Transformation items (and the persons who use them) in recent Ultra series...

[sennetari]

(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.

Tiga - I like it. Seems like I measure everything else against the spark lense, really.

Dyna - I don't know. Thing looks too fake...but I don't really dislike it or anything. It doesn't seem all that practical to carry around either. (Asuka did lost the thing at least twice over the course of his series. Seems like he takes better care of it post-series.)

Gaia - All I got is it seems like a nice paperweight. ;) It's cool that Gamu made it himself, though.

Cosmos - I actually like Cosmo Pluck (love that name). Perhaps I have a fondness for wand-type transformation items.

Nexus - My problem with it is more that it doesn't really fit the atmosphere of the show than any real flaw of the item itself. (Because if I'm going to complain that it looks like a toy, every other transformation item sort of does, too...) The thing was supposed to look mystical, like pure white marble stone or something, but it looks plastic, geez.

Max - Kinda neutral on this one. But I find it neat that the host has to know where to put it in order to get it to work. :) (Not remembering where to put it was a problem in one episode.) Oh, Max has the fastest transformation ever in one episode and I actually find that funny. ;)

Mebius - Well, obviously it can't be lost or stolen, so that's one good thing. (Could get broken, however.)

UltraSeven X - It's an Ultraeye, how could anything go wrong with it? ;) Well, in one way. If you have an Ultraeye, expect it to be stolen at least once. (It was taken twice in this series if I remember correctly.)

Zero - well, it's similar to the above, isn't it? It's a Zero eye, after all.
(I know I said no secondary Ultras, but I wouldn't dare look at Zero and say 'secondary Ultra'. He made his way into most of the new gen Ultra series (from Ginga onward), after all.)

Ginga - I guess it's fine, being a relic, sacred item in series and all. And now I remember that you start the trend of New Gen transformation items having copies for both the heroes and the villains.

X - I love this one. But I love most everything having to do with X and/or Daichi. Neat that you can use a spark doll. (Though some people might not agree -- they think you should come up with your own gimmicks (instead of inheriting spark dolls from Ginga) to use with your toy.)

Orb - Hmm, the Orb ring looks toy-ic, but really, every transformation item on this list is a toy, too. It looks cool in series, however. (I prefer the Orbcaliber in Origin Saga, only because no toy advertisement.)

Geed - Too many components. I keep thinking Riku would be lost if he lost one or more of them (well, sorta happens, doesn't it?) And I find it kind of ironic that he would have a gun-like transformation device (the capsules look like bullets).

R/B - I actually love the Gyros. I don't care how much they look (or not look) like toys. What I dislike is the three-century-long transformation scenes or the scenes whenever they change crystals (and there are two of them. Really, could have at least done split screens). Yes, I get that you are new at being Ultras, but, imo, mandatory toy advertisements in other series don't last as long, imo.

Taiga - The brace is back. ;) Haven't seen one of those since Mebius (in fact, is there actually anyone else outside of that series who uses the brace to transform?). All the new gen Ultras giving their power to Taiga is very touching, too. (Oh, so that is why they didn't come help out during the series.)

Z - What is that thing again? (It looks like a shark fin? Or maybe I was just thinking of that cute shark monster (from X and other recent series)?) Neat about the card with character name (access card), though. Z having to teach Haruki how to scan cards (and how to work the rest) is kind of funny.
(Oh, it has the same design as Z's head, so there. And I disliked that far too many people had access to some versions of the Z Riser.)


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:
Man, I love Daigo, even though on paper he's very boring (a hero who does (almost) everything right). This is probably the case of having an actor who is capable of selling the character. (Daigo in the Super 8 Ultra Brothers movie is quite a different story, however. He actually struggles and is far from god-like.)


Dyna:
I like Asuka a lot, too, though obviously for a different reason. He's a very dynamic character (Mai named Dyna well). Oh, I can't articulate so if you are curious, watch his show.


Gaia:
Gamu is Gamu, I suppose. He is a bit painful to watch in early episodes, but I don't mind later on (either he (or his actor) improves or I just become used to him). His individual relationships with the large cast are all interesting, however. (While not my most favorite, I still think his series is the best of the Heisei era - a serialized, tightly written story that barely ever wastes time on useless fillers, while still keeping to traditions (no new groundbreaking premise). The humor, drama, etc. are on point most of the time.)

But for all I said that, Gamu is very capable, as far as doing his job goes (being a technical advisor/science analyst for the team, I mean). So much that his commander doesn't seem to have any reason for clearly liking him (I mean, as a superior caring for his subordinate. I just don't know how to phrase this well. And since I wrote this a while back, I no longer know what I meant by that sentence). Then again, most other characters also like him. (Not team Marlin, however. How dare they treat Gamu like a novice who doesn't know what he is doing? (Would have excused you (even if I might not like it much still) if Gamu was like newly recruited. But gee, this is post-series - he had been with XIG for some time and even helped save the world (perhaps they might not know anything about that, stuck in the bottom of the sea and all).) Gee, I'm way too salty, but I'm not feeling sorry for this team anymore for not appearing in more than one episode in the series proper.)


Cosmos: I like Musashi, even though sometimes he is such an entitled brat. He often shows up in crossovers post-series and gives really good impression, however, so take it as a warning that he isn't always so sensible in his own series.

But anyway, I think I might be a bit unfair in my criticism. I blame it on my (usually) preferring a more non-confrontational protagonist. ('So why don't you complain about Asuka?' asked by no one. No idea, really, other than he and Musashi seem to have become platonic life partners in this new era.)

Though I will have to say that Team EYES are like one of my favorite teams ever. Apart from very few moments, I really do love their dynamic. I haven't seen a team that work so well together as a whole professionally (yup, I know there are better/more competent teams, but somehow I don't enjoy their teamwork as much as Team EYES'). (And I love their various aircrafts - tech thunder/tech spinner/tech-whatever.)

(No, I didn't forget that Fubuki was none too nice in the beginning. But, hey, I guess Musashi infected them all with kindness. (Well, apart from a few episodes where the plots demand that they unlearned what they learned from Musashi.) They really seem to love and care for each other. A family, I mean.)

Ah, I don't know. I tend to say that for almost everything I'd seen, so I guess I'm not objectively ranking/comparing the teams. In any case, I do love Team EYES. They are really up there with the best. (And while I don't have a team I actively dislike (not in Heisei era, at least), there are a few I don't much enjoy/am indifferent to.)


Nexus:
Hmm. This is talking about all dunamists from the Nexus world, then, because they all get to be Nexus (or at least some form of him).
Nexus is a very special TV show for me, never mind Ultraman show, because it is the first show that I'd ever followed week by week without fail as it aired back in 2004. As it was, I had a lot of time to think about events in an episode before the next episode aired (as a result, I'd guessed most of its plot twists/secrets. Not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing).

