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GrandComplete Rewatches Ultraman Gaia To Celebrate 25 Years
https://i.ibb.co/dDmChwg/ultraman-gaia.gif
So hey everybody! It's everyone's favorite procrastinator, GrandComplete. Now this might come as a surprise because of my name, header, and signature, but I'm a big Ultraman fan. And to me, one of the best series in this franchise has got to be Ultraman Gaia, and to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this show and clearly since Tsuburaya ain't doing anything, Here is a rewatch thread inspired by Fish Sandwich Kamen Rider Kuuga rewatch thread. Here is my own take on this 25-year-old show, and because I am an absolute nerd and want to both savor the experience and want newcomers to have at least a week as a buffer to catch up, each and every episode post will take place on the exact same day it originally aired this year. Being honest, this whole thing is really just an excuse for me to gush about something I've loved and to highlight the creatives involved with making this show a reality. I hope you get as much out of this as I am learning and researching the people who created this incredible show with me over the course of a year and beyond. A huge thank you to Ultra Blog DX for their amazing Gaia Production post. It is an amazing resource for English Ultraman fans. as well as the Japanese Wiki and DIC Pixiv for their various sources and compilations of information. So laying out some simple ground rules There will be no future episode spoilers.But I'll allude to events for framing and production notes. Generally, try not to spoil other shows. (Though I will off-handedly mention other shows occasionally.) Or just put out warnings or spoiler tags. And above all else, let's respect each other's opinions. And just have fun with this. I can't wait for the start of it all this week, on September 5th, with Episode 1: "Seize The Light!" (Technically it already September 5th in Japan which is why this is going up now. But obviously I don't live in Japan so the first episode will go up tomorrow) |
Episode 1 "Seize The Light!"
So imagine yourself working in Tsuburaya in late 1997 or early 1998. Ultraman has finally entered a new golden age. One that hasn't been seen since the 1970s, to be honest. So there was apprehension among the creatives; no one knew where to take Ultraman after Dyna.Enter Chiaki J. Konaka, a prolific writer in the 90s and early 2000s (you may have heard of him lately, but we are not here to discuss that!). https://wikimon.net/images/f/f8/Konaka.jpg He was already involved with the production of Ultraman Tiga and brought forth many of the elements that made Tiga successful, such as the larger, more modernized world and the aesthetic towards the unknowable of Lovecraft, which created a world filled to the brim with mystery and kept viewers on the edge of their seats wondering what just might appear. In spite of the trepidation felt over the direction of the Ultra Series' future, Konaka and the other writers were not given any overt demands by Tsuburaya, Bandai, or TBS over what the next show was going to be. All Konaka was given was to make a good show; this is an incredible amount of creative freedom rarely seen in the industry. The writers were given free reign over story, characters, and themes, and in an inverse way, it was the writer who dictated the flow of things for once rather than the investors. Konaka didn't want to simply put on a good show; he wanted to leave a mark, so to speak, not wanting to be stagnant. And to shake things up, this new show would be a singular serialized story planned from beginning to end. However, other writers were more hesitant because of how Ultraman had been written before, as it was up to the individual to tell the story of the week. As a result, a compromise was reached in which Konaka pitched and ironed out the overall grand story of the show, but the individual stories of each writer were preserved.This method would actually become how Ultraman shows would be written from now on. Gaia has already had an impact on the franchise since pre-production.And thus the show known as "Ultraman Gaia" was born! Of course, no show is complete without the opening, which is what we'll be looking at first, though I'm going to have to start with something that has irritated me with some of Ultraman's official releases: the lack of subtitles on the credits.This show was subbed by Crunchyroll, and this was before subbing music was commonplace. Now you might be wondering why certain shows you watch may not translate the OP and ED of a show or movie, and that is because of music rights. The rights to translate the music are not included with the rest of the show, leaving many anime and dramas to just skip it to avoid the hassle. The reason I bring this up is in relation to Mill Creek's release of the Ultra Series and how often they will default to preexisting subs if they're there regardless of quality or, in this case, consistency, as going from Tiga and Dyna, which subbed the music (including inserts! ), to the final part of this 90's TDG Trilogy and skipping all of it is, to say the least, jarring.This isn't the last time I'll be talking about the subs. I may not be as thorough as Fish Sandwich, but I try in hopes of helping you understand better. But back to the OP, simply titled "Ultraman Gaia!" and sung by Masayuki Tanaka (Rider fans would recognize him from singing Kuuga OP) and Kazuya Daimon (who also did the arrangement), with lyrics written by Yasushi Chinka, a second-generation Korean songwriter living in Japan, and composed by Miki Matsubara, a prolific songwriter, composer, and singer. (Insert custom collage image here) The song is catchy, upbeat, and heroic, encompassing the feel of Toshihiko Sahashi's score for this show. (Don't worry, I will talk about him and his contribution to the show soon!) and unlike Crunchyroll, I'm going to provide y'all with the lyrics to the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1NrEmHICl4 “Fight on until the very end! Hold on until the very end! When the danger, the danger The danger won’t end That’s when we need our Ultraman! If you believe in your power and take that step You’ll find the light of courage within you So don’t be deceived by their vile machinations Just fight with every drop of strength you have And stand resolute before them! Fight on until the very end! Hold on until the very end! When there’s nothing, nothing, not a thing we can do That’s when we need our Ultraman! These monsters have never known what love is Perhaps their roars are how they show their pain But they won’t give up on their vile machinations So if we are to protect the ones we love Then we must stand resolute for them! Fight on until the very end! Hold on until the very end! When we’re in trouble, in a panic The danger won’t end That’s when we need our Ultraman! Ultraman Gaia! Fight on until the very end! [Come on Come on Gaia] Hold on until the very end! [Fight on Gaia] Fight on until the very end! [Come on Come on Gaia] Hold on until the very end! [Fight Fight Gaia] When there’s nothing, nothing Not a thing we can do That’s when we need our Ultraman! Ultraman Gaia!” (Thank you Aesir fansubs for this translation) The lyrics here do an absolutely killer job of condensing down what Ultraman represents and how they're not there to just make humanity's jobs easier. We will have to try our very best, and when all options are exhausted and fear strikes in the most desperate of times, that is when we need Ultraman! And the visuals for the OP are fantastic, starting with the incredible swirls done in the Gaia style. The amazing miniatures that capture the absolute scale of this world and the defense team, as well as the fantastic artwork for this show's sponsor page (which we will discuss, the artist and designer soon enough, I promise). So the first thing you’ll notice about this show from the beginning is its greater emphasis on the sci-fi elements thanks to Konaka's involvement. Words such as "photoelectronic" and "quantum physics' ' are thrown around casually. The second thing you might notice is that Gamu's acting is really bad. It is comparable to Troy from Power Rangers (Super) Megaforce (I want you to know that I realize comparing this show to that one is not doing this show or myself any favors and that I mentally hate myself for even thinking this, but it’s the truth). Now, like a certain tiki head, there is a simple explanation for that. …. Are you ready for it? Here we go! Main actor Takeshi