As the second installment of the 60th anniversary project for the monster movie "Gamera" series, it has been announced that the Heisei Gamera trilogy, consisting of the first film "Gamera: Guardian of the Universe," the second film "Gamera 2: Invasion of Legion," and the third film "Gamera 3: The Awakening of Iris," will be screened again in theaters in Dolby Cinema versions. The first film, "Gamera: Guardian of the Universe 4K HDR Dolby Cinema," will be screened from November 21st, with the second and third films to follow.
The Dolby Cinema version underwent high dynamic range (HDR) grading under the supervision of Kidokoro Hiroshi, who served as cinematographer for "Gamera: Guardian of the Universe" and "Gamera 2: Attack of Legion," and Murakawa Satoshi, who served as cinematographer for "Gamera 3: The Awakening of Iris." It is said that they have succeeded in extracting information that was outside the realm of expression of the original 35mm negative film, such as the rich gradation of black and Gamera's fireball, which makes use of the high brightness of the high dynamic range.
Director Kaneko Shusuke, who worked on the Heisei Gamera trilogy, commented, "Gamera in Dolby Cinema is great. The images are clearer than they were back then, and it feels like it was returned to the set, but Dolby sound really transports you to a fantasy world. The day after heavy rain, it was sunny and we started filming on Himegami Island. We threw all our belongings onto the street and got high, thinking, 'We're making a monster movie!' I got excited when I saw Shinobu-chan and Hotaru-san's serious look, and then it was time for special effects Gamera! Gyaos! We were surprised and excited by the silent rush, and when we created the sound so that it wouldn't be outdone, Otani Sachi created the wonderful music. Our combined powers were at work once again...Reiwa NOW Showa Heisei Gamera, Roar!"
As part of the 60th anniversary project, it was also announced that the crowdfunding "Gamera Permanent Preservation Project" to restore the Gamera that appears in "Gamera 2: Attack of Legion" will be carried out from August 25th to September 29th. The "Gamera Permanent Preservation Project" was launched in 2021 with the aim of restoring the Gamera used in filming at the time, as a project to connect "Gamera" to the future. The first crowdfunding campaign was to restore Gamera from "Gamera: Guardian of the Universe," and the second was to restore Gamera from "Gamera 3: The Awakening of Irys," and both received support that exceeded their target amounts.
The suit used for close-up shots in "Gamera 2: Attack of Legion" still exists, but it is deteriorating. This time, with the goal of "recreating and preserving the Gamera of that time in its perfect form," special makeup artist and sculptor Tomoo Haraguchi will create a new suit using the original mold from the time of filming, which has been carefully stored for about 30 years.
Haraguchi commented, "I'm Haraguchi Tomoo, who was in charge of monster modeling for the 'Heisei Gamera' series. This year, 2025, marks 60 years since the birth of the original Showa Gamera, 'Gamera the Giant Monster.' It's also 30 years since 'Gamera: Guardian of the Universe,' which was created by Director Kaneko, Director Higuchi, and the rest of us on the film staff. The year in which the giant monster Gamera was truly born has arrived. In this memorable year, I would like to express my gratitude to all the supporters who love this 'film' and have shown so much support and enthusiasm in achieving the 'G1 and G3 Gamera Permanent Preservation Plan.' Next, I would like to finally celebrate the Gamera anniversary with the realization of 'Gamera 2: Attack of Legion' and the 'Permanent Preservation Plan' for G2 Gamera."
"At the time of filming, the G2 Gamera costume was made by reusing and modifying the body of G1 Gamera. The original warm-up suit is still in poor condition, but it has been carefully preserved by Yuji Nishimura. ...This time, we will use the original G2 mold made at the time based on the body made for the 'Gamera Permanent Preservation Project G1', and restore G2 Gamera using highly durable materials, just like the previous two crowdfunding campaigns!" he said. "With the power of this third crowdfunding campaign, we would like to restore G2 Gamera! And the majestic figures of the three Gameras from the 'Heisei Gamera Trilogy'! And we would like to celebrate the anniversary of Gamera's birth with everyone. We would appreciate your support in making the 'Gamera Permanent Preservation Project G1' a reality."
It was also announced that an exhibition and merchandise event, "Gamera EXPO," will be held at Yurakucho Marui (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) from November 22nd to December 7th. If the crowdfunding campaign to restore Gamera from "Gamera 2: Attack of Legion" is successful, all three Gameras from the Heisei Gamera trilogy will be gathered together.
Gamera is a monster that appears in the special effects film "Gamera the Giant Monster," released by Daiei in 1965, and is modeled after a turtle. He is a child who protects people from danger to the Earth, a champion of justice, and flies in a circular saucer shape. Since "Gamera the Giant Monster," a total of eight films have been produced as the "Showa Gamera" series, including "Space Monster Gamera." Other series include the "Heisei Gamera" series and "Little Braves: Gamera." In 2023, the anime "GAMERA -Rebirth-" began streaming on Netflix. The series was also broadcast on NHK General TV.
