Transformation items (and the persons who use them) in recent Ultra series...
(Okay, you probably wonder who this person is who went silent for almost seven years. It's more likely that I'm talking to myself here, however. Anyway, went out for the first time this month on Friday and found that the outside world is still the same, so maybe I'll start posting again. Which might not be sustainable since I still don't really want to watch anything other than the Ultras, but never say never.)
Doing this from Ultraman Tiga onward, here are my personal opinions on transformation items the Ultra hosts use. (No, I don't own any, more's the pity.) Not counting the secondary Ultras, if any. I would comment on the transformation scenes themselves, but most of them aren't that memorable, except the three-century-long ones, only because I was seriously tempted to skip them. But I'll say I mostly prefer that the Ultra hosts don't shout out their Ultra names while transforming (except Mebius. He can shout his name all he wants).
Spoilers, maybe. But nothing that will ruin the series, I hope. So I'm not separating the cut into individual shows. The Ultras are listed in the order their series aired, as far as I know.
Tiga - I like it. Seems like I measure everything else against the spark lense, really.
Dyna - I don't know. Thing looks too fake...but I don't really dislike it or anything. It doesn't seem all that practical to carry around either. (Asuka did lost the thing at least twice over the course of his series. Seems like he takes better care of it post-series.)
Gaia - All I got is it seems like a nice paperweight. ;) It's cool that Gamu made it himself, though.
Cosmos - I actually like Cosmo Pluck (love that name). Perhaps I have a fondness for wand-type transformation items.
Nexus - My problem with it is more that it doesn't really fit the atmosphere of the show than any real flaw of the item itself. (Because if I'm going to complain that it looks like a toy, every other transformation item sort of does, too...) The thing was supposed to look mystical, like pure white marble stone or something, but it looks plastic, geez.
Max - Kinda neutral on this one. But I find it neat that the host has to know where to put it in order to get it to work. :) (Not remembering where to put it was a problem in one episode.) Oh, Max has the fastest transformation ever in one episode and I actually find that funny. ;)
Mebius - Well, obviously it can't be lost or stolen, so that's one good thing. (Could get broken, however.)
UltraSeven X - It's an Ultraeye, how could anything go wrong with it? ;) Well, in one way. If you have an Ultraeye, expect it to be stolen at least once. (It was taken twice in this series if I remember correctly.)
Zero - well, it's similar to the above, isn't it? It's a Zero eye, after all.
(I know I said no secondary Ultras, but I wouldn't dare look at Zero and say 'secondary Ultra'. He made his way into most of the new gen Ultra series (from Ginga onward), after all.)
Ginga - I guess it's fine, being a relic, sacred item in series and all. And now I remember that you start the trend of New Gen transformation items having copies for both the heroes and the villains.
X - I love this one. But I love most everything having to do with X and/or Daichi. Neat that you can use a spark doll. (Though some people might not agree -- they think you should come up with your own gimmicks (instead of inheriting spark dolls from Ginga) to use with your toy.)
Orb - Hmm, the Orb ring looks toy-ic, but really, every transformation item on this list is a toy, too. It looks cool in series, however. (I prefer the Orbcaliber in Origin Saga, only because no toy advertisement.)
Geed - Too many components. I keep thinking Riku would be lost if he lost one or more of them (well, sorta happens, doesn't it?) And I find it kind of ironic that he would have a gun-like transformation device (the capsules look like bullets).
R/B - I actually love the Gyros. I don't care how much they look (or not look) like toys. What I dislike is the three-century-long transformation scenes or the scenes whenever they change crystals (and there are two of them. Really, could have at least done split screens). Yes, I get that you are new at being Ultras, but, imo, mandatory toy advertisements in other series don't last as long, imo.
Taiga - The brace is back. ;) Haven't seen one of those since Mebius (in fact, is there actually anyone else outside of that series who uses the brace to transform?). All the new gen Ultras giving their power to Taiga is very touching, too. (Oh, so that is why they didn't come help out during the series.)
Z - What is that thing again? (It looks like a shark fin? Or maybe I was just thinking of that cute shark monster (from X and other recent series)?) Neat about the card with character name (access card), though. Z having to teach Haruki how to scan cards (and how to work the rest) is kind of funny.
(Oh, it has the same design as Z's head, so there. And I disliked that far too many people had access to some versions of the Z Riser.)
So maybe I should say something about the human form or host of each series (the main ones and Zero's)? I don't know, but let's just do it, then. I like to have excuses to talk about my favorite characters. (That means I probably might not limit myself to talking about the hosts/human forms only.) Unlike the above section, there are lots of spoilers and I don't mark them. Uneven length. For some I have paragraphs, and for some I have three sentences. How much I write is usually no indication of how much I like the host and/or the other characters, however.
Tiga:
Man, I love Daigo, even though on paper he's very boring (a hero who does (almost) everything right). This is probably the case of having an actor who is capable of selling the character. (Daigo in the Super 8 Ultra Brothers movie is quite a different story, however. He actually struggles and is far from god-like.)
Dyna:
I like Asuka a lot, too, though obviously for a different reason. He's a very dynamic character (Mai named Dyna well). Oh, I can't articulate so if you are curious, watch his show.
Gaia:
Gamu is Gamu, I suppose. He is a bit painful to watch in early episodes, but I don't mind later on (either he (or his actor) improves or I just become used to him). His individual relationships with the large cast are all interesting, however. (While not my most favorite, I still think his series is the best of the Heisei era - a serialized, tightly written story that barely ever wastes time on useless fillers, while still keeping to traditions (no new groundbreaking premise). The humor, drama, etc. are on point most of the time.)
But for all I said that, Gamu is very capable, as far as doing his job goes (being a technical advisor/science analyst for the team, I mean). So much that his commander doesn't seem to have any reason for clearly liking him (I mean, as a superior caring for his subordinate. I just don't know how to phrase this well. And since I wrote this a while back, I no longer know what I meant by that sentence). Then again, most other characters also like him.[But not the Sea Team and I am very annoyed.](Not team Marlin, however. How dare they treat Gamu like a novice who doesn't know what he is doing? (Would have excused you (even if I might not like it much still) if Gamu was like newly recruited. But gee, this is post-series - he had been with XIG for some time and even helped save the world (perhaps they might not know anything about that, stuck in the bottom of the sea and all).) Gee, I'm way too salty, but I'm not feeling sorry for this team anymore for not appearing in more than one episode in the series proper.)