Yoshioka was chosen not for his acting abilities but rather for his physical build. Takeshi Tsuruno, who played Ultraman Dyna in the previous show, was so unathletic that after Dyna, Tsuburaya added a clause requiring the main actor to be physically fit for every project since then. As this was the first time Tsuburaya did this, they overcompensated and hired an actor who was all brawn (which is the polar opposite of the character). Now the crew immediately noticed his (lack of) skills in acting, and over the course of the first quarter of the show, they helped Yoshioka adjust to the role. In particular, one of the actors, the now deceased Hiroyuki Watanabe, who played the commander Akio Ishimuro, took a vested interest and became a mentor to the inexperienced Yoshioka. https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/...xOTU@._V1_.jpg What I’m trying to say is to please stick with this show, and the main lead will get better over time. I swear the cast and crew care about the show, and this is merely just growing pains as of right now. Back to the show: Gamu is presented as a very different type of protagonist, being an absolute nerd. revealed later on in this episode to have been the one who invented the jets used by our defense team. a unique setting as a young adult genius in college with his own clique of friends and in a role that screams supporting character in this franchise. But we also see shades of a protagonist, not just because he’s an ultraman but because he hacks into video feeds and tells the others that they're not flying his ship properly. Both this and his willingness to be the guinea pig for the experiment show that he has what it takes to be the hero of this story. The late Hirochika Muraishi, a relative hot shot at the time whose Ultraman episodes always managed to emphasize the terror that invading forces can instill, directed the episode's set design and overwhelming feel, and in this first episode, he manages the impending change to this world with this new force invasion. https://wikizilla.org/w/images/8/8f/...a_Muraishi.png Add to that Ultraman Gaia's iconic ground stomp, which lets you feel the visceral weight of the giant of light himself. (Stomp of the week) https://i.ibb.co/j3XjtHw/Screen-Reco...05735-Tubi.gif Stomp Counter:1 And of course, we can’t forget the heroes and villains of this story too. Ultraman Gaia and the kaijus from "Vision Dragon," in particular, with "C.O.V." standing for "Cosmic/Cybernetic Organism Vanguard." The designer of this season is none other than Hiroshi Maruyama, who was the main character and monster designer for the entire Heisei Ultraman series! https://i.ibb.co/tB5cgW7/Maruyama.png If you needed any more proof of this man's incredible talent, he also designed the Phantom from Kamen Rider Wizard! https://i.ibb.co/xHBhPDy/Gaia-V1-full.png Gaia, our titular hero, is decked out in a nice mix of modern (the 90's Ultra aesthetic) and Showa Ultras, such as the Original Ultraman and Ace.The use of gold on top of his head is a striking touch that completes the look. It's a good design, but there was something off about it. But I can’t put my finger on it, hmmm? Oh well, nothing worth talking about. We don't spend much time with the Vision Dragon, who serves as a tutorial boss in a RPG, but I like its sepertaine-esque figure, which lends to a distinct body type and immediately demonstrates some variety in creature design for this show. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ernm2XyV...jpg&name=large Sadly, there were more plans for this Kaiju that got scrapped, but we will talk about that at a later date. The final verdict from me, based on just what was given, is that it’s alright but nothing really special. Now C.O.V. is a great first boss; he has a nice bipedal design with an angular head sculpt that reminds me of Dyna, and who doesn't love scythe hands? https://img.atwiki.jp/niconicomugen/...1647/C.O.V.png Overall, a solid first monster, which is always appreciated, especially with modern shows where the first Kaiju is oftentimes the only original Kaiju we get for most of the show. Now, open your ears as we listen to some sound effects. The Ultraman Gaia grunts are all done by Gamu’s actor, but the initial grunts seen in the very beginning are intentionally edited to be deeper than Yoshioka's normal pitch so that Gaia is different from once he merged with Gamu, which is a nice detail. I give these deeper grunts a 5/5. Making the effort to change the standard grunts to match the context of the scene is an effort I appreciate. C.O.V. is surprisingly mechanical for a Kaiju roar; it's not what I expected, but it's not bad either; 3/5, an average score for the grunts. Now, due to a lack of screen time, I’m going to give it 3/5 because the sounds it makes have a unique tingling sound mixed with a higher-pitched guttural growl, but it doesn't have enough time to grow on me. (link here) The ED of Gaia Loving You Loving Me by all female idol group B.B. Waves is an alright ending—not my personal favorite—but it has catchy tunes and will make some memorable scenes down the line. Much like the opening, it’s not subbed, so I’ll do you the favor of providing a translation for you guys. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBJmoh7xItE “Lovin' you, continuing to run because all answers will surely Be here in my chest Lovin' me, not giving up to find the shine Let's step by myself A rift in the clouds passing through the wind and endless blue sky Every time the future is floated, the same amount of anxiety is encountered If only I could be more strong...never cry, make my wishes come true Lovin' you, continuing to run because all answers will surely Be here in my chest Lovin' me, not giving up to find the shine Let's step by myself On days when rain envelops the sky I look up and I've got a shinin' heart to the sky The sun will surely bring a rainbow, Someday we'll take a chance to be there Even if it's the longer way around ev'ry smile, ev'ry tears I want to convey Lovin' you, spreading the wings of the chest If the doors of the future would open, surely it will become visible Lovin' me, until I had captured the history that I had believed Let's step by myself Someday I'll encounter more gentle smiles where I can envelop My trembling emotions Close to you, I want to go beyond the yet unseen tomorrow without losing my way Just believe in your eyes Lovin' you, continuing to run because all answers will surely Be here in my chest Lovin' me, not giving up to find the shine Let's step by myself” The lyrics, I think, are meant to be from Gamu, but something about the wording doesn’t sound like the character's voice, imo. It sounds like Gamu wants a better future, but it is too flowery, if that makes any sense. I dunno, I could be talking out of my ass with this one. Feel free to tell me how this ED fits or doesn't fit with the rest of the show music. But now it’s time for my favorite part—the one I was most excited to talk about when starting all of this. And, in my opinion, Ultraman Gaia has one of the best scores in all of Ultraman, if not all of Tokusatsu.I've got to give the credit to Toshihiko Sahashi. https://i.ibb.co/d79xP2G/maxresdefault.jpg You may have heard his name thanks either to his extensive track record in both toku and anime or to Fish Sandwich raving about this man, and now it’s my turn to give you the pleasure of hearing his work. So every post will be finished off by one track from this show, and to start it off, of course, it has to be this track, "Quantum Stream Reversal." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-BwWT-V-i8 Can you feel it? The raw surge of utter heroism that comes from this piece rightly rivals John Williams' Superman theme as a suitable grand yet heroic theme that tells you everything is going to be alright now that Ultraman Gaia is here! This tune, I think, single-handedly represents Ultra as a force for good, from the trumpets to the strings; it just shines through its simple melody. Thank you for sticking with me through this epically long premiere. I’ll see you all on the 12th next week for episode 2, "A Hero Appears." (Also gotta love the previews each episodes having their own little catchphrase and so much to this whole show) https://i.ibb.co/422L2df/Screenshot-...10007-Tubi.jpg |
Well if anyone’s interested, I’m here to discuss where else you may have seen members of the cast or the featured monsters. I’ll skip the latter part due to spoilers, but I’ve got a lot to the first one this time, being the premiere.
