What a two-parter. I'm faintly tempted to complain about Band- Uh, Ultraman Hikari showing up to just sort of hand Zero new merchan- er, equipment, but mostly I couldn't care less? There's too much excellent pathos and cool action here for it to truly be a problem. I'm totally head over heels for Geed at this point, and if it keeps being this awesome that's highly unlikely to change.

Something I find really perplexing about Geed so far has been how un-Sakamoto the direction feels. Like whenever Koichi Sakamoto is the director, it's always super obvious that it is him since there's just this list of things that he always does in his actions scenes such as:

• use of green screen/CGI

• Huge Explosions

• Unmorphed fight scenes

• Shaky Cam

• Leg fetish

Here though, the action feels a lot more restraint, as if someone higher up told him to knock it off with a lot of these things. I can't be the only one that's noticing this right?

Same. Ultraman shows, in general, have been amazing for me since X, they are these small packages of pure joy that I always look forward to every year now.

This particular episode was great, even though I have to agree Ultraman Hikari showing up out of nowhere to hand Zero the new toys was pretty bad. Like, Hikari can just come to Earth now? Who else guesses this will never be explained or build upon in the future?

Can't lie though, the new transformation sequence with all the new-age Ultraman heroes was amazing. A bit long but still great.

Don't know if I really like Zero's new form though, I mean it looks great and the fight-scenes were cool, but I think this should've been a form that we see towards the end of the series just because I don't feel like this should be surpassed by what's to come. Only Geed's final form should be stronger, yet Geed hasn't even achieved his super form yet and Belial isn't even directly involved, but we know from toy scans that he will get a new form as well.

That's the only thing which I don't dig too much though, the whole package is still amazing: Characters, story, action, effects, miniatures... Ultraman continues to deliver greatness.

i miss the old days of ultraman where bandai didnt need to throw toys at everything and just buy the henshin device and have fun watching ultaman with it. it feels like it's repititive thing rather than just enjoying it.

it's the main reason why i stopped buying toys.

Well, in fairness it has been going on for awhile, but the focus has shifted in terms of what toys Bandai is trying to sell. If you watch some of the Ultra shows from the 90s and 00s, you'll notice that they spend a lot of time highlighting the vehicles for the defense squads. Gaia, in particular, was full of dozens of capsule vehicles and Nexus had its combining vehicles. All of those had toys, which is why they were featured so heavily. There's also long been a huge focus on releasing figures of the different kaiju. It's only since Ginga that the merchandising has switched to a more Kamen Rider-y focus on transformation devices with collectible components.

September Scans:
Geed Magnificent (Father of Ultra+Zero)
https://scontent.fcmh1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...bb&oe=5A25C0ED
https://scontent.fcmh1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...2a&oe=5A1F2189
https://scontent.fcmh1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...f1&oe=5A2C1C13
https://scontent.fcmh1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...be&oe=5A2D542A
https://scontent.fcmh1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...e2&oe=5A150EEB
https://scontent.fcmh1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...5c&oe=5A1CAE5A
https://scontent.fcmh1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...3e&oe=5A249C15
https://scontent.fcmh1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...a5&oe=5A16AD1D
Fusion Fight exclusive form: Brave Challenger (Orb Specium Zepellion+Mebius)
https://68.media.tumblr.com/d5427b92...aubio1_500.jpg

I don't know how I feel about Geed Magnificent at the moment. Everything about it looks... odd. Not good odd or bad odd just... odd. I like Brave Challenger though.

I like Geed Magnificent. I think Ultras with horns are cool and Fusion forms involving them tend to be among my favorites now. I think Geed with horns looks great, plus the armor with the shoulder pads looks pretty sick.

I look forward to seeing this one in action!

I greatly prefer Crest Weapons to actual horns. Granted, the only two Ultra's I can think of with horns, Taro and Father, have designs that I'm fine with so my mixed feelings towards the form probably have more to do with the suit itself. My favorite suits tend to be ones like Primitive or Acro Smasher rather then ones like Solid Burning so this one feels a bit... loud for my tastes.

Magnificent looks pretty good. I like that his horns are Zero's Sluggers.

Ooo, King Joe + Zetton.