Iris
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Iris... I named him Iris. I'm going to raise him. And then, he'll take revenge for me.
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— Ayana Hirasaka explains her intentions to raise Iris to Tatsunari Moribe (Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris) |
Iris (イリス Irisu) is an ancient Gyaos mutation kaiju who appeared in the 1999 Gamera film Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris.
Iris was Gamera's final foe in the Heisei trilogy, and shares some sort of genetic connection to his arch-enemy Gyaos. A legendary demon referred to as the "Ryuseicho" by residents of Asuka in Nara, Japan, Iris was sealed away long ago inside a small shrine outside of the village. Iris remained inside a stone egg within the shrine for countless generations until it was discovered by a young woman named Ayana Hirasaka, who held an intense hatred of Gamera because she believed he killed her parents. Ayana's hatred caused her to form a bond with Iris, which hatched from his egg and began growing rapidly until he reached the size of Gamera himself. Iris followed Ayana to Kyoto and attempted to kill Gamera for her, then tried to forcibly merge himself with her. Gamera rescued Ayana from the beast, then destroyed Iris by plunging his flaming arm into a wound on his chest.
Name
Iris shares his name with a goddess from Greek mythology and also a genus of flower, although the goddess Iris' name is spelled slightly differently in katakana (イーリス Īrisu) than the monster's while the iris flower is known as ayame (アヤメ) in Japanese. In-universe, Iris gets his name when Ayana Hirasaka names him after her family's cat that was killed during the battle between Gamera and Super Gyaos in 1995. Prior to that, he is known by villagers in Asuka as the Ryuseicho (柳星張 Ryūseichō), a legendary ancient demon. As her cousin Shigeki Hinohara explains to Ayana in the film, the name Ryuseicho comes from three traditional constellations from Chinese astronomy. They are the Willow Mansion (柳宿 Ryūshuku, Nurikoboshi), the Star Mansion (星宿 Seishuku, Hotohoriboshi), and the Extended Net Mansion (張宿 Chōshuku, Chirikoboshi). All three of these mansions are identified with the Vermilion Bird of the South (朱雀 Suzaku), one of the Four Symbols, four mythical animals that the full Twenty-Eight Mansions are grouped under. Ayana asks him if the Black Tortoise of the North (玄武 Genbu) and Vermilion Bird of the South are enemies. In the film's English dub, the Black Tortoise and Vermilion Bird are are simply called "the guardians of the north and south." The character Mayumi Nagamine refers to Iris as a "Gyaos mutation" (ギャオス変異体 Gyaosu heni-tai) after discovering its genetic similarity to Gyaos. In late drafts of film's screenplay, Iris was instead named by Shigeki as he deciphered the ancient letters found in Iris' cave into rune and alphabetic characters, with Shigeki, Ayana, and others seeing the names "Iris" and "Gyaos." This was how the characters learned the relationship between the monsters in these drafts, and thus Iris is repeatedly addressed as "that Gyaos" and a "Gyaos Mutant" in them.[1]:264
An alternate spelling of Iris's English name is Irys, which is used in most Japanese media and merchandise contemporary with the film, whereas in the West and more recent Japanese materials it has been phased out in favor of the former spelling.
Iris's first form is called the Original Form (素体 So-tai) or Juvenile Form (幼体 Yō-tai) in the book Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris Super Complete Works, which also refers to his second form as the Beast Form (獣化体 Jū-ka-tai).[3]
Development
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The initial sources of inspiration for Iris's design were the Cthulhu Mythos and the 1995 Magic: The Gathering card Blinking Spirit.[1]:100:216 Other pop culture influences included Viras; Gigan; various kaiju and characters from the Ultra Series, Gridman the Hyper Agent, and the Devilman franchise; and H. R. Giger's works, including the Xenomorph to some extent.[1]:100-105:109 Traditional images of statues in Buddhism and of the deity Baphomet also served as references.[1]:101
In some of the later drafts for Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris, Iris was planned to possess additional abilities including an extinguisher liquid based on that used by Gyaos in Gamera vs. Gyaos; an unnamed destructive "special killer move," wind manipulation; teleportation-like movements; and telekinesis, which he would have used to create a gigantic whirlpool, teleport sea water, create a gigantic sphere of water and pillars of waters, control Gamera's Plasma Fireballs, and damage Gamera's flesh without touching it.[1]:261:266-268 Those drafts involved Iris in additional battles. Three of the battles were against Gamera, the first within the mountains of Nara, where Gamera would have attacked the monster's underground temple, the second going from inside a typhoon to beneath the Pacific Ocean, and the third involving several Hyper Gyaos in Shibuya. Iris would have also engaged the U.S. military at Midway Atoll.[1]:261-267 The monster would have been capable of evolving Gyaos into Hyper Gyaos and commanding them to "reset" humanity by reducing their numbers.[1]:266-268
Iris, along with its Atlantean magatama, were partially inspired by the human penis and sperm cell, similar to the above-mentioned Xenomorph.[1]:100-105:112:120 Baby Iris and its concept designs also partially resemble Pokémon, Digimon, and ducklings.[1]:106
Design
Iris' first form has a smooth, mouthless head with small black eyes, and several long tentacles which sprout from a snail-like shell. Although this form lacks a mouth, it can consume and absorb the life force of organic matter by stabbing them with its tentacle spears, leaving desiccated corpses in its wake. This form was realized on-screen by a remotely-operated puppet.
