Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

2025-06-17T20:56:58Z

152.86.89.161: Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

{{short description|1966 film by Jun Fukuda}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
| image = Godzilla vs the Sea Monster 1966.jpg
| alt = Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| native_name = {{Infobox Japanese| kanji=ゴジラ・エビラ・モスラ　南海の大決闘 | revhep=Gojira Ebira Mosura Nankai no Dai-kettō}}
| director = [[Jun Fukuda]]{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}
{{Infobox|decat=yes|child=yes|label1=Special effects by|data1=Sadamasa Arikawa}}

| producer = [[Tomoyuki Tanaka]]{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}
| screenplay = [[Shinichi Sekizawa]]{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
* [[Akira Takarada]]
* [[Kumi Mizuno]]
* Chotaro Togin
* Hideo Sunazuka}}
| music = [[Masaru Sato]]{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}
| cinematography = [[Kazuo Yamada]]{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}
| editing = Ryohei Fujii{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}
| studio = [[Toho|Toho Co., Ltd]]{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}
| distributor = Toho
| released = {{Film date|1966|12|17|Japan}}
| runtime = 87 minutes{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}
| country = Japan
| language = Japanese
| budget =
| gross = ¥330 million ({{nowrap|Japan rentals}})<ref>[http://g-kingdom.la.coocan.jp/series/7.htm ゴジラ・エビラ・モスラ　南海の大決闘]</ref><ref>[https://nendai-ryuukou.com/article/089.html 歴代ゴジラ映画作品一覧]</ref>

}}

{{nihongo|'''''Ebirah, Horror of the Deep'''''|ゴジラ・エビラ・モスラ　南海の大決闘|lead=yes|Gojira Ebira Mosura Nankai no Dai-kettō|{{Literal translation}} Godzilla, Ebirah, Mothra: Big Duel in the South Seas}} is a 1966 Japanese [[Kaiju|'' kaiju'' film]] directed by [[Jun Fukuda]] and produced and distributed by [[Toho|Toho Co., Ltd]]. The film stars [[Akira Takarada]], [[Kumi Mizuno]], [[Akihiko Hirata]] and [[Eisei Amamoto]], and features the fictional monster characters [[Godzilla]], [[Mothra]], and Ebirah. It is the seventh film in the [[Godzilla (franchise)|'' Godzilla'' franchise]], and features special effects by Sadamasa Arikawa, under the supervision of [[Eiji Tsuburaya]]. In the film, Godzilla and Ebirah are portrayed by [[Haruo Nakajima]] and Hiroshi Sekita, respectively.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}{{sfn|Ragone|2007|p=145}}

During its development, ''Ebirah, Horror of the Deep'' was intended to feature [[King Kong]], but the character was replaced by Godzilla. The film was released to theaters in Japan on December 17, 1966, and was released directly to television in the United States under the title '''''Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster''''' in 1968 by [[Continental Distributing]].

The film was followed by ''[[Son of Godzilla]]'', released on December 16, 1967. The [[Motion Picture Association film rating system| MPAA]] is rated PG.

==Plot ==
After Yata is lost at sea, his brother Ryota steals a [[yacht]] with his two friends and a bank robber. However, the crew runs afoul of Ebirah, a giant [[lobster]]-like creature, and washes ashore on Letchi Island. There, the Red Bamboo, a [[Terrorism|terrorist]] organization, manufactures [[heavy water]] for selling weapons of mass destruction and a yellow liquid that keeps Ebirah at bay, presumably controlling him. The Red Bamboo has [[Slavery|enslaved]] natives from nearby Infant Island to create the yellow liquid, while the natives hope that [[Mothra]] will awaken in her winged, adult form and rescue them.

In their efforts to avoid capture, Ryota and his friends, aided by Daiyo, a native girl, come across Godzilla, who previously fought [[Ghidorah]] and is now sleeping within a cliffside cavern. The group devises a plan to defeat the Red Bamboo and escape the island. In the process, they awaken Godzilla using a makeshift [[lightning rod]]. Godzilla fights Ebirah, but the huge crustacean escapes. Godzilla is then attacked by a [[Giant Condor|giant condor]] and a squadron of Red Bamboo [[Fighter aircraft|fighter jets]]. Using its atomic breath, Godzilla destroys the jets and kills the giant bird.

