Gamera 2: Attack of Legion

Gamera 2: Advent of the Legion
File:Gamera2.jpg
Directed by	Shusuke Kaneko
Written by	Kazunori Itō
Produced by	Miyuki Nanri Naoki Sato Yasuyoshi Tokuma Tsutomu Tsuchikawa
Starring	Shinobu Nakayama Ai Maeda Toshiyuki Nagashima
Cinematography	Junichi Tozawa
Edited by	Shizuo Arakawa
Music by	Kow Otani
Distributed by	Toho ADV Films (USA)
Release date	July 13, 1996 (1996-07-13)
Running time	100 min.
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Gamera 2: Advent of Legion (ガメラ2 レギオン襲来, Gamera Tsū: Region Shūrai, Gamera 2: Advent of Legion) is a 1996 Kaiju film directed by Shusuke Kaneko. It is a sequel to Gamera: Guardian of the Universe and the tenth Gamera film in the series.

Plot

A year has passed since the battle between Gamera and the Gyaos, and Japan has struggled to rebuild its cities in the meantime. The military has kept a cautious vigil on the nation's coast, but so far Gamera has yet to return. Suddenly, a series of bizarre incidents reveal a new threat to the land of the rising sun. On a moonlit stroll, science instructor Midori Honami watches as a huge meteor plunges into the mountain snow. The next night, two security guards are horrified as they see large insect-like creatures stealing glass bottles from a nearby warehouse. Soon after, the entire city of Sapporo is covered with strange plants and the link between these events soon becomes clear.

The meteor has carried with it a species of extraterrestrials. These aliens have set up a hive in the bowels of the city's subway tunnels, deliberately nurturing the plants that are covering the city. Soon a gigantic pod erupts from a building and Colonel Watarase of the Self Defense Force realizes that it is dramatically raising the city's oxygen levels. Working together with the swift-minded Miss Honami, he realizes that the aliens are building a huge biological launchpad: the increased oxygen will aid the creatures in exploding the flower, catapulting its seed into space so that they can colonize yet another world. The military can only watch helplessly, as any attempt to destroy the plant would destroy all of Sapporo.

Just as all hope is lost, Gamera flies from the sea and heads toward the besieged city. He tears the flower out by its roots, but is ambushed by a swarm of the alien soldiers. As Gamera thrashes to rid himself of the attacking insects, a nearby soldier names them "Legion," after a Biblical demon army. Gamera is forced to retreat, just as the monstrous queen Legion bursts out of the ground and flies off to start a second hive. Her wings are damaged by fighter jets but she survives. Again a Legion flower blooms, this time in Sendai, and again Gamera attempts to stop its explosion. He is intercepted, however, by Legion. The mother Legion makes short work of Gamera, impaling him with her sharp legs and blasting him with her horn beam. Sensing the detonation of her pod approaching, Legion leaves Gamera for dead and burrows off. Gamera limps toward the plant, destroying it by knocking it down before it launches its seed into space. The flower explodes and completely annihilates Sendai; and seemingly killing Gamera.

Japan's military and scientists race to find the Legion's weakness, but have so far found only one clue: the smaller symbiotic Legion are attracted to any electromagnetic source, such as a power line. While this may enable the army to distract them, it has the unfortunate side-effect of drawing them to Tokyo. Asagi visits the ruined city where Gamera lies comatose, and as she tries to reach out to him, and the mystical jewel that enables their bond shatters. Gamera awakens, but at the sacrifice of his human connection.

Legion marches on Tokyo with the intention of planting a third and final flower, but Gamera heads her off in the outskirts. She spawns a swarm of soldiers against him, but the military manages to draw them off and destroy them with an electric distraction. Gamera and Legion fight throughout the suburbs, and the military lobs a few missiles at Legion in aid. Finally, Gamera manages to tear off Legion's horn, and she momentarily collapses in defeat. Suddenly, Legion rises up and fires laser whips from her stump into Gamera. On the verge of defeat, Gamera then looks into the sky and roars, and light begins to shine down upon him. As Legion closes in, Gamera's chest opens up and fires a powerful plasma beam. Legion is hit by the blast and is blown apart.

Gamera glances toward the human onlookers, and then ascends into the morning sky. As they watch Gamera fade into the distance, mankind is unsettled by his power, and trembles lest he should ever view humanity as an enemy.

Cast

• Toshiyuki Nagashima as Colonel Watarase - The colonel of the Japanese Self-Defense Force.
• Miki Mizuno as Midori Honami
• Tamotsu Ishibashi as Hanatani
• Mitsuro Fukikoshi as Obitsu
• Ayako Fujitani as Asagi Kusanagi - A young girl who holds a spiritual connection to Gamera.
• Yusuke Kawazu as Nojiri
• Akira Ohashi as Gamera - The films titular kaiju, Gamera is a giant fireball breathing turtle that was created millions of years ago by an advanced civilization to defend the Earth from world-threatening forces.
• Mizuho Yoshida as Legion - The main villain, Legion is a race of extraterrestrials that resemble ants which travel across the galaxy to colonize unsuspecting planets, killing off the native populace in the process.

Alternate Titles

• Gamera 2: The Real Guardian of The Universe - International marketing title
• Gamera 2: Advent of Legion - Japanese title
• Gamera: Attack of Legion - U.S. DVD title
• Gamera vs. Legion - English market title

External links

• Gamera 2: Attack of Legion at Rotten Tomatoes
• Gamera web archive (Japanese)
• "ガメラ2 レギオン襲来 (Gamera Tsū: Region Shūrai)" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
• Gamera 2: Attack of Legion at IMDb