Ultraman Taro Series Review

 

    We’re fast approaching the moment when all of us fully agree that summer is properly over. Of course we’ve made inroads toward that already what with school getting back in swing yet each of us still has our own special marker for when our minds fully shift into the realm of pumpkin spice and tissue ghosts. After being canceled last year my defacto switchover, the final town festival, is right around the bend. As usual I like to have something of a segway piece, something with its feet planted in the daffy action heavy attitude of summer yet with a touch of spooky and foreboding. Wouldn’t ya know that things lined up just right for an Ultraman review.

    Ultraman Taro took a side step from preceding shows by opting for a lighter, more family friendly, tone. The themes were things like fairy tales, music, motherhood, that sorta thing. It’s still tokusatsu so there’s plenty of sad stories to go around just with an extra helping of rainbows and cartoonish antics to offset those dark moments. Honestly it’s a breath of fresh air after watching multiple shows adhering to largely the same formula. Just consider how instead of doing a seasonal horror section the show opts for a sequence of episodes based on nursery rhymes. The downside is that the show can feel too simplistic and meaningless but the upside is the extra dose of weirdness that can result from a more childish approach to the subject matter.

    Our hero this time around is an energetic lad called Kotaro Higashi. Guy grew up an orphan only to become something of an odd job journeyman. When we first met him he’s working as a sailor which is what eventually ends up getting him a living space as his captain invites him to saty with the fam. Throughout the series Kotaro displays a good deal more personality than his predecessors. He’s a bit more lively, immature, and fun-loving. Early on he has some dream of being a boxer though that fades out with little fanfare. Plus his mommy issues are only sorta half-resolved. I get the feeling that the actor portraying Kotaro isn’t quite as good as some earlier Ultra dudes but having a more defined personality really helps to set him and the show itself apart from the pack.

    The supporting cast is sort of a strange case this time around. For the most part the usual assortment of personalities and roles are filled yet Taro has a higher amount of cast-changes and character disappearances. The monster fighting team for this series, ZAT, has at least two character swaps along with a commanding officer who will vanish for vast stretches, think he slipped away for upwards of 16-17 episodes at one point only to be around for 1 or 2 before fading into the background once again. One team member is introduced in like the final three episodes, it’s so odd. In what I believe is a first for the series a character is actually recast around the episode 20 mark. That level of turnaround tends to make shows feel a bit slapdash though it doesn’t become a huge problem thanks to the lighthearted, anything goes, tone.

    All behind the scenes drama aside how is this crop of heroes? Let’s start on the home front. As far as kid sidekicks are concerned, Kenichi is one of the better ones. He actually seems like he has a good head on his shoulders and tries to be useful. His older sister, and love interest for Kotaro, Saori is sadly forgettable. Oddly enough both of them fade into the background during the back end of the series.

    As for the ZAT crew the character shifting makes it hard for many of them to endure themselves to the audience. The ones that manage to stand out are lead by Aragaki. Though he’s just a lieutenant he ends up serving as commander for much of the series yet his laid back nature makes sets him apart as a fun boss. The primary lady of the team is Moriyama who will stand out to male viewers due to being cute as a button and having some kicking legs. Finally there’s Kitajima who at first fills the role of goofy guy and works his way up to sensitive best bud for Kotaro. To be honest I lost track of many of the other characters.

    Technically there’s one more wing of supporting cast thanks to an increased amount of Ultra cameos. That’s right; every past hero from Zoffy to Ace comes round at least once or twice along with the addition of Mother of Ultra. The audience finally gets to visit the land of light and there’s some other surprise guest spots I won’t dare spoil.

    Taro is without a doubt a step up from Ace. Despite whatever flaws the silly tone might bring with it the show knows what it wants to be and holds true to that course as much as it can. There are still shifts ins style throughout the show thanks to the changing cast and an occasional return to what feels like the Ultra Q anthology approach with some episodes having almost nothing to do with Kotaro and ZAT. Even with those detours the show never losses sight of what it is, nor does it try to copy exactly what came before. Even the ending is far different than usual for an Ultra show of this era, leaving off on a more humanistic note. I’d definitely rank this show lower than the major classics like Ultraseven, probably lower even than Return of Ultraman, but given how much better it is than Ace, and how much consistent it is than Q I’d still recommend it to most toku fans. For newbies there are so many other good options to take on first though this one has a few extra nutty episodes worth checking out on the side.

    This time around I was downright negligent and failed to keep a running tally of highlight episodes, opting to just see how it all shook out in the end. You’ll forgive me then if this list comes out a little scattershot. In viewing order here’s four adventures that stuck with me.

Episode 11: The Vampire Flower is a Girl’s Spirit

    Easily the first episode to really stand out thanks to a combination of horror and the series theme of orphans. Not only Tokyo under attack from blood-sucking plants but a little girl may be the one to blame for it all. There’s some solid emotional stuff here along with a properly spooky ending.

Episode 20: Surprise! A Monster Fell From the Sky

    Another one that touches on parenthood, mothers in particular this time concerning a baby monster that feel to Earth and it’s mothers efforts to retrieve it. Contrasted against that is the drama of a woman nearly mad with grief over the loss of her child.

Episode 42: The Phantom Mother is a Monster Master

    One of my favorite things about the Ultra franchise is what a story goes sad crazy. I don’t mean being extra depressing, though I love that too, but when a story is nuts and driven by a sense of sadness. We have an almost perfect example of such a story right here with a man recreating his dead wife as a robot who then manipulates a monster into getting revenge on cars. Equal parts daffy and dark make for one excellent half-hour of television.

Episode 44: Oh! Taro’s Going to be Eaten

    It’s beginning to feel like every series of this franchise has a set goal for one extra crazy episode that has to top everything that came before it. Ace had jumped into the lead with a Christmas story focused on ocular trauma but Taro slaps that aside with this bonkers tale of ogres and beans. Everything here is just plan crazy from the sounds, editing, emotional whiplash, and bizarre final battle involving a vicious clubbing. Can’t even tell you the workout the rewind button got with this treat of weirdness.

    And with that we can mark the end of CosmicSparky’s summer. Got a busy few days ahead but then I’m rearing to get the next season kicked into high gear, and I think the weather’s in agreement. Looks like it could be a big Halloween with some stores and brands really pumping out a lot of cool stuff and those lovely vaccinations making it just a bit easier to get out and about. You all stay safe out there and I’ll be back next week to kick off the season in style.

Ultraman Ace Series Review

 

    Out of all the major tokusatsu hero franchises I’d say my best overall experience has been with the Ultra shows. Of course there have been some wretched episodes along with some questionable plotlines but the shows always managed to provide enough fun, depth, and outright weirdness to make it all worthwhile. Still; every series has to trip up every once s often and that’s where Ultraman Ace comes in. Here we have a show that starts off trying to differentiate itself from what came before only to stumble, puss out, and finally put up it’s hands and declare ‘that’s all I’ve got.” As with previous shows I’ve spent the past few months making my way through this one and am ready to share the highs and lows with all of you.

    On the surface, Ultraman Ace has largely the same set-up as any other Ultra show. Giant monsters are a frequent problem. During a monster attack someone proves themselves to be heroic at cost to their own health and is subsequently resurrected by an Ultra brother who then helps protect planet Earth. There are a few added wrinkles this time around such as a recurring villain and two hosts for this ultra dude. In case you’re scared of change there’s still a generic monster fighting task force and plenty of weekly standalone mysteries to offer comfort.

    As mentioned there’s a new twist to the franchise with a duo of hosts for Ace. Indeed it takes both a man and woman coming together for Ace to enter battle. Some folks say there are hints of this duel nature in the character design but other than the red bra across the chest I’m stomped. Supposedly this concept didn’t fly all that well with some of the viewing audience and in practice it adds a few unneeded complications as the pair always need to be in contact to summon their Ultra counterpart. Furthering the weirdness are hints of a possible romantic connection between the two. There isn’t much to either of them really. Hokuto is a pretty standard Ultra guy with the only discernible difference being that he’s a bit more upbeat than heroes like Dan and Go. For her part Minami is a very underdeveloped character, she’s a female hero and that’s about it. For better or worse the pairing doesn’t last with Minami leaving the show a little past the halfway point in a manner that could easily be compared to Poochey.

    As for the rest of this years mystery squad, TAC (Terrible-Monster Attack Crew) there’s the usual mix of personalities and gender percentages. The most notable support character is Commander Ryu. He’s that classic mix of hard-ass and father-figure though I’d say he feels more traditional than past leaders. Second up is Yamanaka as the groups heavy. He’s an expert marksman with a tough attitude who’s always ready to call out his co-workers for getting slack or going soft. Konno is the sorta comic-relief chubby guy strongman. Mikawa is the other girl of the team who’s more outright feminine and gets a bit more time in the spotlight once Minami takes off. Yoshimura is the young guy… that’s basically all there is to him. On occasion the writers try to make him more scientifically minded but it’s so inconsistent that it doesn’t stick. Speaking of science, the team has an R&D member named Kaji who just up and vanishes somewhere around episode thirty.

    One factor that really starts to irritate as the series stretches on is how skeptical the whole TAC team is about everything. Week after week people report monsters and teammates offer theories only to be shot down with accusations like drinking, hallucinations, or simply being horny. A whole village might report a monster attack and be accused of being bumpkins for their trouble. This happens in other Ultra shows yet it’s ampped up so much in this one that it makes our supposed heroes come across as lazy assholes. I noticed a change in this during the later episodes as if some of the writers realized how much they’d been using this as a crutch for cheap writing.

    For the first time within the franchise there is a main villain in the form of interdimensional invaders called Yapool. They come up lacking in the motivation department with the straightforward intent of conquering other dimensions just for the sake of evil. What they lack in personality is offset by how a continued threat plays off of the usual case of the week structure. It works out best when TAC is dealing with an unrelated issues like aliens only to have Yapool throw themselves into the mix.

    After the Yapool conflict is wrapped up and Minami leaves the show restructures into something closer to the back end of Return of Ultraman. We see more of Hokuto’s home life as he befriends a neighboring brother sister pair the latter of which, Dan, becomes way too big of a character for his own good. This franchise has already had plenty of loud, ugly kids and it wasn’t in need of another. I guess someone in charge must’ve felt the same way since these siblings go M.I.A. during the final stretch. That doesn’t stop us from a long string of adventures where Hokuto bonds with various children however. One very odd aspect of this shift in focus is the continued naming convention of Terrible-Monsters. Early on it is established that there are varying threats out there be it aliens, regular old monsters, or giant critters augmented by Yapool called Terrible-Monsters. Once Yapool is mostly defeated it would stand to reason that the majority of foes would then fall in the first two camps but the show just keeps calling em Terrible-Monsters. It’s the damnedest thing.

    It strikes me that I totally forget to address another feature of this show, a larger interest in cameos and interactions with past heroes. Doubling-down on the connective tissue introduced during Return of Ultraman, Ace frequently gets his butt bailed out by the likes of Zoffy, Seven, or the newly introduced Father or Ultra. If you’re really into that aspect of the franchise then I suppose this is a cool treat. The flip-side is how it makes Ace look like a total wuss who needs his family to fight battles for him.

    I’ve been impressed across the ultra franchise with how each series tends to find a good stride and unique personality along the way. Q had the whole Outer Limits vibe, Ultraman was fun sci-fi, Ultraseven took a more serious approach, and Return upped the threat level and action. Ace never manages to pull that off though and it’s too cowardly to stick to the unique concepts it started with. The result is something generic that is a step-down from its predecessors. The characters aren’t as rich, the writing not as fluid, the fights not as thrilling, etc. Maybe it was that the crew was starting to get worn out or that some of the trump-card writers and directors like Jissoji and Toji were busy elsewhere, but there aren’t as many highlights to be found making this show more fit for the hardcore fans. It’s just not a great show which is only further compounded as it losses steam and reaches a lousy ending.

    Even with all its problems, Ace still has a few genuinely good episodes worthy of viewing. There aren’t as many to chose from as there was with previous shows and even the best of these come up short of the best from other series. Each makes for some fun Friday night entertainment though. I did want to make a special mention of episode 35 which I’ve seen other reviewers bash for being terrible but man did it ever earn some good giggles from this guy. In short it’s about bed-wetting. I watched the same night as Zack Synder’s Justice League and is was so refreshingly bonkers and unpretentious that it totally made up for the previous four hours of nonsense.

