Gamera Vs. Jiger

This movie was one of the better Gamera Showa Era movies. It didn't use the often seen
aliens attacking Earth storyline, but one that is slightly new for the series. This
movie features the first female kaiju in Jiger.

Jiger is a crawling monster that fires spikes or spines from its face. AS stated above
it is a female kaiju and has the ability to implant its offspring into other creatures,
which it does to Gamera in this movie.

The whole thing with Gamera being implanted with Jiger's offspring is a new idea for the
kaiju series. The movie really took some different takes on the storyline. It had the
mystic element with the ancient statue that caused a curse and was used in the confining
of Jiger underground until being released by the Expo people. This movie also didn't
rely much on the use of stock footage like Destroy All Planets (Gamera vs Viras) did.
This film also gives a small scientific talk on Gamera and shows a biological image of
Gamera. This gives Gamera a more animal idea toward it than just a monster.

A lot of the characteristics for this movie really helped make it more watchable then
some of the other Gamera films.

The battles between Gamera and Jiger were also pretty good. Though Gamera being unable
to get up after the first battle is somewhat wrong. The first Gamera movie had Gamera on
his back and in that movie he got up by flying. The second battle had its problems, but
was better then the first battle. The final battle had its strange points (i.e. Gamera
putting things in his ears), but it was just as good as the previous battle and doesn't
detract from the movie.

In all this is a very well done kaiju film and one of the better Gamera movies prior to
the Kaneko movies in the 90's.

Directed By

Noriaki Yuasa

Released

1970