Ryota and his friends retrieve the missing Yata and free the enslaved natives as Godzilla begins to destroy the Red Bamboo's base of operations, smashing a tower that causes a countdown that will destroy the island in a [[nuclear explosion]]. Godzilla fights Ebirah and defeats it, ripping its claws off, and forcing it to retreat into the sea. The natives await for Mothra to carry them off in a large net. However, when she gets to the island, Mothra is challenged by Godzilla due to a [[Mothra vs. Godzilla|previous confrontation]]. Mothra manages to repel Godzilla and save her people and the human heroes. Godzilla also escapes just before the bomb detonates and destroys the island.

==Cast==
{{cast listing|
* [[Akira Takarada]] as Yoshimura
* Toru Watanabe as Ryota Kane
* Toru Ibuki as Yata Kane
* Chotaro Togin as Ichino
* Hideo Sunazuka as Nita
* [[Kumi Mizuno]] as Daiyo
* Pair Bambi as the Shobijin, Mothra's tiny twin priestesses
* [[Jun Tazaki]] as Red Bamboo Commander
* [[Akihiko Hirata]] as Red Bamboo Captain Ryuui
* [[Hideyo Amamoto]] as Red Bamboo Captain Naval Officer
* Yutaka Sada as Farmer
* Hisaya Ito as Red Bamboo scientist
* Tadashi Okabe as Red Bamboo scientist
* Chieko Nakakita as Mrs. Kane
* Ikio Sawamura as an elderly slave
* [[Shoichi Hirose]] as an escaped slave
* Kazuo Suzuki as an escaped slave
* [[Haruo Nakajima]] as Godzilla{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=356}}
* Hiroshi Sekita as Ebirah{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=356}}
* [[Greg Howgill]] a Super Moby
}}

==Production==
===Writing===
By 1966, Toho had their sights set on bringing back King Kong back to the silver screen. Their deal with [[RKO]] allowed them the use of King Kong for five years, an agreement that would be over in 1967. Why Toho waited so long to produce another Kong film is unknown. The planned movie, ''Operation Robinson Crusoe: King Kong vs. Ebirah'' (ロビンソン·クルーソー作戦キングコング対エビラ ''Robinson Kurūsō Sakusen: Kingu Kongu tai Ebira''), was to be a co-production with [[Rankin/Bass]], who was about to debut their animated program, ''The King Kong Show'', in September of that same year. According to Toho Special Effects Movies Complete Works, Jun Fukuda was approached about an untitled US–Japanese ''King Kong'' co-production on April 21, 1966. Even before that, in February 1966, Toho's senior staff member Makoto Fujimoto met with a movie theater owner in Kansai and revealed that the New Year's season would see the release of a new ''King Kong'' movie.

The concept was first pitched by Shinichi Sekizawa on July 13, 1966. However, Rankin-Bass was displeased that Toho was dead-set on Jun Fukuda directing the live-action and Eiji Tsuburaya's protege, Sadamasa Arikawa, directing special effects. Rankin-Bass was equally dead set on the creative team being Ishiro Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya. When Toho refused to budge and was unable to compromise, Rankin-Bass dropped out of the project. Toho liked the script so much that they decided to simply substitute Godzilla in place of Kong and release it as ''Godzilla, Ebirah, Mothra: Big Duel in the South Seas'' for their New Year's blockbuster. Rankin-Bass and Toho would settle their differences the next year and would begin work on ''King Kong Escapes'' (1967), which was based on the recent King Kong cartoon and would feature Honda at the director's helm.

Even with the loss of one of the title characters, though, Toho continued with production on Sekizawa's screenplay. Little was done to tweak the script and Godzilla displays a Kong-inspired interest in Daiyo. It's even possible the electric shock to revive Kong was a nod to the ape's love of electricity in ''King Kong vs. Godzilla''.

According to [[Teruyoshi Nakano]], Godzilla was supposed to fight a giant octopus in this film. However, Nakano likely confused this film with an early version of ''All Monsters Attack'' (1969). Both Nakano and Fukuda acted as though they were unaware the film ever started out starring King Kong. Fukuda said, "Godzilla was in the first draft of the script that I saw. I don't know what the earlier drafts were like." Fukuda further elaborated that making the film "was like pouring two cups of water into one. I had to cut one sequence after another." What these cut scenes contained are unknown, but Godzilla's infamous helicopter spin of Ebirah, which exists only in publicity photos, was apparently planned for the film, as storyboards exist of the scene.

