Inheritance of Light (光を継ぐもの) – An intriguing debut with a simplistic, but compelling structure. The episode opens with the announcement that mankind has reached a state of near-total peace and unity in the far-flung early 21st century, certainly reminiscent of the perfect world (wishfully) envisioned by Tsuburaya and Co. in the first two series. TPC (The Peace on Earth Coalition) is firmly established as being headquartered in Japan, with their GUTS (Global Unlimited Task Squad) organization apparently serving the entire world (Or at least parts of Asia) as shown by them encountering Golza in Mongolia. Characterization amongst the GUTS crew is pretty miniscule, with only Daigo getting much at all to do, and even that is mostly just him being lured. The GUTS team and head scientist initially brushing off the synthetic meteorite with the cryptic message warning of impending doom as a hoax is a bit silly considering they had just encountered Golza earlier (Implied to be the very first monster appearance of this sort). It’s made all the more pointless when they determine it is in fact real after running radiometric dating the very next scene. Regardless, a solid opener. 4/5
Stone of Legends (石の神話) – Picking up from last time with GUTS retrofitting their vehicles to combat this new wave of monsters while also studying Tiga. As suggested in the previous episode, Daigo’s new role as Tiga is indeed inherited, with the mysterious artificial intelligence hologram claiming he has the essence of the ancient giant embedded in his blood. This may seem at odds with the previous shows’ emphasis that any good, strong-willed individual can become Ultraman, but Daigo certainly doesn’t take this set-in-stone revelation too well. That said, he comes to terms with it pretty fast, immediately asking for his transformation device back right after throwing it on the ground. There are once again two monsters, both individuals of the same species rudely awakened from their natural underground environment by miners. They’re not unsympathetic, but the angle is only briefly touched upon. Some interesting threads that are dropped too fast or glossed over, but still a decent episode all things considered. 3.5/5
The Devil’s Prophecy (悪魔の預言) – The first episode written by (the now rather controversial) Chiaki Konaka, and one that puts focus on Captain Iruma. Iruma’s difficulties in dealing with her TPC higher-ups is at full display, with them criticizing her for publicly recognizing Ultraman Tiga as mankind’s ally on television (“Woman’s intuition”), fearing it could harm potential relations with other races/nations. And indeed, a certain race doesn’t seem to take kindly to it, first possessing the TV show host and later arriving in Iruma’s office, each time threatening to destroy an area of the city if Iruma (and by extent all of mankind) doesn’t backtrack said comments. With the short-time at hand, in addition to the threats from her higher-ups, Iruma winds up taking the mission into her own hands to find the culprit. A very solid character piece for Iruma, showcasing the struggles she likely faces constantly, almost certainly for one simple reason. The mysterious invader’s exact plot is perhaps a bit too simplistic and certainly petty (Other than just being offended they weren’t recognized as man’s friend), and the twist of the visitor having died three years ago is rather pointless, especially with the talk show host being possessed first (Did they dig up his perfectly preserved corpse?). 3.5/5
Sa-yo-na-ra Earth (サ・ヨ・ナ・ラ地球) – An overall solid episode that will certainly remind some of Ultraman’s My Home is Earth, or for more seasoned sci-fi fans, Nigel Kneale’s The Quatermass Experiment, with the thought-lost shuttle Jupiter 3 returning in a very unorthodox fashion. GUTS member Shinjo gets some development, being disgusted at the SDD’s treatment of the thought-lost crew of Jupiter 3, viewing them as mere disposable tools in a great experiment. He can certainly be considered the “Ide” of the episode if we’re making My Home is Earth comparisons, though he cites a loss of family members in similar scientific accidents as the reason for his anger. The ending is certainly more on the optimistic side than My Home is Earth and feels very reminiscent of Quatermass, proving the good in humanity will always prevail. 3.5/5
The Day the Monster Came Out (怪獣が出てきた日) – Another solid episode putting decent focus on Munakata and his field actions. The plot deals with an event only occasionally explored within the franchise – the disposing of a monster’s corpse (Though GUTS had no involvement, as it merely washed ashore dead). In addition to Munakata manning the operation, Rena gets some spotlight in her attempts to lift the body…which winds up being undead! The monster is certainly of the franchise’s ickiest, and in the all the best ways. GUTS’ rough relationship with the media is highlighted – while the media’s desire to pick at a governmental organization may initially seem rootable, it should be noted GUTS is considered the “replacement” of sorts for TPC’s Earth Defense Force, a fully weaponized military organization. Indeed, it seems not only TPC’s higher-ups, but also the general public remain bloodthirsty even in times of peace. Of course, their failures to destroy the monsters, always letting Tiga finish the job, earn them some justifiable criticism. 4/5
Second Contact (セカンド・コンタクト) – A Horii-centered episode and the debut of the one the show’s more popular monsters, Gazort. There’s some emotional stake at play for Horii, with a mentor of his being consumed by a mysterious cloudy force. Said force apparently contained previously-undiscovered lifeforms known as “Critters” that we’ve apparently disrupted with all of the electromagnetic waves we’ve emitted. Many great, and now borderline iconic, moments, particularly those between Horii and the newly-formed monster’s communicating make this yet another fine episode. 4/5
