Gamera: Rebirth

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.

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.

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.