That lovely mural is nearing completion.

Episode 34: a terrible-monster dances on a rainbow over the sea

    One of the better, if not the best, examples from the Hokuto befriends kids section of the series manages to throw some decent drama into the mix. To be honest I barely remember the monster portion of this one but the human element concerns a kid who obsessively collects special sea-shells. His dad did out at sea but the kids older sister didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth. Instead she gave him so BS about how dad will come home once he collects so many rare shells. Hokuto makes it his duty to get this kid living and socializing again. It’s melodramatic for sure but good fun all the same.

Episode 7: monster vs terrible-monster vs alien

    Early on the tone of Ace is a bit more adult than what it becomes after a few revisions and nowhere is that more evident than this Yamanaka focuses tale. As the title suggest there are multiple problems for TAC to deal with, one of the neat advantages of recurring villains, and Yamanka’s lady gets caught in the crossfire. Not an amazing outing but a solid example of what the show could have done had it stuck to its original structure.

Episode 38: Resurrection! Father of Ultra!

    Seeing as the Ultra franchise is a Japanese thing it’s understandable that episodes dedicated to holidays we westerners love are somewhat rare. Occasionally these toku franchises will dive into a Halloween or Christmas outing but it’s not quite the same and doesn’t always scratch that seasonal itch. This Christmas episode however is one of the nuttiest damn holidays specials I’ve seen in quite some time and I own Christmas specials featuring ass massage techniques.

    Hokuto accompanies his neighbors to visit an orphanage run by their dear friend. The plan is to give the wee kids a great time with gifts, a play, fake snowmen, you name it. Suddenly a bizarre winter storm breaks out with lightning that causes blindness and bleeding from the eyes. Some weirdo has summoned an evil spirit to punish people for celebrating this devilish western holiday, oh and Santa shows up too. To say things get out of hand is an understatement. And while the kids can get downright annoying this is a major treat for anyone who craves giant monster fights and ocular trauma as part of their yule tide celebrations.

Episode 23: Zoffy Appears, Game Changer

    Despite what the title says this one has very little to do with Zoffy as it basically marks the end of the Yapool plotline. Granted they carry on a little further and make some occasional appearances but this is roughly the cut-off point. Our baddies sure know who to make an exit though with a great big scheme and a freaky psychedelic fight against Ace.

    The story begins with some odd priest who travels Japan as something of a pied piper. He encourages kids to dance and sing some crazy shit only to whisk them away from our reality. Yapool has figured out that there’s no need to conquer humanity if they simply make sure there’s no future generations to deal with. By snatching all the kids they hope to ensure a slow extinction for the human race. Naturally Ace has to brave a trip to alternate dimensions in order to safeguard the future of Earth.

    Ace is often at its best when it goes outright nuts and there’s enough crazy to make this one sing along with some more dramatic moments for added depth. Everything about it from cinematography to editing is just a bit more refined making for an excellent episode.

Episode 17: Summer Horror Story: The Demon Woman of Hotarugawara

    I neglected to point out during past reviews the commencement of seasonal horror story sections which, I believe, started with Return of Ultraman. The basic idea is that come summer, winter, or both there will be a three or four week sequence of spooky tales. That is in theory however as two of Ace’s summer scares simply have a larger amount of supernatural tomfoolery about them than the average adventure. That meekness goes out the door with this one which is pure old-fashioned Japanese horror.

    The episode kicks off in attention-grabbing fashion by having people seemingly devoured by fireflies right down to the bone. One nighttime car crash after another with the skeletal aftermath looking something like that old don’t drink and drive PSA. This particular stretch of road is important to TAC as they plan on having a nifty new weapon transported through there. It’s up to the whole team to figure out what’s up and who the spooky lady in the mask is.

    A very rare Minami focused story sees her befriending a wheelchair-bound girl who may be the only potential witness to these strange events. This gives us a great insight into her personality, her methods, plus it feels so classic to have a horror tale from a female point of view. Offering great atmosphere, some much needed attention for Minami, and a unique monster this one is just a damn good time.

    Clearly Ace doesn’t inspire the same level of admiration as its brethren but it made for decent enough viewing to ease through these previous months of continuing semi-lockdown. And it hasn’t lessened the hold this franchise has over the household since I’ll be kicking of Ultraman Taro come this Friday. Expect a write-up on that one in the summertime. In the meantime I’ve got another work week ahead of me so I’d best enjoy what free time there is and see you all back here this weekend or so.

Return of Ultraman Series Review

 

In the time since our last update it feels like the whole world has changed. I accurately predicted the results of a presidential election for the fifth time in a row, lockdowns are coming back in style, vaccines are emerging, we got new kitties, those kitties had health issues like tapeworms that had to be dealt with, I had a largely solid Halloween and a truly tiresome clean-up operation, and I’m still wrapping up a final semester of college. It’s little surprise then that it’s been weeks since I’ve sat down to fart out an article but fart I shall. Truth is the holiday season vibes are coming on strong and I want to make the most of it. First I want to take care of of a few loose items, gotta finish those Amityville features for example. Today though, I wanna talk some Ultraman, the Return of Ultraman to be precise.

Released a few years after Ultraseven, Return of Ultraman was meant to do exactly as the title stated. The public was still hungry for this kind of entertainment and the creators had to decide whether the title would be a literal return of the first ultra hero or simply the return of the franchise, they went with the latter. This is a series with a lot of ups, downs, and unique changes to the series format that took a bit to win me over but I think a the full series ends up a little better than some of its predecessors. So let’s talk about what makes this show unique and then cover the usual selection of top-tier episodes.

Our hero this time around is Hideki Go, a mechanic who looses his life one day while rescuing a child during a giant monster attack. One of the ultra being sees this sacrifice and bonds with the young man resulting in the first equal union between human and ultra. No creepy possession stuff this time around, nor is it an alien in disguise. The two beings share one body and can even disagree with each-other such as when ultraman refuses to transform because Hideki is being a reckless dickweed. It should be noted that Go is probably the dumbest hero so far but he’s better developed than Hayata and manages some good dramatic bits throughout the show.

