Gamera: Rebirth

It's great to see Gamera back, but perhaps he should've taken a few more years off.
This series is painfully mediocre, offering up: one-dimensional characters, plotline clichés with convoluted 'twists', and cheap animation. It serves as a solid celebration of the franchise it represents, but has little to justify the road from kaiju to kaiju.

If you're a fan of Gamera, Rebirth provides heavy nostalgia by revisiting & reimagining many of the more recognizable kaiju from his Showa era. These are beautifully executed & redesigned, even if a few of them fall flat in terms of delivery. Nonetheless, I think that's where this series shines. It's a ... fun experience filled with quality kaiju battles and a handful of duds, but if you're looking for anything more that's where this starts to fall apart.

Characters are largely unlikeable & shallow. There are a few occasions where the series tries to expand on and grow characters, but it's never done in a way that feels organic. Sometimes, it feels like subverting expectations just for the sake of it. Other times, it tries to create an emotional payoff without any meaningful build-up.

The plotline is about as good as you can expect from a Showa entry, existing solely to move from one kaiju to the next - often borrowing clichés and overused ideas from the genre as a whole in a way that doesn't feel particularly satisfying.

It's really the kind of anime you just want to watch for the action sequences, but even those are often held back by its lackluster animation. Though, admittedly, the animation is best during those climactic moments whereas more clumsy animation tends to show up during the build-up of an episode. Most characters look unnatural, static, and often even lifeless throughout the series.

Ultimately, Gamera: Rebirth sets out to be a love-letter to the series and as such it delivers well enough. Returning kaiju are well utilized, and there are plenty of homages for a long-standing Gamera fan to sink their teeth into. If you're looking for something that might measure up to the depth & storytelling of Gamera's Heisei trilogy, however, you're not going to find that here. And if you're new to Gamera entirely, I'd recommend skipping this one until you've become more acquainted - ideally through the aforementioned Heisei trilogy.

I didn't know anything about Gamera, I had only heard the name, although I do know about kaijus, Godzilla and Ultraman. I loved this series. Veteran fans who have been talking about Gamera from 1965 are very annoying, seriously, you can't see everything the same as you did 60 years ago. If we had to judge everything by the original canons, nothing would ever be right, because the original is almost always the best, so don't be annoying.

And then there are those who directly suspend the series for having this type of animation. Netflix has already released quite a few series like this (quite good ... by the way), and that's okay, for me it's not my favorite style of animation, but this animation fits very well with the type of anime it is. I found the kaijus spectacular, as well as the battles, which is the main thing. In addition, I found the story quite entertaining and much better than I expected. It's not easy to make a compelling story when you know that there is a pattern for each chapter where a new kaiju, gamera, and fight will always appear.

That Gamera has an average rating of between 6 and 7 with these two previous handicaps, means that the series is really 8 and 9, or at least, 7 to 8. These series with this type of animation do not go beyond "fine" by default is already a classic that surprises no one. This is one of those series where you can't trust the MA rating.

Extra: The opening is ****** amazing, worthy of the best shounen arc of naruto, bleach, one piece or boku no hero.

At the time of this review, it has now been 18 years since Gamera, the rocket powered flying turtle kaiju had made any form of on screen appearance. 2006's Gamera the Brave, which received generally unfavourable reviews, would be the last time the franchise would receive any new iteration for years.
With the triumphant return of Godzilla in 2014 and the kaiju renaissance started by 2013's Pacific Rim now being in full swing, many fans of the kaiju genre, myself included, clamored for the return of our favourite turtle.
Unfortunately, Gamera Rebirth would end up not being the great return we were hoping for.

Firstly, the series is ... directed by Hiroyuki Seshita who co-directed the atrocious Godzilla anime trilogy and the series is also animated in the same 3-D style which doesn't look good and comes across as stiff and janky in most places. The characters aren't particularly interesting as they just feel dull and the story definitely leaves much to be desired.

Gamera Rebirth was definitely a series that had a lot of hype behind it prior to it's release due to the fact that Gamera hadn't been seen for many years but just ended up being a disappointing series that left a bad after taste.
And honestly, Gamera deserves better.

For those unaware, Gamera was created in the 1960's to rival Toho's "Godzilla" franchise. And while he started out as what could be considered a "spoof" character, he quickly earned himself a spot alongside the other big monsters (Godzilla, Kong, Ultraman). Hell, Gamera even has managed to outshine Godzilla on more than one occasion! Especially in regards to the 1990's "Heisei Trilogy". However, Gamera disappeared in 2006 after the film "Gamera the Brave". Not even the "kaiju resurgence" in the early 2010's managed to bring him back (with titles like "Pacific Rim", "Godzilla 2014", and "Kong: Skull Island" bring monsters back into the mainstream media ... feed.)

