"Gamera" Film Series

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About Gamera:  In Japan, there is only one "m" in the Gammera name.  In many of the English-language releases, there are two "m's".  Why?  I don't know.  You'll also find his name in some English versions spelled as "Gamera".  I think two "m's" looks tougher, and it's how a lot of us English-speaking people know the character.

Gammera is always compared to Godzilla by critics, and why not?  Gammera was certainly very inspired by the earlier, hulking lizard.  It's just another production company's (Daiei Productions) take on a giant reptile character.  Gammera has his own differences.  Unlike Godzilla, he can fly.  His shell is important for flying, attacking, and defense.  Unlike Godzilla, Gammera has a purpose for why he enters human circles; Gammera feeds on heat energy including fire and other sources.  Generally speaking, the monsters in Gammera's movies are usually more down-to-earth and within the extreme realm of possibility.  Godzilla often gets very farfetched by fighting giant robots and silly aliens.  I like both characters.  If you're into giant movie monsters, you should, too.

Gamera Easy Facts: Gamera is the creation of Daiei Productions in Japan.  He was inspired by the earlier, more well-known character of Godzilla from Toho Productions.

One M or Two?: 
In Japan, Gammera is spelled as Gamera.  The idea of two m's is something strictly American.  Why the two m's?  I'm not sure.  Maybe it was to make him sound mightier.  I prefer the two m's.  But his name is also on many American releases of the films as Gamera.

What is Gammera?:
Gammera is a giant, prehistoric turtle.

Gammera's Powers:
He can fly through power of rocket-propulsion.  When he has his head and limbs tucked inside his shell, he flies by spinning around.  When his head is sticking out, he flies straight without spinning around.  Why this is so is never explained.
Gammera can also breathe fire.

His Motivations:
Gammera is drawn to any place that has heat energy.  He feeds off of heat energy.  It just happens to be that most of the time where there's fire, there's a big, ugly monster.

Gammera's Enemies:

Barugon- This is the giant lizard that appeared in the second Gammera film, "War of the Monsters" (1966).  He has an extending tongue that fires freezing gas.  He can also emit a destructive rainbow from his back.  Gammera ultimately defeats him and drags him into the ocean where he dies.

Gaos-  He is the giant bat that appeared in the third Gammera film, "Gammera vs. Gaos" (1967).  His mighty wings created horrendous wind storms.  He breathed sonic waves that cut like knives.  He had the ability to regenerate body parts.  All this and he could fly.  Gammera beats him and drags him into an active volcano where he dies.

Jiger, aka Monster X-  This is the giant lizard from Hell who appeared in Gammera's sixth film, "Gammera vs. Monster X" (1970).  He fired long barbs from his mouth and breathed high frequency waves that formed heat energy.  Although he couldn't fly, he could jump long distances.  He had a poisonous tail that infected other creatures, namely Gammera, with its larvae.  Gammera killed him by sticking a large relic called Devil's Whistle through his brain.

Viras-  He appeared briefly near the end of Gammera's fourth film, "Destroy All Planets" (1968).  He's pretty much a giant squid from space.  No special powers.  Gammera took him into the sky where he froze, then dropped him into the ocean.

The Movies of Gammera: