KAIJUOLOGY: DAGAHRA

Subject: Dagahra

Documentation: Mothra 2 a.k.a. Rebirth of Mothra II (1997)

History: Thousands of years ago before the continents had changed to what we know now, when the shape of the world was very different, there existed an advanced civilization known as the Mu Empire. The most powerful empires of the world at that time were Atlantis, Seatopia, and Mu. Within the Mu empire near what is now modern day Okinawa existed the city of Ninai Kanai, a city existing within an incredible pyramid.

Mothra and the temple of Ninai Kanai

The scientists of Ninai Kanai searched for a solution to the world's pollution problems. They genetically engineered a new organic being, a monstrous creature called Dagahra. This kaiju was controlled by the people of Ninai Kanai. Dagahra could fly through the air or swim the deepest oceans. Within the oceans Dagahra would secrete thousands of tiny organisms called "Barem" (red starfish like creatures that consume pollution).

Barem

The Mu Empire was guarded by the kaiju deity Manda and the creature Dagahra, the creation of the super science. When the world underwent the great change, when Mu, Atlantis, and Seatopia were swallowed by the oceans, much of their civilizations were destroyed including the people of Ninai Kanai. Dagahra's controllers were no more. The kaiju itself was buried deep beneath the waves.

Many millennium later near a small island off the coast of Okinawa a trio of children discovered the lost pyramid of Ninai Kanai. For the first time in thousands of years the power of Ninai Kanai was reawakened and manifested in the tiny shape of a furry creature known as the Gorgo. With the reawakening of Ninai Kanai, the pyramid rose out of the sea and Dagahra was revived. Without the scientists control Dagahra went mad.

It released thousands of Barem into the seas killing all life in the oceans. The kaiju then came ashore wreaking destruction. Only through the power of Mothra was Dagahra's threat ended. Mothra was forced to absorb the powers of Ninai Kanai to defeat the kaiju, transforming herself in an ultra power marine form with an array of new more powerful energy weapons, including the ability to divide herself into thousands of miniature forms.

Dagahra Concept Art

Dagahra possess a wide array of powers and abilities, all of which originally designed to eradicate the various pollutants of the world. When used as weapons these abilities proved incredibly deadly. In addition to secreting the Barem it can fire a red energy beam from its mouth, explosive shells from organic shoulder cannons. These shoulder cannons can also emit the same energy beam as its mouth. It can swim through the oceans like a stingray and just as easily fly through the air like a bird. It even possesses arm-like appendages enabling it to walk on land.

Review: Dagahra is a very unique kaiju design, one unlike any other I have seen. That in itself is impressive. It's just a cool looking monster, one of the best sea monster designs I've ever seen. I love the stingray design. The battle between Mothra and Dagahra is epic too!

There's something about the designs of the kaiju from the 1990's that just look amazing. Dagahra is not exception to this. As much as I like seeing old kaiju return with new redesigns, I do enjoy seeing new kaiju, especially designs reminiscent of real life animals. I doubt we'll ever see a battle between Dagahra and Godzilla but it would be a battle I'd love to see. Hell, Gamera vs Dagahra would be an incredible sight too! Right now I'd be happy just to see Dagahra return at all.

Threat Level: 7 out of 10
Planet wide destruction.

WRITTEN IN BLOOD: SHAOLIN MONK VS APACHE WARRIOR

 






















The Preface: Remember that little survey I took with my coworkers, the one about who would in a fight between a Viking and a Ninja? Well it turns out that people really seemed to enjoy that survey (and I had a really fun time writing that story of the battle). So much so that I have come up with another match up and survey that I just had to ask my fellow coworkers.

SHOALIN MONK VERSUS APACHE WARRIOR

WHO WINS?

Who would win in a hypothetical battle between a martial arts master of the far east and the ultimate hunter of the untamed old west? I asked all my coworkers their thoughts and their choice of who would win. I even managed to find a few more associates that I missed the last time around. What I found out was very interesting. Here’s what they said:

SHOALIN MONK                        APACHE WARRIOR               DON’T KNOW, DON'T CARE
40                                                      55                                                             1

ADVANTAGE: APACHE WARRIOR

I discovered a slight flaw in the question: most of my coworkers didn't know what a Shaolin Monk was. But nearly everybody knew exactly what an Apache Warrior was. The Apache gained several votes by default (since they didn't know what a martial arts master was). Others voted Apache in honor of their heritage (even though it was only 1/16). Apache pulled away fast and quick in the polls. Those who knew what a Shaolin Monk was though found it a very difficult choice to make but almost always landed on the side of the monk.

Men Vs Women: Which sex voted for what ~ 

I even became more detailed in my analysis of the votes breaking it apart according to gender (just to see if I could glean any insight into the minds of the sexes as well as the individuals). Honestly I believe most of the voting in this case was due to obligation to one's ancestry (which is honorable and respectful) and due to a lack of knowledge of the opposition. I found breaking it down by gender provided little new analysis. All in all I believe the previous voting on Ninjas or Vikings provided more interesting glimpses into the minds of my coworkers. Oh well. Here's the breakdown of the gender votes:

                                             Shoalin Monk                                      Apache Warrior

                                           Men        Women                                  Men          Women

                                            25              15                                       38               17

The Story: Here's the story I came up with about the battle. The outcome is totally based on the results of the survey and the votes of my coworkers. Enjoy!

THE SETTING

The year is 1867. The war that nearly tore this great country in two was ended only two short years ago. Now another battle is taking place, a battle to unify our country by railroad. The Union Pacific began building in Nebraska headed westward while the Central Pacific started in California building eastward. On the west coast there existed an influx of Chinese immigrants wanting work. The Central Pacific employed as many Chinese workers as they could afford and began laying track. 

Along the way the Central Pacific railroad company reached Apache territory. With no alternative in the survey plans the railroad was forced to continue ahead onto the Apache’s land. Meanwhile back in San Francisco a ship arrived from China carrying more labors and one Shoalin temple monk on a pilgrimage of enlightenment. Mistaken for a laborer the monk was gathered onto a train with the rest of his Chinese countrymen and shipped off the end of the line to work. 

Back at the Cut (the ditch where track was laid) two men, hired to guard the railroad from Native American attack, spotted two Apache on horseback along the horizon. One of the men, an eager young man from Tennessee, took a shot at the Apache striking the young brave in the chest. The brave fell off his horse stone cold dead. His brother turned and galloped back to the Apache camp. By dusk the railroad camp was beset by a band of vengeful Apache warriors. The rail car hauling a fresh load of workers and one monk arrived at the onset of battle. The monk stayed under cover in the rail car while the Central Pacific’s riflemen engaged the hostiles. The Chinese men working in the Cut were caught in the crossfire, drowning under a rain of arrows. The sight of his brethren unjustly slaughtered compelled him into action. 

THE BATTLE

The monk ran out into the field while guns fired around him and arrows whizzed past him. Reaching the Cut he began helping the men to safety. Casualties were incurred by both sides. Many Apache lost their horses in the firefight. Three Braves ran up on the men in the Cut wielding tomahawks and daggers. The monk stepped forward to defend the laborers. He dodged every swing of the tomahawks, side-stepping each thrust of the daggers. In three deft moves the monk took down his opponents. Arrows suddenly began flying his way, aimed specifically at him. He tuned out the noises around him, listening only to the wind, hearing the arrows slice through the air. His body moved with incredible speed, ducking beneath, leaping over, and leaning away. No arrow could touch him. More warriors came his way. 

Alone on a faraway hilltop astride his horse, the warrior chieftain of the Apache watched. His gaze was drawn to the monk defending the men in the ditch, soundly defeating his braves. He left the tranquil perch atop the hill and road toward the battlefield. In mid gallop he let an arrow fly from his bow. The arrow flew straight and true. In the middle of a five on one fight the monk reached out front catching the arrow an inch from his face. The Apache surrounding the monk recognized the arrow immediately. This monk had just been claimed. 

They backed away as their warrior chieftain rode in, arrows flying from his bow. These arrows flew faster than those of before, tearing through the monk's clothes as he narrowly avoided being struck. The Apache warrior road toward him firing arrow after arrow. The monk ran head on toward the Apache weaving in and out between arrows. The moment the Apache’s horse came in range the monk leapt through the air with a backspin kick! His foot struck the warrior in the chest knocking him off his horse. 

The Apache chieftain quickly regained his footing and dashed towards the monk, a tomahawk in each hand. The monk and Apache went back and forth trading blows, both dodging and landing attacks. The Apache buried one tomahawk in the monk shoulder! The monk thrust his knee up under the Apache’s elbow snapping the joint! Both warriors were now down an arm but still they fought. The monk made sure not to be struck by the tomahawk again. Kicks and punches flew at one another. The warrior chieftain landed a thrust kick to the monk’s chest knocking him off his feet. The Apache saw the opening and came down hard with the tomahawk. The monk rolled to the side barely avoiding having his chest cracked open. He responded with a kick to his enemy’s throat, knocking the Apache back. 

While the bullets and arrows flew and the battle raged around them, the monk and the warrior chieftain waged their own war. Smoke and dust clouded the twilight sky. The two warriors, evenly matched, fought each other for hours, neither refusing to give up. The guns of the Central Pacific’s hired men eventually drove the Apache back. He hated doing so, but the Apache warrior was forced to flee with his tribesmen. The look in his eyes told the monk that this battle was far from over.

That night the monk slept surround by dozens of grateful Chinese. In the dead of night while everyone along the railroad slept the Apache warrior chieftain returned. He came alone and under the cover of darkness, armed only with a knife. Making not a sound, he made his way into the railroad camp to where the monk lay. He held the knife to his throat…

The monk awoke with a start, as if escaping a nightmare. He looked about the room. To his relief there were only his countrymen around him, all alive and sleeping quietly. His senses must have been overactive for he could have sworn there had been someone else in the room with them that shouldn’t have been. He felt something cold across his neck, red paint. In a moment of terror the monk realized that his senses had not lied to him. His enemy had been there and could have easily murdered him in his sleep. Instead he left his mark. The next day the monk set out into the countryside in pursuit of the Apache camp. Realizing his defeat he honorably offered up his head to the Apache. The Warrior Chieftain, seeing the honor and skill of the monk, allowed him to leave with his life.

 Who do you think would win?
Comment below.

DEVIL WORSHIP: JASON VOORHEES

Villain: Jason Voorhees

Breakdown: One of the most notorious mass murderers in history, Jason Voorhees is responsible for over one-hundred murders and speculated scores of others. He carved a bloody swath of terror through the American mid-west and even as far east as New York. His reign of terror has become legendary and his name has become synonymous with Friday the 13th.

He was the first child of Elias and Pamela Voorhees. He was born with a malformed head and as a result he was mentally handicapped. His mother, foreseeing the challenges her son would face in the world, became fiercely protective and devoted to him. The love between mother and son grew deep. It proved to be a love that would last beyond the grave.

Pamela Voorhees worked at Camp Crystal Lake during the summers as the cook. Jason would spend his summers with her at camp growing up. Jason's 12th birthday, June 13th 1957, became the most fateful day of his life, a day that would effect countless lives in the years to come. That day he drown in the lake while a crowd of children laughed. Allegedly the two camp counselors responsible for watching the children were hidden away having sex. Pamela took the death of her first born very hard. In the ensuing two years Pamela slowly descended into madness. She refused to acknowledge their second child, Diana, repeating over and over that her only child was Jason. Pamela returned to Camp Crystal Lake and murdered the two counselors responsible for her son's death. Elias took their daughter Diana and left.

The events of these two years between Jason's death and the murder of the two counselors are sketchy at best. Rumors are that Pamela was so grief-stricken about the loss of her son that she turned to whatever means necessary to bring her son back from the dead. During her pregnancy with Diana it was said that she believed it was in fact Jason reincarnated within her. Other reports claim she turned to witchcraft and ultimately satanic rituals all in an effort to bring about her son's return. All these reports have never been substantiated, despite strong arguments to the contrary. In the following years Pamela did develop a split personality, believing herself to be both her and her son, Jason.

20 years later Camp Crystal Lake, Crystal Lakes, Ohio, reopened. Pamela returned more deranged than ever. She killed seven people in the course of one day, June 13th, her dead son's birthday. Pamela's psychotic murder spree ended that night when her own weapon, a machete, was turned against her. The last counselor left alive, Alice, in an act of self defense took up the machete and beheaded the crazed woman. It is at this point in the story where the rules of reality cease to be.

The legend of that night, the night of Pamela Voorhees's murder spree, took on a life of its own, being told and retold by the local residents. The legend has it that the night of Pamela's death, Jason returned from the grave and witnessed his mother's murder. Several years later Alice, the lone survivor, was found murdered. A year or two later a new camp opened a mile from Camp Crystal Lake, now referred to a Camp Blood. During the preseason before summer 8 more murders occurred. The survivor of the massacre claimed it was Jason Voorhees, now a full grown man, who killed everyone.

