In the wake of Kenji Ohba’s death, I felt compelled to take a bit of a break from the Gavan pieces. But now, it’s time to get back into gear. This show and by proxy this column were already special to me. This being my first regular series for Kaiju United, it has brought me so much joy but also a sense of purpose. As much as we may not have felt it in the past, Godzilla fans are spoiled. We have no end to the amount of “content” (I hate that phrase) and merchandise we can handle. Nearly every Godzilla film is readily available both physically and digitally. We are blessed with new movies fairly regularly, across two separate studios. Not to mention we have television shows, books, comics, video games, and all the figures you could imagine. That is not the case here.
If you’re not Ultraman, Tokusatsu releases are few and far between here in the US. Companies like Discotek or ShoutFactory will occasionally release a Blu-ray of a Sentai, Kamen Rider, or even a Space Sheriff (The Gavan Blu-ray is seemingly back in print; GO GET IT). But those releases tend to go out of print and therefore, are cast into oblivion. Every now and then a series will pop up on Tubi or even YouTube, but at any moment those can disappear. Because of this scarcity, I feel I’m doing a service to our fandom with these pieces. Sure, I’m doing this to entertain myself and hopefully entertain you, but if I can also light a proverbial fire in someone’s heart to seek out Gavan then I have succeeded. It’s also perhaps a false hope that I can persuade those with the power to give us more. I don’t expect Gavan to sell a million copies, I just think it’s entirely too important for preservation. Toei, if you’re listening, we’re in dire need for more official releases.
Let’s dive into the next set of episodes, shall we?
EPISODE 11: IS MY FATHER ALIVE? THE MYSTERIOUS SOS
For the first time in many episodes, we’re continuing the plot of Gavan’s missing father, Voicer. This episode opens with a flashback/dream showing Gavan as a child. A touching insert song plays over footage of a young Gavan hanging out with his parents, though we never see his father’s face other than its framed in a locket. Voicer is played by the legendary Sonny Chiba, who of course was no stranger to Tokusatsu. He famously played one of the world’s oldest superheroes, one that even predates Superman, The Ogon Bat (which translates to The Golden Bat). He also played the title role in Seven Color Mask. Intriguingly, Chiba and Ohba would later work together on Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films. Small world.
Gavan awakes from his dream and receives some sort of coded message on his ship. Commander Qom confirms that it could be Voicer, as he was the only one capable of sending this secret signal except for…Hunter-Killer. Gavan and Mimi head off to the signal’s location knowing full well it could be a Makuu trap. Speaking of Makuu, it seems Commander Qom’s fears are true as Hunter-Killer tells Don Horror that he’s laid several traps for his archenemy.
Gavan and Mimi find a young woman being chased by some Crushers and rescue her. She makes vague observations about Gavan, saying he looks and sounds just like “Him”. Another signal comes through as they drive, leading them into another possible trap. Mimi is no fool, though, as she considers the woman may be a Makuu spy. They drop her off in town, and as they drive away she says “He does look like him. Like Voicer.” Gavan’s car is attacked and spooks Mimi. Mimi decides she’s had enough and leaves the search to Gavan.
And this right here, is when things get crazy. The signal leads Gavan to a mysterious, deserted, old American west style town. Gavan assumes Makuu is behind it but is distracted by a lost puppy. Puppies are like Gavan’s kryptonite. This meeting is immediately interrupted by two masked cowboys on horseback. Gavan must dodge (while still holding the pup, definitely didn’t look like a fake dog in those motions). The cowboys then vanish into thin air. Gavan notices sound coming from the saloon and…it’s full of people.
It was at this moment I had to pause and sit back. I am completely gobsmacked at how utterly brilliant this is. When I started this series, a sci-fi tokusatsu show, I never ONCE considered they would actually lean into the “Sheriff” of it all. The fact all the patrons of the saloon are dressed in “old west” clothing (it’s actually closer to the fashion you might find in a more modern Honky Tonk, but we’ll give Japan a pass) is both funny and absurd and also really eerie. Adding to that, of course all these people are also Japanese of course. A truly surreal experience.
