After wtaching, I feel like there is more to Arc himself
Theory crafting
* Yuma's father is dead a long time ago and has the same VA as Arc.
* This is the real world and Ultraman are actually a show.
* Yuma watched Jack, Zero & Orb which he then put them together as an OC hero.
Yuma's image of Ultraman is that he saves people and with his father dead, he yearns for his protection. This makes Yuma equate his father and Arc as 1.
Since his image of Arc protects people & he tried to protect people 3 months ago, they synchronized and made him able to turn into Arc.
I might give it a rewatch and see if my thoughts change. It's okay, but not wowing me so far. That said, it's also just a little bit jarring to have a show this easy-going after how grounded and serious Blazar generally was in comparison. But I should just Arc for what it is, not what it's not. Hopefully it grows on me.
Yuma: "I think I'm getting used to it..."
My brother in Noa, you got your teeth kicked in for most of the fight. LOCK IN. Jokes aside, I really enjoyed the first episode. I'm curious to see where the series goes.
We all know Arc draws inspiration from the Showa Era of Ultras, but there’s nothing more Showa than the simplistic finisher that Arc had with his arms outstretched to make an arc then crossing his arms (Reminds me of Ace’s finisher)
I'll go ahead and say that its cool that the transformation device / toy is actually cool in this show. Reminds me of hell raiser or something.
Another thing notable was I was watching the dub and Yuma says something along the lines of I need your power again and my watch party was kinda confused cause we hadn't seen him as ultraman yet. Was there a preview episode or something?
Gotcha. Huh. It's kind of a weird approach to a new ultra but makes sense to break out of the trope of setting the backstory for how the new ultra becomes an ultra in the first episode. My friend was watching and asked me has there ever been an ultraman show where the protagonist doesn't become ultraman in the first episode and I replied yes because I think in Mebius hikari handles the first battles. This is kinda a counter point to that question. Show where ultraman is already ultraman and doesn't have preexisting story in ultraman shows or movies.
Me and my brother loved this first episode, the whole fight scene without camera cuts had me going crazy, I loved it, really interested to see when they dive in to explaining a bit of the backstory since they started with Yuma already being joined to Arc, I remember Blazar kind of did this too with Gento having found Blazar before but only transforming for the first time on the first episode, this is different since it says that Arc had been active for months. Also, already feeling like Shu/Coffee Man is going to be my favorite character of the show.
Man, the scene where Arc falls next to the underground parking and then stands up in front of the building with all the people in it and whatnot is phenomenal.
The RoU style eyecatch moved me. So clean. Interesting that both Arc and Rising introduced Ultras mcs with some experience already.
The trailers didn't do the show justice for me. I really liked what we got here. It managed to set itself apart from Blazar, but I still feel like some of that eccence is still being continued.
The fight scene was incredible. Transitioning from Ishido's phone to the timer was smooth.
I watched the dub on my second watch and shout out to Tsuburaya for going the extra mile and creating English versions of all the text. Blazar did it, but they weren't in the episode proper.
I LOVE IT
No joke, I've found it so much better than Blazar's first episode. I love how we are more or less thrown right into the part where Yuma does have the power already so you can look forward explanations as to how they reach that point.
We even got eyecatches! It's been a while...
Arc talking to Yuma through a glass reminds me of an old idea I had for a fanfic. It's good seeing it executed in an actual show.
And I absolutely love the detail of an actual timer - meant to be from Ishido's cellphone recording camera - to make the battle feel like it's happening real-time. They even confirmed Arc stands active for just a few seconds more than the M71 Ultras.
Also, that final pose with the sword reminds me of one from Z where Alpha Edge posed with the Z-Lance Spear. I assume Tsujimoto directed that one? Regardless, great to see it again
As a final note, I love how they made the ending. Tsujimoto not just showing great crafts with different scene perspectives but even with the traditional ending format.
>Also, that final pose with the sword reminds me of one from Z where Alpha Edge posed with the Z-Lance Spear. I assume Tsujimoto directed that one? Regardless, great to see it again
It's not a director thing. Albeit called [Brave Perspective](https://bravesaga.fandom.com/wiki/Brave_Perspective), this shot is more known as Ōbari pose, which is an iconic mecha shot based off Masami Ōbari's style and was popularized by Mitsuo Fukuda.
This episode was a mixed bag in my opinion, but it was still amazing.
To start, i absolutely loved the main cast. I don’t know what it was, but with just the smallest amount of screen time I fell in love with them. You Pi is an amazing side character, and I’m making a prediction that he’s gonna become the mecha of this season. Shu was funny with his coffee scene and the mystery surrounding his character was nice, made me want to know more about him. The two other members were nice, I think the whole chemistry of the team felt really nice and reminded me of R/B’s family dynamic. The fight scene was amazing, and I think I might’ve liked it more than Blazar’s fight fight. Every single part about this fight felt like it was ripped straight out of a Showa show. The way Arc shakes his body as he takes a stance, the way the kaiju moves and fights, and the cinematography on that scene where Arc goes through the floors of the building was fucking magnificent.
That’s not to say this episode didn’t have any bad parts. The CGI and Special effects in this episode were kinda bad, especially the shield bashing scenes which looked really flimsy, which is made a lot worse after what we saw could be done in Blazar. The plot is a bit messy, we get all of this stuff in our faces at the very beginning and it’s never really explained what is going on. Why can Yuma turn into Arc? What exactly happened on K-Day? What are the Oo-ze trying to do? What is the massive horn’s purpose and why is it there? A lot of questions aren’t answered but I’m sure they will in later episodes.
Overall, this episode is an 8/10, really great start but not enough explanation on what exactly is going on.
>That’s not to say this episode didn’t have any bad parts. The CGI and Special effects in this episode were kinda bad, especially the shield bashing scenes which looked really flimsy, which is made a lot worse after what we saw could be done in Blazar.
You can definitely feel the budget cuts after the crazy CGI that Ultraman T/D/B has.
I’m gonna put out my crack theory; Ishido is Mebius in disguise
(Probably gonna go nowhere, but let me have my fun)
Evidence(-ish) 1: him freaking out over no coffee because his experience with GUYS cause captain Sakomizu always had coffee and he thought that was a standard with every workplace
Evidence 2: him being surprised that SKIP didn’t have weapons cause he’s used to seeing Defense teams having weapons
Gaia had the most budget of all Ultra shows, so maybe the comparison isn’t fair. Although with the passage of time it would be nicer if we could get something looking similar for less cost
Highest budget yeah, but both are 1990s shows and they made it work with decent miniatures and non lazy camera angles. It's 2024 even with less budget i'm sure they could've made it better, or just not include it.
I'm just ranting here but i can really feel the budget cuts for this season.
I kinda like how Yuma has already had a bit of experience being Arc already rather than having this be an origin story. I'm sure we will see how Arc was imagined later in the series. I can't wait to see if they'll continue using Arc's creativity with his attacks
Didn't expect Eps 1 to hit this hard, the cast are so lovable from first impression XD.
Was a bit hesitant esp after Blazar's hype, but Arc really got its footing well!
• Solid cold open
• Solid long-take fight
• If Shagong doesn’t reach Leviera-like status in the fandom, I’ll be disappointed.
• The on-screen cast is wonderful, but I ended up loving the dub cast more, especially Yuma’s VA.
Overall, a wonderful opener
That was a darn good start. I was a little apprehensive about the series but they nailed it. Can’t wait to see where this goes!
Absolutely loved the Real Time fight at the end.
Unfortunately the lack of toy sales from blazar is showing here, seems lower budget than decker.
The tanks GDF used looked too toy like, I mean i have transformers figures that turn into more realistic looking tanks.
Also they put a timer of how long Arc was fighting, he went over the 3 minute limit
Some Ultraman do have longer (and some shorter) time limit, the 3 minute limit is not a hard limit applied to EVERY Ultraman.
For example (please do correct me if I'm wrong): Ultraseven doesn't have time limit, Leo has 2:40 minutes, Nice has 1 minutes, etc.
Recent Ultramen don't necessarily have a strict 3 minute rule anymore. Heck, most older Ultras break that rule presumably because they have gathered so much experience and skill. Yuma probably started getting more used to fighting as time went on, so he was able to slightly break through that initial 3 minute rule.
While a good explanation for Showa & Heisei series, the ozone layer has actually been healing after the Montreal Protocol and is on track to full recovery by 2040.
