Tag: Tokusatsu

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.

Continue reading “Ultraman Tiga Ep. 26: The Rainbow Monsterland” →

Ultraman Ep. 37: A Little Hero

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo. Airdate March 26, 1967.

Friendly monster Pigmon debuted in “The Monster Anarchy Zone,” Ultraman’s first classic episode. The kids who watched the show loved the little creature. It was natural for Pigmon to return, even though the monster died sacrificing itself in its first appearance. With the series’ best writing-directing team at the helm — Tetsuo Kinjo and Kazuho Mitsuta — Pigmon’s return engagement is one of the most emotionally charged episodes. It also sets up the show’s upcoming conclusion, which raises heavy questions about the whole premise of Ultraman.

Continue reading “Ultraman Ep. 37: A Little Hero” →

Ultraseven Ep. 32: The Strolling Planet

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Masahiro Yamada and Shozo Uehara. Airdate May 12, 1968.

A mysterious object is heading toward Earth. When Dan, Furuhashi, and Amagi investigate in the Ultra Hawk 1, they discover an asteroid one kilometer in diameter that’s sending out disruptive electromagnetic waves. An energy blast from the asteroid causes the Ultra Hawk to crash, trapping the three UG members on the surface of what they discover is a time bomb targeting Terran Defense Force HQ. Unfortunately, those electromagnetic waves prevent the trio from communicating with the rest of the Ultra Guard and make it impossible for Dan to change into Ultraseven — which might come in handy since there’s also a giant monster wandering around the deadly asteroid.

Continue reading “Ultraseven Ep. 32: The Strolling Planet” →

Ultraman Ginga Mid-Season Special: Monster Competition

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Yuichi Abe. Written by Akira Tanizaki. Released Sep. 7, 2013.

Ultraman Ginga was planned to start with a six-episode run, followed by a hiatus, and then five more episodes. After airing episode 6, the show wouldn’t return to its regular weekly schedule for three months. In between, Tsuburaya Pro released a 44-minute special to theaters, paired with an animated episode of Mega Monster Battle Ultra Rush to push the running time to feature length. This Ultraman Ginga Theater Special would later be shortened to a 25-minute episode, “Monster Competition,” to slot between episodes 6 and 7 for future broadcasts, streaming, and home video releases. I’m looking at the 25-minute version here, since the theatrical version is padded with recaps and previews of future episodes.

Continue reading “Ultraman Ginga Mid-Season Special: Monster Competition” →

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.

Continue reading “Ultraman Tiga Ep. 25: The Devil’s Judgment” →

Ultraman Ep. 36: Don’t Shoot, Arashi!

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Masahiro Yamada. Airdate March 19, 1967.

Science Patrol Member Daisuke Arashi is one of the character templates of the Ultra Series: the action-oriented, shoot-first defense team member who’s always ready to rumble with the monster of the week, whether it’s a smart move or not. This archetype has shown up many times since. The action-guy In Ultraseven, Furuhashi, is even played by the same actor who plays Arashi, Sandayu Dokumamushi. Defense teams need a person like this to balance the more peaceful and utopian approach the shows often take. There has to be someone around to say, “Let’s just shoot the damn thing!” even if that tactic rarely works. And poor Arashi has so often been wrong about shooting first.

Continue reading “Ultraman Ep. 36: Don’t Shoot, Arashi!” →

Ultraseven Ep. 31: Flower Where the Devil Dwells

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Toshitsugu Suzuki. Written by Shozo Uehara. Airdate May 5, 1968.

Ultraseven takes another big swing at exploring new science fiction territory. Drawing inspiration from the 1966 film Fantastic Voyage, our hero Ultraseven reverses his usual tactics and shrinks to face a microscopic but deadly enemy within the strange battlefield of the human body. 

Continue reading “Ultraseven Ep. 31: Flower Where the Devil Dwells” →

Ultraman Ginga Ep. 5 & 6: The Hater of Dreams / The Battle for Dreams

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Kengo Kanji. Written by Masanao Akahoshi. Airdate August 7 & 14, 2013.

We’re at the halfway point of Ultraman Ginga — the ideal time for an epic two-parter that will rewrite the status quo. Except “epic” isn’t something really within the reach of Ginga’s budget.

Continue reading “Ultraman Ginga Ep. 5 & 6: The Hater of Dreams / The Battle for Dreams” →

Ultraman Ep. 35: The Monster Graveyard

~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Akio Jissoji. Written by Mamoru Sasaki. Airdate March 12, 1967.

As soon as large numbers of children started to watch Ultra Q — a development TBS and Tsuburaya Productions didn’t predict — this episode was inevitable. Kids love monsters, and when Ultra Q changed into Ultraman, the kids got even more monsters. But as the youngsters rooted for Ultraman to defeat the monsters of the week, they also started to feel affection for those monsters. The show developed along with its young viewers, showing empathy toward these strange creatures in episodes like “Terrifying Cosmic Rays” and “Phantom of the Snow Mountains.” At last came “The Monster Graveyard,” a heartfelt and humorous memorial for all the innocent beasts who gave their lives in battle with Ultraman so children could be entertained. 

Continue reading “Ultraman Ep. 35: The Monster Graveyard” →