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Tag: Daiei Film

Episode 46: Daniel DiManna vs. ‘Gamera: Super Monster’

Published August 11, 2021

Hello…kaiju…lovers…. The only reason this episode is long as it is because Nate’s guest, Daniel DiManna (creator/author of the Godzilla Novelization Project) is the most talkative introvert ever of all time. But even if “Danny Boy” was Superman with a Beta Capsule, he couldn’t save this week’s Year of Gamera movie, the infamous Gamera: Super Monster. This 1980 cash-grab from a barely-alive Daiei Film is easily the Guardian of the Universe’s lowest point. On paper, Nate should love this movie because it has three of his favorite things—spaceships, superheroes, and kaiju—but he doesn’t. From public access channel special effects to a nonsensical plot with everything but the kitchen sink to the truckloads of stock footage—this must’ve been a plot by the Board of Directors to break Nate. Meanwhile, Danny keeps MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, quiet by getting him to bet his Pteranodon-bot that he can’t interrupt them during the broadcast. The Toku Topic, fittingly, is the rise and fall of Daiei Film, the studio that introduced the world to Akira Kurosawa and Gamera but dug itself into a financial hole it couldn’t escape. It’s a crazy story, to say the least.

Before the broadcast, Nate and Jimmy are visited by the Board’s executive assistant, Ms. Perkins. She tells Nate that she made arrangements for him to interview Spacewoman Kilara from Gamera: Super Monster on MIFV, much to his chagrin, and then fangirls over her. But the more Nate asks Ms. Perkins questions about her past, the stranger she acts.

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

This episode’s epilogue, “Interviewing a Superheroine,” was written by Nathan Marchand. 

Guest stars:

Additional music:

Sound effects, including some by InspectorJ and klankbeeld, 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, The Cel Cast, and TofuFury! 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:

  • Prologue: 0:00-7:47
  • Intro: 7:47-19:26
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 19:26-26:43
  • Toku Talk: 26:43-1:37:52
  • Henshin Men Promo: 1:37:52-1:41:08
  • Toku Topic: 1:41:08-2:13:12
  • Listener Feedback, Housekeeping & Outro: 2:13:12-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault       #GameravsZigra          #YearofGamera

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 40: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Guiron’

Published May 12, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

We’ve reached the point where the “Year of Gamera” gets even goofier—and where Nate begins to miss seeing the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes even more. He’s joined by returning guest, Earth Destruction Directive host Luke Jaconetti, and newcomer/MSTie Greg Meyer to discuss Gamera vs. Guiron. The “Kennys” get more precocious and useless (Tom is dead inside). The monsters get more outlandish (Guiron is Knifehead, anyone?). And the villains get … shapely jumpsuits? Listen as Nate, Luke, and Greg connect this movie to Chronicles of Narnia and Barbarella, among other things, and muse about their favorite riffs from the MST3K episode. Nate’s descent into madness continues.

The Toku Topic is the First Traffic War in Japan. It may sound like a forgotten Transformers storyline, but it’s actually a time period when car accidents increased dramatically in the Land of the Rising Sun. Hence why Akio is obsessed with making a world “without wars or traffic accidents” in this movie.

Beforehand, Nate is visited by Jessica Shaw, his pseudo-sister clone, and she tells him she’s bringing Luke and Greg with her first tour group, who will then watch their live broadcast. Then afterward, the infamous Terran spacewomen, Flobella and Barbella, come to Earth to kidnap Gamera—but not if Monster Island’s own magical girl superheroine, Crystal Lady (aka Jessica), has anything to say about it!

Luke’s links:
–Earth Destruction Directive on Two True Freaks
–Twitter

Greg’s links:
–Into the Speed Force
–Children of the Wells (book series)

Guest Stars:
-Sarah Marchand as Jessica Shaw/Crystal Lady
-Sparkles Schreck as Flobella
-Hoshiko as Barbella

Prologue and epilogue, “Shine! Crystal Lady! Parts 1-2,” written by Nathan Marchand.

Music:
–“A weird thing” by Chiro
–“Transformation (Sailor Moon Remix)” by Vincent Lee
-“The Aliens’ Plan” by Shunsuke Kikuchi

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org, including some by InspectorJ, and the Toho Foley library.

Special Crystal Lady sound effects created by J.P. Gant. Contact him for commissions on Twitter: @JPGant_UWSD.