Cosmos: I like Musashi, even though sometimes he is such an entitled brat. He often shows up in crossovers post-series and gives really good impression, however, so take it as a warning that he isn't always so sensible in his own series.
But anyway, I think I might be a bit unfair in my criticism. I blame it on my (usually) preferring a more non-confrontational protagonist. ('So why don't you complain about Asuka?' asked by no one. No idea, really, other than he and Musashi seem to have become platonic life partners in this new era.)
Though I will have to say that Team EYES are like one of my favorite teams ever. Apart from very few moments, I really do love their dynamic. I haven't seen a team that work so well together as a whole professionally (yup, I know there are better/more competent teams, but somehow I don't enjoy their teamwork as much as Team EYES'). (And I love their various aircrafts - tech thunder/tech spinner/tech-whatever.)
(No, I didn't forget that Fubuki was none too nice in the beginning. But, hey, I guess Musashi infected them all with kindness. (Well, apart from a few episodes where the plots demand that they unlearned what they learned from Musashi.) They really seem to love and care for each other. A family, I mean.)
Ah, I don't know. I tend to say that for almost everything I'd seen, so I guess I'm not objectively ranking/comparing the teams. In any case, I do love Team EYES. They are really up there with the best. (And while I don't have a team I actively dislike (not in Heisei era, at least), there are a few I don't much enjoy/am indifferent to.)
Nexus:
Hmm. This is talking about all dunamists from the Nexus world, then, because they all get to be Nexus (or at least some form of him).
Nexus is a very special TV show for me, never mind Ultraman show, because it is the first show that I'd ever followed week by week without fail as it aired back in 2004. As it was, I had a lot of time to think about events in an episode before the next episode aired (as a result, I'd guessed most of its plot twists/secrets. Not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing).
Maki: He is great. ;) Though I do have to say that as a character he doesn't really offer anything fresh (other than being a family man, perhaps?) But Ultraman is about people being good people, so I suppose I can't really fault Maki for being exactly that. Loving people, seeing goodness in others, I mean. Really standard stuff, but if you don't like seeing positivity/being hopeful as a theme, Ultraman is not for you.
Himeya: I like him, but there is no real reason really. It isn't even his background.
Perhaps I'm supposed to say that I like him because he is a hero even without ever being Ultraman. Look at how many people are inspired by his photos (which are amazing and totally worth the reveal) and literally follow him around (three, at least, but there are probably a lot more who admire/praise his photos if those letters his former newspaper publisher received are any indication*), and they know nothing of him being Ultraman (in contrast, being Ultraman is a burden, a thankless job that no one (other than Komon) seemed to appreciate at first). And he keeps pushing people (maybe except Komon) away. I understand why, though (so they wouldn't get hurt), but I'm not sure I liked how that came across. I mean, I like self-sacrificing heroes, but this is pushing it a bit far. So, like I said, no real reason his character totally works for me (because I liked him since I first saw him, before knowing any of his backstory).
(*Although he is the only one I could recall off-handed, I wouldn't say Himeya is only a tokusatsu hero who received praises/recognitions for things that had nothing to do with him being able to transform and everything to do with him being a hero, period. A hero everyone could be if they had desire/courage to protect and/or give hope to others.)
Ren: Love him. ;) I have a weakness for his type of character. You know, the eternally happy person who is deeper than he seems. Not that I'm saying he's lying to people - his happiness seems real enough, but it is also something to cover up his wounds. (That aside, I kind of want to see him hang out with another character who likes to use the word 'happy' as their catchphrase. They are around the same age, I think?)
Nagi: I'm kinda conflicted? It doesn't help that her arc got reduced to a few minutes in the final episode. Anyway, she claims to be realistic (about the whole Space Beast thing) but her hatred toward beasts seems borderline irrational. Yes, she has a very good reason to hate them, but still, I feel that she has carried that hatred way too far and way too long. I'll have to note that Ultraman Nexus really gives a lot of control to the dunamist, as I don't remember anyone ever getting blocked from transforming (and I'm almost certain Nagi would be blocked if this were some other Ultra series, for transforming for all the wrong reason, I mean). (The dunamists before her were quite stubborn, too, for transforming when their bodies were at limits. Some other Ultra series would almost certainly block such suicidal transformations.)
But for all I said that, Nagi is capable of learning and admitting when she is wrong. It's really too bad that her learning kind of got done in about half an episode (yes, she really needs more time). As a character, I truly don't mind her. She wasn't being cruel to Komon for some perverse pleasure; she only pointed out his new reality to him. It seems to me that she truly wants to help Komon, despite her method being not quite right (using hatred to fight, etc., etc.), but Nagi is who she is. I wouldn't want her any other way.
Komon: By the time the light comes to him, he is worthy of it.
Okay, I think I've been too harsh on Komon. At times, his naiveness seems out of place in the harsh world he lives in. Then again, this show seems to say that perhaps it is not naive to hope, to believe in the good of other people. I mean, even the dunamists sometimes seem to have less faith in themselves than Komon has in them and they seem to have learned something from him, however indirectly. (Okay, maybe it isn't a great plot twist or anything, but honestly, if Komon believes in Ultraman more than Ultraman himself does, it would be a terrible plot twist if he doesn't become one by the end of the show.) Still not my favorite character, but I guess I've learned to appreciate his character.
Max:
Kaito is who? Sorry, but I truly cannot find anything remarkable about him. (The rescue worker thing? At least one other character did it before. The episode he couldn't transform? At least three other series before his have that same plot.) (Yet when he supposedly appeared in a future series, I was almost upset that it wasn't actually Kaito. Go figure. (And, geez, that isn't unique to him either, and one of them even appeared in that same series, though with me being this unclear, hopefully no one gets spoiled.)) Don't even know why, exactly. His actor was actually quite capable.
Mebius:
I can't find a more adorable human form/host than Mirai. He has a certain curiosity/earnesty that no one else seems to have. Still have this opinion 14 years after his series ended, after I've seen more than 10 other Ultra series after it.
