Gamera vs. Jiger (manga)
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Gamera vs. Jiger (ガメラ対大魔獣ジャイガー Gamera tai Daimajū Jaigā, lit. "Gamera vs. Giant Demon Beast Jiger") is a 1970 manga adaptation of film of the same name created by Daiji Kazumine. It was originally published in the Akita Shoten magazine Shonen Champion No.6 and subsequently rereleased mere weeks later as a one-shot to coincide with the film's release in theaters. The manga presents a heavily abridged version of the film's story and bears little resemblance to the film itself.
Plot
During a televised conference, experts sit in tense silence before sharing footage of an earlier battle between Gamera and Jiger in the shallow waters of a bay. With Jiger's detachable claws sticking out of his chest from an earlier attack, Gamera abruptly freezes, his head and arms become transparent, and he collapses. Jiger proceeds to run amok through Japan unopposed, easily halting JSDF opposition with her hypersonic Magnetum Ray, which vaporizes anything in its path. One of the experts in the conference room then explains Jiger's powers, explaining that she uses high-frequency waves to destroy the molecular structure of matter with vibrations. He also reveals her destination - Japan's Expo '70, which displays various archeological discoveries and technological innovations like advanced mini submarines. One of the objects on display is Jiger's target - a giant stone statue that had been removed from Wester Island. The expert then recounts the legend of the island that told of a monster named Jiger being sealed away by the statue - a legend which has become reality now that the statue has been removed to prove Jiger was real. With the JSDF unable to harm the monster and Gamera seemingly defeated, it seems that nothing can stop Jiger now. The panel of experts are quick to pass blame onto Dr. Kitayama, the head of the project responsible for bringing the statue to Japan, who is unable to defend himself.
While watching the report on TV alongside his friends Tommy and Susan, Hiroshi Kitayama - the disgraced doctor's son - is frustrated and wants to help. They discuss Gamera's health, believing that he is still alive but has developed anemia, with the blood having been drained from his head and arms. They also believe that they need to find a way to block Jiger's high-frequency waves. While watching the experts argue, the sound on their television abruptly cuts out, and Susan unwittingly gives Hiroshi an idea by comparing the lack of sound to the vacuum of space. Hiroshi, Tommy, and Susan rush to the conference hall. There, scientists theorize that Gamera can be revived with a powerful electrical shock delivered directly to his heart. As this means they would have to enter Gamera's body, they believe adults would be too large to carry out the task. Hiroshi arrives and volunteers to enter Gamera's body and help save Gamera's life while also claiming that he knows how to stop Jiger's high-frequency waves. The experts attempt to dismiss the children, but Dr. Kitayama defends them and allows them to speak.
As Jiger returns and looms over Gamera's body, Hiroshi is provided with an advanced mini submarine and enters Gamera's body, soon finding his heart. Exiting the sub in a dive suit, Hiroshi hurriedly attaches an electric shock cord to Gamera's heart before returning to the sub. With Jiger closing in, one of the experts wishes to begin shocking Gamera, but Dr. Kitayama demands that they wait for Hiroshi. Fearful that Jiger will kill Gamera, the brash expert activates the electric shocks anyways, though Hiroshi escapes Gamera's mouth in the nick of time. The electric shocks successfully revive Gamera and restore the color to his arms and face. Jiger immediately begins attacking Gamera again, stabbing him with her tail and firing more claws into Gamera's chest. Hiroshi, fearing that Gamera will be incapacitated by Jiger's hypersonic waves once again, yells to Gamera that he needs to spin very fast. In response, Gamera retracts into his shell and begins his spinning jet technique as he flies above Jiger. Gamera begins spinning fast enough to create a sound vacuum above Jiger, blocking her hypersonic waves just as Hiroshi had hoped for. Gamera then grabs the nearby statue from the Expo as Jiger prepares to fire more of her claws into Gamera from below. Before she can, Gamera rams the statue into Jiger's chest, killing her. Dr. Kitayama commends Hiroshi for his actions and brilliance as the children watch Gamera fly away.
Differences from the film
- The story is presented in a nonlinear style, beginning after Gamera and Jiger have already fought with the former having already been incapacitated. As such, the opening scenes on Wester Island are cut, including the removal of the statue and the first battle between Gamera and Jiger. The story prior to Gamera's incapacitation is presented through a news conference, where experts merely recount the story of how Jiger was awakened, accompanied by flashbacks. The attack that paralyzes Gamera is also not shown, having already occurred, and it is additionally explained that Gamera has been immobilized by Jiger's claws rather than her stinger.
- Both fights between Gamera and Jiger take place exclusively in Osaka Port as opposed to the various locations of the film.
- Jiger's powers differ in the manga. Rather than firing spikes from her face, Jiger launches detachable claws into Gamera like missiles. The stinger on her tail also does not implant her parasitic young into Gamera's body and is merely a sharp weapon. Additionally, her Magnetum Ray does far more damage than simply burning objects in its vicinity and is shown to completely vaporize anything caught within it, leaving nothing at all behind.
- The Devil's Whistle boasts a different design, more closely resembling a Moai from Easter Island.
- Hiroshi Kitayama is given a more personal motivation for wanting to save Gamera - clearing his father's name after the doctor is saddled with the blame for freeing Jiger in the first place by moving the Devil's Whistle to Japan. Additionally, he theorizes a way to defeat Jiger that does not involve low-frequency waves.
- The submarine boasts a radically altered design, and Hiroshi wears a full dive suit.
- While Tommy is present in the manga, he does not join Hiroshi on the mission to revive Gamera, leaving only Hiroshi to enter Gamera's body in the mini submarine. Additionally, Hiroshi does not commandeer the submarine without permission and is supported by the scientists throughout, even being equipped with a dive suit to swim around in Gamera's body as there is no breathable air like there was in the film.
- Notably, the Small Jiger is completely absent from the manga, and Jiger's attacks instead cause Gamera to develop anemia rather than the parasitic baby specifically draining his blood. Thus, the entire mission is not about needing to kill the Small Jiger, but merely needing to attach an electrical cord to Gamera's heart to restart it with electric shocks.
- The scientists monitor Hiroshi's mission from a boat close to Gamera's body.
- Jiger looms over Gamera's incapacitated body throughout the operation to revive him, adding to the mission's high stakes. Furthermore, one of the scientists insists on beginning the shocks before Hiroshi can exit Gamera's body as a result of Jiger closing in, making the scene much more suspenseful.
- The climactic battle is quite different, with Gamera flying over Jiger and spinning at high speeds to create a vortex-like sound vacuum over her to block her high-frequency waves as opposed to shoving telephone poles into his ears as he does in the film. Gamera also throws the Devil's Whistle into her chest rather than her head.
Appearances
Monsters
Weapons, vehicles and races
Gallery
Releases
Shonen Champion No.6 cover
One-shot cover
Scans
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Back cover
See also
Comments
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