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; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

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

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

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-2:32
Intro: 2:32-12:13
Entertaining Info Dump: 12:13-20:04
Toku Talk: 20:04-1:13:13
Advertisement: 1:13:01-1:14:51
Toku Topic: 1:14:51-1:35:14
Listener Feedback, Housekeeping, & Outro: 1:35:42-1:53:32
Epilogue: 1:53:32-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 39: The Drifters vs. ‘Gamera vs. Viras’ (feat. Jack ‘GMan’ Hudgens and J.R. Villers)

Published April 28, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

In the first of a double-whammy of “Year of Gamera” episodes that continue to chip away at Nate’s sanity, today’s movie is 1968’s Gamera vs. Viras. Nate is joined by returning guest (and Jimmy From NASA nemesis) Jack “GMan” Hudgens and Jack’s friend J.R. Villers from The Drift Space podcast to discuss this outlandish but imaginative kaiju flick. It’s near and dear (haha!) to Jimmy’s heart because, believe it or not, it dramatizes an exciting chapter of his childhood. Yes, MIFV’s intrepid producer is one of the precocious “Kennys”! In order to survive, Nate makes many Star Trek references/comparisons and several puns. The discussion also includes talk about hentai (don’t ask) and how the Rocky films stole the Gamera series’ formula—and it includes Sly Stallone impersonations. The Toku Topic is the Scout Association of Japan since the Gamera kids in this—again, including Jimmy—are both Boy Scouts.

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org.

The Drift Space on Podchaser.
The “Deferential Wrath of a Rusting Markalite Cannon” Substack.

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; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

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

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

Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00-7:54
Entertaining Info Dump: 7:54-16:06
Toku Talk: 16:06-59:21
Ad: 59:21-59:59
Toku Topic: 59:59-1:22:52
Listener Feedback, Housekeeping, & Outro: 1:22:52-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Bonus Episode 7: ‘Gammera the Invincible’ (Mini-Analysis)

Published March 31, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Due to contractual obligations, Nate covers a “13th” Gamera movie as part of the “Year of Gamera”: Gammera the Invincible (he’s a loony). This heavily-edited Americanized version of Gamera the Giant Monster was given the Godzilla, King of the Monsters! 1956 treatment—but it’s far less interesting as a movie and as a piece of kaiju film history. Nate details the key differences—one being the de-emphasis of Psycho Kenny, er, Toshio-san—and explains the rather mundane reasons for why the movie was drastically changed. Also, he gives the Board-appointed “king of the monsters” a new nickname: “Gamera-Double-M.”

Up next: Godzilla vs. Kong!

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; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

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

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

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 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 (1965)” (Wikizilla)
  • “Gamera, the Giant Monster” (Wikipedia)
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982.

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Episode 34: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Barugon’ (feat. Joe and Joy Metter)

Published February 10, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

The Year of Gamera continues. (Yay?) Nate is joined by his friends Joe and Joy Metter to discuss the outlier of the Showa Gamera series, Gamera vs. Barugon. It’s the one that was actually aimed at an adult audience—and it flopped. As usual, the Tourists get to see the MST3K episode—which has Nate’s favorite line of those episodes—while Nate has to watch the original Japanese version. Even with Joel and the Bots’ riffs, Joe and Joy say they would’ve preferred to watch it subtitled! Thanks to a combination of a “monster mic” and the ORCA, Jimmy was able to get Barugon himself to interrupt a few times, but Nate thinks the ORCA’s translations were dubious, at best. The Toku Topic is the New Guinea Campaign because several characters in the film fought during that and the film takes place partly on that island.

Beforehand, Nate, Jimmy, and Jet Jaguar are visited by William H. George III, Esquire, the special envoy to the Monster Island Board of Directors (MIBOD). It is he, and not Ms. Perkins, who brings the Board’s latest press release for Nate to read on the air. He also makes it abundantly clear the Board didn’t appreciate Nate’s “shenanigans” at the Gamera: King of the Monsters Banquet a few weeks ago.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Featuring Michael Hamilton as the voice of William H. George III.

Prologue written by Nathan Marchand and Michael Hamilton.

Music:
-“Rondeau” by Jean-Joseph Mouret
-“Opening the Way” by Pablo Coma

Sound effects were 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; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

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

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

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-5:26
Intro: 5:26-10:10
Entertaining Info Dump: 10:10-19:10
Toku Talk: 19:10-1:07:27
Ad: 1:07:27-1:08:47
Toku Topic: 1:08:47-1:36:50
Outro: 1:36:50-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 32: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera the Giant Monster’ (feat. Nick Hayden and Timothy Deal)

Published January 13, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers! And welcome to MIFV season two!

Much to Nate’s chagrin, the Board-mandated “Year of Gamera” begins with the “freakishly mediocre” 1965 movie Gamera the Giant Monsters (or Daikaiju Gamera). So saddened by this is Nate that he visits the Monster Island Chapel and speaks with Rev. Mifune, the Island’s chaplain. The reverend suggests watching the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes that featured Gamera films so Nate could at least get a good laugh watching them. But when Nate meets up with his friends, first season two Tourists Nick Hayden and Timothy Deal of the Derailed Trains of Thought podcast, they receive a voicemail from the Board’s executive assistant, Ms. Perkins, saying the Tourists can watch the MST3K episodes but Nate must watch the original Japanese cuts so they can compare notes. Talk about a buzzkill! The first Toku Topic of 2021 is energy consumption in Japan because Nate read an essay that argues Gamera represents that in this movie.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Featuring the voices of:
-Nate Chen as Rev. Mifune
–Celeste Mora as Ms. Perkins

Prologue and voicemail scripts by Nathan Marchand.