===Filming===
This is the first of two ''Godzilla'' films in which a Pacific island is the primary setting, rather than a location inside Japan. The second and final one is ''[[Son of Godzilla]]'' (1967).{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

Director [[Jun Fukuda]] notes that producer Tomoyuki Tanaka was not particularly active on this production, with the exception of being involved with the budget. The producer would, however, visit the set "often" with [[BrainPOP]] Characters and the [[Tyrannosaurs]] to watch progress but only as an observer of the [[King Kong (1933 film)| original King Kong movie.]]

Daiyo was originally to be played by [[Noriko Takahashi]], from ''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon]]'' (1965), but fell ill with appendicitis during production was replaced with [[Kumi Mizuno]] at the last second.<ref>{{cite book|title=Toho Tokusatsu Actress Complete Works|date=2014|publisher=Yosensha|page=109|isbn=978-4800304957|language=Japanese}}</ref>

Although [[Eiji Tsuburaya]] is credited as the special effects director, actual directorial duties were handed over to [[Teisho Arikawa]], who at this stage had been promoted to Tsuburaya's first assistant director. Tsuburaya still had the final say on effects sequences but served more of a supervisor role on the production.

With a new special effects director in the seat, Toho tried to limit the effects budget. Sadamasa Arikawa lamented that Toho likely did this due to his inexperience and TV history, noting that "Toho couldn't have made too many demands about the budget if Mr. Tsuburaya had been in charge" and that he "was also doing TV work then, so they must have figured I could produce the movie cheaply." To keep the budget down, Toho instructed Arikawa to avoid expensive composite shots as much as possible. Although the movie has minimal composite shots, it is not devoid of them as scenes such as Godzilla's foot composited near actress Kumi Mizuno or a sequence of Mothra composited as her followers rush toward her are some examples of these sequences that made it into the final film.

Jun Fukuda was not fond of the film. In an interview, he was quoted saying, "Toho sent me a copy of the VHS tape edition of Godzilla vs The Sea Monsters when it was released. It was like opening up an old wound, I didn't watch the tape."

===Music===
Director Jun Fukuda selected Masaru Sato to score his films to give it a "different touch from Ishiro Honda's", noting Sato's music was lighter than Akira Ifukube's. Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka didn't agree with this decision but Fukuda won out in the end of the [[New York Philharmonic| New York Symphony Orchestra ]]

===Special effects===
The underwater sequences were filmed on an indoor soundstage where the Godzilla and Ebirah suits were filmed through the glass of a water-filled aquarium, with some scenes of the Godzilla suit shot separately underwater as well. Haruo Nakajima wore a wet suit under the Godzilla suit for every scene that required him to be in the water, which took a week to complete the water scenes, Nakajima stated, "I worked overtime until about eight o'clock every day. I lived in the water! Generally, in the summer, everybody wants to go in the pool and play, but, when it comes to kaiju movies, it is totally different. Most of the scenes that they shoot in the water are not in the summer, but in the winter. In the middle of winter, shooting started at nine in the morning, going until noon, and then we'd take an hour off. But we'd go from 1:00 P.M. until around 5:00 at night. I needed to stay in the water all day in the suit, and shooting took a week."{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

The Side Monsters that featured in this film were largely dictated by suits and props that were still available from previous films. For example, the [[Mothra]] was the same prop seen in [[Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster]] and the giant condor was a repurposed Rodan prop used in flying scenes. Other places where the low budget of the movie can be seen is in the island setting which was picked, as islands are much cheaper to make miniatures of compared to cities. This island trend carries on in other movies such as [[Son of Godzilla]].

==Release==
===Theatrical===
''Ebirah, Horror of the Deep'' was released theatrically in Japan on December 17, 1966 at the [[Yurakuza Theater]], where it was distributed by [[Toho]].{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}}

The American version of the film was released directly to television by [[Continental Distributing]] in 1968 under the title ''Godzilla versus the Sea Monster''.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}} The film may have received theatrical distribution in the United States as a Walter Reade Jr. Presentation, but this has not been confirmed.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|2008|p=234}} It was also featured on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' as the last episode for the second season.

