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{{Tab
{{Tab
|credits=Gamera: Super Monster/Credits
|credits     =Gamera Super Monster/Credits
}}
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{{Nav Design
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|type       =[[Gamera|Gamera]] [[:Category:Gamera Films|Films]]
|type         =''[[Gamera (franchise)|{{glow|Gamera}}]]'' [[:Category:Gamera Films|{{glow|films}}]]
|name       =Gamera: Super Monster
|name         =''Gamera Super Monster''
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|prev         =Gamera vs. Zigra
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|next       =Gamera: Guardian of the Universe
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{{Infopelicula
{{Infobox Film|ratings=yes
|type1       =Dark
|type1       =Charcoal
|type2       =Dark
|type2       =Red
|header      ={{Daiei}} {{Kaijup}} {{Film}}
|image       =10479726_425560977599736_5962234640660771414_n.jpg
|image       =Gamerasuper.jpg
|caption     =The Japanese poster for Gamera Super Monster
|caption     =The Japanese poster for Gamera: Super Monster
|dt           =''Gamera Super Monster'' (1980)
|dt         =''Gamera: Super Monster'' (1980)
|name         =''Gamera Super Monster''|titles=yes|alt-titles=yes
|name       =''Gamera: Super Monster''|titles=yes|alt-titles=yes
|jp-title     =''Space Monster Gamera'' (1980)
|jp-title   =''Space Monster Gamera'' (1980)
|us-title    =''Gamera Super Monster'' (1980)
|director   =[[Noriaki Yuasa]]
|intl-title  =''Super Monster'' (1980)
|producer   =[[Masaichi Nagata]], [[Hirozaki Ohba]], [[Shigeru Shinohara]], [[Yasuyoshi Tokuma]], [[Masaya Tokuyama]]
|director     =[[Noriaki Yuasa]]
|writer     =[[Nisan Takahashi]]
|producer     =Hirozaki Oba et al.
|composer   =[[Shunsuke Kikushi]]
|writer       =[[Nisan Takahashi]]
|distributor =[[Daiei]]{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}<br>Filmways Television{{sup|[[United States|US]]}}
|composer     =[[Shunsuke Kikuchi]]
|rating     =Not Rated
|produced    =[[Daiei Film|Daiei Film Releasing]]
|runtime     =92 minutes<br>{{Small|(1 hour, 32 minutes)}}
|distributor =[[Daiei Film|Daiei Film Releasing]]{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}, [[American International Pictures|Filmways]]{{sup|[[United States|US]]}}
|aspectratio =1.85:1
|rating       =Not Rated
|runtime     =92 minutes<br>{{Small|(1 hour, 32 minutes)}}
|aspectratio =1.85:1{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}<br>1.33:1{{sup|[[United States|US]] TV}}
}}
}}
'''''Gamera: Super Monster''''' {{Nihongo|宇宙怪獣ガメラ|Uchū Kaijū Gamera|lit. ''Space Monster Gamera''}} is a [[1980]] [[tokusatsu]] [[:Category:Kaiju Films|kaiju film]] produced by [[Daiei|Daiei Motion Picture Company]]. It is the eighth and final entry in the Showa [[Gamera]] series, and the last Gamera film written by Nisan Takahashi and directed by Noriaki Yuasa. It was released to Japanese theaters on March 20, 1980.
{{quote|Clash of monsters VS giant spaceships! A thrilling and exciting special effects blockbuster!|parenthetical=怪獣VS巨大宇宙船の激突!スリルと興奮の特撮超大作!|Japanese tagline}}
{{quote|The most riveting film in the history of motion pictures!|International tagline (trailer)}}
'''''Gamera Super Monster''''' {{Nihongo|宇宙怪獣ガメラ|Uchū Kaijū Gamera|lit. "''Space Monster Gamera''"}} is a [[1980]] [[tokusatsu]] [[:Category:Kaiju Films|kaiju film]] directed by [[Noriaki Yuasa]] and written by [[Nisan Takahashi]], with special effects by Yuasa. Produced by [[Daiei Film|Daiei Film Releasing]], it is the eighth entry in the [[Gamera (franchise)|''Gamera'' series]] and final entry in the [[Showa era|Showa series]], the first ''Gamera'' film to be produced by Daiei Film, and the last feature-length ''Gamera'' film to be directed by Yuasa and written by Takahashi. It stars Mach Fumiake, Yaeko Kojima, Yoko Komatsu, Keiko Kudo, and Koichi Maeda. The film was released to Japanese theaters by Daiei Film Releasing on March 20, 1980. It aired on television in the [[United States]] later that same year, and also received an English-dubbed theatrical release in [[Australia]] under the title '''''Super Monster'''''.
 
''Gamera Super Monster'' features special effects scenes consisting almost entirely of stock footage from the seven previous Showa ''Gamera'' films, with the only new footage consisting of shots of Gamera in flight and of his legs while walking. Young Keiichi befriends three extraterrestrial superheroines called the [[Spacewomen]], who learn that the evil captain and crew of the pirate spaceship ''[[Zanon]]'' intends to attack [[Earth]] using the giant monsters [[Gyaos]], [[Zigra]], [[Viras]], [[Jiger]], [[Guiron]], and [[Barugon]]. Fortunately, [[Gamera]] rises to battle the ''Zanon''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> monster pawns, while Keiichi and the Spacewomen contend with the ''Zanon''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> agent on Earth, [[Giruge]]. ''Gamera Super Monster'' failed at the Japanese box office, placing the series on hiatus for 15 years until its 30th anniversary. The series was rebooted in [[1995]] with ''[[Gamera the Guardian of the Universe]]''.
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==Plot==
==Plot==
When the evil alien [[Zanon]] comes to enslave the Earth in his [[Spaceship Zanon|mothership]], all hope seems lost. The Earth's resident superheroes, the [[Spacewomen]], are powerless to stop him. They must enlist the help of a young boy who has a special connection with Gamera. The friend of all children then fights and kills the revived [[Gyaos]], [[Zigra]], [[Viras]], [[Jiger]], [[Guiron]], and [[Barugon]]. He then sacrifices himself to kill Zanon by destroying his spaceship.
{{Stub}}
{{Clear}}
When the pirate spaceship ''[[Zanon]]'' makes its way to [[Earth]] to destroy it, all hope seems lost. The Earth's resident superheroes, the [[Spacewomen]], are powerless to stop the ship, its captain and its army of monsters. They must enlist the help of a young boy who has a special connection with [[Gamera (Showa)|Gamera]]. The friend of all children then fights and kills [[Gyaos]], [[Zigra]], [[Viras]], [[Jiger]], [[Guiron]], and [[Barugon]]. He then sacrifices himself to destroy the ''Zanon''.
==Staff==
==Staff==
{{Main|Gamera Super Monster/Credits}}
{{Staffs
{{Staffs
|Directed by=[[Noriaki Yuasa]]
|Directed by|[[Noriaki Yuasa]]
|Written by=[[Nisan Takahashi]]
|Written by|[[Nisan Takahashi]]
|Produced by=Hirozaki Ohba, Shigeru Shinohara, Yasuyoshi Tokuma, Masaya Tokuyama
|Planned by|Masaya Tokuyama
|Executive Producing by=[[Masaichi Nagata]]
|Executive producer|Hirozaki Oba
|Music by=Shunsuke Kikuchi
|Produced by|Masaya Tokuyama, Shigeru Shinohara
|Cinematography by=Michio Takahashi, Akira Uehara
|Music by|[[Shunsuke Kikuchi]]
|Edited by=Zenko Miyazaki, Tatsuji Nakashizu, Shoji Sekiguchi
|Cinematography by|[[Akira Kitazaki]]
|Production Design by=Akira Inoue, Tomohisa Yano
|Edited by|Tamotsu Taga
|Assistant Directing by=Hiromi Munemoto
|Production design by|Tsuneo Yokojima
|Special Effects by=[[Noriaki Yuasa]]
|First assistant director|[[Hirochika Muraishi]]
|Director of special effects|[[Noriaki Yuasa]] (uncredited)
}}
}}
==Cast==
==Cast==
{{Main|Gamera Super Monster/Credits}}
{{Cast
{{Cast
|Mach Fumiake|Kilara
|Mach Fumiake|Kilara
|Yaeko Kojima|Marsha
|Yaeko Kojima|Marsha
|Yoko Komatsu|Mitan
|Yoko Komatsu|Mitan
|Keiko Kudo|Giruge
|Keiko Kudo|[[Giruge]]
|Koichi Maeda|Keiichi
|Koichi Maeda|Keiichi
|Toshie Takada|Keiichi's Mother
|Toshie Takada|Keiichi's Mother
|Kisao Tobita|Driver
|Kisao Tobita|Driver
|Osamu Kobayashi|[[Zanon]] (voice)
|Osamu Kobayashi|Captain of the ''[[Zanon]]'' (voice)
|[[Toru Kawai]]|[[Gamera]]
}}
===International English dub===
{{Cast
|Suzanne Vale|Kilara
|Chris Hilton|Driver / Captain of the ''Zanon'' / Punk / News Announcer / Reporter
|Ted Thomas|Policeman / Narrator / Photographer
}}
}}
==Appearances==
==Appearances==
Line 64: Line 78:
{{Col-2}}
{{Col-2}}
===Monsters===
===Monsters===
*[[Gamera]]
*[[Gamera (Showa)|Gamera]]
*[[Gyaos]] (stock footage)
*[[Gyaos]] (stock footage)
*[[Guiron]] (stock footage)
*[[Guiron]] (stock footage)
Line 71: Line 85:
*[[Viras]] (stock footage)
*[[Viras]] (stock footage)
*[[Zigra]] (stock footage)
*[[Zigra]] (stock footage)
*[[List of minor monsters#Dodzilla|Dodzilla]] (poster)
{{Col-2}}
{{Col-2}}
===Weapons, Vehicles, and Races===
===Weapons, vehicles, and races===
*[[Spacewomen]]
*[[Spacewomen]]
*[[Zanon]]
*''[[Zanon]]''
*[[Spaceship Zanon]]
*[[Brainwave Control Device]] (stock footage)
*[[Virasian Mind-Control Device]] (stock footage)
*[[Flying Van]]
*Flying Van
*[[wikia:w:c:yamato:Yamato (OS)|Space Battleship ''Yamato'']] (stock footage)
*[[w:c:yamato:Yamato (OS)|Space Battleship Yamato]] (stock footage)
*[[wikia:w:c:tokinowa:999|Galaxy Express 999]] (stock footage)
*[[w:c:tokinowa:999|Galaxy Express 999]] (stock footage)
*[[Terran missile launcher]] (stock footage)
*[[Lockheed F-104 Starfighter]] (stock footage)
*[[Lockheed F-104 Starfighter]] (stock footage)
*[[Type 61 Tank]] (stock footage)
*[[Type 61 Tank]] (stock footage)
*Unidentified missile vehicle (stock footage)
*Unidentified missile vehicle (stock footage)
*[[Virasian UFO]] (stock footage; erroneous)
*[[Virian UFO]] (stock footage; erroneous)
{{Col-end}}
{{Col-end}}


