Showa Gamera Suits

[king_ghidorah]

[Mac]

Yeah, I probably wouldn't have revisited Gamera vs Jiger if it weren't for the SHOUT releases.

[jellydonut25]

[king_ghidorah]

[Legion]

Ok can we perhaps back just a little bit please...

Just how many Gamera suits were built for the original series? I know the first two suits were different and the one from Gamera vs Gyaos was also different. But how many new ones were built between that film and Zigra? The suit used in Jiger looks a lot cleaner and in better shape than the one from Guiron, so was that one new?

I'm thinking that there were at least 4 Gamera suits used throughout the Showa series.

[king_ghidorah]

[TripMasterMunky]

Yo, how can you not like Gamera?

In the first movie, they can't beat him so they decide to put him in a frickin' rocket to blast him INTO SPACE. Then the 2nd movie immediately starts off with Gamera being pissed and BREAKING OUT OF THE ROCKET IN SPACE TO FLY BACK TO EARTH.

That's cinematic quality. Godzilla could never do that sh!t.

[Mac]

There's definitely a new suit made between Guiron and Jiger. The Jiger suit is missing the fin on top of the head.

[king_ghidorah]

[The Real McCoy]

[king_ghidorah]

[Tyler E. Martin]

[king_ghidorah]

[dramaranger]

[king_ghidorah]

[TreverT]

I'll put in my wish on this long-dormant thread that I'm one more person who would love to see a nice detailed article on the differences between the Showa Gamera suits. They were so close, but I'm sure there must have been numerous small changes that would be interesting to know about.

Also, must admit to a great fondness for Gamera the Brave. After GGOTU, it's my favorite of the newer Gamera movies - I thought it did a wonderful job of merging the upbeat kid movie feeling with some great monster action. It's a shame so many people take one look at the kiddie Gamera suit in it and dismiss the entire movie.

[ILL GREEN]

[MekaGojira3k]

[Benjamin Haines]

[ILL GREEN]

[MosugojiNoGyakushu]

Here's an interesting little story I read in an old Oriental Cinema magazine I think. The effects techs had the Gamera suit strung up for a shot where he breathes fire. They actually used to run a gas hose in the suit up to the mouth to shoot real fire,it wasn't an animated effect. Anyways the gas line apparently sprung a leak and caused an explosion inside the suit! And the worse part was just a few minutes before the Gamera suit actor was inside the thing and they did a fire breath effect with him in it! The poor guy probably crapped himself after seeing that happen.

[jellydonut25]

Toho isn't even interested in doing GODZILLA justice anymore (and I'm referring to the last 20 years). Why would you have any faith in them?

[ILL GREEN]

[Snowdenzilla]

The 90's Gamera films go toe to toe with or beat most of the heisei and millenium films- I don't know why ANYONE would wish for Toho to take on the character with their rushed production schedules.


Toho's Godzilla series lost it's soul pretty much after 1989. There's nothing in their films post Biollante that would make me think, "Ooh, I wanna see them do Gamera". By contrast, there's much in the 90's Gamera films that still make me wish that the later Godzilla films could have been different.

[jellydonut25]