a hero rather than a threat.  Intially Kaneko?s plan was to feature Baragon, Anguirus, and Varan, but Toho wanted Mothra and Ghidorah in the movie instead, so Varan and Anguirus were dropped, and it seems like these changes to Mothra and Ghidorah were necessary to fit them into the story.  The loss of Varan and Anguirus is disappointing, as Varan hadn?t been in a movie since his tiny cameo in Destroy All Monsters (1968) and Anguirus hadn?t been in a film since Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974).

GMK has a lot to say about how Japan has deliberately forgotten the role it played in World War II.  This message is communicated by having Godzilla possessed by the souls of those killed during that conflict and their anger driving the monster to attack the country.  Also, some of the characters are shown being dismissive of Godzilla?s attack in 1954. Even the leadership of the nation is said to have hid the use of the Oxygen Destroyer to protect the reputation of the JSDF, and now that Godzilla is back, they have no way to explain why the JSDF can?t defeat the monster again.

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant-Monsters All-Out Attack was released to theatres in Japan on December 15, 2001.  Toho had the film dubbed into English in Hong Kong and, after being shown on North American television, the film was released to DVD in North America in 2004 by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.  This DVD release has both the English dubbed audio track and the Japanese audio, though the English subtitles provided on the disc line up to the dubbing rather than a tighter translation of the Japanese dialogue.

In 2014, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant-Monsters All-Out Attack was released to Blu-ray in a double-feature set with Godzilla X Mechagodzilla (2002) by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.  Both films get their own disc and are presented with the original Japanese audio and English dub as audio options.  Unfortunately, the English subtitles provided for Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant-Monsters All-Out Attack once again stick pretty close to the English dub.  The Blu-ray release still seems to be in print, though the DVD looks like it might be out of print.

Monster Mondays: Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)

by

By Ben Dower

After Godzilla?s attack in 1954, he disappeared into the ocean and Japan changed its capital city to Osaka.??In 1966, Godzilla attacked Japan?s first nuclear power plant at Tokai, and so the country shifted to other forms of energy production.??In 1996, Japan developed plasma energy, but that also attracted Godzilla, who came to Osaka.??While attempting to repel Godzilla, Kiriko Tsujimori?s (Misato Tanaka) platoon was wiped out and then her commander was killed when she disobeyed his orders to retreat.

By 2001, Major Kiriko Tsujimori is part of the G-Graspers unit, which was established to study Godzilla and protect Japan from him.  They hire Hajime Kudo (Shosuke Tanihara), a tech expert, to help them develop a blackhole gun called Dimension Tide, with the plan being to suck Godzilla through a blackhole to another dimension.  

During testing of the Dimension Tide, a giant insect comes through the blackhole and lays an egg.  A child disposes of the egg down a sewer, where it splits into several smaller eggs.  The eggs hatch into human-sized insect larva called Meganulon, which flood Shibuya and eat people.  

The insects eventually molt into giant dragonflies called Meganura, which go to an island where the G-Graspers are trying to eliminate Godzilla with a satellite-mounted Dimension Tide, and the Meganura use stingers in their tails to steal energy from Godzilla.  Despite the interruption, the G-Graspers are able to fire Dimension Tide at Godzilla, but miss, allowing him to escape to the sea.

The surviving Meganura feed the energy they took from Godzilla to their giant queen, who is still underwater in Shibuya, and then die.??The queen molts into a monstrous dragonfly called Megaguirus.??Eventually, Godzilla comes to Tokyo and fights Megaguirus, defeating the flying creature.??As Kudo works to bring a troubled Dimension Tide back online, Godzilla?s real purpose for being in Tokyo is revealed…

Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999) writers Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura were brought back to write this second film in the new Millennium Godzilla series. Masaaki Tezuka, who had worked on a handful of Toho?s monster movies in the 1990s, was finally given his chance to direct.  Also added to the crew behind the scenes was composer Michiru Oshima, making Godzilla vs. Megaguirus the first Godzilla film scored by a female composer.  Oshima?s music for this film is spectacular, especially her slow-build Godzilla theme, and she would return for two more of the Millennium Godzilla series movies.