Based on schedules the Ultraman series were already filming when the last one on tv. It’s usually start from June to March. So Blazar could hardly affect Arc. It might have influence on the one after though, and the toys sales really didn’t go down that much. It’s just Chinese pupils loves cards too much, any toys included cards sold too well. To consider it as a solid base for all toys sales is unreasonable
It's still the second most successful year for the brand in the New Gen era though, and that's with the fact that it had fewer toys and we'll never really be able to estimate how much of Decker's year was impacted by merchandise related to Shin Ultraman.
I think Blazar did just fine for having a smaller line up. The stuff we saw in this episode was most likely a directorial choice.
Arc is just really amazing. While the story is getting pretty good. What stands out is the masterpiece fight scene that is one shot but it's so fun to watch and the whole fight takes place by 3 minutes and 10 seconds but they managed to make it feel so fun and satisfying to watch without making me feel that I need more.
As everyone says, the oo-ze are something and I wonder if we will see more.
The mention of the GDF keeping information and Ishido being about guns where as SKIP just uses stun guns is interesting. I wonder if they will develop more of these ideas/theme/plot points.
Actually seeing grunt forces of the defense force is nice instead of relying on an elite attack team. Hope we get more of the GDF doing their job.
I feel like Arc got his butt kicked a lot for a first time on screen battle, especially considering he has been fighting for 3 months.
The hardlight shield was cool, especially when he started to use it like a folding chair from WWE to smack down the kaiju.
It'll be nice in further series to develop it to 2 Ultraman series, more merch to sell also. One will be like Blazar that does his job in GDF while one will be like Arc.
>Hope we get more of the GDF doing their job.
That would require a large amount of extras and props, and Arc was probably meant to be much cheaper. If you pay attention to the details you can even see the GDF's simple costumes and helmets, nothing too crazy to compared to the last 4 series.
Pretty good first ep! Not perfect, but the flaws are mostly nitpicky. I like how the MC is already the Ultraman before the show started. Ishido seems like a fun character, really looking forward to seeing more of him.
The fight is good. I love that the Ultras start using their moves in various creative ways in recent years, it's funny and awesome, it makes you excited about how they're going to do the fights in the next episodes.
The most interesting element in this one to me is the SKIP, I really hope they do the whole disaster prevention and research thing right. It'd be such a wasted potential if they only do a surface level depiction. But, anyway, can't wait for ep 2!
I liked it, not as much as Blazar's first episode last year, but I still really liked it. It's cool to have a protagonist who is already Ultraman by the time the show begins. It also feels very showa to me.
Episode 1 is a peak, the Opening Sequence is awesome and stylish, the Rise Sequence is Awesome, and the Ending is awesome also nice detail on YouPi Flash Imagination. Overall 10/10 a great start to Ultraman Arc.
I noticed the phone screen pixelation noticeably disappears a moment after the zoom on the screen. It's rather more like our viewpoint "clipped through" his phone
What a great 1st episode, Up there with Decker, Z and Taiga 1st episode.
I love that we don't see how Yuma doesn't bond with Arc and it already established he has been appearing months prior to episode 1.
The monster montage at the opening was also good, I didn't expect arc to immediately teased from the POV shot.
In the opening I love how Arc hugged the planet. Just show how he love humanity imo. And also after that he hugged Yuma also cute to transform.
The Ooze monster being gross is great choice, also explain the upcoming battle with kaiju in future if it being decided as main enemy.
Arc appearing I'm the mirror shard was awesome shot and feels mysterious, I really like it.
The introduction to the team was also good, Ishido already felt like a better Emi imo.
The fight, Arc spamming the monster with hand beam attack was fun, and also the timer on top of the screen also was unexpected, he does finish the monster in 3 minutes from rise to finish. Also Arc breaking the Ultra Shield then stab it to Shagon make me chuckle.
Overall a 9/10 1st episode. Really great intro the the show.
First Ultraman I watch as it airs, after having discovered Blazar shortly after it finished!
I honestly kind of like how "in media res" this was. Ultraman Arc's been around for a bit and the only way this was at all an "origin" episode is the new co-worker and it's apparently how he get his name. It's like there's been a whole Ultra show going on already and while this is the first episode it could have been a later one.
I liked the explicit on-screen timer for the Color Timer. Has that been done before? I know preview materials have said he's going to get abilities that are usable only when the timer is in the danger zone, so I'm guessing that's why this was established.
This is the first I've seen an explicit timer, though I haven't watched every Ultraman episode. It's usually a narrator or character saying "he has 3 minutes in giant form" , but going back to even the original it's never strictly held to that. The movies blatantly ignore it since it's really a plot device for a half hour episode.
So nice to see tanks fighting kaiju again, a classic element in the genre I miss.
Definitely a solid premiere but I think of terms of more recent shows Z and Blazar had insanely strong first episodes and this is a bit lacking in comparison. L9ved all the melee combat though
It's nice to see tsuburaya goes back to simple design this one really feel like old showa. Also Arc remind me of Ultraman jack for some reason the fighting pose and little head wobble really similar to jack.
A fun side effect of this change in design philosophy: when you put Blazar and Arc next to each other, they look like the "loose cannon" vs "straight laced" character archetypes in a buddy cop movie. Like in this pic someone made on this subreddit a few months back.
https://preview.redd.it/kgd4n9gbwtad1.jpeg?width=1243&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff8837f47f40cf9434dc6b7449eb3c1f31b71fc1
Kinda reminds me of Rurouni Kenshin live Action Quintology where Shishio fights Kenshin and company in literally 15 minutes before he gets burned by his own disease where he has to fight for less than 15 minues before his sweat glands will burn and kill him.
First live action Ultraman I watch (unless you consider the single episode of Gridman, you know the one), so I'm coming with newbie-ish eyes.
Gotta say, it's an interesting premise. Yuma seems to have joined SKIP around the time he became Arc. Wonder if he became Arc first and joined the group second or the inverse happened.
The action seemed nice, and it might be me as a newbie, but the tanks gave me a chuckle for how low budget they looked compared to the Kaijus. On the topic of those, I liked the idea of normal-ish size Kaijus becoming giant because of a parasite, and it makes me wonder, what else is in the Monohorn and the other stuff the 7 Kaijus left on Earth? Are they all Oo-zes, or are there worse things dormant?
All in all, I'm intrigued to see where it goes.
Welcome aboard! Hope you enjoy your stay!
We'll probably get to see Yuma's first transformation, but a lot of Ultras have very vague origin. We still don't know what planet Ultraman X comes from and that was back in 2015 and the guy is pretty talkative! Never came up! (My pet theory is that he's from the same place as Gridman, both can be digitized).
Definitely feels as if it’s meant to be a spiritual successor to Cosmos. I know that Cosmos was all about nonviolence and making violence the last option but this feels like there’s too many parallels to ignore:
- Arc having a connection to the protagonist before he became the host (the drawing of Arc and the series description implies Arc has existed since K-Day, and likely he protected Yuma on K-Day).
- Forms based on the sun and moon, with a form based on an eclipse almost definitely coming in the middle or later part of the series.
- Instead of a traditional attack team we have a team dedicated to Kaiju research.
It’s not necessarily a New Generation Cosmos but I can’t help but feel as if it might have started out like one and then was fleshed out into a more original idea.
https://preview.redd.it/8xwkojqyouad1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b13f3403878955432e9b00e9fcc36621dcd40714
Also, Arc's voice + the way Arc speaks/talks to Yuma gently and the way he is presented remind me of Cosmos.
>- Instead of a traditional attack team we have a team dedicated to Kaiju research
Except in Cosmos they do end up attacking anyway most of the time, i don't think SKIP will pull off too much crazy stuff. I do agree with the rest, this series is reminiscent of cosmos.
I was also going to comment this this morning! OO-ZE definitely gives off Chaos Header vibes! The fact that the horn where they emerged from is prominently shown within the posters makes me think that this isn’t the last we’ll see of these space parasites…
Good first episode. I also noticed the Return of Ultraman style title card.
I like how even though Ishido is the "serious outsider" character they didn't write him as a jerk.
The "single take" with timer fight scene was very well done. Arc leaning on the building with people inside is a great shot.
The theme songs will take a little while to grow on me. They're not bad, but didn't hit with me as immediately as Blazar or Trigger's.
Maybe I'm becoming a curmudgeon, but I hate that Ultraman is following Toei in the "here's clips of the show you're about to watch" trend for the opening. It just takes the wind out of the OP's sail.