The Man Who Came Down to Earth (地球に降りてきた男) – No David Bowie sadly, but still a great Rena-focused episode. Rena’s rocky relationship with her father (Played by Kamen Rider Stronger himself, Shigeru Araki), a crewman aboard a TPC Space Station is revealed. Albeit “rocky” is a bit of a stretch given he left her when she was just a little girl in the line of duty. Despite his poor parenting, Commander Nanase proves to be an admirable man, seriously hesitating at firing an object approaching his station, in a super tense scene. And unfortunately, there was life aboard. The Regulan alien, apart from being one of the more memorable creatures in the show, is a great villain, and not entirely unsympathetic, albeit his precise nature is dubious. A flashback sequence shows a young Rena asking her father for lipstick on her birthday, a promise he never delivers upon thanks to work calling. One could interpret this pivotal moment as the “maturing” point in Rena’s life, asking for “girly” items while with her father, and then becoming a “tomboy”, joining the dangerous GUTS, to stick it to him. 4/5
On Halloween Night (ハロウィンの夜に) – A lighthearted, perhaps even a bit lightweight, but still enjoyable little affair. Whereas the previous stories have all been pretty straight sci-fi, this one takes a sharp fantasy approach, with an evil witch harboring the dreams of children for power. Rena is ditzier than usual; the space witch brings Daigo’s masked costume to life in order to trick Rena into thinking it’s actually him (Whereas the real Daigo is being held prisoner). And despite the mask never once coming off, nor does the imposter even speak, Rena falls for the trick hook, line and sinker. This certainly feels like a step-down for her character, who has been depicted as very competent in past episodes. But given how light of an episode this is, one shouldn’t take it too seriously. 3/5
The Girl Who Waits for a Monster (怪獣を待つ少女) – An intriguing enough, if somewhat undercooked episode with a definite fairy tale vibe. GUTS digging up a capsule underground feels rather reminiscent of The Demons Rise Again, though rather than outright containing a monster, it instead serves as a beacon to lure one to Earth. The exact nature of the mysterious girl and the monster is not revealed, which is fine, albeit the sequence with Yazumi finding photos of her with a reverse-search is a bit contrived. Much more effective is Daigo’s childhood memories of seeing her waiting. Shinjo’s younger sister Mayumi, a TPC nurse is introduced. While she doesn’t do much, it was clever to introduce her here given she plays a larger role in the next episode. 3/5
The Closed Amusement Park (閉ざされた遊園地) – The Simpson Movie of Ultraman episodes, with a monster entrapping an amusement park within a dome. Said monster particularly targets children (Hence the amusement park setting), making this episode feel a bit redundant coming shortly after On Halloween Night. The main focus of the episode is Shinjo befriending a boy unable to stand up for himself and his little sister. Much of it involves the lesson of needing to defend your young sister, with Mayumi also present at the park. It’s not a bad message overall, albeit the emphasis on it being sisters and not merely those younger is a bit questionable, perhaps giving it a bit of an Ultraman Leo-esque masochistic vibe. The infamous 4Kids airing of the show actually turned this episode into a 12-minute “segment”, which is honestly preferable – there’s nothing inherently bad about this episode, but there isn’t much substance to really fill in 24-minutes. 3/5
Requiem to the Darkness (闇へのレクイエム) – A Horii-focused episode with him meeting an old friend, TPC scientist Ryosuke. While the two are still friends, Ryosuke is undeniably a little salty at Horii being accepted into GUTS but not him. Ryosuke always strived to be number one, first during his childhood and then in a tough, dog-eat-dog society like TPC. Standing between them is Sayaka, the woman both love. The extent he’s willing to go is predictable, but disturbing nonetheless. Another episode with similarities to My Home is Earth, and perhaps even a bit of Spectreman’s Tragic Genius Monster Noman. 3.5/5
S.O.S from the Deep Sea (深海からのSOS) – An episode dealing with nuclear testing, namely its impact on the sealife. Though nuclear testing is said to have been outlawed a decade prior in this society, the after-effects are still felt, particularly within the sea, and will remain that way for centuries to come. TPC Inspector General Sawai expresses genuine remorse for the mutated lifeform Leilons, citing nuclear weaponry as a sin of our past we must acknowledge and never repeat again. It’s a small, but quite effective scene. Leilons is obviously sympathetic, being a creature mutated from the horrors of nuclear weaponry, though still acts like a childish during its fight with Tiga, in one the show’s sillier battles. There’s certainly a hint of romance between Rena and Daigo, with her first being upset at him thinking her dolphin “boyfriend” is in fact a real man, and later her having no problem touting around in a swimsuit in front of him. 4/5
Human Collecting (人間採集) – A very “boy’s mystery” story co-written by noted shlockmeister Minoru Kawasaki. The episode once more involves Shinjo and a boy, in this case his cousin, which again feels a bit redundant coming so soon after The Closed Amusement Park. Said young cousin uncovers a plot by crow-like aliens shrinking people, in a clear homage to Dada. Rather than needing humans to revitalize their race however, the Raybeak need more slave labor, having driven their homosapien slaves to near-extinction. A very simple, but quite enjoyable episode. The climax has Tiga fighting human-sized, which is a nice change of pace, though it drags on after a while. 3.5/5
The Released Target (放たれた標的) – Essentially a loveletter to Predator (Though not quite as good as Zeiram in that regard), with an alien using Earth as a playground to hunt prey. Said prey are in fact two young attractive humanoids, the female being taken in by GUTS. The episode seems to think that by making her humanoid and an attractive female to boot, viewers will sympathize more, but it almost would have been more unique had they not been human-like. Regardless, a pretty enjoyable episode with a rather shocking climax. 3.5/5