Due to his heroism and miraculous recovery, Go is hired by an organization called M.A.T. (Monster Attack Team) whose job is fairly self-explanatory. This group isn’t so much into solving mysteries as they are at busting heads. They’re essentially glorified exterminators. The line-up of officers includes Minami, sort of the nice older bro of the office. Then there’s Kishida, a total dick and semi-rival for Go at first though they eventually become closer than any other pairing of officers. Ueno is the young guy and yeah…. That’s pretty much the extent of his personality. Oka is the resident lady who sadly gets left behind a lot to work on communications. She’s still a bit tougher than previous female characters in the series. There are actually two commanders this time around as they swap out near the halfway point. Kato is the more clam and caring of the two who acts like a father to his team. Ibuki is a bit more militant but manages to have a more robust personality in the end.

For the first time ever we get a glimpse into a hero’s personal life as he spends his off-duty time with the Sakata family. There’s lifelong friend Ken, annoying lil bro Jiro, and Go’s lady love Aki. Later on we meet Rumiko, the cute girl across the hall. That’s three primary ladies in one show, another first for the franchise.

As you can see this is a pretty big cast of characters which causes the same issues as Ultraseven in that there isn’t enough time to properly develop everyone. An interesting shift on this front however is yet another change to series formula with the introduction of mortality. Not all of these characters live to the end. Even knowing that in advance still didn’t prepare me for the absolute savagery of these deaths. Suddenly the Ultra universe isn’t such a secure place to be.

Before we can move on to the best episodes there is still one more important shift in the franchise in that all the shows begin to form a loose continuity. Both previous heroes show up to help out Go on occasion, setting the stage for many crossovers to come. Don’t expect much from these cameos however. Each appearance is short and sweet but the shift in series lore is important all the same.

Best Episodes:

Episode 37: Ultraman Dies at Sunset

This marks a big turn for all future Ultra shows by bringing death into the equation. A group of aliens set on eliminating Ultraman broaden their scope to go after people he cares for, and not everyone makes it out alive. It’s mean, violent, and would rank a tad higher if not for one issue. This begins a two-part story with the follow-up failing to provide proper closure by opting for a forced, semi-happy ending. Seeing our hero pushed to the brink and knowing that safety is no longer guaranteed makes this one to remember.

Episode 15: Revenge of the Monster Boy

Admittedly It’s been so long I don’t remember a ton of details about this one, but it stock with me throughout the entire viewing process. It’s one of those boy who cried wolf scenarios revolving around an odd child who’s trying to prove it was an invisible monster responsible for a deadly train crash, not his father. It’s got enough narrative meat and put it ahead of the pack.

Episode 31: In Between Devil and Angel

One of my favorite aspects of tokusatsu is the weird shit you’d never see in other media. In this case we’re treated to an evil alien masquerading as a young boy who befriends Ibuki’s daughter. Go makes a fool of himself trying to prove the kid is a monster but it’s up to the commander to deal with this problem. This one is dark, moody, surprisingly violent, and expertly made.

Episode 27: Go to Hell with this Blow!

This one’s a bit lighter with the focus on Go befriending a boxer who’s future lies in the result of an upcoming match. If he looses he’ll give up the sport for good. If he wins he’ll declare his love for a lovely lady who rides the bus with him. Go wants to help his friend train for the fight until he realizes that the dream girl is actually his girlfriend, Aki. Just a nice slice of life morality tale with giant monsters.

Episode 33: The Monster Tamer and The Boy

Every so often you’re graced with something so amazing that you can barely believe it ever aired on television. I’m talking material like the second season finale of Twin Peaks, nearly the entire fifth season of Angel, a good chunk of Cowoby Bebop, or My Home is Earth from the original Ultraman. This episode isn’t simply the best installment of this show, but one of the finest episodes of television ever.

The plot involves a homeless child who lives in a dilapidated old warehouse and may either have powers or his own, or be protecting a supernatural lifeform. The locals view this kid as a problem and bully or neglect him. It all gets very emotional and has a massive downer of an ending.

The key thing is just how well done the whole episode is. I had to look up the director and found that Shohei Tojo only ever worked in tokusatsu programming but he touched on all the major franchises including Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Metal Heroes. Sadly I’ve yet to find a total list of his work but that’s becoming a project in itself. No matter you’re interest level in silly Japanese superheroics you should absolutely check out this episode.

And there we are. Feels good to be back and posting. I’m really gonna try to fit in some good Christmas material for you all in the next month. Already got a pile of snacks to review, weird specials to talk about, you name it. You all just hold tight and I’ll do my best to help make this holiday just a wee bit better.

Rambo: Force of Freedom. Return of the Count

 

    Obviously it’s been a few weeks since yours truly has done anything on this site. Well readers; my cat, Forrest sadly didn't pull through from his leg-injury so we had to do the merciful thing and put him down. As you can probably guess I’ve been damn depressed ever since and am only now getting back into the flow of things. I miss my little buddy like mad, and we’re gonna do a tribute to him making him the embodiment of how to enjoy this upcoming holiday season. That’s actually how I wanted to begin this years Halloween coverage but doing justice to my friend is a tough challenge. Today we can do our best by beginning our celebrations the way he would want, with silly television.

    Everyone has something, usually a specific event or date that more or less marks the passage from summer into full Halloween madness. Around here that was the final hometown event just after labor day. Problem is that didn’t happen this year so it’s entirely up to me to decide if it’s time to cover the house in pumpkins and bats. To mark this transition we deserve something that takes a little from both camps, the rollicking sweaty action of summertime and the spooky comforts of autumn. Turns out we can pick right up where we left off last Christmas with America’s favorite mentally scared super-soldier, John Rambo.

    Rambo: The Force of Freedom is an extraordinary oddity in TV history, marking a strange choice of converting an R rated action film series into a regular adventure series for kids. Parents complained and the show didn’t last all that long but man is it ever entertaining. We’ve seen Rambo rescue Santa Clause, actually a former military scientist, from evil organization S.A.V.A.G.E. Much as Argyle wished to see Nakatomi’s take on New Years I just gotta see how the force of freedom hands out candy.

    We begin at the pentagon where the whole crew surrounds a desk making vague threats. Rambo reports that “it’s a messy job but somebody’s gotta do it” right before jamming his giant knife into a poor defenseless pumpkin.