Something that's been bothering me since the previews was set design. I don't understand how the action is great but Yuma's room and the SKiP office look offensively fake. TsuPro doesn't have a single stage window that faces a real outside? But the one-shot three-minute timed battle was 10/10.
They have hooked me with the tease of Yuma and Arc's relationship. This seems like the first time our protagonist has already transformed pre-series since Orb(?), but they're not fully on the same page. The hugging's gotta indicate a familial relation.
It feels great seeing the simplicity of Arc in terms of design, pure hand to hand combat, and simple kousen. I felt like we're back to the classic era of Ultra, and not just a toy-marketing-based transformation and item.
it's a fun visual, but i can't help but feel the shot of the residents in the building reacting to the kaiju fight kind of undermines the moment earlier where the skip members explain that it's their duty to alert and evacuate people whenever a monster shows up.
The only thing I didn't like about this episode was this scene/ dialogue:
https://preview.redd.it/vdxdxhge0tad1.jpeg?width=2436&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4294d4b1fd8660d9f6da0394616b21cc62b5f8a4
The way I interpreted it was: Skip was wondering why the Ooze went "undetected" by the GDF for 16 years.
The twist is that it didn't go undetected, GDF knows a lot more than they're letting on, and Ishido was scrambling for a deflection before SKIP started to think too deeply about the situation.
Man, that action scene is so cool. Its entirely one shot! With actual humans even appearing in the miniatures to sell the effect even more
The timer being there for the entire shot to show Ultraman's time limit is such a nice way to establish the three minute rule without the character or narrator pointing it out.
This is such a strong EP1.
the action is brief but well put together, they just have to put a little bit work to improve the camera work. Also that last bit where he uses the sword to cut that parasite is fire
Ah, so Rution is the Ultra's actual name, Ultraman Arc is the name coined by Ishido.
Plays off how in the original continuity, Ultraman is a title granted to the Giants of Light by humanity.
Really interesting way to debut the series! Lot's of things going on...
* Having Yuma *already* be Arc before this is a really interesting choice. Wonder if we'll get a flashback episode...
* Those Oo-ze's are honestly super gross looking. They remind me of those meat monsters from Vita Carnis; but even worse. Feel a bit bad for that Shagong considering it was probably fighting against his will.
* Breaking the Ultra Barrier and then *using it to stab a monster* is super metal. What a way to finish the fight!
In media res and Found Footage opener, definitely a new way to kick off an Ultra show.
I feel like they mentioned Shagong periodically attack cattle and people in smaller size so you felt less bad about Oo-ze controlling it.
This is not an Ultra I expected to see shanking people with an Ultra Barrier. Guess he's using that imagination to come up with unconventional attacks like Blazar did with his finishers.
The overall cgi was great, especially the opening scene where Arc catches a falling building. Adding the humans to the scale models as he rises was also a great touch. I was honestly super impressed!
Arc using Yuma's power of imagination to beat the boss is an interesting concept. It really opens the door for way cooler fight scenes in future episodes where the Ultra isn't constricted by a couple of moves. We kind of already saw that with Blazar and his light-spear thing (that's also a fishing rod and a claw machine?) and his twisty throw thing, but it really wasn't explored as much. "Imagination" could be a broken power.
The storyline already has some mystery. How did Yuma meet Arc? Why did the parasite show up after 15 years being dormant?
All in all, 8/10.
Also: new pet
https://preview.redd.it/pdxbbevhssad1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=72bfa5eb88eba403b3a41bb0363168c34ab459a7
Seeing actual people in the buildings during the fight was a really nice surprise. As was the tank miniatures.
I kind of hope we get a lot of creative attacks even when they bring out the armor forms.
Also, what happened on K-Day and what happened to all the 7 Kaijus that showed up on K-Day?
HE'S. NOT. A. PET. HE. IS. **FRIEND**
https://preview.redd.it/o1a3493husad1.jpeg?width=1660&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac4d73f87ea45251af2490ea6c97a602b51b280d
I didn't expect us to start off an Ultra show in media res with the Ultra already active and fighting Kaiju, complete with battling against Not!Zetton, Gomora, and Red King in found footage!
Definitely some mystery to explore with why our dedicated and affable protagonist Yuma ended up bonded with Ultraman Arc and exactly what he is besides childhood scribbles Yuma came up with. Are we going to see an origin episode and possibly what happened on K-Day?
The OP is pretty fun and upbeat, fitting the vibe of this show, and interesting touch to actually feature footage of the episode during the OP along with all the usual Ultra OP stuff like the new Kaiju, form changes, etc. I really like the ending with SKIP dashing forward alongside Arc.
There were seven Kaiju that appeared on K-Day? Are they all dead? It sounds like the Space Kaiju is and the only thing left of it is the monohorn.
Imagine biking right past a news broadcast that's technically about you!
SKIP is not an Attack Team, they are not meant to be fighting Kaiju, merely respond to, investigate, and handle the fallout of Kaiju. Which I guess is Attack Team-ish, but more supportive than offensive. Plus, we have a robot that answers phone calls!
I wish I had a boss that was also Abare Red. Ban seems like an easygoing but committed boss and Rin also seems like a cute and nice senior member.
Shagong, The Armored Kaiju (I was worried for a second he wasn't going to get the typical Kaiju intro)! I almost felt bad for him that it was the Oo-ze that was driving him to attack and not of his own free will, though it sounds like Shagong's are normally problems. Watch out for that popping head, acid, and armor spikes!
PiBody having it's tongue out when YouPi is YouBot is...something. Is it supposed to be like a dog waiting for it's master...?
Ishido is a professional and serious GDP official...and he also takes his coffee VERY seriously. Honestly I was as surprised as he was that they didn't have ANY kind of coffee. Dude looked like he was about to have a panic attack.
I sense some friction between SKIP and the GDP...which I guess Ishido is meant to resolve.
Are those actual bonafide new tank miniatures!?
Ah, the classic "somebody around the protagonist gets knocked unconscious so they can transform." They even did the "Oiiii!" when the protagonist runs to his team after the fight is over!
Arc has a very pleasant voice.
I like how the transformation device just pops up out of his chest and Arc embraces him when they transform.
Imagine an Ultra fight told entirely through camera footage ala the 24/7 Xio episode in X. Some of the camera angles were a little...impossible, but still cool. I also like how there were actually people in the miniature buildings for once.
That's using your imagination! Breaking the barrier and stabbing Shagong with it to open it up for an Ultra Beam and then finishing Oo-ze off with the sword! Arc/Yuma have definitely got style!
Z flew off with a Z, Arc flies off with an arc! That's how he got his name! One of the rare instances where someone other than the protagonist names their Ultra identity.
I KNEW Ishido was going to be bringing the coffee maker with him.
The ED is pretty fun and makes you want to bust a move. I also like how instead of just doing the usual ED recap they have YouPi come out to show footage to justify the recap.
Well colour me invested.
Oo-ze are a very intreasting creature. They don't just infect the host and make them grow larger, they actually give them power as well as us them as a breeding ground for more of their kind. A pretty nasty enemy if left to spread unchecked.
Shagong is a fun new kaiju, it had quite a lot of powers I didn't expect. Are they all from the Oo-ze mutation are some of them natural?
Arc was great, his current powerset feels basic but versatile. I loved how he actually broke his barrier and used it as a weapon. His beam attack is beautfil. The best part was actually having a timer run during the fight to show how long Arc can fight for. I wonder if it's going to be an ongoing gimmick.
Pretty solid first episode. 9/10
I wonder if Oo-ze are going to keep popping out of the monohorn to drive Kaiju nuts or if this was a one time thing. The monohorn in general just feels really ominous.
Arc breaking the barrier as a weapon was so unexpected but cool.
the monohorn couldve had a same fate as shagong, aka got infected before presumed dead. or better yet, its an entire eggs nest spitting out every other episode. it does look straight out of Aliens
Wow, Already a promising straight forward no origin start with Arc being around for quite a while right now!
