"Created by an alien race to protect themselves from the Gyaos - the genetically engineered monsters they'd unwittingly released into the world - Gamera's creation came too late to save his designers' crumbling civilization. Despite this, Gamera fulfilled its programming and destroyed all of the living Gyaos. Asleep for thousands of years, Gamera woke when the Gyaos once again appeared on earth. Telepathically linked to a young girl through the power of an ancient amulet, Gamera has become the protector of mankind and the Guardian of the Universe."
In 1996, following the successful release of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, Dark Horse Comics - having already had experience with Kaiju courtesy of a similar Godzilla miniseries - decided they wanted to cash in on the hype surrounding Gamera's return to the big screen and obtained the rights from Daiei to make a four-issue miniseries surrounding the giant turtle.
The miniseries Gamera: The Guardian of the Universe takes place after the similarly-named movie and presumably before Gamera 2: Advent of Legion, and surrounds rough-and-tumble pilot Lutz encountering Mayumi Nagamine and Asagi Kusanagi as they visit Mexico on the trail of exotic birds, but soon enough, they stumble upon the presence of Gyaos - courtesy of a Mad Scientist - and the matter quickly becomes a job for the Guardian of the Universe, assisted by Lutz, Mayumi, and Asagi.
In addition to Gamera and Gyaos, this miniseries is notable for including two monsters from Gamera's Showa Era movies; Zigra and Viras.
This comic provides examples of:
- Adaptation Species Change: Viras is apparently no longer an alien menace, but a genetically engineered beast created by Dr. Karbone.
- However, this trope is subverted in that Viras is in fact an alien that Karbone was nurturing.
- Big Bad: Viras.
- Big Bad Wannabe: Greta Karbone
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Greta Karbone is psychically influenced by Viras into becoming its pawn.
- After Karbone obtains Asagi's amulet, Gamera falls under Viras' control as well.
- Bulletproof Human Shield: Or rather, Bulletproof Kaiju shield. After gaining control of Gamera using the amulet, Viras and Karbone control Gamera into being this.
- Chekhov's Volcano: Gamera disposes of Zigra by dumping him into one.
- Disney Villain Death: When Gusano wrests the amulet away from her, Greta Karbone jumps off the Eiffel Tower after it.
- The Dragon: Gusano is this to Greta Karbone - the fact that he has a (unrequited) crush on her helps.
- Eco-Terrorist: Nature Über Alles - the name says it all.
- Foregone Conclusion: At the end of the comic, Lutz picks up the amulet and wonders if he should give it back to Asagi or keep it for himself. Since Asagi still has the amulet in Gamera 2: Advent of Legion, it's evident that he picked the former.
- Good Hair, Evil Hair: As Viras' control over Dr. Karbone intensifies, Karbone starts doing her hair in a way that makes it look more Viras' tentacles.
- Heel–Face Turn: Gusano in Issue #4, to try and break Karbone free of Viras' psychic control. Unfortunately, Redemption Equals Death...
- Heroic Sacrifice: Gusano. See Redemption Equals Death.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Viras, courtesy of Gamera slamming it onto Notre Dame's steeple.
- Kaiju: But of course!
- The Kid with the Remote Control: Asagi is this to Gamera. Lutz disapproves of this trope, so he takes the amulet himself after Asagi is injured.
- Love Martyr: Gusano's crush on Karbone makes him willing to take a lot of punishment for her up until his Heel–Face Turn.
- MacGuffin: Asagi's amulet, which Viras and Karbone use to control Gamera late in the miniseries.
- Mad Scientist: Greta Karbone makes no pretence that she isn't one.
- Monumental Damage: Gamera puts an end to Viras by impaling it on Notre Dame's steeple.
- Motherly Scientist: Dr. Karbone has this attitude towards Viras. The fact that she literally gave it her brain fluid helps.
- However, it could just be Viras' psychic influence over her talking.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Gusano's reaction to unwittingly causing his beloved Greta to fall to her death.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Asagi gives a literal example of this to Lutz after he breaks her amulet. Thankfully, It Was All A Dream:"The amulet is ruined. And so, Gamera has perished as well. You have destroyed the last hope. You have doomed the human race. Way to go, Mr. Klutz."
- Not What It Looks Like: Lutz and Mayumi wind up falling over one another in a compromising position and wind up teleported into an alien spacecraft, their captor gets the wrong idea.Freena: "You two suckin' face when I sparkled ya or what? Uh, no need to tell me, I guess."
- Only the Pure of Heart: Lutz wonders if this trope is in effect when he tries to call Gamera using Asagi's amulet. He notes that "Luckily, Gamera showed up anyway."
- Put on a Bus: Outside of a dream sequence, Asagi doesn't appear at all after the beginning of the second issue, with the remainder of the action focusing on Lutz and Mayumi.
- Redemption Equals Death: After Karbone jumps off the Eiffel Tower after the amulet after Gusano wrangles it from her grip, Gusano, guilty over causing his beloved's death, jumps after her, then after surviving by falling onto Freena's crashing ship, he dies throwing its power source at Gamera to give him the fire needed to take down Viras..
- Totally Radical: Freena gets her speech patterns from American TV shows. Apparently this trope was the result.
