What are you watching? Other Toku Series Edition

ShockerCon · 01-28-2013, 08:56 PM

Rescue Fire 23. That was a nice episode. Tatsuya's interpretation of an Extreme Fire emergency was awesome, and this episode did a much better job with the "real world emergency group focus episode" than Rescue Force. Plus, there's some epic firetruck-fu, and a new Insert Song! Next episode looks even better. I really hope this isn't as good as it gets. It would be a damned shame if Rescue Fire went on the same path as it's predecessor.

ShockerCon · 01-29-2013, 04:45 PM

Rescue Fire 24. Awww yeeeeah. This episode rocked. The ante is upped yet again when Ukaen receives more power from Donkaen, and Rescue Fire fails to put out the Extreme Fire for the first time! No new combinations to help them this time! I also love it when an episode starts out in the middle of a fight. And next episode features the return of UFDA Director Kamen Rider(yes, the actor of the original Kamen Rider plays a recurring character in Rescue Fire). God, I love this show.

ljacone · 01-29-2013, 09:32 PM

Ultraman Episode 22 -- Surface Destruction Maneuver. Fun episode with the Underground People and their monster Telesedon trying to conquer the surface world. The daikaiju effects are really strong, with the model Tokyo Telesedon destroys being superb. There's a great sequence of Captain Muramatsu and Arashi battling Telesedon win the VTOL while Hayata is trapped and thus Ultraman cannot help.

Only downsides were the unconvincing makeup for the Underground People (essentially adhesive bandages over their eyes -- a scary look but not pulled off effectively) and the subtitles being way out of sync with the dialogue on my Mill Creek DVD for this episode, meaning I had to watch the dub. The subtitles have been fine so far so hopefully this is an isolated incident.

ljacone · 01-29-2013, 10:12 PM

Ultraman Episode 23 -- My Home Is Earth. Talk about a 180 from the previous episode! This is the famous and very well-regarded episode with Jamila, the monster who was a human astronaut exposed to something mysterious in space and transformed into a monster. There's a lot of pathos for Jamila, and a lot of character development on display, especially for Ide, but also for Muramatsu and Fuji. Ide, generally the comic relief, feels very strongly about Jamila, and it gives the writers an opportunity to pontificate about science and sacrifice.

The scenes of Jamila writhing in his death throes at the feet of the Peace Conference compound are quite upsetting. The fact that this scene is followed up with his funeral and the dedication of a plaque in his honor hammer this home.

There's also some really bold use of white-out lighting, as a key scene takes place at night with big spotlights in place, and the camera repeatedly gets (purposelly) washed out in the bright lights. Very avant garde for a show of this era.

Really strong episode all around. Very heartfelt. And the subtitles were back in sync, too!

ljacone · 01-29-2013, 10:55 PM

Ultraman Episode 24 -- The Undersea Science Base. Fairly average episode. The monster Gubira is a gigantic narwhal, so the fight goes about as expected. There's some neat trick underwater photography, and we get to see the S25 submarine which is always nice. But the most noteworthy aspect of this ep is that we get to see Fuji in a wetsuit! Hubba hubba!

Last one for tonight, honest!

EDIT: Oh yeah, the subtitles were out of sync again. Strange.

ShockerCon · 01-30-2013, 04:09 PM

Rescue Fire 25. Really nice episode. As much as I liked R1 Max's debut, it looks like Fire-1X's is going to be even better(Fire-1X debuts in 26). I kinda wish this episode focused more on X-Dragon, since he's technically a whole new character and all, but whatever. Next episode looks to be a lot like Rescue Force's sub-finale episode. I just hope Jokaen isn't as horrible a character as Maen(though Donkaen is nothing more than a non-character, so hopefully there's nowhere to go but up, right?).

ShockerCon · 01-30-2013, 05:01 PM

Rescue Fire 26. Really great episode. Donkaen turning into a giant flaming western dragon is pretty ironic, considering Rescue Fire is almost solely themed after dragons(though they are mostly Asian dragons, except for Great Wyvern). I love the implied limitations of the X-Basher at the end. From the preview, Jokaen at least looks more serious than Maen. I just hope his personality isn't flat out dumb.

ljacone · 01-30-2013, 05:19 PM

@ShockerCon, I think every time one of us posts in this thread, everyone knows what we are going to talk about!

Digging hearing your thoughts on Rescue Fire!

ShockerCon · 01-30-2013, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljacone

@ShockerCon, I think every time one of us posts in this thread, everyone knows what we are going to talk about!

Well, we are the only users that have more than two posts in this thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljacone

Digging hearing your thoughts on Rescue Fire!

Thanks! Have you seen it? From what I've seen, it's quite good, though not a lot happens at first.