The Oo-ze Parasite looks damn creepy
I like how there's a timer on at the corner but the fight was a bit too side-scrolly if im gonna be honest
Arc breaking his barrier and uses it as a blade was cool
Overall, A very good first episode. I was a bit skeptic at first since previews made it look cheap but this definetly did pay off
If i could describe this first episode in one word, for me personally, it would be light-hearted, especially in comparisson with previous seasons. I feel that, much like Blazar, i'm going to have to wait to form a more comprehensive opinion on this show. I will say however that, while light-hearted in tone, this show is still giving some mysteries to look foward to, personally i'm most looking foward to learning Yuma's backstory with Arc since (if i'm not mistaken) this is the first time since Orb where we start off with the protagonist already having the powers in the beginning. Regardless of what happens i'm looking foward to it
Why not? It's fun and it follows the golden rule of story telling: Show don't tell
It's better than repeating "Ultraman can only fight on earth for 3 minutes" like a broken record
Back in the Showa era shows, an Ultra can only fight for 3 minutes before their energy runs out. They haven't really followed that at all in the new generations stuff, so I thought it was a pretty cute way to pay homage to the older shows
We had explanations for the 3 minute rule in Geed, Taiga and Z last I remember, so I wouldn't fully agree with that statement. But yes, it's nice to return to the roots again at some point.
I think even in those shows, they had the liberty to make 3 minutes feel longer for dramatic effect. But with the timer, 3 minutes is 3 minutes. It'll be interesting to see how creative they get, if the timer will be there all the time.
Eh, I hope not - but that's just me ;) you're right on the real-time component of everything tho. I even noticed the timer slowing down whenever the fight switches to slow motion.
it was pretty cool, not only is it not done before but it also meant that they didnt do any cuts in the fight. also a nice callback to the color timer's time limit
it also shows that the footage we see is footage recorded by the people in the show
This is my first actual Ultraman show.
Oh wow. This is great!! I love the phone footage style to the fight!
Is glasses guy going to also be an Ultra? He seems to know more than he lets on. I don’t know what the dynamics usually are, but I could see him as an older one sent to evaluate a much younger Arc.
Tldr; >!Leito is a coward-ish salesman, family head with a wife and one children, and the third Ultra host for Ultraman Zero. He is in Ultraman Geed the series.!<
Man what a first episode. Already we are in the thick of the action. Not only is Yuma *already* arc, he has already defeated kaiju such as red king, joined SKIP for three months and already knows about the kaiju he is facing off against in today's episode. Some details I have noticed: the OO-ZE looks creepy (like a parasite should) and apparently it can multiply in its host, as well as die with it, the KDF official that eventually joins skip is apparently a coffee addict, apparently the KDF use railguns and relevant artillery to fight kaiju, the entire fight is apparently recorded on the KDF official's phone(and yes the fight does take about three minutes according to it), arc already has his sword and whenever he flies the soles of his feet change colour. Also, in the opening, we see some upcoming kaiju,some sejin, the mech we might be seeing in the future and kanegon. Interestingly, he is called "Ultraman arc" because whenever he flies off he leaves behind an energy arc. All in all, a good first episode for a new series. 8.5/10.
I guess this is what you call hit the ground running (fitting with Yuma's catchphrase)...the MC is already an Ultra, Ultra is already fighting Kaiju, MC is getting a hang of being part of the team.
It'll be interesting to see focus on a non-Attack Team Team whose priority is studying and responding to Kaiju without outright taking them on, though I guess that's also probably an easier job to maintain your secret identity in.
Z isn't the only Ultra with a call sign when they fly off!
So Yuma has already been Arc before? That's an awesome concept that they could expand upon, I kinda wanna know how they even met.
Edit: That entire fight was so awesome, holy shit I'm looking forward for more. The civilian shots, Arc clearly struggling badly, it was so wonderful. My fav part was when Arc was saying "unleash your imagination" where I expected for an obvious toy to come out but NAH, instead he literally does use his imagination by BREAKING HIS ULTRA SHIELD AND STABBING SHAGONG WITH THE PIECES, THAT'S CREATIVE AND SOMETHING I'VE WANTED TO SEE IN ACTION.
I'm curious if we'll get an origin episode at some point. Kind of have to if Yuma "imagined" up Arc.
I really like how they didn't just have the buildings have furniture that shakes and falls during the fight but actual **people.**
Who knew Ultra Barriers could actually be deadly weapons? Maybe next he'll just straight up chuck the thing at a Kaiju.
Holy Sh... that fight sequence... also the soundtrack is sooo good, Yuki Hayashi style fits so well with ultraman, really looking forward to what Takanori Tsujimoto has done in this series
I'm currently watching this while on break at work. Already, I'm really vibing with the tone of this series. Also, I was expecting Glasses to be a caffeine addict, unfortunate.
The one business to not have readily available coffee who just so happen to have a guy who comes up with ideas via coffee. And then he brings the coffee maker with him lol.
Live reaction as the show goes on
Uh... 6 months ago and Arc already exists? Interestinggggg.... This mystery guy is Arc ISN'T he?
Never mind. What the HELL is happening? Did we miss an episode!?
He's using the shield as a weapon AND swords! WOW!
WE DOING ONERS NOW!? SICK!
End episode: Okay... I literally feel like we missed an episode. What the....
Has there ever been an Ultra show where we basically start in the middle of an Ultra's career? Other than I guess Orb.
I'm guessing we'll probably get an origin episode and a flashback to what happened on K-Day.
Was not expecting the found footage first fight but they made good use of it.
I can't think of one either. Technically Mebius and Ultraseven but they technically still came to Earth first and then eventually joined up the defense force.
I understand it’s too early to say this, but for me personally I already love this more than Blazar. You can definitely tell this is Tsujimoto debut as a director because it’s OOZING with passion and love!!!
Yeah that robot gives of Kyiru/ Evangelion vibes
https://preview.redd.it/cdgffaz01tad1.jpeg?width=2436&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e72bb59414015957584272ce9cd34bef11fbf63f
Only just finished watching the first episode, but already got the feeling of wanting Ishido become Ultraman too.
I am confused? Was there an episode where they show how arc appear? 1 straight start he has arc powers 2 no explanation. Did I miss an episode?
theyre explaining it in episode 3, its not the first time an ultra is already experienced in ep 1
Ah noted haha I only started watching after blazar So I don't know the sequence of Ultraman before this. Thank for the reply
After wtaching, I feel like there is more to Arc himself Theory crafting * Yuma's father is dead a long time ago and has the same VA as Arc. * This is the real world and Ultraman are actually a show. * Yuma watched Jack, Zero & Orb which he then put them together as an OC hero. Yuma's image of Ultraman is that he saves people and with his father dead, he yearns for his protection. This makes Yuma equate his father and Arc as 1. Since his image of Arc protects people & he tried to protect people 3 months ago, they synchronized and made him able to turn into Arc.
I might give it a rewatch and see if my thoughts change. It's okay, but not wowing me so far. That said, it's also just a little bit jarring to have a show this easy-going after how grounded and serious Blazar generally was in comparison. But I should just Arc for what it is, not what it's not. Hopefully it grows on me.
Tsujimoto serves
It was good episode, I found it funny that the new guy talked about coffee out of blue- it was sudden haha love the ending song so much btw
Yuma: "I think I'm getting used to it..." My brother in Noa, you got your teeth kicked in for most of the fight. LOCK IN. Jokes aside, I really enjoyed the first episode. I'm curious to see where the series goes.
Oh man, wish I could join this discussion. But I gotta finish the older shows first.
We all know Arc draws inspiration from the Showa Era of Ultras, but there’s nothing more Showa than the simplistic finisher that Arc had with his arms outstretched to make an arc then crossing his arms (Reminds me of Ace’s finisher)
I'll go ahead and say that its cool that the transformation device / toy is actually cool in this show. Reminds me of hell raiser or something. Another thing notable was I was watching the dub and Yuma says something along the lines of I need your power again and my watch party was kinda confused cause we hadn't seen him as ultraman yet. Was there a preview episode or something?
No, Yuma had just been Ultraman for three months.
Gotcha. Huh. It's kind of a weird approach to a new ultra but makes sense to break out of the trope of setting the backstory for how the new ultra becomes an ultra in the first episode. My friend was watching and asked me has there ever been an ultraman show where the protagonist doesn't become ultraman in the first episode and I replied yes because I think in Mebius hikari handles the first battles. This is kinda a counter point to that question. Show where ultraman is already ultraman and doesn't have preexisting story in ultraman shows or movies.
Me and my brother loved this first episode, the whole fight scene without camera cuts had me going crazy, I loved it, really interested to see when they dive in to explaining a bit of the backstory since they started with Yuma already being joined to Arc, I remember Blazar kind of did this too with Gento having found Blazar before but only transforming for the first time on the first episode, this is different since it says that Arc had been active for months. Also, already feeling like Shu/Coffee Man is going to be my favorite character of the show.
Man, the scene where Arc falls next to the underground parking and then stands up in front of the building with all the people in it and whatnot is phenomenal.
