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Episode 40: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Guiron’ (feat. Luke Jaconetti and Greg Meyer)

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:
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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

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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 39: The Drifters vs. ‘Gamera vs. Viras’

Published May 5, 2021

I wrote down the most notes I’ve had in a long time for episode 39, so buckle up, space cadets, you’re about to get schooled by Jimmy!

  • Nate, the “uncut 90-minute version” was how the first Japanese laserdisc was marketed, not when it was on U.S. TV. Did you forget that from my Entertaining Info Dump? Apparently.
  • There was debate over whether the actress in the film had the same hair color as my mother, but it’s a moot point now because she … died in New York. Yeah, the woman J.R. was probably the actress who played her in this film. Or someone who looked like her. Or he’s crazy.
  • Goji-kun and Bro Kong caused a lot of issues with the broadcast that were edited out of the podcast version. It was a mess. Ultra-Mite was sleeping on the job or something.
  • In Nate’s defense, I’ve gone back and forth on how to say Viras’s name, and I grew up in Japan. I guess I’m still a dirty, dirty American. I also fought the space squid. Well, I helped Gamera fight him. It’s more than most of my fellow Gamera kids did.
  • It was cut to a third, Jack, not by a third.
  • So, while Carl Craig has the spray-painted Nerf gun with a beer can on it, I have a real Virasian blaster rifle. It’s not my favorite gun, but it did burn through my target in my private little shooting range here on the Island.
  • Yes, I’m not happy about not getting invited to the Gamera Gala. And Masao is upset I wasn’t, too. But given what happened to Nate, maybe it was for the best.
  • Yeah, and here’s my Gamera badge:
  • “Relegate,” not, “regulate,” Jack.
  • Yeah, Masao won’t shut up about giving Gamera the “Friend to All Children” title. It drives our fellow Gamera kids crazy. And given that Kenny is already psychotic, that’s saying something!
  • I should also note that my father doesn’t look like the actor in this movie, either. He was a proud member of the U.S. Air Force who was stationed in Japan for a while. It was partly because of him that I enlisted.
  • Carl Craig’s father was American and his mother Japanese.
  • I have a judo merit badge and a blackbelt. Don’t cross me, J.R.! (They don’t work well when I’m drunk, though ….)
  • Masao and I didn’t get our Golden Pheasant awards for a month because we got grounded for our shenanigans. You’d think helping to save the world would nullify that, but no, my parents didn’t want me sub-jacking later in life.
  • Soichi Noguchi and I go way back. He helped me test fly the Gohten once.
  • There was a lot of crack in that MIBOD memo.
  • Death trumps cancer. And I will find out what “J.R.” stands for! Maybe it’s just “Junior.”
  • I’m looking forward to Sayonara Jupiter.
  • Marveller? I’ve yet to examine that machine. Japanese Spider-Man needs to let me keep it in my garage for a day next time.

Now for Nate’s leftover notes:

The Movie

  • Gamera can breathe fire in the vacuum of space. Sure. (Even physics bow to the new MIBOD-appointed “king of the monsters.” –Jimmy)
  • Of course the kids can operate a sub better than the adults. This is a Gamera movie! (No, it’s because Masao and I were brilliant children. –Jimmy)
  • On Twitter, Gamera offered to race Jimmy and Masao in a sub again. (And one of these days, we’ll take him up on that offer. –Jimmy)
  • “Super Catch ray.” Do they use that on Pokemon, too?
  • Gamera can somehow hear the kids in the sub and understand them. Because. (This still baffles the scientists. –Jimmy)
  • Videotron. Isn’t that a sequel to Videodrome?
  • “Making up stories”? Did you forget Gamera is real? (Just wait until the next movie ….)
  • That flying Gamera prop looks goofy. It’s the eyes.
  • Transformer mass shifting. The mind control device goes from the size of a grapefruit to the size of a VW Beetle. (I want some of this tech. It’d make it easier to hide more vehicles in my garage. –Jimmy)
  • Their computer’s “Processing” screen is a kaleidoscope.
  • Well, that guy was disarmed.
  • Getting pinned to the wall like that doesn’t look comfortable. How do they stay up when they’re off the floor and not pinned to the wall? It’s terrible because they can slip their hands out easily. And they escape easily. (Or I’d been reading a lot of books on Houdini. –Jimmy)
  • This stock footage is passed off as a different dam (Okumusashi Dam). Sadly, it still has the B&W problem.
  • Because an alien spaceship somehow works the same as an earth submarine?
  • I see Jimmy was a tech genius even back then. He figured out the Virases ship in no time. (Did you forget it’s me you’re talking about? –Jimmy)
  • Why can’t the aliens control Gamera anymore? (Because. –Jimmy)
  • Virases can combine into a giant. Because.
  • I do like how big Viras weaponizes what’s left of the ship.
  • Gamera says, “Go home and get stoned!”
  • Seriously, Gamera? Defeated by getting flipped on your back?

Intro to the film by Ragone

  • Carl Craig was born in South Carolina to Japanese mother and American military man. He spoke fluent Japanese. He served in the military himself and for U.S. security after 9-11.
  • Viras looks like a squid, but in the original script, he was called “Geso,” the Japanese word for cuttlefish. His name was chosen in a name contest held by Shonen Jump and Bokura, which had prizes, but Yuasa said these were staged.

The Commentary by Carl Craig and Jim Cirronella

  • Carl Craig got the role because his aunt lived next door to one of the producers. They wanted an American kid who spoke Japanese, and he was blonde-haired and blue-eyed and could do that. Yuasa wanted it to have an international flair.
  • It was filmed in 2.5 months. Craig’s days started at 4am. He was picked up from a base and had a tutor for school over the two-hour drive.
  • There are some scenes where Craig has a bandage on his finger because he cut his finger throwing a bottle and went to the ER. He also lost his U.S. handkerchief and was given a Japanese one.
  • This was the first Gamera movie to have stock footage. About 20 minutes. Craig hadn’t seen this footage until he and his fifth-grade class went to see it at the premiere.

LeMay

  • Masakazu Nagata, the president of Daiei, was involved with the Boy Scouts, which is why they were involved.
  • One of the aliens is Riki Hashimoto, who played Daimajin.

Galbraith

  • He says Carl Craig’s last name is “Clay.” (Seriously, why can’t anyone get his name right? I know how he feels. –Jimmy)

He got through all his Toku Topic notes, which is good.

Next week is the second of the “Year of Gamera” double-header when poor Nate has to suffer through Gamera vs. Guiron (which has the best of the MST3K episodes). He’ll be joined by Luke Jaconetti of the Earth Destruction Directive podcast and Greg Meyer, who formerly hosted the Out of the Speedforce podcast. After that Nate’s series of mini-sodes on Toho classics comes to an end with another of my favorite Toho films, Sayonara Jupiter. We’re still working out issues with guests, but it looks like to be a solo episode.  

Until then, remember: #WeShallOvercome

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow MIBOD on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow Raymund Martin (The MIFV Legal Team) on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CrystalLadyJes1

#JimmyFromNASALives

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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 37 – ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ & Bonus Episode 7: ‘Gammera the Invincible’

Published April 6, 2021

You’re getting a twofer today. I’ve got notes on both episode 37 (which has proven to be one of our most popular episodes yet) and the bonus episode on Gammera the Invincible. For the latter, I didn’t take any notes, but Nate had some of his own left over. I’m just as surprised as you are.

Admittedly, much of my notes on the episode are rants about Snazzy, but they must be said.

  • Snazzy was a little bugger! He’s lucky he didn’t hit the emergency evacuation button and launch KIJU into space…or at least to the Japanese beach. Again. (Seriously, we’ve had two incidents where something or someone from the Island ended up on the Japanese coastline. Just ask Nate).
  • “Sidekick Central”? That sounds like some fifth-rate comic book company making a rip-off of the Teen Titans. Either that or a humor comic about all the kids who keep getting employed by Batman as sidekicks. (I hope Eric Elliott is reading this).
  • I have a lot of ironically-named buttons on my board. That way no one is quite sure how to properly use it, creating some job security for me. For example, I labeled the caller button “Bidi-Bidi,” the mute button “Mando,” and the volume control dial “Marchand.”
  • Those aren’t “mandibles,” Nate. They aren’t in Mothra’s mouth. Those are claws. Or as this image on mantis anatomy says, “double-spined murder clamps.”
  • Dante’s Inferno describes Satan as having three faces but not necessarily three heads. That’s close enough to Ghidorah, though.
  • “Boisters”? You meant “bolsters,” Brandon.
  • I will not be replaced by…whatever Snazzy is! My guess is he’s a “Whatever” like Gonzo.

Here are Nate’s leftover notes:

The Film

  • I like this movie. I always have. The problem I have is many of the others who also say they like this movie give the worst reasons for liking it. (i.e. “It’s supposed to be bad like the old movies!”) (Idiots making everyone look bad. –Jimmy)
  • The opening is very Gamera 3. Characters lose loved one during a kaiju attack but the kaiju meant no harm. (The whole MonsterVerse stole from the Gamera Heisei trilogy. –Jimmy)
  • Dougherty said in his commentary that he saw Mothra’s lifecycle as reincarnation. Each Mothra generation inherits the memories of the past ones. It adds a spiritual element and fits with what’s implied in the Japanese films. It’s also in keeping, as I’ve noted, with Shinto teachings.
  • I will admit not all of the film’s jokes work. “Ghidorah-gonorrhea” is the best example of a bad one. “Dude hates Titans,” is also a bit too on the nose to be funny. I know one podcast said they expected better jokes from Dougherty. (We’ve called Ghidorah worse around here, most of which isn’t fit to print. –Jimmy)
  • The “intimidation display” scene is one of the best in the film. It’s suspenseful and scary. I confess I jumped in the theater when I first saw it. It’s also a clever expansion.
  • The death of Dr. Graham is cited as an issue. It’s similar to how the elder Brody died about 45 minutes in. Jason Barr defended that by saying it shows that no characters are safe.
  • It is a little astonishing that Emma Russell has a Ted Talk prepared when she makes her villain speech. I’ve heard people call her crazy, but there are people who think like her. And if you think people won’t do crazy things because of grief, you’re mistaken. As for Mark saying it won’t bring their son back, it make sense because he was getting to the heart of the matter. She’s always conflicted throughout the film. Alan Jonah is the true believer.
  • Am I the only one who thought the climax taking place at Fenway with the “Green Monster” was intentionally ironic? (Maybe. As a Yankees fan, I enjoyed seeing it get destroyed. 😛 –Jimmy)
  • I’m really tired of the “day battles” people. Stuff like this and Pacific Rim is set at night—as someone on Twitter pointed out—because with their colorful attacks and abilities, they show up better. Kong: Skull Island is in the day because those earthy colors and less flashy creatures look better. It isn’t always some excuse to hide SFX flaws.

KOTM Spirituality

  • Godzilla is also similar to God in the OT, casting out humanity from Paradise after violating the natural order, or even the God who flooded the Earth to wipe it clean of humanity’s moral bankruptcy.
  • Rodan, to a certain extent, could be seen as Judas figure, bowing to whoever he sees as the strongest alpha. Unlike Judas, he survives his betrayal and, so it seems, is repentant.
  • Humanity must make peace with these “gods” and realize they are not the most powerful beings on Earth, even with all their weapons.
  • Godzilla, while born out of war, has evolved since then, taking on more significance while not losing his roots as an atomic allegory. “This art born of war, this new mythology, makes Godzilla and his fellow beasts of burden, like Mothra, Gamera and Rodan, not unlike the American superheroes who became a means for children and adults to process WWII and instill a sense of patriotism. And like those caped and costumed heroes, these giant monsters have seen their share of evolution and rebooting over the years in order to better reflect the society that relies on them.”
  • “There’s still that element of fear, fear of dying off, fear of destroying the world, but King of the Monsters suggests that fear doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Fear can drive our desire to reconnect with our earth and also our gods. Humanity’s fear in this context is a positive aspect as both a call to action and a reminder of a human need to be made aware of our modest scale and to feel in awe of something again. King of the Monsters is about relinquishing control.”

KOTM and The Nuclear Agenda

  • Tell us what you got from that long fortune cookie.
  • Radiation is used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)

Here’s what’s left from Gamera-Double-M:

  • I wasn’t allowed to watch the RiffTrax. (Too similar to MST3K, apparently. –Jimmy)
  • Arrow’s presentation is by far the best this has ever looked compared to the numerous cheap releases because it’s public domain. Ring in pig’s snout.
  • “Red alert.” I can’t hear that without thinking of Star Trek. This was before ST.
  • Newspapers in English.
  • “Papa-san”? (This line was odd. Like most of the movie. –Jimmy)
  • The dubbed dialogue actually says Gammera will starve in a month. (They underestimate that big turtle. It’d take at least two months. –Jimmy)
  • I don’t remember the establishing interior shots in the Plan Z facility. (But I love them! I took a tour of the place once. I almost wish I worked there. –Jimmy)
  • It says “Sayonara Gammera” and “The End” at the end. (A fitting place to finish my notes. –Jimmy)

With King of the Monsters out of the way, it’s time for the culmination of the “Kong Quest” with the long-overdue Godzilla vs. Kong. There was quite an eventful premiere for it on the Island. Trust me, I know because I tried to have a rematch with the big ape in Mechani-Kong Mk. 2. Yep. Nate was joined by his friend and collaborator, Eric Anderson, for that special broadcast. Then we return to the “Year of Gamera” with a film dramatizing one of the most exciting chapters of life, Gamera vs. Viras. We’ll be joined by two of the hosts from The Drift Space podcast, J.R. Villers and my barroom brawl opponent Jack “GMan” Hudgens (I’ll happily take a rematch).

Until then, remember: #WeShallOvercome

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

Follow MIBOD on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow Raymund Martin (The MIFV Legal Team) on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CrystalLadyJes1

#JimmyFromNASALives

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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:
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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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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 36: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Gyaos’

Published March 16, 2021

Michael, Michael, Michael. Now you’ve gone and done it. You have supplanted John LeMay as my new nemesis. You haven’t surpassed Commander Hell—the self-proclaimed “emperor of the universe” during the War in Space—but that’s hard to do since he’s an evil overlord. But, well, I may wait a little longer to retrieve you next time you take a tour of Monster Island’s jungle. You need a bit more excitement in your life, anyway.

Besides that, here are my other notes from last week’s episode on Gamera vs. Gyaos:

  • You should know better than to eat food in a cockpit around sensitive equipment, Michael! Serpentera Mk. 3 is a delicate machine!
  • Can’t tell, Michael? Nate, are we sure about his loyalty? #justsaying
  • I regret not reminding Nate to let Damon talk at the beginning about how he got to the Island, especially when it involved Giant Robo and Johnny Socko (he’s a friend of mine). Of course, Michael kept butting in.
  • The full name of Eiichi’s little actor is Naoyuki Abe.
  • In 1967, $1,000 was 360,000 yen, and the film’s budget was 60 million yen. Now I, too, want to know how many times Gyaos used that ray!
  • Haneda airport is nice. Japanese customs sucks, though. They never let me keep my laser pistol. I have a permit, damnit!
  • Good grief, did Damon and Michael go on and on and on at the end of the episode. Nate wisely chopped 20 minutes out. I feel sorry for the listeners here on the Island who had to hear it all.

Now for Nate’s leftover notes. He actually used all his Toku Topic notes again. Good work.

  • We’re quickly introduced to Gamera and his “Kenny,” Eiichi. Gamera eats some fire from the erupting Mt. Fuji. Reporter asks if he’s storing flames for energy or burnt to a crisp. Of course he’s still alive! He’s in the title!
  • Kojiro Hongo returns from the previous film.
  • Of course there are bats in the vampiric Gyaos’s cave!
  • Gamera is supposed to be holding Eiichi, but his hands are clearly open in the next shot. Also, he either stretches his arm like Mr. Fantastic or is crazy flexible because he’s able to place Eiichi on his back at an impossible angle. (Well, he was in space for a while, so maybe he found some cosmic rays? –Jimmy)
  • “Gyaos” is how he sounds? Okay. (Sounds like me when I cough. –Jimmy)
  • I see why Gyaos was brought back in the Heisei trilogy. He’s the easiest one to reboot.
  • There are gags like the car slicing in this. And Gyaos having a rock fall on his newly grown toe.
  • HEADSHOT on Gamera. Gyaos shoots off his own toes—but Gamera shoots off his own hand.
  • Gyaos looks constipated while re-growing his toes. (We’ve all made that face at some point, Nate. –Jimmy)
  • I want Gyaos to speak like Bela Lugosi.
  • “Exactly like our blood!” Because it’s pink? Cotton candy?
  • There’s a bit character named Toku. Okay. (Does that mean we talk about him in every episode? –Jimmy)
  • It never occurs to Gamera the THREE TIMES Gyaos drops him from midair to start flying?
  • “Put a rock in it!” (I’ll remember this the next time I want you to shut up, Marchand! –Jimmy)
  • Gyaos is barely in the volcano before the village leader says the road construction can continue.