Music: “A Maiden’s Prayer” by RebeccaETripp (OCRemix)

Sound FX sourced from Freesound.org, including “Running Loud” by dersuperanton.

The episode thumbnail was created by Michael Hamilton.

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), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

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

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

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-2:59
Intro: 2:59-14:05
Entertaining Info Dump: 14:05-23:42
Toku Talk: 23:42-1:03:01
Advertisement: 1:03:01-1:03:54
Toku Topic: 1:03:54-1:31:42
Outro: 1:31:42-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 26: The Metters vs. ‘Daimajin Strikes Again’

Published October 14, 2020

Hello, kaiju lovers!

The “Daimajin Days” come to a close with Joe and Joy Metter returning to discuss Daimajin Strikes Again. The final film of the Daimajin trilogy, while it has the same basic set-up with an evil lord oppressing the people, focuses on four boys who set out to rescue their commoner fathers and brothers from slavery. The Metters’ dogs Teddy Kong and Bitzilla make more cameos as they and Nathan make frequent comparisons between this film and Lord of the Rings, Naruto, and even X-Men! All the while MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, continues to antagonize Joy—which comes to a head in an epic post-credit scene!

Today’s Toku Topic builds on the previous one by discussing kami (Japanese spirits and gods).

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon 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), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon and get perks like this starting at only $3 a month!

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

Episode epilogue written by Nathan Marchand with Joe and Joy Metter.

Episode image created by Michael Hamilton.

This episode features the following music tracks:
-“Daimajin’s Ferocity” by Akira Ifukube
-“Kozasa’s Prayer” by Akira Ifukube
-“Jet Jaguar” by Heavy Melody Music

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00-4:42
Entertaining Info Dump: 4:42-10:16
Toku Talk: 10:16-54:42
Toku Topic: 54:42-1:19:36
Outro: 1:19:36-1:29:19
Epilogue: 1:29:19-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Nathan Marchand & Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 24: The Metters vs. ‘Return of Daimjain’

Published September 9, 2020

Hello, kaiju lovers!

We have many happy (and not-so-happy) returns in this episode. Nathan’s friends Joe and Joy Metter are back to continue the “Daimajin Days” by discussing Return of Daimajin. They also brought their dogs, Teddy Kong and Bitzilla, although they’re a little quieter this time around. Regardless, this is the second of the Daimajin trilogy from 1966, and while it’s mostly a rehash of the first film that doesn’t quite rise to its heights (until maybe the last 10-15 minutes), it does bring a few new things to the table. These include a lake parting that rivals The Ten Commandments, a Daimajin with a less gray morality scale, and villains who believe in the supernatural and tremble.

Unfortunately, MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, continues doubt Joy’s swordfighting ability. To test her mettle, he sics certain winged gremlins from the future on her—with surprising results!

All this plus the Toku Topics is Shintoism, Shinto shrines, and torii gates since all those factor into this film.

Episode image created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon 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), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon and get perks like this starting at only $3 a month!

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

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00-5:34
Entertaining Info Dump: 5:34-11:00
Toku Talk: 11:00-46:05
Advertisement: 46:05-46:57
Toku Topic: 46:57-1:30:48
Outro: 1:30:48-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Nathan Marchand & Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 22: The Metters vs. ‘Daimajin’

Published August 12, 2020

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Despite some recording/broadcasting issues with a new microphone (which will be remedied for future episodes), Nathan was joined once again by his friends Joe and Joy Metter, who were vacationing on Monster Island. They started the “Daimajin Days” by screening and discussing the first film in Daiei’s Daimajin trilogy from 1966. These films combine the kaiju and chanbara (“samurai”) genres to create some of the most unique examples of both. While Joe and Joy aren’t connoisseurs of kaiju, they are fans of samurai films. They, along with Nathan, connect this film to Rurouni Kenshin, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and of course Star Wars. (You can fill that space on your MIFV bingo card this week). Also making a return is their dog Teddy Kong, and he brought his friend, Bitzilla. You’ll hear them several times during the episode. Teddy really wanted to see Gamera for some reason. (Because he was hungry for turtle meat?) The only buzzkill—besides the recording issues—was MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, butting heads with Joy over sword fighting. Geez.

Since this is a period piece, the Toku Topics are the Sengoku Period of Japanese history and the coming of Christianity to Japan.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael “The Kaiju Groupie” Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly), Danny DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project), Eli Harris, and Bex (host of the Redeemed Otaku) (who joined just before this episode was posted)! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

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

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-2:34
Intro: 2:34-6:52
Entertaining Info Dump: 6:52-12:35
Toku Talk: 12:35-1:03:24
Toku Topic: 1:03:24-1:33:14
Outro: 1:33:14-end

MIFV Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives
#MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Subscribe: RSS

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