While one of the hallmarks of the Heisei Godzilla series had been its tight continuity from film-to-film, the Millennium Godzilla series went the opposite direction, with each film taking place in its own continuity, or in continuity with a select few of Toho?s other films.  Godzilla vs. Megaguirus includes Godzilla (1954) in its continuity, at least in part, with Godzilla disappearing out to sea rather than being killed with the Oxygen Destroyer.  From there, it establishes its own history of the past forty-seven years, up to the year 2001.

Despite taking place in a new timeline, Godzilla?s design from Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999) is retained for this movie, though his skin is a brighter green and his dorsal plates noticeably more purple.  In a rather fun move, the opening scenes of the film relaying the events of Godzilla?s attack on Tokyo in 1954 are recreations of shots from Godzilla (1954) using the current Godzilla suit.

Godzilla?s opponent in this movie is inspired by a much older Toho monster.  The Meganulon, which attack Shibuya and eat some of its residents, are based on giant insects of the same name in Rodan (1956).  The giant Megaguirus proves to be a formidable opponent for Godzilla, its rapid flight letting it easily dodge Godzilla?s ray and manouvre around him with ease.  The monster also has a stinger on its tail, which it uses to drain Godzilla of energy and prevent him from firing his ray while fighting at close range.

There is quite a bit of CGI used in this film. While not up to the standards of Hollywood films, the CGI is used where necessary to achieve effects that are difficult or not possible with practical effects.  It is used a lot for the Meganura in flight, which allows for their wings to move at a rapid speed like a real dragonfly.  Also, it is used to speed up Megaguirus? wings at times too, helping sell the illusion that such a giant creature could fly.

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is, in my opinion, the weakest film of the Millennium Godzilla series.  Though the experimentation afforded by the lack of continuity allows for the introduction of interesting ideas, the rewrite of forty-seven years of history at the beginning of the movie immediately separates Godzilla vs. Megaguirus from feeling like it is taking place in the real world.  Also, while the movie?s plot moves along at a quick pace and contains a lot of great monster action, I find the movie is a little too silly at times for its own good, such as when Godzilla makes a flying leap at Megaguirus.

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus was released to theatres in Japan on December 16, 2000.  Toho had the film dubbed into English in Hong Kong and, after being shown on North American television, the film was released to DVD in North America in 2004 by Columbia TriStar Home Video.  This DVD release has both the English dubbed audio track and the Japanese audio, though the English subtitles provided on the disc are based on the dubbing rather than a tighter translation of the Japanese dialogue.

In 2014, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus was released to Blu-ray in a double-feature set with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.  Both films get their own disc and are presented with the original Japanese audio and English dub as audio options.  Unfortunately, the English subtitles provided for Godzilla vs. Megaguirus once again stick pretty close to the English dub.  The DVD and Blu-ray releases both still seem to be available.

Monster Mondays – Godzilla 2000: Millenium (1999)

by

By Ben Dower

Yuji Shinoda (Takehiro Murata), with the help of his daughter Io (Mayu Suzuki), heads up the Godzilla Prediction Network (GPN), an independent group of researchers who track Godzilla.??While chasing Godzilla through Nemuro one evening, they are joined by reporter Yuki Ichinose (Naomi Nishida).

A meteorite has been discovered at the bottom of the sea.  Shiro Miyasaka (Shiro Sano) of the Crisis Control Intelligence Agency (CCI) works to have the meteorite brought to the surface, but it turns out to be an alien spacecraft which takes flight after the sun rises.