Gavan is attacked. The saloon patrons soon turn out to be Crushers in disguise and mayhem ensues. Gavan dives through a glass window as the Crushers open fire with machine guns. WHAT. IS. HAPPENING!?! The ghostly cowboys show up again and it’s now obvious that their masks are hockey masks. But not any hockey mask, they look like the discount Jason Voorhees-style hockey mask you will find at any Wal-Mart’s Halloween section in October. One of them lassos Gavan and drags him with the horse. He jumps out of that bad situation into an even crazier one. He’s backed into a corner with three Crusher driven vehicles barreling toward him. He jumps up at the last second and all the cars explode. He, somehow, still has the dog. It just magically appears again.
The girl from the saloon (the Snack Bar…) comes running asking for help but she’s really a Doublewoman. Gavan is having a really bad day. Hunter-Killer was not lying; this has been relentless. And sometimes when you speak of the devil, he appears. Hunter-Killer beckons Gavan. Backing him up is a new type of Doubleman, the Doublewoman, and a battalion of Crushers (WITH ROCKET LAUNCHERS). Gavan (who still hasn’t transformed) is in dire straits. But now he’s PISSED. He tucks the dog into his jacket and runs for it. He steals a truck, smashes into some Crushers, and escapes the town. As he’s driving, however, he’s attacked by a BEM Kaiju, Armadillo Monster. To make matters worse, the brakes are out on the truck. Gavan narrowly escapes and finally transforms…but he’s back to normal after the commercial break.
The young woman Gavan rescued earlier tracks him down. She shows him a picture (a rather poorly chopped together picture) of Voicer. She explains that her father was a scientist and friend of Voicer. The girl’s father and mother were murdered by Hunter-Killer. The ex-Space Sheriff also stole what her father, Dr. Hoshino, was working on. It’s a plasma energy emitter. The Makuu plan to use this technology to manufacture missiles that can blow up worlds. With his dying breath, Hoshino sends his daughter to find Voicer. He was apparently last seen in Kirifuki Valley.
Gavan finds Voicer’s spaceship in the valley. We’re shown how it was marooned via some gorgeous matte paintings. A swarm of Makuu fighters blew Voicer out of the sky. The interior of the ruined spacecraft is very similar to the Dolgiran. Gavan finds a jacket belonging to Voicer and as another sad insert song hits, Gavan finds a large locket with baby Gavan and his mother’s picture in it. Kenji Ohba gives a fittingly heartbreaking performance in this scene. Raw, believable, and all without really saying a word. We dissolve into another flashback, with a lot of the same footage as before. This tear-jerking moment is soon halted by some explosions. Gavan is now suited up and ready for action.
Hunter-Killer, Armadillo Monster, a really cool new Doubleman (reminiscent of a horned beetle), and a bunch of Crushers are waiting for our hero. Gavan pummels the baddies and is sent into Makuu Space. The Armadillo Monster vanishes and Voicer is seen with his back to Gavan. Gavan calls out to him but he’s a Doubleman. The Armadillo and Gavan battle on a stationary asteroid amidst a trippy matte painting. The BEM Kaiju is then finally killed by the Laser Z Beam, or so we thought. It’s now a BEM DAIkaiju. Looks like a job for Electronic Star-Beast DOL. Dol plays the hits and combos Armadillo with all of its special moves until it finally succumbs to the onslaught.
There’s still the issue with the Doubleman, though. Gavan summons the laser blade and blasts the Doubleman into oblivion. Gavan is back home but not all of the threats have retreated. Hunter-Killer tells Gavan “We’ll be keeping Voicer a bit longer.” The episode ends on a bit of a downer, with Gavan winning the battle but not yet winning the war.