Iris' second form resembles the first form, but is larger and possesses more tentacles. Its shell has also opened up and developed a series of pointed plates. In this form, Iris is able to float in the air and emits light from the center of his chest.
Iris' third form is a gigantic bipedal creature with two hooved legs and retractable sword-like arms, topped by a head that resembles a pointed seashell, with a single eye in its center. His back is a mass of saw-edged plates, and from his sides spring four tentacles thousands of meters long. Each of these is tipped with a bony spearhead, from which Iris can fire an Ultrasonic Scalpel beam similar to the Gyaos. Iris can still drain the life force from his victims through retractable blades in its arms, and in the case of Gamera he was able to absorb the monster's abilities and produce his own plasma fireballs. His chest region is also covered in glossy, bio-luminescent patches. The center patch can suck things into his body.
Personality
As an infant, Iris is extremely docile and affectionate towards Ayana Hirasaka, allowing her to raise him like a pet. As Iris grows, he becomes more aggressive, actively killing small animals and later countless human beings in order to feed on their life force, though he remains loyal and harmless towards Ayana. It is revealed that Iris wiped out a large portion of the village of Asuka, including Ayana's adoptive family and the various people who antagonized and tormented Ayana. When Ayana refuses to allow Iris to merge with her after he attacks her friend Tatsunori Moribe, Iris forcibly absorbs her into his chest, showing her visions of him killing her adoptive family. Whether Iris was born as a malevolent entity and was simply using Ayana to increase his own power or if he was created as a benevolent guardian and corrupted and twisted by Ayana's hatred is never revealed, so the creature's true intentions are unknown.
Origins
Iris does not have a definitive origin, though multiple theories are put forth in the film. According to the legends of Nara, Japan, Iris is an ancient demon known as the Ryuseicho that, if awakened, will bring about the end of the world. According to Ayana Hirasaka's cousin Shigeki Hinohara, the Ryuseicho's name comes from three traditional constellations of Chinese mythology which are all identified with the Guardian of the South, represented as a giant bird, which battles against an enemy guardian from the north, represented as a giant tortoise. Shinya Kurata, a computer programmer who studied Gamera, Gyaos, and the Atlanteans closely, proposes that Iris may have been created as a failsafe measure by the Atlanteans for the sole purpose of killing Gamera if he ever became too powerful or no longer served the planet's best interest. Ayana tells Tatsunari Moribe that she and Iris both despise Gamera because he killed their families. Analysis of Iris's DNA showed him to be genetically identical to the Gyaos, only with the ability to alter his own DNA to a much greater degree, leading to the theory that he is either a mutation of or the ultimate evolution of the Gyaos. Iris' genetic connection to Gyaos and the presence of black Atlantean magatama in his shrine that telepathically link Ayana to him (a dark reflection of Gamera's bond with Asagi Kusanagi) confirm that Iris has some kind of connection to the Atlanteans and is related to the Gyaos, however the exact specifics of what Iris is and how and why he was created are never definitively confirmed.
In the 2003 manga Gamera vs. Barugon: Comic Version, an ancient creature heavily resembling Iris - possibly an ancestor or predecessor - appears in a vision alongside Barugon, Jiger, and Zigra. In the prequel comic The Last Hope, an Atlantean general who had previously supervised the creation of Gyaos is shown tending to Iris's unhatched egg following the civilization's destruction.
History
- Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999)
Heisei era
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris
Iris began his life as a stone egg, sealed within a small underground temple in the village of Minami-Asuka, Nara and guarded over by a family line named Moribe. Local legend said it was the resting place of a demon called Ryuseicho. A stone of unknown origin was said to keep the demon dormant as long as it is not moved.
A young girl named Ayana Hirasaka, left an orphan by the 1995 Gamera and Super Gyaos battle and blaming Gamera for her parents' deaths, entered the cave on a dare and moved the stone. In the process she and the latest son of the Moribe line discovered both the egg and a magatama, similar to the one that linked Asagi Kusanagi to Gamera in 1995. The egg later hatched into Iris' first form (第1形態 Dai ichi keitai).
