Viras

Daiei Kaiju
Viras
Length:	96 meters
Weight:	30,000 tons
First Appearance:	Gamera vs. Viras
Last Appearance:	Gamera: Super Monster
Controlled by	Spaceship Zanon
Forms	Boss, Viras
Homeworld	Planet Viras
Allies	Virasians
Created by:	Nisan Takahashi
Designed by	Shigeo Mano
Modeled by	Masao Yagi

Viras (バイラス,   Bairasu^?) is an alien monster featured as the main antagonist in Gamera's fourth film, 1968's Gamera vs. Viras, known as "Destroy all Planets" when it was released in the United States. Viras was the leader of an alien invasion from the 'Mother Star Viras', set upon conquering the Earth.

History

Gamera vs. Viras

An earlier attempt by his kind was easily thwarted by Gamera, so the Virasians sent a second spacecraft and Viras and his Virasian subordinates employed a mind probe to discover Gamera's weaknesses. Viras discovered Gamera's kindness to children, and exploited it by kidnapping two Boy Scouts, Misao and Jim, and using them as hostages, coercing Gamera to get into perfect position for the launching of a mind-control device. Gamera was then made to rampage through Japan, the targets being the Okomasashi Dam and eventually Tokyo.

When the two boys were able to escape, Gamera attacked, and Viras fused with his crew members to become a giant. After a fierce battle, Viras was presumed dead when Gamera flew with him up into space, freezing him to death in the icecold, and then dropping him to his fate in the ocean.

Abilities

Viras' main attack is his constricting tentacles on both his body and head. He possesses a sharp beak and can make the tentacles on his head form into a spear-like point. He has no projectile weapons to speak of. He also has the ability to breath underwater and the ability to talk through telepathy. He also has the capability to launch himself through the air.

Weaknesses

Viras is susceptible to being frozen. Gamera kills him by flying him up in to the atmosphere and freezing him solid before dropping him to a watery death.

Other Appearances

Like many of his fellow "Showa" era monsters, Viras has not appeared in any movies since his initial debut, save for a stock footage appearance in the film Gamera: Super Monster. However, he made an appearance in the short-lived Gamera comic series by Dark Horse that was based on the Heisei Gamera movies. In this series, he was the product of experimentation with Gyaos DNA. He'd eventually face off against Gamera amidst the streets of Paris, France. In said comic series he looked relatively the same, except for more Octopus/Squid-like features. Viras also appeared (along with other "Showa" era Gamera monsters) in an episode of the children's cartoon Franklin. In the episode, Franklin is afraid to go into his shell at night because it's dark, and his fear is manifested as ghosts of the various Gamera monsters including Viras that come out of his shell.

Gallery

Viras anatomy, Arrow Video extra, artwork by Jolyon Yates.

Viras emitting energy attack (Viras was planned to emit gamma-ray from eyes, electricity and driving-mad beam and super-catch beam from head based on several illustrations and anatomical illustrations)

Trivia

• Viras is the first space monster to fight Gamera.
• The Pokemon Malamar bears some resemblance to Viras.

References