Godzilla appears at the Tokai Nuclear Power Plant.  Mitsuo Katagiri (Hiroshi Abe), head of the CCI, wants to kill Godzilla and has the JSDF confront the monster with their new armour piercing Full Metal Missile.  The battle is interupted by the UFO, which blasts Godzilla back into the sea and then lands nearby.  Yuji Shinoda and Shiro Miyasaka, who are old friends, study a fragment of Godzilla?s flesh and uncover the secret of Godzilla?s regeration abilities, which they name Organizer G1.  

Despite attempts by CCI to anchor the UFO to the ground with wire, the object eventually breaks free and heads to Tokyo.  The spacecraft lands on the Tokyo Opera City Tower and hacks computers across the city, collecting all the data it can on Godzilla.  CCI has the top of Tokyo Opera City Tower blown up, but the UFO remains unscathed.  The spacecraft then responds by blasting the rest of the building apart.

Godzilla surfaces in Tokyo Bay and marches through the city to Shinjuku.  The monster and UFO battle, and the UFO takes some of Godzilla?s DNA.  The alien inside alters its genetic makeup using Godzilla?s DNA and mutates into a giant monster called Orga.  Godzilla and Orga do battle, with Orga able to use Organizer G1 to heal itself after Godzilla?s attacks.  Godzilla eventually destroys Orga, kills Katagiri, and blasts Tokyo with his ray, marking it as his territory.

In 1995, Toho ended the Heisei Godzilla series with?Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, clearing the way for TriStar Pictures? big budget American Godzilla film.??TriStar had originally planned to make their own series of Godzilla films, but with reception for?Godzilla?(1998) being so bad, those plans were cancelled.??Despite the lack of any big screen followups, in September 1998, an animated spinoff of the TriStar film called?Godzilla: The Series?began broadcasting.??In many ways,?Godzilla: The Series?feels a lot like a more grounded version of the Showa Godzilla series and has been very well-received by fans.

With such a powerful rejection of TriStar Pictures? Godzilla movie came open calls for Toho to produce a new Godzilla film, and so the studio moved quickly to put one into production.  With Tomoyuki Tanaka having passed away in 1997, Shogo Tomiyama took over the role of executive producer and hired Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura to write the new film.  Kashiwabara had previously written Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla (1994), while Mimura had written Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993).  

Tomiyama also turned to people with past experience on Toho?s giant monster films when it came to the director roles.  Takao Okawara was hired to direct his fourth Godzilla film, having previously directed Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), and Godzilla vs Destoroyah (1995).  Kenji Suzuki, who had succeeded Koichi Kawakita as special effects director on Rebirth of Mothra III (1998), was also hired to be the special effects director for Godzilla 2000: Millennium.

Also returning to the series is composer Takayuki Hattori, who had previously scored Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994).  Hattori?s score is pretty good, and his theme for Godzilla really helps convey the power of the monster.  Akira Ifukube?s classic Godzilla theme is also used when Godzilla rises out of Tokyo Bay and walks through the city to the UFO.

Rather than pick up where?Godzilla vs. Destoroyah?(1995) left off and begin a series about the now adult Godzilla Junior, Godzilla 2000: Millennium?takes place within its own continuity, something that would become a staple for most of the Millennium Godzilla series.??The move to stand alone films allowed Toho great room to experiment as the Millennium Godzilla series progressed as everything was open to change from one film to the next.??In keeping with this experimental new style, Godzilla is given his first major redesign in a Toho Godzilla film since?Godzilla v. Biollante?(1989).

Godzilla 2000: Millennium is very clearly a response to Godzilla (1998).  When Godzilla is attacked by the JSDF, he moves toward his attackers rather than running away like in the Hollywood film.  There is also the scene where Godzilla is attacked by fighter jets and struck by twelve missiles ? the same number of missiles that killed TriStar Pictures? Godzilla ? and he just shrugs it off.  As if to drive the point home, Godzilla?s invicibility is even made a core aspect of the plot in the form of Organizer G1, with the alien invader trying to use it to make itself more powerful as it attempts to take over the Earth.