Ayana gained a link to the creature via the magatama and felt a kinship with him, stating at one point "Gamera killed his family too." Driven by total hatred for Gamera, she raised Iris, naming him after her pet cat which had perished along with her parents, in the hope that he would become strong enough to kill Gamera for her. He displayed affection toward Ayana, though he preyed upon woodland animals and drained their blood for food.
It was not long before Iris, now grown into his second form (第2形態 Dai ni keitai), attempted to merge with Ayana by sealing her in a cocoon. Moribe discovered her and cut her free. She was then taken to a hospital. While Ayana was gone, Iris grew into a giant monster in the woods as he preyed upon several villagers, including Ayana's adoptive family. Shortly after, the monster grew into his third form (第3形態 Dai san keitai), continuing to feed on any humans unlucky enough to stray too close to his location among the trees.
The JSDF quickly deployed and surrounded Iris as he slept, attempting to take him out with machine guns and bazookas. The weaponry only seemed to irritate the creature. During the fight, in which several of the soldiers were killed and several more were severely injured, Iris took to the sky and headed for Kyoto, where Ayana had been transferred earlier. The JASDF sent two F-15 Eagles in an attempt to shoot Iris down, but he was able to evade them and almost destroyed them after getting in position behind the aircraft to counterattack. Before Iris could do so, the fighter pilots were saved by the sudden arrival of Gamera, who engaged Iris in a mid-air battle. As the JSDF had been given orders to attack Gamera should he appear again following his battle with the Hyper Gyaos in Shibuya, MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile launchers shot at Gamera and slowed him down, inadvertently allowing Iris to continue on to Kyoto.
Soon, Iris landed in Kyoto with Gamera in pursuit. Iris battled Gamera through the city toward Ayana's location at Kyoto Station, all while Ayana watched and commanded him to kill Gamera. Iris managed to impale Gamera with his arm blade, leaving him incapacitated, and then attempted again to merge with Ayana. When Moribe intervened, the creature swatted him aside and sucked Ayana into his body against her will. While inside, Iris presented Ayana with recounts of his memories of killing her adoptive family. After witnessing this, Ayana realized that she fueled Iris' destruction with her hatred, and recalled the events that led to her becoming an orphan as they actually took place. Contrary to what she had believed, Super Gyaos instead of Gamera was the one who killed her parents. All seemed lost until Gamera suddenly punched through Iris' chest and ripped Ayana out.
Infuriated, Iris pinned Gamera's hand to a wall with his spear hand and began to absorb Gamera's energy. His tentacles began to form plasma fireballs, but Gamera quickly used a plasma fireball himself to sever his own hand. Iris fired the absorbed plasma fireballs at Gamera who used his stump to turn the plasma into the Banishing Fist. Gamera then used the fist to punch Iris through the wound he had made by retrieving Ayana, discharging incredible amounts of energy into Iris's body. Iris shrieked in agony, before becoming consumed in a massive explosion that blew apart most of what remained of Kyoto Station's concourse. Victorious, Gamera stood atop what was left of Iris's body, and set down the capsule that held Ayana.
Abilities
Tentaclancers
Iris has four tentacles sprouting from his back called Tentaclancers (テンタクランサー Tentakuransā). Each one is equipped with a spear-like tip, which Iris can use as stabbing weapons as well as to drain prey and enemies of their life force.
Ultrasonic Scalpel
Like Gyaos, Iris can fire a Ultrasonic Scalpel (超音波メス Chōonpa Mesu) beam from the ends of his Tentaclancers. This beam is superior in power to the one fired by Gyaos, able to pierce Gamera's shell, and can be fired in four directions simultaneously thanks to the function of Iris' Tentaclancers.
Anti-Plasma Field
Iris can use a technique called the Anti-Plasma Field (アンチ・プラズマ・フィールド Anchi Purazuma Fīrudo) to deflect Gamera's plasma fireballs, accomplished by swatting the fireballs away with his Tentaclancers. The fireballs repelled by the Anti-Plasma Field set much of the city of Kyoto ablaze.
Flight
By splitting his Tentaclancers in half, Iris is able to unveil four membrane-like wings, which allow him to levitate and fly. He also possesses biological jets (生体ジェット seitai jetto) within the spurs beneath his shoulders which grant him a flight speed of up to Mach 9.[4] Despite Iris' large size, his wings and jets allow him to outpace F-15J Eagle fighter jets or perform evasive maneuvers to evade incoming missiles. In the event of being attacked, Iris can recombine two of his Tentaclancers to fire his Ultrasonic Scalpel in aerial combat. Twice he demonstrated this ability, once in an attempt to shoot down two F-15J Eagles in retaliation for being shot at and again to defend himself from Gamera's shell cutter attack.