==Alternate Titles==
==Alternate titles==
*'''''Space Monster Gamera''''' (Literal Japanese Title)
*'''''Space Monster Gamera''''' (literal Japanese title)
*'''''Super Monster''''' (Original English Title)
*'''''Super Monster''''' (original English title)
*'''''Gamera: The Super Monster''''' (original U.S. DVD title)
*'''''Gamera: Super Monster''''' (U.S. DVD title)
==Theatrical releases==
*[[Japan]] - March 20, 1980
*Australia - 1980
*France - 1983
*Poland - 1984
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
{{Main|Gamera: Super Monster/Gallery}}
{{Main|Gamera Super Monster/Gallery}}
==DVD and Blu-ray Releases==
==Video releases==
<b>Shout! Factory</b> DVD (2010)
'''[[Shout! Factory]]''' DVD (2010)
*Region: 1
*'''Region:''' 1
*Discs: 1
*'''Discs:''' 1
*Audio: Japanese (1.0 Mono), English (1.0 Mono)
*'''Audio:''' Japanese (1.0 Mono), English (1.0 Mono)
*Special Features: Photo galleries
*'''Special features:''' Photo galleries
*Notes: Both versions of the film use the same Japanese video track. Packaged with ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]''.
*'''Notes:''' Both versions of the film use the same Japanese video track. Packaged with ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]''.


