So we are jumping ahead a season for this one, not because Max is a bad season just I want to more talk about Mebius more. What does need to be known is despite more network B.S (That damn Saturday morning block getting canned but Max was left in its place, meaning it was sandwiched between kid's favorite shows, morning variety talk shows and museums. Again I swear that this is the reason Tsuburaya was more willing to embrace streaming and youtube after all of it) The season was successful enough to recuperate the losses from Nexus, though even then things were not looking up for the studio, that was still struggling financially in the mid 2000's in no due part to the rise in production cost for shows and loans taken out to keep the company afloat, leaving the legendary production company and by extension Ultraman in limbo of its future. Of course today we know what happens, the Tsuburaya familly sold the company to the TYO. Inc advertising agency in 2007 and later on Bandai bought shares in the company, which would go on to help settle the debts by 2014.
But no one knew what the future held, outside of in 2006, it was the 40th anniversary of Ultraman and by extension Ultra Q. And you know what they say, when the end is nigh, lets go out on a bang. Taking an idea of returning to the original Showa that was thought up during Max, this new season Mebius was going to be one big love letter to Ultraman... Okay Showa Ultraman, but still. This was it, one last big hurrah before everything ends and boy is it one big hurrah.
SYNOPSIS
25 years after Ultraman 80 defended the earth of the M78 Nebula. The peace the planet has experienced since then suddenly ends as Kaiju begin to appear once more, wiping out the planet's newest defense team the Gurads for UtilitY Situation or Guys, leaving only one member alive. At the same time, the father of Ultras has sent Rookie Ultraman Mebius to guard the planet and to discover what it means to be an Ultraman. Taking on the human guise of Mirai Hibino, he joins GUYS alongside surviving member Ryu Aihara and new captain Shingo Sakomizu, and the group recruits civilians who Mirai saw helping during the first alien attack. Soccer (Or Fútbol for others) star George Ikaruga, Motorcycle road racer Marina Kazama, Medical student and Kaiju Otaku Teppei Kuze, and preschool teacher Konomi Amagai. But Mirai ends up not being the only Ultra on the planet, as another takes on the guise of the former GUYS Captain Serizawa and has a bone to pick with the initial cause behind the return of the kaiju.
Mebius is an absolute love letter to the showa era of Ultraman, as a grand finale it is loaded with so much reverence and nods to the classic seasons that it probably could fill an entire youtube show going episode by episode going episode by episode noting everything. But as someone who hasn't watched and showa Ultraman is this a - Yes, yes it still is an enjoyable watch. Obviously having knowledge of what came before does help to pick up things and you'll get more enjoyment out of it, especially for plotlines that never got finished. But Mebius on its own is still an incredible show, that gives everyone in the team time to shine, not like they kind of end up falling back since some of them have to be back at base, this is a season that feels like everyone on this team contributed.
CHARACTERS
What I think helps to make Mirai stand out compared to some of the other Ultra protagonist I have seen is that the show is the growth, the show starts with him being very clearly a complete rookie to the whole hero business, we see in first battle on the planet he really doesn't think much about the destruction that happens, so the triumphant end of the first episode of defeating your first monster also has the hilarity of Ryu pointing out the city has been destroyed as well because he kept dodging. It is the perfect setup for Mirai, to become a hero that can live up to the legacy of the past, not only what he learns from his allies but the returning Ultra's. It also helps that Mirai is incredibly endearing. He is very Naive and tender hearted, but it makes sense since he ends up becoming the heart for this rag tag group. And it isn't like dumb naive, more just he doesn't understand earth and how it works which does lead to some funny moments.
But even if the season is a bit on the lighter side, doesn't mean it can't basically make our heroes life a living hell because dear lord, the last arc and by extension its villains just enjoy making his life absolutely the worse, the worst of it when Mefilas turns everyone against him with his friends pointing there guns at him and crying and you feel it, you feel he truly cares about the people around and seeing stuff like that just makes you want to cheer for the guy to succeed when can. Even the rest, getting frozen, the public still turning on him. It is a lot but it makes the ending even sweeter.
