[Mesnick]

I finished watching Ultraman 80. It felt like I was watching several shows with the same actors. Personally, I saw three clearly distinct parts:
"Ultraman the Teacher" (episodes 1-13). A show with its own personality, rules, and approach. I agree that there should have been episodes outside of school, like episode 11, because I didn't remember any of the UGM characters during that time. However, the subsequent radical rejection of everything school-related doesn't please me at all;
"Standard Ultraman" (episodes 13-30). Stories that could easily have happened in the original Ultraman. I remembered the UGM squad, but I didn't exactly love them. They are sorely lacking in charisma compared to the SSSP. The show, by the way, also understands this, so it tries to salvage the situation with the vibrant characters of Sera and Yuri. It's not working.
"Finding the Golden Mean" (episodes 31-50). Whether the return to formula didn't help, or whether there was simply a shortage of episode scripts, the plots are clearly reworked from the show's original version. Almost everything revolves around children, and the kaiju are, to one degree or another, caused by humans (even if various fantastical reasons are invented for this each time). The characters now carefully portray comedy, even Itou, who was previously a serious and even tragic character. The plots are very naive and always have a moral.
On the other hand, the connection to the franchise is carefully emphasized.
The Red King, Alien Baltan, Ultra Father, and Ultraseven appear.
The episode with Jouno's death stands out from the rest of the cast with its dramatic tone. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it's great that it gave the characters a chance to step away from the clown act. On the other, I would have preferred a simple relocation. And the replacement seems forced, considering that before it, we were shown a bunch of cadets vying for a spot in UGM. And it came too late, and I couldn't get attached to the replacement. Even Ultrawoman Yulian didn't help.
But despite my criticisms, I still liked Ultraman 80.While the shifts in tone and direction may have hindered the overall story, the individual episodes' plots were engaging and captivating. The practical effects and miniatures are also incredibly high-quality. The ending, while rushed, forced, and reliant on yet another character shift, still offers a fulfilling and touching farewell. Showa hasn't always nailed it. So, I enjoyed it and would happily rewatch a few episodes. I think I even enjoyed it so much that I'll stick with the Ultra franchise for a while longer.

P.S. And Eighty is incredibly bouncy!

[Sunred]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

I finished watching Ultraman 80.

The tribute episode for this show in Mebius is a must-watch episode for those who have at least dabbled up to the school teacher episodes. I occasionally tear up upon rewatch, especially the final few minutes of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

P.S. And Eighty is incredibly bouncy!

Funny you say that, because there is a specific sofubi of him rolled up for his Dynamite Ball technique. Search Ultraman 80 sofubi Dynamite Ball, I kid you not, it's real.
It probably doesn't bounce being a hollow vinyl toy husk with virtually zero elasticity, but I'd get it if I could should I go on a trip to Japan in the future.