Gamera

Gamera (Japanese: ガメラ, Hepburn: Gamera) is a giant monster, or kaiju, that debuted in the 1965 film Gamera, the Giant Monster by Daiei Film. The character and the first film were intended to follow the success of Toho's Godzilla film series, while various staffs have participated in both and related franchises, and the two franchises have influenced each other. The Daiei franchise has become a Japanese icon in its own right and one of the many representatives of Japanese cinema, appearing in a total of 12 films produced by Daiei Film and later by Tokuma Shoten and Kadokawa Daiei Studio (Kadokawa Corporation) respectively, and various other media such as novels, anime, videos, manga and cartoons, magazines, video games, television programs, shows, other merchandises, and so on.

Gamera is depicted as a giant, flying, fire-breathing, prehistoric turtle. In the series' first film, Gamera is portrayed as an aggressive and destructive monster, though he also saved a child's life. As the films progressed, Gamera took on a more benevolent role, becoming a protector of humanity, especially children, nature, and the Earth from extraterrestrial races and other giant monsters.

The Gamera franchise has been (both directly and indirectly) very influential in Japan and internationally. This is seen notably in the productions of the Daimajin and Yokai Monsters film franchises and influences on the entire tokusatsu genre, including the Godzilla franchise, and the domestic television industry. The franchise directly and indirectly contributed in starting of two influential social phenomena (the two "Kaiju Booms" (jp)(jp) and their successor "Yōkai / Kaiki Boom"), and Gamera and Daimajin franchises were part of the "Kaiju Booms". Gamera and Daimajin and other related characters have been referenced and used in various topics, such as the naming of prehistoric turtles (Sinemys gamera (jp) and Gamerabaena), an algorithm to study plasma bubbles, and many others. 27 November is publicly referred as "Gamera Day" (Japanese: ガメラの日, Hepburn: Gamera no Hi) in Japan, and Gamera and related characters are used as mascots by the city of Chōfu.

Despite its popularity and influence, expansion of the franchise and public recognition of the character were severely hindered by Daiei Film and its successors' (Tokuma Shoten and Kadokawa Corporation) precarious financial conditions and distribution weaknesses, facing repeated copyright transfers of Daiei properties, failed global expansions despite featuring foreign casts, diminished media attentions, and cancellations of various projects escalated by controversial aspects of the highly acclaimed Heisei trilogy, and the competition against the Godzilla franchise. On the other hand, both franchises bear connections in productions and distributions, and there have been failed attempts to produce a direct crossover.

Despite being a major film studio and Masaichi Nagata being a highly influential figure, Daiei Film was facing a dire fiscal condition and was suffering internal and external factors, including the decline of the film industry itself (even including Toho and its Godzilla franchise) from the competition against the rising television industry, which was boosted by the 1964 Summer Olympics, a recession, and the aforementioned "Kaiju Booms" most notably Ultra Q and Ultraman where Nagata's attempt to save the film industry resulted in the governmental supports for kaiju and tokusatsu productions, and the booms were ironically shaped. Consequently, the original Gamera film became a black-and-white film.

Daiei Film's situation improved thanks to the Gamera franchise, which solely supported the company and its subcontractors until Daiei's bankruptcy in December 1971, about four months after the theatrical release of Gamera vs. Zigra. On the other hand, not only budgets, schedules, ideas, and (both physical and human) resources, but also labor conditions continuously declined and impoverished remaining employees, leading to deteriorations of the franchise, and to deaths of the actor Taro Marui and a staff of Gamera vs. Jiger (1970). A riot, losses of various materials and expertises, and disputes over the legal rights of the franchise (and Niisan Takahashi's isolation from all stakeholders) were evoked as the company was officially declared bankrupt, triggering further issues on subsequent situations by Tokuma Shoten.