From my books:

  • The rivalry between Godzilla and Gamera at this time was likened to The Beatles and the Rolling Stones by Patrick Macias.
  • Kichijiro Ueda, who plays the village mayor, told Yuasa, “I will defeat Gamera in performance!”
  • The humans’ efforts against Gyaos were inspired by Mission: Impossible, according to the producers.

The Commentary by Stuart Galbraith IV

  • It was decided by all to make this a children’s film. The kids would play on the floor or go buy popcorn during scenes in first two films with adults. This was made like a children’s storybook. Everything moves briskly.
    • They used a lot of real locations/offices instead of sets. One scene was Daiei’s dubbing studio.
    • This is the same Gamera suit from the previous film, but the eyes were made bigger and friendlier.
    • Daiei liked having expressive eyes on their kaiju. Detailed and brightly lit.
    • Yuasa said kaiju should all be night creatures to hide the defects of the special effects and because it’s dramatic. (Take that, day battlers!) 😛
    • The fat villagers, that actor committed suicide a few months after this movie released at age 31 because his career wasn’t going anywhere after some big success in TV.
    • Yuasa saw giant monsters and illogical, so scientists have much less screen time and no solutions. He wanted the kid audience to join Eiichi in coming up with solutions. (And yet we have an entire science lab dedicated to the kaiju here on the Island…. –Jimmy)
    • This year saw more foreign films out-grossing Japanese films.
    • Gyaos gave a press conference to promote the film, which angered some reporters. (Maybe he should be the next president’s press secretary. –Jimmy)

There you go.

The “Year of Gamera” takes a brief hiatus as we prepare for the long-awaited release of Godzilla vs. Kong, which will have a special premiere on Monster Island. Next week you’ll hear when Nate was joined by the biggest guests to be on the show (so far): Ryan “The Omni Viewer” Collins and Brandon Jacobs, the host of Up From the Depths on YouTube. Ryan’s sidekick, Snazzy, hung out with me and Jet Jaguar in the producer booth. And pushed random buttons. Before I put him in a headlock.

Until then, remember: #WeShallOvercome

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

Follow MIBOD on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow Raymund Martin (The MIFV Legal Team) on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CrystalLadyJes1

#JimmyFromNASALives

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Episode 36: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Gyaos’ (feat. Michael Hamilton and Damon Noyes)

Published March 10, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Nate and his guests, MIFV MAX members Michael Hamilton (co-host of Kaiju Weekly and The Kaiju Groupie) and Damon Noyes, reach the peak of the Showa Gamera series—which isn’t as high as Nate wants it to be. (Or does he just want to get high?) Once again as part of the Board-mandated “Year of Gamera,” the Tourists get to watch the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode featuring this film while Nate must view the original Japanese version to compare notes. Even so, Nate riffs his way through the episode so the Stockholm syndrome doesn’t set in. Michael sighs almost as much as he talks with all the jokes Nate and Damon drop about “gassy Gyaos nipples” and “plane murder.” You’d almost think Nate was enjoying himself. It’s a great act.

The Toku Topic for this episode is the Sanrizuka Struggle, which was a movement against the construction of Narita Airport. It inspired a key plot element in this movie and helped Nate prove to Michael and Damon that there was a social commentary in the film. It’s also the last social commentary in a Gamera movie for years, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Before the broadcast, Nate tries to tell his intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, how he plans to be a small thorn in the Board’s side only to be interrupted by Raymund Martin, the head of the Monster Island Legal Action Team, who promptly tells Nate why he can’t do that.