And I love everyone else in the main cast too. Yeah, I guess even Adjutant Ebisu and his underling Toriyama and Maru. Really cannot say that for any other series (I mean, with other teams, I could say I like their team dynamic or whatever, but not everyone individually). Crew GUYS Japan is in a category of its own. They are really all around adorable. (Well, I guess this is pretty much a matter of opinion. I know some people don't like GUYS, and I'm like "why????" with a sad face.)
UltraSeven X:
Hmm. Is this the case I like the hero's friends better than the hero himself? I guess.
Thing is, I ought to like Jin more than this because on paper he's great. He isn't passive and actively looks/searches for things even when he doesn't have to. That's the stuff a hero is made of. I might have to blame my lukewarm feeling on his having one expression for almost the entire series. (Why oh why? He is capable of emoting, as we can see in flashback scenes.) I mean, I would not be bothered by his lack of facial expression if he's an android and/or alien (almost wish either was the case). Because I find guest aliens in this series pretty fun (or if not fun, at least not boring). (Well, I remember Nataru the most. Because she's played by Yuki Misaki's actor from Ultraman Mebius. And because she calls Jin "Red Giant-kun". (I'm undeniably amused at this because I don't think any other Ultra host ever get called (to their face) anything like that. The closest I remember is an alien girl calling Musashi "Blue Giant".))
We actually don't know anything (background-wise) of Agent K and Agent S, but they are pretty entertaining to watch (separately is fine, but they are even better together).
Zero:
Run: Don't remember him, but it has been years since I last watched the movie he appeared in. But I thought Zero took over his body and for the most part it was just Zero, so if I found Run cool, it just meant I found Zero cool. Will probably amend this if/when I watch this movie again. (I think the Ultraman Zero Blu-Ray sets come out in June, so I hope I remember to order them.)
Taiga: He's fine when he actually listened to reason. You know, I don't get the comparison that he's similar to Asuka, especially when the Asuka in that same film is totally nothing like Taiga. (Well, maybe not totally, but you know Asuka is a legend in that film. Taiga? Not so much.)
[Ultraman Geed character]Leito: I love love love him. Zero could not pick a better host if he tried. (And I don't use 'Reito' since he calls himself 'Leito' on his business card. I always respect how people want to be addressed.)
Ginga:
I surely mentioned before that I love Hikaru. He has such a big heart and always has a corny speech for everyone.
X:
I love Daichi, and I don't know why, exactly. Or perhaps I am just happy to see a scientist as a main character in an Ultra show, again. (Is he truly only a second scientist protag, after Gamu? Man, this franchise really don't use scientists as hosts all that much.) Or maybe his peaceful nature? (Something I enjoy in Musashi's character without all the childish tantrums? Speaking of, they really really should meet somewhere and compare notes.) He isn't the only scientist, however, but belongs to a tech team with three other members (whom, other than Rui, are sadly neglected).
Orb:
You know, Gai-san is great and all, but I can't help thinking that I like him because there seems to be no one like him in the Ultra franchise (who came before him, that is). (Well, the closest I can think of is Dan Moroboshi (thanks the Orb finale for that connection; I'm not that sharp otherwise), but he actually joined a proper defense team during the time in his series.) Oh, when I say he is unlike anyone, I'm not talking about Gai in Orb Origin Saga, of course. That type is familiar (the eager rookie learning how to use his power). But that prequel settled things for me regarding his character type (the peace-loving hero who doesn't want anyone to suffer. And I do mean anyone).
Randomly, I like the way Gai pronounces Naomi's name. I don't hear anyone else call her the way he does.
Speaking of, the Something Search People are something, really. I never expected to like them as much as I do. I do find it odd that they are often referred to as kids (well, okay, by comments and such in forums or whatnot. I stopped reading after three or four such comments) when they are at least college graduates. Really, they are probably older than some defense team members from some other series (Mirai (well, he's posing as an eighteen-year-old), Konomi (she's eighteen, too; the character is younger than the actor), Yazumi, Mai, Georgie, Musashi, just to name a few). Okay, they do dress casually, more like teenagers, but still.
And Naomi's mom is the best. I'm a bit sad she doesn't appear more.
All right, Naomi's uncle has his moments, too. :) Though someone ought to tell me how he has so much free time to spend outside his team (VTL?), when the captain from the preceding series was like having no time at all. Is VTL a more relaxed organization or something?
Ah, Juggler. I guess I can't avoid talking about him. Though I never really like villains, Jugg is probably the closest in making a favorable impression upon me. (Every antagonist that came after him fell flat for me.[Villains from those later series.]The slavish writer from Geed is boringly empty. The alien possessed tech owner in the first half of R/B is too hammy for me to take seriously (I'm not supposed to take him seriously, I know, but as a threat, he didn't work). The goth emo girl from the second half is, already seen, done that in Gaia. I hate the Joker in Taiga (though maybe this guy did something right, after all, because usually I'm indifferent to villains), and yes, I saw something of his background recently, but still hate him. And whatever that parasite in Z was called? No motivation (that can be understood by me, at least), so I'm glad it never appeared much.)
Geed:
Riku is really really adorkable. ;) Seeing his amazing love for his childhood toku hero almost makes me forget that his series is actually somewhat grim dark.
Pega is so cute. :) Though I'm a bit disappointed that all he is known as is 'Riku's cute tag-along alien friend who lives in shadow'.
REM is, well, a ball. But a smart one for all that. That isn't a fair description, sorry, since I really do like REM. Her attempt to understand humans is so earnest. Although no personal space for them, of course, since REM sees all and knows all that goes on in the Nebula House ship.
Laiha. Ah, I'm not really sure how I feel about her. On the one hand, I like her curbing Riku's enthusiasms in acquiring his dorkish toys. On the other hand, I feel she's a bit too serious for the most part.
Moa has an opposite problem, I suppose. I wish she is a bit more serious. I do like her relationship with Riku, however. (It's totally platonic, of course, no matter how Moa wishes otherwise. ^^;)
I did write about Leito already, but might as well say it again that I really do love him. Also Mayu and Lumina-san. Such a wholesome family. (I get the feeling that Zero is a bit jealous.)
Zena-san is Zena-san. Despite having only one expression, it's clear that he cares a lot for Moa (as a subordinate, I mean).