Godzilla 2000: Millennium was released to theatres in Japan on December 11, 1999.  Toho had the film dubbed into English in Hong Kong and TriStar Pictures licensed the movie for North American distribution.  Rather than just release Toho?s English dubbed version to home video as had been done with the last five Heisei Godzilla series films, TriStar instead decided to give the film a theatrical release in North America.  The movie was given a new dub in the United States, with the dialogue tweaked to be a little more funny than the Japanese version.  The sound effects were heavily altered, including both monsters? roars, and new music was composed for some scenes.  Also, several minutes were trimmed to tighten the pacing of the film.  This new edit was released in North American theatres on August 18, 2000 as Godzilla 2000.

Godzilla 2000 was released on North American DVD and VHS on December 26, 2000, though I personally don?t ever remember seeing the VHS for sale in stores, apart from video rental shops.  This release contained only the heavily edited American cut of the film.  On September 9, 2014, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released Godzilla 2000 and Godzilla 2000: Millennium to Blu-ray, with both cuts of the film on a single disc.  Godzilla 2000: Millennium is presented in Japanese with optional English subtitles only and lacks Toho?s own English dub of the film.  This Blu-ray release seems to still be available.

Monster Mondays: Godzilla (1998)

by

By Ben Dower

Nuclear weapons testing by France in the French Polynesia mutates a lizard into a giant fish-eating dinosaur-like monster, which migrates to New York City.  Biologist Nick Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick) is tasked with helping the U.S. military eradicate the creature.  While in New York, he reconnects with his ex-girlfriend Audrey Timmonds (Maria Pitillo), who has been unsuccessful in her attempt to make it as a reporter, in part due to a horrible boss in news anchor Charles Caiman (Harry Shearer).  

When Audrey steals classified information from Nick to try to boost her career, he is fired from his role with the military and abducted by French secret agent Philippe Roach? (Jean Reno).  Nick, Philippe, Audrey, and cameraman Victor ?Animal? Palotti (Hank Azaria) eventually find the creature?s nest in Madison Square Garden, where around 200 eggs are starting to hatch…

Though attempts to adapt Godzilla for the big screen in America had initially begun in the early 1980s, Godzilla had already been adapted for the small screen in the United States.  Hanna-Barbera, the animation studio behind The Flintstones (1960-1966) and Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1970) also produced Godzilla (1978-1979), a two-season animated series.  The creature in the series differs a lot from Toho?s creation, and can be called by the crew of the ship called Calico whenever he is needed to save them.

In 1983, Steve Miner managed to get Toho?s approval to produce an American Godzilla film.  With a script by Fred Dekker and art by William Stout, Miner pitched his vision of a big budget 3D Godzilla film around Hollywood, but unfortunately he was not able to get funding for his film.

TriStar Picture?s acquisition of the rights to Godzilla was announced in October 1992, but like Miner, the studio struggled to get their big budget American Godzilla movie off the ground.  Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott were hired by the studio to write the new Godzilla film, and then Jan de Bont was hired to direct in 1994.  Jan de Bont left the project later that year when the studio got concerned their big budget Godzilla film was becoming a little too big budget.

In 1996, the alien-invasion film Independence Day hit screens and was a huge success.  Director Roland Emmerich and writer Dean Devlin had proved themselves capable of creating a successful large-scale scifi disaster epic, and that was exactly what TriStar Pictures wanted from their future Godzilla film.  Emmerich and Devlin agreed to make the film, but demanded a wide latitude when it came to creative freedom. 

Amid a huge marketing campaign, the film was released on May 20th, 1998 for the Memorial Day weekend and was met with instant rejection from Godzilla fans and negative reviews by critics.  So where did Emmerich and Devlin?s Godzilla go wrong?

