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08-05-2023, 01:52 PM | #3891 |
Dai Shogun
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 7,532
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Well first of all, this week's Blazar was super fun! Love the monster, how it accidentally ends up with super weapons strapped to its back, and Blazar himself was wonderful as always. Snapping his beam spear in half and then propelling the halves with the most extra windup ever is so awesome.
However - this was the first episode that left me wondering if something was missing. This was supposed to be an Anri-focus episode, right? Then, what exactly did they focus? The episode beigns with her being a bit flustered about her home town, it ends with her saying "No place like home". But, what exactly happened in between to show this transformation? Or rather, what conflict did she have that needed resolving? Like, her childhood friend isn't it. They were always friends, Anri always believed and supported her. She only pushes her to the side once to fulfill her duty, and then apologizes immediately after. That's pretty much it. It lacks any kind of character development because there was nothing going on. If, let's say, the village shunned the girl that hears the voices, and Anri was her friend, but ultimately gave in to the peer pressure and left her friend too, that would've worked. It would give her a reason to dislike her town, because they made her do something she deeply regrets, and reconnecting with her past friend and dealing with these issues head on and resolving them could clear everything up. But nothing of the sorts was in this episode, so I kind of have to ask myself what even the point of it all was. Still, good episode, just lacking a bit in potential. Also, the big one! I have finally, finally watched "Shin Ultraman"! The replacement disk came in today. To clear that mess up first: The subtitles are still horrible. Because they are not in fact simply just dubtitles. They are terribly done dubtitles. Like, the point of these is for people with hearing issues, right? So they can read the sounds that happen on the screen when there's no visible clue to what's happening? They don't do that here. They subtitle sounds like 4 times. Throughout the entire thing. And they don't consistently label the dialogue with the names of who's talking either, it's so random. It's like they threw a dice for every segment and then decided on that specific number to take proper dubtitle-action. One time they even label Ultraman with his real name, before Zoffy appears and informs the viewer about this, so that's super confusing. So yeah, complete trash release sadly. Just bad. I don't watch English dubs so I can't judge their quality, I hope that one can at least help some viewers out. As for the movie, I liked it. Had fun watching. I would say it's the weakest of the three "Shin"-movies for me though. I definitely see the issues people have with this, it's painfully episodic. Surprise, here's Zarab (literally)! Cue the Zarab-stuff. Zarab's gone? Here's Mefilas. Shin Kamen Rider fairs similarly, but it works better IMO because they set up a basic frame very early on: This is Shocker, they have agents that need to be stopped! So moving on from one agent to another makes sense. But Shin Ultraman is so abrupt and random, which is probably due to the very reactive nature of the original show: Can't take action without a threat. And it moves very, very fast. I had trouble reading the subtitles in time at a few occasions, and that happens fairly rarely to me, I would say that I can usually read fast. But they talk so fast and the camera cuts very quickly so sometimes another character starts speaking but I haven't processed the previous sentence. So, fast and choppy story, but: The theme of Ultraman and his nature of alien and human was beautifully adapted and expanded upon, I love that so much. Plus, the SSSP is fantastic, I love these guys. Strange how they chose to compose it of completely new characters that fill similar archetypes, instead of straight up adapting the original ones. Not bad though, I like them. Effect work was really good though I think. Shin Godzilla and Shin Kamen Rider both had a few wonky CG effect moments, Shin Ultraman worked 100% for me. Maybe it helps that Ultraman was always very "creative" when it came to visual effects so I was never taken out of the moment. It may only take third place, but it's not because I disliked it, it's simply my third favorite of the bunch Last edited by Kiwami; 08-05-2023 at 01:56 PM.. |
08-05-2023, 06:06 PM | #3892 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,093
|
Quote:
Well first of all, this week's Blazar was super fun! Love the monster, how it accidentally ends up with super weapons strapped to its back, and Blazar himself was wonderful as always. Snapping his beam spear in half and then propelling the halves with the most extra windup ever is so awesome.