R/B:
For a show about familial bonds, I sure don't get much on the brothers. There are times I like Katsumi more than Isami, and vice versa, though in the end, I think I prefer Katsumi's characterization. (Not surprising. I tend to like the careful, reserved character more than the charge-ahead-and-see type. Not that Isami was that type exactly, but he seems a bit more careless. Still, he usually likes to come up with plans, so that's a point in his favor. And I do like that the brothers' characterizations are not typical. Katsumi is good with sports so one would think he would be the hot-headed one. Isami is a scientist so one would expect him to be more cool-headed. Nope.) Asahi amazed me, but in a good way. She's cute and seems a bit childish, but somehow that just makes her all the more endearing. I do love their parents, however.
(And since I'm here, I might as well mention that I think, for some very weird reason, that Saki is like an expy of Fujimiya from Ultraman Gaia. At least, watching her arc gave me the same uncomfortable feeling as watching Fujimiya in the first half of Gaia, in that I understand where she is coming from (her bitterness, her helplessness, etc. etc.), but I wish she cooperates with the heroes anyway or at least does not give them such a hard time. I'm not going to justify this further since I'm not looking to convince anyone. I mean, as far as canon goes, there is probably a better character (or two) to compare with Fujimiya anyway.)
Randomly, I was a bit taken back since this is not the first time I'd seen the name Katsumi in the Ultra franchise. But then again, there are like close to half a dozen of Mirai's or half a dozen of some variations of Hikari (or more than a few of Jun's) for both girls and boys running around, so name recycling is like the norm for Tsuburaya Pro. (And Minato isn't the most original name around either in this franchise. So poor Katsumi has no part of his name that is unique at all. Oh, and Asahi, too, has a name that is seen before in this franchise, so she's right there with her big brother and they can comfort each other. ;p)
Taiga:
I have a difficult time pinning down Hiroyuki's personality. He seems to have a hotchpotch of traits from different people. It's fine that he isn't easily categorized, no matter how much his co-workers insisted that he is (hot-headed idiot, the Ryuu Aihara trait, of all things. I'm not sure how I feel about this). Speaking of the co-workers, I did find it strange that they never really seemed to care where Hiro was going (even if they shouted after him), nor were particularly concerned for his safety. Turns out there is a good reason for that all along.
I like Homare. Reminds me of Fubuki from Ultraman Cosmos. Or rather, Homare's relationship with Hiro reminds me of Fubuki's relationship with Musashi. (So, fine, maybe the co-workers aren't wrong about Hiro, after all.) Well, okay, someone else did point that out first, and I agree, though I have to say not the Fubuki-Musashi relationship way back in the beginning. (As I said earlier, Fubuki came off kind of bad back then, and Musashi didn't help the matter any, of course.)
I like Kana as the fearless leader of this ragtag team. Why, her team consists of two aliens and one human who gets possessed by three aliens and she is like taking them all in stride. (Well, even if she doesn't know about Hiro, she clearly knows about the other two.)
Pirika is the one I'm most unsure of. Why does she sort of throw away her android/robot root? To fit in? I feel like it's a bit of a missed opportunity because for the most part, it made her no different from a normal human. But, okay, I'm not sure how to make it work, either.
Z:
Now if you say Haruki reminds you of Asuka from Dyna, I would have no complaint. ;) But I still feel Haruki is his own person for all that. And now, completely contradicting the previous sentence, for some reason, he reminds me more of Gai (which is always a good thing). I don't know. I do like Haruki, but I think this is another case of an actor capable of selling the character. It doesn't hurt either that he has a good character arc.
(Oh, maybe I could try a bit harder with the comparisons to Gai.
1. Respectful toward seniors/elders (the senpai, I mean) and polite in general. In Haruki's case, I don't think he referred to any of his teammates (I think Yuka is actually younger than him) without some kind of respectful honorific. (Oh, and "Riku-kun-senpai". That is utterly adorable (Haruki, not Riku, although Riku is plenty adorable).)
2. In some side view, they kinda look alike (maybe this is reaching, however). (Okay, I'm talking specifically about Haruki on the Z poster. It made me excited for all of three seconds.)
3. Their voices. Really. If they are in the same scene (well, I can dream), I'm in danger of not knowing who is speaking.
4. I don't know. They both give the same person a headache, perhaps?
5. Pretty even-tempered most of the time (admittedly, not a trait only shared among these two, but hey, why not? It's a big part of why I like them, after all).
6. Like to act kind of airheaded. (Again, not a trait unique to them, but I really do like airheaded characters, so.) I mean, really, look at their facial expressions when they get excited/worked up over the "wrong" things. (I ought to post some pictures to support my weird claims, but my computer lost good ability to cap pics. Time for a new computer.)
7. Terrible, terrible at concealing a secret identity (fine, not a failing limited to them either, but I might as well mention it). Their friends don't guess only because of dumb luck? Okay, okay, Ultraman Z mentioned that Earthlings can't see the blue box Haruki keeps his medals, but what is Gai's excuse? Maybe Earthlings can't see his transformation-related items either? (And it's good that the blue box can't be seen, because, you know, I'm sure it would be against STORAGE policy or something to have some unauthorized stuff hanging off your belt.)
8. Kind, kind, kind. (All right, lots of kind people in this franchise. Well, kindness would be expected, for instance, from someone like Mirai, Daichi, Riku or Musashi (obviously), but those two manly men? It is such a good contradiction that each of them is such a huge softie.) And doesn't Z OP say something like "kindness is power"? Ultraman Cosmos would be so proud.
Okay, now that I wrote out all the above, I wonder if they didn't make Haruki similar to Gai on purpose (without quoting him or doing anything like him, actually. I'm rather impressed). Well, on the other hand, I might just be the only one who thinks that they are similar.)
Yoko's crush on Z is kind of cute, if a bit cringe-worthy at the same time. Haruki must be so uncomfortable, caught in the middle of it and all.
(And now, sort of a contradiction, I believe she guessed about Haruki somewhere before halfway through the series. Only that I think she can keep secret much better than he can. I'm not looking to convince anyone of this, however.)
