Gigan (story arc)
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Gigan (ガイガン編 Gaigan-hen) is the fifth story arc of the 1997 television series Godzilla Island. Written by Takahiko Masuda, it comprises the series' 31st through 40th episodes, which aired from November 17 to 28, 1997.
Episodes
| No. | Title card | Title (Japanese) |
Air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Television | YouTube | |||
| 31 |  |
"Monster for Rent" ( |
November 17, 1997 | June 20, 2023 |
| 32 |  |
"He's Strong!" (こいつは |
November 18, 1997 | June 22, 2023 |
| 33 |  |
"A Bad Feeling" (イヤな |
November 19, 1997 | June 27, 2023 |
| 34 |  |
"A Loooooong Battle" (なが～い |
November 20, 1997 | June 29, 2023 |
| 35 |  |
"Match Settled!" ( |
November 21, 1997 | July 4, 2023 |
| 36 |  |
"Godzilla, Dead?!" (ゴジラ |
November 24, 1997 | July 6, 2023 |
| 37 |  |
"Surely This Time!" ( |
November 25, 1997 | July 11, 2023 |
| 38 |  |
"The Night Before the Final Showdown" ( |
November 26, 1997 | July 13, 2023 |
| 39 |  |
"King Caesar's Conviction" (キングシーサーの |
November 27, 1997 | July 18, 2023 |
| 40 |  |
"Behold the Miraculous Secret Technique!" ( |
November 28, 1997 | July 20, 2023 |
Plot
- "Monster for Rent"
Reading the Xilien Gazette, Zagreth fumes at an article criticizing her failed attempts to conquer Earth. She notices a cockroach scurrying around the Vabaruda controls and prepares to smash him with the newspaper, but he suddenly speaks, revealing himself as an M Space Hunter Nebula Alien. He offers her the use of the cyborg Gigan if she saves the ten billion Nebulans aboard a nearby ship. She agrees, but only if Gigan can best Godzilla. Gigan materializes at the command of the Nebulan and flies towards Earth.
- "He's Strong!"
Gigan closes in on Godzilla Island. Torema returns to G-Guard headquarters after birdwatching, having picked up the hobby in the time since Zagreth's last attack. Her fishing plans are interrupted by Gigan's arrival, who Lucas identifies as a challenging opponent Godzilla faced in the 20th century. Gigan analyzes Godzilla with his robotic eye and passes over Torema in the Panna Torte, then returns to space. The Nebulan explains to a baffled Zagreth that after sizing up Godzilla, Gigan is mentally rehearsing their upcoming fight.
- "A Bad Feeling"
From space, Gigan fires a giant arrow from his eye that lands in front of Godzilla. Tied around it is a note formally challenging the King of the Monsters at sundown. Lucas remarks how old-fashioned the cyborg is. King Caesar tries to convince Godzilla to back out of the duel, but he refuses to show weakness. Godzilla and Gigan stare each down across an open plain.
- "A Loooooong Battle"
Torema is suspicious of Gigan's challenge, but no other villainous monster reveals itself as Godzilla and Gigan stare each other down. Zagreth briefly nods off as night falls, but the Nebulan insists that once they finally see fit to strike, the battle will be over in an instant. At dawn, Gigan reflects sunlight off his metal claw, blinding Godzilla, and the cyborg charges forward.
- "Match Settled!"
Godzilla recovers just before Gigan reaches him, causing the space monster to leap back to his starting position. Impatient, Zagreth orders Battra into action. Gigan fires a laser from his eye, seemingly at Godzilla, but he dodges and it hits Battra instead. The Nebulan explains that Gigan is too honorable to another monster to intervene, which Zagreth finds pretentious. Both heroes and villains resume watching the monsters in anticipation. A nearby rockslide prompts them both to race at each other and land a single blow. After a moment, Godzilla collapses.
- "Godzilla, Dead?!"
Commander Beisuke Jinguji is stunned by Godzilla's loss, while Torema begs him to stand up. Mothra swoops down, covering Gigan with sparkling powder. Rodan airlifts Godzilla to his hot springs. The Nebulan explains to Zagreth that Gigan didn't finish Godzilla off out of respect for his most challenging opponent.
- "Surely This Time!"
King Caesar joins a recovering Godzilla in the hot springs. Gigan approaches them, and they prepare for a fight. But he simply takes a dip in the hot springs himself, explaining that he spared Godzilla because he also landed a clean hit, making their fight a draw. He proposes a rematch, to which Godzilla agrees.
- "The Night Before the Final Showdown"
With three days to prepare, Godzilla meditates under King Caesar's direction to learn a new technique. The shisa proves a strict teacher, berating Godzilla for falling asleep. Torema wishes on a shooting star for Godzilla to emerge victorious. The following day, Godzilla and Gigan square off again.
- "King Caesar's Conviction"
Zagreth braces for another long standoff, but the Nebulan is confident that this round will conclude quickly. King Caesar assures the other monsters of Godzilla Island that Godzilla will be able to handle the fight by himself. Godzilla closes his eyes to concentrate as he emits a green and red aura.
- "Behold the Miraculous Secret Technique!"
The Nebulan pleads with Gigan to retreat in the face of Godzilla's obvious power. Godzilla fires his atomic breath into the air; when Gigan advances, it bends in midair to strike the cyborg from behind. Godzilla then unleashes a spinning tail whip which knocks Gigan to the ground. The other Earth monsters swarm around Godzilla to celebrate his victory, and he silently thanks King Caesar for his training. Zagreth squashes the Nebulan with her newspaper and vows to carry out her next scheme herself.
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Jiro Dan as Commander Beisuke Jinguji
- Maimi Okuwa as Torema
- Kaori Aizawa as Zagreth
- Shun Mizutani as Lucas (voice, as Kenichiro Shimamura)
- Yutaka Aoyama as narrator (voice)
Appearances
Monsters |
Weapons, vehicles, organizations, and races |
Videos
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Trivia
- When Godzilla and Gigan are first staring each other down, Lucas comments that the motionless monsters "look like plastic toys"; both are, in fact, portrayed by Bandai figures.
Comments
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