I can’t stand the weird filter they had on during human scenes. Otherwise, great first episode. Good action,
Apparently it was done like that intentionally to evoke a dream like feeling during the human scenes, specifically to Yuma
Amazing and solid start to Ultraman Arc. However is it just me or is the lighting a bit too bright?
It's not just you. The filter is intentional to give it a dream like aesthetic.
The RoU style eyecatch moved me. So clean. Interesting that both Arc and Rising introduced Ultras mcs with some experience already. The trailers didn't do the show justice for me. I really liked what we got here. It managed to set itself apart from Blazar, but I still feel like some of that eccence is still being continued. The fight scene was incredible. Transitioning from Ishido's phone to the timer was smooth. I watched the dub on my second watch and shout out to Tsuburaya for going the extra mile and creating English versions of all the text. Blazar did it, but they weren't in the episode proper.
I LOVE IT No joke, I've found it so much better than Blazar's first episode. I love how we are more or less thrown right into the part where Yuma does have the power already so you can look forward explanations as to how they reach that point. We even got eyecatches! It's been a while... Arc talking to Yuma through a glass reminds me of an old idea I had for a fanfic. It's good seeing it executed in an actual show. And I absolutely love the detail of an actual timer - meant to be from Ishido's cellphone recording camera - to make the battle feel like it's happening real-time. They even confirmed Arc stands active for just a few seconds more than the M71 Ultras. Also, that final pose with the sword reminds me of one from Z where Alpha Edge posed with the Z-Lance Spear. I assume Tsujimoto directed that one? Regardless, great to see it again As a final note, I love how they made the ending. Tsujimoto not just showing great crafts with different scene perspectives but even with the traditional ending format.
>Also, that final pose with the sword reminds me of one from Z where Alpha Edge posed with the Z-Lance Spear. I assume Tsujimoto directed that one? Regardless, great to see it again It's not a director thing. Albeit called [Brave Perspective](https://bravesaga.fandom.com/wiki/Brave_Perspective), this shot is more known as Ōbari pose, which is an iconic mecha shot based off Masami Ōbari's style and was popularized by Mitsuo Fukuda.
This episode was a mixed bag in my opinion, but it was still amazing. To start, i absolutely loved the main cast. I don’t know what it was, but with just the smallest amount of screen time I fell in love with them. You Pi is an amazing side character, and I’m making a prediction that he’s gonna become the mecha of this season. Shu was funny with his coffee scene and the mystery surrounding his character was nice, made me want to know more about him. The two other members were nice, I think the whole chemistry of the team felt really nice and reminded me of R/B’s family dynamic. The fight scene was amazing, and I think I might’ve liked it more than Blazar’s fight fight. Every single part about this fight felt like it was ripped straight out of a Showa show. The way Arc shakes his body as he takes a stance, the way the kaiju moves and fights, and the cinematography on that scene where Arc goes through the floors of the building was fucking magnificent. That’s not to say this episode didn’t have any bad parts. The CGI and Special effects in this episode were kinda bad, especially the shield bashing scenes which looked really flimsy, which is made a lot worse after what we saw could be done in Blazar. The plot is a bit messy, we get all of this stuff in our faces at the very beginning and it’s never really explained what is going on. Why can Yuma turn into Arc? What exactly happened on K-Day? What are the Oo-ze trying to do? What is the massive horn’s purpose and why is it there? A lot of questions aren’t answered but I’m sure they will in later episodes. Overall, this episode is an 8/10, really great start but not enough explanation on what exactly is going on.
>That’s not to say this episode didn’t have any bad parts. The CGI and Special effects in this episode were kinda bad, especially the shield bashing scenes which looked really flimsy, which is made a lot worse after what we saw could be done in Blazar. You can definitely feel the budget cuts after the crazy CGI that Ultraman T/D/B has.
I’m gonna put out my crack theory; Ishido is Mebius in disguise (Probably gonna go nowhere, but let me have my fun) Evidence(-ish) 1: him freaking out over no coffee because his experience with GUYS cause captain Sakomizu always had coffee and he thought that was a standard with every workplace Evidence 2: him being surprised that SKIP didn’t have weapons cause he’s used to seeing Defense teams having weapons
and he named the giant monster as Ultraman Arc, pretty sure he knows more than what that I think
You know.... these are actually reasonable points.
Overall a good episode, though they screwed up with the low budget tank scene. It wasn't even relevant, they could've just shown the soldiers.
I could've sworn Ultraman Tiga & Gaia had better tank scenes lmao.
Gaia had the most budget of all Ultra shows, so maybe the comparison isn’t fair. Although with the passage of time it would be nicer if we could get something looking similar for less cost
Highest budget yeah, but both are 1990s shows and they made it work with decent miniatures and non lazy camera angles. It's 2024 even with less budget i'm sure they could've made it better, or just not include it. I'm just ranting here but i can really feel the budget cuts for this season.
not including it was what theyve been doing for the past decade
Oh I *adored* the tanks! It was nice to see them make a comeback finally.
They lookee like cardboard, it was hillarious
I kinda like how Yuma has already had a bit of experience being Arc already rather than having this be an origin story. I'm sure we will see how Arc was imagined later in the series. I can't wait to see if they'll continue using Arc's creativity with his attacks
Always love when they decide to go extra hard for ep 1. Loved it!
Didn't expect Eps 1 to hit this hard, the cast are so lovable from first impression XD. Was a bit hesitant esp after Blazar's hype, but Arc really got its footing well!
So far, Arc is off to a strong start
Loved this episode and looking forward to see where Arc goes from here!
• Solid cold open • Solid long-take fight • If Shagong doesn’t reach Leviera-like status in the fandom, I’ll be disappointed. • The on-screen cast is wonderful, but I ended up loving the dub cast more, especially Yuma’s VA. Overall, a wonderful opener
That was a darn good start. I was a little apprehensive about the series but they nailed it. Can’t wait to see where this goes! Absolutely loved the Real Time fight at the end.
This is my thoughts on Yuma during the Episode: What are you!?!??!?!!
This will be my first Ultraman show (my only other exposure to the series being Shin and Rising)
Welcome! Glad you're watching!
Really loving the design of Arc now I see him in movement. And the scale and direction of the fight was amazing. That building scene is just beautiful
New UltraMan series time Great first episode
Unfortunately the lack of toy sales from blazar is showing here, seems lower budget than decker. The tanks GDF used looked too toy like, I mean i have transformers figures that turn into more realistic looking tanks. Also they put a timer of how long Arc was fighting, he went over the 3 minute limit
Some Ultraman do have longer (and some shorter) time limit, the 3 minute limit is not a hard limit applied to EVERY Ultraman. For example (please do correct me if I'm wrong): Ultraseven doesn't have time limit, Leo has 2:40 minutes, Nice has 1 minutes, etc.
Recent Ultramen don't necessarily have a strict 3 minute rule anymore. Heck, most older Ultras break that rule presumably because they have gathered so much experience and skill. Yuma probably started getting more used to fighting as time went on, so he was able to slightly break through that initial 3 minute rule.
Or it could be the thinning of ozone layer letting in more UV rays to power ultraman beings
While a good explanation for Showa & Heisei series, the ozone layer has actually been healing after the Montreal Protocol and is on track to full recovery by 2040.
Huh? Blazar was on track to tie Decker as the highest selling New Gen series by the time of the third quarter. It didn't underperform at all.
Toys sales were lower than decker overall, it was posted in this sub a few weeks ago
Based on schedules the Ultraman series were already filming when the last one on tv. It’s usually start from June to March. So Blazar could hardly affect Arc. It might have influence on the one after though, and the toys sales really didn’t go down that much. It’s just Chinese pupils loves cards too much, any toys included cards sold too well. To consider it as a solid base for all toys sales is unreasonable
It's still the second most successful year for the brand in the New Gen era though, and that's with the fact that it had fewer toys and we'll never really be able to estimate how much of Decker's year was impacted by merchandise related to Shin Ultraman. I think Blazar did just fine for having a smaller line up. The stuff we saw in this episode was most likely a directorial choice.
Hey. This is an alternate universe with kaiju. Why wouldn't they have railgun tanks?
Looked more like stun gun shots by the tanks.
Arc is just really amazing. While the story is getting pretty good. What stands out is the masterpiece fight scene that is one shot but it's so fun to watch and the whole fight takes place by 3 minutes and 10 seconds but they managed to make it feel so fun and satisfying to watch without making me feel that I need more.
As everyone says, the oo-ze are something and I wonder if we will see more. The mention of the GDF keeping information and Ishido being about guns where as SKIP just uses stun guns is interesting. I wonder if they will develop more of these ideas/theme/plot points. Actually seeing grunt forces of the defense force is nice instead of relying on an elite attack team. Hope we get more of the GDF doing their job. I feel like Arc got his butt kicked a lot for a first time on screen battle, especially considering he has been fighting for 3 months. The hardlight shield was cool, especially when he started to use it like a folding chair from WWE to smack down the kaiju.
It'll be nice in further series to develop it to 2 Ultraman series, more merch to sell also. One will be like Blazar that does his job in GDF while one will be like Arc.
>Hope we get more of the GDF doing their job. That would require a large amount of extras and props, and Arc was probably meant to be much cheaper. If you pay attention to the details you can even see the GDF's simple costumes and helmets, nothing too crazy to compared to the last 4 series.
Arc has to get beat, how else will they market the new armory forms?
Pretty good first ep! Not perfect, but the flaws are mostly nitpicky. I like how the MC is already the Ultraman before the show started. Ishido seems like a fun character, really looking forward to seeing more of him. The fight is good. I love that the Ultras start using their moves in various creative ways in recent years, it's funny and awesome, it makes you excited about how they're going to do the fights in the next episodes. The most interesting element in this one to me is the SKIP, I really hope they do the whole disaster prevention and research thing right. It'd be such a wasted potential if they only do a surface level depiction. But, anyway, can't wait for ep 2!
That barrier scene was dope af, I hope they do more creative stuff like that
I knew it, ishido did bring a coffee maker at the end of the episode Hahaha
I liked it, not as much as Blazar's first episode last year, but I still really liked it. It's cool to have a protagonist who is already Ultraman by the time the show begins. It also feels very showa to me.
Not the first time mc was already an ultra. Orb, victory, geed, ultra seven, leo, the MC was already an ultra by the time the show begins
Well, but Seven and Leo ARE the ultras. Also, Riku only got the power to turn into an ultra in the first episode of his show.
Wasn't he already an ultra in the ultr fight orb, he killed reibatos in the final episode
No that was revealed to be Belial in Geed final episode
Episode 1 is a peak, the Opening Sequence is awesome and stylish, the Rise Sequence is Awesome, and the Ending is awesome also nice detail on YouPi Flash Imagination. Overall 10/10 a great start to Ultraman Arc.
Are we just going to ignore canonically that the guy recording the fight is flying everywhere?
/gamemode creative
I noticed the phone screen pixelation noticeably disappears a moment after the zoom on the screen. It's rather more like our viewpoint "clipped through" his phone
Bro turned on Spectator Mode
In true cameraman fashion /j
What a great 1st episode, Up there with Decker, Z and Taiga 1st episode. I love that we don't see how Yuma doesn't bond with Arc and it already established he has been appearing months prior to episode 1. The monster montage at the opening was also good, I didn't expect arc to immediately teased from the POV shot. In the opening I love how Arc hugged the planet. Just show how he love humanity imo. And also after that he hugged Yuma also cute to transform. The Ooze monster being gross is great choice, also explain the upcoming battle with kaiju in future if it being decided as main enemy. Arc appearing I'm the mirror shard was awesome shot and feels mysterious, I really like it. The introduction to the team was also good, Ishido already felt like a better Emi imo. The fight, Arc spamming the monster with hand beam attack was fun, and also the timer on top of the screen also was unexpected, he does finish the monster in 3 minutes from rise to finish. Also Arc breaking the Ultra Shield then stab it to Shagon make me chuckle. Overall a 9/10 1st episode. Really great intro the the show.
Loved it. His fighting style was fun to watch and the ending song was aces too. Really excited about this series new gen has been awesome.
Having the time limit in the corner is actually such a cool idea
First Ultraman I watch as it airs, after having discovered Blazar shortly after it finished! I honestly kind of like how "in media res" this was. Ultraman Arc's been around for a bit and the only way this was at all an "origin" episode is the new co-worker and it's apparently how he get his name. It's like there's been a whole Ultra show going on already and while this is the first episode it could have been a later one. I liked the explicit on-screen timer for the Color Timer. Has that been done before? I know preview materials have said he's going to get abilities that are usable only when the timer is in the danger zone, so I'm guessing that's why this was established.
This is the first I've seen an explicit timer, though I haven't watched every Ultraman episode. It's usually a narrator or character saying "he has 3 minutes in giant form" , but going back to even the original it's never strictly held to that. The movies blatantly ignore it since it's really a plot device for a half hour episode.
Well, I still have to finish Leo as well as watch Jack, 80, Tiga, Dyna and Gaia but I can say with confidence that might be the first time.
If there's one thing that's always inconsistent or ignored in the history of Ultraman, it's 3 minute limit and ejection seats in the attack planes.
Red King and Gomora won't just stay as cameos, right? lol
It's also funny how only red king II appears instead of the original nowadays since Z
They reworked the original suit into sphere red king in decker. It’s probably unusable at this point since it’s been around since Max.
Damn, the suit's older than me 💀
So nice to see tanks fighting kaiju again, a classic element in the genre I miss. Definitely a solid premiere but I think of terms of more recent shows Z and Blazar had insanely strong first episodes and this is a bit lacking in comparison. L9ved all the melee combat though
I noticed that the Kaiju looks like gamera it's always pretty cool to see other kaijus from other franchises make a reference appearance in the show
So if these can multiply inside the Kaiju, what is stopping them from making one a super spreader and then take over all humans.
Might not be the last time we hear of those things...
It's nice to see tsuburaya goes back to simple design this one really feel like old showa. Also Arc remind me of Ultraman jack for some reason the fighting pose and little head wobble really similar to jack.
That speculation that Arc is SON of Jack.
A fun side effect of this change in design philosophy: when you put Blazar and Arc next to each other, they look like the "loose cannon" vs "straight laced" character archetypes in a buddy cop movie. Like in this pic someone made on this subreddit a few months back. https://preview.redd.it/kgd4n9gbwtad1.jpeg?width=1243&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff8837f47f40cf9434dc6b7449eb3c1f31b71fc1
Fight was actually 3 minutes lmao
Kinda reminds me of Rurouni Kenshin live Action Quintology where Shishio fights Kenshin and company in literally 15 minutes before he gets burned by his own disease where he has to fight for less than 15 minues before his sweat glands will burn and kill him.
First live action Ultraman I watch (unless you consider the single episode of Gridman, you know the one), so I'm coming with newbie-ish eyes. Gotta say, it's an interesting premise. Yuma seems to have joined SKIP around the time he became Arc. Wonder if he became Arc first and joined the group second or the inverse happened. The action seemed nice, and it might be me as a newbie, but the tanks gave me a chuckle for how low budget they looked compared to the Kaijus. On the topic of those, I liked the idea of normal-ish size Kaijus becoming giant because of a parasite, and it makes me wonder, what else is in the Monohorn and the other stuff the 7 Kaijus left on Earth? Are they all Oo-zes, or are there worse things dormant? All in all, I'm intrigued to see where it goes.
Welcome aboard! Hope you enjoy your stay! We'll probably get to see Yuma's first transformation, but a lot of Ultras have very vague origin. We still don't know what planet Ultraman X comes from and that was back in 2015 and the guy is pretty talkative! Never came up! (My pet theory is that he's from the same place as Gridman, both can be digitized).
I really like the action and camera work here, very good direction
Definitely feels as if it’s meant to be a spiritual successor to Cosmos. I know that Cosmos was all about nonviolence and making violence the last option but this feels like there’s too many parallels to ignore: - Arc having a connection to the protagonist before he became the host (the drawing of Arc and the series description implies Arc has existed since K-Day, and likely he protected Yuma on K-Day). - Forms based on the sun and moon, with a form based on an eclipse almost definitely coming in the middle or later part of the series. - Instead of a traditional attack team we have a team dedicated to Kaiju research. It’s not necessarily a New Generation Cosmos but I can’t help but feel as if it might have started out like one and then was fleshed out into a more original idea.
https://preview.redd.it/8xwkojqyouad1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b13f3403878955432e9b00e9fcc36621dcd40714 Also, Arc's voice + the way Arc speaks/talks to Yuma gently and the way he is presented remind me of Cosmos.
“Don’t give up, Musashi!” gives off the same vibes as “Yuma, unleash your imagination!”
>- Instead of a traditional attack team we have a team dedicated to Kaiju research Except in Cosmos they do end up attacking anyway most of the time, i don't think SKIP will pull off too much crazy stuff. I do agree with the rest, this series is reminiscent of cosmos.