And how much I enjoy a series is almost always directly proportional to how much I like its main character. I think only Nexus actually breaks that mold (but then I practically like most of the dunamists, so maybe there's that). I won't say which series I like more because I don't like to play favorites, though perhaps you can tell? I'm not all that objective anyway.
Doing this from Ultraman Tiga onward, here are my personal opinions on transformation items the Ultra hosts use. (No, I don't own any, more's the pity.) Not counting the secondary Ultras, if any. I would comment on the transformation scenes themselves, but most of them aren't that memorable, except the three-century-long ones, only because I was seriously tempted to skip them. But I'll say I mostly prefer that the Ultra hosts don't shout out their Ultra names while transforming (except Mebius. He can shout his name all he wants).
Spoilers, maybe. But nothing that will ruin the series, I hope. So I'm not separating the cut into individual shows. The Ultras are listed in the order their series aired, as far as I know.
Tiga - I like it. Seems like I measure everything else against the spark lense, really.
Dyna - I don't know. Thing looks too fake...but I don't really dislike it or anything. It doesn't seem all that practical to carry around either. (Asuka did lost the thing at least twice over the course of his series. Seems like he takes better care of it post-series.)
Gaia - All I got is it seems like a nice paperweight. ;) It's cool that Gamu made it himself, though.
Cosmos - I actually like Cosmo Pluck (love that name). Perhaps I have a fondness for wand-type transformation items.
Nexus - My problem with it is more that it doesn't really fit the atmosphere of the show than any real flaw of the item itself. (Because if I'm going to complain that it looks like a toy, every other transformation item sort of does, too...) The thing was supposed to look mystical, like pure white marble stone or something, but it looks plastic, geez.
Max - Kinda neutral on this one. But I find it neat that the host has to know where to put it in order to get it to work. :) (Not remembering where to put it was a problem in one episode.) Oh, Max has the fastest transformation ever in one episode and I actually find that funny. ;)
Mebius - Well, obviously it can't be lost or stolen, so that's one good thing. (Could get broken, however.)
UltraSeven X - It's an Ultraeye, how could anything go wrong with it? ;) Well, in one way. If you have an Ultraeye, expect it to be stolen at least once. (It was taken twice in this series if I remember correctly.)
Zero - well, it's similar to the above, isn't it? It's a Zero eye, after all.
(I know I said no secondary Ultras, but I wouldn't dare look at Zero and say 'secondary Ultra'. He made his way into most of the new gen Ultra series (from Ginga onward), after all.)
Ginga - I guess it's fine, being a relic, sacred item in series and all. And now I remember that you start the trend of New Gen transformation items having copies for both the heroes and the villains.
X - I love this one. But I love most everything having to do with X and/or Daichi. Neat that you can use a spark doll. (Though some people might not agree -- they think you should come up with your own gimmicks (instead of inheriting spark dolls from Ginga) to use with your toy.)
Orb - Hmm, the Orb ring looks toy-ic, but really, every transformation item on this list is a toy, too. It looks cool in series, however. (I prefer the Orbcaliber in Origin Saga, only because no toy advertisement.)
Geed - Too many components. I keep thinking Riku would be lost if he lost one or more of them (well, sorta happens, doesn't it?) And I find it kind of ironic that he would have a gun-like transformation device (the capsules look like bullets).
R/B - I actually love the Gyros. I don't care how much they look (or not look) like toys. What I dislike is the three-century-long transformation scenes or the scenes whenever they change crystals (and there are two of them. Really, could have at least done split screens). Yes, I get that you are new at being Ultras, but, imo, mandatory toy advertisements in other series don't last as long, imo.
Taiga - The brace is back. ;) Haven't seen one of those since Mebius (in fact, is there actually anyone else outside of that series who uses the brace to transform?). All the new gen Ultras giving their power to Taiga is very touching, too. (Oh, so that is why they didn't come help out during the series.)
Z - What is that thing again? (It looks like a shark fin? Or maybe I was just thinking of that cute shark monster (from X and other recent series)?) Neat about the card with character name (access card), though. Z having to teach Haruki how to scan cards (and how to work the rest) is kind of funny.
(Oh, it has the same design as Z's head, so there. And I disliked that far too many people had access to some versions of the Z Riser.)
So maybe I should say something about the human form or host of each series (the main ones and Zero's)? I don't know, but let's just do it, then. I like to have excuses to talk about my favorite characters. (That means I probably might not limit myself to talking about the hosts/human forms only.) Unlike the above section, there are lots of spoilers and I don't mark them. Uneven length. For some I have paragraphs, and for some I have three sentences. How much I write is usually no indication of how much I like the host and/or the other characters, however.
Tiga:
Man, I love Daigo, even though on paper he's very boring (a hero who does (almost) everything right). This is probably the case of having an actor who is capable of selling the character. (Daigo in the Super 8 Ultra Brothers movie is quite a different story, however. He actually struggles and is far from god-like.)
Dyna:
I like Asuka a lot, too, though obviously for a different reason. He's a very dynamic character (Mai named Dyna well). Oh, I can't articulate so if you are curious, watch his show.
Gaia:
Gamu is Gamu, I suppose. He is a bit painful to watch in early episodes, but I don't mind later on (either he (or his actor) improves or I just become used to him). His individual relationships with the large cast are all interesting, however. (While not my most favorite, I still think his series is the best of the Heisei era - a serialized, tightly written story that barely ever wastes time on useless fillers, while still keeping to traditions (no new groundbreaking premise). The humor, drama, etc. are on point most of the time.)
But for all I said that, Gamu is very capable, as far as doing his job goes (being a technical advisor/science analyst for the team, I mean). So much that his commander doesn't seem to have any reason for clearly liking him (I mean, as a superior caring for his subordinate. I just don't know how to phrase this well. And since I wrote this a while back, I no longer know what I meant by that sentence). Then again, most other characters also like him.[But not the Sea Team and I am very annoyed.](Not team Marlin, however. How dare they treat Gamu like a novice who doesn't know what he is doing? (Would have excused you (even if I might not like it much still) if Gamu was like newly recruited. But gee, this is post-series - he had been with XIG for some time and even helped save the world (perhaps they might not know anything about that, stuck in the bottom of the sea and all).) Gee, I'm way too salty, but I'm not feeling sorry for this team anymore for not appearing in more than one episode in the series proper.)
Cosmos: I like Musashi, even though sometimes he is such an entitled brat. He often shows up in crossovers post-series and gives really good impression, however, so take it as a warning that he isn't always so sensible in his own series.
But anyway, I think I might be a bit unfair in my criticism. I blame it on my (usually) preferring a more non-confrontational protagonist. ('So why don't you complain about Asuka?' asked by no one. No idea, really, other than he and Musashi seem to have become platonic life partners in this new era.)
Though I will have to say that Team EYES are like one of my favorite teams ever. Apart from very few moments, I really do love their dynamic. I haven't seen a team that work so well together as a whole professionally (yup, I know there are better/more competent teams, but somehow I don't enjoy their teamwork as much as Team EYES'). (And I love their various aircrafts - tech thunder/tech spinner/tech-whatever.)
(No, I didn't forget that Fubuki was none too nice in the beginning. But, hey, I guess Musashi infected them all with kindness. (Well, apart from a few episodes where the plots demand that they unlearned what they learned from Musashi.) They really seem to love and care for each other. A family, I mean.)
Ah, I don't know. I tend to say that for almost everything I'd seen, so I guess I'm not objectively ranking/comparing the teams. In any case, I do love Team EYES. They are really up there with the best. (And while I don't have a team I actively dislike (not in Heisei era, at least), there are a few I don't much enjoy/am indifferent to.)
Nexus:
Hmm. This is talking about all dunamists from the Nexus world, then, because they all get to be Nexus (or at least some form of him).
Nexus is a very special TV show for me, never mind Ultraman show, because it is the first show that I'd ever followed week by week without fail as it aired back in 2004. As it was, I had a lot of time to think about events in an episode before the next episode aired (as a result, I'd guessed most of its plot twists/secrets. Not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing).
Maki: He is great. ;) Though I do have to say that as a character he doesn't really offer anything fresh (other than being a family man, perhaps?) But Ultraman is about people being good people, so I suppose I can't really fault Maki for being exactly that. Loving people, seeing goodness in others, I mean. Really standard stuff, but if you don't like seeing positivity/being hopeful as a theme, Ultraman is not for you.
Himeya: I like him, but there is no real reason really. It isn't even his background.
Perhaps I'm supposed to say that I like him because he is a hero even without ever being Ultraman. Look at how many people are inspired by his photos (which are amazing and totally worth the reveal) and literally follow him around (three, at least, but there are probably a lot more who admire/praise his photos if those letters his former newspaper publisher received are any indication*), and they know nothing of him being Ultraman (in contrast, being Ultraman is a burden, a thankless job that no one (other than Komon) seemed to appreciate at first). And he keeps pushing people (maybe except Komon) away. I understand why, though (so they wouldn't get hurt), but I'm not sure I liked how that came across. I mean, I like self-sacrificing heroes, but this is pushing it a bit far. So, like I said, no real reason his character totally works for me (because I liked him since I first saw him, before knowing any of his backstory).
(*Although he is the only one I could recall off-handed, I wouldn't say Himeya is only a tokusatsu hero who received praises/recognitions for things that had nothing to do with him being able to transform and everything to do with him being a hero, period. A hero everyone could be if they had desire/courage to protect and/or give hope to others.)
Ren: Love him. ;) I have a weakness for his type of character. You know, the eternally happy person who is deeper than he seems. Not that I'm saying he's lying to people - his happiness seems real enough, but it is also something to cover up his wounds. (That aside, I kind of want to see him hang out with another character who likes to use the word 'happy' as their catchphrase. They are around the same age, I think?)
Nagi: I'm kinda conflicted? It doesn't help that her arc got reduced to a few minutes in the final episode. Anyway, she claims to be realistic (about the whole Space Beast thing) but her hatred toward beasts seems borderline irrational. Yes, she has a very good reason to hate them, but still, I feel that she has carried that hatred way too far and way too long. I'll have to note that Ultraman Nexus really gives a lot of control to the dunamist, as I don't remember anyone ever getting blocked from transforming (and I'm almost certain Nagi would be blocked if this were some other Ultra series, for transforming for all the wrong reason, I mean). (The dunamists before her were quite stubborn, too, for transforming when their bodies were at limits. Some other Ultra series would almost certainly block such suicidal transformations.)
But for all I said that, Nagi is capable of learning and admitting when she is wrong. It's really too bad that her learning kind of got done in about half an episode (yes, she really needs more time). As a character, I truly don't mind her. She wasn't being cruel to Komon for some perverse pleasure; she only pointed out his new reality to him. It seems to me that she truly wants to help Komon, despite her method being not quite right (using hatred to fight, etc., etc.), but Nagi is who she is. I wouldn't want her any other way.
Komon: By the time the light comes to him, he is worthy of it.
Okay, I think I've been too harsh on Komon. At times, his naiveness seems out of place in the harsh world he lives in. Then again, this show seems to say that perhaps it is not naive to hope, to believe in the good of other people. I mean, even the dunamists sometimes seem to have less faith in themselves than Komon has in them and they seem to have learned something from him, however indirectly. (Okay, maybe it isn't a great plot twist or anything, but honestly, if Komon believes in Ultraman more than Ultraman himself does, it would be a terrible plot twist if he doesn't become one by the end of the show.) Still not my favorite character, but I guess I've learned to appreciate his character.
Max:
Kaito is who? Sorry, but I truly cannot find anything remarkable about him. (The rescue worker thing? At least one other character did it before. The episode he couldn't transform? At least three other series before his have that same plot.) (Yet when he supposedly appeared in a future series, I was almost upset that it wasn't actually Kaito. Go figure. (And, geez, that isn't unique to him either, and one of them even appeared in that same series, though with me being this unclear, hopefully no one gets spoiled.)) Don't even know why, exactly. His actor was actually quite capable.
Mebius:
I can't find a more adorable human form/host than Mirai. He has a certain curiosity/earnesty that no one else seems to have. Still have this opinion 14 years after his series ended, after I've seen more than 10 other Ultra series after it.
