Gamera – Rebirth: Code Thyrsos Review. A Great Origin Story For The Legendary Kaiju

I was lucky enought to get an advance preview copy of Gamera – Rebirth: Code Thyrsos. It’s tremendous fun.

I have seen some old Gamera movies but can’t really remember much apart from the fact it’s like a giant tortoise who can fly and shoot fire. Which is probably enough.

I only know three kaiju off the top of my head – Gamera, Godzilla, and Mothra. I knew Godzilla was the result of nuclear testing and Mothra is some kind of mystic being, but I didn’t know how Gamera was created. Or any other kaiju for that matter.

Well, this is what Gamera – Rebirth: Code Thyrsos sets out to remedy. It explains how and why they come into being.

The story is set 100,000 years ago in an advanced but ancient civilisation called Elisitania. It follows a boy called Lucius and his sister Sica who get involved in training and making kaiju. I won’t go too much further into the story because I’ll post the full blurb below.

The characters are interesting and have decent arcs, although the main focus is Lucius, who turns out to be a bit of a boy wonder when it comes to making kaiju. His sister gets a sudden development in character and abilities but it feels more like a setup for the coming comics. Because this is clearly the start of a series.

What I really enjoyed was the decaying and weird society everyone lives in. There’s an evil aristocracy who Lucius wants to destroy and a proxy war going on.

There are also a ton of awesome kaiju fights, which are done really well. I was impressed with how brutal the combat is throughout. This is helped by some superb art. Have a look at this:

As you can see, it’s pretty awesome. The only frustrating thing was that it just collects the first three chapters of the story, and you’re left on a bit of cliffhanger.

At present, I don’t know when the next issue will be out, but I look forward to it. I thoroughly enjoyed Gamera – Rebirth: Code Thyrsos and if you’re into manga or kaiju or giant monsters beating the crap out of each other, you will enjoy it too.

Gamera – Rebirth: Code Thyrsos blurb and information

GAMERA -REBIRTH -: CODE THYRSOS

Author/Artist: Cambria Bakuhatsu Taro

Publisher: Titan Manga

SC, 192pp, B&W, $12.99. ISBN: 9781787747982

On sale: November 25, 2025

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the iconic Gamera film, this thrilling manga reveals the origins of the legendary kaiju in the prequel to the Netflix series.

Set in an ancient civilization, a vengeful boy battles powerful kaiju created for war, uncovering a dark conspiracy.

On the 60th anniversary of Gamera’s debut, GAMERA -Rebirth-: Code Thyrsos Vol. 1 reveals the shocking origins of the legendary kaiju –the prequel to the Netflix anime series. Set 100,000 years before the events of GAMERA -Rebirth-on Netflix, this thrilling prequel uncovers the rise of the ancient civilization of Elisitania, where powerful creatures were created for artificial wars to benefit the elite.

The story follows a boy named Lucius, who is left scarred and vengeful after witnessing the death of his father in one of these brutal conflicts. As the kingdom’s experiments lead to the creation of Gamera, a fire-breathing turtle with immense power, Lucius vows to dismantle the aristocracy and destroy the source of these monstrous creations.

With stunning artwork by Cambria Bakuhatsu Taro, this manga blends action, drama, and sci-fi, taking readers deep into the heart of ancient technology, kaiju warfare, and revenge. Fans of classic kaiju like Godzilla and Mothra will be hooked onthis epic tale of a world that birthed the ultimate protector of nature—and the forces that sought to control it. GAMERA -Rebirth-: Code Thyrsos Vol. 1 is the beginning of a new monster saga!

Pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and Forbidden Planet for the UK & Europe.