Gomess
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Gomess (ゴメス Gomesu) is a mammalian[2] kaiju who debuted in episode 1 of Tsuburaya Productions' 1966 television series Ultra Q, and has reappeared in other Ultra Series works, including the 2022 Toho, Tsuburaya, and khara film Shin Ultraman. He is notable for being the first kaiju to appear in the franchise, and for being originally portrayed by a modified Godzilla suit; in keeping with these traditions, his Shin Ultraman incarnation is the first S-Class Species encountered by humanity, and was portrayed by a modified CG model of Godzilla from Shin Godzilla.[3]
Development
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Gomess was conceived of by screenwriter Toshihiro Ijima for the Ultra Q episode "Defeat Gomess!" Ijima's script described Gomess as a fanged mammal resembling a seal, with webbed, "slightly degenerated" limbs. Likely intended to be quadrupedal, he was originally meant to reuse the Maguma suit from Gorath. He was ultimately designed by Toho production designer Yasuyuki Inoue, who arrived at a bipedal creature with horns and reptilian scales. Rather than using Maguma, it was decided that Gomess would be portrayed by a remodeled Godzilla suit, specifically the "MosuGoji" used in 1964's Mothra vs. Godzilla and Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. Toho modelers Teizo Toshimitsu, Kanju and Yasuei Yagi, Eizo Kaimai, and Keizo Murase were tasked with converting the suit, doing so in a manner that would be easily reversible. Gomess' episode was shot in February and March of 1965, after which his suit was returned to Toho and converted back into Godzilla, though it did not see use in that year's Invasion of Astro-Monster. It would make its way to Tsuburaya Productions again by August 1966, having its head replaced with that of the "DaisensoGoji" built for Astro-Monster and being redressed as the Ultraman monster Jirahs.
As a callback to Gomess' resemblance to Godzilla, the CG model for the Shin Ultraman version of the monster was modified from the Godzilla model used in Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi's previous film, Shin Godzilla.[3]
Design
The design of Gomess in Shin Ultraman was created using the 3D model of Godzilla's Fourth Form from Shin Godzilla, a reference to how the original Gomess suit used in Ultra Q was created using the 1964 Godzilla suit. As a result of this, the Shin Ultraman incarnation of the monster has essentially the same characteristics as its standard design.
Gomess has a giant curved horn near the back of its head with two smaller spikes jutting out from the sides of its head which point backwards. It has pronounced and spiky brows with small eyes. Its snout is short and blunt with dozens of crooked teeth filling its maw. It has two large fangs near the back of its mouth that are always visible, even with its mouth is closed. Its neck is short and stocky with various folds. On the back of its neck, near the base, is a large spike. Gomess has large overlapping plates on chest and stomach. It has relatively large arms with three claws and several other claws jutting out from its elbows and forearms. Whilst most of Gomess' skin is bumpy, the skin on its arms, sides of its torso, and thighs are covered in overlapping scales.
Gomess has large thighs and digitigrade feet with various small toe claws protruding from random spots on its feet in addition to its five main digits. On Gomess' back is what seems to be a carapace that is covered in multiple large spikes. Gomess has an extremely long tail with large spikes running along its length up until it reaches the tip. On Gomess' tail tip is a large, almost grinning, mouth with large sharp teeth and exposed gums which is extremely reminiscent of the "spare head" on Godzilla's Fourth Form. A large spike protrudes from both its "upper jaw" and "lower jaw". The "head" on Gomess' tail appears to have brows with concave indentations that give it the appearance of having eye sockets.
Gomess' 3D model used in the film appears to have a greenish tint to the new parts added to it, though it still retains the red exposed muscle fibers from Godzilla's Fourth Form which are more visible on its tail segments. The Movie Monster Series figure of Gomess gives the monster black skin, with blueish-green for the overlapping plates on its chest and stomach.
Origins
Gomess is a bioweapon awakened by humanity's destruction of the environment. The first such creature to emerge, it and the following two, Mammoth Flower and Peguila, were initially regarded as "Giant Unidentified Life Forms" but were later redesignated as S-Class Species, or Kaiju. Though its creator is unknown, the monster was monitored by the alien Mefilas for "reconnaissance and tactical use." Upon awakening, Gomess emerged from beneath the Yagayama Tunnel.
Selected history
- Shin Ultraman (2022)
Reiwa era
Shin Ultraman
Gomess was the very first giant unidentified life form to emerge in Japan, erupting from beneath the under-construction Yagayama Tunnel in Shizuoka. The monster went on a rampage, causing massive destruction. However, thanks to the efforts of JSDF tanks, Gomess was exterminated. His emergence was quickly followed by countless other creatures: Mammoth Flower, Peguila, Kaigel, Larugeus, and Pagos, who were ultimately classified as S-Class Species, or Kaiju.
When Mefilas conversed with Ultraman (disguised as Shinji Kaminaga), the malevolent alien revealed that Gomess, as well as the five other initial monsters, were dormant bioweapons left on the planet that were awakened by the destruction of the environment, claiming them to be humanity's karma. Mefilas monitored these bioweapons before summoning the invisible monster Neronga, who was intended to lure Ultraman onto the planet.
Abilities
Physical abilities
Gomess trampled trees in his path and was said to have caused "great damage far beyond expectations" in a news bulletin.
Burrowing
Gomess dug his way to the surface and burst from a mine.
Weaknesses
Gomess proved to be relatively frail, as he was killed by JSDF tanks.
Roar
In Shin Ultraman, Gomess uses the same roars it has emitted since its debut, which were made from lion roars.[citation needed]
| Gomess' roar from Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey |
Gallery
- Main article: Gomess/Gallery.
Trivia
- A shot from Ultra Q—Gomess' eye opening underground just before the episode's title card appears—is replicated in Shin Ultraman, though it happens just after the movie's title card.
- Gomess' emergence from a Shin-Tomei Expressway tunnel in Shin Ultraman echoes his emergence from a Tomei Expressway tunnel in Ultra Q; the Shin-Tomei's name literally means "New Tomei".
- Gomess' monster enemy in Ultra Q, Litra, was also portrayed by a modified Toho prop: a Rodan flying puppet built for Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. Godzilla and Rodan clashed in the same film.
- Episode 15 of Ultraman X, which features the Gomess variant Gomess (S), aired on Godzilla Day 2015. In it, the monster uses a purple breath weapon, predating Godzilla's purple atomic breath in Shin Godzilla by nine months.
- A Gomess-like form of the monster Supekkio, named Gomess (SP), appears in episode 20 of Ultraman Arc. The "SP" in its name stands for Singular Point, in reference to the anime Godzilla Singular Point. Additionally, Gomess (SP) fires a blue energy beam from its mouth, similar to Godzilla's atomic breath in both appearance and strength. After its Gomess (SP) form was defeated, Supekkio appeared in its natural form, where it resembled a giant mass of blue crystals. Considering its namesake, this form is likely a reference to the blue Archetype crystals that appeared after Godzilla Ultima was defeated.
See also
External links
Notes
References
This is a list of references for Gomess. 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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