Kaijuly Raids Again!

A ship runs aground on a mysterious atoll leading to an investigation by insurance representative Kusanagi who discovers an ancient bead he gives to his daughter, Asagi. Meanwhile, ornithologist Nagamine investigates reports of a new species of large bird named Gyaos. As the Gyaos begin to attack, an ancient guardian with a bond to Asagi emerges…

Gamera returns in a new rebooted trilogy for the Heisei era directed by Shusuke Kaneko who would later direct the equally lauded Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah – Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.

Gamera – Guardian of the Universe eschews some of the sci-fi elements prominent in the early Showa films in favour of a spiritual focus and aims to challenge much of the established Gamera mythology. Across the Heisei trilogy, the titular creature’s monstrous nature is seen in an increasingly negative light, especially by the children to whom it has historically been a guardian. Though Gamera appears time again to save humanity from ancient and extraterrestrial threats, its ambivalence to destruction and increasingly violent means bring into questions the creature’s true motivation.

For Kaijuly’s second year, we are celebrating a double Gamera-versary, the 60th year of Giant Monster (also playing as part of Kaijuly) and the 30th year of the much celebrated Heisei trilogy.

Director Shusuke Kaneko
Year 1995
Duration 1h 37m
Language Japanese with English Subtitles
Cast Ayako Fujitani, Shinobu Nakayama, Tsuyoshi Ihara