The following week saw the grizzly murders of nearly twenty more people at two different sites around the lake. Eyewitnesses claim the murderer wore a clothe bag over his head and then later a hockey mask. By the end of the week out of the 30 or more people attacked only four individuals survived. Many bizarre stories emerged from these events, two stories revolving around the return of Pamela Voorhees, the first being a shrine with her severed head in the center and the second story where a victim claimed she was pulled into the lake by Pamela's reanimated corpse. The former story has yet to be substantiated. In the end Jason's body, having incurred several wounds, was admitted to the county morgue and interred in the cemetery.

Copycat killers emerged and more people were murdered in Jason's name. Years later a survivor of one of Jason's earlier rampages, Tommy Jarvis, dug up Jason's body. Tommy Jarvis claimed that Jason returned from the dead yet again, a zombified unkillable version according to Jarvis. This claim, like so many others, cannot be substantiated but the murders did indeed continue, all attributed to Jason Voorhees. Scores of dead bodies piled up before the ultimate end. Again some of the most outlandish stories have attempted to explain Jason's final demise, that he was physically dragged to hell by demons or that he has been cryogenicly frozen in a government facility.

Review: Jason Voorhees and his iconic hockey mask has become one of the most well known and infamous monsters in cinema history. Jason used to frighten the hell out of me! As I grew older I grew braver and actually watched all his films. Now I am a lifelong fan of this bad bad man. But don't get me wrong, the Friday the 13th series isn't without its blemishes. Some films I'd sooner skip over the others.

What is so enduring about the character? The mask. The machete. His sheer presence. The menace he embodies. All of it is so powerful and evocative. There are hundreds of characters like Jason in film but very few have had the success and longevity that Jason has. Michael Myers is a close parallel to Jason but even then there are many differences separating the two characters. My favorite portrayal of Jason has always been that of actor Kane Hodder. He played Jason in parts 7-10. Part 7 is my favorite in the series specifically for Jason's design. It was the films in which Kane Hodder played Jason that endeared me to the character and made me a fan. In those films he's more a monster than simple killer.

Jason's look from Friday the 13th Part VII

Jason went through three stages of character. First he was merely a character's motivation, a specter in the background of the story. Stage two he becomes a full blown serial killer, an extremely hard to kill serial killer but still human. Then he becomes undead or evil dead. In the ninth film there is a shot of the Necronomicon (the Book of the Dead from the Evil Dead film series) within the Voorhees house. Fans theorize that Jason is an Evil Dead  or Deadite after part 6 in the series. I subscribe to this theory and in fact prefer the deadite version of Jason.

Whichever version you prefer, whichever film in the franchise you prefer, one thing is undeniable... Jason is one of the greatest and most powerful horror icons in cinema history alongside the likes of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman. He has 12 films to his credit. He will be back again one day and it will be the 13th film. If I could say one thing to the future filmmakers of the 13th chapter I'd say, "It better be the most brutal, gut-wrenching, intense, and bloody film in the series." 

Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10

This is either very wrong... or very right.

HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH!

Today is sort of an anniversary. The first Blood Work post was done on a Friday the 13th last year. June 13th to be exact. I know it's not June but it is a Friday the 13th and that in itself is something to celebrate! So, in the interest of all things black cats, broken mirrors, rabid dogs, and screeching bats... not to mention machetes and hockey masks... HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH!

Your required viewing for today is one or more of the 12 Friday the 13th films in existence. I'll also accept the 1916 silent film of the same name (sadly not Hockey masked killer :( ) or the 1957 movie also titled the same (which sadly I know nothing about). Or you could watch one or more episodes of the Friday the 13th tv series from the 1980's. If none of the above suggestions are available to you you must at least watch a scary movie. Or something with Jason Voorhees in it (like the episodes of Family Guy with him in it). I also encourage watching more than one if time allows.

Tomorrow affords a few movie opportunities too, like the horror comedy Saturday the 14th (1981) and its sequel Saturday the 14th Strikes Back (1988). If you can make it through those then you've also got the original My Bloody Valentine (1981) and the remake with the same name from 2009, staring Supernatural's Jensen Ackles. Horror film opportunities abound!