Maki: He is great. ;) Though I do have to say that as a character he doesn't really offer anything fresh (other than being a family man, perhaps?) But Ultraman is about people being good people, so I suppose I can't really fault Maki for being exactly that. Loving people, seeing goodness in others, I mean. Really standard stuff, but if you don't like seeing positivity/being hopeful as a theme, Ultraman is not for you.

Himeya: I like him, but there is no real reason really. It isn't even his background.
Perhaps I'm supposed to say that I like him because he is a hero even without ever being Ultraman. Look at how many people are inspired by his photos (which are amazing and totally worth the reveal) and literally follow him around (three, at least, but there are probably a lot more who admire/praise his photos if those letters his former newspaper publisher received are any indication*), and they know nothing of him being Ultraman (in contrast, being Ultraman is a burden, a thankless job that no one (other than Komon) seemed to appreciate at first). And he keeps pushing people (maybe except Komon) away. I understand why, though (so they wouldn't get hurt), but I'm not sure I liked how that came across. I mean, I like self-sacrificing heroes, but this is pushing it a bit far. So, like I said, no real reason his character totally works for me (because I liked him since I first saw him, before knowing any of his backstory).

(*Although he is the only one I could recall off-handed, I wouldn't say Himeya is only a tokusatsu hero who received praises/recognitions for things that had nothing to do with him being able to transform and everything to do with him being a hero, period. A hero everyone could be if they had desire/courage to protect and/or give hope to others.)

Ren: Love him. ;) I have a weakness for his type of character. You know, the eternally happy person who is deeper than he seems. Not that I'm saying he's lying to people - his happiness seems real enough, but it is also something to cover up his wounds. (That aside, I kind of want to see him hang out with another character who likes to use the word 'happy' as their catchphrase. They are around the same age, I think?)

Nagi: I'm kinda conflicted? It doesn't help that her arc got reduced to a few minutes in the final episode. Anyway, she claims to be realistic (about the whole Space Beast thing) but her hatred toward beasts seems borderline irrational. Yes, she has a very good reason to hate them, but still, I feel that she has carried that hatred way too far and way too long. I'll have to note that Ultraman Nexus really gives a lot of control to the dunamist, as I don't remember anyone ever getting blocked from transforming (and I'm almost certain Nagi would be blocked if this were some other Ultra series, for transforming for all the wrong reason, I mean). (The dunamists before her were quite stubborn, too, for transforming when their bodies were at limits. Some other Ultra series would almost certainly block such suicidal transformations.)

But for all I said that, Nagi is capable of learning and admitting when she is wrong. It's really too bad that her learning kind of got done in about half an episode (yes, she really needs more time). As a character, I truly don't mind her. She wasn't being cruel to Komon for some perverse pleasure; she only pointed out his new reality to him. It seems to me that she truly wants to help Komon, despite her method being not quite right (using hatred to fight, etc., etc.), but Nagi is who she is. I wouldn't want her any other way.

Komon: By the time the light comes to him, he is worthy of it.
Okay, I think I've been too harsh on Komon. At times, his naiveness seems out of place in the harsh world he lives in. Then again, this show seems to say that perhaps it is not naive to hope, to believe in the good of other people. I mean, even the dunamists sometimes seem to have less faith in themselves than Komon has in them and they seem to have learned something from him, however indirectly. (Okay, maybe it isn't a great plot twist or anything, but honestly, if Komon believes in Ultraman more than Ultraman himself does, it would be a terrible plot twist if he doesn't become one by the end of the show.) Still not my favorite character, but I guess I've learned to appreciate his character.


Max:
Kaito is who? Sorry, but I truly cannot find anything remarkable about him. (The rescue worker thing? At least one other character did it before. The episode he couldn't transform? At least three other series before his have that same plot.) (Yet when he supposedly appeared in a future series, I was almost upset that it wasn't actually Kaito. Go figure. (And, geez, that isn't unique to him either, and one of them even appeared in that same series, though with me being this unclear, hopefully no one gets spoiled.)) Don't even know why, exactly. His actor was actually quite capable.


Mebius:
I can't find a more adorable human form/host than Mirai. He has a certain curiosity/earnesty that no one else seems to have. Still have this opinion 14 years after his series ended, after I've seen more than 10 other Ultra series after it.

And I love everyone else in the main cast too. Yeah, I guess even Adjutant Ebisu and his underling Toriyama and Maru. Really cannot say that for any other series (I mean, with other teams, I could say I like their team dynamic or whatever, but not everyone individually). Crew GUYS Japan is in a category of its own. They are really all around adorable. (Well, I guess this is pretty much a matter of opinion. I know some people don't like GUYS, and I'm like "why????" with a sad face.)


UltraSeven X:
Hmm. Is this the case I like the hero's friends better than the hero himself? I guess.
Thing is, I ought to like Jin more than this because on paper he's great. He isn't passive and actively looks/searches for things even when he doesn't have to. That's the stuff a hero is made of. I might have to blame my lukewarm feeling on his having one expression for almost the entire series. (Why oh why? He is capable of emoting, as we can see in flashback scenes.) I mean, I would not be bothered by his lack of facial expression if he's an android and/or alien (almost wish either was the case). Because I find guest aliens in this series pretty fun (or if not fun, at least not boring). (Well, I remember Nataru the most. Because she's played by Yuki Misaki's actor from Ultraman Mebius. And because she calls Jin "Red Giant-kun". (I'm undeniably amused at this because I don't think any other Ultra host ever get called (to their face) anything like that. The closest I remember is an alien girl calling Musashi "Blue Giant".))

We actually don't know anything (background-wise) of Agent K and Agent S, but they are pretty entertaining to watch (separately is fine, but they are even better together).


Zero:
Run: Don't remember him, but it has been years since I last watched the movie he appeared in. But I thought Zero took over his body and for the most part it was just Zero, so if I found Run cool, it just meant I found Zero cool. Will probably amend this if/when I watch this movie again. (I think the Ultraman Zero Blu-Ray sets come out in June, so I hope I remember to order them.)
Taiga: He's fine when he actually listened to reason. You know, I don't get the comparison that he's similar to Asuka, especially when the Asuka in that same film is totally nothing like Taiga. (Well, maybe not totally, but you know Asuka is a legend in that film. Taiga? Not so much.)
Leito: I love love love him. Zero could not pick a better host if he tried. (And I don't use 'Reito' since he calls himself 'Leito' on his business card. I always respect how people want to be addressed.)


Ginga:
I surely mentioned before that I love Hikaru. He has such a big heart and always has a corny speech for everyone.


X:
I love Daichi, and I don't know why, exactly. Or perhaps I am just happy to see a scientist as a main character in an Ultra show, again. (Is he truly only a second scientist protag, after Gamu? Man, this franchise really don't use scientists as hosts all that much.) Or maybe his peaceful nature? (Something I enjoy in Musashi's character without all the childish tantrums? Speaking of, they really really should meet somewhere and compare notes.) He isn't the only scientist, however, but belongs to a tech team with three other members (whom, other than Rui, are sadly neglected).


