[Fish Sandwich]

This topic kinda reminds me of that thread about whether you prefer Kamen Riders starting the show with their powers or not, and just like with that, my answer to if I like a particular Ultra formula more than another is "I like good stories."

Like, straight up, I can't have a preference, because all the different options have worked great in their own shows.

On one extreme, you've got something like Nexus, where the Ultraman is more of a thematic concept than a character, and the human hosts are clearly in control... and Nexus uses all that brilliantly, because it's Nexus.

Then you've got really good middle-ground options like the buddy cop approach in X or Z, which was tons of fun in both those shows, because both of those shows are tons of fun.

And then on the other extreme, you've got the Seven formula where the show is just fully about a strange alien who comes to Earth and helps out, and that gets you stuff like Mebius, an incredibly touching story about a young protector from another world who gains a profound appreciation for humanity as he works and grows alongside his new comrades.

I just can't pick! There's too many good Ultra shows!