Oh yeah, and after all of that don't forget to treat your significant other to something special too ;) But I'd hold off on the intimate stuff till tomorrow though (you know, don't want to anger any serial killers). And ward off the bad luck by embracing this superstitious holiday! Or take your chances...

Anyway, you all are going to celebrate with me, right? Now, as I type this, I am currently viewing the original 1980 slasher classic FRIDAY THE 13TH featuring the man himself, Kevin Bacon. I will attempt to go through as many Jason flicks as I can today, or as many as my other half will allow (she's not as fond of horror films as I am. I know, nobody's perfect ;)

Here's all of us at Blood Work wishing you all a Happy Friday the 13th!

THE SAGA OF THE KING OF THE MONSTERS PART 22: GODZILLA VS DESTOROYAH

This is it. The end of Godzilla and the end of the second series of Godzilla films, part 22 GODZILLA VS DESTOROYAH. 1995 saw the second time Godzilla was truly and with finality killed off. And it proves to be the greatest battle of his life.

Throughout the last few films Godzilla's power has grown. His atomic breath changed from blue to red, increasing in power exponentially. The movie opens with Godzilla being blasted in the face by a nuclear explosion. He absorbs the energy which sets into motion an overload. Nuclear energy literally glows through his skin. In a matter of days Godzilla's body will overflow with nuclear energy setting off an explosion unlike any the Earth has ever seen, setting the atmosphere ablaze vaporizing every living creature on the planet.

The only hope for humanity lies in an enemy more frightening than any Godzilla has ever faced... or has he. The original Godzilla was defeated by a weapon known as the Oxygen Destroyer, a weapon more dangerous than any before it. Not only did it kill Godzilla but it awoke something as well. Forty years later the creatures have multiplied, grown, and merged, exhibiting the very same power as the Oxygen Destroyer. They combine to create an evil, terrible, malevolent kaiju named DESTOROYAH.

The other problem is, once one destroys the other, the other will destroy us. One way or the other this will be the final chapter for Godzilla. Still hope yet exists in the tiny form of Godzilla Junior. The little kaiju goes off on his own to face the demonic Destoroyah and pays for it with his life. Godzilla arrives shortly thereafter, seeing his son dying. He knows he's going to die. But he doesn't care anymore as long as he takes Destoroyah with him!

Once again the series goes where it has never gone before, tying everything back to the original film. Actress Momoko Kochi reprises her role as Emiko Yamane, a character we haven't seen since the 1954 original film. There are also pictures of actors Takashi Shimura and Akihiko Hirata as their characters from the original film too. This movie brings Godzilla's course over the last forty years back full circle in an epic way like no other has done before. This movie is another high watermark in the franchise and one of my favorites.

Destoroyah is one helluva kaiju to send the King of the monsters off with. Early rumors before the film was released years prior had another title for this character: Godzilla vs the Devil. Just looking at Destoroyah you can tell the creature designers kept the devil in mind when sculpting him. He is one of the most frightening kaiju to ever grace the screen. He also had some inspiration drawn from the Alien film franchise, most notably with the inner retractable snapping jaws. Seeing Destoroyah for the first time is awe inspiring. 

Let's talk about Godzilla's redesign too. Already in the Heisei series of films the big G has established an iconic look and update staying closer to the 1954 bulky scary looking incarnation. His look and feel in these films is powerful and terrifying, as he should be. I dare say his look was perfected in this second series of films and has never looked better. However, in this film Godzilla goes nuclear! Literally! Godzilla was redesigned with an image that has been known as Burning Godzilla! The amount of radiation building within his body has created glowing lesions on his skin. His spines now smoke and radiate a red glow. Even the irises of his eyes are glowing red. If Godzilla ever had a super form this is it and it is perhaps the coolest update he has ever received.

Godzilla Vs Destoroyah is one of my favorites in the whole franchise and it plays on one of the highest levels of any of them. If this was the last film Godzilla were to ever appear in it would be a worthy send off. Godzilla has never been more badass. And yes, he does in fact die at the end. A flood of radiation covers Tokyo. But suddenly the radiation levels vanish, absorbed by something or someone one. A silhouette of Godzilla Junior, suddenly full grown can be seen through the smoke... to carry on the legacy into the next series of films.

Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10
Category: Transcendence