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GAMERA (2015)

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GAMERA
Japanese poster for GAMERA
Directed by Katsuhito Ishii
Producer Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
Music by Kenji Kawai
Distributor Kadokawa
Running time 4 minutes
Rate this film!
4.64
(45 votes)

“
The return. (帰還)
„ 

— Tagline

GAMERA (GAMERA (ガメラ),   Gamera) is a 2015 kaiju short film directed by Katsuhito Ishii in commemoration of Gamera's 50th anniversary. It was produced by Kadokawa with visual effects by Omnibus Japan and Marza Animation Planet. The short was first screened at the New York Comic-Con on October 8, 2015, and simultaneously broadcasted live via Twitch. Kadokawa subsequently released a 30-second version of the short through its YouTube channel, though the full version can still be viewed through the Twitch archive.

Plot

In Roppongi, Tokyo,[1] a young boy named Manafu and his father are among the citizens fleeing from swarms of Gyaos attacking the district. Manafu's father pushes his son out of the way just before he is eaten by a Gyaos pursuing them. As the Gyaos prepares to consume the boy, a second Gyaos smashes through a nearby building and attacks it. This Gyaos turns its attention to the boy as well, only to be crushed underfoot by Gamera. Gamera then turns to an approaching swarm of Gyaos and takes in a huge breath of air before unleashing a gigantic blast of fire that annihilates them all.

Ten years later, an adult Manafu watches as Viras devastates Tokyo. Suddenly, Gamera appears once again to challenge the monster.

Staff

Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.

Cast

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.

  • Rui Takahashi   as   Manafu
  • Kankuro Kudo   as   Manafu's father

Appearances

Monsters

Development and production

At some point following the box office failure of Gamera the Brave (2006), Kadokawa executive Shinichiro Inoue spent five years trying to reboot the Gamera franchise with a new film, coming up with a story about a boy and a girl summoning Gamera. Director Katsuhito Ishii signed on to the project in late October 2014 and, feeling Inoue's concept was too Shōwa-esque, decided to start from scratch. Described by Ishii as a "pilot," the short was produced with the intention of setting up a feature film in the future.[2]

Unlike all previous Gamera films, which depicted the monsters through suitmation, this short made full use of CGI, both due to budgetary and scheduling considerations and to appeal to audiences familiar with Legendary Pictures' Pacific Rim and Godzilla.[1][2] Omnibus Japan and Marza Animation Planet handled the visual effects for the short's first and second half, respectively. The only elements which were shot in-camera were the actors on a green screen with a road and some rubble. Gamera's new design was roughed out with a clay maquette sculpted by Kan Takahama, while his final 3D model was created by ModelingCafe.[2] Viras being Gamera's opponent in the second half was a request from Inoue.[1]

The short's existence was revealed in early 2014 when retailers such as Amiami listed that the May 16 issue of Kadokawa's Tokusatsu Newtype magazine would be having a lead feature on it.[4]

Marketing

On October 8, 2015, Inoue and Kikuchi held a 50th anniversary presentation for Gamera at New York Comic-Con. Handbills and T-shirts were distributed at the event, which culminated in a screening of GAMERA (erroneously called a "trailer"). An official website dedicated to the short was also launched, and it was reported that the short would be screened at the 2015 Tokyo International Film Festival later that month, along with restored versions of Gamera vs. Gyaos, Gamera the Guardian of the Universe, Gamera 2: Attack of Legion, and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris.[5]

Legacy

Ishii stated during his NYCC appearance that the short would "absolutely" lead to the production of a new feature-length film, expected to release in either 2016 or 2017.[6] However, no such film was ever produced. A new Gamera project would not materialize for close to a decade, until 2023's GAMERA -Rebirth-, an unrelated Netflix anime series directed by Hiroyuki Seshita. The series did, however, retain Takahama as monster designer, and his and Ishii's Gamera and Gyaos designs served as the basis for the ones used in the series.[7] Ishii even receives credit on the show for "Gamera original design."

Gallery

Main article: GAMERA (short film)/Gallery.

Videos

Full short

Shortened version released by Kadokawa

Trivia

  • The sequence of Gamera charging his fire blast in this short resembles a similar scene from Gamera 2: Attack of Legion when Gamera is in Sapporo; in both, air swirls around his mouth as he inhales.
  • Concept art depicts Gamera flying by shooting flames (labeled "boosters") from the limb holes in his shell and/or from dedicated ports toward the top of his shell. In the final short, he is never seen in flight.

External links

References

This is a list of references for GAMERA (short film). These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Nozawa, Yoshinori (21 November 2025). "石井克人版『GAMERA』は、短縮版のPVは公開されたけど、当イベントではノーカットのフルサイズで観られます。". X.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Numakura, Arihito, ed. (26 November 2015). "『GAMERA』石井克人監督 インタビュー（続報）最新のVFX技法を取り入れ、" 新世代の特撮"を実現させる". CGWORLD.
  3. ↑ Noguchi, Tomokazu, ed. (29 December 2015). "GAMERA Special Interview: Kan Takahama". Uchusen. Vol. 151. Hobby Japan. pp. 94–95.
  4. ↑ Loo, Egan (13 March 2014). "New Gamera Project Listed by Retailer". Anime News Network.
  5. ↑ "ガメラ生誕50周年記念映像が公開、クドカンがギャオスの餌食に". Eiga Natalie. 9 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Sato, Daisuke (19 October 2015). "石井克人監督作「GAMERA」NYコミコンイベントレポート 全く新しい怪獣映画が始動". AnimeAnime.jp.
  7. ↑ Toyota, Tomohisa (21 July 2025). "昭和から平成、令和へと繋がれた『ガメラ』のバトン――『GAMERA -Rebirth-』監督・瀬下寛之さん×怪獣デザイン・髙濵幹さん×造形監督／光画監督・片塰満則さんが登場怪獣を語り尽くす【インタビュー】". Animate Times.

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