Gamera Trilogy: When a Turtle Was Better Than Godzilla | Video Essay

Godzilla 2019 monsters are motion capture. So in a way, they are man in suit, digital suit.

The Gamera Trilogy is just simply the best trilogy in the whole Kaiju genre. I literally have to go back to the 60’s to find Godzilla films that I could say either match, or exceed, them. There are things done in those films that I don’t even think Hollywood was able to replicate.

I absolutely love Godzilla, he is my favorite giant monster, but these Gamera films are some of the best kaiju movies I've seen.

That 90's Gamera trilogy is awesome! Also Ayako Fujitani is great. So much more talent than her more famous dad.

Great taste. The Gamera Trilogy probably has the best films the genre has to offer. It’s just solid not just as Kaiju movies, but as movies too. I’m glad people acknowledge the merit in the Trilogy.

"It's like Batman v. Superman, only made 17 years ago and better" ooohhhh!!! A-C burns!!!

I saw Gamera 2: Attack of Legion on VHS in Russia as a kid. i was really shocked to see Gamera appear as well. And this was before I ever saw any godzilla movies.

These movies are some of the top kaiju movie experiences you can get

Here is a interesting fact, the actress playing the girl with the connection with Gamera is Steven Seagal's daughter.

It's amazing how far a bit of world building and an actual effort at continuity go towards creating meaningful content.

Now we just need Toho to wise up and make a Godzilla vs. Gamera movie. Or let Legendary do it.

One of the most underrated Kaiju ever. Gamera needs to come back to the huge screen.

Am i seriously the only one who remembers the gamera trailer from like 2016?

If Hollywood ever does make a big budget Gamera flick it NEEDS to be directed by Guillermo Del Toro. The dude has a clear eye for this aesthetic and the more mystical parts of the giant Kaiju is definitely within his wheelhouse. I hope we get it another Gamera film like these three in the future.

Hell yeah man. Heisei Gamera is the bomb. The whole Sendai destruction in Advent of Legion is one of the most shocking destruction sequences I've seen in a Kaiju film and then in Iris you literally get one of the most hilariously awesome finishes in Toku with Gamera taking a page from Guts and firepunching. It's awesome they looked as good as they did, being cheaper than Godzilla films. Kaneko would later go on to make GMK and Higuchi would codirect Shin Gojira, hands down the best Godzilla films in the 21st century.

Thank you for the amazing review! The 1990s had so many great monster movies, and The Gamera Trilogy is among the best monster series I have ever watched; this is coming from a long time Godzilla fan. I think it is also great that it ends at three movies, and does not overstay its welcome, although a reboot similar in tone is pretty much welcome (not Gamera the Brave).

The Heisei Gamera trilogy is like the perfect story-writing that balances kaijuu battles and human story development. I absolutely loved Shin Godzilla but even Shin Goji does not surpass the Gamera trilogy in terms of the human character development. Felt so surreal when I stood in Kyoto Station two years ago, with Gamera and Iris's showdown running through my head.

8:15 This sentence caught me off guard. Hahaha...

Godzilla will always be my favorite, but I remember the first time I saw all 3 of these movies. I was blown away. Some of the best monster movies ever made. Hands down the best from the 90s.

Right there with you on this one. This is arguably my very favorite daikaiju movie series, and I'm a lifelong Godzilla fan saying that. For all the reasons you mentioned, and let us not forget the music in all three movies! Kou Ohtani did a magnificent job enhancing the mood of every scene. Gamera making a powerful comeback was just what the genre needed at that time, since Toho had gotten complacent with Godzilla. Daiei did not disappoint. Thanks for this wonderful video essay!