So this begs the question, how does Gamera fare after his 17 year hibernation? I'd personally say this series is a great start and I'm just glad the big turtle is back in action. The choice to bring the character back via animation was a questionable one (especially after the reception of the "Polygon / Netflix Godzilla Trilogy" and "Godzilla Singular Point"; which I am going to say are not nearly as bad as the "durr no hooman only monster" crowd would have you believe). The animation is definitely, less than desirable for the human characters. But when it comes to the monsters themselves, the designs are excellent modern interpretations of these classic kaiju! Gamera & co move surprisingly fast and the battles are all very entertaining. And while we wait for these colossal clashes to happen, the human storyline is pretty decent and keeps your attention. Another thing non-fans may not know is Gamera's association with children, he is usually their protector and this series continues that tradition. While the story isn't groundbreaking, its a blend of the Showa & Heisei narratives that delivers about what you'd expect. Now the music is phenomenal, and the ending credits play a wonderful, tear-jerking cover of a beloved Gamera song and it's just perfect!

I certainly hope we get to see more of Gamera, and sooner rather than later! The lead up to this show was a lot of fun and it would be terribly sad to see him disappear after finally coming back. (Plus, Gamera whooped Kong's ass this year if you compare this show to "Skull Island"...)

I'm going to make a quick review on Gamera: Rebirth because it's almost the end of 2023 and the series is still kinda new, so here are my small thoughts on it!

For those who don't know about Gamera himself: Gamera is a giant turtle Kaiju that got quite the fame before the 2000' in Japan for being a Godzilla's contrasting rival when it comes to Japanese monster movies. But the big guy went silent for quite a long period, his last movie being Gamera the Brave from 2006 and no other projects have been taken since. But finally the turtle has made a comeback with ... an Netflix animated series called Gamera: Rebirth, it draws the attention of not only our protagonist, but also 5 other Kaijus that Gamera has already faced before during the Showa period: Gyaos, Jiger, Zigra, Guiron and Viras. The series is mainly focused on our protagonist fighting other monsters to save the Earth and the population in danger, but there's also a side story about four kids going into an adventure trying to escape and getting safe from the Kaijus.

The plot is as simple as you can get: monster action and human characters trying to give us a reason of why we should care about the monster action. If we have to compare this to other anime series with giant monsters like Godzilla Singular Point, the Godzilla anime trilogy or even Attack on Titan at some point, Rebirth doesn't try to give a complicated story or a deep meaning/complex message behind the Kaiju fights, it's just a 6 episodes run where the fans will probably have a bless of a time revisiting their lovable monster going against his enemies once again. The action itself is quite the spectacle, the way the monsters can fly or jump around while still having some sort of weight and impact on every hit they get is satisfying + the GCI doesn't look to bad on the monsters, I've obviously seen better CGI in other animated series but the monsters aesthetic (along with their design) are charming to look.

But obviously since Rebirth only appeals to the fans and Kaiju enjoyers, it does not appeal to everybody else. If you're not into anything that is related to monsters and just want to see a series with a good story and adrenaline-pumping action scenes, then you're probably going to hate this. No aspect of Rebirth I would consider being mind blowing or peak fiction, it's just a chill laid-back time and enjoying everything that happens on screen for the sake of it. The kids who we follow through out all of this aren't anything I would write a book about, there's a lot of development and few cute or tragic moments which can help us having some sort of sympathy for the kiddos but still, nobody in this anime has left me any impact or relevance after its ending. And also, when I briefly mentioned the CGI not looking bad on the Kaijus, unfortunately the same thing doesn't apply with the rest. The human characters look awful, the CGI makes them look like side characters from a PS2 game, their movements are to stiff and rigid, not to mention their character design are very generic. It's one aspect I can compliment Godzilla Singular Point for, having characters that look great animated in 2D and having their design being very memorable even years after re-watching that show, but Rebirth does the very opposite. It was a very noticeable problem from seeing the first trailer and sadly it has been the same from start to end. Gamera does carry the entire cast on its shell, he's intimidating whenever countering another monster but also protective and badass in a lot of scenes, maybe one of my favorite interpretation of the character so far, his design is very sick and awesome as well.

To end it quickly, Gamera: Rebirth is a generic series that doesn't try to do anything spectacular, but it's also a series that knows what it is and it's not afraid to being mindless popcorn entertainment. That's why I can't give to much shit for what it is, but at same time I can't recommend it to a general audience and there are other Gamera entries that can offer you a much better experience: like the Gamera Heisei trilogy or Gamera the Brave that I mentioned before. For being a return of an iconic monster I can't help but think they could have tried to do something more memorable or fascinating. But then again this is just a stupid animated series and not a live-action movie so fuck it. I'm starting to believe that there can't be many anime involving Kaijus that are actually good (especially if they're made by Netflix), I'll might have an all new appreciation for the Gridman Universe!

17 years later and Gamera is finally back on our screens! It's about damn time!

Hiroyuki Seshita has more than made up for the Godzilla anime trilogy with this. Granted the frankly awful 3D character models don't blend at all with the 2D backgrounds nor more stylistic kaiju designs but for what it's worth, the writing is actually rather decent despite the confused tone which can't decide if it wants to be for kids or adults. It constantly vibes like one of those 80s "band of kids go on an adventure" movies, e.g. The Goonies which is probably why I liked it so much, it also ... pays homage to every Gamera movie and iteration although much more from the Shōwa era than the superior Heisei trilogy. Helps that the episodes are 45 minutes long which makes it feel like linked mini-movies as opposed to an actual series. The music by Shuji Katayama is awesome, every time Gamera appears he is accompanied by a rocking guitar riff and the songs by WANIMA are pretty fabulous as well. The voice acting is all pretty good but no one really stood out to me in either language. Overall, Rebirth is a particularly fine return to the screen for our loveable giant turtle. It's not perfect but I would gladly take more if they could iron out the animation issues.

