Space Amoeba (creature)
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The Space Amoeba (宇宙生物 Uchū Seibutsu, lit. "Space Creature") is an alien lifeform which serves as the main antagonist of the 1970 Toho film Space Amoeba.
Name
In the Japanese dialogue for Space Amoeba and most official Japanese-language publications, this alien entity is referred to as either the Space Creature (宇宙生物 Uchū Seibutsu) or Space Amoeba (宇宙アメーバ Uchū Amēba). However, in Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia, it is given the full name Space Creature Bemular (宇宙生物 ベムラー Uchū Seibutsu Bemurā).[1] In Toho's international English language version of the film, the alien-controlled Obata refers to his species as Astro-Quasars. The entity's name is not spoken in American International Pictures' version of the film, although its title suggests it may be called Yog (ヨグ Yogu). According to producer Fumio Tanaka, this name may have been chosen as an homage to the works of H. P. Lovecraft.
Origins
The Space Amoeba is an advanced alien force that achieved its amoeba-like form after reaching an advanced stage of evolution. It seems to suggest in its conversations with human characters that it is not one individual being, but an entire race of aliens that have evolved into one single entity.
History
Showa era
Space Amoeba
The Space Amoeba came to Earth on board the space probe Helios 7, which re-entered the atmosphere and crashed into the South Pacific Ocean. It traveled to Sergio Island and used its powers to possess and transform an oceanic cuttlefish, creating Gezora. Gezora rampaged around the island, causing havoc for its inhabitants and the JSDF until the people managed to lure Gezora into a field of flames, horrifically burning the creature and forcing it to retreat into the ocean. As Gezora began to die, the Space Amoeba escaped and possessed a rubble crab, forming Ganimes. Ganimes returned to the island, damaging the buildings by slamming into them with its claws, until it was destroyed by explosives. The Space Amoeba was split into three when Ganimes exploded into pieces and possessed the human Makoto Obata along with another rubble crab and a mata mata turtle, forming a second Ganimes and Kamoebas. Coordinating the efforts of both kaiju, the Space Amoeba appeared to have control over the island until Obata resisted its control and released a swarm of bats from a cave. With the Space Amoeba rendered helpless by the bats' sonar, its control over Ganimes and Kamoebas dissipated, and the two monsters clashed. Eventually, both monsters fell into a volcano, while Obata sacrificed himself by jumping into the volcano's crater, destroying the Space Amoeba for good.
Comics
- Space Amoeba (1970)
- Godzilla: Monsters & Protectors #5 (2021)
Abilities
Mind control
The Space Amoeba can possess creatures and turn them into giant monsters that follow its will. It can also possess human beings and use them to speak. However, these creatures can escape its control.
Intangibility
The Space Amoeba is intangible and can pass through both metal and organic matter with ease.
Durability
The Space Amoeba can survive atmospheric entry with no injury. It also survives the destruction of multiple hosts, and when Ganimes is blown to pieces, the amoeba simply divides.
Trivia
- One of the monsters controlled by the Space Amoeba, Kamoebas, returns in Godzilla: Tokyo SOS as a carcass that washes ashore after being killed by Godzilla. It is never explained if this Kamoebas was created by the Space Amoeba as well, but it is established that a second Kamoebas appeared on Sergio Island 17 years after the events of Space Amoeba.
- The alternate Japanese name for the Space Amoeba, "Space Creature Bemular," is shared by the kaiju Bemular, which debuted in Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman four years prior to Space Amoeba. "Bemular" was also the name of a heroic kaiju which was to be the star of one of the early proposed concepts for Ultraman.
References
This is a list of references for Space Amoeba (creature). 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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