    Across town we meet two young boys wrapping up a full night of trick-or-treating, one of which in a costume that would get him reprimanded for cultural insensitivity these days. We soon learn that the elder of this brotherly pair has a reputation for tall-tales as he convinces the younger one to investigate a strange light inside a spooky old mansion. Wouldn’t ya know the kid is immediately snatched up by some Dracula lookalike. Suppose I should note that this is the count, a returning villain and descendant of Vlad the Impaler.

    After some drama with the kid telling his mom and them calling the cops we get to something more important. Turns out these boys are Colonel Trautman’s nephews so unlike every poor sap that ends up on a milk-carton these kids get a government-sanctioned murder-squad for a search party. Trautman hangs back at the house, the sidekicks hit the streets, and Rambo decides to investigate the haunted mansion solo.

     The next few minutes of the episode play-out like a mix of Scooby-Doo and Commando as our hero navigates the dark halls of the mansion avoiding booby-traps and battling ghost dogs. Ok, so they aren’t actual ghosts, they’re just coated in glitter or something which seems like a bad idea. Imagine the shiny poops after they lick themselves. Anyway; Rambo gets captured and shackled to a wall in a flooding room only to bust out and break through a brick wall like a badass.

    Now the episode totally shifts gears. The lightning intensifies as Rambo does his gear-up montage in preparation for the battle to come. The reason the count was at some D. C. suburb was to initiate a crazy scheme involving the use of kits to attrac lightning and overload the power grid. Why would they do this you ask? So S.A.V.A.G.E. can kidnap the president under the cover of darkness.

    From here on out it’s just one action scene after another. Rambo takes on the count and his thugs, Trautman and the others blow-up bikers on the street, Rambo fights a ninja atop a moving semi-truck before taking on a helicopter full of baddies. As a reminder this is a Halloween episode involving ninjas, and a plot to kidnap world leaders. If the novelty factor alone isn’t good enough for you then you’re just too far gone. In the end the oldest boy decides he wants to grow up to be just like Rambo, poor bastard doesn’t know what he’s in for. Rambo responds with the moral of the story that you shouldn’t tell crazy stories since you need trust to be a leader, yowza.

    Even as a massive horror nut I’ve often bemoaned a lack of alternative Halloween viewing. Sure there’s the amazing Cowboy Bebop movie, and a few family flicks, but I’m always pleased to see different genres like action or comedy mixed with this season, more so if they do it well. This isn’t the absolute best Halloween episode out there but it’s a good change of pace that can be found pretty easily online.

    And with that we are officially started on Halloween goodness. It’s gonna be a rough season for a lot of us, lord knows mine isn’t starting on the best note. Just remember to enjoy the little things in life. Camp out in the living room to watch some cartoons with your pets. Play a board game while fueled-up on pumpkin ale. We may not be able to do the big stuff like haunted houses or going to the theater for the newest movie. What we can do is be like Forrest and hang out in the garage as we watch the spooky weather drift by.

Ultraseven Series Review

Blogging sometimes leaves you feeling like a deadbeat dad. You promise to take the kids out for ice cream this weekend only to pass out on the couch. In my case it's promising a new post before sneaking off for a week long binge of video games and Ultraman. At least in this scenario all that selfish activity pays off cause it turns out the tenth of July is actually Ultraman day! Which means it's time for us to move on to the next entry in our oh so long review series of the Ultra franchise.

Tsuburaya productions already had two massive hits with Ultra Q and Ultraman. Wisely they took only a little break before capitalizing on that success with a third entry. The creators knew they had to stick with the superhero formula that had proven to be massively popular but still take a few risks in the storytelling department in the hopes of making something even better. To a certain extent they accomplished that goal as on nearly every objective level Ultraseven is an improvement over its predecessor yet with that upgrade comes a loss of some of the silly fun. Personally I'd give it the edge quality wise as it has a wider variety of high-quality episodes though I think it falls behind when it comes to the supporting cast of characters. Best not to get ahead of myself though.

The story this time around is much the same as before. There's a super science defense team known as Ultra Guard that protects Earth from monsters and alien invaders. Rather than one of their own being revived/possessed by an Ultra being this time they are joined by a mysterious young man named Dan who is actually an Ultra disguised as a human. The show moves along almost purely with stand-alone adventures instead of any continuing narrative. These adventures are often more mature than what we saw in previous series with a higher occurrence of grim or ambiguous conclusions.

That same level of maturation applies to the science team. It's a larger group this time around especially once the supporting and recurring characters are thrown into the mix. Having this many people around leaves less room for development leaving some characters feeling a little flat when compared to their forebears save for the main hero who is much improved over the dull Hayata.

Starting off we have Dan Moriboshi, actually Ultraseven in human form. Dan is much more lively and jovial than Hayata ever was and we get a larger glimpse into his struggles regarding how protecting Earth often requires him to kill countless aliens and animals. Ability wise he has most of the same techniques as the previous Ultraman just with a few interesting wrinkles thrown in. The biggest change is that Ultraseven doesn't need to worry about a timer, meaning he can kick ass for as long as he wants. The show almost heads in that direction later on but then forgets all about it. He also shifts in size far more often sometimes running around at human scale or shrinking down to the size of a bullet. He also has three monster pets he keeps in capsules that can be unleashed to tackle problems whenever Dan is unable to transform.

Anne is the resident cutie but she can come off as bland thanks to her inconsistent role within the show. Some writers and director clearly had no issue with letting her get right in on the action with the boys but once in a while there will be this odd setback where she just sits around the first aid office issuing band-aids and little else. Weirder still is late in the series when a very obvious wig begins to appear in random episodes to cover her short haircut. She clearly has the hots for Dan which only escalates as the series continues which more romantic viewers should enjoy.

Furuhashi is the token dense strongman of the team. He's played by the same actor as Arashi from Ultraman with the characters being very similar. Only in this case Furuhashi is not the team's crackshot. That honor goes to Soga who's a bit younger and more lively than his comrades. The smart guy role is filled by Amagi who sadly gets forgotten more often than not. The team is lead by Captain Kiriyama, a more stern and militant leader than what came before. While this isn't the most eccentric crew of heroes I've encountered they manage to endear themselves to the audience largely by being more helpful than many of the other Ultra support groups.

Before moving fully onto my episode picks for the series I should note that one installment is missing from pretty much every home video release. From a Planet With Love, the twelfth episode got into a heap of trouble when it originally aired due to some elements resembling negative stereotypes about people suffering from radiation burns. I'm not a fan of censorship by any means but I can't say much for the social situation of Japan and this topic. What stings all the more is that this is a Jissoji directed outing, not his best but still damn fine. It can be found online but not in the best condition. Just keep in mind you might have to mine the internet if you want the complete Ultraseven experience. Now let's talk about the some more accessible episodes. As the average quality of the show is a little higher than the last and a bit longer let's go with six picks.

Ep. 43 Nightmare on Planet 4

I debated including this one due to a rushed ending that sorta fizzles out. At the same time I can't ignore such an outlandish and violent piece of television. Yea, it's a Jissoji episode all right. Dan and Soga are testing out a new hibernation technology for space travel only the systems works too well. The pair wake up on a planet much like ours, only ruled over by genocidal androids. Humans live in slums and are killed on a daily basis by firing squads or as random acts of entertaining televised violence. Between the freaky visuals and the almost omnipresent sound of a man sucking on a piece of candy this one bad acid trip of an adventure.

Ep. 23 Search for Tomorrow

Captain Kiriyama doesn't get many focus episodes but this one makes a compelling argument that he should have had more. A fortune teller appears at the Ultra Guard base warning of alien invaders and seeking protection. Given a level of disbelief by the crew along with a lack of evidence to support his claims the old man is turned away only to disappear. Wanting to believe in the fortune teller, Kiriyama takes a break from work to search for the missing man on his own time. No singular mood or novelty to this one, just an all-around solid piece of viewing material.

Ep. 45 The Boy Who Cried Flying Saucer

Yet another Jissoji installment, this one being almost completely removed from the core team of heroes. Instead we see the daily struggles of an amateur astronomer. The only thing this guy enjoys is looking at the stars. He drifts off throughout the day due to lack of sleep, butts heads with his noisy mechanic neighbor, and that's before he starts seeing an invasion force of UFOS through his lens. Problem is he can't get the Ultra Guard to believe his story. Think of this as a slice of life mixed with a fairy tale and you'll have some idea what to expect. It'd probably rank higher if not for the trippy, epilepsy inducing monster fight.

Ep. 6 Dark Zone

The first truly excellent output from this series concerns a shadowy alien who comes to warn us that his species home is on a collision course with Earth. He expects that our planet, much like his own, has the ability to move freely about space. Once he learns the truth it becomes a battle between civilizations as the aliens, who cannot repair their engines in time, seek to clear Earth from their path while the Ultra Guard debates the destruction of our new visitors.

Here we can the formation of a common trope to the series where Dan tries to act as an ambassador of peace between two groups. Unfortunately a break down of communication and growing distrust serve to worsen the situation. It's a grim episodes but definitely worth your time.

Ep. 26 The Super Weapon R1

A common theme of sci-fi from this era is nuclear escalation. Naturally Japan wasn't exempt from this as their first hand experience of atomic weaponry served as the catalyst for kaiju and tokusatsu productions. It should come as no surprise then that the topic would rear its head within the Ultra series with this installment serving as one of the better examples of how to tackle such subject matter.

The story concerns the testing of a new rocket on a supposedly uninhabited planet. What no one expected was the large monster that lived under the planets surface who heads to Earth to issue swift revenge via nuclear fallout. Military scientists immediately begin development of more weapons to defeat this beast despite repeated pleas from Dan to stop and think about this course of action.

Obviously this is a very serious and dour episode featuring debates and disagreements between the core cast. Furuhashi actually takes the side of military development and ensuring piece with sheer strength in opposition to Dan's more peaceful approach. There's some excellent melodrama that would probably take the top spot if not for the wonders of episode 8.

Ep. 8 The Targeted Town

Just like last time it's Jissoji for the win with this all time titan of Ultra goodness. The Targeted Town concerns a village where people have suddenly become prone to sudden outbursts of irrational violence. Mass murder is becoming a daily occurrence with the only link between perpetrators being cigarette smoking.

There's just so much right about this one. The production and cinematography are outstanding by 1960s television standards. The showdown between Dan and alien conspirators became so iconic as to have its own figures and dioramas. And then there's the hilariously cynical ending. Much like how My Home is Earth was the highlight of Ultraman, this is without a doubt the one episode you should check out from this series.

Ah the sweet feeling of success. I seriously struggled to get this post done alongside all my damn homework. Ultraman Day comes but once a year though, and who am I to neglect such a prestigious celebration? Hope you all have a good night basking in the light of our favorite alien fighter. Gonna get in a few episodes myself once it's time for a break from statistics and media representations of women. Fingers crossed I don't get the two mixed up.

Ultraman Series Review

I must admit I have been sucking at updates lately. With lockdown life continuing for so long, days have become more than a blur. The plus side is I have had plenty of time to burn through backlogged entertainment. I'm currently more than halfway through my twelfth or so game of the year, watched so many movies, and recent attention has shifted towards books as I'm making an effort to cut down on internet time. That last one can be very counter-intuitive given my roles as a blogger and online college student. One constant that has remained throughout this time are Ultra Fridays wherein I get a good fix of wacky sci-fi hero antics. Given that I'm knee deep in yet another series this is probably a good time to give you all something fresh to read. So let's take a look at the television classic, Ultraman. And if this isn't to your liking snack reviews are next on the schedule.

During the runaway success of Ultra Q, production company Tusburaya along with the network heads realized their most popular episodes involved giant monsters. When it came time to create a follow-up series the decision was made to move the franchise in that direction with an equally giant hero to defend humanity from oversized space lizards. And so the story went that Hayate, a member of the Science Patrol is killed on the job when a being from the Land of Light merges with his lifeforce. From that point on Hayate can transform into Ultraman whenever he is needed. In a convenient twist that made budgeting and planning for the series much easier this transformation can only last for three minutes. Week after week, the series would offer the latest adventure of the Science Patrol and the secret alien hero among their ranks.

My introduction to the show came roughly a decade ago when I first discovered the few tokusatsu programs Mill Creek had put onto DVD. I ate it up watching multiple episodes a day as I giggled and marveled at shows that shifted from lighthearted nonsense to dark insanity. This along with the likes of Iron King, Super Robot Red Baron, and the martial arts focused Fight Dragon would form much of my passion for this genre. Those old DVDs were pretty awful with muffled sound, mistimed subtitles, all manner of issues. Even with those difficulties the quality of the material itself was unmistakable and now we're lucky enough to live in a time when that same company can remedy past failures with their rather spiffy new blu-ray releases.

Possibly the strangest aspect of the story is how absent the main hero can be. That's not to say there's a lack of Ultraman himself, he always manages to fit in a good monster brawl or two, rather the human host Hayata is barely developed and often fades into the background waiting for his chance to transform while his teammates do the heavy dramatic lifting. In fact of any flaws the series may have the almost total lack to growth for our hero may ranks as the biggest issue. It's become that much more noticeable given the recent flood of Ultra series on our shows how bland this guy can be. There are a couple of episodes where we see hints of a richer character but this show largely succeeds or fails based on the strength of storytelling and the efforts of the supporting cast.

In charge of the Science Patrol is Captain Muramatsu. Much like Hayate there isn't a whole lot of depth to this guy but what helps a great deal is the pure charisma of actor Akiji Kobayashi. Dude's just fun to watch with expressive features and unique timing. Clearly I'm not alone in this observation as he would have an even larger presence during the early years of the Kamen Rider franchise.

Arashi is the strong guy of the group. A fearless marksman who often foolishly charges into battle. Actor Sandayu Dokumamushi would return in the next series playing a very similar character. I guess you could say he has a gift for playing this type. Within the framework of the series he's an entertaining enough middle man between the heroics of Hayate and the brainier pursuits of our next two heroes.

Ide is without a doubt the most well-rounded character within the show. Often times he serves as comic relief yet he's also responsible for some of the most dramatic moments throughout the series. He's also the smartest member of the team, often crafting new weapons and defense systems on the fly. And while common practice would dictate Hayate is in line to win all female attention there are hints that Ide could have something more going on with the only lady on the team.

Hiroko Sakurai is the primary returning cast-member from Ultra-Q, this time playing as Akiko Fuji. Seeing as this is the sixties Fuji is initially left behind on many missions while serving as a glorified secretary. I'd say roughly a quarter of the way into the series that begins to change with more instances of her joining the men in the field and battling alien invaders. Sakurai has a far more consistent role than in the previous show and her interactions with the cast, notably Ide help to make the whole group feel more believable.

Almost forgot about Hoshino. He's the usual kid character. He wants to joint the Science Patrol, helps out here and there. On the plus side he's nowhere near as annoying as his character type would suggest. Still he leaves so little of an impression that it's easy to not notice how he disappears for the last third of the series.

As in our previous Ultra review it's time to take a look at some standout episodes. There's a little added difficulty when discussing this one however. Whenever an Ultra show has episodes directed by Akio Jissoji there's a strong likelihood that all the best installments are his. The guy was an absolute master of making crazy tokusatsu programming but in the interest of giving you all a larger view of the show I'll try to limit his entries to maybe three or so. I should also note that the series was originally produced in three thirteen episode chunks with the first easily being the weakest. There's still some decent content to be found in that section, just not to the extent as the other two.

Episode 8: The Lawless Monster Zone

As far as first section adventures go this is one of the first to really knock it outta the park for pure enjoyment. The team goes off in search of a lost exploratory party on a bizzare island full of monsters both good and evil. Even Fuji gets to tag along in order to be tied up by man-eating plants, this is Japan after all. Plenty of adventure and a surprisingly dramatic ending make for a solid outing that showcases how fun the series can be.

Episode 15: Terrifying Cosmic Rays

There are more than a few silly episodes of the show, many of which involve little kids. Of that particular sub-type this is by far the most interesting thanks to the work of Akio Jissoji who provides a lot of personality into this tale of a child's drawing that comes to life. The creature itself is one of the most unique within the show as it evolves when the kid improves upon his work and that the monster itself has no urge to cause distraction so much as it just doesn't fit it. The ending is what pulls it all together so I won't spoil it for you.

Tie: Episode 31: Who Goes There? Episode 37: The Little Hero

Gonna have to split this one. I have a fondness for episode 31 thanks to it having a perfect monster movie vibe with hidden invaders and killer plants. At the same time The Little Hero is a very well-liked installment which showcases some drama from Ide who questions the need for a team when Ultraman always saves the day. Both are possibly the finest examples of the show when not directed by Jissoji, guess what that means for our next two.

Episode 35: The Monster Graveyard

Upon first viewing The Monster Graveyard was not a big favorite of mine. During this most recent revisit however it became clear how much this one stick out for its slick production and unique storyline. The basic gist is that a dead monster is accidentally removed from its outerspace resting place and lands on Earth where it keeps attempting to return to the restful embrace of death. There's a lot of style here along with a monster funeral and one of the few times when Hayate showcases some depth by regretting how many space creatures he has slaughtered to protect humanity. It's an odd one but that's what makes it so special.

Episode 23: My Home is Earth

Undoubtedly the best installment in the whole show, and one of the greatest in the franchise, My Home is Earth involves a monster that is actually a mutated astronaut out for revenge. Jissoji's direction is fantastic with strange camera angles and lighting techniques which pairs up perfectly with a tale of Ide losing faith in society after learning of this poor astronaut. The ending is just so good and I know I'm not alone in this. Ask around and anybody that has viewed this series will sing the praises of My Home is Earth. If you only have time in life to check out one episode make it this one.

And so marks the end of our second Ultra series review. Currently I'm smack dab in the middle of revisiting Ultraseven, meaning you can look for that one next. Beyond that I'm unsure if I'll continue right into Return of Ultraman or go with one of the shorter recent entries. Having these shows readily available in quality releases at a time when much of life is spent indoors is such a gift. Plus it helps to offset the lame reality of Super Sentai releases being put on indefinite hold last year.

Thank you guys for stopping by to read pointless musings about big red spacemen. I'm gonna try to have a snack report up for you all in just a few days. After that it's a toss-up between something brand new or finally talking about the current Sentai that I've been neglecting for months. If anybody had an opinion on the matter I'll gladly oblige.

Ultra Q Series Review

If you would have told me that the 2020s would begin with most of the world huddled up like lice in a burning wig I'd say you were nuts, entirely correct, but nuts all the same. Yes like, I assume, a good many of you out there I'm doing my best to stay housebound in order to keep older family members safe. Classes have shifted to being entirely online and I now have the perfect excuse to sit on my ass & play video games all day. Still; each of us is supposed to do whatever they can to make life a bit more livable so I'm gonna try to pick up the blogging pace and share some different items to help you all stay festive during this dull time. Given how we're living in the perfect conditions to binge entertainment I thought we might begin with a new feature reviewing the various installments of the Ultra series starting with Ultra Q.

