Gilgamesh in popular culture

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The Sumerian hero-king Gilgamesh and the Epic of Gilgamesh have inspired various works in modern popular culture.

Contents 1 Direct adaptations 2 Other 2.1 Anime 2.2 Comics 2.3 Music 2.4 Novels 2.5 Theatre 2.6 TV and film 2.7 Video games

[edit] Direct adaptations

• Gilgamesh the King and To the Land of the Living by Robert Silverberg. Silverberg also contributed works of short fiction concerning Gilgamesh to the Heroes in Hell shared world series of Bangsian fantasy.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh, choral work by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů.
• The book How like a god by Brenda W. Clough is based on the epic.
• Gilgamesh, an opera by Serbian composer Rudolf Brucci based on the Epic.
• Gilgamesh, by the film director Roger Christian (Pre-production).
• Gilgamesh', 1.5 hour adaptation as a radio play on BBC Radio 3, first broadcast 11 June 2006 [1]
• The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Beginnings to A.D. 100, Volume A, Second Edition pp. 10-12.
• The Tower of Gilgamesh and The Acts of Gilgamesh, two plays by American novelist Jonathan Bayliss, online in their entirety at Two Gilgamesh Plays.

[edit] Other

[edit] Anime

• An anime show by the same name, aired in 2003.
• Fate/stay night game and anime, by TYPE-MOON, features a character based on Gilgamesh.

[edit] Comics

• In the Marvel Comics universe, a character known as the Forgotten One claimed to have been the historical Gilgamesh.
• In Batman: The Animated Series, Project Gilgamesh attempts to create a supersoldier, but instead creates the villain Bane.
• Gilgamesh II, a four-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 1989, featured a powerful being of unknown origin who discovers a wild brother, who then dies; the hero eventually becomes separated from humanity and, with only aliens for company, chooses to vanish into a void.
• Gilgamesh Wulfenbach is a character in Phil and Kaja Foglio's series of Girl Genius comics.
• Gilgamesh, the Immortal is an Argentine comic book series created by Lucho Olivera, later written by Robin Wood. It tells a story where Gilgamesh wins immortality by defeating death with an alien's help and lives in the Earth until all humans are killed in a nuclear holocaust.
• Mage: the Hero Defined references the Epic of Gilgamesh in parts.
• In the fictitious universe of Valiant Comics, it is suggested that the exploits of Gilad Anni-Padda (the immortal title character in Eternal Warrior series) are the basis for the legends of Gilgamesh.

[edit] Music

• "Gilgamesh" is a Japanese rock band.
• "Gilgamesh" were a British band 1972 - 1978. They released two albums "Gilgamesh" (1975) and "Another Fine Tune You've Got Me Into" (1978)
• "Gilgamesh" were an Australian ska/punk band 1994 - 1998. They released two EP's "Land of the Long White Shaft" (1995) and "Vulgar Display of Ass" (1996) the latter on Murmur Records.
• "The Tomb of Gilgamesh" is a song by Tourniquet from their album "Microscopic view of a telescopic realm", wherein Gilgamesh repents from his deeds.
• In the Mr. Bungle song, "Golem II: the Bionic Vapour Boy", the word Gilgamesh is repeated several times.

[edit] Novels

• In Golem XIV by Stanisław Lem, GILGAMESH is the name of the first self-programmable (and eventually intellectual) computer.
• A Perfect Vacuum, also by Lem, includes a review of a fictional retelling of the Gilgamesh epic as a single hour in the life of a condemned soldier; a parody of James Joyce's Ulysses.
• Gilgamesh appeared in Timewyrm: Genesys, the first novel of the Doctor Who New Adventures.
• In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje contains themes from "The Epic of Gilgamesh".
• "Gil Gamesh" is a major character in Philip Roth's novel The Great American Novel. In the book, Gamesh is a sinister, Babylonian pitcher who attempts to kill an umpire.
• "Gilgamesh" is a character in David Gemmell's Sipstrassi Stones series of books.
• Gilgamesh is the name of a planet in H. Beam Piper's Terro-Human Future History
• In the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, the djinn Bartimaeus claims that he was once a servant of Gilgamesh and was ordered by him to build the legendary walls of Uruk.
• In Gilgamesh: the Lot of Man, Diaries of an Immortal by Richard Weaver, the reader follows the journey of the proud warrior-king Gilgamesh as he battles against armies, kings, gods and the one force to which all humans must eventually succumb, death.

[edit] Theatre

• "Gilgamesh" (1990) by Socìetas Raffaello Sanzio is based on the Epic of Gilgamesh.

[edit] TV and film

• "Gilgamesh" is also a character in brother TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess.
• Darmok, an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation is inspired by the tale of Gilgamesh.
• Gilgamesh was mentioned in The Outer Limits episode Demon with a Glass Hand, first broadcast in 1964 and written by Harlan Ellison.
• "Gilgamesh" is an answer to the Crossword puzzle clue "Enkidu's Friend". The question was answered by John Locke In the Hit Drama Lost episode "Collision", in which John Locke and Mr. Eko first meet, alluding to the parallels in the nature of the two characters.
• In Highlander: The Series, Gilgamesh was rumored to be the first immortal ever recorded by a "watcher", and would be the sole reason behind the formation of the watcher organization.
• "This Unnameable Little Broom" (1985) by the Quay Brothers is an animated short based on the Epic of Gilgamesh.

[edit] Video games

• You can edit your party in Gilgamesh's Tavern in the classic computer game Wizardry.
• The hero of Namco's Tower of Druaga and its sequels is also named Gilgamesh.
• In Namco's Tales of Symphonia, a title Zelos Wilder can earn.
• In Namco's Tales of Phantasia, you can obtain his Golden Mail and Helmet.
• Gill (Street Fighter), his name alludes to Gilgamesh because of the Babel tower or Ziggurat artisticaly painted on his endings and those of his brother, Urien.
• In Sid Meier's Civilization III Conquests, the Sumerian civilization (Agricultural and Scientific) is led by Gilgamesh.
• In Empire Earth Gilgamesh is a Battle Hero in the Prehistoric Epoch
• "Gilgamesh" appears as a sword collector/antagonist/ally in Final Fantasy V and keeps all roles in future Final Fantasy games, except Final Fantasy VII.
• In Final Fantasy (GBA version), he is still looking for Excalibur but again finds Excalipoor. He battles the party as the second boss of the Lifespring Grotto.
• In Final Fantasy VI (the GBA version), he is at the Dragon's Neck Colluseum still looking for Excalibur, but if one bets the Excalipoor, he will be tricked once again and battle the party; he joins afterwards with Enkidu as an Esper.
• In Final Fantasy VIII, Gilgamesh replaces Odin (and acquires his sword) after he's killed by Seifer in Lunatic Pandora. He seems to have finally found Excalibur, but has kept Excalipoor and somehow obtained Sephiroth's Masamune.
• In Final Fantasy IX, Gilgamesh is an NPC that does not fight the heroes. He aids Zidane Tribal with his stealing skills.
• In Final Fantasy XI, Gilgamesh is an NPC that does not fight you. He is the leader of the group of pirates located in the pirate cove of Norg. He is instrumental in many later missions.
• In Final Fantasy XII, Gilgamesh is an Elite Mark who has stolen someone's Sword. He is the only mark you don't actually kill. He has collected quite a lot of swords at this point, wielding Buster Sword, Zantetsuken, Orichalcon, Revolver, Brotherhood, Wyrmhero's Blade, Tournesol, and Excalipoor. Oddly and ironically enough, he doesn't notice that all eight blades are fake.