===Home media===
The film was released on [[DVD]] on February 8, 2005, by [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/14341/godzilla-vs-the-sea-monster/|title=Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster|website=DVD Talk|access-date=2018-01-29}}</ref> The film was released on [[Blu-ray]] on May 6, 2014, by [[Section23 Films#Kraken Releasing|Kraken Releasing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Ebirah-Horror-of-the-Deep-Blu-ray/95719/|title=Ebirah: Horror of the Deep Blu-ray|location=[[Blu-ray|Blu-ray.com]]|access-date=17 November 2016}}</ref> In 2019, the Japanese version was included in a Blu-ray box set released by the Criterion Collection, which included all 15 films from the franchise's [[Godzilla (franchise)#Shōwa era (1954–1975)|Shōwa era]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/25/8930381/godzilla-criterion-collection-showa-era-films-release-date|title=Criterion reveals the collection's 1000th disc: the ultimate Godzilla set|last=Patches|first=Matt|date=July 25, 2019|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=July 25, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=December 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217223541/https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/25/8930381/godzilla-criterion-collection-showa-era-films-release-date}}</ref>

There are two English versions. The first one was dubbed in the 1960s by a company called Titra and featured [[Hal Linden]]. He was the voice dub for the character, Yoshimura or “Yoshi,” who was played onscreen by [[Akira Takarada]]. The first English version was featured on VHS releases. The second one was dubbed with extra scenes and dialogue for DVD and Blu-ray releases. The Titra version did not use the entire movie for dubbing.

== Ebirah ==
{{Infobox character
| name = Ebirah
| series = [[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla]]
| image =
| caption =
| first = '''Ebirah, Horror of the Deep''' (1966)
| last = ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004)
| portrayer = '''''Shōwa series'''''<br>Hiroshi Sekida<ref>{{harvp|Ryfle|1998|p=356}}</ref><br>'''''Millennium series'''''<br>[[Toshihiro Ogura]]
| species = Giant [[Lobster]]
}}{{Nihongo|'''Ebirah'''|エビラ|Ebira|lead=yes}} is a fictional monster, or [[kaiju]], resembling a [[lobster]]. The name ''Ebirah'' is a [[portmanteau]] of the Japanese word for "shrimp" or "lobster" (蝦, ''ebi'') and the -ra ending often appended to the names of kaiju monsters, such as [[Mothra]], [[Hedorah]], [[Ghidorah]], and [[Godzilla]].

Ebirah first appeared in [[Toho]]'s 1966 film ''Ebirah, Horror of the Deep''. It is one of the two main antagonists of the film.<ref>{{Harvp|Ryfle|1998|p=137}}</ref> Ebirah has also appeared in ''[[All Monsters Attack]]'' and ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]''.

Ebirah has also appeared in a number of video games, including ''[[Kaijū-ō Godzilla|King of the Monsters, Godzilla]], [[Godzilla: Save the Earth]], [[Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash]], and [[Godzilla Trading Battle]].''

=== Overview ===

==== Showa series ====
In ''Ebirah, Horror of the Deep'', a terrorist organization called the Red Bamboo had set up a base of operations on Letchi Island. The giant lobster Ebirah was successfully used to destroy any ship that came too close to the island. The Red Bamboo ships used a special extract from the island’s fruit to protect themselves from Ebirah. When a small group of people stranded on the island saw the monster [[Godzilla]] sleeping in a cave, they woke it so it could fight Ebirah. Godzilla easily won and injured the crustacean with its atomic ray. The day after, a Red Bamboo ship appeared, but they unknowingly used a placebo and not the real fruit extract. Ebirah attacked and tore the ship apart. Godzilla reappeared, but this time, Godzilla pulled off Ebirah’s claws. The wounded Ebirah then fled.

Ebirah was not seen again until it appeared on Monster Island in Ichiro’s dreams in ''[[All Monsters Attack]]''. Its appearance in this film is simply stock footage utilized from ''Ebirah, Horror of the Deep''. Ebirah was originally going to appear in ''[[Destroy All Monsters]],'' but did not make it to the final draft.

Showa Ebirah is 50 meters (164 feet) tall and weighs 23,000 metric tons (25,353 short tons).

==== Millennium series ====
In the Millennium era, Ebirah makes an appearance in ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' as one of the many controlled monsters of the Xiliens, a race of extraterrestrial beings. It destroys a factory near Tokyo, and the military forces are sent to destroy it, but are outmatched by the immense crustacean. Instead, the mutant soldiers are called to stop the monster. The mutants successfully defeat Ebirah and are about to kill it, when it disappears in a flash of light. The Xiliens arrive and say that they destroyed the monsters to save Earth. However, it is soon found out that the monsters were in fact controlled by the Xiliens all along.

