Finally, the conclusion to the Gamera trilogy comes. Toho released Gamera 3 back in 1999 and it is generally viewed as the best one.
A few years have passed since the Legion and the Gyaos flying dinosaurs have returned and are appearing in different locations all over the world. An ornithologist by the name of Mayumi Nagamine assists the Japanese Government to battle the Gyaos.
There is an interesting underwater scene when a Gamera graveyard is discovered revealing several Gameras skeletons.
However the best scene is when Gamera crashes into Kyoto Station while battling one of the Gyaos. Imagine a huge monster destroying Tampa International Airport and that will give you some idea of how large Kyoto Station is. Gamera is nearly killed in this fight but manages to succeed and flies off. So many innocent people are killed that Gamera is ordered to be destroyed by the government.
While all the monster action is going on, Gamera 3 also tells the story of its human characters such as Ayana, a junior high school girl whose family was killed by Gamera during a battle from the first movie.
Ayana discovers an egg that contains a monster with tentacles that she names Iris. Iris is brought into the world through all of Ayana’s hatred and anger towards Gamera. Iris becomes the monster sent to carry out Ayana’s revenge.
Iris attempts to join with Ayana by forming a cocoon over the girl. Ayana is eventually freed and Iris flies off only to grow larger and dangerous. Later on Ayana is absorbed into Iris.
Iris battles Gamera and nearly kills him at Kyoto Station.
Inside of Iris, Ayana is able to communicate with Iris and understand the creature’s feelings as it battles against Gamera.
Gamera saves Ayana by plunging into Iris’s chest and shielding the girl in his hand. Gamera then destroys Iris with a powerful energy blast. Next, he opens his hand and puts Ayana down. Ayana awakens as Gamera gets mad and flies off. Instead of saving humanity, he flies off as millions of Gyaos descend on the Earth to wreak havoc.
This is the darkest Gamera movie because he decides to let humanity be destroyed after putting up with so much.
A few actresses return, such as Shinobu Nakayama who plays Mayumi Nagamine in the first and third movie. Ayako Fujitani comes back as Asagi Kusanagi. A beautiful Japanese model, Ai Maeda, plays Ayana.
vTaken together all three films work well and it is interesting to spend a lazy Saturday viewing all three at once.
I believe that the '90’s Gamera trilogy has something to offer to even the most hardened Kaiju fan.
"The Asian Aperture" is ©2010 by Jason Fetters. Webpage design and all graphics herein (except where otherwise noted) are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2010 by Nolan B. Canova.