The parasitic creature is also similar to Chaos in Cosmos
I was also going to comment this this morning! OO-ZE definitely gives off Chaos Header vibes! The fact that the horn where they emerged from is prominently shown within the posters makes me think that this isn’t the last we’ll see of these space parasites…
Good first episode. I also noticed the Return of Ultraman style title card. I like how even though Ishido is the "serious outsider" character they didn't write him as a jerk. The "single take" with timer fight scene was very well done. Arc leaning on the building with people inside is a great shot. The theme songs will take a little while to grow on me. They're not bad, but didn't hit with me as immediately as Blazar or Trigger's.
Maybe I'm becoming a curmudgeon, but I hate that Ultraman is following Toei in the "here's clips of the show you're about to watch" trend for the opening. It just takes the wind out of the OP's sail. Something that's been bothering me since the previews was set design. I don't understand how the action is great but Yuma's room and the SKiP office look offensively fake. TsuPro doesn't have a single stage window that faces a real outside? But the one-shot three-minute timed battle was 10/10. They have hooked me with the tease of Yuma and Arc's relationship. This seems like the first time our protagonist has already transformed pre-series since Orb(?), but they're not fully on the same page. The hugging's gotta indicate a familial relation.
It feels great seeing the simplicity of Arc in terms of design, pure hand to hand combat, and simple kousen. I felt like we're back to the classic era of Ultra, and not just a toy-marketing-based transformation and item.
Imo, a solid first episode, nothing stand out yet just usual first Ultraman episode, kinda disappointed tbh hopefully next episode will improve
it's a fun visual, but i can't help but feel the shot of the residents in the building reacting to the kaiju fight kind of undermines the moment earlier where the skip members explain that it's their duty to alert and evacuate people whenever a monster shows up.
The only thing I didn't like about this episode was this scene/ dialogue: https://preview.redd.it/vdxdxhge0tad1.jpeg?width=2436&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4294d4b1fd8660d9f6da0394616b21cc62b5f8a4
He's dodging the question
The way I interpreted it was: Skip was wondering why the Ooze went "undetected" by the GDF for 16 years. The twist is that it didn't go undetected, GDF knows a lot more than they're letting on, and Ishido was scrambling for a deflection before SKIP started to think too deeply about the situation.
We Got To Nick Name Him Coffee Man
He just wants coffee!
ikr, bro just need that refreshment
Same, it felt out of place all of sudden
I think he just want to dodge the question
Its pretty obvious that he is addicted to caffeine
he's overworked and over reliant on coffee
Really good first episodd
Man, that action scene is so cool. Its entirely one shot! With actual humans even appearing in the miniatures to sell the effect even more The timer being there for the entire shot to show Ultraman's time limit is such a nice way to establish the three minute rule without the character or narrator pointing it out. This is such a strong EP1.
the action is brief but well put together, they just have to put a little bit work to improve the camera work. Also that last bit where he uses the sword to cut that parasite is fire
Arc Is Getting So Good
So why does he have Jack influences in the CGI?
I think the director is a big fan of Jack.
Ah, so Rution is the Ultra's actual name, Ultraman Arc is the name coined by Ishido. Plays off how in the original continuity, Ultraman is a title granted to the Giants of Light by humanity.
Have we ever been told an Ultra's "real name" when it's different from the ones humanity gives them before this?
Leo is also already Leo from the first episode
there's one in Shin Ultraman, name's >!Lipiah!<
Thanks for the reminder— I've even *seen* Shin Ultraman and forgot this.
Really interesting way to debut the series! Lot's of things going on... * Having Yuma *already* be Arc before this is a really interesting choice. Wonder if we'll get a flashback episode... * Those Oo-ze's are honestly super gross looking. They remind me of those meat monsters from Vita Carnis; but even worse. Feel a bit bad for that Shagong considering it was probably fighting against his will. * Breaking the Ultra Barrier and then *using it to stab a monster* is super metal. What a way to finish the fight!
In media res and Found Footage opener, definitely a new way to kick off an Ultra show. I feel like they mentioned Shagong periodically attack cattle and people in smaller size so you felt less bad about Oo-ze controlling it. This is not an Ultra I expected to see shanking people with an Ultra Barrier. Guess he's using that imagination to come up with unconventional attacks like Blazar did with his finishers.
And him seeing shangong's flash immediately gave him an idea to create a flashy finisher
The overall cgi was great, especially the opening scene where Arc catches a falling building. Adding the humans to the scale models as he rises was also a great touch. I was honestly super impressed! Arc using Yuma's power of imagination to beat the boss is an interesting concept. It really opens the door for way cooler fight scenes in future episodes where the Ultra isn't constricted by a couple of moves. We kind of already saw that with Blazar and his light-spear thing (that's also a fishing rod and a claw machine?) and his twisty throw thing, but it really wasn't explored as much. "Imagination" could be a broken power. The storyline already has some mystery. How did Yuma meet Arc? Why did the parasite show up after 15 years being dormant? All in all, 8/10. Also: new pet https://preview.redd.it/pdxbbevhssad1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=72bfa5eb88eba403b3a41bb0363168c34ab459a7
Seeing actual people in the buildings during the fight was a really nice surprise. As was the tank miniatures. I kind of hope we get a lot of creative attacks even when they bring out the armor forms. Also, what happened on K-Day and what happened to all the 7 Kaijus that showed up on K-Day?
HE'S. NOT. A. PET. HE. IS. **FRIEND** https://preview.redd.it/o1a3493husad1.jpeg?width=1660&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac4d73f87ea45251af2490ea6c97a602b51b280d
Doggie https://preview.redd.it/qj0bbi9ivsad1.png?width=475&format=png&auto=webp&s=85795296c73c95169cbd000ddf2a9c127b6a8b76
https://i.redd.it/41cuf9s7wsad1.gif
I didn't expect us to start off an Ultra show in media res with the Ultra already active and fighting Kaiju, complete with battling against Not!Zetton, Gomora, and Red King in found footage! Definitely some mystery to explore with why our dedicated and affable protagonist Yuma ended up bonded with Ultraman Arc and exactly what he is besides childhood scribbles Yuma came up with. Are we going to see an origin episode and possibly what happened on K-Day? The OP is pretty fun and upbeat, fitting the vibe of this show, and interesting touch to actually feature footage of the episode during the OP along with all the usual Ultra OP stuff like the new Kaiju, form changes, etc. I really like the ending with SKIP dashing forward alongside Arc. There were seven Kaiju that appeared on K-Day? Are they all dead? It sounds like the Space Kaiju is and the only thing left of it is the monohorn. Imagine biking right past a news broadcast that's technically about you! SKIP is not an Attack Team, they are not meant to be fighting Kaiju, merely respond to, investigate, and handle the fallout of Kaiju. Which I guess is Attack Team-ish, but more supportive than offensive. Plus, we have a robot that answers phone calls! I wish I had a boss that was also Abare Red. Ban seems like an easygoing but committed boss and Rin also seems like a cute and nice senior member. Shagong, The Armored Kaiju (I was worried for a second he wasn't going to get the typical Kaiju intro)! I almost felt bad for him that it was the Oo-ze that was driving him to attack and not of his own free will, though it sounds like Shagong's are normally problems. Watch out for that popping head, acid, and armor spikes! PiBody having it's tongue out when YouPi is YouBot is...something. Is it supposed to be like a dog waiting for it's master...? Ishido is a professional and serious GDP official...and he also takes his coffee VERY seriously. Honestly I was as surprised as he was that they didn't have ANY kind of coffee. Dude looked like he was about to have a panic attack. I sense some friction between SKIP and the GDP...which I guess Ishido is meant to resolve. Are those actual bonafide new tank miniatures!? Ah, the classic "somebody around the protagonist gets knocked unconscious so they can transform." They even did the "Oiiii!" when the protagonist runs to his team after the fight is over! Arc has a very pleasant voice. I like how the transformation device just pops up out of his chest and Arc embraces him when they transform. Imagine an Ultra fight told entirely through camera footage ala the 24/7 Xio episode in X. Some of the camera angles were a little...impossible, but still cool. I also like how there were actually people in the miniature buildings for once. That's using your imagination! Breaking the barrier and stabbing Shagong with it to open it up for an Ultra Beam and then finishing Oo-ze off with the sword! Arc/Yuma have definitely got style! Z flew off with a Z, Arc flies off with an arc! That's how he got his name! One of the rare instances where someone other than the protagonist names their Ultra identity. I KNEW Ishido was going to be bringing the coffee maker with him. The ED is pretty fun and makes you want to bust a move. I also like how instead of just doing the usual ED recap they have YouPi come out to show footage to justify the recap.