The Phantom Dash (幻の疾走) – The return of Gazort in a Mayumi-centered episode. Mayumi’s motorcycle racing fiancé (Briefly mentioned back in The Closed Amusement Park) returns to Japan, only for a rather unfortunate encounter with Critters to occur. Gazort is once more created by a series of microwaves, these being transmitted from space for solar energy transference. The episode certainly doesn’t demonize its usage (The narrator claiming it will greatly benefit humanity), but at the same time, it implies NO energy usage will ever be 100% safe. Shinjo struggles to let Mayumi go, essentially needing to “pass” her on to her fiancé. But while he’s undeniably sad, he proves to be an excellent brother, defying orders to go check on his lost flight. Takuma is played by real-life racer Takuma Aoki (which is odd given the show is set in the 2010s), who would be permanently paralyzed from the waist-down in a 1998 accident. 4/5
Resurrected Friend (よみがえる鬼神) – An incredibly fun episode from start-to-finish. The plot is pretty basic, with a group of crooks stealing a talisman from a shrine, unleashing an oni-esque monster. Said shrine honors legendary samurai Kagetatsu Nishikida, who was said to have defended the land from monsters in the distant past. Kagetatsu’s spirit emerges, and possesses a thug, resulting in him and Daigo meeting. The comparison between Kagetatsu and Tiga is beyond apparent, and while he is a character created entirely for this show, their meeting almost feels like fanservice. The muted, grayscale colors during the fight give it a unique look. Kagetatsu Nishikida would prove to have a life outside of Tiga, with the legendary samurai also being mentioned as a monster-stopper in an episode of Ultraman Cosmos. 4/5
Red and Blue’s Battle (赤と青の戦い) – A silly yet endearing episode, with an alien kidnapping athletes and other fit men to be used as soldiers in a war on his home planet. The aliens are said to be segregated with a race that functions only in the daylight and another that’s nocturnal. The nocturnal race are apparently the aggressors (And is the one kidnapping fit people), but how certain are we of that? A (supposedly) good daytime alien befriends a recently-widowed (and possibly senile) old lady, and their relationship is very cute. The GUTS team posing as brawling thugs in order to lure the kidnapping alien is probably the episode’s highlight, but it’s a fun time all around. 3.5/5
Golza Strikes Back (ゴルザの逆襲) – The return of Golza, as suggested by the title. The episode actually plays out like a sort of procedural disaster drama, with a volcano erupting and TPC acting as disaster relief. It’s certainly a cool sequence that gives the episode a more grounded feel. GUTS is only called in once it’s hypothesized there’s an internal force causing the volcano’s eruption, which of course winds up being Golza. GUTS introduces their drilling vehicle Weevil, making the episode feel a lot like classic Showa adventures with similar premises (Such as Ultraman‘s Challenge to the Underground, Seven‘s Underground! Go! Go! Go! and Ace‘s Giant Ant Terrible-Monster vs. The Ultra Brothers). TPC scientist Professor Kurashima returns after her fairly prominent role in the first few episodes, only for this to wind up being her last appearance. Regardless, a very cool episode. 4/5
GUTS Into Space (GUTSよ宙) – The first two-parter of the series and a solid, very sci-fi oriented one at that. Though there have been several aliens meddling with the Earth already, this marks the first full-scale invasion, specifically from an army of robots hailing from a mysterious cloud in space. Introduced is GUTS’ Artdessei, a giant mothership that’s been in secret development that utilizes new “Maxima-Overdrive” technology. Said technology is quite dangerous, and the scientist behind it, Professor Yao, seems hellbent on completing it, even disregarding Rena’s safety during a test run. The guy initially comes off as real unlikable, but the characters gradually warm up to him after learning how long he’s been working on the project and his clearly good intentions behind it. The invading robot race clearly doesn’t want mankind wielding said power. TPC higher-ups insist it’s because they just don’t want to be outdone, but perhaps they’re trying to warn us about wielding such powers. Yazumi finally gets a chance to go out in the field, if only for something as minor as driving a boat to pick up an adrift Daigo. Some great, action-packed sequences throughout, including an undersea fight (A result of GUTS’ hangar flooding) and a space battle make these a worthwhile pair of episodes. 4/5
Deban’s Turn (出番だデバン!) – A wacky affair involving a traveling pantomime with a mini monster for a player. More specifically, one that seems to be attracted a larger monster capable of turning people into its slaves. The pantomime crew is very over-the-top (Rivaled only by Professor Tango, an eccentric TPC scientist that wants to study Deban), but are just likable enough to not be annoying. The titular Deban, who’s clearly an homage to Pigmon, certainly has a sad arc – he can stay with his pantomime crew, the only people to ever show him love and affection, or put a stop to the larger monster’s doings, at the risk of his own life. 3/5
A Fog’s Coming (霧が来る) – A very basic but highly enjoyable horror episode that’s a clear homage to Stephen King’s The Mist, right down to the original story being mentioned at one point. The plot is about as straightforward as they come, with a small village being overrun by parasitic aliens and Daigo, Horii and a young woman trying to escape alive. Said parasitic balls take control of people via latching onto their necks, in genuinely icky sequences. Michiko, the young woman accompanying the two is certainly a likable character, and while her being groomed as a love interest for Horii seems pointless considering we’ve previously met his colleague Sayaka, this triangle of sorts will he resolved much later in the show. That said, her reasoning for returning to her old hometown is for very dark, sensitive reasons that kind of gets glossed over. In a further great bit of continuity, Michiru is revealed to be the daughter of one of the scientists in Ligatron’s episode. A very fun, tight episode. 4/5
Dinosaurs’ Star (恐竜たちの星) – A frankly stupid episode, albeit there’s still a little bit of fun to be had. The basic premise of an intelligent race that formerly ruled the Earth has been seen before in episodes like Seven’s Ambassador of the Nonmalt, but is certainly taken up a notch here by making said race actual dinosaurs. More specifically, a group of dinosaurs apparently abducted by aliens and evolved by them (Almost a reversal of Quatermass and the Pit)…yeah. And now, only 65 Million years later, that alien race is sending two evolved Dinosauroids (One of whom is played by former child actor and voice actor Yoji Matsuda) to plant bombs within cybernetically enhanced dinosaurs, under the pretense that they will be retaking their home. To call the premise absurd would be the understatement of the century. Some of the action is fun, and it’s obvious the episode isn’t meant to be taken especially seriously, but even so, it’s often just overwrought and convoluted. For example, why now is the alien race wanting to invade Earth? And why did the Dino-man, disguised as a scientist, show the first cybernetic dinosaur to Daigo and Horii right before their invasion? Yazumi actually gets to ride a GUTS wing for the very first time, but does nothing at all. Still, with the two Dinosauroids, this is the closest we’ll ever get an Ultraman/Land of the Lost crossover. 2.5/5
Go! Monster Expedition Team (行け! 怪獣探検隊) – Another sub-par episode sadly, albeit mostly for its simplicity. Essentially a “boy who cried wolf” story with a group of kids claiming to have seen a monster, that of course winds up being true. This wouldn’t be so bad, but said kids are very obnoxious. Still, the episode has a few mildly-interesting bits. In keeping with the show’s “utopia” theme, pollution has apparently been largely stopped, but as in the case with nuclear testing, its presence throughout the 20th century still has lingering effects. And apparently cars are still largely powered by nonrenewable sources. Was also truncated into a 10-minute segment for 4Kids’ airing. 2.5/5
The Devil’s Judgement (悪魔の審判) – The return of Kyrieloid that once more focuses on Iruma. More personal story, with her mother falling into a doomsday “Angel” cult. We meet her son, whom she has a rocky relationship with. The episode does portray their rough relationship as a sad thing, but never does it imply Iruma should spend less time at her work. The angel cult, which winds up being the work of the Kyrieloids, is of course in reference to the alarming rise in doomsday cult membership in Japan through the 90s (The most infamous of course being Aum Shinrikyo), something that’s sadly becoming relevant again (albeit more outside of Japan). Whereas the joining of cults in Japan was fueled in-part by economic anxiety, many people here join due to the sudden surge in monster attacks/alien invasions, being led to believe Tiga as the catalyst. There’s a ton crammed in here to the point where the episode might have benefitted from being a two-parter, but even at just one part, it remains a great episode. 4.5/5
Evil Monster Realm of the Rainbow (虹の怪獣魔境) – A very simplistic episode, perhaps as a breather after the complexity of last week’s, but still enjoyable. What little plot there is concerns a family being trapped in a barrier that winds up belonging to a returning Gagi (From The Closed Amusement Park). The family is likable enough, with them bonding during their entrapment. The episode opens on the dad wanting to take his family out on an adventurous road trip, only for all of them to want to go shopping. But when they see a rainbow, and ask to follow it, the mother remarks how he doesn’t have any adventurous bones in his body…despite them being the ones that’d rather just shop. But the human story hardly matters, as the episode’s a real monster-focused one. Aside from Gagi, there’s Silvergon, arguably one of the show’s more popular monsters. Silvergon can be compared to Red King, being an extremely strong brute that’s none-too-bright. The exact nature of the rainbow that winds up imprisoning the family isn’t exactly clear, either. One could assume Gagi is responsible for it, wanting to lure people, but Munakata remarks how the area is a sort of “Bermuda Triangle”. And indeed, the other cars the family finds are filled with skeletons, indicating they’ve been there for a long while. Perhaps a bit of a “turn your brain off” affair, but that’s alright every once-in-a-while. 3.5/5
I Saw Obiko! (オビコを見た!) – A somewhat tonally-inconsistent episode, though that does seem to be the point. What little plot there is concerns a legendary Yokai Obiko (A creation of this show) terrorizing (Or at least, stirring paranoia) the residents of a town in the midst of industrialization. The episode tries to do the twist of Obiko being “misunderstood”, who’s only trying to scare people away due to him not liking what’s becoming of his home. It’s preachy, but a fine message, though the episode doesn’t do too great a job at enforcing it – constant shots of pollution, construction and other forms of industrialization ala the Ultra Q: The Movie would have helped. Some amusing scenes of GUTS trying to find Obiko in the city. Despite having encountered numerous monsters and aliens, Shinjo acts like a total scaredy cat, perhaps thanks to being told spooky tales of Obiko during his childhood. 3/5
One Vanishing Moment (うたかたの…) – After two fairly lightweight stories, we have another thought-provoking episode. GUTS has been assigned to exterminate the Critters once and for all, while another monster starts attacking simultaneously. The fact TPC has concluded mankind simply cannot find any ways of co-existing with the Critters and figures their annihilation is the only option is more than a little disturbing, sitting particularly unwell with Rena. Shinjo, by contrast, is real bloodthirsty, likely due to what happened between the Critters and Mayumi’s fiancé. Yazumi once more goes out in field, and acts like a bloodthirsty maniac, resulting in a scolding by Mayumi. The members of GUTS actually stop to wonder just why they’re fighting. If anything, all of this excessive violence (something GUTS was originally formed to put an end to) may only be causing more disruptions, which in turns causes more monsters to show. Despite these humanist questions, the main monster of the episode (a particularly ugly bugger made from a modified Red King costume) is still portrayed unsympathetically and as an obstacle that needs to be eliminated. This is perhaps a hypocritical stance, but one that will be revisited in a few episodes. 4/5
Blue Night’s Memory (青い夜の記憶) – An offbeat, dreamlike episode focusing primarily on Maya Cruz, an up-and-coming pop star who just might be an alien. Said rumors seem to hold some weight when Shinjo is possessed by a refugee alien claiming to be her brother. Horii is shown to be a massive Maya Cruz fanboy (Nicknamed a “Cruz-tian”, which isn’t what Ted Cruz smarmily calls himself despite its name), which is amusing, but goes nowhere (Why not have him accompany Daigo on his investigation?). Maya Cruz’s big hit is a crappy J-Pop take on “Be My Baby”. Fortunately, her space-age song performed at the end (Which sounds slightly reminiscent of Masaru Sato’s score to Blue Christmas) is a lot better. Daigo orchestrates a little white lie at the end, which while encouraging, is perhaps antithetical to some of his morals. The episode’s villain is lackluster to say the least, and is definitely a case where the required monster action sort of gets in the way of a compelling plot. Maya Cruz played by Noriko Tanaka, who starred alongside Kei Ishibashi (Mayumi) and Ninja Sentai Kakuranger’s Satomi Hirose in Toei’s Yuugen Jikkou Sisters Shushutorian, which is notable for its Ultraman crossover episode (The three also reunited in an episode of Kakauranger). It’s of course no coincidence Mayumi is shown to be a Cruz-tian herself. 3.5/5
Monster Zoo (怪獣動物園) – Sort of picking up from One Vanishing Moment, with Rena questioning GUTS’ determination to kill monsters. Said monster is a mole rat mutated from underground waste left by humans, akin to Leilons from S.O.S from the Deep Sea. Indeed, while the creature needs to devour livestock to survive, what gives it any less right to live than any other animal? Especially when we humans are directly responsible for its tragic well-being. One can’t help but be reminded of Ishiro Honda’s “Monsters are tragic beings; they are born too tall, too strong, too heavy, they are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy.” quote. While extremely overused by genre fans (often in lousy toy fan-films), it certainly applies here. Daigo and Rena are shown going on a full-blown date together at the petting zoo, where they befriend the cow-loving farmer. The ending is undeniably sappy and perhaps a bit contrived, but is still effective. 4/5
The Attacked GUTS Base (襲われたGUTS基地) – A very simple but solid “base under siege” adventure focused on Horii. Said force attacking GUTS’ base is an extraterrestrial artificial life form created for the purpose of consuming carbon (Related to Hedorah?). Certainly a noble creation, but one that clearly got out of hand for its original creators, as the lifeform has moved on to a new perfect, carbon-filled planet to conquer. GUTS certainly realize the potential the lifeform could have in preserving the environment, and attempt to negotiate its living among humans, but unsurprisingly, it doesn’t listen. Lots of great, tense scenes making this a crowning example of a “bottle episode”. Despite the show being set circa 2010, Rena is extensively shown playing with her Tamagotchi pet. Maybe it was a cherished childhood toy? 4/5
Zelda Point’s Defenses (ゼルダポイントの攻防) – An episode that’s been described as “Showa-esque”, and for good reason. The plot concerns a giant bird monster rampaging near an area strictly classified by TPC, with GUTS being assigned to prevent it from reaching said area at all costs. Contained within the classified zone is “Zelda gas”, an extremely lethal substance created by a scientist 20-years ago, which cost the life of his daughter and her pet bird (Hmmm…). Though the storage area was created during the days of the Earth Defense Force, the fact TPC still wishes to hold it and keep it classified during seemingly-peaceful times is more than a little eyebrow-raising, though this sadly isn’t addressed much. The gas’ creator, Professor Nezu (Who is not a rat despite his name), is played by franchise regular Minori Terada (Who will make another appearance playing a different character), and he’s certainly sympathetic, working hard to create an antidote against it despite it presumably being locked away for good. 3.5/5
Vampire City (吸血都市) – An absolutely wild episode from start to finish, centered largely on Munakata. Onoda, the tabloid journalist from way back in The Day the Monster Came Out, returns spinning wild rumors about vampires being responsible for a string of disappearances (Including his former partner), which of course turns out to be true. Munakata’s loyalty to his duties, particularly Captain Iruma are on full-display, especially when Iruma becomes victim to the vampires. The episode can certainly sit alongside similar “vampire” episodes like Return of Ultraman and Ultraman Leo’s, but the back alley setting, flippant action and flashy lighting make this feel like a Tsui Hark production. And you’ve gotta love it for that. It’s goofy as all hell, but darn entertaining. 4/5
To the Southern Limit (南の涯てまで) – A very TPC bureaucrat-oriented episode, focusing on the rescuing of General Sawai. Sawai attends a super secretive meeting on Chleomos Island (The fictitious meeting place for UN leaders), only to return claiming sovereignty and the ruler of the whole world. We get a detailed look at TPC’s formation told in a sort of documentary-style, beginning with their bringing nations together to disarm, with the United Nations Defense Force becoming The Peace on Earth Coalition with Sawai himself playing a key role in convincing everyone. Some more of GUTS’ inner-workings are also revealed, namely the fact that they have only have jurisdiction to use weapons on monsters or extraterrestrial threats. The hawkish (and often sexist) Director Yoshioka features prominently, and actually winds up accompanying Daigo on the mission, becoming somewhat more humanized in what may be controversial to some. The story of how Daigo joined GUTS is revealed, and it is a great origin, albeit we’ve never really gotten any hints of a past between him and Sawai prior. 4/5
The Sleeping Maiden (眠りの乙女) – A semi-sequel to the previous episode, with other TPC branches at work on their own GUTS teams and the same race once more threatening the Earth. But rather than them simply returning for revenge, the episode makes the interesting decision of GUTS analyzing a frozen alien (that’s been in their possession for 24 years) that they’ve discovered to be the same species. And with it slowly starting to thaw, it’s original goal is finally coming to fruition with Rena soon being possessed. The developing GUTS branches are already thirsty for more weaponry, something Iruma tries her hardest to talk them out of. Continuing the themes of One Vanishing Moment…, mankind’s excessive firepower is cited as potential source for the numerous monster attacks and even attempted invasions. And indeed, the newly-thawed alien’s reasoning for wanting to destroy Earth is due to man’s violence and destruction of itself. Footage from Ultraman 80 is used to represent the attack on the United Nations Defense Force base in China that would house the alien for years to come. 4/5
The Time-Transcending Smile (時空をこえた微笑) – A classic “fish out of water” tale with a teenage girl born 1915 being transported to present-day, in addition to various other past artifacts. The source of their being there is unsurprisingly a time-transcending monster (Goldras, one of the few monsters to have a life outside this show), which GUTS must stop before it’s flux consumes all of the world. But the heart of the story is undeniably the girl’s coping with being transported over one-hundred years after her birth. Horii, Shinjo and even Daigo all act like perverts when it’s first announced someone needs to look after her, in one of the show’s ickier moments. Yazumi is assigned to look after her, and the two form a bond during the brief period. It’s just a shame more time isn’t spent between the two, with a lot of the episode being technobabble about the flux and a fairly long fight scene between Tiga and the monster. Still, the scenes between Yazumi (Who is just nice to see outside the control room) and the girl are very endearing and make this a good episode. 4/5
Flower (花) – Akio Jissoji’s return to the Ultraman series, and a great one at that. The world has apparently been at peace for over a month, leading some to think monsters and aliens have finally ceased invading the Earth. This blind assumption, perhaps only elevated by them being taken away by the beautiful spring cherry blossoms leads to the GUTS team (Sans Daigo, who has to stay at base) having a spring picnic, which winds up having a catch. While he served as director to the criminally-underrated Ultra Q: The Movie, this is Jissoji’s first Ultraman episode since 1968, but it’s clear he has not lost his touch. The picnic set filled with cherry blossoms, while obviously a set, is absolutely gorgeous, perfectly encapsulating the episode’s dream-like atmosphere. The action/effects sequences are still unique, but do come off feeling slightly like a 90s V-Cinema horror movie. The aliens’ plot of merely wanting the Earth due to their resources being depleted is about as ho-hum as they come, though the catch is them taking particular interest in the cherry blossom. It is of course just nice to see the GUTS crew outside of their duties, Iruma included. While not one of Jissoji’s very best, still a great episode. Every rose has its thorn, indeed. 4.5/5
The Mirage Monster (蜃気楼の怪獣) – An episode with an interesting, disturbing premise, albeit one with not quite enough leg room to really explore it. Still, a decent episode with some solid characterization for Iruma. A new, downright fascist TPC officer named Tatsumura, recruited from Europe, seems to long for the good old UNDF days, with them being a full-on military force capable of controlling the population. That, combined with the poorly-managed crowds during a previous monster attack, has led to this commander wanting to conduct psychological operations involving monster sightings. It’s a very interesting and dark concept, but the episode perhaps runs a bit too short to really dive deeply into it. A few scenes of ordinary civilians being interviewed on the many alleged sightings would probably go a long way. But exactly why he feels the urge to tell Iruma is a bit questionable, and of course leads to his downfall. But shockingly, Iruma actually goes with it for a while. The precise nature of the titular mirage monster is not revealed, but there is a line towards the end that will certainly bring to mind the concept of monsters harvested by “Minus Energy” as seen in Ultraman 80. 3.5/5
Dear Mr. Ultraman (拝啓ウルトラマン様) – A battle of wits between Daigo and a man who knows his identity. Said knower, Kirino, is a rather introverted man with the psychic ability to read minds and foresee futures. Kirino holds a “game” with Daigo, threatening to reveal his identity to the whole world if he resorts to becoming Tiga during the next monster attack. Constantly bullied for his strange abilities, Kirino holds a grudge against Tiga for seemingly being adored by the masses despite him too being a “freak”. Despite the strain of being “different”, the amount of good Kirino is capable of doing with his powers is mentioned (And indeed, he at least occasionally puts them to use, such as detecting a woman within a burning building), but it’s clear these years of torment have killed much enthusiasm for doing such things. In addition, Kirino fears the chaos his future-knowing ability could potentially cause if known to the world, a perfectly justifiable reason for keeping his powers a secret. Perhaps in keeping with the “destiny” theme of Daigo/Tiga, the episode would almost indicate that it’s Kirino’s obligation to use these powers he was involuntarily born with for good use. Whether he likes it or not, he needs to be a hero. There are more hints at a romance between Daigo and Rena, in addition to hints at Rena knowing a certain secret. 4/5
Dream (夢) – Akio Jissoji’s second episode of the series, and like all of his other works, an avant-garde, otherworldly experience, which is only fitting given the episode’s premise. The basic concept of one’s dream, more specifically a monster within it, being brought to life via cosmic rays is quite similar to Jissoji’s much-earlier Terrifying Cosmic Rays. But whereas the former was of a more whimsical origin, spawned from the innocent imagination of a child, the monster here is spawned from perhaps one of the ugliest sources imaginable; a broken heart. This is also rather reminiscent of a “Minus Energy” storyline from the earlier Ultraman 80 episodes. The dumped individual, Ikuto, is an opera-loving architect, and despite unwillingly causing great harm with his dreams, is a likable guy you feel genuinely sad for. If anything, the ending is a bit of a downer given we last see him being rather violently apprehended by Munakata, who’s a bit too knee-deep in his detective persona. Akio Jissoji regulars Minori Terada (Whom we previously saw as Professor Nezu) and Kyusaku Shimada (Another regular in the Ultra Series) appear as Ikuto’s co-worker and a quack sleep doctor, in addition to small part from future megastar Tadanobu Asano. With a soundtrack consisting of Vincenzo Bellini’s “La sonnambula” and featuring all the usual tropes that make Jissoji’s work so special, this episode’s a winner. 5/5