Orb:
You know, Gai-san is great and all, but I can't help thinking that I like him because there seems to be no one like him in the Ultra franchise (who came before him, that is). (Well, the closest I can think of is Dan Moroboshi (thanks the Orb finale for that connection; I'm not that sharp otherwise), but he actually joined a proper defense team during the time in his series.) Oh, when I say he is unlike anyone, I'm not talking about Gai in Orb Origin Saga, of course. That type is familiar (the eager rookie learning how to use his power). But that prequel settled things for me regarding his character type (the peace-loving hero who doesn't want anyone to suffer. And I do mean anyone).

Randomly, I like the way Gai pronounces Naomi's name. I don't hear anyone else call her the way he does.

Speaking of, the Something Search People are something, really. I never expected to like them as much as I do. I do find it odd that they are often referred to as kids (well, okay, by comments and such in forums or whatnot. I stopped reading after three or four such comments) when they are at least college graduates. Really, they are probably older than some defense team members from some other series (Mirai (well, he's posing as an eighteen-year-old), Konomi (she's eighteen, too; the character is younger than the actor), Yazumi, Mai, Georgie, Musashi, just to name a few). Okay, they do dress casually, more like teenagers, but still.

And Naomi's mom is the best. I'm a bit sad she doesn't appear more.

All right, Naomi's uncle has his moments, too. :) Though someone ought to tell me how he has so much free time to spend outside his team (VTL?), when the captain from the preceding series was like having no time at all. Is VTL a more relaxed organization or something?

Ah, Juggler. I guess I can't avoid talking about him. Though I never really like villains, Jugg is probably the closest in making a favorable impression upon me. (Every antagonist that came after him fell flat for me. The slavish writer from Geed is boringly empty. The alien possessed tech owner in the first half of R/B is too hammy for me to take seriously (I'm not supposed to take him seriously, I know, but as a threat, he didn't work). The goth emo girl from the second half is, already seen, done that in Gaia. I hate the Joker in Taiga (though maybe this guy did something right, after all, because usually I'm indifferent to villains), and yes, I saw something of his background recently, but still hate him. And whatever that parasite in Z was called? No motivation (that can be understood by me, at least), so I'm glad it never appeared much.)


Geed:
Riku is really really adorkable. ;) Seeing his amazing love for his childhood toku hero almost makes me forget that his series is actually somewhat grim dark.

Pega is so cute. :) Though I'm a bit disappointed that all he is known as is 'Riku's cute tag-along alien friend who lives in shadow'.

REM is, well, a ball. But a smart one for all that. That isn't a fair description, sorry, since I really do like REM. Her attempt to understand humans is so earnest. Although no personal space for them, of course, since REM sees all and knows all that goes on in the Nebula House ship.

Laiha. Ah, I'm not really sure how I feel about her. On the one hand, I like her curbing Riku's enthusiasms in acquiring his dorkish toys. On the other hand, I feel she's a bit too serious for the most part.

Moa has an opposite problem, I suppose. I wish she is a bit more serious. I do like her relationship with Riku, however. (It's totally platonic, of course, no matter how Moa wishes otherwise. ^^;)

I did write about Leito already, but might as well say it again that I really do love him. Also Mayu and Lumina-san. Such a wholesome family. (I get the feeling that Zero is a bit jealous.)

Zena-san is Zena-san. Despite having only one expression, it's clear that he cares a lot for Moa (as a subordinate, I mean).


R/B:
For a show about familial bonds, I sure don't get much on the brothers. There are times I like Katsumi more than Isami, and vice versa, though in the end, I think I prefer Katsumi's characterization. (Not surprising. I tend to like the careful, reserved character more than the charge-ahead-and-see type. Not that Isami was that type exactly, but he seems a bit more careless. Still, he usually likes to come up with plans, so that's a point in his favor. And I do like that the brothers' characterizations are not typical. Katsumi is good with sports so one would think he would be the hot-headed one. Isami is a scientist so one would expect him to be more cool-headed. Nope.) Asahi amazed me, but in a good way. She's cute and seems a bit childish, but somehow that just makes her all the more endearing. I do love their parents, however.

(And since I'm here, I might as well mention that I think, for some very weird reason, that Saki is like an expy of Fujimiya from Ultraman Gaia. At least, watching her arc gave me the same uncomfortable feeling as watching Fujimiya in the first half of Gaia, in that I understand where she is coming from (her bitterness, her helplessness, etc. etc.), but I wish she cooperates with the heroes anyway or at least does not give them such a hard time. I'm not going to justify this further since I'm not looking to convince anyone. I mean, as far as canon goes, there is probably a better character (or two) to compare with Fujimiya anyway.)

Randomly, I was a bit taken back since this is not the first time I'd seen the name Katsumi in the Ultra franchise. But then again, there are like close to half a dozen of Mirai's or half a dozen of some variations of Hikari (or more than a few of Jun's) for both girls and boys running around, so name recycling is like the norm for Tsuburaya Pro. (And Minato isn't the most original name around either in this franchise. So poor Katsumi has no part of his name that is unique at all. Oh, and Asahi, too, has a name that is seen before in this franchise, so she's right there with her big brother and they can comfort each other. ;p)


Taiga:
I have a difficult time pinning down Hiroyuki's personality. He seems to have a hotchpotch of traits from different people. It's fine that he isn't easily categorized, no matter how much his co-workers insisted that he is (hot-headed idiot, the Ryuu Aihara trait, of all things. I'm not sure how I feel about this). Speaking of the co-workers, I did find it strange that they never really seemed to care where Hiro was going (even if they shouted after him), nor were particularly concerned for his safety. Turns out there is a good reason for that all along.

I like Homare. Reminds me of Fubuki from Ultraman Cosmos. Or rather, Homare's relationship with Hiro reminds me of Fubuki's relationship with Musashi. (So, fine, maybe the co-workers aren't wrong about Hiro, after all.) Well, okay, someone else did point that out first, and I agree, though I have to say not the Fubuki-Musashi relationship way back in the beginning. (As I said earlier, Fubuki came off kind of bad back then, and Musashi didn't help the matter any, of course.)

I like Kana as the fearless leader of this ragtag team. Why, her team consists of two aliens and one human who gets possessed by three aliens and she is like taking them all in stride. (Well, even if she doesn't know about Hiro, she clearly knows about the other two.)

Pirika is the one I'm most unsure of. Why does she sort of throw away her android/robot root? To fit in? I feel like it's a bit of a missed opportunity because for the most part, it made her no different from a normal human. But, okay, I'm not sure how to make it work, either.


