Ultraman: Episode 14
Pearl Oyster Defense Order
(I’ve never done one of these review things, however with the new Forum I have decided to see if I can do it, feedback would be appreciated)
prologue
Before we go into the episode let’s first talk about the show itself. The show was from the mind of Eiji Tsuburaya best-known for his effects on the Godzilla serious.
https://tokuasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/tsubu-ultraman.jpg
He formed Tsuburaya Productions and started making independent projects. One of those was Ultra Q (Think of it as twilight zone mixed with Godzilla). And the spiritual successor to it was of course Ultraman. The series was unbelievably popular when it was first released with 34% of the entire population of Japan watching it. It became one of the most influential Japanese shows ever and spawned countless spinoffs involving different Ultramen.
Last year after a bunch of legal troubles were resolved (I am not opening that can of worms.) Mill Creek started releasing all the Ultraman series to English-speaking audiences. So far they have released Ultra Q, Ultraman, Ultraseven, Return of Ultraman, and the more recent series too like Ultraman Orb and Ultraman Geed
https://www.kaijubattle.net/uploads...56970353819773-1558313245654122496-n_orig.jpg
So why am I talking about this episode? Is it because it’s an absolute classic? The best representative of the series? No, I’m talking about it specifically is because for my first review I wanted an easy target. I’ll explain as we go.
review proper
The episode starts with Mitsuhiro Ide and Akiko Fuji out shopping, or to be more accurate, Akiko Fuji dragging Mitsuhiro Ide kicking and screaming out shopping. Akiko is interested in buying some pearls but because of a recent shortage, the price has increased. And we are barely a minute in and we come to the main problem with the episode. I have skimmed over the character introductions but the science patrol is really great and likable throughout the series. Some of the best episodes involve giving a spotlight to a specific member.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ultra/images/b/b0/SSSP.png/revision/latest?cb=20130730005636
This episode is the exception. This is Akiko Fuji only Spotlight episode and instead of giving her some insight into her character or at least a badass moment instead, she’s basically screaming PEARLS! for 25 minutes. I’ve heard some people go far as to say that the episode is even sexist. I would not go that far, however, It’s just a waste of a spotlight episode for a cheap joke.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net...ko_Fuji.png/revision/latest?cb=20140307022120
Anyway, you’re probably wondering why there’s a Pearl shortage, or you guess 2 paragraphs ago considering this is a Kaiju show. We cut to 2 people driving a truck full of pearls and discussing what could have caused it. And speak of the devil and he shall come. The monster responsible apparently has a 100 in stealth because the drivers didn’t notice a giant monster walking towards them.
I just like to take a moment to state the Ultra Series, especially the original Ultraman has fantastic creature designs with many of them becoming as iconic as the hero themselves. The monster in this episode is not one of them.
https://monstersconquertheworld.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/tumblr_ory575qpo91twzku7o1_400.gif?w=584
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net...a_WOWOW.png/revision/latest?cb=20131117055126
This is Gamakujira, probably the most infamous part of this episode. The First thing you probably noticed is that he seems to be a bit derpy and super fat. ( I’ve heard someone describe the suit as two sizes too big for the actor.) some even call it the worst design in the show. Honestly, he may look silly but the design at least pretty memorable, a weird mix between a whale and a frog. Honestly calling him the worst design of the show is probably more of a compliment than an insult to the rest of the show.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net...akujila.JPG/revision/latest?cb=20141208213032
Anyway, he smashes the car and straight-up KILLS THE TWO DRIVERS! This may be a lighthearted episode of a kid show but we’re still going to have a body count. It’s really is amazing how much death there in the first few entries of the Ultra Series.
https://monstersconquertheworld.fil...creen-shot-2017-10-23-at-2-05-33-pm.png?w=584
The science patrol is called in to stop the monster and his weird pearl fetish. There’s a brief scene where they blast the monster from their plane, this only seems to mildly annoy him and he decides to fight back. What is it’s special ability? Blowing water out of its blowhole like a whale. Yes really...the funny thing is it actually works, damaging the plane so much they’re forced to land. The monster may be laughable but he’s one point ahead of the hero so far.
https://monstersconquertheworld.fil...creen-shot-2017-10-23-at-2-17-50-pm.png?w=584
They’re forced to camp out as they wait for rescue as the monster lays on an island in the distance, soaking in his victory. In the middle the night it starts to digest the pearls it ate. Akiko freaks out and demands the monster not to digest the pearl. As we establish that the beginning, Gamakujira isn’t the only one with the pearl fetish.
