Ultraman Arc

[Captain Shark]

The new Ultra series of 2024 is here! Unlike other Ultra series the titular Arc has actually been up and about for three months before the first episode. This is also the first series to have a full on suited character on the protagonist monster busting team that is not from a previous series and not just an actor in clothes (I have to mention that because of Elle from Ultraman Max). Tsubaraya has also divided the subs and dubs so pick your poison.

Man my Friday nights are going to be busy this second half of the year between this, Grendizer U, and Real Time With Bill Maher, heh.

 

[Captain Shark]

I didn't want to think this way but is anyone else seeing a downward trend with the Ultra franchise in the 2020s? (main entries at least)

>Z got fucked by covid so it was going to have issues, leaned harder than usual into powers and characters from past Ultras
>Trigger and Decker were nostalgia baiting from Tiga and Dyna
>Blazar tried so hard to be unique only to make returning monsters jarring and seeming superficial
>Arc is kind of just half assing it when the monster fighting isn't happening
>Anno's Shin Ultraman movie was mediocre as hell, I'm not joking when I say it's on par with the 2005 Tetsujin 28 live action movie
>Netflix Ultraman proved even the best franchises can sink to low depths
>The Tsubaraya Imagination originals are strong but heavily rely on retconning the showa continuity

It's like Ultra shows aren't impactful any more. Think back to the stuff in the 2010s. Taiga had "humanity can indeed work with seijins and heal old wounds", R/B had "monsters can become heroes of light and Ultras can have family bonds too", Geed had "Even with genetics of darkness one can turn their destiny around", Orb had "long bitter rivals can still save the world together even without the science team", X had "**** yeah Ultraman is back for the 50th anniversary with the best opening in the franchise!", even Ginga had Dark Lugiel being such a huge threat and started off as vague roots back to the Ultra Q days. 2020s Ultraman doesn't have anything lasting, it feels more like meeting quotas and seeing what costumes can be recycled. It's just so tiring. I'm not saying Ultraman should stop, but I am saying it will need a rest. We went through twelve shows in a row, that's never happened with this series before. Then you compare it to Reiwa Kamen Rider, with the exception of Saber it's been nothing but a fuckload of effort almost as if the franchise knew Kamen Rider Build was the worst tokusatsu to ever exist (it technically is, but I'm watching Changerion and holy **** it is trying to take that title so badly, that one is getting a rant topic when I finish I promise) and tried their best to bury it by making awesome **** and succeeded.

 

[Captain Shark]

I think I figured out why Arc is not as strong as previous entries, it might have to do with its tone whiplash. Interviews say it was going to be more light hearted than Blazar and while the characters and music give off that impression the actual writing is very somber and melancholy. And like Blazar it has this very weird habit of bringing up things like bad track records or where Ultra hosts disappear but never go anywhere with them. That's fine for one off jokes, but when you keep repeating those things surely it has to lead to something... And it doesn't. Between these and how lackluster the Decker and Blazar movies have been you have to wonder what Tsubaraya is doing anymore.

But enough of my ramblings, the real reason I'm posting is because Ultraman Arc will be the first Tsubaraya Production to have four clipshow episodes with the fourth coming next week. Just... Wow. I say this as a Gundam Seed and Destiny fan that saw Seed Kino in theaters earlier this year: What the hell is going on behind the scenes?