In GAMERA -Rebirth-, Boco and his friends encounter a turtle kaiju that saves their lives over and over again in the summer of 1989. The series is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
In 1989, Boco, Joe, and Junichi save a turtle when they see it trapped between the roots of a tree. Later, strange creatures are seen flying around the city and attacking humans. Even the US fighter jets cannot take them down.
Boco, Joe, Junichi, and a bully named Brody get attacked by these creatures, but a giant turtle comes to their rescue. The turtle has various kinds of powers, and he is the only one who can save humans from these creatures.
An agent and a scientist, who work for an organization called the Eustace Foundation, tell Boco and his friends more about these human-eating creatures, which are called kaiju. However, they do not know anything about the turtle that saved Boco and his friends.
The children keep getting attacked by kaiju, and the turtle, named Gamera by Boco, rescues them every single time. Boco and his friends need to find out why they are being targeted and what Gamera has to do with it. They also need to figure out the Foundation’s role in all of this, but will Gamera be able to keep them alive till then?
Positives
Firstly, the animation is praiseworthy. It is so detailed that it makes the experience of watching the show enjoyable. Every kaiju has different traits, and their designs bring out the attributes that make them unique.
The majority of the plot development happens in the last two episodes. There are scenes in these episodes that evoke the same thrill and danger that films like Jurassic Park do.
This is the story of a group of children finding themselves in dangerous situations repeatedly. The show is able to convey that sense of innocence through their conflicts, their loyalty to each other, their willingness to trust, their bonds, and more.
Furthermore, each of the four children gets time to shine. Their stories are relatable and touching. The show makes the audience understand their motives and makes them like the characters one by one.
Negatives
Gamera’s fights in the show are a disappointment. Although all the kaiju are different, every fight of Gamera starts and ends the exact same way, which makes them predictable. The fights are brief, and apart from a few moves and the children’s role in them, there is nothing exciting about them.
The audience never connects with Gamera. He only becomes a significant character that one can care about in the last episode. Before that, he is like a machine that only appears to fight kaiju and fails to be mysterious.
Verdict
GAMERA -Rebirth- has some interesting kaiju, but they do not realize their potential in fights. However, the show depicts the stories of the four children well, and it might appeal more to a younger audience.