Raymund Martin was created and voiced by Damon Noyes.

Prologue written by Nathan Marchand with Damon Noyes.

Music:
-“Perry Mason Theme” by Buddy Morrow
-“Phoenix Wright – Pursuit Cornered | Epic Rock Cover” by Friedrich Habetler
-“Here We Go” by Chris Classic

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; 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!

Check out Michael podcast, The Kaiju Groupie, and Damon’s puppetry work on AllThingsZ.

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

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-4:45
Intro: 4:45-13:04
Entertaining Info Dump: 13:04-22:03
Toku Talk: 22:03-1:13:10
Ad: 1:13:10-1:14:09
Toku Topic: 1:14:09-1:47:19
Housekeeping & Outro: 1:47:19-end

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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 34: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Barugon’

Published February 17, 2021

I know I’m late posting this week. Again. But that’s what happens when someone lets Barugon out of the kaiju zone on Monster Island and MIBOD (the Board) tasks you with recovering him and installing a new fail-safe in the security system. Mechani-Kong Mk. 2 and I have been busy. Sadly, Jet Jaguar is going through a weird retro phase and was too busy modding himself in my garage to help. However, I’ve finally found some downtime to get this blog written and posted.

My notes/corrections/riffs for episode 34 on, conveniently (hmm…), Gamera vs. Barugon are:

  • I’ve yet to test the shielding against the wrathful lightning of otakus. We have new shielding coming in next month, supplied by Solstice Technologies. I’ve been assured that it can withstand even Godzilla’s atomic breath.
  • Executive produced by Gamera? While I know none of his own movies were produced by him, there are rumors he might be an uncredited producer on Godzilla vs. Kong, but that might only be so he can rub his new “king of the monsters” title in those two’s faces.
  • I may or may not be on the “feed to Barugon list”? Ever seen the post-credits scene in Pacific Rim? I did that before Hannibal Chau. Long story.
  • How to say, “I pity the fool!” in Japanese. (Mic drop).
  • Beriberi is a thiamine (or vitamin B1) deficiency. It doesn’t sound pleasant.
  • The psychiatric admission during the War in Space wasn’t as high as the New Guinea Campaign, but it was potent. Lovecraftian fear of the void is real. Trust me, I know. I may have met an elder god once in my travels in space.
  • It’s Chris “Cook” not “cookie,” Joe. Also, “otaku” isn’t part of his name. However, I lay this goof on Nate because he gave you a poorly written note. I’m sure Chris loves cookies, though, and might even start a second podcast about cookies.

Now, for Nate’s leftover notes:

The Movie

  • Awkward jump cut in early scene because a prop fell down.
  • The color in this does look nice.
  • Here’s a horrific death for the kids. Not really. But it’s the fastest five minutes ever. (This is why I don’t like time travel. –Jimmy)
  • Grenades with fuses instead of pins? Okay. Never seen anything like that. (Actually, old grenades—as in Civil War era—did have fuses. –Jimmy)
  • I just realized this guy has a farmer’s tan. Nice detail. (You’d notice because you have one, Nate. You need a little more time on the Monsterland beaches. –Jimmy)
  • Barugon’s birth is actually pretty effective. It’s weird and creepy and even a bit gross. Yuasa said it was one of his favorite scenes.
  • Barugon appears about 41 minutes in.
  • The random narrator didn’t need to explain what was happening on screen.
  • “We have to strike the monster out of range of its tongue attack.” (Horrible paraphrase).
  • Gamera finally returns almost 53 minutes in!
  • I think Gamera is getting high on Barugon’s breath. (The scientists on the Island tested that theory. Barugon’s breath isn’t a narcotic, thankfully. –Jimmy) 
  • Here’s a science lesson for you! (What science lesson was that? That kaiju like shiny things? –Jimmy)
  • Did everyone forget about Gamera this whole time? (You definitely can’t now! –Jimmy)
  • I can see the wires as Barugon dies. (I could use those wires now! –Jimmy)
  • Commentary:
    • The flashback wasn’t in the film originally. Added for those who didn’t see it.
    • The screenplay originally had the meteor change the capsule’s course and it re-entered the atmosphere.
    • Kurobe Dam is 610 feet tall and Japan’s largest.
    • The koto is the national instrument of Japan. (I took some lessons for it as a kid while living in Japan for a while. –Jimmy)
    • Gamera originally appeared before Barugon was born. Onodera saw the turtle flying, dropped the opal, and it fell under a lamp.
    • The reverence for the war dead’s bones is because not returning them is believed to break family lines and bring bad luck.
    • The Sandy Frank dub mistranslated the line about Barugon’s weakness to water. In the Japanese dialogue, it’s stated he can’t live long in water. (It’s still dubious. –Jimmy)
    • Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan.
  • Other factoids
    • Director Noriaki Yuasa was replaced with Shigeo Tanaka, one of Daiei’s top directors who helmed the prestige picture, The Great Wall (and WWII propaganda films for Daiei). Yuasa became special effects director.
    • It was released on double bill with Daimajin in 1966 during Japan’s “Golden Week” and was considered a major event.