However - this was the first episode that left me wondering if something was missing. This was supposed to be an Anri-focus episode, right? Then, what exactly did they focus? The episode beigns with her being a bit flustered about her home town, it ends with her saying "No place like home". But, what exactly happened in between to show this transformation? Or rather, what conflict did she have that needed resolving? Like, her childhood friend isn't it. They were always friends, Anri always believed and supported her. She only pushes her to the side once to fulfill her duty, and then apologizes immediately after. That's pretty much it. It lacks any kind of character development because there was nothing going on. If, let's say, the village shunned the girl that hears the voices, and Anri was her friend, but ultimately gave in to the peer pressure and left her friend too, that would've worked. It would give her a reason to dislike her town, because they made her do something she deeply regrets, and reconnecting with her past friend and dealing with these issues head on and resolving them could clear everything up. But nothing of the sorts was in this episode, so I kind of have to ask myself what even the point of it all was. Still, good episode, just lacking a bit in potential. I think it fits the kind of stoic and serious woman she is, only to find a little of that spark she had as a kid with Mizuho. |
08-05-2023, 07:33 PM | #3893 |
Henshin Heaven
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Inside a Hyper Battle Video, help.
Posts: 1,249
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Continuing on through the Showa Ultra shows, I've now finished Ultraman Ace. That... sure was a 70s toku.
The Good
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08-05-2023, 10:01 PM | #3894 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 913
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Watched a few more episodes of Ultraman Trigger today. 17 episodes down, 8 to go.
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08-06-2023, 01:47 AM | #3895 |
Dai Shogun
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 7,532
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Quote:
But remembering her past, seeing the legends being true and learning to appreciate who she was leads her to feel acceptance and a bit of pride. |
08-08-2023, 02:07 PM | #3896 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 613
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Finished the main Mebius series. Now watching the Gaiden episodes and then I'll be done with the Heisei era.
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08-09-2023, 02:34 PM | #3897 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 613
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And I'm finally finished the Mebius and the Heisei Era run of the Ultra series. Compared to Max, Mebius is a far better executed series, but this is why, no matter the hype around them, I can't just watch Gokaiger or Kamen Rider Decade. Part of the experience is knowing the full legacy in this legacy series and because I spent the last few years going through the entire established history I've gained the knowledge and appreciation to the past eras as they were happening in front of me. Having the characters recapping them or explain the characters in one sentence doesn't carry the same effect.
Heisei era in general was heavily experimental as Tsuburaya was trying to get back to their previous glory and I think that what makes it stands out compared to Showa and New Generation. Each installment felt like they were trying new ideas. Some of them didn't work like Dyna being a repeat of Tiga but with more comedy, others works very well like Cosmos being a healer-type warrior. It's also the era that took many risks like Project N that sadly didn't go as planned, the international collaborations, and recently with Mebious being a legacy series set in the original timeline that did work beyond expectations for a series that was meant to end the franchise. Next stop: Ultra Galaxy era. |
08-09-2023, 10:26 PM | #3898 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 913
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Aaaaaaannnnnnnnddddddd, I have officially just powered through the first season of Mega Monster Battle in just a few days
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08-11-2023, 08:02 PM | #3899 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,093
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Reporters aren't strangers to the Ultra Franchise, though I feel like it would've been nice if they had built up this trio or Reiko more in prior episodes so it meant more when we saw them here. With no real attachment to anybody it was hard to really invest in them recapping everything. Made for a dry watch even by recap episode standards. Decker had so many but they were more fun.
I wonder if they'll do anything more with this group or if they'll just be for the recap shows? I feel like geeking out over Earth Garon is more Mecha Otaku than Military Otaku. Reiko thinking Leviera was cute was something. I wonder who the best person in SKaRD to interview would be. Gento? Teruaki? Anri for comedy? Emi probably wouldn't put her face on TV. All that build up and emotional moments and Sabu doesn't even get his special. And Reiko straight up bails. Ah well. Next week: Bando focused episode and our first Alien of the season! |
08-12-2023, 07:33 PM | #3900 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 913
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Currently watching episode 18 of Ultraman Trigger and I thought the show, from what I have seen so far, is just okay at best. Sadly, Trigger really did have a lot going against it, both as a would-be successor to Ultraman Tiga due to being a then-25th anniversary of that particular series at the time and as a series/season that took place after Ultraman Z. The show did have a very enjoyable crossover with the latter series though. Anyway, I honestly liked the idea of the Dark Giant trio serving as the central villains for the show and the overall lore having a bigger emphasis on the narrative as a whole especially in comparison how this sort of story was utilized for Tiga: The Final Odyssey movie and I actually liked that film. In theory, these concepts for a pseudo-remake of Tiga are great, the execution, on the other hand, is basically hit or miss and the show itself feels like it really needed a higher episode count just to do the story and the characters justice. Also, I can really make do without the whole, “Smile, smile!” thing that crops up in almost every episode. At least Saki/Go-On Yellow from Go-Onger had an actual backstory that deals with why she often said this as her catchphrase in one of the episodes of that show.
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