The aforementioned Hiroyuki Watanabe was also in all three 90s Gamera movies, Taiga Saejima in Garo and Gaoh in Kamen Rider Den-O’s movie. He also was one of the actors considered for the lead in Kamen Rider Super-1. Sei Hirazumi (Chiba) was also a regular in Fireman (one of several Ultraman clones produced by Tsuburaya in the 70s), guest roles in Ultraman Leo and Ultraman R/B and a supporting role in Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial. Takashi Ukaji (the Captain) was later Kougami in Kamen Rider OOO. Ai Hashimoto (Atsuko) previously appeared in Ninja Sentai Kakuranger as the kid of the week’s older sister in episode 41. Maria Theresa Gow (Georgie) was also in Kamen Roder W’s finale episodes as Neon Usland, the Foindation X lady. She also did a cover of Gaia’s OP on her YouTube channel a few years back. Hiroshi Tsuburaya (Tabata) was previosuly the leading actor in Uchuu Keiji Shaider, and the regular role of Miyata in the immediate previous show, Ultraman Dyna. He also played his own father Hajime in Ultraman Tiga. Eisuke Tsunoda (Inoue) had guest spots in Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Cosmos, along with the role of Ippei in the 2004 Ultraman movie (the one that leads into Nexus) Shunsuke Gondo (Koyama) was the suit actor for the main Ultra during this period. And from the guest cast, Yuji Machi (the announcer) was previously the narrator for Denkou Chojin Gridman and Ultraman Dyna, in addition to voicing the title character in Ultraman Tiga. |
I look forward to your contributions to this thread as you've done in so many others.
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Anyways, I won't really be able to follow along seeing as I've still yet to watch any of the whole TDG trilogy, despite those being the shows I was most excited to dig into when I started getting into Ultraman (Gaia in particular, even!), but I wish this thread the best all the same. Gaia is one of those series you can just sorta tell is awesome even from a distance, so it's nice to think somebody is on here giving it the love it no doubt deserves. I have seen this premiere a handful of times though, and I've always been immensely impressed by it. I especially love how it gives you so many different perspectives on what's happening, rather than having every character with dialogue be part of the usual elite military style squad. Even in just one episode, you're seeing how people react to giant monster stuff from not only up in the sky in cool sci-fi jets, but all the way down to the ordinary people on the ground, and that speaks a lot about this show's stylistic goals upfront. |
Yeah Gaia's as a show is well huge from the the literal kaiju fights to the very large cast of characters introduced. The show still look and feel modern despite being 25 years old. It has a timeless quality to it that I'm excited to share.
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Episode 2 "A Hero Appears"
Picking up where things left off is Gaia's debut battle against C.O.V., in which every step of the initial struggle causes dust and soil to burst forth, showing the absolute size of Ultraman in this show. It’s here that we see Gaia’s signature finisher, the Photon Edge. A charged energy whip shot from Gaia’s head. What a funky finisher! The animation of the beam and how flexible it is are so unique to this show. It’s almost as amazing as this real monster explosion. something that has been mostly lost in modern shows. Afterwards, we get a full look at the aerial base, and I've got to say this is one of my favorite bases in Ultraman; this behemoth makes you feel the scale of XIG. To me, the entire model and set piece is peak Ultraman; it's awe-inspiring and sparks the imagination. Fun fact: the model used in the show and in the opening are two different props. Thanks to u/ChiefCmdr010 on Reddit for pointing that out. In general, this episode is great for Gamu. We are shown a lot of his personality: his excitement, his slight childishness from treating the simulator as a game, and his getting pressed when Atsuko dismissed him, but tempered by his desire to join XIG to fight on the front lines not just as Ultraman but as Gamu himself. One of Gaia’s greatest strengths (and weaknesses, admittedly) is in how huge the XIG is, as they were already introduced to Team Lighting in the last episode as our main squad of fighters led by Kajio. a secondary set, "Team Falcon," and even name-dropping a third squad, "Team Crow." And in the latter half of the ground division, with Team Hercules—such a wide group of characters—you get the sense of each of their groups' position within this organization and how they contribute overall to XIG. We saw how Konaka's more unified teamwork among writers manifested itself as the Radical Destruction Bringer (who I will now refer to as the RDB because typing that name every time is going to get annoying), whose true goal for C.O.V. was to awaken an Earth kaiju in order to destroy the planet.Serialized storytelling is best used to call back and expand on aspects of previous episodes, layering them with questions and answers and how the story reacts to them. and already shown in just the second episode. So, let's talk about the episode's kaiju, Geel, a subterranean kaiju. https://i.ibb.co/LtRCbHW/A017b6e.png The bipedal nature corresponds to its earth-appropriate, magma-themed abilities. I love the red core in its belly that opens up. The grunts it makes have a screechy quality to me with a reverb effect that sounds really unique to me (4/5). Who can forget the electrophoton capsule storing Gaia’s light? I love it. What a great homage to the OG beta capsule right here! https://bandai-a.akamaihd.net/bc/img...0183604_10.jpg Another thing I’m excited to talk about is that despite the ED song playing, the episode still continues. This is something you'll notice a lot in Gaia. It just shows how much story is being packed into an episode. It reminds me of that stretch of Ex-Aid episodes where the OP was skipped and the song played near the end of an episode to make room for more content. This week's track has to be the Aerial Base theme. One part military & one part wonder this absolute behemoth of headquarters is represented well with the music with the soaring score mixed in with the beating drums. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXCpD6N4d0Q |
One thing I find intriguing about Gaia is that he’s the one Ultra who has to create his own transformation item, whereas every other one is either given one from someone else, or magically grows it as part of the process of becoming an z ultra. It definitely makes Gaia even more unique.
And as for other appearances, our monster this week gets a name drop in Ultraman Z, wherein a Geel that was slumbering in Siberia is said to have been awoken by Yenegarg’s impact with the Earth. |
Yeah it really sets Gamu apart from nost Ultra Protagnist tbat he's the tech guy that created most of the show weaponary.
And considering in Z how Genegarg arrival started a chain reaction of kaiju appearing more often I totally see that as a Gaia reference too. |
Episode 3 "His Name is Gaia"
Right away, there is a lot going on in this episode, giving more context to the Alchemy Stars and a bit more on Gamu in general. This episode gives you Gamu's personality so well in three distinct scenes that all happen in just the first 10 minutes. Gamu watches a recording of himself and acts it out, showing off how much he wants to be active on the field rather than just be supported. Explaining to Atsuko that in this continuity, Ultraman is not an alien protecting the earth, but the earth itself protecting itself, and finally the creation of the Esplender, his proper transformation device, and naming it because of its association with light, it's all great showing his knowledge but also his youth, zeal, and childishness that make him such a well-rounded protagonist three episodes in. The Esplender is such a cool design that you wouldn’t expect something that looks like a knuckle duster from someone like Gamu, but there is a certain elegance to it. The blue crystal center and the gold rims make it pop, color-wise. https://m-78.jp/wp-content/uploads/2...st-4556-02.jpg The Esplender was actually supposed to have a feature where it would become the color timer, or in this case the life gauge, and rather than blink, the gauge would actually start narrowing like it was winding down, but this concept was scrapped. So, despite being in episode one, let's talk about the KGB. I haven't brought them until now. And really, it’s because Gaia is such a massive show! And the post for Episode One was long enough as it is; would you really want another paragraph for that? But interspersed throughout the episode are news segments of people all over Japan giving their honest thoughts about the events of the show. giving a glimpse of the average Joe's POV in such a massive series. as well as the investigation into Gamu and the Alchemy Stars, which all tie into another person showing up. There are like two distinct stories going on right now, and it seems like things will connect later on, but it’s great to see so many points being pushed and pulled into one another. It will be exciting when or if these characters interact. And man, I’m going to keep repeating myself, but this show has such an impeccable budget. Gaia is a massive show with numerous characters, stories, and locations. After the first two episodes, we got our first change in director. Everyone give your attention to Toshiyuki Takano, whose only experience with mainline Ultraman before this episode was the Dyna 45th episode. (Side note: I can't find a single photo of this guy on the internet. He's a ghost really. If anyone has one I would be grateful). He has done some Gridman, The Hyper Agent, and Heisei Ultraseven, and he’s good at conveying how big events are even in a show that is so deeply rooted on Earth. The charm of interaction between groups of characters that Toshiyuki cultivated will go on to be a staying power of Ultraman for the Heisei Era, but even early on, he’s shown a level of scale needed for such a big franchise as Ultraman. And what a setting for our battle in the desert!It’s exciting, it’s vast, and I love how the suits can get dirty; it gives the entire area of dusty, windy sand, heat vapors, and wide spaces an almost ethereal look for his appearance. And speaking of fights, the kaiju of the week, Apatee, is really cool. I'm always a sucker for things that are supposed to be a foil or reflection of our heroes. https://cdn.wikiwiki.jp/to/w/syourai...20151107225431 From the knight motif to its vaguely robotic nature and even having a color timer and mimicking Gaia's stance, this is meant to be a foil for Gaia sent from space, and it almost even beat him in this fight. I don't know why he has an elephant-sounding roar, but I’ve always had a soft spot for elephant roars because of Ultraman Tiga, so I’m biased for this guy. Alright, 5/5 Kaiju and roars from me. Finally, the theme of the episode is "Esplender," played when Gamu completes the Esplender. Sahashi specializes in leitmotifs; in this case, the melody of the Gaia battle theme, and this soothing, calmer version using softer instruments, much like Gamu inserting Gaia's light into Esplender, makes this track feel like Gaia's power and heroism turned into an embrace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0arEu6I5bOc |
One thing that makes this episode? The fact that after 30-something years of the titular Ultra almost always finishing the monster off (barring one or two hiccups) either solo or with the help of someone else, here we have a second Ultraman appear to kill the monster himself.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen.../IMG_4230.webp We also get introduced to this creepy guy. https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen.../IMG_4231.webp And for casting trivia, this guy is Hassei Takano, probably better known in the west as Tezuka from Kamen Rider Ryuki. He was also Ichimonji in Kamen Rider The First and Kamen Rider The Next, and had a guest role in Heisei Ultraseven (the continuation of the 60s show that ignores all other Ultra series) as an alien who’s brother mutates into the Kaiju of the week after several years in hibernation. |
Hell yeah Agul is awesome I was just waiting until his first henshin the show to go more in depth into the guy but he is awesome rest assured.
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Episode 4 "Gamu Of The Sky"
Our first episode was not written by Konaka! Instead, episode 4 is written by Keiichi Hasegawa a name that a lot of you may recognize right now, with a strong background in both toku and anime.But at the time of writing this, he hadn't yet entered the anime world; his big break, Devil Lady, wouldn’t be released until a month after this episode would air. https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/iuES...QqPiI2OYP7.jpg But regardless, he’s become a rising star, and this wouldn’t be the last time he worked with Konaka, as he also was a writer on The Big O. His style emphasizes the drama of the characters, that the heroes should be tortured by the drama of fighting to become a tokusatsu pillager rather than just the action.His works include writing for Tiga, being the main writer of Dyna, and being a writer for every mainline Ultra except for Max and Ginga. and worked with Riku Sanjo on both W (which folded him into working on Toei Toku) and Drive. And alongside Nobuhiro Mouri, they acted as pillars for Takuro Fukuda's Ghost and Saber. This episode is simple but to the point: Gamu gets to fly. And, to emphasize that these fighters are tools designed by Gamu, he wishes to use them to help protect the world.Gamu has been vocal in the past, but this is his shining moment within XIG, gaining the respect of Team Lightning Leader Kajio once he was on the battlefield. Gamu is the team strategist, analyzing and coming up with plans, but now he is also an active fighter, not just as Ultraman Gaia but as a member of XIG. https://cdn.wikiwiki.jp/to/w/syourai...20151108001206 Monster of the week here is Mezard. and I quite like the design there. There's something gross about it that really feels like it doesn't belong in our dimension; it's distorted in a way. And while they didn’t blow up the suit, they did set it on fire, and I think that's cool The track for this week is "Fierce Battle" the track that plays when Gamu takes off in the fighter. Since this entire episode is all about this hence the title this tracks gets special mentions for the freedom it inspires and the wonder of flying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLTNnXxKpUI |
Episode 5 "Another Giant"