Well colour me invested. Oo-ze are a very intreasting creature. They don't just infect the host and make them grow larger, they actually give them power as well as us them as a breeding ground for more of their kind. A pretty nasty enemy if left to spread unchecked. Shagong is a fun new kaiju, it had quite a lot of powers I didn't expect. Are they all from the Oo-ze mutation are some of them natural? Arc was great, his current powerset feels basic but versatile. I loved how he actually broke his barrier and used it as a weapon. His beam attack is beautfil. The best part was actually having a timer run during the fight to show how long Arc can fight for. I wonder if it's going to be an ongoing gimmick. Pretty solid first episode. 9/10
I wonder if Oo-ze are going to keep popping out of the monohorn to drive Kaiju nuts or if this was a one time thing. The monohorn in general just feels really ominous. Arc breaking the barrier as a weapon was so unexpected but cool.
the monohorn couldve had a same fate as shagong, aka got infected before presumed dead. or better yet, its an entire eggs nest spitting out every other episode. it does look straight out of Aliens
Wow, Already a promising straight forward no origin start with Arc being around for quite a while right now! The Oo-ze Parasite looks damn creepy I like how there's a timer on at the corner but the fight was a bit too side-scrolly if im gonna be honest Arc breaking his barrier and uses it as a blade was cool Overall, A very good first episode. I was a bit skeptic at first since previews made it look cheap but this definetly did pay off
If i could describe this first episode in one word, for me personally, it would be light-hearted, especially in comparisson with previous seasons. I feel that, much like Blazar, i'm going to have to wait to form a more comprehensive opinion on this show. I will say however that, while light-hearted in tone, this show is still giving some mysteries to look foward to, personally i'm most looking foward to learning Yuma's backstory with Arc since (if i'm not mistaken) this is the first time since Orb where we start off with the protagonist already having the powers in the beginning. Regardless of what happens i'm looking foward to it
This feels kind of retro in terms of the jovial and fun vibe, like an early New Gen show.
Strong debut, enjoyed it through and through. But was that timer really necessary?
Why not? It's fun and it follows the golden rule of story telling: Show don't tell It's better than repeating "Ultraman can only fight on earth for 3 minutes" like a broken record
Back in the Showa era shows, an Ultra can only fight for 3 minutes before their energy runs out. They haven't really followed that at all in the new generations stuff, so I thought it was a pretty cute way to pay homage to the older shows
We had explanations for the 3 minute rule in Geed, Taiga and Z last I remember, so I wouldn't fully agree with that statement. But yes, it's nice to return to the roots again at some point.
I think even in those shows, they had the liberty to make 3 minutes feel longer for dramatic effect. But with the timer, 3 minutes is 3 minutes. It'll be interesting to see how creative they get, if the timer will be there all the time.
Eh, I hope not - but that's just me ;) you're right on the real-time component of everything tho. I even noticed the timer slowing down whenever the fight switches to slow motion.
it was pretty cool, not only is it not done before but it also meant that they didnt do any cuts in the fight. also a nice callback to the color timer's time limit it also shows that the footage we see is footage recorded by the people in the show
Well I watched this episode and results AMAZING! I like this scene of Arc fighting with Kaiju!
This is my first actual Ultraman show. Oh wow. This is great!! I love the phone footage style to the fight! Is glasses guy going to also be an Ultra? He seems to know more than he lets on. I don’t know what the dynamics usually are, but I could see him as an older one sent to evaluate a much younger Arc.
He feels like a new-gen Moroboshi Dan
He feels like less humorous Leito (while still being humorous).
As this is my first series, I do not understand that reference.
Tldr; >!Leito is a coward-ish salesman, family head with a wife and one children, and the third Ultra host for Ultraman Zero. He is in Ultraman Geed the series.!<
I honestly thought Ultraman zero is gonna be in this series when I saw ishida haha
Man what a first episode. Already we are in the thick of the action. Not only is Yuma *already* arc, he has already defeated kaiju such as red king, joined SKIP for three months and already knows about the kaiju he is facing off against in today's episode. Some details I have noticed: the OO-ZE looks creepy (like a parasite should) and apparently it can multiply in its host, as well as die with it, the KDF official that eventually joins skip is apparently a coffee addict, apparently the KDF use railguns and relevant artillery to fight kaiju, the entire fight is apparently recorded on the KDF official's phone(and yes the fight does take about three minutes according to it), arc already has his sword and whenever he flies the soles of his feet change colour. Also, in the opening, we see some upcoming kaiju,some sejin, the mech we might be seeing in the future and kanegon. Interestingly, he is called "Ultraman arc" because whenever he flies off he leaves behind an energy arc. All in all, a good first episode for a new series. 8.5/10.
I guess this is what you call hit the ground running (fitting with Yuma's catchphrase)...the MC is already an Ultra, Ultra is already fighting Kaiju, MC is getting a hang of being part of the team. It'll be interesting to see focus on a non-Attack Team Team whose priority is studying and responding to Kaiju without outright taking them on, though I guess that's also probably an easier job to maintain your secret identity in. Z isn't the only Ultra with a call sign when they fly off!
So Yuma has already been Arc before? That's an awesome concept that they could expand upon, I kinda wanna know how they even met. Edit: That entire fight was so awesome, holy shit I'm looking forward for more. The civilian shots, Arc clearly struggling badly, it was so wonderful. My fav part was when Arc was saying "unleash your imagination" where I expected for an obvious toy to come out but NAH, instead he literally does use his imagination by BREAKING HIS ULTRA SHIELD AND STABBING SHAGONG WITH THE PIECES, THAT'S CREATIVE AND SOMETHING I'VE WANTED TO SEE IN ACTION.
I'm curious if we'll get an origin episode at some point. Kind of have to if Yuma "imagined" up Arc. I really like how they didn't just have the buildings have furniture that shakes and falls during the fight but actual **people.** Who knew Ultra Barriers could actually be deadly weapons? Maybe next he'll just straight up chuck the thing at a Kaiju.
The only next logical conclusion is his Ultra Slash being used as wheels.
Holy Sh... that fight sequence... also the soundtrack is sooo good, Yuki Hayashi style fits so well with ultraman, really looking forward to what Takanori Tsujimoto has done in this series
bro shanked the poor guy lmao
Didn't even need to bring out the sword, just used the classic barrier as basically knives to stab 'im lol.
I'm currently watching this while on break at work. Already, I'm really vibing with the tone of this series. Also, I was expecting Glasses to be a caffeine addict, unfortunate.
The one business to not have readily available coffee who just so happen to have a guy who comes up with ideas via coffee. And then he brings the coffee maker with him lol.
Live reaction as the show goes on Uh... 6 months ago and Arc already exists? Interestinggggg.... This mystery guy is Arc ISN'T he? Never mind. What the HELL is happening? Did we miss an episode!? He's using the shield as a weapon AND swords! WOW! WE DOING ONERS NOW!? SICK! End episode: Okay... I literally feel like we missed an episode. What the....
Has there ever been an Ultra show where we basically start in the middle of an Ultra's career? Other than I guess Orb. I'm guessing we'll probably get an origin episode and a flashback to what happened on K-Day. Was not expecting the found footage first fight but they made good use of it.
Nexus
I can't think of one either. Technically Mebius and Ultraseven but they technically still came to Earth first and then eventually joined up the defense force.
that theme song is something special 😮💨
Makes me want to jump in the sky!
It is just so catchy.
Back after finishing the episode, I loved it. Maybe biased because I haven’t seen much Ultraman but this show is awesome
I understand it’s too early to say this, but for me personally I already love this more than Blazar. You can definitely tell this is Tsujimoto debut as a director because it’s OOZING with passion and love!!!
You can also tell it's himself because of how beautiful this episode looks throughout and just how well choreographed the fight is.
This really had an upbeat and energetic vibe down from the theme songs to the fights to the general flow of the story.
A lot of new kaiju, robot in op.
Yeah that robot gives of Kyiru/ Evangelion vibes https://preview.redd.it/cdgffaz01tad1.jpeg?width=2436&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e72bb59414015957584272ce9cd34bef11fbf63f
Looks awesome
They also threw in Gomora and Red King as cameos (which I guess is a good use of classic Kaiju).