Z:
Now if you say Haruki reminds you of Asuka from Dyna, I would have no complaint. ;) But I still feel Haruki is his own person for all that. And now, completely contradicting the previous sentence, for some reason, he reminds me more of Gai (which is always a good thing). I don't know. I do like Haruki, but I think this is another case of an actor capable of selling the character. It doesn't hurt either that he has a good character arc.

(Oh, maybe I could try a bit harder with the comparisons to Gai.
1. Respectful toward seniors/elders (the senpai, I mean) and polite in general. In Haruki's case, I don't think he referred to any of his teammates (I think Yuka is actually younger than him) without some kind of respectful honorific. (Oh, and "Riku-kun-senpai". That is utterly adorable (Haruki, not Riku, although Riku is plenty adorable).)
2. In some side view, they kinda look alike (maybe this is reaching, however). (Okay, I'm talking specifically about Haruki on the Z poster. It made me excited for all of three seconds.)
3. Their voices. Really. If they are in the same scene (well, I can dream), I'm in danger of not knowing who is speaking.
4. I don't know. They both give the same person a headache, perhaps?
5. Pretty even-tempered most of the time (admittedly, not a trait only shared among these two, but hey, why not? It's a big part of why I like them, after all).
6. Like to act kind of airheaded. (Again, not a trait unique to them, but I really do like airheaded characters, so.) I mean, really, look at their facial expressions when they get excited/worked up over the "wrong" things. (I ought to post some pictures to support my weird claims, but my computer lost good ability to cap pics. Time for a new computer.)
7. Terrible, terrible at concealing a secret identity (fine, not a failing limited to them either, but I might as well mention it). Their friends don't guess only because of dumb luck? Okay, okay, Ultraman Z mentioned that Earthlings can't see the blue box Haruki keeps his medals, but what is Gai's excuse? Maybe Earthlings can't see his transformation-related items either? (And it's good that the blue box can't be seen, because, you know, I'm sure it would be against STORAGE policy or something to have some unauthorized stuff hanging off your belt.)
8. Kind, kind, kind. (All right, lots of kind people in this franchise. Well, kindness would be expected, for instance, from someone like Mirai, Daichi, Riku or Musashi (obviously), but those two manly men? It is such a good contradiction that each of them is such a huge softie.) And doesn't Z OP say something like "kindness is power"? Ultraman Cosmos would be so proud.

Okay, now that I wrote out all the above, I wonder if they didn't make Haruki similar to Gai on purpose (without quoting him or doing anything like him, actually. I'm rather impressed). Well, on the other hand, I might just be the only one who thinks that they are similar.)

Yoko's crush on Z is kind of cute, if a bit cringe-worthy at the same time. Haruki must be so uncomfortable, caught in the middle of it and all.
(And now, sort of a contradiction, I believe she guessed about Haruki somewhere before halfway through the series. Only that I think she can keep secret much better than he can. I'm not looking to convince anyone of this, however.)


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.

Comments

[neo_ultra]

Hi! Good to see some things never change and you are still into Ultra series :)
I stopped watching them after Ginga and now I am a little shocked to discover how many new ones were made O_O I really like your positive attitude about most of them, kind of makes me want to get back into the series again.

[sennetari]

Hi! I'm glad to hear from you.

Well, considering that I started posting regularly because of Mebius, it's kind of fitting that my returning post would be about the Ultras. :) And thank you for liking the positivity. Being positive and having hope that things will work out are main themes in Ultra series, so it's no wonder they rub off on me, at least a little. True, I have a few series I love a little less, but that's only my preference and their positive messages are still the same and as good (or maybe even better) as the ones from the other series.

Oh, and of the new gen Ultra you know, I wrote on Ginga the least (only two sentences, surely no indication of how much I love Ginga and Ginga S). ^^; Yes, Tsuburaya Pro makes a new Ultraman series every year now from Ginga/Ginga S onward. But, in order to save money, the series only now has twenty-five episodes (or less) each. Oh, most series have no monster attack team (apparently, base locations (the control rooms) and their sky/ground vehicles cost money -- the few attack teams have minimum number of vehicles). And, like in Ginga, there are a lot of toy placements in series, as in, we see the Ultra hosts (and sometimes other characters) demonstrating how to use the transformation items and/or other devices. I mean, I've seen people joke that Ultraman Hikari is Bandai, the toymaker, since he makes new items for other Ultras to use (he even once delivered the toys himself ^^).

Ah, I probably don't do a very good job of selling these new series, but if you are ever curious, you can simply pick one. I personally recommend Ultraman X, since it's the shortest one with 22 episodes (not counting the two recap episodes), and if you've seen Ginga S, Hikaru and two characters from that series appear in two episodes of X. But anything else that sounds interesting to you is probably a good choice. Perhaps with a few exceptions, you can't really go wrong with an Ultra series. But only watch if you want to. I'm thankful enough that you read this long post of mine.

[neo_ultra]

Hi :)

It is kind of rare to see positivity online these days, people find something to criticise even in things they like, so your attitude is really refreshing!

But wouldn't it save money to not make a series every season, and instead make them less often but with better quality XD I think Ginga disappointed me because it looked kind of cheap and also like a commercial for toys. It did still have a good message but for me Mebius is really the standard to which I compare all other series, and somehow none are quite as good.

I've seen the trailer for a new Ultraman full-length film, as far as I understand, that is for the upcoming anniversary and it will not be connected to any previous series, it will have a new plot. I will probably give that a try, the trailer looked pretty serious, maybe it will not have that toy commercial feeling XD

[sennetari]

Oh, I criticise things I like, too, but usually just to balance things out. Because if I said only positive things, it would sound too good to be true. On the flip side, I usually can find good things to talk about in series that don't grab me personally. (Sometimes doing too good a job that people thought I liked those shows (^^;), so I tend to be more honest nowadays.) With all that said, you're probably right that I prefer to be positive. If I really dislike something, I don't talk about it.

Well, I am only guessing, but Ultraman probably cannot afford to remain off-air, so not making a new series every season is not a choice. Even with the time with no new series airing, they have to fill the time with recap-style shows (with new commentary, however), so that they will always have the TV spot for the Ultra shows. (Not airing in the right timeslot was a problem for Nexus back then.)

I read somewhere that Ginga is a show that (general) you have to meet at least halfway. Yes, it clearly suffered from a budget problem (as far as I know, Tsuburaya had next to no money at the time it was made), and the acting wasn't the greatest, but the show (and its main character) does have a lot of heart, which is what makes it an Ultraman show for me. Most fans preferred the sequel series Ginga S, which had more money (apparently, Ginga was successful enough) to invest in a traditional defense team and more exciting fights/varying locations. But I love both Ginga and Ginga S, so I'm not objective about these two shows.

The Shin Ultraman film is supposedly a retelling of the first Ultraman series, so yes, probably a good place to get into. But only if you don't mind waiting - the movie won't come out until summer and will take even longer to come out on DVD/Blu-Ray. It reminds me a little of Ultraman The Next film (the prequel movie to Ultraman Nexus), in that everyone is military and serious, so I'll definitely watch when it is released.