To be honest, the first portion of the film is pretty good.??The movie opens with stock footage of real nuclear tests, and then turns into a bit of a mystery as the characters try to piece together the cause of a series of unusual events.??Finally, the creature arrives in New York City, but the audience is denied a good look at it, instead catching glimpses from the point of view of the people on the ground and in the buildings.??All great suspense-building sequences and totally expected in a giant monster movie.

After Godzilla?s arrival in New York, however, it quickly becomes obvious that the creature on screen is not much like the Toho Godzilla fans know and love.  The character has been heavily redesigned to match more up-to-date reconstructions of therapod dinosaurs, despite only being a mutated lizard, and looks almost nothing like the original Godzilla.  Behaviourally, it is capable of running fast, cowardly flees when attacked, tends to burrow underground, lays hundreds of eggs, and lacks the ability to breath atomic fire ? all huge departures from Toho?s Godzilla.  

But arguably worse than all that, though, is how the film handles Godzilla?s metaphor.  Godzilla was birthed out of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as the Castle Bravo H-bomb test on Bikini Atoll that caused radioactive fallout to land on the Japanese fishing vessel Daigo Fukury? Maru.  He is a criticism of our wreckless harnessing of nuclear power as a weapon, and in particular the United States? use of those weapons in both combat and peace time.  Starting in the 1960s, France conducted nuclear tests in the French Polynesia.  These tests continued into the 1990s, and finally ceased in 1996 amid international controversy.  While Emmerich and Devlin tie Godzilla?s origin to then current nuclear testing, they don?t make any substatial comment on the issue.  Also, by focusing on France?s nuclear testing, they are able to avoid any uncomfortable discussion about how the United States has handled nuclear weapons.  In this reimaging of Godzilla, he is a wimpy, fast-running, fish-eating giant lizard that can be killed by American military might ? a mere animal ? and not a giant immortal god that is the product of our own hubris.

There are still a few things to like about the movie.  As I mentioned earlier, the first act is pretty good, and Patrick Tatopoulos? design for the creature does look really cool, even if it doesn?t resemble its namesake all that much.  There is also no denying the movie has some great set pieces, in particular Godzilla?s initial landing in New York, his battle with United States Navy submarines in the Hudson River, and the taxi chase on the Brooklyn Bridge.  

Another thing that deserves praise is David Arnold?s score.  Though more John Williams than Akira Ifukube, Arnold?s score compliments the movie well, with a great wonder-invoking theme for the monster.  The score is best experienced in isolation, as the film?s sound mix does overwhelm it in places.  Unfortunately, when Godzilla was released in 1998 a tie-in album containing songs by popular artists and only two tracks of Arnold?s score was released instead of a proper soundtrack CD.  It wasn?t until nearly a decade later that Arnold?s soundtrack got a limited CD release by La-La Land Records, followed by a second limited edition CD release in 2012 from BUYSOUNDTRAX Records.  Sadly, the soundtrack is out of print on CD and is not even available to buy on iTunes, at least here in Canada.

Godzilla is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray.

Monster Mondays: Gamera 3 – Revenge of Iris (1999)

by

In 1995, while Gamera battled the Gyaos, he pushed his way through an apartment building, killing the parents and cat of Ayana Hirasaka (Ai Maeda) while she looked on from the car.??In the years since, Ayana?s hatred for Gamera has festered.

Ayana now lives in Minami-Asuka, Nara, with her aunt, uncle, cousin, and brother Satoru (Takahiro Ito).  Satoru is being bullied, so Ayana agrees to break into a shrine on a dare from the bullies on the condition that they leave him alone.  In the shrine, Ayana discovers a giant egg and magatama.

Meanwhile, Gyaos have begun appearing all over the world.  Gamera, his connection to humanity severed when the magatama shattered during the events of Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996), has been frantically racing around the planet, trying to swat the Gyaos down before they can reproduce out of control.  Eventually he catches up to some Gyaos over Shibuya, Tokyo, during a busy Friday evening, and the ensuing battle leads to billions in property damage and thousands dead.