WHAT AN EPISODE. This will go down as one of the best episodes of the series. So much emotion, so much character development, and even more action than usual. The first half of the episode plays out almost like the film The Raid, just one battle after another. The idea of Retsu rolling up to an Old West town is not something I ever thought I’d see. I was positively gripped by this one and makes me want to see more. Great stuff.
EPISODE 12: HURRY TO THE AMUSEMENT PARK! THE UFO BOY’S IN BIG TROUBLE!
We open on Oyama Amusement Park. I’ve always loved Amusement Parks as settings in media. It makes for a great set piece that gives an aura of wonderment but also the fear of the unknown. A kid with a telescope is sightseeing over the park when he spots a fleet of Makuu starfighters. He quickly informs his dad of the UFOS but they’re gone by the time he father looks through the scope. A classic trope.
If the amusement park wasn’t enough, the next set piece is literally awe-inspiring. Makuu is hiding out near the Oya Stone Reserves in Tochigi Prefecture. This mighty fortress of stone is a real location in Japan, and its centerpiece is the towering twenty-seven-meter-tall statue of the goddess Kannon, the Buddhist God of mercy and compassion. As a prayer for warriors that succumb to battle, this huge monument was hand carved from Oya stone. This adds another air of believability or rather helps connect Gavan’s Japan to its real-world counterpart. Ironic that this beacon for compassion is housing the galaxies deadliest criminals.
This week, Makuu are planning to cause earthquakes so severe that it will sink the Japanese Archipelago using a “Land Subsider.”. Makuu, your plots have a lot of range, never change. We see Hunter-Killer further explaining this plot to a new type of Doubleman, the wiki calls him Doubleman Bad. Once again, a great design. A green Bat-Rat hybrid, not totally different from the Rat-Fink character. A Doublewoman informs them of what the UFO boy saw, and therefore Don Horror commands they be more discreet until the weapon is complete.
At Avalon Riding, the children Wakaba and Yoichi receive a letter inviting them to Oya to see UFOs. Makoto Hayashi, who you have now guessed is the UFO boy, is also Yoichi’s cousin. Granpda tells them they can’t go until summer vacation, so Retsu steps in and says he’ll go on their behalf. Retsu heads for the amusement park. Makoto and his father are under attack from Hunter-Killer and a new BEM Kaiju, which is called the Goat Monster but…the resemblance to a goat is minimal. In fact, it’s almost like a goat-spider hybrid. It spews some sort of liquid from its maw all over Makoto’s hand and it gives a really gross bubbling effect. Hunter-Killer threatens Makoto’s dad, telling him to make sure not to say anything about UFOs to anyone. When Retus comes to investigate, the Hayashi father and son tell him nothing (though he suspects they were threatened). He does notice the telescope is pointed toward the Oya Stone Reserves.
Mimi and Tsukiko (The daughter of Dr. Hosino from last episode) come to talk to Makoto and head into a haunted house at the park. It’s REALLY creepy but the true horror inside is the Goat Kaiju. The monster chases all the park goers out and Gavan meets it head on, transforming mid kick. Now that I think about it, this Goat monster has a lot of characteristics to the Alien Baltan. The sort of weird, layered face, the clawed hands (or in this case hooved hands), its body language is even similar to Ultraman’s most iconic foe. The Doubleman Bad kidnaps Makoto and vanishes. Great shot of Gavan standing on top of a Ferris Wheel, I’m sure that wasn’t dangerous at all.
Makoto has been shoved into a prison cell at the Makuu Base, but a friendly voice assures him he will be rescued. Mimi, in bird form, flies out of Makoto’s pocket. Retsu continues his search and fends off a group of Crushers on a truck. He arrives at the reserve, and Mimi fills him in on Makoto’s whereabouts. As they approach, a strange voice is calling for help. Gavan says it’s Makoto’s voice (it most definitely is not, not even close) and goes toward the cry. Gavan finds the cell but falls through a trap door. Goat Monster then begins to spray the helpless, trapped hero. Goat Monster took some pointers from Hedorah. Gavan transforms and escapes his doom. He blows the door of the cell and saves Makoto.