[neo_ultra]

Yes, I also got the impression that you prefer not to say anything if you don't have anything nice to say XD But it's not a bad thing, maybe sometimes it's better not to pay so much attention to the bad things and focus on the good things.

That's interesting, I thought Ultra series is such a classic staple on Japanese television, that they can afford to take a break and will be welcomed with open arms afterwards anyway. But I guess these days nothing is guaranteed, if people take a break they may find their spot has been taken.

That sounds about right, if one is generous and not too judgmental, then Ginga is not a bad series, one should just not have high expectations, and I guess my expectations were too high when I watched it, so I didn't enjoy it much...

I didn't know it was supposed to be a retelling of the first series! That sounds interesting, I haven't actually watched any of the really old Ultra series, if you don't count the anime. And I really prefer the serious tone, so I guess I'll have to wait and see if that is something for me!

[sennetari]

I agree that it's better to focus on the good things. As the saying goes, you get what you focus your attention on. So if I focus on the good things, I will hopefully get more of the good things. ;)

Perhaps Tsuburaya could afford to take a break back when they had money and the Ultra series were really popular. But the company clearly suffered in recent years and had to sell its shares to at least a few companies. Last I heard, Bandai (the toy company) owns like about half of Tsuburaya, which is probably the main reason the recent series are so toy-centric.

You weren't alone. Ginga was the first series to return to TV after six years of no new Ultraman series, so fans had high expectations. I was actually in the minority in having practically no expectation, so I was surprised and happy with Ginga. I will still say that most of the fans who didn't like Ginga at least enjoyed the sequel Ginga S much more. But no worries. The Ultra franchise has such a long list of shows that you won't easily run out of things to watch if you want to get back into it again.

Well, the old Ultra series tend to be formulaic, so I admit I prefer the newer series since they seem to shake up the formula more. The old shows are also quite brutal (monsters get heads and/or other body parts cut off a lot, or sliced in half, etc.), since I guess children from that time could take (or at least wouldn't be disturbed by) violence in their entertainment. That said, there are a few older shows I really like. As for the anime, I actually haven't seen it, but I think it's probably similar to the human-acted older shows, only animated.

[neo_ultra]

I should definitely try to have that attitude in my life, it is somehow too easy for me to focus on the negative.

>>>Last I heard, Bandai (the toy company) owns like about half of Tsuburaya
Well, that explains everything! If they sponsor the creation of the series, no wonder they focus on the toys. I have heard something about the financial problems Tsuburaya had, something about Ultra series being too expensive because they have to build all those miniature houses and make kaiju costumes... It would probably be cheaper to just make everything on computers.

It is always better to have no expectations, then you will either be positively surprised or not disappointed, so you made the right choice in this case XD I have to try to get back in the series again, but there are just so many other things to watch, I feel like I need to make a schedule to fit everything on my daily plan XD

It is interesting how opinions on what is acceptable entertainment for children have changed, but still, even the older series were not exactly bloody or scary, from what I have seen. Or maybe that is just my opinion because I'm an adult, so these things seem less scary to me. So which of the older ones do you like best?

[sennetari]

I don't know how well it would help, but if you caught yourself thinking negative thoughts, you could flip it around and look for the positive in the situation. Like 'imagine how happy I will be when 'positive thing' happens'. Ah, I'm no psychologist, so just take this with a grain of salt. Or you can simply watch more Ultraman, since the shows are all about light and hope and positivity. ;)

Tsuburaya is known for practical effects, so I'm sure the miniatures and the kaiju costumes will never go away. Besides, their CGI effects are nowhere near what they can do with the real sets and costumes. (And I think fans would rather have the toy commercials than to have everything made on the computer.)

Well, one episode per day surely isn't too much time commitment? Ah, yes, you have many things you want to watch. What I usually do is assigning numbers to the shows I plan to watch and then use random.org to choose which to watch first.

People often say that Ultraman Ace is the most violent show. But you are right, I don't remember that show being especially scary either, and I had first seen some episodes of it when I was very young. And I like Ultraman 80 the best. The protagonist is a teacher at a middle school full of troubled students. Sadly, the school plotline is dropped after twelve episodes, but I still like the rest of the show.

[neo_ultra]

I'll try to think more positive thoughts, thank you for the support <3

I completely agree, if toy commercials are the thing that allows them to keep the costumes and miniatures, I'm ok with the commercials, CGI just does not feel the same!

The difficulty is to stop at just one episode, instead of binging like ten episodes at once, getting tired and not watching any more afterwards XDD

>>>What I usually do is assigning numbers to the shows I plan to watch and then use random.org to choose which to watch first.
That's an interesting approach, you are letting the fate decide what will happen. Maybe I should try that with lottery tickets! :D

A teacher protagonist sounds interesting, but it probably doesn't combine too well with fighting monsters, teachers don't have that much free time, so no wonder the plotline was dropped. But it is still pretty unusual, normally protagonists just have a job fighting monsters, don't they? It is probably difficult to combine a normal day job and superhero activities.

[sennetari]

Ganbatte (do your best). :)

Sometimes, CGI is the only thing they can use (fast-paced aerial battles, for instance), but I prefer not to see it if they can use real sets instead. At this point, the toy commercials don't bother me especially since the series have storylines supporting the use of the toys -- they don't come out of nowhere.

I like to let fate decide what will happen if it isn't something so important. And sure, random.org let you select the lottery tickets, but I think they also have a disclaimer that the numbers are for entertainment purpose only and they are not responsible for whatever might happen if you use them. ^^;

Been a while since I last watched the Ultraman 80 episode in Mebius (ep 41), but I think 80 admits that he could not heal students fast enough for the monsters (which were powered from the darkness of human hearts) kept appearing, so he had to leave school and go fight monsters full time with the defense team. But still, it seems his work as a teacher was more worthwhile than he thought since his students all grew up to be good people -- well, at least those who come to the reunion held for him. And you are right about the other protagonists. The only other one I remember having a day job is the protagonist from The Return of Ultraman (Ultraman Jack). He was a race car driver and also had a girlfriend and life outside of the defense team.

[neo_ultra]

<3333

>>> and they are not responsible for whatever might happen if you use them. ^^;
that's fine, as long as they don't ask for a part of the money if I win anything XDD

>>>He was a race car driver and also had a girlfriend and life outside of the defense team.
And did his girlfriend actually know he was Ultraman?

[sennetari]

Well, unless you made an account (which wasn't required to generate random lottery numbers), it isn't like they know who you are. ^^;;

I still haven't watched Return of Ultraman properly so I'm not sure if the girlfriend knew he was Ultraman. But I think she knew about him being with the monster fighting team at least, and that his work sometimes interrupted their dates.

Come to think of it, while most protagonists don't juggle two jobs at the same time, they either had day jobs they had to give up in order to fight monsters full time, or they had to put the jobs they wanted to do on hold (like most members of Crew GUYS).