Unlike other tokusatsu brand names Ultra has multiple formats for the different shows, almost like different branches of the same tree. The most prominent is of course the Ultraman line of shows with a giant hero battling alien invaders. Mega Monster Battle shows, as far as I can tell, are what would happen if you threw Star Trek, Godzilla, and Pokemon in a blender. Then there are the biography series which function as serialized clip shows. The original branch is comprised of the Q shows that function more as weekly supernatural mysteries.

Much like later shows in this field, think Friday the 13^th The Series, Ultra Q often functions like an anthology only with a primary cast to hold it all together. Still; it’s not uncommon for the core group to largely sit out an episode while something else fills the time. This format makes for a lot of wiggle room when it comes to the overall tone with some installments feeling like classic universal horror pictures while others make attempts at surreal comedy, by and large those comedy episodes stink. Overall quality as a whole can swing wildly which made it tougher to get into this particular show than its superhero successors. Eventually it won me over with enough time left over to make the short span of only 28 episodes a little melancholy.

There's little point in discussing a primary plotline as there is none. The world presented here is simply unbalanced which allows for the emergence of ancient monsters, interdimensional shenanigans, or alien invasions at a moments notice. Our core trio of characters along with some supporting players are our only anchor. Jun Manjome is the closest thing to a classic hero. He's a pilot with a love for science-fiction and some mean fighting skills. His close friend and co-wroker Ippei Togawa serves as the young goofy guy. The pair are frequently hired out to help reporter Yuriko Edogawa, played by Hiroko Sakurai who would return to the franchise the following year as Akiko Fuji in Ultraman. As one might guess with this being a 60s series her character can change from one episode to the next as she goes from spunky and reliable to the trope of an overemotional woman.

As the series lacks an overarching narrative or deep character development the real quality comes down to individual episodes which means the viewer is in for a roller coaster with some fantastic heights and miserable lows. Like other shows I've covered I'm gonna give you a list of some favorites but it is vital to understand that for all the decent entertainment on hand there are also embarrassments like the truly painful, Grow Up! Little Turtle. The sixth episode of the show, Grow Up! Feels like what would happen if David Lynch decided to make a whacky kids comedy and no one had the good sense to stop him. Long, pointless, powerfully unfunny, and downright irritating, this singular installment ranks among the worst stand-alone bits of tokusatsu I’ve ever seen. Should you dive into this series do consider skipping that episode. With that outta the way let’s talk about the good stuff.

Open Up.

The final installment of this series is a bit of an odd duck that serves as a sort of head-trip drama about a flying train that whisks people away from their current lives and transports them to another dimension. There’s little in the way of traditional narrative here, nor are there many satisfying answers. Most of the usual aspects of the show are missing as will with nary a single giant monster or explosive military confrontation to be seen. Instead we get to witness something quieter that asks questions about the risks of wishing for a different life while neglecting what we already have.

Baron Spider

I mentioned earlier how some of the show has that classic universal monster feel. Nowhere is that more evident than this spooky tale where our cast along with some friends are sidetracked during a road trip and must seek shelter within an old manor that may be home to a massive spider.

Much like the film The Living Skeleton which I reviewed a few years back, Baron Spider is just oozing with classic horror atmosphere to the extent that it’s gurateed to get replayed come October. The sights, sounds, and extra characters all feel like a decent late night flick smashed down to fit inside a half-hour. Loads of fun for classic horror fiends.

Gift From the Sky

The third episode was the first I found genuinely interesting as it tackles the notion of alien objects that may have been sent to deal with the growing threat humans pose to the galaxy. The fact that this interplanetary squabble involves a giant slug beast only makes things better. More than any of the others on this list, Gift From the Sky is the most traditional installment of Ultra Q but it offers such a fine balance of character interactions and crazy monsters as to flow almost perfectly. Oh and the ending is something else.

The Undersea Humanoid Ragon

Once again veering towards universal monster territory we’re treated to fish people on the prowl. There’s just so much good in this one that it could easily take the top spot. The Ragon creature is a total joy to watch terrorize a fishing village populated by interesting characters. Our core trio has a lot to do here as well with Manjome luring a monster with the power of classical music. It’s the sort of effortless entertainment that makes us love these sort of genre shows.

Challenge from the year 2020

For as much as the Ragon episode rocked this immediate predecessor is the winner in my heart. The story concerns how a rash of disappearances may be linked with the insane ramblings of a missing author. Already a decent set-up but what makes this one soar is how the entire crew just seem to be firing on all cylinders. The scary parts are crazy atmospheric, the acting is better than the norm, the visuals are awesome, and those bits of unintentional comedy are somehow all the better for being part of such a great production. If you’re only willing to check out one episode as a test viewing I’d absolutely take this one over everything else. If you have a massive admiration for fish people however you know what to do instead.

If I’ve managed to peak your interest in this or any of the other Ultra series then you’re in luck as they’ve recently become much easier to obtain. After decades of poor dubs and scattered low-quality home video release the whole franchise was picked up by Mill Creek Entertainment. Since last fall they’ve been pushing out some nifty blu-rays of these shows which is what has inspired me to make this a recurring feature as I work through each individual series. This show in particular wont appeal to everyone, even some sci-fi fans, due to the wild changes in quality and tone. However; a low asking price alongside plenty of fun episodes means there’s enough here to make it worth a shot. And if you’re currently stuck indoors with like-minded folks you’ve got real viewing party potential.

The Ultra releases aren’t the only recent push for tokusatsu as a streaming channel dedicated to the genre kicked-off this past week and Toei is starting a new youtube channel to upload some of their classic material. As a fan of this sort of storytelling it is downright heartwarming to see our side of the pacific start to catch on to what a wonderful genre this is.

That’s all for today but as I mentioned at the start of this post I plan to pick up the pace on posts for a little while. Figure that’s the best way to help keep the days from running together and if it helps everybody out there keep there butt in one spot then all the better. Keep it together out there everyone. Before long we’ll be back to staying indoors by choice rather than social responsibility.