The [[Gotengo]] then frees Godzilla from the Antarctic so it can fight the controlled monsters. The plan is a success and Godzilla successfully defeats all of the monsters. When it arrives in [[Tokyo Bay]], it faces Ebirah and the Smog Monster [[Hedorah]]. However, they are no match for Godzilla, who blasts them out of the water with its atomic ray and the duo crash into a building, where Ebirah's claw stabs Hedorah's eye. With another blast, Godzilla destroys them both.

Final Wars Ebirah is 30 meters (98 feet) tall, 100 meters (328 feet) long, and weighs 50,000 metric tons (55,115 short tons).

==== Reiwa series ====
In Godzilla: Monster Apocalypse, a prequel novel to [[Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters]], two Ebirah appeared in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] in early 2010's. [[USS Saratoga (CV-60)|USS Saratoga]] defeated a third Ebirah in the [[Pacific Ocean]] on March 16, 2017.

=== Appearances ===

==== Films ====

* ''Ebirah, Horror of the Deep'' (1966)
* ''[[All Monsters Attack]]'' (1969) stock footage cameo
* ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004)

==== Video games ====

* ''[[Flappy]]'' (first appeared on FM-7 in 1983)
* ''[[Kaijū-ō Godzilla]]'' / ''King of the Monsters, Godzilla'' ([[Game Boy]] - 1993)
* ''[[Godzilla Trading Battle]]'' ([[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] - 1998)
* ''[[Godzilla: Save the Earth]]'' ([[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[PlayStation 2|PS2]] - 2004)
* ''[[Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash]]'' ([[Nintendo DS|NDS]] - 2007)
* ''Godzilla Defense Force'' (2019)

==== Literature ====

* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: The Half-Century War]]'' (comic - 2012-2013)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Rulers of Earth]]'' (comic - 2013-2015)
* ''[[Godzilla (comics)#IDW Publishing|Godzilla: Cataclysm]]'' (comic - 2014)
* ''[[Godzilla: Monster Apocalypse]]'' (novel - 2017)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last=Galbraith IV |first=Stuart |title=The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f7o8pq6G_dYC&pg=PA168 |date=16 May 2008 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-1-4616-7374-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Ragone|first=August|year=2007|url=http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/eiji-tsuburaya-master-of-monsters-paperback.html|title=Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters|location=San Francisco, California|publisher=Chronicle Books|isbn=978-0-8118-6078-9|access-date=2015-06-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620001731/http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/eiji-tsuburaya-master-of-monsters-paperback.html|archive-date=2015-06-20|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite book |last=Kalat|first=David|year=2010|title=A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786447497|edition=second}}
* {{cite book |last=Ryfle |first=Steve |year=1998 |title=Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G |publisher=ECW Press |isbn=1550223488 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl }}
* {{cite book |last1=Ryfle|first1=Steve|last2=Godziszewski|first2=Ed|year=2017|title=Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa|publisher=Wesleyan University Press|isbn=9780819570871}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*[http://www.godzillamovies.org/index/ Godzilla on the web (Japan)]
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{TCMDb title|id=76568}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes}}
* {{Jmdb title|1966|cp004640}}

{{Godzilla}}
{{Mothra}}
{{Jun Fukuda}}

[[Category:1960s children's fantasy films]]
[[Category:1960s fantasy films]]
[[Category:1960s monster movies]]
[[Category:1960s science fiction films]]
[[Category:1966 children's films]]
[[Category:1966 films]]
[[Category:Films about bank robbery]]
[[Category:Films about terrorism in Asia]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jun Fukuda]]
[[Category:Films dubbed by Frontier Enterprises]]
[[Category:Films produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka]]
[[Category:Films scored by Masaru Sato]]
[[Category:Films set in Kanagawa Prefecture]]
[[Category:Films set in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Films set on fictional islands]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Shinichi Sekizawa]]
[[Category:Godzilla films]]
[[Category:Giant monster films]]
[[Category:Japanese sequel films]]
[[Category:1960s Japanese-language films]]
[[Category:Kaiju films]]
[[Category:Mad scientist films]]
[[Category:Mothra films]]
[[Category:Toho films]]
[[Category:1960s Japanese films]]
[[Category:Films about vacationing]]
[[Category:Films about terrorism]]
[[Category:Mystery Science Theater 3000]]
[[Category:Saturn Award–winning films]]

wiki143 - User contributions [en]

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep