Some general overall thoughts

Here is more Ultraman stuff that almost no one cares about, but Ultraman is fun and that’s ok. It seems I wandered into some of the most unhinged ones. Regardless, this is just a fun one in general too. Yeah, the franchise is a lot of fun even if I’ve slown down a bit. Trigger has improved for me too since it’s lackluster feeling first two episodes.

Ultraman Taro

This is the fifth Ultraman series and it’s pretty different. Like ZAT wearing mostly blue retro space outfits instead of orange like every super police kind of group wore when fighting kaiju. The main protagonist named Kotaro Higashi returned to Japan from wherever and wanted to become a boxer. Too bad he joined ZAT and then was killed in a plane crash so he was revived as Ultraman Taro. It’s a bit more goofy then the others and it kind of rocks.

You can watch Ultraman Taro on youtube here or tubi here.

Episode 38

I’m kind of amazed by how the silly idea of a person seeing a wish through a flame can become an emotional piece of art again. But this episode started with ZAT and then the people Kotaro is living with looking through a flame to see their wishes. Then it turns into a girl named Hitomi who lost her family and was given a gem to see the alien, named miracle, that comforted her, before he left. Which of course turns into a big thing when the terrorist alien killed him and is attacking Earth. There is just so much drama of Hitomi learning to grow because people want her to be alive and helping Taro win the day. It’s excellent stuff.

Episode 39

This episode was pure fun. I mean, it is about characters making Mochi and having fun then a kaiju comes in and steals all of it that Kotaro and friends are making together. Then rice itself from plants and so many other things. This is a Kaiju that comes from the moon which involves seeing Yuko again which she works alongside Taro and Ultra Father to saving the world of mochi. Yeah, it’s such a good, goofy time.

Episode 40

Yeah, this episode was mainly a recap episode of the other Ultramen losing a battle against the alien Tyrant as it heads to Earth while Kotaro teaches a kid to ride a bike. That’s about it and it’s definitely a lesser episode and a budget saving one until getting to the next episode.

Episode 41

This episode was so cute and creative. I mean, the story was about a young boy trying to get his sick mother to feel better through his drawings on a wall. Of course, a monster from a different universe is in that wall and comes alive thanks to an angry old lady. Though the evolution of the wall from drawing the kaiju to drawing sakura trees in bloom to, in a desperate situation, drawing Ultraman Taro and seeing Kotaro look like he came from the drawing was great. This episode was amazing.

Episode 42

This episode was pure insanity in the best way while also having such a strong emotional core. I mean, this episode is about a family missing its wife/mother right? But it’s also an episode where a guy’s wife turned into a robot that was killed in a car accident attack all cars and then summon a parrot kaiju from its grave to attack all the cars in Japan. It was crazy, emotional, and just a lot of fun too.

Ultraman Arc

This is the brand new Ultraman series that just came out. One where there is a history of Kaiju in which there is the infamous K-Day that happened 16 years ago in the show’s history. This series starts with the introduction of Yuma three months after he became an Ultraman (Ultraman Arc) and three months after he became the kaiju expert for the SKIP organization. It really is a good time too.

You can watch Ultraman Arc for free here: LINK

Episode 5

The power of dreams is still real for adults as they can still grow and nerd out over their interests. But yes, this was a great investigation episode of Dr. Makino and Captain Hiroshi, work together of uncovering the mystery of a kaiju living in a lake due to the salt water in it. A lot of cool detective work and research with Arc fighting the kaiju under the water and being very creative with his abilities. It’s just a solid episode in general.

Episode 6

I love that Arc is doing episodic stuff to expand it’s small cast in skip. Especially since this is a much less ambitious Ultraman series then Blazar and Decker and it’s just taking it’s time. This episode featuring SKIP seeing their first alien and Shu showing off his high level investigation skills. It all takes place at an Inn, the Akebono Inn, where Shu discovers an alien who is stuck there and trying to return home. Then there are the kaiju Shagongs causing an economic down turn and provide a lot of tension. This episode was great for Shu because Yuma is opening his heart up to not just his singular point of view. It’s a good time.

Episode 7

This episode was really soul crushing in some really huge ways. There was a kaiju coming from the ground and was about to explode to destroy the city. This was the episode that really put Yuma’s morality about Kaiju in perspective as they aren’t just being to be killed by beings that have their own sense of purpose. A spirit told her to reconsider as the kaiju was about to explode to create its child. That’s why the kaiju, Homger, was gathering energy. So this was where the moon armor was revealed and protected the city and allowed the kaiju to live its purpose. It’s a very good episode that would make me full in love with Ultraman if I wasn’t already loving it.

Episode 8

This one was a lot more fun. Like pure fun while also being in tune with the current V-Tuber culture in Japan. A Kanegon was used as a v-tuber alongside a new app to use for money transfer across the city. Of course the city goes into a depression because Kanegon collects all the money and never puts it back into the cities economy. Every member of this episode felt like they were high on something and then there was the very Looney’s final match that was just hilarious in the best way. I loved this one so much.

Ultraman Trigger: New Generational Tiga

It’s the future and humanity has expanded to mars. The episode introduces the Martian plant loving botanist Kengo and his mom who work for the same company. This man also gets visions from some mysterious forces beyond him until one day in the martian mines he merges with Ultraman Trigger. He also gets selected by the elite earth defense force Guts-select.

Watch these for free here: Link

Episode 3

This was a fine episode, but I think this one is trying way too hard and throwing in too many plots. There is some character chemistry between the GUTS Select members with some over acting here and there, but I think the episode should have been Trigger fighting a kaiju and then not much else. Now there is a third giant of darkness that made his debut against Trigger, there is a plot regarding an Eternity Core, and there is a reincarnated princess in the crew. All clearly legible and understandable, but it’s still trying way too hard.

Episode 4

I wish other Ultraman shows had the production values this one. I say that because Trigger so far is ambitious and trying a lot of things, but it’s rushing a lot of things. This episode was the best one so far because it slowed down a bit and even then it cut through a lot of things. I mean, they didn’t even show the GUTS crew doing any excavating the object they found. Though having it stolen by the hilarious Ignis was pretty great and showed how GUTS SELECT works as a unit. Plus, the chase and kaiju fight with shark kaiju Oga-Gubila was pretty interesting though it does show how weak Trigger feels for all the things he has to fight. I suppose that is just Kengo growing up. Yeah, just a lot of thoughts on this episode in general.

Episode 5

Best episode of Trigger so far. Mainly because it focused on one character, Akito. Yeah, this was Akito facing down the Kaiju that killed his father and going from a person who goes after it with absolute rage to letting Kengo take it on instead as he saves Yuna from an evil Ultraman. Very simple, but effective episode.

Episode 6

This episode was overwhelmed with too many things like usual, but this episode handled them in a much better way. The episode started with Trigger losing against a kaiju that is impossibly strong and operates for an hour after recharging for 23 hours. This episode had Guts Select and Ichina worked together to break down its shield and then Trigger fought against the dark giant that summoned it, Hudram while Guts Select took on the kaiju. In general, it’s a good episode that was directed well and everything else. Kind of love all of it.

Episode 7

This was the start of a combination arc between Z and Trigger and so far, it’s the best stuff that Trigger has been involved in. The story of Z going through another dimension following Barossa who stole King Joe Custom on the Sevenger. It was a good time seeing Haruka interact with Kengo who have the same personality and Ignis and Barossa interacting and exchanging treasures they’ve gotten before the match. Yeah, was just a good time. I miss the rest of the Storage cast, but this was still a lot of fun.