Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit (2008)
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Guilala's Counterattack: The Toyako Summit Attack Crisis (2008)
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This summer, comes the crisis of humanity's downfall (この夏、人類滅亡の危機)
The fate of our world is entrusted in "Take-Majin." (世界の命運は”タケ魔神”に託された。) |
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— Tagline |
Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit (ギララの逆襲 洞爺湖サミット危機一発 Girara no Gyakushū: Tōyako Samitto Kiki Ippatsu, lit. "Guilala's Counterattack: The Toyako Summit Attack Crisis") is a 2008 tokusatsu kaiju comedy film directed and co-written (with Masakazu Migita) by Minoru Kawasaki. Funded by the Guilala 2008 Production Committee (consisting of Shochiku, Eisei Gekijo, Wedge Holdings, Rivertop, Tornado Film, DefSTAR Records, and famima.com), it was produced by Rivertop with special effects by the Tokusatsu Lab. The film stars Natsuki Kato, Kazuki Kato, comedy troupe The Newspaper, and Beat Takeshi. Tornado Film released it to Japanese theaters on July 5, 2008, the first major appearance of Guilala since 1967's The X from Outer Space.
Plot
In the year 2008, the leaders of the G8 nations - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Great Britain, and the United States - have gathered for a summit in Japan. Meanwhile, two Japanese journalists named Sumire Sumidagawa and Sanpei Toyama discover a hidden village full of worshipers. They are driven out as outsiders intruding on a sacred ceremony. Shortly afterward, a meteorite crashes into the heart of Sapporo and releases the space monster Guilala. The monster rampages through Sapporo, leaving death and destruction in its wake. After leveling the city, Guilala transforms into a giant ball of fire and flies to Hokkaido, making its way to the G8 Summit. The Prime Minister of Japan proposes cancelling the summit for the safety of all involved, but the President of the United States convinces the other world leaders to personally stay and fight. Shortly after forming a world alliance, each leader stays to fight for reasons of their own.
Sumire and Sanpei are sent to get news on Guilala's rampage; however, their efforts are unsuccessful as other news groups are also looking for big news on the monster. During the G8 Summit's efforts to stop Guilala, Sumire encounters a little boy that she saw at the village's ceremony. Believing that the village might know how to stop Guilala, Sumire and Sanpei return for answers. They find a carving of Guilala, which they also notice is battling another monster. That figure is known as "Take-Majin," a deity that the villagers worship. An ancient prophesy predicted that Guilala was going to destroy the world, but that he would be stopped by Take-Majin, who would awaken to save mankind from Guilala. The little boy that Sumire met earlier worshiped Take-Majin after his father was killed in a landslide.
At the same time, the leaders soon discover the reason for Guilala's appearance on Earth was due to a Chinese satellite that fell out of orbit and was the crashed "meteorite" in Sapporo. Assisting the leaders is Dr. Sano, a Japanese scientist who discovers that Guilala is actually a cosmic spore attached to the probe that was exposed to Earth's atmosphere, causing it to grow into the monster. He also figures out that the crash caused Guilala to lose a lot of energy and it is searching for "high temperature" energy in order to recharge itself. The doctor does not think the monster will leave Japan until it finds the energy that it needs. Meanwhile, Guilala arrives at the Noboribetsu Power Plant and sucks all of the energy out of it.
Hoping to trap Guilala, the Japanese set up an earthquake generator near the fictional "Mt. Showa" to draw Guilala to a magma flow and destroy it with a super missile known as "the Vulture". Guilala arrives to feed, but it swallows the missile whole when it is fired at the monster with no ill effects. Soon, other countries are scrambling with their own "super" weapons, but each one fails in comedic fashion. In the middle of all this, the Japanese Prime Minister is waylaid by diarrhea and is replaced by Junzaburo Ohizumi, a former Prime Minister and a friend of the U.S. President. He arrives to help in the battle, but seems shifty. Ohizumi even suggests using nuclear weapons, but is stared down by the other leaders. After the Germans' poisonous gas fails to kill Guilala, and instead only functions as laughing gas to it, it dances with the setting Sun.
When Guilala's mind is damaged by a British brainwashing weapon, the monster begins a wild rampage. Ohizumi suddenly reveals that he is, in fact, the Supreme Leader of North Korea and that he had stolen Ohizumi's identity during a state visit. He then reveals that the Japanese interpreters attending the G8 Summit are all his spies and they all draw weapons, taking the world leaders hostage. He also announces that he plans on using a "limited" nuclear warhead to destroy Guilala. Meanwhile, President Sorkozy of France has finally bedded the translator, who confesses her true identity. Clad only in a towel, Sorkozy creates a distraction, which allows Japanese soldiers to rush the spies. The Supreme Leader of North Korea is captured, but not before managing to launch the nuclear missile at Guilala. Dr. Sano announces that Guilala's spores are now re-energized and that if the missile strikes, it will spread the spores worldwide.
Concerned with the planet's safety over their own, Sumire and a reluctant Sanpei participate in Take-Majin's awakening ceremony. Just when Take-Majin is about to wake up, the entire village is evacuated by the Army when the nuclear missile is fired at Guilala. But Take-Majin suddenly awakens and stops the missile by catching it with his buttocks, allowing it to explode inside of him harmlessly. He then confronts Guilala, preparing for battle. After a long battle Take-Majin is victorious, decapitating Guilala and saving mankind as prophesied. Take-Majin then disappears back into his shrine to sleep once again. The G8 Summit leaders celebrate their victory by taking a bath in a hot spring (despite the Supreme Leader of North Korea escaping during the fight).
Staff
- Main article: Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit/Credits.
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Minoru Kawasaki
- Written by Masakazu Migita, Minoru Kawasaki
- Executive producers Takeo Hisamatsu, Kazutaka Akimoto, Masafumi Fukui, Shunsuke Fujiwara, Yasuhiko Uramoto
- Co-executive producers Shinobu Suzuki, Shuntaro Kanai, Minoru Kawasaki
- Produced by Masanobu Suzuki, Koichi Shioda
- Music by Yasuhiko Fukuda
- Theme song "cosmic mind"
- Performed by DEV PARADE
- Written by Daisuke Hanzi, COYASS
- Composed by ugagin
- Cinematography by Takashi Suga
- Edited by Yosuke Yafune
- Production design by Tetsuya Uchida
- First assistant director Takashi Ochiai
- Special effects advisor Hiroshi Butsuda
- First assistant director of special effects Ryotaro Kogushi
Cast
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Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
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Appearances
Monsters
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Weapons, vehicles, and races |
Gallery
- Main article: Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit/Gallery.
Soundtrack
- Main article: Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit/Soundtrack.
Alternate titles
- Monster X Strikes Back/Attack the G8 Summit
- Guilala's Counterattack: Lake Toya Summit Crisis
Theatrical releases
- Japan - July 5, 2008; July 26, 2008 (re-release)
Video releases
Tokyo Shock DVD (2009)
- Region: 1
- Discs: 1
- Audio: Japanese (2.0 Mono)
- Subtitles: English
- Special features: Publicity photo slideshow (4 minutes), trailers for other Tokyo Shock DVD releases
Though Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit is not available on Blu-ray, an HD version of it can be rented or purchased on the Japanese versions of Amazon Video and iTunes.
Videos
Trailers
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Trivia
- During an interview in the film, a local man says that he would have preferred to have had Varan or Baragon attack Hokkaido over Guilala.
External links
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