[neo_ultra]

>>> it isn't like they know who you are. ^^;;
good point XDD

I suppose it is enough if she knows that he is a member of the monster fighting team, technically Ultraman is exactly that, so it is not like he was lying to his girlfriend.

Makes sense, it is more useful for fighting monsters if the people who are supposed to do it are available all the time, and not just after their actual job is over, fighting monsters is not exactly a thing people can do as a hobby in their free time...

[sennetari]

Interesting. I haven't thought of Ultraman as a member of the monster fighting team, but you are right. And I don't remember it being touched on much in other series, but Ultraman directly tells him that he has to keep the fact that he can transform into Ultraman a secret from everyone. I see that as a lie of omission, which, to me, isn't as bad as outright lying (although some human hosts actually say that they are not Ultras when asked/accused directly, but usually because they are in a panic so I forgive them, too).

While I'm sure he didn't see it as a hobby, Ultraman 80 did try to fight monsters only part-time, but of course that didn't work out. ^^;; Although I think it could have worked if real-life pressure didn't cut out the school plotline from the show. Now I am left to dream of what could never be. Well, I guess it's for the best, because, as you say, it makes sense that those defense team members should be available all the time to fight monsters (they are similar to doctors and police officers having to be on call, I suppose).

[neo_ultra]

What I want to know is whether Ultraman receives a separate salary from his human host or are they considered to be one person in their fighting team, so are just paid once? XD
But I don't blame them even if they outright lie, it is not exactly easy to talk about such things and it may change the way other people perceive them...

It could have been interesting to show the perspective of the students in that situation - they have to pretend they don't know their teacher is Ultraman, that could be a good idea for a comedy plot. But I guess the show is about fighting monsters, so the main focus should be on that.

[sennetari]

>>>What I want to know is whether Ultraman receives a separate salary from his human host or are they considered to be one person in their fighting team, so are just paid once? XD
You know, the human host should pay since he uses Ultraman's abilities to fight monsters. While I'm not sure if they use money in Ultraman's homeworld (the Land of Light), nothing is preventing Ultraman from using the money in the human host's world.

You are right. The human hosts don't want to be seen as different so they deny that they are Ultras. The thing is, I wish it carries over a bit since at least one human host is not believable at all in his outright lie, but then the moment passes and no one ever brings the subject up again.

The students didn't know their teacher was Ultraman, but I wonder about that. One student figured it out early on and told the rest of the class, but simply didn't confront his teacher. Some random guest of the week said something implying that he knew the teacher was Ultraman and the students totally dismissed the claim. So you might be right, after all, about the students pretending not to know. (Either way, looks like the students all knew the truth in Mebius -- they called Ultraman 80 by their teacher's name.)

[neo_ultra]

Have they actually told much about the Land of Light in the series? I only have really vague impressions about it...

I think the best interpretation is that everyone actually figured out that the human host is the Ultraman, but they just don't want to say it because it would be really embarrassing for the host after all those lies XD

That just confirms what I said, Ultraman's identity is a kind of open secret, people just pretend they don't know, probably that is just easier that way.

[sennetari]

I think the Land of Light gets fleshed out little by little with each Ultra series. They actually show more of the country in the Ultra Galaxy movie (well, I don't remember the exact title, but it's the one with the last appearance of Mirai). But my impression is still that all the Ultras do is fighting/training or if he/she is the blue scientist tribe like Hikari, works in a lab or something. While I'm sure they have more of a life outside the two things I list, I assume the Ultras don't need money since they don't seem to have needs like humans (or some other aliens) do.

You are probably right that people just pretend not to know Ultraman's identity. I like to hope that people being smart but just keeping quiet is the case, anyway. (The ones admitting they keep Ultraman's secret usually do it for good reasons: for the human host's protection, fearing he would go away if he knew they knew. But maybe some might just want to keep the host from being embarrassed like you say. ^^;) And sometimes, that actually happened: each person didn't know the other person knew the truth, and tried to hide it from each other to help out the human host. I always love seeing that. Or a variation which I also like: one person (or a few persons) knew the truth, addressed the human host as Ultraman, and had to think of a terrible excuse (usually puns) when unrelated/clueless people showed up overhearing part of the conversation (the "Ultraman" part).

[neo_ultra]

I always thought that Ultras' eyes look kind of like insect eyes, so maybe their society in the Land of Light is basically like an anthill - everyone just has to work all the time. It would explain why they happily come to Earth all the time, at least there they can get a break, find hobbies and make friends, they don't just have to work.

Secret identities is a great source for humorous moments! :D

[sennetari]

The Ultras have schools and playgrounds and stuff like that, so I'm sure they know how to have fun in their homeworld. But you might be right that coming to Earth is kind of a break for them anyway. After all, Ultras protect humans because they love humans. They see themselves in humans, in how they used to be. (Mirai mentions a plasma spark in Episode 30 of Mebius, that it changed the Ultras from being human-like to the forms they have now.) Ah, all this almost tempts me to write a fanfic on the life on the Land of Light, but I'm not ambitious enough to do the research necessary. ^^;

Secret identities is a great source for humorous moments! :D
They do. :) So I can't complain about the fact that the human hosts keep their identities secret. If there is no need for secret, there would not be such humorous moments. But then again, sometimes it makes me wonder if the hosts really want to keep things secret if their clothings or their accessories have some Ultra language/words on them (and people ought to ask what they are at least, but maybe those words are not visible to human eyes?).

[neo_ultra]

Haha, ok then, maybe their lives are not quite as bad as I imagined, not completely like an anthill XD I really like the idea that they help humans because they see the humanity's potential to evolve, usually superheroes help people just because, for no reason, and I don't find it very believable.

Do you still write fanfiction? I remember you used to...

Maybe the hosts rely on people not being too curious XD I think normally people really are not that curious or not that observant to actually try and find out about something that is written on other people's clothing.

[sennetari]

>>>I really like the idea that they help humans because they see the humanity's potential to evolve...
I really like the way you put this. Yes, the Ultras are here to fight alongside humans, to help them reach their potential. (And that's why you keep hearing the word "future" in the Ultra series.) They emphasize in many TV series that Ultraman will appear only after humans have tried their very best first to defeat monsters. (That even applies to the human hosts. A few of them cannot transform because they just wish Ultraman would appear to destroy the monsters without them having to fight as humans first.)

I still want to write fanfiction, but I don't seem to have any idea lately (and after saying right on this blog that I will finish my fourteen-year-old Mebius fic. Probably should not put pressure on myself that way). How about you? It's more than likely that I don't read in your fandoms but I'm curious if you still write fanfiction.

Now I remember the hosts only dress in those clothes when they are together and not where other humans can see them. So I guess they are not so careless after all. But I still think the words on their clothes cannot be seen by normal humans, like only the Ultras (and their human hosts) can read the Ultra Signs...

