Tag: Heisei

Ultraman Tiga Ep. 30: The Monster Zoo

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Masaki Harada. Written by Kazunori Saito. Airdate March 29, 1997.

Rena asked Daigo out at the height of the apocalyptic events of “The Devil’s Judgment.” This episode opens on the apparent outcome of that: the two are on a date at a rural zoo on a pleasant sunny day. A zoo seems the right weekend getaway for them. (Although the two of them making jokes that the cows resemble Horii is a touch rude.) Anyway, because this is Ultraman Tiga, Rena and Daigo’s date is interrupted when a giant monster bursts through the zoo grounds.

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Ultraman Tiga Ep. 29: Memory of a Pale Night

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Masaki Harada. Written by Keiichi Hasegawa. Airdate March 22, 1997.

Shinjoh is going on an important test flight, so Daigo is stuck taking Shinjoh’s sister Mayumi to see a show from current pop sensation, Maya Cruz. (It’s not a date, he insists, making sure Rena hears this.) Daigo admits that he doesn’t even know who this Maya Cruz is, which shocks Horii, a Cruz superfan. Of course Horii is a superfan of the big pop star of the moment. Horii’s basically twelve years old and we love him for that. 

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Ultraman Tiga Ep. 28: One Vanishing Moment

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed and Written by Kyota Kawasaki. Airdate March 15, 1997.

We start big. We start explosive. GUTS and TPC’s ground forces are waging a furious battle against giant monster Jobarieh. The action is pitched on a large scale, with the tanks and GUTS Wings in full assault mode. They manage to drive Jobarieh into a temporary stasis, which is good news, because they have another major operation that’s just about to go into action.

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Ultraman Tiga Ep. 27: I Saw Obiko!

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Kyota Kawasaki. Written by Ai Ota. Airdate March 8, 1997.

“I Saw Obiko!” starts like another horror outing for Ultraman Tiga, this time with a traditional Japanese folklore approach. The demon Obiko — an actual demon, not an alien pretending to be one — has been frightening people in the area of Hikono City for several months with his sudden appearances. When Obiko actually attacks a young man and leaves physical evidence behind (the man’s hair goes white), GUTS comes to investigate. They soon discover Obiko’s disguise as a noodle vendor who haunts the streets of the town at night.

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Ultraman Tiga Ep. 26: The Rainbow Monsterland

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Hirochika Muraishi. Written by Masakazu Migita. Airdate March 1, 1997.

When it comes to giant monster media, I am a forgiving soul. You don’t have to do much to make me happy. Most Ultra show episodes manage to reach the minimum for the entertainment I crave. An episode like “The Rainbow Monsterland,” which is unremarkable in almost every way, tempts me to give it a passing rating of “Average” because it meets the minimum. There are giant monsters — two of them, one a welcome returnee — and they fight. Ultraman Tiga shows up to challenge the winner, while the GUTS members have their own adventure on the ground. This is what I’m looking for in an episode of this show, so I should be happy.

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Ultraman Tiga Ep. 25: The Devil’s Judgment

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Hirochika Muraishi. Written by Chiaki J. Konaka. Airdate Feb. 22, 1997.

This sequel to “The Devil’s Prophecy” expands and improves on the original in every way. This is the episode Chiaki J. Konaka was destined to write: a religious-themed horror epic. We’ve had horror on Ultraman Tiga before, such as “The Fog Is Coming,” but this apocalyptic tale exists on a higher plane. It’s a powerful character study for Iruma, shows GUTS operating at their best as a team, delivers a hopeful message about human unity in the midst of terrifying times, peaks in a thrilling battle scene, and even nudges Rena and Daigo’s romantic relationship to the next stage. The best episode of Ultraman Tiga yet.

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Ultraman Tiga Ep. 24: Go! Monster Expedition Squad

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Yasushi Okada. Written by Yasushi Hirano. Airdate Feb. 15, 1997.

Children have appeared in several key roles in Ultraman Tiga so far, but this is the first episode to give kids the starring roles. In a return to the style of the Showa era — those wild days when mobs of unsupervised children roamed freely among the monster-haunted cities — we have a child gang at the center of the story. These monster-hunting kids don’t capture the anarchic spirit of the Golden Age child mobs, but they add touches of interest and humor to what’s otherwise a tame, routine monster-of-the-week affair. 

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Ultraman Tiga Ep. 21: Deban’s Turn

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Tsugumi Kitaura. Written by Ai Ota. Airdate Jan. 25, 1997.

Are you ready for a “cute mascot monster” episode? The same way that many Ultra shows seek their own version of Ultraman’s “My Home Is Earth,” they also try to come up with their own “Kanegon’s Cocoon” or “A Little Hero.” How well does “Deban’s Turn” meet the goals of the cute monster tale? Extremely well. Deban doesn’t reach the heights of Kanegon or Pigmon, or even Hanejiro from Ultraman Dyna. But this story of a monster who finds acceptance among a troupe of clowns and can defeat the rage powers of a demon beast is charming and heartwarming. 

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