Yes, recently Marvel did start putting out a comicbook featuring Ultraman, but this Netflix show is based on the manga of the past few years, by Eiichi Shimizu and drawn by Tomohiro Shimoguchi. Yeah, the ULTRAverse and it's output can get pretty confusing ala DOCTOR WHO or STAR WARS.
I have a familiarity with the ULTRAverse as a whole, but not a serious fans' true grasp of the in's and out's. The original series, syndicated with SPEED RACER, and the long lost MARINE BOY, is my greatest touchstone. I bought the first couple of volumes of the manga, then decided to wait and see if a box set would come out at some point, instead of buying the single books every couple of months. Then I kind of forgot to go back and check, and soon I was being reminded of the series by it's announcement as an anime coming to Netflix.
I like(d) the series, a lot. But the one thing, if I were to nitpick, that is a wee bit of a disappointment (and mind you I'm not to the end yet, so maybe it's coming) is the fact that there is no kaiju action. ULTRAMAN is basically IRON MAN, meets Peter Parker. Don't get me wrong, I love the updating, like Edo, the Zettonian, whose race was once our mortal enemy, and now works with earthlings and the Space Patrol (SSSP) on behalf of the Universal Alliance Council.or the fact that this is not a reboot, but a direct continuation of the first series, with Shin Hiyata now passing the baton, or Beta capsule if you will, to his teenage son Shinjiro. the existential teen angst plays well against the sudden massive power Shinjiro finds himself in control of.
Seems like an old nemesis of his fathers is back, and wants some revenge. A pretty, young pop idol gets caught in the middle. Sometimes other monsters show up and cause trouble, briefly interrupting things.
the animation may seem a little odd, and stiff at first, but stick with it, once it clicks it's really quite beautiful. Kind of like INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE with it's strange jumpy motion.
I also love the fight choreography in ULTRAMAN, which is incredibly realistic. I wonder how that was done, but can't find much online as far as "Making of" content for this show.
Super duper looking forward to season two.
- 9/10
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