Episode 5, and we're back with Konaka but we also have a new director, the late Masaki Harada, who died on February 28. From what I can tell, he actually got his start on Ultraman, debuting with four episodes of Tiga and continuing with the TDG trilogy, directing ten episodes for Dyna and Gaia, and remaining for Cosmos and Ultra Q Dark Fantasy, as well as Ryukendo along the way. http://www.cinemajournal.net/special...imono914_2.jpg His work frequently incorporated realism into the Ultra Series through the use of real-world elements or allegories to real-world elements. such as Yakuza members or those who act like Yakuza and claim there is no distinction between enemies in the franchise, only "the distinction between monsters and human enemies." He also had a penchant for wanting peace with enemies, so a good chunk of his work often featured kaiju being able to settle down rather than being outright destroyed. giving his work a sense of variety as he?s not afraid to blow up a Kaiju here or there but rather creates a more complex world reflective of reality. And you can see the first sign of Harada injecting realism. A toku protagonist with actual parents?That?s unheard of because parents are either dead, never mentioned, or evil. And in this episode, everything is just mundane; there is no massive plan orchestrated by some big bad or anything. It?s just Gamu not telling his parents that he is now part of a government organization and is given time off to just go back home for a bit to break the news. It?s all just so normal. And, despite the fact that this episode is all about Gamu, as discussed further below, the episode made the most of the little screen time the other characters in XIG had, from Georgie playfully trading with Gamu for an ice cream bar to how she does a really bad job of keeping her end of the bargain when pressed by Atsuko to even the reveal that Commander Ishimuro is a father himself and ordering Gamu to properly break the news to his parents. Gamu's home is so rustic and rural, and you can see how he grew up to be a little awkward here. Bringing forth another form of realism, this episode explores how his homelife can be illuminating for his character. how he felt ostracized for his intelligence by childhood bullies. This episode isn?t about the bullies themselves; after all, it would be immature for the story to focus on such an aspect. So instead of doing the cliche thing and having Gamu meet his former bullies as adults and having to prove he?s changed, the story is about ultimately acknowledging the hurt of the past but also moving on with his conversation with his mother, admitting that he didn?t like where he lived but was glad to come back to tell his parents or at least his mom what he?s doing now. And, once again, we are living like normal parents. Sure, we didn?t get to see the dad in this episode, but we rarely focus on moms in Toku when we do get parents. But their banter and interactions are great: Gamu presents from the big city; her comment on how he should?ve called earlier to prepare dinner; and Gamu responding back with "just make the usual." really sell the casual love of mother and son. The monster of the episode is Bokurag, the "Ocean Demon." Its design is a nasty mix of amphibian and fish, mixed with a bipedal creature. Bokrug shows Konaka's obvious affection for H.P. Lovecraft by drawing inspiration from him. His roars are modified Golza roars, and I like Golza, so that adds to the kaiju. Its design and power of regeneration prove it to be a tough foe. https://d34gglw95p9zsk.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1695604481 And now what you?ve all been really waiting for is Hiroya Fujimiya, AKA Ultraman Agul. Look at this jockey nerd with his weight room filled with newspaper clippings of his rival hanging everywhere. Despite being the main event of the episode, he hilariously takes a back seat until the last quarter of this episode. But boy did the episode take a swerve with the proper debut of Agul, both for the series and the franchise as a whole. Agul is the first real secondary Ultra of the franchise; sure, Zoffy showed up in a couple of Showa episodes, but nowhere near Agul's level of importance. And the suit?we've seen some blue Ultras before, but this is the first proper blue Ultra, contrasting the franchise's and Gaia's heroic red and silver with a cool blue and black. https://staging-news.ultramanconnect...c10b6_AGUL.jpg The helmet has a fish-like feel, and it keeps all of the design elements of Ultraman. The grunts and color timer sounds all give it a suave sound that has an edge, which I love. 10/10, perfect suit, perfect grunts?everything is just right. The music of the episode has to be "Agul Advent," the main theme of Agul. Their sense of mystery with the theme was enhanced by the choir contrasting the low-key instrumentals as if you were exploring an underwater cave. The second half of the track is an aggressive battle track showcasing Sahashi's masterful use of leitmotifs, taking the notes of the first half and amping them up with heavier instruments and strings that show off the character's strength. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87pU2pCky0o |
Episode 6 "The Ridiculing Eye"
Ultraman has a giant legacy. That’s an understatement, but one of the major contributing factors to this is the Kaiju. Many Kaijus have transcended their own shows and have become as popular as or even more popular than the Ultras themselves. And Gan-Q is one of these Kaiju. This episode is significant because it marks the debut of this iconic monster 25 years in the making, which has appeared in many New Generation shows.This episode disappointed me. Initially, let me explain. While various kaiju have gone on to become popular and reappear frequently, it is frequently Showa Era kaiju from the first six Showa Era shows.Not a lot of Heisei Kaiju get a second look. Gan-Q wasn’t just popular; he was iconic. reaching up to the same level as Gomora, Zetton, Eleking, Pandon, etc. Gan-Q was the only Kaiju from Gaia that ever crossed over to anything else. So there was an expectation in my mind when I first watched Gaia because of how much of a legacy this guy had cemented for himself. The truth is that no matter what this episode did, it would never have met the expectations of the mind. But what do I think of the episode now? This is a good episode that deals with many established elements in play. Greater bonding with the various teams with Gamu, playing Gamu's insecurities revealed in the last episode as well as Fujimiya being Ultraman Agul, Gamu briefly returning to his university and old college buddies, and even a brief mention of Team Crow, who hasn’t debuted yet, at the very end of the episode—Gaia’s a smart show that makes every second count. The show is making do with what it has, and Harada's atmospheric directing is producing some killer visuals that perfectly complement Gan-Q's creepy vibes.The practical effect of the giant eye absorbing the missiles, and of course, as usual, the exploding Kaiju, are staples but all very good. But who wrote this episode? Give it up for another new writer joining the fray. Hideyuki Kawakami, a writer with a flair for historical dramas, got his start with Ultra with this trilogy and worked on everything up until Mebius (with the exception of Nexus). (Which is a shame, because I think the guys' sensibilities would’ve meshed well with that show.) https://www.tv-ranking.com/photo/detail/34/34294_1.jpg (Side note: I had a real hard time finding a photo of this guy. This is the only real concrete photo of him from some historical drama he played in. If anyone has a better photo I would use that.) And honestly, he works for this episode. Many of his episodes on Tiga and Dyna have a horror film feel to them, and pairing him with a monster like Gan-Q is like peanut butter and jelly.(Though he was no stranger to comedy as he wrote everything involving Alien Miji’s in Dyna.) https://tsuburaya-prod.com/wp-conten...9/12/ganq2.jpg Gan-Q's design alone makes me understand why he’s become such a star. It's creepy and cool, and the fleshy parts are grotesque and beautiful to look at. The growls are these high-pitched laughs and screams that unnerve even the characters in the show. And if nothing else, showing up so many times in the years following allows us to see more of this beauty, and you know what? That's alright in my book. 10/10 kaiju. The track of the episode has to be “City Defense Order” as we’re talking about staple kaijus in Gaia. The track I choose has to be one of the main tracks played whenever something catastrophic happens in an episode. The tension played from the strings and horns bring this piece all together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caP_pfWGjJ0 |
So like you said, Gan-Q became a fairly major recurring monster in the franchise, starting with Mega Monster Battle. He notably made reappearances in Ultra Zero Fight, three episodes of Ultraman Ginga S (including the fan favourite episode Gan-Q’s Tears) and the Ultraman R/B movie.
