Episode 44: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Zigra’ (feat. Travis Alexander and Neil Riebe)

The Monster Island Film Vault

Hello, kaiju lovers! After calling in a favor at the last second to get a replacement guest, Nate sits down with Kaiju Weekly’s Travis Alexander and kaiju author Neil Riebe to discuss one of Gamera’s lowest points: Gamera vs. Zigra. Yes, before Jaws, the Friend to All Children battled a giant alien shark who couldn't decide if he wanted to enslave humanity or eat them. Ziggy also has a bad habit of recruiting beautiful ladies as hench-people (your new PC term of the day), but they forget everything they knew before being mind-controlled—like that parading around in nothing but a bikini might not be the most inconspicuous disguise unless you're in an exploitation film for kids. Let's just say, Nate almost loses his mind in this episode. The Toku Topic is Kamogawa Sea World, because this movie is a terrible, overgrown commercial for the resort.

Afterward, Nate has to pull some Board-mandated overtime and is contacted in secret by Gary, Raymund Martin's paralegal. Nate thinks he’s found a new friend in Gary in his quest to out the Board.

Listen to Nate and Travis’s spinoff podcast, The Henshin Men Podcast, on Redcircle.

Check out Neil’s books, I Shall Not Mate and Vistakill.

This episode's epilogue, "A Secret Ally," was written by Nathan Marchand with Michael Hamilton.

Guest stars:

• Damon Noyes as Gary

Additional music:

• “Chant My Name!” by Masaaki Endo
• “Feena’s Premonition” by Jorito
• “Cross-Examination (Sudden Interjection)” by PrototypeRaptor

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, and The Cel Cast! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

• Intro: 0:00-12:40
• Entertaining Info Dump: 12:40-19:22
• Toku Talk: 19:22-57:45
• Advertisement: 57:45-58:24
• Toku Topic: 58:24-1:15:05
• Listener Feedback, Housekeeping & Outro: 1:15:05-1:32:26
• Epilogue: 1:32:26-end

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© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• Flower, James. “A Guide to English Language Gamera” (Arrow Video Gamera: The Complete Collection).
• Galbraith IV, Stuart. Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992.
• Gamera: The Complete Collection, Disc Four Special Features.
• Gamera vs. Zigra Commentary by Sean Rhodes and Brooke McCorkle (Arrow Video’s Gamera: The Complete Collection).
• Kamogawa Sea World Official English Language Website.
• “Kamogawa Sea World” (Wikipedia).
• “Kamogawa Seaworld” (Japan Guide).
• Katsumata, Hiroshi. “Kamogawa Sea World at 50: Looking Ahead, More Important than Ever to the Preservation of Japan’s Marine Species” (Japan Forward).
• LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982.
• Macias, Patrick. “A History of Gamera: Gamera vs. Zigra” (Arrow Video’s Gamera: The Complete Collection).
• Milner, David. “Interview with Noriaki Yuasa” (Arrow Video’s Gamera: The Complete Collection).
• Rhodes, Sean, and Brooke McCorkle. “Chapter 9: Gamera vs. Zigra: A Tale of Space Invaders and the Sea.” Japan’s Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema.