sennetari

Okay, since I've skipped a year and a month on the blog, I'm dumping everything I wrote about Ultraman Trigger in the same entry. Because I'm not up to annoying people with multiple posts, especially since I don't even know anyone read me anymore (or even remembers who I am).


I watched the Ultraman Trigger movie (appropriately named 'Episode Z') on the day it premiered (the livestream version with the actors commenting (incidentally, I didn't even pay attention to the livechat comments - my seven dollars were so wasted ^^;; - because I just couldn't; I was lucky I could finish the movie and the aftershow event at all on my ancient android phone).

Ah, but you're more interested in what I thought about that movie, right? Or maybe you don't. Either way, I'm not really commenting on the movie at this time, having seen it only once in its entirety. I'll need to rewatch it (hopefully, my five dollar rental still works).

( Aftershow event; maybe some spoilers for Episode Z, but I'm sure the trailer tells you more than I tell you. )

That's it for the aftershow event. Obviously I was joking about wasting my seven dollars because I got my money's worth and then some. I would love to see more live events like this (I missed last year events and still want to watch them, even if I have to pay).
(Speaking of event, I'll have to regrettably pass on the Ultraman Connection event later in the morning (or tonight, depends on where you are; it's 10 July evening in the US - at 9 PM EST). Hopefully, someone will type up a recap.)

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Okay, now I've seen the movie again (courtesy of Ultraman Connection - thank you for subtitles in ten languages, two of which I can actually understand). It's fine. No, more than fine. One of my favorite new gen movies (at this point, probably only Ultraman X movie (and sometimes Ultraman Geed movie) is more enjoyable for me). I really don't know what to talk about it, though, so let's just do whatever comes to mind.

( Random thoughts/spoilers about Episode Z )

I'm sure I forget millions other things, but this is it for now. Lovely lovely movie which breaks no new ground, but yet it just comes together very well. Probably better than the TV series, which I love. A fitting conclusion.

ETA: 10 July 2022

You know, Ultraman Decker's premiere breaks no new ground either, but I love it just the same. And now I'm just reminded that the director for Episode Z is also the main director for Decker. It's obvious now that he (and/or people in charge/TPTB) is probably trying to fix the "mess Trigger TV series left behind"* by playing it very safe. It is easier to go with what have always worked in this franchise (i.e. establishes the characters quickly, shows us why the main character is chosen to be Ultraman, establishes the stakes, shows us why we should care if this world is in danger). Like, why bother fixing what isn't broken?

*I don't agree -- I'm just not quite quoting other people. Honestly, I really do like that Trigger was willing to do something different, or dare I even say, fresh? The result is endearing to me.

( More about Trigger )

So that's my roundabout way of saying that they did an experiment with Trigger, which unfortunately failed with some audience. Like I said, I love the series. Episode Z did a great job of trying to ground Trigger, bringing it down from the height of unbelievability to...if not the ground...somewhere more relatable.

Let's hope Decker continues to make no missteps, even if it has to sacrifice some originality. I've had enough of people complaining about Trigger. That series already ended half a year ago; let's just go forward and cheer for Decker.

Somehow, despite having posts on the three episodes before it, I never talk about the finale of Ultraman Ginga S. Most likely because I am speechless every time at how awesome it is.

I'm still without words, but I'll try to fill in something...

( Ultraman Ginga, Ultraman Victory, along with other humans, fight and save their tomorrows. For more details (spoilers), click here. )

Well, that's about it. I'm sure I've missed some parts, but as far as finales go I like this one a lot. Of course it relies on miracles (what Ultraman series doesn't?), but the focus is more on people working together to solve problems. It's clear they know what to do and do them to the best of their abilities. Not to say that other Ultraman series don't have people working together in their finales, but I guess the one in Ginga S breaks everything down in a simplistic form, yet still manages to leave a little surprise. I love how everything comes full circle, back to the beginning (you have callbacks from way back in Ginga).

In short, I love this episode, and Ultraman Ginga S as a whole. This is a much more traditional series than Ginga, but I think it works because it remains focused on the main characters for most of its run. Speaking as someone who doesn't care for villains, the main villain is fine, perhaps a bit too nice that his underlings don't care to obey him. ^^;; I would encourage people to watch it, but I understand that Ultraman Ginga is not for everyone (though of course I love that series, too), and, imo, you need to watch that series to appreciate Ginga S.

I watched a few Ultraman movies. And I'm putting my scattered thoughts all in this post. Spoilers abound (even for the end of Dyna and sort of for Mebius and Cosmos).

Ultraman Saga and The Ultra Galaxy movie: ( Mirai; Future Earth. )

And, since I'm too lazy to make a separate post, I might as well have this tagged on, even though I wrote about this movie way after I watched the two movies above and it has nothing to do with them. Wait, that isn't true. Ultraman Zero is in it, so I guess it has something in common with the rest of the movies, after all... (Oh, Taro and Mebius also appear, sort of. ^^;;; Yes, I mean the fusion. I would scream with joy if it's them in the flesh.)