The egg Ayana found hatches, and inside is a tentacled monster.  Ayana is linked to the monster through the magatama she found, and learns that it hates Gamera like she does.  She names the monster Iris, after her cat that was killed by Gamera.  Iris grows, but like Ayana?s hatred, the monster begins to take control of her, and soon Iris is on a mission to kill Gamera, threatening the whole world.

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris is my favourite film.  It is easily among the best of the Japanese giant monster genre, and is an incredible special effects achievement for its time.  The human and monster drama is woven together tightly, and unlike most other giant monster films where the humans get out of the way for the final monster battle, our main characters are right next to the dueling monsters, and their actions can impact the fight.

Our lead this time is actress Ai Maeda who, despite her young age, turns in a very believable performance of a teen who has grown extremely bitter at the cause of her parents? deaths.  Having once lived in Tokyo, she now lives in the small village of Minami-Asuka with her aunt, uncle, and cousin who are pressuring her to change her last name to theirs, something she doesn?t want to do because its one of her last connections to her parents.

Newcomer to the series Senri Yamazaki plays goverment fortune teller Mito Asakura, and believes she is the rightful human priestess for Iris.  Using her position in the government, she eventually has Ayana kidnapped and taken to a shrine, where she seemingly tries to get some control over Iris.

Another newcomer to the series is Toru Tezuka, who plays the eccentric programmer and government agent Shinya Kurata.  Kurata is an associate of Asakura, with detailed theories about the relationship between Gamera, Gyaos, Iris, and humanity.  Tezuka is a prolific actor, often playing odd characters, and has worked multiple times with directors Hideaki Anno and Sion Sono.

Shinobu Nakayama returns to the Gamera series, reprising her role as ornithologist Dr. Mayumi Nagamine from Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995).  She reunites with Tsutomu Osako, played once again by Yukijiro Hotaro, who is now living homeless on the streets of Tokyo due to the trauma from his past encounters with monsters.  

Also returning is Ayako Fujitani in the role of Asagi Kusanagi.  In the previous film, however, the magatama that linked her to Gamera was shattered, severing her connection to the monster.  Still, she trusts Gamera to do what?s right, even when his actions cause others to doubt him.

Gamera undergoes another redesign, this time looking much meaner than in the previous two films.  His head is smaller, and gone are the large cute eyes.  His shell is also much more jagged than before, and the crest on his head is enlarged.  This is easily the best design the monster has ever had, but it is a far departure from the Showa?s Gamera series? friend of children look.

Iris is a very alien looking monster, with no clear eyes or mouth.  It has long tentacles flowing from its back, and its arms end in large pointed spear-like tips.  Iris emits a whale-like song rather than a traditional monster roar, and it is bioluminescent, which looks gorgeous during the night scenes in Kyoto.  When just a hatchling, Iris almost looks like a Pokemon, and despite its seemingly harmless appearance, it quickly reveals how dangerous it can be when it pierces a can of cat food with a tentacle and sucks the contents out of it.

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris is a special effects showcase and there are several jaw-dropping sequences in this film.  Gamera?s battle with Gyaos in Shibuya is an early highlight, in which Gamera shoots fireballs around the ward trying to blast the fast-flying Gyaos out of the air. The fireballs slam into the ground and landmarks in rapid succession, sending debris and human carnage flying.  Another highlight is when Gamera and Iris crash through Kyoto Station, our core cast in the foreground as the monsters push through the wall.  Iris then tosses an injured Gamera out the otherside of the station, which is built largely of glass, causing the monster and debris to rain down on the bus terminal outside.  Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris also uses more CGI special effects than any other Japanese giant monster film up to that point. Fortunately the CGI is greatly improved over the little bit used in Gamera: Guardian of the Universe and Gamera 2: Attack of Legion, and while it looks a bit dated now, it still does the job well.  

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris is currently available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video in the box-set titled Gamera: The Heisei Era.  It contains the Japanese version and the American English dub.