<b>Mill Creek</b> DVD (2014) [Gamera: Legacy Collection]
'''[[Mill Creek Entertainment|Mill Creek]]''' DVD (2014) [''Gamera: The Legacy Collection'']
*Region: 1
*'''Region:''' 1
*Discs: 4
*'''Discs:''' 4
*Audio: Japanese (1.0 Mono)
*'''Audio:''' Japanese (1.0 Mono)
*Special Features: None
*'''Special features:''' None
*Notes: Packaged with ''[[Gamera]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Barugon]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Gyaos]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Viras]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]'', ''[[Gamera: Guardian of the Universe]]'', ''[[Gamera 2: Attack of Legion]]'', and ''[[Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris]]''.
*'''Notes:''' Packaged with ''[[Gamera the Giant Monster]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Barugon]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Gyaos]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Viras]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]'', ''[[Gamera the Guardian of the Universe]]'', ''[[Gamera 2: Attack of Legion]]'', and ''[[Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris]]''.


<b>Mill Creek</b> Blu-ray (2014) [Gamera: Ultimate Collection, Volume 2]
'''Mill Creek''' Blu-ray (2014) [''Gamera: The Ultimate Collection Volume 2'']
*Region: N/A
*'''Region:''' N/A
*Discs: 2
*'''Discs:''' 2
*Audio: Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
*'''Audio:''' Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
*Special Features: None
*'''Special features:''' None
*Notes: Packaged with ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'', and ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]''.
*'''Notes:''' Packaged with ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'', and ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]''.
 
'''[[Arrow Video]]''' Blu-ray (2020/2021) [''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' and ''Gamera: The Showa Era'']
*'''Region''': A and B
*'''Discs''': 8 (''The Complete Collection'') or 4 (''The Showa Era'')
*'''Audio''': Japanese and English (DTS-HD Master Audio Mono)
*'''Subtitles''': English
*'''Special features''': Audio commentary by Richard Pusateri, introduction by August Ragone (6 minutes), opening and end credits from the international and Filmways versions of the film (11 minutes), Japanese and international trailers, and an image gallery. ''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' includes 12 art cards by [[Matt Frank]], a map of Gamera's appearances throughout the world, and two books; the first collects ''A History of Gamera'' by Patrick Macias, a 1996 Noriaki Yuasa interview by David Milner, kaiju x-ray illustrations by Jolyan Yates, three ''Fangoria'' articles on the Heisei Gamera trilogy by [[Norman England]], a guide to the English dubs of the Gamera series by James Flower, and information on the transfers presented in the set, while the second reprints the comics ''[[Gamera (comic)|Gamera]]'' and ''[[The Last Hope]]''.
*'''Notes''': ''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' is out of print. Packaged with the other 11 [[Gamera (franchise)|Gamera]] films in ''The Complete Collection'' and the other seven Showa Gamera films in ''The Showa Era''. Due to the large number of special features in these sets, only the supplements pertinent to ''Gamera Super Monster'' are described above.
==Videos==
==Videos==
===Trailers===
{{Videos|
{{Videos|
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">0wWiJAIw2p8</youtube>|Japanese trailer}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">U3PnLHf78Yg</youtube>|Japanese ''Gamera Super Monster'' trailer}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">OwB3HYzPgFE</youtube>|English beginning and end credits}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">iIMspQNiPY0</youtube>|International ''Super Monster'' trailer}}
}}
===Miscellaneous===
{{Videos|
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">OwB3HYzPgFE</youtube>|U.S. beginning and end credits}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">R4Sefhtyzns</youtube>|International beginning and end credits}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">ldUIbuqSk7E</youtube>|English monster supers}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">ldUIbuqSk7E</youtube>|English monster supers}}
}}
}}


