Monster Zero x SciFi Japan - Archive Only

A while back, I read an interview or quote from Shusuke Kaneko where he said that each of his three Gamera films represented a tribute to a different type of movie. But I can't remember the exact movie types he meant, other than Gamera 2 being in the style of a classic mid 60s Toho epic. Can anyone remember what he said? Or provide a link?

Thanks. I did a lot of looking online for the answer before I came here to ask.

Well, I'm not sure of a specific quote, but Guardian of the Universe is classic '60s Toho all the way. It really feels more like a Honda Godzilla film than a Gamera film, haha.

Gamera 2 is definitely '50s American sci-fi, mixed with a straight war movie (I do recall Kaneko saying that he wanted to portray the struggles with and alongside kaiju as realistically and with the same gravity as a war movie. The same goes for GMK).

Gamera 3, I've no idea, though it pretty much is a live-action anime, and that probably was what Kaneko was going for.

I've always felt that G1 is in the mold of a mid-to-late '60s Toho film, G2 the Toho and basically any sci-fi films from '50s to early '60s (bit of Ultra Q, too), while G3 reflects contemporary Japanese fantasy and sci-fi.

I've always thought GOTU is the most Gamera of these movies, G2 the most Toho-Godzilla-style, and G3 as the most Kaneko in its sensibilities.

I tried to find the interview but I remember reading Kaneko wanted G1 to have more of a straight sci-fi/fantasy action/adventure feel to it, with G2 being more of a 'Gamera teams up with the military' movie and G3 being more of a psychological thriller with kaiju.

I'll add my two cents:

GOTU: To me feels like a modern take on a Showa Gamera film
G2: Feels very Honda-y to me
G3: Feels very Evangelion/anime inspired

The Evangelion/Anime reference is very spot on. To the point the train station battle is constantly referenced in pop culture themed anime like Lucky Star.

Interesting how cyclical it all is since Evangelion is ridiculously Ultraman-inspired.