So over the past couple of months, we have looked at a few era's of Ultraman, there attempt to grow the beard completely screwed by the network, what was meant to be the end of the era and a big celebration, now let us see the beginning of a new era. So after Mebius, the Tsuburaya family sold the production company, most of the shares were bought by advertising group TYO. inc with the rest bought up by Bandai Namco, though three years later, pachinko makers field corporation bought out the stocks from TYO but at that point Bandai Namco was the majority stock holder.
Now you would think that would be the end of the financial troubles, but it really wasn't. As stated in the Ultraman X review, the studio had been dealt a major finacial blow in there court case against Chaiyo, resulting in major law fee's needing to be paid. Now despite that, there was actually new ultra content in the wake of Mebius in the form of the Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster battle, that soon became sort of the Zero era of the franchise focused on the new Ultra Zero. But in terms of a T.V series, it was mostly movies and net series alongside the retsuden. In fact as the 50th anniversary was on the horizon, the intention was to just do a best of clip show showing off Ultraman, but someone was able to talk them into making a new season. And so with a shoestring budget and thrift in there minds, the new genertion of Ultra's began with Ginga... a series I have more respect for than actually like.
SYNOPSIS
After seven years away from his hometown, Hikaru Raido returns to his hometown of Furuhoshi town after receiving some strange visions. Alongside meeting up with his old friends, he also learns his grandfather's shrine had been destroyed by a sudden fire, with the shrine getting moved into a closed school. Later he soon discovers inside the shrine the ginga spark, he is soon informed about the spark dolls, little figures that when used with the ginga spark allow the person wielding it to summon or become the figure. As an evil force begins to use the dolls for evil purposes, Hikaru ends up becoming a new ultra, Ultraman Ginga as he now fights to protect his hometown, friends and collect the sparkdolls.
At only 11 episodes, Ginga is one of the shorter series I have talked about that is specified as a mini series, as yes this would get a second season, one of the very few series to get an actual sequel series, that is its own story rather than a continuation of Ginga. Ginga is split into two parts, its first part dedicated to focus on Hikaru and his friends, and rival Tomoya, meanwhile the second half is more serialized, dealing with fighting the big bad Lugiel, and... ugh, look I went into this wanting to like it, there is something truly respectable about tghis series in terms of making something on effectively no budget, it creates a unique atmosphere I don't think any other series has, and having a more tight cast gives them focus but... ugh, this is entirely a character issue with why I don't think Ginga is particularly good and we will get into why soon.
CHARACTERS
With a majority of protag's, Hikaru is very much cut from the same cloth, a kind, optimistic, positive young man who wants to help his friends. and nothing about him really changes more so helping the people around him grow and hold onto there dreams. It definitely works here thanks to the fact that the show is shorter, and while the cast is smaller, giving each one focus does help to... ugh okay it doesn't really help but explores them more.
Misuzu's introduction feels like it came right out of a comedy anime with her out of control in a basket. like this could come out of the anime from the time. I just bring it up because its such an odd introduction for her. Anyway she acts as sort of the confidant to Hikaru being the only one to he is Ginga, of Hikaru's friends I thought she was fine up until the end when they feel the need to introduce conflict between the two of being envious of Hikaru's adventures, something that I never once felt from her, or the show ever showed during the second half. And its not a case of well there isn't enough time, they could easily have shown that she felt envious or hated Hikaru for the freedom he had and how he seemingly had it all together, but it just... happens.
And she is the best of the Hikaru's friend, because man the other two are not that good, Kenta... he wants to take photograph's... that is kind of it, outside of his one episodes, he is probably the least memorable of them. Meanwhile Chigusa would've been fine, if the director or showrunner didn't tell her hey do that cutesy higher pitched voice for being the cutie of the group. Because I thought her episode was fine, ever giving up on your dream, standard stuff but that voice... becomes grating quite quickly. Like hey you know anime, do that.
And that even goes to Tomoya who just feels like that anime rich kid rival you see, emotionless and not understanding friendship. And we get that battle at the midpoint where he learns that friendship is actually really great and then becomes the smart person of the group. That is kind of the issue with this group, yes its nice to be short, but the show really doesn't develop the group beyond the trope they have, and never explains why they are all at this school, I think its an... interesting choice for a location, but why would Tomoya even be at the school cause he just kind of shows up in the second episode with no explanation or build up which just feels weird, which yeah the shows pace is all over the place, sometimes fast and sometimes taking its sweet time explaining stuff. I know I didn't go over much regarding Tomoya... but trust me we will see him again... not immediately after this maybe in a year or two.