[neo_ultra]

I really like that idea of Ultraman as a last resource who is not just there to take the jobs of humans. Sometimes it seems like there is no point in having teams for monster fighting if in the end Ultraman is the one who defeats monsters, but if that is actually intended to be a teaching moment for humans, it really puts things into perspective!

Wow, 14 years? I think it is easier to start a new fic than to continue an old one, since you have said it yourself, perspective and thoughts change in time, so maybe the fic would go in a direction that was completely not intended at first XD

I myself hardly ever write anything these days, it takes too much time and effort :(

That would make sense to hide these things from ordinary humans, but now I imagine the hosts having their own little club with special uniforms which they wear to hang out together in their secret Ultraman base XDD

[sennetari]

>>>Sometimes it seems like there is no point in having teams for monster fighting if in the end Ultraman is the one who defeats monsters...
Humans need time to evolve. But with the Ultras on their side, I like to think humans can reach their full potential a bit faster. Monsters are not going to wait until humans are fully capable, so that is why Ultraman has to step in. So, yes, it's probably a bit like what you said -- a teaching moment for humans, not to discourage them, but to serve as inspirations, that they will get there, eventually.

I would start a new fic (in fact, did), but I did post four chapters of that fic on my blog and I don't like to leave things hanging. Still, it's doubtful if anyone other than I is still waiting for more chapters (the last time someone asked about that fic was ten years ago). And, while some of my outlooks on life have certainly changed over time, the fic wouldn't go in the direction I didn't intend - I'd planned from the beginning about the main plot points, it's the little details that that stump me. Oh, well. I'd returned to abandoned fics before (though I've never waited this long), I can do it again, surely. The trick is to not talk about this fic anymore until I'm ready. I don't like to put pressure on myself if not necessary.

I hope if you ever have an inspiration to write again, you will be able to find the time and energy to do so. :)

Secret Ultraman base, huh? It makes me think of Ultraman Geed since its first episode is called 'Welcome to the secret base', and that secret base (which is actually a spaceship) looks like a base I kind of imagine Ultraman might use (alien-ish, if that is a word). I mean, some other bases of the monster fighting teams also look a bit like they could belong in space, but I just don't get the feeling that aliens would hang out there.

[neo_ultra]

So in a way monsters help humans to evolve because they make humans fight and solve problems... I wonder if there has been a plot where an evil Ultra sends monsters to Earth on purpose to make people evolve faster XD Probably not, that kind of plot would be needlessly complicated.

I completely understand, I also don't like to leave unfinished things... But I am also too lazy to finish them, so usually I just delete the unfinished fics if I feel that it takes too long to continue XD You are probably right, after such a long time readers probably don't expect a continuation... But that doesn't mean you can't continue the fics even if just for yourself, just do what's best for you :)

Thank you <3

It's funny how alien technologies in science-fiction are always still suitable for human size, there are no alien spaceships that would be too small to fit a human inside XD

[sennetari]

Not an evil Ultra, but there might be an alien who tests humans by sending monsters to rampage and see what humans would do. If they automatically whip out their weapons to destroy the monsters? Then they are barbaric and should cease to exist. So, no, the alien is not helping humans evolve, but rather to confirm that humans are indeed harmful species -- if left unchecked, they might make the universe unbalanced or something of that nature. I don't know if I agree. Earth (and all the lives on it) is only a tiny part of the universe, after all.

Thank you. :) Doing what is best for me is probably all I can ask for at this point. If I know anyone else is still waiting for this fic, it would put pressure on me (will they like it? Or will they think it isn't worth the long wait?) Continuing (or not continuing) on with the fic without expectations would be best.

Or perhaps the spaceships could shift sizes from big to small or vice versa, so a human can fit in nevertheless. I think I've seen at least one such alien spaceship before...

[neo_ultra]

In that case it just sounds like the alien simple was looking for an excuse to attack humans. What else could humans do in this situation, it's not like they can talk to the monster and ask it to leave, attack is the logical thing to do...

It's always better not to put pressure on yourself, life already has enough pressures as it is, and fanfiction and fandoms in general are supposed to be just a fun way to relax, and not an obligation.

That is rather convenient for humans, I guess, very nice of aliens to think about that :)

[sennetari]

Well, I remember a type of space robot/computer that thinks humans are brutal species and should be eliminated. It could be argued that it isn't alive so it doesn't understand that humans have the capacity to learn and grow, but then some sentient species must have programmed it in the first place. Unless the computer gets infected or otherwise has developed its own consciousness and takes over...

Fanfiction and fandoms are fun when I'm only consuming content. ;) But I'm happy and grateful that not everyone thinks the same, otherwise there will be no fanfiction for me to read at all.

I'm not too sure about the aliens being nice. ^^; If they want to kidnap humans, surely they need spaceships that can accommodate humans (or otherwise can shrink them, which happens sometimes).

[neo_ultra]

It could have been a computer that was programmed by other computers, in that case it would not understand humans. But even if the computer was programmed by people, it could still believe that computers are superior and that people don't evolve fast enough or whatever. So plenty of reasons to eliminate humans.

Haha, usually I think the same, but sometimes there is some idea that I absolutely have to write, in these cases writing fanfiction can also be a little fun. But you are right, reading is more fun and much easier XDD

Shrinking humans is a good idea, that way they take less space and resources XDDD Not sure why aliens would need to kidnap humans though. Surely not for scientific reasons, by now the aliens probably know all there is to know about human biology.

[sennetari]

Well, someone still had to program those first computers. But, yes, computers sometimes believe they are superior to living beings and decide arbitrarily that humans aren't necessary to the well-being of the universe. Their mentality is black and white but I can't think of those computers as evil, just misprogrammed. Now I hate a living villain who thinks in such an absolute term. And I hate a villain who thinks the world is one big chaos - there is no black or white; no light or dark; no good or evil. It's like they can't take a stand or something. But then I'm not reasonable about villains anyway so you (the villainous character) just have to be so amazing for me to even consider not hating you.

If I don't share what I write (so there's no pressure), yes, writing fanfiction is fun. Reading is more fun, true, but sometimes I feel kind of guilty that I only lurk and not comment. Then again, I don't know those fanfic writers, not sure if they would welcome my comments. Oh well, I guess I'll do what I'm comfortable with and be grateful if anyone let me know they even read my fics at all.

I think in one episode of Ultraman Tiga, the aliens want humans to use as slaves. And in some other series (or maybe in a fanfic), the aliens want to display humans as exotic animals in a zoo or something like that. And yet in some other series, the aliens want humans as food sources...

[neo_ultra]

A similar idea was used in the film "Autómata" - the first robots were programmed by humans, but then they evolved and programmed new machines that were independent from any human intervention, and therefore not bound by human morality. So it is probably possible for computers to be completely different from what the original intent of the human programmers was. But in situation when computers are shown as villains in any shows, I usually like them because they at least have a logical point of view, they want to kill all humans because humans are dangerous. And human villains are usually villains for boring trivial reasons, such as money and power, so I can't support that.