And I love everyone else in the main cast too. Yeah, I guess even Adjutant Ebisu and his underling Toriyama and Maru. Really cannot say that for any other series (I mean, with other teams, I could say I like their team dynamic or whatever, but not everyone individually). Crew GUYS Japan is in a category of its own. They are really all around adorable. (Well, I guess this is pretty much a matter of opinion. I know some people don't like GUYS, and I'm like "why????" with a sad face.)
UltraSeven X:
Hmm. Is this the case I like the hero's friends better than the hero himself? I guess.
Thing is, I ought to like Jin more than this because on paper he's great. He isn't passive and actively looks/searches for things even when he doesn't have to. That's the stuff a hero is made of. I might have to blame my lukewarm feeling on his having one expression for almost the entire series. (Why oh why? He is capable of emoting, as we can see in flashback scenes.) I mean, I would not be bothered by his lack of facial expression if he's an android and/or alien (almost wish either was the case). Because I find guest aliens in this series pretty fun (or if not fun, at least not boring). (Well, I remember Nataru the most. Because she's played by Yuki Misaki's actor from Ultraman Mebius. And because she calls Jin "Red Giant-kun". (I'm undeniably amused at this because I don't think any other Ultra host ever get called (to their face) anything like that. The closest I remember is an alien girl calling Musashi "Blue Giant".))
We actually don't know anything (background-wise) of Agent K and Agent S, but they are pretty entertaining to watch (separately is fine, but they are even better together).
Zero:
Run: Don't remember him, but it has been years since I last watched the movie he appeared in. But I thought Zero took over his body and for the most part it was just Zero, so if I found Run cool, it just meant I found Zero cool. Will probably amend this if/when I watch this movie again. (I think the Ultraman Zero Blu-Ray sets come out in June, so I hope I remember to order them.)
Taiga: He's fine when he actually listened to reason. You know, I don't get the comparison that he's similar to Asuka, especially when the Asuka in that same film is totally nothing like Taiga. (Well, maybe not totally, but you know Asuka is a legend in that film. Taiga? Not so much.)
[Ultraman Geed character]Leito: I love love love him. Zero could not pick a better host if he tried. (And I don't use 'Reito' since he calls himself 'Leito' on his business card. I always respect how people want to be addressed.)
Ginga:
I surely mentioned before that I love Hikaru. He has such a big heart and always has a corny speech for everyone.
X:
I love Daichi, and I don't know why, exactly. Or perhaps I am just happy to see a scientist as a main character in an Ultra show, again. (Is he truly only a second scientist protag, after Gamu? Man, this franchise really don't use scientists as hosts all that much.) Or maybe his peaceful nature? (Something I enjoy in Musashi's character without all the childish tantrums? Speaking of, they really really should meet somewhere and compare notes.) He isn't the only scientist, however, but belongs to a tech team with three other members (whom, other than Rui, are sadly neglected).
Orb:
You know, Gai-san is great and all, but I can't help thinking that I like him because there seems to be no one like him in the Ultra franchise (who came before him, that is). (Well, the closest I can think of is Dan Moroboshi (thanks the Orb finale for that connection; I'm not that sharp otherwise), but he actually joined a proper defense team during the time in his series.) Oh, when I say he is unlike anyone, I'm not talking about Gai in Orb Origin Saga, of course. That type is familiar (the eager rookie learning how to use his power). But that prequel settled things for me regarding his character type (the peace-loving hero who doesn't want anyone to suffer. And I do mean anyone).
Randomly, I like the way Gai pronounces Naomi's name. I don't hear anyone else call her the way he does.
Speaking of, the Something Search People are something, really. I never expected to like them as much as I do. I do find it odd that they are often referred to as kids (well, okay, by comments and such in forums or whatnot. I stopped reading after three or four such comments) when they are at least college graduates. Really, they are probably older than some defense team members from some other series (Mirai (well, he's posing as an eighteen-year-old), Konomi (she's eighteen, too; the character is younger than the actor), Yazumi, Mai, Georgie, Musashi, just to name a few). Okay, they do dress casually, more like teenagers, but still.
And Naomi's mom is the best. I'm a bit sad she doesn't appear more.
All right, Naomi's uncle has his moments, too. :) Though someone ought to tell me how he has so much free time to spend outside his team (VTL?), when the captain from the preceding series was like having no time at all. Is VTL a more relaxed organization or something?
Ah, Juggler. I guess I can't avoid talking about him. Though I never really like villains, Jugg is probably the closest in making a favorable impression upon me. (Every antagonist that came after him fell flat for me.[Villains from those later series.]The slavish writer from Geed is boringly empty. The alien possessed tech owner in the first half of R/B is too hammy for me to take seriously (I'm not supposed to take him seriously, I know, but as a threat, he didn't work). The goth emo girl from the second half is, already seen, done that in Gaia. I hate the Joker in Taiga (though maybe this guy did something right, after all, because usually I'm indifferent to villains), and yes, I saw something of his background recently, but still hate him. And whatever that parasite in Z was called? No motivation (that can be understood by me, at least), so I'm glad it never appeared much.)
Geed:
Riku is really really adorkable. ;) Seeing his amazing love for his childhood toku hero almost makes me forget that his series is actually somewhat grim dark.
Pega is so cute. :) Though I'm a bit disappointed that all he is known as is 'Riku's cute tag-along alien friend who lives in shadow'.
REM is, well, a ball. But a smart one for all that. That isn't a fair description, sorry, since I really do like REM. Her attempt to understand humans is so earnest. Although no personal space for them, of course, since REM sees all and knows all that goes on in the Nebula House ship.
Laiha. Ah, I'm not really sure how I feel about her. On the one hand, I like her curbing Riku's enthusiasms in acquiring his dorkish toys. On the other hand, I feel she's a bit too serious for the most part.
Moa has an opposite problem, I suppose. I wish she is a bit more serious. I do like her relationship with Riku, however. (It's totally platonic, of course, no matter how Moa wishes otherwise. ^^;)
I did write about Leito already, but might as well say it again that I really do love him. Also Mayu and Lumina-san. Such a wholesome family. (I get the feeling that Zero is a bit jealous.)
Zena-san is Zena-san. Despite having only one expression, it's clear that he cares a lot for Moa (as a subordinate, I mean).