Spear Absorber
Iris has two retractable blades located on his forarms arms called Spear Absorbers (スピア・アブソーバ Supia Abusōba) which he can use for close quarters combat. The blades are sharp enough to pierce Gamera's shell and, like the Tentaclancers, can absorb the life force of whatever they pierce. At the climax of their fight, Iris attempted to pin Gamera's hand against the wall of the Kyoto Station with his Spear Absorber, though this ultimately ended in his defeat when Gamera severed his own hand and formed the Banishing Fist.
Overboost Plasma
After absorbing Gamera's blood through his Spear Absorber, Iris gained the ability to fire his own Overboost Plasma (オーバーブースト・プラズマ Ōbābūsuto Purazuma) fireballs, also known as Fake Plasma Fireballs (偽プラズマ火球 Nise Purazuma Kakyū), from the ends of his Tentaclancers. This proved to be Iris's downfall as Gamera absorbed the Overboost Plasma into the stump of his severed arm, forming the Banishing Fist which he used to destroy Iris.
Gene Snatcher
Iris has a bioluminescent organ in the center of his chest called the Gene Snatcher (ジーン・スナッチャー Jīn Sunatchā), which he can use to absorb targets for fusion. He attempted to forcibly absorb Ayana Hirasaka into his Gene Snatcher twice, but was stopped both times by Moribe and Gamera, respectively.
Durability
Iris has a hard carapace much like Gamera's own shell, granting him impressive durability. His only vulnerable point seems to be his chest area around his Gene Snatcher, which Gamera successfully exploited to both free Ayana from Iris' clutches and ultimately destroy him with the Banishing Fist.
Psychic connection
Like Gamera, Iris has his own Atlantean magatama through which he forms a psychic bond with Ayana Hirasaka, strengthening him. By physically absorbing Ayana into his Gene Snatcher, Iris attempts to become even more powerful.
Video games
- Gamera: Dream Battle (1999) - Sega Dreamcast VMU
- CR Gamera: The Battle Pachinko (2009) - pachinko
- Gamera Battle (2012) - GREE, Mobage
- Symphogear XD UNLIMITED (2017; added in 2020) - Android and iOS
Gamera Battle
Iris appears in Gamera Battle.
Iris in Gamera Battle
Symphogear XD UNLIMITED
Iris appears in the Gamera Dai Kaijū Zesshō collaboration event. Serena Cadenzavna Eve later acquires Iris armor.
Iris in Symphogear XD UNLIMITED
Concept art of Serena Cadenzavna Eve's Iris armor in Symphogear XD UNLIMITED
Comics
- Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999)
- Gamera vs. Barugon: Comic Version (2003)
- The Last Hope (2017) [egg]
Gallery
- Main article: Iris/Gallery.
Roar
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Trivia
- Various evolutional variants of Gyaos appeared in the 1997 video game Gamera 2000, and some of those, such as the Bionic Gyaos and the Gyaos Man, bear several physical remembrances to Iris, including humanoid-like postures, luminous organs on their heads and chests, and multiple tentacles that fire energy projectiles.
- Although Mother Legion is the tallest opponent Gamera has faced, Iris is easily the longest, with his adult form's tentacles being nearly 2 kilometers long when fully outstretched.
- Like SpaceGodzilla from the Godzilla series, Iris' origin is contested. While it is assumed that like Gamera and the Gyaos, Iris was created by the Atlanteans, it is also suggested that Iris is the Guardian of the South in East-Asian Mythology, corresponding to the real Vermilion Bird constellation. Furthermore, Mayumi Nagamine proposes that Iris is simply a mutation of the Gyaos. All that is known is that Iris is genetically related to the Gyaos, and has some kind of connection to the Atlanteans. Whether they in fact created Iris and why they did is unknown.
- Iris is the sole monster in the Gamera series who has no mouth. However, this doesn't hinder his ability to vocalize. As a baby, Iris makes light chirping noises, while as an adult, he makes loud droning and humming sounds.
- Iris' adult form was portrayed by suit actor Akira Ohashi, who played Gamera himself in the previous film, Gamera 2: Attack of Legion. Ohashi also plays Trauma Gamera in Ayana Hirasaka's nightmare sequence in the film, since it is portrayed using a refurbished Gamera suit from Gamera 2.
- The 2003 ADV Films DVD release of Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris included a feature-length "gag extra" where Gamera and Iris do an audio commentary together, speaking entirely in human English throughout, with Gamera portrayed as a man with a stereotypical British thespian voice, and Iris, probably due to its connection with the vampiric Gyaos, portrayed as a woman with a thick Eastern European accent.
- With a top flight speed of Mach 9, Iris can fly at hypervelocity speeds (Mach 8.8+), well above supersonic speeds (Mach 1+) and hypersonic speed (Mach 5+). Other monsters that can fly at hypervelocity speeds within Earth's atmosphere include Mothra Leo, Desghidorah, and Dagahra.
References
This is a list of references for Iris. 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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