Friend from Space (宇宙からの友) – A Shinjo-focused episode that’s almost a combination of Sa-yo-na-ra Earth and The Devil’s Judgement. The former with two astronauts, both friends of Shinjo’s, being attacked and transformed by an alien life form, and the latter with said life form arriving on Earth and attempting to lure humans in a cult-like manner. While similar to the Kyrieloid’s scheme, the use of many people’s disillusionment with mankind and the promise of them becoming a “perfect” race free of all vices is an interesting concept, but it’s only barely utilized, with only a couple of teenagers even seen being attracted to it. And indeed, said aliens soon ditch the plan and begin capturing people with excessive force, with the intention of turning each one into one of them. There really isn’t much to say about the episode, other than it’s fine, but likely hampered by a limited run-time to really stand out at all. 3/5
Town Where the Girl Disappeared (少女が消えた街) – An extremely cheesy and extremely 90s “woah, computers” episode focused on Yazumi winning a video game contest. Said contest leads him to a futuristic city home only to the brightest of computer whizzes, only for it to be a trap to lure him and hack GUTS’ computer. The episode certainly plays into the fear of “never trust anyone you meet online” with Yazumi having been playing online with a girl he’s never met. Some fun to be had with lots of trippy, green screen-heavy VR sequences, in addition to the vaguely Western-style structure, but it’s tacky as heck. 3/5
Land Shark (地の鮫)/Inheritance of Shadows (影を継ぐもの) – A grand two-parter featuring possibly the show’s most-iconic foe, Evil Tiga. While there have been several imitation or replicant Ultras in past shows, Evil Tiga is the first instance of it being an “event”. And for the most part, it lives up to the hype. Starts out fairly routinely with the titular land shark (Not offering any candy grams this time) appearing in Kumamoto, only for things to take a turn when Daigo’s spark lens starts acting up and he begins receiving messages from a strange individual. Said individual is Keigo Masaki, the powerful CEO of a technology company with immense mental and physical strength. It’s obvious that all of this power and admiration has gone to Keigo’s capitalistic head, as he is convinced that he should have been granted the power of Tiga, and believes he alone holds the key to humanity’s salvation. Certainly a plotline that’s aged like fine wine, with all of these tech bros who believe they alone can and should solve all of humanity’s problems, albeit Keigo’s certainly a lot more extreme than the awkward dweeb of real life. Assisting Keigo by stealing fragments of the destroyed Ancient Giant statues is TPC scientist Professor Tango. His betrayal has virtually no impact given he’s appeared exactly twice in minor roles prior, but the fact he was still a semi-established character is nice. In a perfect world where Professor Kashimura had stayed on the show, her being revealed as the traitor could have been fantastic. Keigo reveals his DNA as being eerily similar to Daigo’s, which would imply he too is the descendant of the ancient warriors. While Daigo’s powers were stated to have been inherited, it’s still established only those of pure hearts are able to successfully become Ultramen. Keigo being the creator of the land shark, technology even GUTS doesn’t have access to, is a bit far fetched perhaps (Something such as him merely being able to control the creature might have worked better), though hardly a dealbreaker. Though perhaps a bit overwhelming with just how much is crammed in just two episodes (With the first’s half being a standard affair), a great, game-changing pair of episodes. 4.5/5
Eternal Life (永遠の命) – Another solid episode that provides some additional backstory to the ancient civilization protected by the Giants of Light, along with some teasing of the finale to come. A creepy pair of humanoid cyborgs arrive on Earth bringing a plant with the ability to put people in a dreamy, trance-like state. Said flower apparently existed during the final days of civilization, and its effect on the peoples helped bring the end. The two aliens, apparently sensing the end is nigh for the new civilization, plan to do the same. In a way, they’re just looking out for humans, wanting their deaths to be peaceful, but there are obviously other ways. Daigo remembers Yuzare telling him some ancient humans branched off to other worlds, and theorizes these two must be among them. This could certainly indicate some, if not all, of the humanoid aliens seen are in fact descended from Earth’s original inhabitants. Ultras apparently did nothing about the flower, considering it the human’s “choice” to stay that way. Daigo, as half-human and half-Ultra believes he has the right to make the choice as to what becomes of it. 4/5
Let’s Go to Kamakura! (いざ鎌倉!) – A cute episode, perhaps serving as a bit of a breather after the heavy-handed previous three. A fairly typical story of a man seeing a monster, and nobody believing him, but it’s got plenty of heart and entertaining bits to be worthwhile. Said man is a once-renowned local train photographer who’s reputation (With both the public and his son) is in the toilet ever since the death of his wife caused him to hit the bottles. While still recovering from the loss, the photographer’s son is more willing to move on than his father, even asking the gods to bring his pop a new wife. This sort of parallels with the monster’s true motivation, albeit it’s not super developed. The episode makes the rather bold statement of admitting even GUTS technology is prone to mistakes. 3.5/5