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Every one of the monsters fought by [[Gamera]] in the [[Showa era|Showa series]] appears in this film via stock footage, each with a subtitle regarding their name. In order, he fights the revived [[Gyaos]], [[Zigra]], [[Viras]], [[Jiger]], [[Guiron]] and [[Barugon]].
*While Gamera is presumed dead at the end of this film, the manga ''[[Manga Boys Special Edition: Gamera]]'' depicts his resurrection with an artificial sun based on plasma energy technologies used by Atlantis, which also alters his appearance to resemble the Gamera of the Heisei trilogy. Afterwards, he is sent to the past with a time machine to defeat evil kaiju and monitor humanity.<ref>[https://twitter.com/bigfire_tada/status/1216360534678724608 マンガボーイズ版ガメラ、昭和ガメラと平成ガメラを「『宇宙怪獣ガメラ』でザノン号と相討ちになったガメラは転生したことで姿が変わり、人類を守るため過去の地球に送られて歴史が変わったことで、平成ガメラは昭和ガメラの歴史とは異なる別アースとなった」という説明で繋げていてすげえ興奮する]</ref>
*Every one of the monsters fought by [[Gamera]] in the [[Showa era|Showa series]] appears in this film via stock footage from each of the films they first appeared in, with each beginning with a subtitle revealing their name. Gamera fights [[Gyaos]], [[Zigra]], [[Viras]], [[Jiger]], [[Guiron]], and [[Barugon]], in that order.
*Actress Mach Fumiake, who portrays the Spacewoman Kilara, was a professional wrestler at the time this film was made.
*Actress Mach Fumiake, who portrays the Spacewoman Kilara, was a professional wrestler at the time this film was made.
*The "[[Gamera Song|Gamera March]]" theme song is absent from this film, and a new theme song, "Love for Future," appears multiple times.
*The "[[Gamera March]]" theme song is absent from this film, and a new theme song, "[[Love for Future]]," appears multiple times.
*This film, because of the heavy use of stock footage (which took up over a third of the film), featured only about two minutes of new Gamera footage.
*This film, because of the heavy use of stock footage (which took up over one-third of the film), featured only about two minutes of new Gamera footage.
*As can be seen from the poster, the film features [[Spaceship Zanon|a spaceship]] which bears a suspicious resemblance to an Imperial Star Destroyer, an obvious attempt to capitalize on the success of the ''Star Wars'' films.
*The film features [[Zanon|a spaceship]] which bears a suspicious resemblance to an Imperial Star Destroyer, an obvious attempt on Daiei's part to capitalize on the success of the ''Star Wars'' saga. The second film in the series, ''Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back'', opened in Japan four months later.
*As Gamera originally fought Guiron on an alien planet ([[Terra]]), a plot device was created for this film that allowed Gamera to travel to his enemies' locations.
*As Gamera originally fought Guiron on an alien planet (i.e., [[Terra]]), a plot device was created for this film that allowed Gamera to travel to his enemies' locations.
*At one point in the movie, Gamera knocks over a billboard. The camera then zooms closer to revealing it as an advertisement for a film titled "''Sayonara Dojira''," featuring artwork strongly resembling [[Godzilla]], Gamera's box-office rival. Ironically, the Godzilla series had been in a hiatus for over 5 years by the time of the release of ''Gamera: Super Monster'', meaning that there was little competition on the market for Daiei to go up against.
*At one point in the film, Gamera knocks over a billboard while destroying [[Tokyo]] under the spaceship ''Zanon''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> control. The camera then zooms closer, revealing it as an advertisement for a film titled "''Sayonara Dojira''", featuring artwork strongly resembling [[Godzilla]], Gamera's box-office rival. Ironically, the Godzilla series had been in hiatus for over five years by the time of the release of ''Gamera Super Monster'', meaning that there was little competition on the market for Daiei to go up against at the time.
*The name of the main antagonist in this film, Zanon, appears to be a corruption/transliteration of the chemical element [[wikipedia:Xenon|Xenon]], a noble gas. This is ironic, given that Zanon is particularly villainous.
*The name of the antagonistic spaceship in this film, ''Zanon'', appears to be a corruption / transliteration of the chemical element [[wikipedia:Xenon|xenon]], a noble gas. This is ironic, given that the spaceship ''Zanon'' is particularly villainous.
*One scene shows Gamera flying with ''Yamato'' from the anime ''Space Battleship Yamato'' and another shows Gamera chasing the Galaxy Express 999 from the titular anime, both of which combine live-action footage of Gamera with animation.
*One scene in the film shows Gamera flying with the ''Yamato'' from the anime ''Space Battleship Yamato'' and another one shows Gamera chasing the Galaxy Express 999 from the titular anime, both of which combine live action footage of Gamera with animation.
*Daiei contracted Equis Productions to create new Gamera suits and props for this film, as the existing ones had been destroyed in a fire after Daiei went bankrupt. Equis created a suit and a prop for the film, although Daiei ultimately decided to primarily use stock footage from previous films, relegating the prop to a few brief scenes and the suit to a single shot of its lower body.
*Daiei contracted Ex Productions to create new Gamera suits and props for this film, as the previously existing ones had all been destroyed in a studio fire after Daiei went bankrupt in 1971. Ex created a Gamera suit and a Gamera prop for the film, though Daiei ultimately decided to primarily use stock footage from the seven previous films, relegating the prop to a few brief flying scenes and the suit to a single shot of its lower body.
{{Kaiju Movies}}
 