Additionally I do want to bring up the abandoned school, technically it is a location but it is the primary location that sort of has its own character, you know in a way abandoned buildings have this atmosphere this loneliness to them, walking through the halls of a place that is lacking the people that once filled it. I feel like it would be more interesting, if it was where our characters came to, instead its the main location. Sure we do get scenes in the nearby town a few time, but only in the first half, the last five episodes are solely at the school. And we see Hikaru camping there and the characters basically treating it like an apartment. In a post-apocalyptic or in the case of the end where they sort of get trapped there I don't mind, but in the first 6 episodes during the sort of slice of life aspect, like why are all these people hanging out here, for some it makes sense since it got transformed into a replacement shrine, but Kenta, Tomoya and Chigusa... do they just not have homes to go to. I get it, the school was probably a very cheap place to film and keep things in budget, but from a story perspective its just wonky.
Taro as a mentor is kind of interesting, as a new generation, the old one coming in to teach the next generation of heroes is nice, and he does a decent job for Hikaru... when he isn't kidnapped, even him just being a doll that is talked to is actually something I didn't mind it. Was kind of that goofy narm toku does.
As for the villains, well... here's an issue I have... for most of the season its these comic relief villains, Valky, Icarus and a Nackle known as Gray... yeah the Valky and Icarus are arc villains, they don't get names... because. Icarus really is just the bridge between valky and Gray, just a simpleton who really just is there for a special... yeah not a movie a theatre special. I feel like they kind of need some kind of balance, even though we do see they are actual threat who are capable of really doing some damage to the heroes, Valky does really good on that nearly destroying his family. But yeah, they are not terrible, but the main villain Dark Lugiel is almost barely a character, he spends most of the series possessing one of the side-characters which is a neat twist, as is his relationship to Ginga, but being almost a no-show for most of the show, while a decent final villain, it is not much.
AESTHETICS
Ginga's design is... decent, fairly standard red and silver, with the main thing being the bright glowing crystals that can change colors depending on what he is doing, its rather nice touch, especially since it is was of the very few new things the season has in terms of ultraman and Kaiju design, considering the show was meant to be a best-of show it makes sense, which you can feel in regards to the fight choreography.
This is another example of how the budget really affected them, like you can feel in the early episode they are afraid of damaging the suits, so early fights are just both sides throwing energy at one another as they dive around each other. You can tell once they hit the second half and do a fight in a boxing ring, okay we feel a little more confident. There is also just size inconsistency and making most of the fights in the forest does make the fights feel a little less special. Also I don't feel to great about the ginga spark, it looks fine, I just don't like how he transforms, having to press the foot onto it it just feels so wonky like I am just expecting him to accidentally miss it at some point as a joke, at least in X they make it more a flat surface, but here it just feels wonky and like it would take multiple times, unless they magnetize to it.
By extension, the soundtrack really loves the opening, or old opening, the version I watched had an entirely different opening that is fine, but I got quickly tired of the battle theme, having it appear is a moment of awesome as our heroes fight is fine, but it being what plays constantly makes it feel less special, and it is a shame I did like it, just a case of I heard it too much and got burnt out regarding it.
EPISODES AND THEATRE SPECIALS
The theatre specials ginga does... exist... just some fun the characters have or showing a bunch of ultra's, they are... fine, as far as episodes go... I like episode 7, I think it really shows they are a lot more confident and have money now... yeah I don't feel much about the rest that is more annoyance at certain aspects.
CONCLUSION
I can respect what Ultraman GInga does with its limited budget and actually making it work, showing ingenuity and thriftiness. But respect does not mean like. Ultraman Ginga has a bit too much bad anime dna inside of it and sadly isn't long enough to get the most out of it. The characters are either annoying or just barely exist and have developments we don't see, and while set design and battles get better in the latter half, it still doesn't look the best. It is again short at 11 episodes so I wouldn't say you are wasting your time on this, but I can't really say as a start to a new generation, Ultraman Ginga sadly isn't particularly good as a beginning, though this wouldn't be the last we would see of this cast, as ginga would continue into Ginga S, which we will talk about at a later date.
FINAL GRADE: NO
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