And as the kind of guy who keeps track of that sort of thing, in the “Ultra Monsters” setting some of Ultraman Trigger’s Hyper Keys have containing the cries of the Ultra’s most iconic foes, Gan-Q is one of the few monsters to be featured in two different Keys (others being Red King, Pigmon, Gubila, Mefilas/Uringa (which are different monsters with the same cry, but are otherwise unrelated), Windam, Miclas, Agira, Nurse, King Joe, Bemstar, Gymaira, Golba, Deathdrago and everything in the Zoffy Key except Dreamgillas) https://youtube.com/watch?v=vZgusnqO...fWOM7cLLlhHEUg https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vf8Vkp6g...-V9bVRhP44lUAZ |
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Episode 7 "Cleansing of the Earth"
We got two new guys to talk about this episode, those being writer Shin Yoshida & director Takashi Kodama. Shin Yoshida is most well known for being a prominent writer in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime & Mangas. His role in tokusatsu is far more limited in that regard, becoming a writer through Ultraman Dyna before this. https://i.ibb.co/0Y6CCqV/Shin-Yoshida.webp His work can be dramatic focusing on characters bouncing off one another and how that reflects back to them. The characters, strengths & weaknesses are displayed in the mundane conversations they can be having. Director Takashi Kodama, like Yoshida, has limited work in tokusatsu with Dyna & Gaia being his only works in the medium. https://i.ibb.co/qngKdFY/C8-P2-Ec-SUQAEVddm.jpg In fact the first Dyna Episode he directed Episode 27 “Monster Game” was also paired up with Yoshida just like what’s happening here. His directing makes good use of contrast, lighting & shadows to create memorable scenes with simple techniques but brought to life with creativity such as Gamu messy room. Or the angle between Fujimiya. Seemingly an alien plot a device that purifies the Earth at the cost of rampaging uncontrollably potentially causing destruction to human civilization if left unchecked. It’s a dilemma that perfectly fits the show's themes of what is good for the Earth may not be good for humanity and vice versa. Fujimiya plays a small but important role egging Gamu to use his powers more than he is. And even the commander questions if Gamu would’ve sided with Tenkai as from perspective it could be seen as a force for good. https://i.ibb.co/vJhrj77/7-Tenkai.webp Tenkai is a very unusual kaiju because it is not. A machine created from unknown origins the fact that it doesn't have a combat mode so to speak makes for a unique opponent not only to fight but to interact with a camera. The track I choose is “Fujimiya & Gamu played when once again Fujmiya confronts Gamu over his choice to protect humanity both the track and the scene direction strike me so much that I had to include it here this week. The mystery and atmosphere in this somber piece shows the complexity of their relationship and I alway love the use of Agul’s chorus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4rjBhBiGyw |
Slightly late, but I finally got around to checking the wiki to see if Tenkai made any other appearances. Turns out, his sound effects get reused for two other monsters and he appears as a Spark Doll in Ultraman Ginga episode 7.
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Sorry for the late reply and yeah most Gaia kaiju's don't make physical reappernces but it neat that Tenkai got a Spark Doll made.
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Episode 8 "The 4 Billion 6 Hundred Million Year-Old Ghost"
Junki Takegami joins the fray as a new writer for Gaia. Having been involved with both Tsuburaya & Toei. He’s a veteran writer by the time Gaia was being produced. Working on the Sukeban Series, Cybercops, as well as Tiga & Dyna like many others. https://i.ibb.co/xh1wqbh/377adab44ae...d6267f4c87.jpg His works on the Ultra Series often are characterized with strong emotional cores by often singling out one specific character within the episodes how the plots revolved around them & reaching breaking points from stress & despair either in the climax or the midway points of his stories. At his peak in the 90’s & 2000’s Takegami was alternating between Tsuburaya & Toei with each script he was writing subconsciously altering his writing style due to being someone who grew up with Ultraman thus had a strong ideal image of Ultraman burrowed deep within him. His style noticeably pointed out by many of the staff of Tsuburaya was noticeably different with his works in Toei’s Super Sentai due to not growing up with said franchise allowing him to write for Sentai without precaution of what it should be rather what he wants from story to story basis. The Alchemy Stars have always been a thing in Gaia but getting to know more about one of its members outside of Gamu & Fujimiya is such a treat. You really get to see how similar all of the Alchemy Stars ideology are at one point and how even though Gamu & Fujimiya were so different they both were in the same group. Weaving into the story is the KGB who I still find really compelling and is the underdog grounded normal perspective that this show needs to not lose touch with the people both Ultraman & XIG are protecting. We have two kaijus in this episode. Being Anemos & Crabgan both kaijus of the Earth, their symbiotic relationship makes this a unique beast that gives trouble separately and even harder when they fuse into one. Anemos is a strange beast with its unconventional design and its guardian Crabgan is a really cool crustacean kaiju both making some fantastic and memorable monsters. https://i.ibb.co/0XpM3x3/Crabgan-Anemos-First-Form.webp The track for this week is “Suffering” as the name applies this track encapsulates the anguish the choices made by our characters in this specific case Miku and how it must feel for Anemos to be driven to extinction and the dilemma of whether it is right to fight or not. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq-v0knMXDg |
Not much to say in terms of reappearances, other than Anemos was one of the 100 monsters that formed Belyudra in “Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends the Movie”.
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Episode 9 "Seagull Takes Off"
Ai Ota takes over the script and is one of the most prolific writers of the Heisei Era of Ultraman. Making her debut as a screenwriter with Episode 21 of Ultraman Tiga “Deban's Turn!” One of her seniors is none other than Akio Jissoji who recommended her for the job. https://i.ibb.co/zrgvQtv/Ai-Ota.webp Her love of tokusatsu contributes to types of stories she tends to write for Ultraman believing the various kaijus & aliens throughout the franchise not necessarily evil but living breathing characters that needed to be fleshed out. For this reason Ai Ota waits till the enemies names are finalized before beginning writing the scripts for the episodes themselves. AI Ota writing also tends to focus more on the drama and the minutiae of being in a Defense Team and to muddy waters of kaijus with non sentient beings that pose threat more akin to natural disasters. Ai Ota is a writer that focuses more on the moment to moment rather than overarching stories & themes. A Team Seagull Episode! Expanding on the world of Gaia a branch of XIG focusing specifically on rescue missions is such an amazing addition to the lore of this series and shows just how well thought out this series is. The miniatures, sets and overall atmosphere of the episode is really something special all right and even if we don’t get many scenes I’ll savor every episode we have with Team Seagull. https://i.ibb.co/Bw8GHD1/Rezaito-HD-2.webp Rezaito is one of the coolest kaiju in the franchise imo. It’s so unique with its overall shape and the colors of pearly whites and crimson veiny red is gorgeous to look at. An unconventional design mixed with the unique situation makes for memorable kaiju. And finally the track episode has to be “Standing By” . It is such a funky tune that embodies the nature of Team Seagull's conviction to save innocents. It really reminds me of GoGoV which is a good thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEIyjNNbV_c |
Sees the date
Oh whoops my bad guys got a little preoccupied but I hope the wait was worth it here's this weeks episode review. Episode 10 "Rock Fight" Team Crow makes their proper appearance! They’ve actually been mentioned in the background a couple of times if you guys have been paying attention. I love the worldbuilding of Gaia so much and this team, consisting of an all women squad is one of the spunkiest of the fighters. And I think the episodes they are given are really enjoyable. They make an impact right from the get go and everyone of the three gets a little bit to shine. Unusually the initial threat isn’t a very traditional rather a large factory/ships that produces C.O.V and it is an amazing design of a ship big and imposing with firepower to back it up. Speaking of C.O.V we now have C.O.V II a second generation monster though incomplete thanks to XIG intervention it’s an amazing design that purposefully looks half baked while still looking good! https://d34gglw95p9zsk.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1643196230 As for the track it has to be Team Crow's theme song played in their dogfights in the sky. Though there actually two variations on the soundtrack will be actually looking at versions made specifically for this episode, appropriately titled Rock Fight (don’t worry the original tune will be posted another time) . It is an uplifting song that symbolizes everything you need to know about Team Crow in a tune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vifkVfq3mnw |
Episode 11 "The Dragon's Capital"
We got a new writer Kenji Kobuta https://i.ibb.co/c1ZcG9J/Kenji-Konuta.jpg He doesn't have much writing credits for Toku doing the Kabuto Tribute in Decade, a handful of episodes of Go-Onger and select episodes of Dyna & Gaia. However the handful of episodes he does write have solid characterizations, strong emotion and he seems to be a writer gels well with any premise from what I've seen. It is always nice to see the Ultra Series taking folklore & legends from around the world in order to create the episodes. It creates a large amount of variety that I always appreciate in this franchise. Connecting the ideas of Feng Shui with the water lines with the themes of Gaia of how the Earth is living being that we’re all connected is a stroke of genius and encapsulates what the show is all about. Not to be outdone Gaia’s massive cast is utilized very well as Gamu has more direct interaction with Team Hercules showing off the unique bond & bouncing off personalities of Gamu with them. One of the most wholesome relationships in the show. Mizunoeno Dragon is an amazing design with its multiple dragon tails and realistic leather skin & scales. Plus I just love the color blue and how it relates to the mythology of Chinese dragons being aquatic versus how western media usually portrays dragons as having an affinity with fire reflected in both design and powers. https://d34gglw95p9zsk.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1699002925 The track for this week is Mizunoeno Dragon's own theme! Splendorous and majestic with the brass horns resembling other kaiju themes there is a bit of serenity as Mizunoeno isn’t inherently evil just a force nature that should be respected. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo4_PDtvbHk |
So Muzeno-Dragon (as my list of the Ultra Monster Bandai’s G.U.T.S Hyper Key toyline’s included monster sounds has been misnaming him) hasn’t had a full reappearance outside of Gaia, but he did appear as a Spark Doll in Ginga, during the wrestling episode with Dark Galberos, among a load of other obscure Kaiju from the Ultra Series history (including some robot from Ultraman Leo, that appeared for one scene in one episode).
And since I missed it last time, casting trivia for Team Crow. Miho is played by Tomoko Kawashima, who was previously female lead Kaoru in Tokusou Robo Janperson, and went on to play supporting roles in Booska! Booska! and Ultraman Nexus (as Megumi Sakuta) Kei is played by Kei Ishibashi, who was previously Shinjoh’s sister Mayumi in Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna, and later went onto be Asami Fujisawa in Ultraman Mebius and an Alien Pedan in Ultra Zone. |
So bit of an update as I was finiahing up epiosde 12 the google doc just froze on me. So sorry guys I'm going to be running on late on this weeks episode don't know how long but I'll try to get out soon as can when my google docs finally works again. Thanks for all y'all patiences.
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Sorry for the delay but it's finally done.
Episode 12 Monster Encircling Net It is the first alien story in Gaia! A staple of the Ultra franchise it has been conspicuously absent in the show so far yet here we are. And boy do we kick things off with a bang with that first fight with what I can only assume is a famous actor in Japan that no doubt Androzani84 would enlighten us more about. But thanks to the Wolf Gas being human sized for about half of the episode it gives a refreshing change of pace in terms of the show's action with more of the cast fighting on their own rather than just piloting their crafts. And even when the show gives us the usual kaiju battle in the latter half with Fujimiya stepping in this becomes a rare treat as it mostly Agul fight that will entreat fans who wanted to see more and a taste of what to come with the small clash between Gaia & Agul here. Wolf Gas is a nice humanoid werewolf design with very smooth detailing all over and some gorgeous glowing red eyes that pop at night. With furs and spikes to complete the look. https://d34gglw95p9zsk.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1667897527 Alighting by Night is a creepy little tune that plays at the beginning of the episode invoking both aliens and werewolf movies in mind which is perfect for this episode to highlight/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ3F-k2gIBo |
As far as I can tell, the martial artist is a guy known as Kazuhiko Shimizu, and the only things I’ve found about him are a) he was also in Cosmos and b) he shares his name with an Asian drama director.
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Episode 13 "Night Of The Marionettes"
We got a new director, Miki Nemoto. This is her directorial debut for Ultraman & Tokusatsu in general sadly she will only go in to help direct Cosmos & Nexus next which is a shame as she is a really strong director. With good use of lighting, shadows, framing & angles this episode is a really creepy feeling being invoked here. And this is a constant feeling of strong camera work that’s present in all of her toku works so she’s highly underrated as director within the Ultra Franchise. (Sadly, I can't find a single image of her on the internet.) Mezard back in this amazing episode filled with dread & horror. The KGB are front and center trapped in the horror of an entire town possessed by Mezard and always narrowly avoiding capture. It being a creature beyond are dimension, its revival and subsequent horror-espue plot adds to uncertainty. We continue to see a different side to Fujimiya, one that he wound;t like to admit as he protects Reiko and the rest of the crew even if it’s ever so briefly. But this isn’t just Mezard no it is now a newly evolved Psycho Mezard and it is super creepy with the more skeletal design and parking with the night atmosphere it’s something you wouldn’t want to run into. https://d34gglw95p9zsk.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1643197444 The track “Visitor” was used when Fujimiya saved Reiko from being shot and Kenji being chased by the controlled townspeople. There is a real sense of dread as something approaches being presented by the strings that escalates as the track goes on. Combined with the ringing of the cellphones makes for a short but memorable scene. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BglEe2VSgys |
Episode 14 "Challenge From The Anti-Space"
An episode jammed packed with amazing characterization, from Gamu doing everything he can alongside his fellow Alchemy Star members to come up with a solution to the problem, to Team Falcon unwavering belief in the mission even if it at the cost of their lives, Fujimiya shady nature but ultimately revealing a hidden kinder side by saving Gaia last minute. The area of antimatter created such a unique setting that sticks with ya as one of the most memorable visuals the series has to offer and the need to be careful as the stakes involve the entire universe this time around. https://img.atwiki.jp/niconicomugen/...antimatter.jpg Antimatter is an amazingly designed kaiju that reminds of a starfish and another kaiju Gelbaga from Blazar. Its spiky center piece glowing parts at the tip of its arms and overall pattern gives it a unique feeling of something that just does not belong in this universe. “Launch • Team Lightning!” a rousing heroic theme as Gamu & the other Alchemy Star members rush to finish their plans in time for the Antimatter to come into the distance of the Earth. The A;chemy Stars are just as important if not more than GUARD & XIG so to give them a chance at the spotlight was well earned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml_jzZ2Ba_w |
Got no excuses this time I simply forgot and got lazy but it's here now!