https://monstersconquertheworld.fil...creen-shot-2017-10-23-at-2-30-22-pm.png?w=584
(Continued on the next post)
Pearl Oyster Defense Order
(I’ve never done one of these review things, however with the new Forum I have decided to see if I can do it, feedback would be appreciated)
prologue
Before we go into the episode let’s first talk about the show itself. The show was from the mind of Eiji Tsuburaya best-known for his effects on the Godzilla serious.
https://tokuasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/tsubu-ultraman.jpg
He formed Tsuburaya Productions and started making independent projects. One of those was Ultra Q (Think of it as twilight zone mixed with Godzilla). And the spiritual successor to it was of course Ultraman. The series was unbelievably popular when it was first released with 34% of the entire population of Japan watching it. It became one of the most influential Japanese shows ever and spawned countless spinoffs involving different Ultramen.
Last year after a bunch of legal troubles were resolved (I am not opening that can of worms.) Mill Creek started releasing all the Ultraman series to English-speaking audiences. So far they have released Ultra Q, Ultraman, Ultraseven, Return of Ultraman, and the more recent series too like Ultraman Orb and Ultraman Geed
https://www.kaijubattle.net/uploads...56970353819773-1558313245654122496-n_orig.jpg
So why am I talking about this episode? Is it because it’s an absolute classic? The best representative of the series? No, I’m talking about it specifically is because for my first review I wanted an easy target. I’ll explain as we go.
review proper
The episode starts with Mitsuhiro Ide and Akiko Fuji out shopping, or to be more accurate, Akiko Fuji dragging Mitsuhiro Ide kicking and screaming out shopping. Akiko is interested in buying some pearls but because of a recent shortage, the price has increased. And we are barely a minute in and we come to the main problem with the episode. I have skimmed over the character introductions but the science patrol is really great and likable throughout the series. Some of the best episodes involve giving a spotlight to a specific member.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ultra/images/b/b0/SSSP.png/revision/latest?cb=20130730005636
This episode is the exception. This is Akiko Fuji only Spotlight episode and instead of giving her some insight into her character or at least a badass moment instead, she’s basically screaming PEARLS! for 25 minutes. I’ve heard some people go far as to say that the episode is even sexist. I would not go that far, however, It’s just a waste of a spotlight episode for a cheap joke.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net...ko_Fuji.png/revision/latest?cb=20140307022120
Anyway, you’re probably wondering why there’s a Pearl shortage, or you guess 2 paragraphs ago considering this is a Kaiju show. We cut to 2 people driving a truck full of pearls and discussing what could have caused it. And speak of the devil and he shall come. The monster responsible apparently has a 100 in stealth because the drivers didn’t notice a giant monster walking towards them.
I just like to take a moment to state the Ultra Series, especially the original Ultraman has fantastic creature designs with many of them becoming as iconic as the hero themselves. The monster in this episode is not one of them.
https://monstersconquertheworld.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/tumblr_ory575qpo91twzku7o1_400.gif?w=584
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net...a_WOWOW.png/revision/latest?cb=20131117055126
This is Gamakujira, probably the most infamous part of this episode. The First thing you probably noticed is that he seems to be a bit derpy and super fat. ( I’ve heard someone describe the suit as two sizes too big for the actor.) some even call it the worst design in the show. Honestly, he may look silly but the design at least pretty memorable, a weird mix between a whale and a frog. Honestly calling him the worst design of the show is probably more of a compliment than an insult to the rest of the show.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net...akujila.JPG/revision/latest?cb=20141208213032
Anyway, he smashes the car and straight-up KILLS THE TWO DRIVERS! This may be a lighthearted episode of a kid show but we’re still going to have a body count. It’s really is amazing how much death there in the first few entries of the Ultra Series.
https://monstersconquertheworld.fil...creen-shot-2017-10-23-at-2-05-33-pm.png?w=584
The science patrol is called in to stop the monster and his weird pearl fetish. There’s a brief scene where they blast the monster from their plane, this only seems to mildly annoy him and he decides to fight back. What is it’s special ability? Blowing water out of its blowhole like a whale. Yes really...the funny thing is it actually works, damaging the plane so much they’re forced to land. The monster may be laughable but he’s one point ahead of the hero so far.
https://monstersconquertheworld.fil...creen-shot-2017-10-23-at-2-17-50-pm.png?w=584
They’re forced to camp out as they wait for rescue as the monster lays on an island in the distance, soaking in his victory. In the middle the night it starts to digest the pearls it ate. Akiko freaks out and demands the monster not to digest the pearl. As we establish that the beginning, Gamakujira isn’t the only one with the pearl fetish.
https://monstersconquertheworld.fil...creen-shot-2017-10-23-at-2-30-22-pm.png?w=584
(Continued on the next post)