[TokuKnight89]

Quote:

Originally Posted by printer6

This is going to be a SUPER unpopular opinion, but I actually feel like Ultraseven is a chore to sit through. Love Ultraseven himself, and how violent his eye slugger attacks tend to be, but I feel like the series takes itself way too seriously. On top of that, everything is just another alien threat of some sort that it starts to feel like the same thing over and over again. A few episodes at a time can be great, but I'm talking trying to go all the way through from beginning to end. It becomes a slog.
I know, I know, it wasn't really made to be watched that way.

I second this opinion.

The series is as dry and long-winded as its characters!

The SSSP had charm, heart, and the fact that it was a select group of characters made it easy to like them.

The Ultra Guard has too many people, you aren't as invested in any of them, and they are too suspicious of anything and anyone. The drab aesthetic doesn't do it any favors and adds to its militaristic atmosphere, though this was likely due to the inspiration the show took from Cold War tensions of the time.

There are some good episode plots, like the one where Dan is concerned about everyone's determination to build newer and bigger weapons to combat any potential threat (again, Cold War tensions).

With so much going against it (depending on the episode), you start to focus on the battles, but it tends to take too long to reach that point and some battles are unsatisfying. I seem to remember a few instances where Dan transforms, but doesn't enlarge to giant size (though some New Gen Ultras could learn from this, and Z kinda did)!

There are some recent UltraSeven episode reviews on Ultraman Connection and they do look interesting. The Violent Cigarette episode with Alien Metron was noted for its themes which made the episode seem good save for a few missteps and unavoidable details.

The Alien and Kaiju designs are one of the redeeming qualities about the series. Dinosaur Tank is just a zany triumph, and it's so simple! Even Hot Wheels cars which riff on the same concept can't compete with the Dino!

I didn't quite understand this idea that the series shouldn't be viewed from start to finish in linear fashion.