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| Species: | Mutant amphibian |
| Height: | Showa: 58 Meters |
| Length: | Showa: N/A |
| Weight: | Showa: 23,000 Metric Tons |
| Appearances: | All Monsters Attack (1969) |
Summary
Gabara (Gabara) is a mutant amphibian kaiju who first appeared in the 1969 Toho Godzilla film, All Monsters Attack.
A malicious bully of a monster, Gabara existed within the dreams of Ichiro Miki in All Monsters Attack, as a representation of Ichiro's real-life bully also nicknamed "Gabara." Gabara liked to bully Minilla, who was too small and weak to fight back and couldn't rely on his father for assistance. Ichiro befriended Minilla and helped him to defeat Gabara using an elaborate trap. Gabara retaliated by attacking Godzilla himself, who promptly beat Gabara into submission.
Name
In the context of All Monsters Attack, Gabara gets its name from Ichiro Miki's real-life bully Sanko, who he gives the nickname "Gabara."
Originally, Gabara was to be called Gebara (Gebara), but Toho decided to change his name to Gabara in order to avoid confusion with the American biopic film Che!, which was released in Japan as Guevara! (Gebara!) earlier in 1969. The monster's original name "Gebara" can be seen on some early concept art.
Design
The audio commentary for Classic Media's 2008 DVD release of All Monsters Attack humorously compares Gabara to a bipedal cat with car engine problems. Although he is said to be based on a toad,[5] Gabara is very similar to - and more than likely partially based on - the Oni of Japanese mythology and folklore. His costume design is very reminiscent of these demonic ogre or troll-like beings, further mixing the turquoise scales of a reptile with orange, cat-like fur and distinctly-mammalian facial features. He also has three horns on his head, again much like the Oni, whose horns varied between one-to-three on average. Gabara's ability to electrocute things on contact is possibly a reference to Oni lore, as they too were sometimes associated with the natural forces of lighting and thunder.
Origin
In All Monsters Attack, Gabara exists only within the dreams of protagonist Ichiro Miki. In the context of Ichiro's dreams, Gabara is a toad that was mutated by nuclear explosions into a giant bipedal ogre-like monster.
History
Showa Era
Gabara was a resident of Ichiro Miki's imaginary Monster Island, and a constant tormentor to the much smaller Minilla, inspired by Ichiro's own real-life problems with bullies around his neighborhood. After receiving combat training from his father Godzilla, and extra assistance from the human protagonist, Minilla successfully beat Gabara by luring him onto a giant teeter-totter contraption, which launched Gabara high into the air after Minilla grew to full size and jumped on it. Just as Godzilla arrived to congratulate his son, Gabara retaliated and bit Godzilla, who proceeded to unleash his full fury against Gabara. Godzilla beat Gabara senseless and then threw him over his shoulder, sending Gabara running away in defeat.
Trivia
- Within the context of the film, Gabara is a representation within the dreams of Ichiro Miki, the main character, of a schoolyard bully of the same name. Similarly, Ichiro is represented by Minilla, Godzilla's son. After Godzilla defends his son in Ichiro's dreams, Ichiro is able to overcome his fears and confront the real Gabara.
- Of all the main antagonist kaiju introduced in the Showa series, Gabara and Megalon are the only ones to have never appeared in another film since the end of the Showa series, although each has been featured in at least one television program since their debut films (Go! Godman and Go! Greenman for Gabara, and Godzilla Island for Megalon).
- Gabara is the one of only two monsters in the Toho universe that exists only in dreams, the other being the Maneater; that is to say, they do not exist in the "real" world like Toho's other kaiju.
- In both of his television appearances, Gabara appears in the real world. However, as both Go! Godman and Go! Greenman are set in their own continuities, this means that Gabara still only exists in a dream in the context of the Godzilla series.
- Gabara also acts as a very real threat in the Japanese story book Giant Dragon Manda, where he teams up with Moguera to antagonize Manda among other villainous acts across the world.
- Gabara is probably an imaginative take on the Oni, an ogre-like race in Japanese mythology. Confirmed kaiju that are Oni can often be seen in the Ultraman franchise, with characters like Oni-On, from episode 27 of Ultraman Leo, and Sakunaoni from episode 16 of Ultraman Tiga.
- The Tsuburaya Productions kaiju Yadokarin, Femigon, Doragory, and Kyasshi all use differently modified Gabara roars.
- Gabara might have inspired the Godzilla: The Series monster Crackler, as they are both monsters from dreams and their powers are based on electricity.
- Gabara Pond is a location on Godzilla Island in the show of the same name.
- The Godzilla Wars series of trading cards states that Gabara hails from Sollgel Island, while a map in the book Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction shows Gabara present on Monsterland.