Nate continues to improve his skills at sharing his notes on the Toku Topics. He got through all of them in this episode.

Next week we cover a very different film with the banned Prophecies of Nostradamus, which will feature the return of my former social media nemesis, John LeMay. That film was buried deep in the back of the Vault right next to Half-Human. Then the “Year of Gamera” continues with what might be the most famous (not “infamous”—that’s later) entry in the Titanic Terrapin’s classic movie series: Gamera vs. Gyaos. Nate will be joined by my other (former?) nemesis, Michael Hamilton, and mailman by day, actor by night, Damon Noyes (no relation to Adam).

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a huge ice-breathing reptile to catch with my giant robot ape.

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

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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

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Jimmy’s Notes on ‘Episode 32: The MSTies vs. Gamera the Giant Monster’

Published January 18, 2021

Welcome to 2021—which has been a lot like 2020 so far. (Long story I’m not at liberty to tell).

Regardless, here’s my first “Jimmy’s Notes” blog for season two and the Year of Gamera. While the movie was “freakishly mediocre,” as Nate said, the episode itself was good…despite some all-too-convenient Board mandates. That being said, I did make a few notes, as I always do.

  • The Mysterian invasion was in 1957, not 1956, Nate.
  • I’m happy to report that Toshio “Kenny” Sakurai is still alive. In fact, he was a guest of honor, along with Asagi Kusanagi, at the recently-held Gamera: King of the Monsters Banquet here on the Island.
  • According to Wikipedia, “Chibi is derived from the verb 禿びる (chibiru), which means ‘to wear out and become shorter’ (the tip of something). Chibi-debu (ちびデブ or チビデブ) is used to describe something or someone that is both short and chubby. Chibi can be translated as ‘little’ (e.g. Chibi Maruko-chan, which means Little Miss Maruko), but it is not used the same way as chiisana [小さな] and chiisai [小さい] (‘tiny’, ‘small’, ‘little’ in Japanese), but rather ‘cute.’”
  • Michiko Sugata, who played “Kenny’s” sister, was actually 20 when she was in this movie, so it wasn’t unreasonable to pass her off as a teenager.
  • “Precocious adult,” am I? I guess that’s how you get labeled when you’ve been in the U.S. Air Force and NASA and built two giant robots. Don’t be hatin’! 😛
  • Oh, that kid who teamed with Gamera to pull pranks on the other kaiju was annoying! I think his name was Kevin.
  • Actually, yes, turtles and tortoises can flip themselves off their backs without using inexplicable jets in their shells. Read here.
  • I did a little digging and consulted John LeMay, but I can’t find anything anywhere that says “Commander Curly” and the other American soldiers were played by real U.S. servicemen stationed in Japan. That was sometimes done by Toho, though.
  • Nate, we only yell at each other every other workday. 😛
  • According to my sources, the “freeze bombs” were cadmium, which isn’t quite the same. Sorta.
  • But freeze bombs are cool!