Episode 15"When The Rain Stops" This week’s episode has two new creators brought on board, this being writer Masama Migida & director Tsugumi Kitaura! Talking about Masama Migida first he’s a prominent writer for Tsubruaya in the 90’s & early 2000’s. He’s also been a minor actor playing supporting roles every once in a while. In fact he helped write the revival of Ultraman, the first episode of Tiga. And was an active writer for the Heisei Ultra shows up till Neos. His works have a strong emphasis on human relationships and the bonds people make. How those bonds can transcend the impossible and make all of us stronger for its themes that all Ultra Series resonate with. https://i.mydramalist.com/1WNN6_5c.jpg Director Tsugumi like so many others has been here since the Heisei Era began and has directed from the start of it till the end of Heisei with Mebius. Now despite no longer being an active director for Ultraman shows he still is active behind this franchise becoming a producer that helped oversee every single New Generation Ultra show from the beginning with Ginga and continuing even now with Blazar. Tsugumi works can be infused with both comedy and drama as he can tell amazing stories with a slight humorous edge to them to give some of these more serious stories a much needed breather and to inject humanity for the actors to show a range of emotions. https://i.ibb.co/10P6W8C/3F3F.webp As far as I’m concerned, much like how Gamu is with XIG in a way the KGB almost feels like the “team” for Fujimiya or at least Reiko is for him. A grounding point for the Ultra to bounce off to and assist. The KGB is the heart and soul of this episode wanting the latest scoop and trying to beat XIG to the end. They bring a much needed common man perspective to the show and part of what makes this world so much more alive. The Deents are this odd intersection between cute & ugly. From their pudgy appearances, slimy skin and mollusk-like look you somehow want to both say “Aw” and “Ew”. They both make me laugh and are terrified from how gross they are. https://d34gglw95p9zsk.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1701419512 Leitmotifs are Sahashi's specialty and one of the ways is arrangements of vocal tracks. This can be used in a myriad of ways, whether triumphantly, sadly, or even very jazzy, invoking nostalgia in a way that can only be done this way. And taking the upbeat melody of Gaia’s ED Lovin' You Lovin' Me and playing up a more somber piece that is filled with hope in “Peace of Mind for a While” that plays in Reiko & Miko heart to heart just pulls at the heartstrings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vHw9ooV8hA |
Mild correction. It’s not Heisei anymore. The era from Tiga to Mebius is now designated “Season II” by Tsuburaya, while everything prior to 1966 is “Season 1”. The New Generation Heroes and Darkness Heels retain their names though.
As for the monster… Deents is the rare Ultra monster that has never appeared again. Not as a Spark Doll, or a Monster Card, not in a manga or even in an audio. The costume lasted long enough to be retooled into Kutuura from Ultraman Nexus. |
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Honestly I personally would continue using Heisei it just my perference and I've already done it for so long on this thread.
But thanks it's intreasting to see Tsuburaya change it this late in the game. I wonder if New Gen will ever be called Season III? |
Episode 16 "The Birth Of Agul"
Yeah yeah I know let's get this out of the way everyone knows the meme already. https://media1.tenor.com/m/pW5wIrjwX...agul-smile.gif Now that outta way this episode is THE Fujimiya episode. It delves into his backstory, his motivations and who he is as a person overall. How his pride of a genius created Crisis predicting the events of the show and how that spiraled into the path he’s on. And talking about Agul for a moment the contrast between Agul & Gaia could not be more clear but here we finally see how Fujimiya first met Agul contrasting how Gamu met Gaia. In Agul vision he’s bathed in cold light facing away only sparing a glance to Fujimiya, a solitary soldier holding the fate of the world on his shoulders. Also this is just me wanting to gush more about just how pretty the show looks.) https://i.ibb.co/SXy4gg6/download.png Gaia has these little things where these little groups of monsters and we get to see our first comeback which is the Metal Organisms with the second one Alguros & its Fake Agul form. Carrying the pseudo Ultra look combined with a knight motif and the liquid form of the T-1000 you can also tell this time it is way more based on Agul with its more angular design and color timer. And the fake Agul suit is mostly the same save for the helmet which brings an extra sense of creepiness with its discolored eyes and pale skin. https://d34gglw95p9zsk.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1670561546 Since this is an episode about Agul we have to talk about one of his tracks. In this week’s case it being the track titles Agul’s Attack and an aggressive fighting remix of Agul main leitmotif by removing the chorals and adding aggressive strings and horns. The theme is both the serious and desperate fitting of Fujimiya and his current stance in his battle for the Earth but not for humanity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpTfwTkdeYY |
So fun fact: people may remember Alguros as the Imit-Ultraman with a creepy smile, but he was actually beaten to the punch on that front earlier in the year by Ultraman Dyna’s penultimate boss, Zeluganoid.
And were introduced to Fujimiya’s former lover Kyoko Inamori. Her actress, Makiko Kuno later appeared in Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy (the little-known predecessor to Nexus) as villain of the week Hecate. |
Episode 17 "Shadow of the Sky, Light of the Earth"
Kaijus exist as a natural extension of Earth in the Ultraman Multiverse. An existence that is natural and is as much as part of this Earth and the humans that live on it. This idea that kaijus from outer space are a threat to the ecosystem of Earth. Which prompts Fujimiya to take such an active role in this episode. Was really well done. It shows his pragmatic and desperate side so well the rivalry between Gamu & Fujimiya is heating up and it is going to boil. Leaving the episode on a cliffhanger is a very rare occurrence in this show. The two kaijus of the episode are the Space comet monster Diglobe and Zonnel of the Earth. Digilobe is this massive meteor with what I can only describe as multiple glowing eyes with no pupils. It's quite unsettling no matter how you look at it and this unfeeling hunk hurtling towards Earth with no care or thought. https://blog-imgs-95.fc2.com/u/l/t/u...i/uga17-01.jpg In contrast Zonnel is a very expressive kaiju with its more pipedal look and its entire story of being mind controlled by Fujimiya but resisting till the end. And having a giant mini sun on it’s back which even ties into the episodes name the light of the Earth kaiju being its own sun and the space Kaiju hailing from the darkness of the galaxy. https://d34gglw95p9zsk.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1643199728 “The Shadows Moved” played at the end of the episode just as Digilobe is about to hit Earth as Agul struggles to release the powers of Zonnel to stop it. It’s a dramatic track that highlights the seriousness of the situation and imminent dread that the whole planet faces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K19pg-uIMCs |
My casting trivia this time is on Higuchi, a character so minor, he doesn’t have his own page on the wiki.
Namely, he’s played by one Ryosuke Kaizu, best known as the star of Hikari Sentai Maskman, but he had a few guest spots in 80s and 90s Sentai (particularly Flashman, Fiveman, Dairanger and Ohranger) , plus two appearances on Metal Heroes shows (Solbrain and Exceedraft, to be exact). |
Happy New Years everybody when Gaia originally aired they took the first week of the year off. So will be returning next week for Episode 18. So stay safe and see ya guys later.
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