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In Attack of the B-Movie Monsters, the Ghostbusters are called in to Japan to investigate the sighting of several immense creatures in Tokyo Bay. A local schoolboy, Kenji, tells the Ghostbusters that the creatures are identical to old Japanese movie monsters of the sixties![3]

Cast[]

Kenji

Nori-ra

Egon Spengler

Peter Venkman

Ray Stantz

Winston Zeddemore

Slimer

Chief Inspector Ogata

Kani

Lizardo

Equipment[]

Proton Pack

Particle Thrower

Ecto-Ichi

Mini-Phone

P.K.E. Meter

Items[]

Monster Movies

Locations[]

Tokyo

Yamani Studios

Tokyo Bay

Tokyo International Airport

Tokyo Television Tower

Zojoji Temple

Plot[]

Workers filed through Yamani Studios. A forklift operator moved several film reels into Sound Stage 4 near a stockade of drums filled with caustic chemicals. He never noticed some fall over onto the chemicals and left the stage. A strange reaction occurred and a trail of Ectoplasm flowed outside through a hole in the wall and down into the sewers. Nearby, a boy named Kenji read an issue of Monster Magazine under a tree. Three boys picked on Kenji and stole his hat. Kenji chased them to a foot bridge where one of the bullies tosses his hat into the river. Kenji watched as the Ectoplasm flow carried the hat out to Tokyo Bay. Out in the bay, fisherman pulled up a net covered in slime. Suddenly, a giant seaweed monster emerged from the Ectoplasm and attacked the fishing boat. The men watched as it swam to shore and attacked. As everyone fled the monster, Kenji arrived and recognized it as Nori-ra.

The Ghostbusters and Slimer arrived at Tokyo Airport to a modest procession. As their theme played, the Ghostbusters traded customary bows with dignitaries. Much to Ray's surprise, Slimer was more famous in Japan than the Ghostbusters were. While a crowd clamored around Slimer, the guys met Chief Inspector Ogata. He ushered them to a V.I.P. tunnel. Ray grabbed Slimer. Kenji slipped past the barricade and tried to get the Ghostbusters' attention but a police officer held him back. While on the ride to meet with technicians, Ogata gave the guys photographs of the monster. Ray couldn't help but notice something familiar about it. Ogata received a call on his wrist communicator and learned the monster was back. Outside the airport, Ogata provided them keys to some personal transportation - Ecto-Ichi and gave Egon a Mini-Phone communicator watch so he could converse with headquarters. As the guys drove off, Kenji rode his bicycle but they thought he was just a fan and kept driving.

Eventually, the guys encountered traffic. While trying to look for the button to trigger the red lights, they were rather overwhelmed by all the choices - laser disc, CD, onboard computer, and even a fax machine. Peter tried but activated a loudspeaker system instead. Egon tried one but shifted Ecto to a hover craft mode and it took off. They sighted the monster and opened fire but the Proton Streams went right through it. Egon got out his P.K.E. Meter and took some readings. He advised everyone to try a setting of 4000. Ecto-Ichi circled around and the guys blasted the monster again. This time is worked and the monster vaporized like an old film feel coming apart. Egon confirmed there was no trace of Psychomagnotheric residue. As Ecto-Ichi landed on the shore, Kenji caught up to them again. Ray recognized him as the boy from the airport. Kenji declared to them the monster was Nori-ra. Ray got the name instantly and recalled the monster they just fought was from a 1960s movie called "Lizardo Meets Nori-ra." Winston and Egon were intrigued by the implications but Peter wrote it off and was eager to party in Tokyo, all expenses paid.

A giant crab monster soon emerged from the Ectoplasm flow. Since it was bigger than Nori-ra, the Proton Streams passed through it. While Egon recalculated for the size differential, Slimer summoned up his courage and slimed the crab monster in the eyes. Ray believed it was the same monster from "Lizardo and The Crab Monster from Space." Egon had everyone boost to 9000 and they vaporized the crab monster. Peter and Winston quickly noticed their packs were drained and out of power. Egon wanted to take the investigation to the movie studio Kenji mentioned earlier. Winston wanted to know how many Lizardo movies first. After Kenji replied 12, Winston wasn't anymore relieved. Outside Yamani Studios, Kenji showed the guys the Ectoplasm flow - which was the result of a complex ectoplasmic chemical chain reaction. He sent Slimer up the drain pipe to trace the slime's path. Slimer obeyed and found himself in Sound Stage 4 just as the next manifestation took place. Slimer vacated and warned the guys as Lizardo emerged from the studio. They made a calculated retreat and tried to keep up with it in Ecto-Ichi while the military tried to stop Lizardo. Egon delivered news they needed a gigawatt of auxiliary energy to achieve the frequency required to destabilize Lizardo. Kenji pointed out the Tokyo Tower as a power source. In the movies, it was where Lizardo fought the Dreaded California Roll.

Egon determined the tower was suitable for their needs but once the packs were primed, they only had 10 seconds to blast Lizardo before the packs fried. Meanwhile, Lizardo terrorized the Bullet Train. As Egon and Ray made the necessary modifications to the packs, Kenji suggested they use the air raid siren to attract Lizardo close enough to the tower. Like in the movies, Lizardo would think the siren was the wail of a lady lizard. Ray turned it on and as predicted, Lizardo happily approached the tower. Slimer turned on the junction box and the guys waited for their packs to charge up. However, Lizardo got bored and started to wander off. Slimer tried to distract him but got blown away. Kenji took the elevator down and used the loudspeaker on Ecto-Ichi to taunt Lizardo. Lizardo took the bait but ended up smashing Ecto to bits. Luckily, Lizardo was back in the range and the guys vaporized him with two seconds to spare. Peter made light of this but the others humorlessly glared at him. Back at Tokyo Airport, the guys were set to depart for home. Ogata thanked them for their work but Ray credited Kenji much to the dismay of the three bullies who tormented him earlier. Peter was hesitant to go since his hair was still messed up from charging the packs. Egon assured him the effects would wear off... in time. Kenji spoke up and implied they could stay since the Ghostbusters were now very popular in Japan. The three bullies revealed they made up their hair like the guys. The Ghostbusters and Slimer happily bowed in appreciation.

Quotes[]

Peter: We came, we saw, it's history. Another job well done, boys.

Trivia[]

  • The first draft was done on March 22, 1991.[4]
  • The second draft was done on March 28, 1991.[5]
  • The episode was recorded on May 6, 1991.[6]
  • The episode features many famous locations in Tokyo; Tokyo International Airport, Tokyo Bay, Tokyo Television Tower, and Zojoji Temple.
  • The greetings on banners at the airport:
    • "スライマー!" means "Slimer!"
    • "ゴーストバスターズ" means "Ghostbusters"
  • When the Ghostbusters arrive in Tokyo, an Asian version of the theme song is played.
  • The No Ghost logo on Ecto Ichi is a samurai ghost.
  • The term Psychomagnotheric, coined in Ghostbusters II, is used for the second time on The Real Ghostbusters in this episode.[7]
  • There have been 12 Lizardo movies.[8]
  • Kenji has seen all 12 Lizardo movies 10 times.[9]
  • A few more Lizardo movies are mentioned but the title monsters do not manifest:
    • Lizardo vs. Blue Beetle[10]
    • A movie that involved a battle with Dreaded California Roll at the Tokyo Tower.[11]
  • The Japan Self-Defense Forces, the country's military force, appears to battle Lizardo. [12]
    • The cargo jet the Ghostbusters arrive in Tokyo on is scripted to be a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force model.
    • Designs for the tanks were earlier used in episode "Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream" as a By-Products of Dreams pink tank ghost.
    • The rocket launcher design was previously used in episode "Russian About" as a rocket launcher to shoot rockets at Slimer as he was a UFO.
  • The Ghostbusters' spiky hair pays homage to the anime look.
  • In the March 1991 drafts of the script
    • Slimer wore sunglasses, an ascot, beret whereas in the episode, he wore a headband and gi.[13]
    • Lizard manifested before the Ghostbusters, Slimer, and Kenji arrived at Yamani. Ogata called Egon on the Mini-Phone to alert him of Lizardo's rampage.[14][15]
    • Kenji taunted Lizardo without the use of Ecto-Ichi.[16]
  • Janine doesn't appear in this episode.
  • Two version of this episode exist. After Ray says, "OK, Lizardo. Come to mama.", one version shows Lizardo blocked by a bridge, while in the other there's nothing blocking him. Multimedia samples can be found on Spook Central's Alternate Episodes page.

Animation Errors[]

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 She doesn't reprise Janine for the episode, but instead provides incidental voices according to the Episode Call Sheet and SAG Reports sheets.

References[]

  1. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Five Disc Two, "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" Script title page. CPT Holdings, Inc. Line reads: "#140-605."
  2. Marsha Goodman (1991). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" (1991).
  3. Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 42. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  4. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Five Disc Two, "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" Script title page. CPT Holdings, Inc. Line reads: "First Draft March 22, 1991."
  5. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Five Disc Two, "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" Script title page. CPT Holdings, Inc. Line reads: "Second Draft March 28, 1991."
  6. Marsha Goodman (1991). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" (1991).
  7. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" (1991) (DVD ts. 10:27-10:30). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "That's odd. Now there's no trace of psychomagnotheric residue."
  8. Kenji (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" (1991) (DVD ts. 14:19-14:20). Time Life Entertainment. Kenji says: "No, 12."
  9. Kenji (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" (1991) (DVD ts. 14:21-14:23). Time Life Entertainment. Kenji says: "I seen them all 10 times."
  10. Kenji (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" (1991) (DVD ts. 14:52-14:54). Time Life Entertainment. Kenji says: "Didn't you see Lizardo vs. The Blue Beetle?"
  11. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" (1991) (DVD ts. 17:38-17:41). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "That's where Lizardo fought the dreaded California Roll!"
  12. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Five Disc Two, "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" Script p. 6. CPT Holdings, Inc. Line reads: "The plane, a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force cargo jet, sits on the tarmac, surrounded by dignitaries."
  13. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Five Disc Two, "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" Script p. 7. CPT Holdings, Inc. Line reads: "All the cameras are pointed at Slimer who--now wearing sunglasses, an ascot, and beret--is happily mugging for them, alternately waving and clasping his hands overhead like a prizefighter."
  14. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Five Disc Two, "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" Script p. 29. CPT Holdings, Inc. Ogata says: "Ghostbusters! Emergency! Another monster!"
  15. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Five Disc Two, "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" Script p. 29. CPT Holdings, Inc. Line reads: "Lizardo, a spectral-frilled lizard with bulging frog-like eyes, rises out of the Bay."
  16. Mueller, Richard (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Five Disc Two, "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" Script p. 39. CPT Holdings, Inc. Line reads: "Kenji puts his thumbs in his ears, wiggles his hands, and sticks his tongue out at Lizardo."

Gallery[]

Episode Screen Caps[]

Collages and Edits[]


RGB DVD Boxset Features[]


 
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Not Now, Slimer! Air Date 20,000 Leagues Under the Street
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