Gamera

Gamera
Gamera film series character
Gamera, as featured in Gamera, the Giant Monster
First appearance	Gamera, the Giant Monster (1965)
Created by	Noriaki Yuasa Masaichi Nagata Hidemasa Nagata Tomio Sagisu[1]
Portrayed by	Teruo Aragaki Umenosuke Izumi Naoaki Manabe Jun Suzuki Akira Ohashi[2] Hirofumi Fukuzawa Toshinori Sasaki
In-universe information
Species	Giant turtle Artificial lifeform[3] Deity[4][5]

Gamera (Japanese: ガメラ, Hepburn: Gamera) is a fictional monster, or kaiju, originating from a series of Japanese films. Debuting in the 1965 film Gamera, the Giant Monster, the character and the first film were intended to compete with the success of Toho's Godzilla film series. Since then, Gamera has become a Japanese icon in his own right, appearing in a total of 12 films produced by Daiei Film and later by Tokuma Shoten and Kadokawa Daiei Studio respectively, and various other media such as novelizations, manga, video games, and so on.

Gamera is depicted as a giant, flying, fire-breathing, prehistoric turtle. In the first film, Gamera is portrayed as aggressive and destructive, though he also saves a child. 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.^[6]

On the contrary to its popularity and extensive social influences^[7] such as references in numerous media globally and naming of two species of prehistoric turtles, Sinemys gamera and Gamerabaena, expansion of the franchise and public recognition of the character were severely hindered by financial obstacles.^[8]