Goodbye to Darkness (闇にさようなら) – A Horii-centered episode that serves as a sequel to both Requiem to the Darkness and A Fog’s Coming, with both love interests, Sayaka and Michiru coming face-to-face. Horii and Michiru have apparently been dating off-screen since their meeting, though things haven’t been too hot with GUTS work constantly getting in the way. Evolu experimentations have been continuing, cruelly tested on monkeys, resulting in a new hateful beastie. An electric eating monkey – perhaps a Toho King Kong homage? Horii naturally upset by this, once more questioning his faith in humanity. While the experimentations on animals is obviously condemned, the electric monkey is surprisingly portrayed unsympathetically, despite it being created against its will. It’s certainly at odds with GUTS’ views in episodes like S.O.S from the Deep Sea and Monster Zoo, though said simian is likely beyond repair. The building used to represent Michiru and Sayaka’s workplace is at the Tokyo University of Technology, as has been seen in numerous other Tokusatsu works such as representing Solbrain Headquarters in Super Rescue Police Solbrain and G-Force HQ in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. 4/5
Fugitive from The Moon (月からの逃亡者) – A very pulpy, almost UltraSeven-like episode, with a race of aliens taking the form of TPC officers with the intent of infiltrating its highest ranks. The race first strikes a TPC moon base, whose head is an academy friend of Iruma’s. The captain is accused of killing his crew by a “survivor” (In actuality an alien in disguise), resulting in Iruma once more going rogue, this time to prove his innocence. Some good scenes of all the GUTS members taking her side, showing what a family they truly are. The aliens are kind of fun, but pretty goofy and don’t really fit the “body snatcher” trait. 3.5/5
The Ultra Star (ウルトラの星) – The (slightly belated) 30th anniversary celebration of the franchise, and what a celebration it is. While there is indeed a meeting (and an epic one at that) between Tiga and the original Ultraman, things are given a far more meta spin, with Daigo chasing a Chaplinesque “monster salesman” (Played by former child actor and voice actor Masanori Machida) to 1965, where they wind up at Tsuburaya Productions. Written by veteran Shozo Uehara, the episode is a complete love letter to the franchise’s masterminds, focusing not only on Eiji Tsuburaya, but also Tetsuo Kinjo, who’s struggling to come up with an idea for the studio’s next big show. This premise may sound egocentric, with one being excused for thinking it will be Tiga that inspires Tsuburaya and Kinjo to create the iconic property we all know and love, but this fortunately isn’t the case, with Daigo really only along for the ride. In addition to the perfectly recreated studio backlots, there are many great minor details, such as director Hajime Tsuburaya being played by his real-life son (And Ultra Series regular) Hiroshi Tsuburaya. Obviously, one should not be concerned with continuity in an episode like this one, though with the various dimension-hopping present in later shows, this could still be the original Ultraman we all know and love merely visiting Tiga’s universe. A bit self-indulgent? Perhaps. But an absolute joy from start to finish. 5/5
Take Me Higher! (もっと高く!)/Master of Darkness (暗黒の支配者)/To the Shining Ones (暗黒の支配者) – The three-part series finale, and what a grand one it is. After numerous warnings throughout, it appears the prophesied end has arrived, with an army of flying monsters (Complete with a modified Rodan roar) appearing all over the world. Daigo and Rena’s relationship is finally taken up a notch, with her revealing her true feelings, ones no doubt elevated thanks to her knowing a little something. With all these various prophecies and warnings about end times sprinkled across the show, it’s not unreasonable for people to assume doom and gloom. But fortunately, GUTS won’t take that. The notion that nothing is set in stone is present throughout these episodes. No matter how dark things are looking, they will fight on. The theme of Ultraman and mankind needing to work together, with him only appearing once he knows they’ve tried their hardest (first laid out by Hayata way back in Ultraman’s The Littlest Hero) is perfectly displayed here. While he may at times come across this way, Ultraman is not some almighty deity. He is a living being who requires assistance as much as we humans. So many guest characters return, all providing key elements. This even includes Keigo, who’s given a sort of second chance to be a hero without making it all about himself. While perhaps it would have been nice to see some of these characters more than once before the finale, it’s a testament to the show’s spectacular writing. The ending, while maybe a bit cheesy, it too iconic not to get misty-eyed over. A very strong contender for the finest finale in the whole franchise. 5/5
Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey (ウルトラマンティガ THE FINAL ODYSSEY) – A decent, if slightly unnecessary, epilogue to the series that benefits from having a “cinematic” feel, albeit as a film on its own it’s still rather weak (i,e, someone unfamiliar with Tiga will be totally lost during it). The film certainly provides some more backstory on the ancient giants, including one massive twist regarding Tiga. Daigo and Rena have taken their relationship to the next level since the last time we saw them, and the scenes of them together are just great. Likewise, seeing the GUTS crew a few years later is a delight, as is seeing future SUPER GUTS members in cameo appearances. The plot point that triggers the events of the film involves a rogue branch of TPC wanting to harness the powers of newly-discovered ancient giants for themselves. A really dark concept, that while fails in this, will be explored again (chronologically) later in Dyna. The Dark Giants are a very fun trio of villains that certainly could have had some episodes dedicated to them, though certainly not as the main antagonists of an entire series, as Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga utterly failed to do with its poor carbon-copies. The twist regarding Iruma is unfortunately another in Tiga’s theme of “inheritance”, the notion that all do-gooders are descended from previous ones. There were hints at it in the show’s finale, but it’s nonetheless pretty lame and adds little. The climax, while not without some good moments, is sadly another typical ugly CGI-fest. The CGI on the mini Zoigers does fare better, at least by early-2000s Japanese standards. Despite some major flaws, The Final Odyssey is still a mostly solid capper to the show, and is probably among the better Ultraman movies.
Beta Capsule Reviews 