{{Era|DAI|SHO|FIL|GAM|GYA|ZIG|VIR|JIG|GUI|BRU}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Kaiju Movies|tab=Gamera}}
{{Comments|scroll=yes}}
{{Era|DF|SHO|FIL|GAM|GYA|ZIG|VIR|JIG|GUI|BRU}}
[[Category:Films]]
[[Category:Films]]
[[Category:Kaiju Films]]
[[Category:Kaiju Films]]
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[[Category:Japanese films]]
[[Category:Japanese films]]
[[Category:Showa Series]]
[[Category:Showa Series]]
[[Category:Kadokawa]]
[[Category:Showa Films]]
[[Category:Showa Films]]
[[Category:Films dubbed in Hong Kong]]

Latest revision as of 00:10, 20 March 2024

Article.png
Image gallery for Gamera Super Monster
Credits for Gamera Super Monster


Gamera films
Gamera vs. Zigra
Gamera Super Monster
Gamera the Guardian of the Universe
Gamera Super Monster
The Japanese poster for Gamera Super Monster
Alternate titles
Flagicon Japan.png Space Monster Gamera (1980)
Flagicon United States.png Gamera Super Monster (1980)
Flagicon global.png Super Monster (1980)
See alternate titles
Directed by Noriaki Yuasa
Producer Hirozaki Oba et al.
Written by Nisan Takahashi
Music by Shunsuke Kikuchi
Production company Daiei Film Releasing
Distributor Daiei Film ReleasingJP, FilmwaysUS
Rating Not Rated
Running time 92 minutes
(1 hour, 32 minutes)
Aspect ratio 1.85:1JP
1.33:1US TV
Rate this film!
2.04
(57 votes)

Clash of monsters VS giant spaceships! A thrilling and exciting special effects blockbuster! (怪獣VS巨大宇宙船の激突!スリルと興奮の特撮超大作!)
„ 