Ultraman Orb the Movie: ( I actually like this movie more than I made it sound under here. Lots of random spoilers. )

Whoa, Shin Ultraman will not be coming out in the early summer? Certainly not the news I wanted to hear. But at least they finished filming way back in 2019, so they will have to release the film at some point. I remember another Ultraman movie similarly delayed and it still came out in the same year, so I hope Shin Ultraman release date will be rescheduled to some time this year. ETA: The film will come out when it can. I don't mind the wait if it means safety for everyone involved (moviemakers and moviegoers alike).

In any case, I suppose I should be grateful that there are still so much Ultra-related things for me to watch (and re-watching is always a possibility).

( Mebius as a gateway into the Showa Series )
That said, I am only one voice. Maybe someone else might think these cool old guys (well, three plus Taro, who had no human form) are represented accurately in Mebius. And maybe someone might think the first episode of each of these series accurately represents that series as a whole.

(Okay, you probably wonder who this person is who went silent for almost seven years. It's more likely that I'm talking to myself here, however. Anyway, went out for the first time this month on Friday and found that the outside world is still the same, so maybe I'll start posting again. Which might not be sustainable since I still don't really want to watch anything other than the Ultras, but never say never.)

Doing this from Ultraman Tiga onward, here are my personal opinions on transformation items the Ultra hosts use. (No, I don't own any, more's the pity.) Not counting the secondary Ultras, if any. I would comment on the transformation scenes themselves, but most of them aren't that memorable, except the three-century-long ones, only because I was seriously tempted to skip them. But I'll say I mostly prefer that the Ultra hosts don't shout out their Ultra names while transforming (except Mebius. He can shout his name all he wants).

Spoilers, maybe. But nothing that will ruin the series, I hope. So I'm not separating the cut into individual shows. The Ultras are listed in the order their series aired, as far as I know.

( Toys and more toys )

So maybe I should say something about the human form or host of each series (the main ones and Zero's)? I don't know, but let's just do it, then. I like to have excuses to talk about my favorite characters. (That means I probably might not limit myself to talking about the hosts/human forms only.) Unlike the above section, there are lots of spoilers and I don't mark them. Uneven length. For some I have paragraphs, and for some I have three sentences. How much I write is usually no indication of how much I like the host and/or the other characters, however.

Tiga: ( Take Me Higher )
Dyna: ( Ally of Justice )
Gaia: ( Beat on, Dream on )
Cosmos: ( Spirit )
Nexus: ( Hero )
Max: ( From Galaxy Faraway )
Mebius: ( Adorable, Adorable, Adorable )
UltraSeven X: ( Pay Money for My Pain )
Zero: ( 20,000 years too early )
Ginga: ( Future Ultraman )
X: ( Cyberspace Ultraman )
Orb: ( Wanderer Ultraman )
Geed: ( Adorkable Ultraman )
R/B: ( Ultraman Brothers )
Taiga: ( Tri-Squad Ultraman )
Z: ( Ultra Nerd )
And how much I enjoy a series is almost always directly proportional to how much I like its main character. I think only Nexus actually breaks that mold (but then I practically like most of the dunamists, so maybe there's that). I won't say which series I like more because I don't like to play favorites, though perhaps you can tell? I'm not all that objective anyway.

I started off doing just random points, but somehow this turns out to be more of a summary than a list. Spoilers abound, of course.

( In which an unoriginal plot is actually well-executed )

tl;dr Good conclusion to the UPG storyline. No real surprises, but then I don't expect surprises in an Ultraman Ginga episode.

It's really heart-warming. ( Random thoughts on the episode )

I like to see more episodes like this, but at the same time, I would rather watch about the main characters, so I guess it's a bit of a dilemma.

(I have been slow with keeping up, so what little I want to say about this episode have already been mentioned by other people.)

Great episode. :) I mean, I've been enjoying Wizard, but this episode is the one that I hope most other people would have to think a little more than usual to pick it apart.

( Few things. Spoilers if someone hasn't been keeping up with the show, I suppose. )

Not much else to add. So, inspired by what other people write, and by what happen in the past few episodes, I'll write my thoughts on Haruto.

( Trying to make sense of Haruto -- a few instances from this episode. )

Well, just got around to starting the new GARO. I guess I'm probably none too original in the few comments I have for it.

( Spoilers for the episode, and a bit of speculations. )

I don't know. Perhaps one episode is too early to form impressions, good or bad. I think I'll give it a few more episodes, although I'm in no real hurry to continue.

ETA: Although I'm still slow in watching the episodes, I am on board with this series now. :)