Seeing 'Gamera' in 4K at Toho Cinemas!

My ticket to see Gamera in 4K. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, December 5, I made my way to Toho Cinemas Susukino in Sapporo, Hokkaido, to check out a screening of Giant Monster Gamera (1965), which was later Americanized as Gammera the Invincible (1966). The screening was of a 4K restoration that -- spoiler alert! -- looked incredible.

The Toho Line will not take you to Toho Cinemas. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In order to get to Toho Cinemas Susukino, I had to take the Namboku Line from Sapporo Station and completely bypass the Toho Line. (How can you not have Toho Cinemas along the Toho Line!?) Oh, well, at least we can say that Toho Cinemas puts the kino in Susukino. (Hyulk!)

Godzilla merch for sale. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Naturally, there was merch aplenty at the theater, and I have to confess that I bought my share of it, including at Gamera 50th anniversary T-shirt. I guess I did a decent job of not overindulging, but I still don't want to accumulate too much clutter.

Gamera merch for sale. Photo by Brett Homenick.

What was pretty fun was being able to look out the window of the theater lobby (which was situated on the 5th floor) and basically being able to see Gamera 2 (1996). Visiting Sapporo in December has its perks!

Gamera in 4K. Photo by Brett Homenick.

As for Gamera, what can I say? It's a wonderful movie, and, while it may not quite be my favorite Gamera movie, it's right up there. Of course, I've always preferred the Showa era to the Heisei era (by a country mile and then some), so that shouldn't surprise anyone. For what it's worth, it was also kind of cool seeing the flick in Hokkaido, given that's where a good chunk of the story takes place. 

I wonder if Legion (for they are many) are still hiding out in the "underground malls of Sapporo." Photo by Brett Homenick.

After Gamera, it was Saizeriya time, which made me happier than you could possibly imagine. There's not much more I enjoy in life than scrolling through my phone and guffawing at the goony nonsense I read while dining on some fine Italian cuisine at this even finer establishment. (This time, some social media post about Fishbone at WrestleMania XI legit made me laugh out loud.)

A really fun evening. Had a blast.