In this week's episode #35 of "Gridman", our favorite incel Takeshi turns Yuka into a very rude punk girl. Through her blowdryer. Don't ask, just watch:
News Stay At Home With ULTRAMAN| Ultra Science Fiction Hour on YouTube
- Thread starter Kai "the spy"
- Start date
So, next week will see the launch of the new Ultraman Trigger series, and it really looks like it will also be released on YT. Before that, though, here's a preview special:
Hmm, is that what Ultraman is like today? I haven't seen anything more recent than Cosmos, nearly two decades ago. It seems a lot more like modern Super Sentai and Kamen Rider, though I guess it's no surprise that all the franchises have taken advantage of advancing technology to put voice chips and plug-in devices in their toys. Also it looks like it will have a continuing arc with those three Dark Giants as the villains (and I vaguely remember them from one of the Tiga movies) alongside more episodic monster-of-the-week plots, which is reminiscent of how Cosmos did things. But it also looks like a couple of characters will know the hero's secret identity from the start, which is unlike any Ultraman series I've seen so far (though I could be misconstruing).
The special really played up the similarities between Tiga and Trigger, but I'm surprised that there was no mention of Dyna, which was set in the same universe.
So I have finished Ultraman Geed, which I loved. I enjoyed Z but I think I like Geed better. The drama between Riku and his father was just too good. Laiha was excellent, I loved her rivalry with the Alien Sturrm villain. And I absolutely adore both Leito and Zero, so that really carried me through the series. And can I just say that Belial has excellent taste in human forms. Yowsa. Didn't see that one coming. I will say that I was disappointed we didn't get more of Magnificent form, as that was my favorite and it quickly got outclassed by Royal Megamaster. Still, I had a ton of fun with this series.
I also picked up the new Mega Monster Battle and Zero Collection Blu-rays. Finally getting to see Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends in high quality was worth the price of admission. I love Zero. I'm going to have to check out the series proper at some point, it looks interesting. An Ultra show without Ultras.
I have decided to try Orb for my next series, given the Juggler connection from Z. I'm 4 episodes in and I'm not sure about it so far. Gai is kind of pointless as a character so far, but the designs for his forms as Orb seem fairly impressive. I do like the SSP trio. I didn't at first, but they are growing on me. And Juggler is great. I'm actually surprised how malevolent he comes across here after seeing him as Hebikura in Z. I just hope Gai gets more to do as the series progresses. Is it worth it to check out Orb Origin as well?
Not sure where I'll go next. TokuSHOUTsu has both X and Ginga. And I have Mega Monster Battle waiting as well. I have no idea which shows are considered winners and which aren't, so I'm kind of just going along with whatever connects to what I've already seen. Z to Geed and Zero, Juggler to Orb etc. It's a very different experience from Sentai or Kamen Rider, where I've seen a ton already and have long heard which shows are must see and which might be worth passing on. I think this is how I'll be passing my summer for entertainment.
I also picked up the new Mega Monster Battle and Zero Collection Blu-rays. Finally getting to see Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends in high quality was worth the price of admission. I love Zero. I'm going to have to check out the series proper at some point, it looks interesting. An Ultra show without Ultras.
I have decided to try Orb for my next series, given the Juggler connection from Z. I'm 4 episodes in and I'm not sure about it so far. Gai is kind of pointless as a character so far, but the designs for his forms as Orb seem fairly impressive. I do like the SSP trio. I didn't at first, but they are growing on me. And Juggler is great. I'm actually surprised how malevolent he comes across here after seeing him as Hebikura in Z. I just hope Gai gets more to do as the series progresses. Is it worth it to check out Orb Origin as well?
Not sure where I'll go next. TokuSHOUTsu has both X and Ginga. And I have Mega Monster Battle waiting as well. I have no idea which shows are considered winners and which aren't, so I'm kind of just going along with whatever connects to what I've already seen. Z to Geed and Zero, Juggler to Orb etc. It's a very different experience from Sentai or Kamen Rider, where I've seen a ton already and have long heard which shows are must see and which might be worth passing on. I think this is how I'll be passing my summer for entertainment.
Episode #22 of "Ultraman Z" sees the former members of the disbanded STORAGE team trying to find a new life, when Space Pirate Alien Barossa returns seeking vengeance:
A missing jet fighter, and a woman with amnesia are just two mysteries in episode #5 of "Mirrorman":
There's a whale flying in the sky, in episode #16 of "Ultraman Cosmos":
Turns out I was wrong, this week's entry in the 55th Anniversary Campaign isn't the second part of that UltraSeven two-parter, but the first episode of "Ultraman Cosmos":
And back to the regular "Ultraman Cosmos" uploads, today we have episode #17, in which Team EYES are confronted with a foe from another dimension:
In this week's episode #36 of "Gridman", Yuka and her pregnant cousin are trapped in an elevator, and you know what happens on TV shows when pregnant people are stuck in an elevator:
I luckily happened to drop in on YouTube while Ultraman Trigger's premiere episode was livestreaming, so I saw it while it was still fresh out of the oven. It's okay, but the main character Kengo is a bit of a stock tokusatsu hero type -- "I just want to make people smile!" The action was a lot more fast-paced and garish than what I'm used to from the Ultra series I've seen, but pretty well-made. The Wiki reminded me that Koichi Sakamoto is the director.
So it looks like at least two people know from the start that Kengo is Trigger -- the Shizuma guy who founded GUTS-Select, and Kengo's mother. That's a new approach to me. But it has promise. One thing that bugs me about the Ultra series I've seen is that there's virtually no introspection on the hero's part, no examination of what it's like for them to be merged with an Ultra or how they think and feel about the experience, the responsibility, etc. They just go about their routine monster-fighting business until the time comes for them to transform, and then it's just a wordless fight until it's over. Hopefully having other characters in on the secret means there will actually be some examination of those things.