Ryu makes for a good counterbalance to Mirai, being the more serious and hot-blooded man since he is the survivor of the first GUYS team leaves him with a lot of baggage, that sometimes puts him at odds with the civilians that now make up the team. And he is always willing to bet everything on some risky moves when push comes to shove. Since Hikari takes over the former captain's body, it also gives him some focus when Hikari returns to the story and even becomes Hikari in the finale. I really liked Ryo, he was always willing to do what needed to be done.
George starts off as the arrogant lone-wolf who believes he doesn't need anyone, of course since the show is all about the power of friendship, his episodes ultimately are about him needed to accept the help of a team. He attempts to sort of be Gai from Jetman but strikes out just about everytime, it is almost astounding that literally no one goes for him. He was also good, which yeah can be said about everyone in the show, I also like the weird quirk he has regarding the ocean that comes up once, its nice way to see the badass struggling with something.
Marina does well as the big sister action girl to contrast Konomi just as Teppei will to George. I like her contrast against Ryu's hot blooded nature and has some truly incredible moments between confronting Chronorm or riding a bike out to act as bait. Though don't know about the whole spider fear, just like a way to make it so she does have something that needs to be a quirk, but she is really great.
Teppei kind of feels like Gai Ikari before Gai, a fanboy of all things Kaiju, kind of meant to be like the person the audience are meant to like be the fan's gateway into the show. Aside from that he has to deal with his overbearing mother and Father who expects him to take over the family buisness as we see him grow as a person, and even stand against Mirai if it means to protect someone like in the Femigon episode in order to save the sister of a friend.
Konomi fills the cute girl of the team quota, while also controlling the monster marquette's they make use of, she has the obvious growth of confidence as a member of the team in regards to finding her place, showing that she can mean buisness as early as episode 4 blowing off Kelbeam's horns. Again I liked her growth and the focus she got, especially in regards to what Ultraseven teaches her near the end about courage. If I did have to pick a favorite, well I liked them all a lot, but something about Konomi I like a bit more in regards to her growth and characterization.
Sakomizu plays a good captain and mentor to this ragtag group. Cares about the team a lot, in terms of captains, he is more the mentor who helps the team when they need it, which becomes more clear when we learn that he has seen a lot, despite looking 40 he is probably the oldest and by extension the leader of the organization as a whole, who just wanted to stand by an Ultraman's side which in this case ended up being Mebius. Aside from that cool tidbit, he was good overall as far as a toku mentor goes.
Aside from the main team, we have a comedic duo in Adjuntant Toriyama and his secretary Maru. A pointy-hair boss who tries to one-up the main crew gets no real respect from them besides Mirai but... he is Mirai, and often get's his comeuppance for how he acts, with his secretary just being defined by being there to reign him in from letting his ego go completely out of control. Deputy Chief Misaki acts like the real chief for the initial part when the real chief is not around.
While not the main Ultraman, Hikari's arc is the most prominent story early on during his days as hunter knight Tsurugi, hell bent on avenging the planet that was destroyed by Bogal, uncaring of the destruction he causes as long as he kills the monster. It does give time to show Mebius' growth in regards to pointing out why its not good, and it does feel like its natural as he soon has to let go of the hunter knight and becomes a true ultraman, though I did wish he was around, I get it his story finishes with the death of Bogal and he goes back for training and only really shows up for one more episode and the finale but it would've been nice to see him a bit more maybe helping sometimes, especially since he takes on Serizawa's appearance which gives Ryo issues about how he acts.
Though we do also get an appearance from the original showa era ultra's. Though it happens a bit closer to the end, unlike in Gokaiger which was filled to the brim with returns of classic actors. Mebius more saves these tributes for the end, after having given each member time to develop as character's before giving the fan service, obviously having knowledge of the past can help in understanding some of the references but I do think the show does well in having you understand the theme's and lessons from that show. But they serve as solid mentor for either Mebius or the members of GUYS.
For the first 10 episodes the main threat is Bogal, a snake-like kaiju devouring all life from numerous planets before arriving at earth. As far as a first arc villain goes, she really does a good job, despite not talking much, the fact that other Kaiju are scared of her should tell you she is not good news, and her growth through absorption is something truly terrifying. She does feel more like a villain for Tsurugi rather than Mebius, which does make the eraly show more the Tsurugi show, but we still get Mebius growing as a warrior and by extension teaching the lesson of collateral damage to him.
After Bogal, the show does return to a kaiju of the week format for most of its run, featuring a wide selection of showa era kaiju from Bemstar, Birdon, Twin tail, but the show still takes time to introduce there own brands of aliens, Alien Fanton makes there first appearance here, and there are some good monsters showing that Tsuburaya still knew how to make solid Kaiju designs. Though around the midpoint of the show Yapool is resurrected, giving something of a recurring antagonist that leads into the dark four heavenly Kings.
The quintet of some of darkness' most loyal members proves to be some of the strongest foes Guys and Mebius face for there cunning and willingness to do whatever it takes to beat there foes. I do also like the split between returning and new with Yapool and Mefilas contrasting the new Deathrem and Grozam, though at the end of the day, they are still monsters of a week or two, Yapool does stand out as he is sending Kaiju's but he ends up being the first of the kings to go but the plans they leave push the team to their brink and that is even before the big boss appears.
There is something final feeling about Alien Empera, like this anti- Ultraman who favors darkness over light, regal but cruel and sadistic, even though he only appears near the end but he makes himself well known as a threat, taking down everyone who attempts to fighting him, leaving the group at anear hopeless scenario with no chance of victory. And only in following the traditions of anime in using the power of friendship to defeat satan. Surprisingly he does take the loss well, which is quite interesting.
Though in a series of homicidal space Kaiju and monsters, the worst monster ends up being a bloody journalist, Mitsuhiko just stands out for how unbelievably horrible he is, like just look at that face, don't you just want to punch this unscrupulous, careless, heartless jerkoff. He may only appear in a few episodes, but despite that he leaves such a mark and even ousts Mebius that you just feel like he should get comeuppance, but he doesn't. One of the very few things that I think the show stumbles on is that we don't see this guy get what's coming, maybe its meant to be realistic, but come on maybe getting tarred and feather would've been fine.
AESTHETICS
Ultraman Mebius feels like a modern Showa series, The main suit looking like a perfect update between the silver and red, while also giving him a unique look with the leopard cat face design. I do like the red being more a side thing, like maybe he is still growing and when he gets the powerup it adds more red, showing his maturity as an Ultra and fighter. Same goes for Hikari I like the change from vicious and almost villainous looking to more standard heroic look.
And it goes for the rest of GUYS there is this feeling of showa style in how they are dressed, sure suits prior did have this uniform look, but it felt more realistic in terms of color and yeah Max did the orange too, but I could see this from that era as well as the vehicles, it almost feel like the team had taken time to look back at the design, but modernized for today's audience, its like a mix between modern ultraman and Showa in terms of color and by extension design.
And that is the best way to describe it, Showa modernized, between the return of classic villains with the new, the soundtrack that screams of being ripped right from them as a modern classic to the rest of the soundtrack. Its like that era of production had never left and never missed a beat. Nexus' more grounded look may have that cool look, but it just comes down to what the team is wanting to do for the show.
It's honestly hard to pick out a good episode, this is one of those shows where it feels like every episode is a banger without little filler, which is truly spectacular for a show that runs for that long, take your pick, Leo's tribute episode, 80, Yapool's ressurection, it really is a lot to enjoy that feels like a celebration of the franchise that feels like a great sendoff for the franchise.
CONCLUSION
It always seems to be the threat of the end that always seems to bring out the best in toku and Mebius is no different, working not only as a celebration of the past but a series on its own with one of the best cast Tsubraya has brought together, And despite its more episodic nature never feels like it runs too long and is one of the few times I didn't want to see the cast go, which can tell you how I felt about everyone one of them. Its hard for me to decide whether I prefer X or this season as my favorite, but that'll be up for e to decide later, because this is truly one of the masterpieces that Toku has.
FINAL GRADE: S
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