Anyway, Rescue Fire 27. And yup, Jokaen is awesome. While his personality is kinda like Maen, he's a much better character, because he's actually a threat. Plus his design is way better than a goth lolita robot(seriously, he's like Ankh spent a decade in the nuthouse, and I love it). It's really interesting how even though Tatsuya said he was just sleeping after he fainted in the last episode, he fainted again. I just know he's hiding about what happened to keep everyone else from panicking and taking away the X-Basher.

I think I'll stop for today. I've really been neglecting some other shows.

ShockerCon · 01-31-2013, 05:51 PM

Rescue Fire 28. A Yuuma episode. It was good enough. DozerDragon got to do the Final Rescue, so that's cool. Next episode looks great, cause Tsubasa.

01-28-2013, 08:56 PM	#11
ShockerCon Blader than Brave Join Date: May 2012 Location: Beyond the Sun Posts: 4,983	Rescue Fire 23. That was a nice episode. Tatsuya's interpretation of an Extreme Fire emergency was awesome, and this episode did a much better job with the "real world emergency group focus episode" than Rescue Force. Plus, there's some epic firetruck-fu, and a new Insert Song! Next episode looks even better. I really hope this isn't as good as it gets. It would be a damned shame if Rescue Fire went on the same path as it's predecessor. __________________ FC:2809-8995-3782

01-29-2013, 04:45 PM	#12
ShockerCon Blader than Brave Join Date: May 2012 Location: Beyond the Sun Posts: 4,983	Rescue Fire 24. Awww yeeeeah. This episode rocked. The ante is upped yet again when Ukaen receives more power from Donkaen, and Rescue Fire fails to put out the Extreme Fire for the first time! No new combinations to help them this time! I also love it when an episode starts out in the middle of a fight. And next episode features the return of UFDA Director Kamen Rider(yes, the actor of the original Kamen Rider plays a recurring character in Rescue Fire). God, I love this show. __________________ FC:2809-8995-3782

01-29-2013, 09:32 PM	#13
ljacone Uchu Kaiju Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South Carolina Posts: 1,669	Ultraman Episode 22 -- Surface Destruction Maneuver. Fun episode with the Underground People and their monster Telesedon trying to conquer the surface world. The daikaiju effects are really strong, with the model Tokyo Telesedon destroys being superb. There's a great sequence of Captain Muramatsu and Arashi battling Telesedon win the VTOL while Hayata is trapped and thus Ultraman cannot help. Only downsides were the unconvincing makeup for the Underground People (essentially adhesive bandages over their eyes -- a scary look but not pulled off effectively) and the subtitles being way out of sync with the dialogue on my Mill Creek DVD for this episode, meaning I had to watch the dub. The subtitles have been fine so far so hopefully this is an isolated incident. __________________ Check out my Japanese giant monster podcast --Earth Destruction Directive!

01-29-2013, 10:12 PM	#14
ljacone Uchu Kaiju Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South Carolina Posts: 1,669	Ultraman Episode 23 -- My Home Is Earth. Talk about a 180 from the previous episode! This is the famous and very well-regarded episode with Jamila, the monster who was a human astronaut exposed to something mysterious in space and transformed into a monster. There's a lot of pathos for Jamila, and a lot of character development on display, especially for Ide, but also for Muramatsu and Fuji. Ide, generally the comic relief, feels very strongly about Jamila, and it gives the writers an opportunity to pontificate about science and sacrifice. The scenes of Jamila writhing in his death throes at the feet of the Peace Conference compound are quite upsetting. The fact that this scene is followed up with his funeral and the dedication of a plaque in his honor hammer this home. There's also some really bold use of white-out lighting, as a key scene takes place at night with big spotlights in place, and the camera repeatedly gets (purposelly) washed out in the bright lights. Very avant garde for a show of this era. Really strong episode all around. Very heartfelt. And the subtitles were back in sync, too! __________________ Check out my Japanese giant monster podcast --Earth Destruction Directive!

01-29-2013, 10:55 PM	#15
ljacone Uchu Kaiju Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South Carolina Posts: 1,669	Ultraman Episode 24 -- The Undersea Science Base. Fairly average episode. The monster Gubira is a gigantic narwhal, so the fight goes about as expected. There's some neat trick underwater photography, and we get to see the S25 submarine which is always nice. But the most noteworthy aspect of this ep is that we get to see Fuji in a wetsuit! Hubba hubba! Last one for tonight, honest! EDIT: Oh yeah, the subtitles were out of sync again. Strange. __________________ Check out my Japanese giant monster podcast --Earth Destruction Directive! Last edited by ljacone; 01-29-2013 at 11:22 PM..