[Salaryman Zero]

So, I just finished Ginga S, some stray thoughts:

Ginga S started out a little rough. I still think the Victorians are really dumb. I could’ve also really done without the uber-hammy villains, with their Egregious Engrish and goofy Power Rangers-esque henchmen. I get that this is Ultraman, but a little cheese goes a long way.

But then right around the Five King two-parter, the show really starts to pick up. Overall, Ginga S didn’t blow me away, but I still had fun, and it paved the way for the Ultraman renaissance we’re enjoying now. You can see how later shows like Geed and R/B build off the blueprint that Ginga began.

Also, Tears of Gan Q is a modern TV classic. I think this might be my favorite Ultraman episode out of the 40+ hours of Ultraman content I’ve binged this past week. Runner-up goes to the Cursed Town homage episode, with it’s hilarious Kaiketsu Zubat reference.

Side note: Ginga’s majestic battle music is literal fire. You know the song I mean.

Also, I finished all 39 episodes of the original Ultraman:

I haven’t seen this show since I was like eight, but I was really impressed by the overall production value of the show. I’m also watching the original Kamen Rider, and while KR feels like a student film made on a budget of about $3, Ultraman feels like a special-effects blockbuster in comparison.

Everything about it—the costumes and set design, the FX and miniatures, the characters, the 60s pulp plots—it’s all a lot more sophisticated than I had expected. It feels less like a generic tokusatsu superhero show, and more like a well-crafted science-fiction anthology.

There’s a lot of variety in the episodes too; B-movie plots (Monster Island!), Twilight Zone morality tales (Jamila!), invasion horror (Underground People!), with tones ranging from the humorous (Skydon!) to the tragic (Monster Graveyard!).

Onward with my New Generation/Showa Ultraman binge…next up, X and Seven…