Ingrid and I are back again with more installments of our Gamera Movie Marathon as we rewind now to the original 8 movies of what is known as the Showa Era. We’ll be going over it’s highs and it’s incredibly painful lows. Now for the record, we will be going with the AiP dubs/re-edits of the movies when applicable. The Sandy Frank dubs were just too corny (but we know at least one movie we’ll have no choice but to use that one).

Following the nearly unbearable atrocity that was Gamera vs Viras, Ingrid and I are back with the fifth Showa era film. Will this one make up for the troubles of its predecessor?

• Stock footage: It was only used here sparingly, tt served a purpose, and was not overdone.
• The Kids: Children in this film came off a lot better and felt like real kids. The sister was particularly cute as she struggled to try and get people to listen to her.
• The adults: The kids are off-world so any inadequacy makes sense.
• The Monster: Gurion is introduced early on and is an interesting one, despite its simple design.

This film fixes a lot of the problems, but what is this one all about?

In basic terms, we have more aliens! Two females abduct two boys and take them to their planet (Terra, the counter-earth to our own) with the intent of eating their brains. We’re also introduced to Gurion as he attacks a space Gyaos (in a very gruesome one-sided battle) AND, in a brush-off moment, we find out there are other space Gyaos… possibly a set up for the Heisei era? Hmmm?

The movie felt fun, consistent, and kept up the action very well. We highly recommend this movie!