You know how the Monster verse tends to be. With the Live action Godzilla series and Godzilla vs Kong 2 on their way, we have a lot to expect but Gamera Rebirth assured me that the MonsterVerse will forever continue to live up to its name.

The plot was just great. We have 3 childhood friends who want to make sure that no matter how far apart they are , they're always gonna be together. The bond between Joe and Boko was the most intriguing one. We are told how Joe's little brother and mom died while he was in grade school and how his dad ... spiraled into depression forcing Joe to work as a paper boy to pay off their debts. Character development was also unique in the case of sea weed hair from Eustace(forgive me for I've forgotten his name).😂😂

The art was alright. Not overloaded with too much CGI effects unlike other Netflix series. It was up to my expectations.

The characters were amazing. Each was so unique and had their conflicting moments where they had to make choices that will determine how their lives would go.

The opening theme was radical!! I got the same feeling whenever I listen to Bloody Power Fame from Bastard!!

Overall, the anime was really great. The first fall 2023 anime and I'm already excited for what fall has to throw at us. I suggest you watch this.

I'm a fan of the Gamera films, so I was excited to dive into Gamera Rebirth. However, I can confidently say that this anime is not just for the die-hard fans; it has a lot to offer to newcomers as well.

One of the standout features is its homage to the Showa Era (1926-1989) of the Gamera Films. The inclusion of classic kaiju from that era, the focus on children, and even introducing an American child character all pay tribute to the nostalgic elements that fans of the original films will surely appreciate.

The core of the story revolves around the children introduced in the first episode ... and Gamera's unwavering commitment to protect them. The kaiju battles are a definite highlight, filled with excitement and showcasing Gamera's remarkable adaptability in the face of formidable adversaries.

While the kaiju action takes center stage, the human story is more focused on the children and the adults accompanying them. Additionally, Gamera Rebirth injects a dose of sci-fi elements into the mix, adding a layer of intrigue and expanding the universe beyond simple monster brawls. The voice acting in the anime is praiseworthy. The cast, which includes a few notable names, delivers solid performances that enhance the overall viewing experience. I would recommend this overall, enjoy and watch some kaiju battles along with a wacky human story.

Gamera Over.

Netflix anime has always existed in a state of balance. For every incredible Netflix anime adaption, there must be anime that is such incredible garbage you’d think it was taken from the “Crunchyroll Originals” lineup -before that piece of marketing died- to balance the scales back to neutral. Gamera: Rebirth is one such piece of stinky doo-doo-faeces. An unholy matrimony between some of the worst Kaiju movies in recent memory, the Micheal Bay Transformers movies and the 1995 animated TV series, Reboot… somehow?

Gamera: Rebirth is a coming-of-age story about three young friends trying to buy communication devices so that when they’re split up ... due to one of them transferring to another school they can stay friends forever, and an older cowardly American bully and son of a military general learning to what it means to be brave. I didn't care for these Saturday morning children’s TV storylines as I came to this anime about Kaiju for Kaiju battles. Unfortunately, Gamer: Rebirth told me to go and fuck myself as Kaiju battles took up maybe five minutes of each episode forty minute run time. The rest is spent on meaningless American Military leaders saying things to each other that don’t matter or “Oo-Ra-Ra-ing” before getting splatted by giant monsters, scientists theorising things the viewers have just witnessed or the four main kids being morons. The script is so uninspired yet weirdly American military propaganda-y and with the pacing of a slug even at 1.5x watch speed this anime is so fucking boring to watch.

Of course, this isn’t helped by the insanely bad CGI animation which is so janky you have to watch the anime at 1.5x just to make the viewing experience smoother. The character designs feel like a barely upgraded version of Reboot yet I feel like I’m watching animatronics. It's not as bad as something like Ex-Arm and to the show's credits there are some decent lighting and shading, but still, unless you’re watching the show at double speed it feels awkward to look at. That can be said of the Kaiju themselves. Despite being the title character. Gamera, along with Gyaos and Jiger look like CGI monster models animation studios use in half-assed isekai light novel adaptations. This is Studio ENGI’s first 3D anime and as the old saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, maybe don’t do it again, at least for a while…”

Gamera: Rebirth is a clumsy mess filled with too many human cliches, flat deliveries and episodes that are way too long. When will the creators of Kaiju battle media learn that people who come to watch giant monsters punch and fire lasers at each other are here to watch giant monsters punch and fire lasers at each other, destroying everything in their path whilst humanity helplessly looks on? Not to watch thirty-five minutes of kids spouting about how they'll be friends forever or American soldiers shouting nothing of value whilst we wait to get to the good bits.

1/10 The Worst.