I like it that the worldbuilding is recognizably a continuation of the Tiga/Dyna universe, even following up on the Mars-colony angle and showing the colony thriving after 25 years. But I would've liked it if they'd brought back at least one character from the original to pass the torch -- like if Shizuma had been Iruma or Munakata instead, or if Kengo had had Daigo or Rena as a mentor. Hopefully there will be some guest appearances as the season progresses.
So will we get new episodes every Friday at 8:30 Eastern?
So it looks like at least two people know from the start that Kengo is Trigger -- the Shizuma guy who founded GUTS-Select, and Kengo's mother. That's a new approach to me. But it has promise. One thing that bugs me about the Ultra series I've seen is that there's virtually no introspection on the hero's part, no examination of what it's like for them to be merged with an Ultra or how they think and feel about the experience, the responsibility, etc. They just go about their routine monster-fighting business until the time comes for them to transform, and then it's just a wordless fight until it's over. Hopefully having other characters in on the secret means there will actually be some examination of those things.
I like it that the worldbuilding is recognizably a continuation of the Tiga/Dyna universe, even following up on the Mars-colony angle and showing the colony thriving after 25 years. But I would've liked it if they'd brought back at least one character from the original to pass the torch -- like if Shizuma had been Iruma or Munakata instead, or if Kengo had had Daigo or Rena as a mentor. Hopefully there will be some guest appearances as the season progresses.
So will we get new episodes every Friday at 8:30 Eastern?
Ok, so the first episode of Ultraman Trigger. Pretty good. The low angle camera during the fight with Golba was brilliant. Loved that.
But I find this a bit confusing. It's a remake of Tiga? But somehow also a sequel? What?
I imagine we'll explore some of that as we go, but this was an odd start. Still, I like Kengo, and it's hard to argue with the fight work so far. Looking forward to this one.
But I find this a bit confusing. It's a remake of Tiga? But somehow also a sequel? What?
I imagine we'll explore some of that as we go, but this was an odd start. Still, I like Kengo, and it's hard to argue with the fight work so far. Looking forward to this one.
For those who didn't catch the livestream, here is the premiere episode of "Ultraman Trigger":
I'm pretty sure it's a straight-up sequel. Its depiction of a colonized Mars feels like a continuation of Tiga and Dyna's depiction of the first steps in colonizing Mars, and Shizuma stated aloud that he recognized the kaiju Golba as a hybrid of Golza and Melba, the two kaiju featured in the premiere of Tiga. Two or three characters remarked that there were Giants of Light on Mars too, meaning they were aware that there had been Giants of Light on Earth.
I'd thought the three Giants of Darkness were the same ones from the movie Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey, but apparently their names and appearances are slightly different, so that seems like a remake/reboot element. But then, the canonicity of tokusatsu tie-in movies is often questionable at best. And even when different things are nominally in continuity, it's not uncommon to play fast and loose with the details.
I liked the first episode of Trigger pretty well, although the main character is a bit disappointing. He feels too much like the mediocre Rider/Sentai leads we've been getting in recent years, which isn't encouraging. But its not like I hated him or anything, and we're only one episode in. I've never seen Tiga (I'm probably going to wait for the Millcreek release to watch it), so I'm going into this show blind to any references to Tiga, although it does feel a bit more like a sequel then a remake to me, but I say that as someone who doesn't know much about Tiga.
Ultraman Tiga, ULTRAMAN DYNA and ULTRAMAN GAIA set for DVD release
https://www.scifijapan.com/ultraman...h-anniversary-release-of-ultraman-tiga-on-dvd
So the big talk is that all 3 series announced aren't getting blu-ray releases.
Apparently Tsuburaya just never gave Mill Creek Blu-ray quality masters for them. It seems Mill Creek staff wasn't even aware the TDG series had Blu-rays in Japan. Many future releases will likely be DVD only as well for the same reason.
I noticed in episode 1 of Ultraman Trigger that mansion on earth was used in episode 5 of "Kamen Rider Zero-One"
In Trigger they call in the "Shizuma Mansion" in "Zero-One" they call it the "Ishizuma production INC"
Zero-One
https://www.scifijapan.com/ultraman...h-anniversary-release-of-ultraman-tiga-on-dvd
So the big talk is that all 3 series announced aren't getting blu-ray releases.
Apparently Tsuburaya just never gave Mill Creek Blu-ray quality masters for them. It seems Mill Creek staff wasn't even aware the TDG series had Blu-rays in Japan. Many future releases will likely be DVD only as well for the same reason.
I noticed in episode 1 of Ultraman Trigger that mansion on earth was used in episode 5 of "Kamen Rider Zero-One"
In Trigger they call in the "Shizuma Mansion" in "Zero-One" they call it the "Ishizuma production INC"
Zero-One
Last edited:
From what I've been able to gather from talking to people who know way more about this than me, but probably not enough to be any kind of definitive on the subject, the Blu-ray releases were just upscales from the DVD source, and were actually quite poor. I've seen multiple reports from people claiming that they were maybe even poorer in quality than the DVD releases.
So maybe it's for the best in these cases.
Also, I think the exterior of Kengo's greenhouse on Mars was a real greenhouse location I've seen used in Sentai/KR, though digitally modified with a Martian cityscape.
In my limited Ultraman viewing, I've noticed a number of locations I recognize from Sentai/KR. I think Cosmos used the same interior for Treasure Base that Dekaranger used for their HQ, though I'm not certain.
Ultroid Zero goes in action in episode #23 of "Ultraman Z":
The Invaders target Mirrorman's human form Kyotaro in episode #6 of "Mirrorman":
Last edited: