[FreshToku]

This was another spectacular episode in terms of action and effects and all-around hype moments, and I'm just gonna leave it to others to point out the most amazing shots if they wish. I hope the Belialrok never stops giving Z trouble by just deciding it doesn't want to fight at the most inopportune moments.

...That said, there's been something about this show that I've kinda been feeling for quite a while. I've been holding off saying it because I didn't want to be a downer on what are otherwise really fun episodes, but I feel like if I save it for the end of the show, then it's gonna be even more of a downer.

I talked about how last week's moment with Haruki's father was a really beautifully done scene, and probably one of my favourite moments in all of Ultraman. What I opted not to mention was that scene is literally the one and only time so far in this whole show where I've felt any actual pathos from Z.

Coming off every other New Gen Ultra, Z is the first time where I've really not formed any care or emotional connection whatsoever to the cast and story. Sure, I liked Haruki's crisis over Red King, but I'm fairly confident that it'll remain an isolated arc in the grand scheme of things, and I wouldn't consider it to be the 'point' of the whole show.

I mean, this episode is the first time our main character comes across our supposed antagonist Celebro, and it's a pretty-nothing encounter. Also, the big linchpin to getting the (what I assume is) final power-up in the show is an item reminiscent of Belial, who Haruki and Z have zero connection to.

I dunno if it's just me, but while Z has been plenty fun and exciting to watch, it's also been just a really mindless action show and little else. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just been surprising and maybe a bit of a let-down after the last almost decade's worth of stories and characters I really connected to.