Comments are the only thing that motivate me to write anything, if I don't get comments, I wouldn't even bother writing - if I'm not going to publish it, I can just as well simply think about the story and be happy, instead of taking time to type it all. So our approach to writing is really different XDD But I think most writers are happy to see comments, why else would they publish their works on the internet.

Interesting, so there is some use for humans to them, after all XD

[sennetari]

>>>So it is probably possible for computers to be completely different from what the original intent of the human programmers was.
Yes, that's possible. It's like a virus that mutates and turns into something completely different. And I agree that at least computers are logical in their judgments, even if I usually think their rationales are too extreme, too black and white. People have all shades of grey, after all.

Well, I'm sure I would not care for villains who have such petty motivations like money or power either. I mean, if the good guys have good reasons to fight (to save lives, to protect everyone), I want the villains to have at least good reasons to oppose the heroes (perhaps they think the heroes' methods are wrong). Anyway, that's just a long way of saying I'm not usually in the mood to watch shows with weak motivations, on either the good guys' side or the bad guys' side, except perhaps a show that clearly doesn't take itself seriously. That is probably a big reason I love Ultraman shows. They respect their characters, by making them work hard for their beliefs, their ideals. Perhaps they will stumble wrong to protect their ideals, but I respect characters that don't take the easy way out when things become difficult.

Sometimes I just have to write something, even if I never plan to post it. But I'm still glad I took the time to write them out since I probably couldn't bear losing the stories due to forgetting (which happened too often in the past, so now I write everything down). As for commenting, I remember a fanfic writer who specifically stated that they didn't want any kind of comments on their stories since the comments could interfere with their creative process or something along those lines. They disabled comments on their fanfic posts. That said, I agree with you, that most writers would welcome comments. I'm just too shy, especially if I have never talked to those writers before.

Speaking as a human, I sure don't want to be used by aliens in that way. ^^;;

[neo_ultra]

I guess that can be a test for the computer, if it can understand nuances of what is bad and what is good, then it is already on the way to become sentient...

That's a good point about Ultra series, the good characters at least have very clear motivations and ideals. The bad guys are usually just monsters, so they probably don't really think much about why they attack the Earth, they probably just want to eat.

Everyone is different in their approach to creativity... As for me, I'm just happy there are people who take time to post their fanfics online, otherwise I wouldn't have anything to read XD

That is completely understandable XDD

[sennetari]

As for the computer becoming sentient, I guess I'm thinking of androids and such because the Ultra series always make their androids human-like (in one case, indistinguishable, imo, from humans) and the androids always try to learn what it is like to be alive, to feel emotions. But I'm pretty sure there must be at least one computer that is sentient and doesn't yet have a body.

I appreciate when the Ultra series use alien or human-like villains because almost all the time I can't help thinking they are right, only that the executions of their ideals are terrible.

I really hope I'm not the only one who just has to write something down with no intention of posting. ^^; But yes, I'm also happy that other fanfic writers are generous with their time and efforts and share their stories. Sometimes the stories are so good I feel almost guilty for reading them for free.

[neo_ultra]

>>the androids always try to learn what it is like to be alive, to feel emotions.
I really don't like this type of plot XD It's not like we humans dream of having infrared vision or having two extra arms, so why would androids dream about features they don't really need...

The executions really make all the difference, villains are usually the ones who say that the result justifies the means, good guys don't think that.

Haha, well, think about it this way, if the authors wanted to get paid for their texts, they would put their works on Patreon or any other site that can charge money for reading, so I guess if they didn't, you don't have to feel guilty!

[sennetari]

Oh, but androids need to understand emotions if they want to mingle with humans. It would not do to be seen as different -- perhaps not androids (yet), but some aliens do get treated badly by xenophobic humans in Ultra series.

Yes, I agree. There are lines good guys are not willing to cross, but the villains just don't care if they hurt others. I feel like they just don't try hard enough to find a compromise or a less drastic way of executing their goal. Either they think the good guys are naive or the villains themselves were once naive and were betrayed and now not willing to trust anymore.

Hehe, that's a good way of looking at it. :) I no longer feel guilty. And, of course, if it were me sharing my fanfictions or other stories, no one has to feel guilty reading my texts for free.

[neo_ultra]

I don't think understanding emotions would be too difficult, they don't have to have any emotions themselves to understand how emotions work in people... And maybe they would not even want to live with people, nobody is stopping them from moving somewhere where there is no people XD

>>>the villains themselves were once naive and were betrayed and now not willing to trust anymore.
I think that is often the backstory of villains, usually there is some reason why they have turned evil. I don't know how realistic it is because I feel that sometimes evil people can just be evil without any deep sad reason in their past, but at least a reason is somehow more satisfying for the viewers because people usually look for reasons why things happen, it is in human nature to look for logical connections.

In the end, fanfiction exists for fun, so people should have fun with it!

[sennetari]

It's true that some androids might not want to live with people. I don't see one in the Ultra series, however. So the androids who live with people mostly have to adapt and learn about humans, or just stay with humans who know about them. Oh well, I like androids in the Ultra series learning to fit in. They are mostly just like aliens trying to fit in with humans - the main difference is (I think) aliens know about emotions.

Yes, it is in human nature to look for reasons why things happen. For me personally, sometimes the protagonist is only as good as the antagonist who opposes him. I would feel like the journey the hero takes is meaningless if the villain is so easy to beat and/or has shallow motivations/is evil for the sake of being evil. On the other hand, a deep sad reason in a villain's past could backfire on me, too, because sometimes it just comes across like the writers are trying too hard to make me feel sorry for the villain (look, he is evil, but look at his sad past - he had a justified reason for his bad deeds).

[neo_ultra]

Androids or aliens who don't want to live with humans and fit in would probably not appear in Ultra series, that is not really the message that the series is trying to send.

That is kind of like the idea of rivals that often comes up in sports anime - a good rival makes you stronger. So a god villain will also make the hero stronger.
And I agree about the whole feeling sorry for the villain thing, sometimes the writers overdo it and it just doesn't work.

[sennetari]

I'm sure some aliens in the Ultra series don't care to live with humans. At least, not as equals. I mean, some aliens invade Earth and/or kidnap humans.

It's probably only a typo, but I laughed at a "god" villain. XD Some villains are really at god level, but they don't call themselves god, thank goodness.

[neo_ultra]

Good point, I kind of forgot about the evil aliens when I was trying to make my point XD

Haha, it was just a typo, indeed. Now that I think about it, villains in Japanese series hardly ever call themselves gods, don't they? Maybe because religion is seen different in Japan and there is no single god, who could be replaced by the villain. While in Hollywood superhero series the bad guys often want to be gods and rule everything.