R/B:
For a show about familial bonds, I sure don't get much on the brothers. There are times I like Katsumi more than Isami, and vice versa, though in the end, I think I prefer Katsumi's characterization. (Not surprising. I tend to like the careful, reserved character more than the charge-ahead-and-see type. Not that Isami was that type exactly, but he seems a bit more careless. Still, he usually likes to come up with plans, so that's a point in his favor. And I do like that the brothers' characterizations are not typical. Katsumi is good with sports so one would think he would be the hot-headed one. Isami is a scientist so one would expect him to be more cool-headed. Nope.) Asahi amazed me, but in a good way. She's cute and seems a bit childish, but somehow that just makes her all the more endearing. I do love their parents, however.
(And since I'm here, I might as well mention that I think, for some very weird reason, that Saki is like an expy of Fujimiya from Ultraman Gaia. At least, watching her arc gave me the same uncomfortable feeling as watching Fujimiya in the first half of Gaia, in that I understand where she is coming from (her bitterness, her helplessness, etc. etc.), but I wish she cooperates with the heroes anyway or at least does not give them such a hard time. I'm not going to justify this further since I'm not looking to convince anyone. I mean, as far as canon goes, there is probably a better character (or two) to compare with Fujimiya anyway.)
Randomly, I was a bit taken back since this is not the first time I'd seen the name Katsumi in the Ultra franchise. But then again, there are like close to half a dozen of Mirai's or half a dozen of some variations of Hikari (or more than a few of Jun's) for both girls and boys running around, so name recycling is like the norm for Tsuburaya Pro. (And Minato isn't the most original name around either in this franchise. So poor Katsumi has no part of his name that is unique at all. Oh, and Asahi, too, has a name that is seen before in this franchise, so she's right there with her big brother and they can comfort each other. ;p)
Taiga:
I have a difficult time pinning down Hiroyuki's personality. He seems to have a hotchpotch of traits from different people. It's fine that he isn't easily categorized, no matter how much his co-workers insisted that he is (hot-headed idiot, the Ryuu Aihara trait, of all things. I'm not sure how I feel about this). Speaking of the co-workers, I did find it strange that they never really seemed to care where Hiro was going (even if they shouted after him), nor were particularly concerned for his safety. Turns out there is a good reason for that all along.
I like Homare. Reminds me of Fubuki from Ultraman Cosmos. Or rather, Homare's relationship with Hiro reminds me of Fubuki's relationship with Musashi. (So, fine, maybe the co-workers aren't wrong about Hiro, after all.) Well, okay, someone else did point that out first, and I agree, though I have to say not the Fubuki-Musashi relationship way back in the beginning. (As I said earlier, Fubuki came off kind of bad back then, and Musashi didn't help the matter any, of course.)
I like Kana as the fearless leader of this ragtag team. Why, her team consists of two aliens and one human who gets possessed by three aliens and she is like taking them all in stride. (Well, even if she doesn't know about Hiro, she clearly knows about the other two.)
Pirika is the one I'm most unsure of. Why does she sort of throw away her android/robot root? To fit in? I feel like it's a bit of a missed opportunity because for the most part, it made her no different from a normal human. But, okay, I'm not sure how to make it work, either.
Z:
Now if you say Haruki reminds you of Asuka from Dyna, I would have no complaint. ;) But I still feel Haruki is his own person for all that. And now, completely contradicting the previous sentence, for some reason, he reminds me more of Gai (which is always a good thing). I don't know. I do like Haruki, but I think this is another case of an actor capable of selling the character. It doesn't hurt either that he has a good character arc.
(Oh, maybe I could try a bit harder with the comparisons to Gai.
1. Respectful toward seniors/elders (the senpai, I mean) and polite in general. In Haruki's case, I don't think he referred to any of his teammates (I think Yuka is actually younger than him) without some kind of respectful honorific. (Oh, and "Riku-kun-senpai". That is utterly adorable (Haruki, not Riku, although Riku is plenty adorable).)
2. In some side view, they kinda look alike (maybe this is reaching, however). (Okay, I'm talking specifically about Haruki on the Z poster. It made me excited for all of three seconds.)
3. Their voices. Really. If they are in the same scene (well, I can dream), I'm in danger of not knowing who is speaking.
4. I don't know. They both give the same person a headache, perhaps?
5. Pretty even-tempered most of the time (admittedly, not a trait only shared among these two, but hey, why not? It's a big part of why I like them, after all).
6. Like to act kind of airheaded. (Again, not a trait unique to them, but I really do like airheaded characters, so.) I mean, really, look at their facial expressions when they get excited/worked up over the "wrong" things. (I ought to post some pictures to support my weird claims, but my computer lost good ability to cap pics. Time for a new computer.)
7. Terrible, terrible at concealing a secret identity (fine, not a failing limited to them either, but I might as well mention it). Their friends don't guess only because of dumb luck? Okay, okay, Ultraman Z mentioned that Earthlings can't see the blue box Haruki keeps his medals, but what is Gai's excuse? Maybe Earthlings can't see his transformation-related items either? (And it's good that the blue box can't be seen, because, you know, I'm sure it would be against STORAGE policy or something to have some unauthorized stuff hanging off your belt.)
8. Kind, kind, kind. (All right, lots of kind people in this franchise. Well, kindness would be expected, for instance, from someone like Mirai, Daichi, Riku or Musashi (obviously), but those two manly men? It is such a good contradiction that each of them is such a huge softie.) And doesn't Z OP say something like "kindness is power"? Ultraman Cosmos would be so proud.
Okay, now that I wrote out all the above, I wonder if they didn't make Haruki similar to Gai on purpose (without quoting him or doing anything like him, actually. I'm rather impressed). Well, on the other hand, I might just be the only one who thinks that they are similar.)
Yoko's crush on Z is kind of cute, if a bit cringe-worthy at the same time. Haruki must be so uncomfortable, caught in the middle of it and all.
(And now, sort of a contradiction, I believe she guessed about Haruki somewhere before halfway through the series. Only that I think she can keep secret much better than he can. I'm not looking to convince anyone of this, however.)
And how much I enjoy a series is almost always directly proportional to how much I like its main character. I think only Nexus actually breaks that mold (but then I practically like most of the dunamists, so maybe there's that). I won't say which series I like more because I don't like to play favorites, though perhaps you can tell? I'm not all that objective anyway.