— Japanese tagline

The most riveting film in the history of motion pictures!
„ 

— International tagline (trailer)

Gamera Super Monster (宇宙怪獣ガメラ,   Uchū Kaijū Gamera, lit. "Space Monster Gamera") is a 1980 tokusatsu kaiju film directed by Noriaki Yuasa and written by Nisan Takahashi, with special effects by Yuasa. Produced by Daiei Film Releasing, it is the eighth entry in the Gamera series and final entry in the Showa series, the first Gamera film to be produced by Daiei Film, and the last feature-length Gamera film to be directed by Yuasa and written by Takahashi. It stars Mach Fumiake, Yaeko Kojima, Yoko Komatsu, Keiko Kudo, and Koichi Maeda. The film was released to Japanese theaters by Daiei Film Releasing on March 20, 1980. It aired on television in the United States later that same year, and also received an English-dubbed theatrical release in Australia under the title Super Monster.

Gamera Super Monster features special effects scenes consisting almost entirely of stock footage from the seven previous Showa Gamera films, with the only new footage consisting of shots of Gamera in flight and of his legs while walking. Young Keiichi befriends three extraterrestrial superheroines called the Spacewomen, who learn that the evil captain and crew of the pirate spaceship Zanon intends to attack Earth using the giant monsters Gyaos, Zigra, Viras, Jiger, Guiron, and Barugon. Fortunately, Gamera rises to battle the Zanon's monster pawns, while Keiichi and the Spacewomen contend with the Zanon's agent on Earth, Giruge. Gamera Super Monster failed at the Japanese box office, placing the series on hiatus for 15 years until its 30th anniversary. The series was rebooted in 1995 with Gamera the Guardian of the Universe.

Plot

When the pirate spaceship Zanon makes its way to Earth to destroy it, all hope seems lost. The Earth's resident superheroes, the Spacewomen, are powerless to stop the ship, its captain and its army of monsters. They must enlist the help of a young boy who has a special connection with Gamera. The friend of all children then fights and kills Gyaos, Zigra, Viras, Jiger, Guiron, and Barugon. He then sacrifices himself to destroy the Zanon.

Staff

Main article: Gamera Super Monster/Credits.

Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.

Cast

Main article: Gamera Super Monster/Credits.

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.

  • Mach Fumiake   as   Kilara
  • Yaeko Kojima   as   Marsha
  • Yoko Komatsu   as   Mitan
  • Keiko Kudo   as   Giruge
  • Koichi Maeda   as   Keiichi
  • Toshie Takada   as   Keiichi's Mother
  • Kisao Tobita   as   Driver
  • Osamu Kobayashi   as   Captain of the Zanon (voice)

International English dub

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.

  • Suzanne Vale   as   Kilara
  • Chris Hilton   as   Driver / Captain of the Zanon / Punk / News Announcer / Reporter
  • Ted Thomas   as   Policeman / Narrator / Photographer

Appearances

Monsters

Weapons, vehicles, and races


Alternate titles

  • Space Monster Gamera (literal Japanese title)
  • Super Monster (original English title)
  • Gamera: The Super Monster (original U.S. DVD title)
  • Gamera: Super Monster (U.S. DVD title)

Theatrical releases

  • Japan - March 20, 1980
  • Australia - 1980
  • France - 1983
  • Poland - 1984

Gallery

Main article: Gamera Super Monster/Gallery.

Video releases

Shout! Factory DVD (2010)

  • Region: 1
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese (1.0 Mono), English (1.0 Mono)
  • Special features: Photo galleries
  • Notes: Both versions of the film use the same Japanese video track. Packaged with Gamera vs. Zigra.

