Gappa
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The Gappas (ガッパ Gappa) are a species of ancient monsters. A pair of male and female Gappas, along with their infant son, appear in the 1967 Nikkatsu film Gappa.
Design
All three of the Gappas share the same characteristics, as they are based on various reptiles and birds such as eagles and hawks. Overall, they resemble enormous bipedal griffins. As exhibited in the two adults seen in the film, the species is sexually dimorphic. The female has a smaller head crest and has a flatter face compared to her mate. Their scales are triangle-shaped, and their eyelids are the reverse to that of humans. The Gappas' wings are unlike those of birds; they are actually evolved ribs.[3]
Origins
In ancient times, the Gappas would fight other monsters for survival. They were already present when Earth was still an interstellar cloud, suggesting that the Gappas originated in outer space. They were born from intense heat generated by molten iron and uranium ores, and gained their large size by feeding on plutonium atoms.[1][2] After their victory over other monsters, the inner core of the Earth suddenly emitted sodium atoms, causing chemical reactions that melted away chlorine from their cells, consequently making sea water salty.[1][3]
History
- Gappa (1967)
- Amorous Family: Like a Fox and a Racoon (1972) [prop]
- Yuzo the Biggest Battle in Tokyo (2022) [toys]
Showa era
Gappa
An expedition to Obelisk Island by Mr. Funazu uncovers a baby monster, who hatches from an egg near a sacred temple. The natives plead with the skeptical scientists not to take the baby away, lest it anger the baby's parents. Sure enough, they take the baby away, and soon, inside the caverns, its two parents rise from the underground waters beneath the volcano, destroying everything in their path. Saki, the only survivor, is rescued by an American Navy fleet and brought back to Japan.
The parents storm across Japan, destroying all in their wake, but their assault ceases once they recover their baby. Mercifully, they relent and depart to return to Obelisk Island.
Biology
The Gappas are a very ancient species. They were already present when Earth was still an interstellar cloud. They have fought many monsters since that time and this indicates there have been various monsters, including the Gappas, capable of surviving in space and during planet formations[3] and the Gappas are one of the most powerful of these, if not the most powerful.[1] The fact that the female Gappa preyed on a giant octopus when the pair appeared on Atami indicates Gappas might feed on other monsters. The female Gappa caught the octopus to feed the baby, and the baby was never shown feasting on the meats humans had prepared.[6]
Their influence on Earth and its life forms, including humans, were vast; base elements from the Gappas' internal organs for charging electricity melted into the sea during Earth's formation and this caused today's sea water to become salty.[1][3]
Despite their destructive capabilities, the Gappas are sentient, intelligent, and generous species by nature and would not attack meaninglessly.[7] They deeply care about their families and will do anything to take back their children. Although the pair caused severe destruction on civilization in Japan, that was only for taking back their child.
The Gappas are more sensitive to sounds than other known reptiles.
While the Gappas are known to feed on octopuses on regular basis, it is unclear whether or not octopus is their favorite prey.[6]
Abilities
Flight
The Gappas can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 6.[4] They can also cause powerful shockwaves and tsunami by flying.
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Lakeside of Lake Kawaguchi destroyed by a tsunami caused by flying Gappas.
Amphibiousness
The Gappas have a maximum underwater speed of 150 knots.[4]
Physical abilities
The Gappas have a destructive force of 2 million horsepower. The Gappas' wings can emit hurricane-force winds; they can also cause tsunamis or storm surges using this ability.[3][4]
Radiant Heat Beam
The adult Gappas glow their eyes red[8] and fire a 4,000-degree Celsius Radiant Heat Beam (放射熱光線 Hōshanetsu Kōsen)[4] from their mouths. Described in the film as "comparable to a death ray", it is capable of burning or melting anything it makes contact with. It is also speculated that this ability may grant the Gappas immunity to poisons. The attack has also been referred to as Murdering Explosion Beam (殺人爆破光線 Satsujin Bakuha Kōsen),[2] Destructive Ray (破壊光線 Hakai Kōsen),[8] Heat Ray (熱線 Nessen),[5] and Heat Wave Ray (熱波光線 Neppa Kōsen).[9]
Several sources describe Gappas as being capable of firing the attack both from their mouths and eyes,[9] and the attack has often been depicted as yellowish beams or flames.[10][11][12]
Bioluminescence
The Gappas emit bioluminescence from their eyes, which appears blue-white underwater and yellow on land.
Pearl-like substance
The female Gappa possesses a pearl-like substance within her body, likely stored in her legs. This substance can cause humans to go blind.[3]
Electricity
Cells along their backsides from head to tail contain energy sources that produce 18 billion bolts of electricity.[1] The baby Gappa's body is electrified and causes electric arcs/sparks whenever metals are attached to its body.[7] This may suggest that adult Gappas are also able to emit electricity.
Gallery
- Main article: Gappa/Gallery.
Video
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Trivia
- Prior to designing Gappa, Akira Watanabe designed a similar monster named Bemular who was planned to star in the show that ultimately became Ultraman. Both monsters are based on traditional images of Karura (the Buddhist equivalent of Garuda) and Karasu Tengu.[13]
- A storyboard for Gappa to fight a Giant Octopus was prepared, although the scene was not introduced in the actual movie.[6]
- Stock footage of the adult Gappas appears in an episode of the British sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf, "Meltdown", where they are enormous wax-droids roaming the Prehistoric World section of an abandoned theme park. Though intimidated, the mechanoid Kryten quips "I can't believe how feeble and improbable those creatures were, sir. I've seen more convincing dinosaurs given away free with a packet of Wheaty-Flakes."
- Gappa is one of numerous kaiju summoned in Natsuhiko Kyōgoku's USO MAKOTO Yōkai Hyaku Monogatari book series.
- Gappa is the first of two kappa-inspired kaiju to star in films by Nikkatsu, the other being Death Kappa. "Gappa" is also one of aliases of kappa,[14] and Lake Kawaguchi, in which Gappas temporarily resided in the film, is also known for kappa legends.[15]
- A kaiju reminiscent of Gappa appeared in the 2014 television series The Next Generation: Patlabor.[16]
- The male Gappa's head, along with a small flying Gappa prop and the Obelisk Island Bird, appear in the 1972 film The Amorous Family: The Fox and the Tanuki.
- An original kaiju illustration titled "the most powerful kaiju ever" was published on Kaiju Magazine, an appendix for the youth magazine Shonen in 1967. The original kaiju is composed of multiple different kaiju and yokai characters from different franchises, and the scales on its abdomen are taken from Gappa, described as being sharp enough to serve both as armor and melee weapons.[17]
- There is a yuru-kyara based on Gappa named Gappas-kun (ガッパくん Gappakun).[18][19]
- In the manga series KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops, Gappa has been referenced in episodes Kamikaze Police (ep.207), Gun Maniacs (ep.235),[20] and Doll Remodeling Contest (ep.380).[21] In Kamikaze Police, a movie poster for "Gamera vs. Gappa" was seen along with the one for "Ultraman Taro vs. Daimajin".[22]
- A Pachimon kaiju, Lafiras, is partially reminiscent of Gappa.
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Gappas-kun cosplay 1 -
Gappas-kun cosplay 2 -
Gappa and Lafiras.
References
This is a list of references for Gappa. 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]
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