Gavan tangles with some Crushers as well as the Doubleman and Goat Monster. Humorous bit where Gavan uppercuts the Doubleman Bad into several jump cuts and then the villains head gets stuck in a hole. While Gavan battles the Goat, Bad attempts to set off the earthquake device but it’s blown up by Gavan. Just when Gavan gets the upper hand, he’s sent into Makuu Space. An incredible matte painting graces the background as we’re now battling in a distorted amusement park set. This rules. They’re battling on the rides, Gavan takes a smack from the Goat while on a tilt-a-whirl. Goat Monster is destroyed by a Z Beam. Doubleman Bad jumps in and they’re battle amongst the Reserves stone architecture.
Doubleman Bad takes the stars and begins firing on Gavan. Dol is called into action and snuffs out the Makuu baddies. Back on the ground, Gavan and Bad duel. Bad is not match for the slice from the Gavan Dynamic. Once again, the day is saved. Makoto says he’s going to look out for Gavan everyday.
This episode was fine. Far more run of the mill than episode 11. The star of this is the sets. Between the amusement park, the reserve, and the Makuu distorted versions of those locales, it’s really beautiful. And it’s all wrapped in that wonderful Showa Toku grit.
EPISODE 13: RETSU IN PERIL! A DRAMATIC REVERSAL
The first shot of this episode is a glorious matte painting featuring Don Horror and all the different types of Doublemen. God, I would kill for an artbook of this show. The narrator discusses how “most” of the Doublemen are loyal to the Don, but there are a few that besmirch the Makuu leader’s name. Cut to a prison cell aboard the Makuu ship and we’re introduced to a new type of Doubleman, a very Triceratops inspired one. The designs of this show just endear you, and make me love toku even more than before. Toku operates on the logic of “If we can imagine it, we can make it…somehow”.
The dinosaur like Doubleman is brought before Don Horror and is given two choices: Rot in prison forever OR bring the head of Gavan, earn freedom and a promotion, too! After briefly kicking everyone in close proximities butt, the Triceratops Doubleman agrees and takes a fleet of fighter ships. They bombard an oil refinery, putting them on the radar of Gavan and Mimi. Gavan engages the fighters and makes quick work of the minion planes. However, the DinoDoubleMan challenges Gavan to a duel on the ground, which Gavan readily accepts. We’re barely five minutes into this episode and we already have a knockdown, drag out fight. After Gavan cleaves the Doubleman’s shield in two with a Z beam, the villain escapes but vows to destroy Gavan.
Back at the Makuu bases, DinoDoubleman informs Hunter-Killer he has a plan. The Double asks to be given the powers of a monster, thus becoming a hybrid. Don Horror calls it a ground breaking concept. Meanwhile, some scientist are testing a teleporting machine on a lab rat. I wonder if this is where Chrono Trigger got this (more likely from The Fly)? At first it seems like the experiment will be a success, but ultimately and unfortunately, the little guy doesn’t make it. The scientists, while disappointed, take a glass half-full ideology. The machine ALMOST works. One of the scientists calls back home to talk to his wife and son, but that’s soon interrupted by the Makuu! Hunter-Killer and crew kidnap the man now identified as Professor Kozuki. Retsu goes to investigate. Kozuki is brought before Don Horror and the evil mob boss wants to use the technology Kozuki has built and adapt into an “organism combiner”, thus getting the hybrid creature they desire. It’s funny that I mentioned The Fly earlier, essentially Don Horror wants to achieve the tragic mistake that led to a man becoming a Fly. It’s worth mentioning that this predates Croenenberg’s Fly remake with Jeff Goldblum, and thus is most likely references the Vincent Price starring original.
At first Kozuki refuses, with a pretty over the top line delivery of “COMBINING ANIMALS!? YOU’RE CRAZY”, but as these things usually tend to go, The Makuu threaten Kozuki’s wife and child, forcing his hand. Kozuki returns home and sends Retsu away. The DinoDoubleman chooses which BEM he wants to fuse with, the Sai (or Rhino) Monster. Mostly keeping with the unspoken tradition of the show, this creature bares almost no resemblance to an actual rhinoceros. Looks more like Slithe from ThunderCats. Retsu investigates Kozuki’s lab and asks about the machine. Kozuki half-lies and says it’s a transporter machine, and that he’s going to try sending a chimp through. This leads to a very brief, but very fun bit, of Kenji Ohba making his best Chimpanzee face. Very good.
Kozuki tells Retsu scram, but Retsu refuses as he made a promise to Kozuki’s son to keep his dad safe. We then shift to a tennis court (this show waits for no one) and we see that Mimi and Tsukiko are keeping watch over the professor’s family. The bumbling fool Kojiro shows up, seemingly smitten with our two heroines’ (rightfully so). They rebuff the perv, of course, but are soon attacked by Makuu. So, yeah, they’re doing a great job of protecting the family. DinoDouble (who apparently is actually called Doubleman Renoman) breaks Kojiro’s camera and then slams him, very slapstick like, into the steel cage. Kojiro yells “Mommy!” as he flies toward oblivion. Makuu takes the wife and son back through a portal. Mimi informs Retsu and they leave, but Retsu quickly realizes it was all a diversion to get Gavan away from the lab. The experiment begins and oh boy, are the results glorious.
The fusion BEM/Doublemen looks even more like a triceratops but now with tinges of grayish green, a much large head, and a far more imposing frame. Hunter-Killer tells the Kozuki family they’re moving in to Makuu Castle, implying he’ll be making hybrids forever. But in an act of bravery and love, Kozuki begins fighting the Makuu forces and tells his family to run. They all three run for it but the Hybrid is making chase. Retsu appears and the battle begins. The monster pummels Retsu, I don’t think we’ve really seen a villain whoop him (especially in his base form) thus far. Awesome slow motion shot of the monster throwing a car door and it is hitting Retsu right in the top of the dome. If I know anything about toku stunts, this was probably more real than you might guess. A second car door parades toward Retsu, but this time (like a pro wrestler) he gets his hands up to “cushion” the blow.
Initially some Crushers join the fray, but they’re sent away. They’re not needed because the BEM is utterly destroying Retsu. I said this about previous episodes, but it’s always nice in Toku shows when the hero actually struggles. Makes the stakes so much higher and builds tension so naturally. And this leads to one of the most badass henshins so far. A badly hurt Retsu musters up all the strength he has left to ELECTROPLATE. But even with his transformation, the BEM is still insanely powerful. It starts to whack Gavan with an extremely thick utility pole. Nothing Gavan does is working! That is, until he draws his sword. Gavan uses the GAVAN DYNAMIC to split the BEM’s shield in two. The beast retreats, again. The Kozuki family is safe but the world is still in peril because the combiner machine has been stolen. Even with that dread inducing revelation, Gavan remains forever optimistic. We end with Retsu shouting to his foes, “Bring it, Makuu! I’ll fight and fight until I beat you all.” That’s my hero.
Really fun episode. It may sound strange, but I loved seeing Gavan get demolished. I can imagine children in Japan at the time being distraught watching their hero pulverized. And for once, our creature of the week wasn’t defeated! So I’m sure we’ll see more of the so called “Double Monster.” A very refreshing dip on this journey so far. Great choreography on the battles, some genuine bits of comedy that made me chuckle, and an ending that’s not a true victory, but our Gavan is confident, nonetheless.
During the time it took to write this piece, we lost another integral piece of the Gavan puzzle; Katsushi Murakami passed away earlier this year. Katsushi designed the look of Gavan, as well as essentially being the father of the MegaZord as he created Leopardon from Toei’s Spider-Man. A monumental loss, and contributions to tokusatsu that we will praise until the end of time. That’s all for me, I’ll be back with more Gavan soon!