Mill Creek DVD (2014) [Gamera: The Legacy Collection]

Mill Creek Blu-ray (2014) [Gamera: The Ultimate Collection Volume 2]

Arrow Video Blu-ray (2020/2021) [Gamera: The Complete Collection and Gamera: The Showa Era]

  • Region: A and B
  • Discs: 8 (The Complete Collection) or 4 (The Showa Era)
  • Audio: Japanese and English (DTS-HD Master Audio Mono)
  • Subtitles: English
  • Special features: Audio commentary by Richard Pusateri, introduction by August Ragone (6 minutes), opening and end credits from the international and Filmways versions of the film (11 minutes), Japanese and international trailers, and an image gallery. Gamera: The Complete Collection includes 12 art cards by Matt Frank, a map of Gamera's appearances throughout the world, and two books; the first collects A History of Gamera by Patrick Macias, a 1996 Noriaki Yuasa interview by David Milner, kaiju x-ray illustrations by Jolyan Yates, three Fangoria articles on the Heisei Gamera trilogy by Norman England, a guide to the English dubs of the Gamera series by James Flower, and information on the transfers presented in the set, while the second reprints the comics Gamera and The Last Hope.
  • Notes: Gamera: The Complete Collection is out of print. Packaged with the other 11 Gamera films in The Complete Collection and the other seven Showa Gamera films in The Showa Era. Due to the large number of special features in these sets, only the supplements pertinent to Gamera Super Monster are described above.

Videos

Trailers

Japanese Gamera Super Monster trailer
International Super Monster trailer

Miscellaneous

U.S. beginning and end credits
International beginning and end credits
English monster supers

Trivia

  • While Gamera is presumed dead at the end of this film, the manga Manga Boys Special Edition: Gamera depicts his resurrection with an artificial sun based on plasma energy technologies used by Atlantis, which also alters his appearance to resemble the Gamera of the Heisei trilogy. Afterwards, he is sent to the past with a time machine to defeat evil kaiju and monitor humanity.[1]
  • Every one of the monsters fought by Gamera in the Showa series appears in this film via stock footage from each of the films they first appeared in, with each beginning with a subtitle revealing their name. Gamera fights Gyaos, Zigra, Viras, Jiger, Guiron, and Barugon, in that order.
  • Actress Mach Fumiake, who portrays the Spacewoman Kilara, was a professional wrestler at the time this film was made.
  • The "Gamera March" theme song is absent from this film, and a new theme song, "Love for Future," appears multiple times.
  • This film, because of the heavy use of stock footage (which took up over one-third of the film), featured only about two minutes of new Gamera footage.
  • The film features a spaceship which bears a suspicious resemblance to an Imperial Star Destroyer, an obvious attempt on Daiei's part to capitalize on the success of the Star Wars saga. The second film in the series, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, opened in Japan four months later.
  • As Gamera originally fought Guiron on an alien planet (i.e., Terra), a plot device was created for this film that allowed Gamera to travel to his enemies' locations.
  • At one point in the film, Gamera knocks over a billboard while destroying Tokyo under the spaceship Zanon's control. The camera then zooms closer, revealing it as an advertisement for a film titled "Sayonara Dojira", featuring artwork strongly resembling Godzilla, Gamera's box-office rival. Ironically, the Godzilla series had been in hiatus for over five years by the time of the release of Gamera Super Monster, meaning that there was little competition on the market for Daiei to go up against at the time.
  • The name of the antagonistic spaceship in this film, Zanon, appears to be a corruption / transliteration of the chemical element xenon, a noble gas. This is ironic, given that the spaceship Zanon is particularly villainous.
  • One scene in the film shows Gamera flying with the Yamato from the anime Space Battleship Yamato and another one shows Gamera chasing the Galaxy Express 999 from the titular anime, both of which combine live action footage of Gamera with animation.
  • Daiei contracted Ex Productions to create new Gamera suits and props for this film, as the previously existing ones had all been destroyed in a studio fire after Daiei went bankrupt in 1971. Ex created a Gamera suit and a Gamera prop for the film, though Daiei ultimately decided to primarily use stock footage from the seven previous films, relegating the prop to a few brief flying scenes and the suit to a single shot of its lower body.

References

This is a list of references for Gamera Super Monster. 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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Daiei Film
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Movie
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