And now for Nate’s first batch of leftover notes in 2021:

The Movie

  • Director Noriaki Yuasa was rotund, jolly, and “cuddly” and relatively untested. (Throw a beard on him, and he could be Santa Claus. –Jimmy)
  • Starts in North Pole like Beast (from 20,000 Fathoms). Nuclear test awakens monster like Beast. The difference is there are natives (Eskimos), which was a common trope in kaiju films, and the bombing came from Cold War issues. Implicitly Soviet bomb.
  • I can see the wires on the planes quite easily. (The drawbacks of hi-def. –Jimmy)
  • They waste no time and have Gamea show up in five minutes.
  • I don’t understand why the Eskimos speak English. Interestingly, the chief is wearing a crucifix. Implied Catholic?
  • The kids run when Gamera is mentioned. Not bad. “We’re being jammed!’ says the radio operator. By who? Gamera? Soviets? Aliens? (All of the above? –Jimmy)
  • The foreign newspapers all say, “Gamela.” (Japanese swaps L’s and R’s. –Jimmy)
  • Old drunk says Gamera is a “will-o-wisp.” His scene is too dark (lighting).
  • Gamera is a ninja. He magically disappears for a second. (He is the true fifth Ninja Turtle. But is he a teenager? Maybe that’s why he never got in. That and not being named after a Renaissance artist. –Jimmy)
  • Don’t worry, Toshio, you won’t get cancer from the radioactive turtle! (Actually, he didn’t! –Jimmy)
  • Toshio built Chibi a little rock house. And pseudo-beach music plays. Oh yeah. Chibi is totally a mutant turtle now. Yep. (Nope. The scientists have confirmed Gamera isn’t Chibi. -Jimmy).
  • The airplane pilot has radio trouble. Is this one of Gamera’s superpowers? Radio interference?
  • “By boring.” Describes the movie.
  • That’s great. Shoot the big turtle in his shell. Definitely his weak spot.
  • What a wonderful name for a hot springs resort: Hell’s Rock. Is it run by a Mr. Morningstar? (As in the comic book character? –Jimmy)
  • Oh, Tokyo Tower. A kaiju’s favorite target.
  • Toshio says Gamera attacks because he’s lonely and has no friends. So, he’s the goth kid in high school? (More like the nerd in high school. I should know. –Jimmy)
  • So, Gamera was eating radiation before it was cool. Take that, Godzilla?
  • Gamera says, “I’m crashing your party! No fun for you!” (Now he’s a party animal! –Jimmy)
  • “Gamera, don’t do anything bad!” Kid, he already has! Toshio bought a lot of stock in an Egyptian river.
  • Oh, yeah. These reporter characters are still here. I forgot about them because the movie forgot about them.
  • How is this kid getting access to this military operation? (This happened a few times when I was in the Air Force. It was part of a short-lived “kid consultant” program inspired by Gamera kids. I may or may not have played a part in forming it. –Jimmy)
  • Gamera is going to smash those bath toys.
  • “Yummy fire!”
  • Toshio may have gotten Gamera to leave. Then the crazy reporter starts lighting up buildings to get Gamera to come back. Then everyone goes full-tilt arsonist!
  • A countdown in English. Like Luke said, it must be a thing in Japan.

Toku Topic: Energy Consumption in Japan

Energy use and energy independence in Japan

  • Currently, Japan gets 10% of its energy from renewables, with the Fourth Strategic Energy Plan setting the goal of increasing that to 24% by 2030. Japan intends to invest over $700 billion in renewables over the next decade or so. Their primary renewable is hydroelectricity, with 1,198 small hydropower plants supplying 6.6% of the total hydropower. Unfortunately, these small plants are expensive to operate.
  • In addition, Japan has also explored wind power and waste/biomass energy mas well as experimental tidal and wave power plants in coastal regions.
  • Interestingly, unlike most industrial countries, Japan has two national grids instead a unified grid. One in the east and one in the west.

There were fewer leftover notes from the Toku Topic section than I expected. Nate is getting better about not overdoing it.

Join us next week for as Nate continues his series on Toho classics with a very different film (well, compared to what we normally cover): Submersion of Japan (aka Japan Sinks) from 1973. He was joined by Adam Noyes (pronounced like “noise”) of AN Productions, who jumped at the chance to talk about this film, which was a massive hit in Japan but is largely overlooked in the States. Then the Year of Gamera continues next month with Gamera vs. Barugon. Nate’s friends Joe and Joy Metter are returning—and once again Nate won’t get the chance to watch the MST3K episode of a Gamera movie. He has my sympathies.

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

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