Defenders Of Earth - Jiger

Demon Beast
Jiger

ジャイガー

Gender: Female 
Height: 60 meters
Length: 80 meters, 180 meters (with tail)
Weight: 200 metric tons
Species: Atlantean-engineered monster
Relations: Atlanteans (creators)


Bio

Jiger is certainly one of the most unique kaiju around. This is because she carries a strange array of powers and abilities, such as a heat ray, and a spur at the end of her tail that acts more like a stinger.

Ancient legends referred to Jiger as the Demon Beast mostly because of her appearance. According to legend, it was said that Jiger was created by the Atlantean civilization to counter the Gyaos, but Jiger disobeyed her mission and attacked the Atlantean capital instead, driving the people into creating Gamera. It would be also be said that Jiger would participate in the very battle that changed the fate of Atlantis forever, but ultimately survive and escape.

Jiger set about to devour the people of Hemueden. Blinded by rage and bloodlust, the creature seemed unstoppable, yet the higher ups of the Hemueden civilization intervened before many lives were lost. At first, they tried to set the beast into slumber using all the sake they could conjure, but this merely made the beast more reckless and destructive. So, they had a new idea: seeing Jiger's appetite, they intended to make her so full that she would drift to sleep from both food and drink. Ordering a thousand bowls of rice be made, they presented the feast to Jiger, who gourged herself until she seemed like she would pop. The craftiest of the higher ups, however, had tricked Jiger. She added distilled water to the meal, and the monster fell fast asleep. The priests then cast her into a deep slumber on an island located off the coast of what is now Indonesia that would eventually be known as Wester Island. The priests built a shrine on the island and gave the residents the task of guarding Jiger's shrine to ensure she doesn't rise again. To further ensure it, they orchestrated the carving and crafting of the Devil's Whistle, intending to use it as means to keep Jiger sealed.

An expedition of Japanese archeologists set out to Wester Island. The island, they found, was very strange: one side of it was a lush, tropical jungle, while the other was no more than a barren wasteland. Upon exploring the lifeless side they found a monument, a giant stone monolith carved by human hands. As they studied it, however, the inhabitants of Wester Island started to appear.

The group tried to communicate peacefully, but the inhabitants would not cooperate. The island's cultural envoy Gibo then warned the archaeologists that if the statue from his island, known as the Devil's Whistle, is moved, it will bring a great curse. One of the archaeologists explains to Gibo that he and his colleagues intend to display the statue at a museum in Osaka to further examine its origins. Gibo, however, refused to take yes for an answer. The discussion became heated, and after much arguing led to the threat of physical violence, to which the archaeologists dismissed. Pulling down the monolith, they brought it back to the ship. This made Gibo enraged, to which he shouted the name:

JIGER!!!!!

Upon reaching the coast they unloaded their cargo and shipped it to the museum. Halfway there though, an ear-splitting screech began to resonate from the hollow chambers inside the relic, its pitch so high that every person within range was driven to the brink of insanity. At the same time, back on the island, the ground where it had once stood was crumbling. Free at last, Jiger came rising out of the earth as she entered the sea and set off for Japan.

During that time, reports of Barugon having washed up on the shores of Lake Biwa spread like wildfire. As news reporters begin reporting on Barugon's seemingly dead body lying on the ground, Barugon suddenly wakes up, sending people into a panic as they cleared the area immediately. As Barugon slowly got back up on his feet, he crawled away.

Meanwhile, Jiger arrived in Osaka port, launching a violent crusade to find the object that once imprisoned her. Inevitably her rampage drew Gamera’s attention and a ferocious battle gave way. The monsters seemed evenly matched until Jiger landed a blow with her deadly tail; suddenly overcome, Gamera staggered into the shallows and collapsed, his face deathly pale. Victorious, Jiger bellowed and continued her rampage.

Through the following night and morning scientists studied Gamera, hoping to revive him. They discovered that he had been injected with a neurotoxin. The only solution would be to create a cure, but unfortunately it would be impossible to develop one in time to save him. Helpless, they realized there was nothing they could do.

Later that day, the scientists were taken off guard by the sudden appearance of a familiar blue monster: it was Barugon! Crawling onto shore, he seemed to ignore the humans as he cautiously inspected Gamera. In a peculiar display, Barugon put his hand in front of Gamera. Gamera’s colors were quickly returning: Barugon was transferring some of his Mana into him. Revitalized, Gamera rose to his feet with a mighty roar. He then rocketed into the sky to track down his foe.

Farther ahead, Jiger had destroyed much of Osaka. She had still not found the Devil's Whistle, but was now beginning to reach the museum. The workers carrying the object (now equipped with ear protection) began to panic, seeing her in the distance: in their haste, they let the Devil's Whistle slip. The moment it hit the ground, the screeching stopped.

Taking notice, Jiger paused, then made a beeline for the museum. Crashing through smaller buildings and JSDF blockades, she didn’t notice Gamera and Barugon following her. 

Gamera and Barugon had arrived in the nick of time, touching down between Jiger and the museum. Using his knowledge from the last battle to aid him, Gamera took the fight to Jiger anew as he bit her in the shoulder. However, he took a hit to the chest, suffering a grievous wound. As he collapsed a familiar sound returned.

The Devil's Whistle’s shriek had resumed. Jiger, driven berserk by the noise, cut off her attack and charged for the museum. As Jiger finally reached the museum and tore through its roof, she saw that the Devil's Whistle was no longer inside. She was puzzled. Then, she heard the statue's shriek once more, but it wasn't coming from inside the museum. As Jiger finally turned to see Barugon standing behind her, she looked at Barugon, and then noticed the Devil's Whistle being held in his tail. Suddenly, she understood: Barugon had reached the museum before her and retrieved the Devil's Whistle from inside. 

Barugon then turned to Gamera and tossed the Devil's Whistle at him. As soon as Gamera grabbed the statue, he fired up his jets and raced across the ocean like a giant jet ski, with Barugon following him. Not long after, the JSDF arrived with large speakers and played the static from their radios as loud as they could. the sound caused Jiger a lot of pain. Overwhelmed, she quickly backed off and slipped into the sea, retreating to her island home.

Meanwhile, Gamera and Barugon had reached Wester Island. The two monsters then raced to the location of Jiger's shrine, and begin their plan, while Gamera had jammed a pair of trees into his ears. As soon as Jiger reached the island's surface and raced back to her turf, she saw Gamera standing alone, with the Devil's Whistle in his hand. As the noise from the Devil's Whistle was heard once more, Jiger has had enough.

As Jiger gave a menacing look, she charged straight at Gamera like a mad bull. As she did, the ground beneath her suddenly gave way, causing her to fall into a huge pit. Barugon then showed up from behind the trees and buried Jiger alive as fast as he could, and with the monster's signal given, Gamera put the Devil's Whistle back in its original location. Gamera and Barugon's plan had worked: the plan was to seal Jiger back in her shrine by tricking her into falling into a pitfall trap that they had set up.

Triumphant, the monsters celebrated with a host of roars and growls. Gamera thanked his newfound ally, then returned to the ocean to heal. In his absence Barugon would stay on the island, guarding Jiger's tomb to ensure she would never escape again.


Abilities
- Long stinger-like spur on tail can inject neurotoxins
- Spines supporting dorsal fin are venomous
- Can fire a plasma heat ray from the small gem on her forehead
- Excellent grabber
- Agility
- Running and swimming speed of 300 km per hour
- Can reproduce asexually


Notes: I've had quite a bit of fun redesigning Jiger. For this monster's design, I based it mostly on the Rebirth design, with elements added from other kaiju fans' depictions of Jiger. Such examples are the rows of spikes beside her dorsal fin as seen on DinoHunter2's Jiger design, and a beak at the front of her mouth as seen on Gugenheim98's Jiger design for Kaiju King, which I've decided to include as a reference to her CR Gamera design, which also has a beak at the front of the mouth. I decided to give Jiger a much stouter body build with thicker legs. For the head frill, I decided to make it more akin to that of a Triceratops. For the central horn, I've decided for it to curve upward at the upper section as a reference to the Trendmasters figure.

For her abilities, I decided to keep most of her abilities from the Showa series while coming up with a new one such as the spines supporting her dorsal fin being capable of delivering a venomous sting. For Jiger's stinger tail ability, I decided for her to use it to inject neurotoxins instead of implanting her young into the body of a foe. As such, I also decided for Jiger to be capable of asexual reproduction much like the Gyaos.

I decided for the location of Wester Island to be in Indonesia as a reference to Jiger's origin story in GAMERA -Rebirth-.

Character (C) Daiei/Kadokawa
Redesign (C) Me