So now that we have talked about the season of super sentai that helped to reinvigorate the franchise, its time to talk about the other season that helped to bring the franchise into a new era.
(But didn't you already talk about Kamen Rider Kuuga.)
No we are talking about Ultraman, let's rewind a lot. Ultraman was on a semi-hiatus after the dissapointing ratings of Ultraman 80. Only making the sporadic international film or pilot in either international productions or other movies, and Tsuburaya was a shell of what it used to be, with at one point the company only really having 3 people working for them at one point. So things were pretty dire at one point for the franchise.
But you can't keep a giant of light down for too long. With 1996 being the 30th anniversary for the Ultraman franchise as a whole, and wanting to celebrate a japanese icon, proceeded to put into production a show that would bring the franchise into a new era. The show... still didn't do too hot in the ratings, but the sales were strong enough to make up for it and with that, Ultraman Tiga brought Ultraman into the Heisei era.
SYNOPSIS
In the distant future of 2007-2010 (Distant for the mid-90's. Though I love going back to these old shows that claim within a few short decades we were going to have flying cars and all of these other high tech sci-fi things that didn't end up happening.) The world begins to be plagued by giant monsters and aliens either bent on mindless destruction or conquering the planet. To counter this threat, the Terrestial Peaceable Consortium, or TPC, alongside the Global Unlimited Task Squad are founded to defend the planet. One day researchers find a capsule that informs them about a golden pyramid build by an ancient civilization, within the pyramid are three giants. Unfortunately as they discover this a duo of monsters appears and begins to wreck havoc, during the chaos guts member Daigo Madoka fuses with one of the statues to become Ultraman Tiga. To Daigo alone the hologram within the capsule, named Yuzare reveals that not only is Daigo a descendant of the giants, but of the monster that destroyed the ancient civilization and his goal to protect the planet.
Calling what I said a synopsis is sort of wrong, more a recap of the first episode, Tiga's story is... mostly put on the back burner, their is really no overarching villain until the end game. That is Tiga's big problem of their really is nothing of plot hook, their are some multi part episodes and monsters who return, but its more just the day to day routine of GUTS now that Daigo is ultraman. And while the cast is solid, they have decent chemistry between them all and they get their moments, its not one of the best attack teams this series has given us.
CHARACTERS
Daigo in a similar way to Yusuke does set the standard for what heroes would be going forward, A nice, good hearted young man who despite being thrusted into his new role as protector. As shown in the second episode his frustration and not knowing if he can do it. But he ultimately fights as Tiga to help his allies in GUTS, that being said, the focus is not often on him rather his team, so he can be a bit bland when compared to the rest of his team. He does get some time when during the evil Tiga arc when his powers get stolen and he feels worthless. He's not a bad protagonist, he's average, a good stepping stone for other protgag's to take from.
I really liked Rena, as the groups ace pilot she makes for a good action girl to stand alongside the rest of the cast. I liked the episode of her with the dolphins and her reconciling with her dad. the chemistry she had with Daigo was also really good and I did believe that their was something growing between her and Daigo, that compassion also shows later for a monster that is not malevolent.
Captain Megumi is also solid, I like how we see her family outside of the show and they do get some limelight in the follow up to her first episode, it also having one of the few recurring villains for the show also helps. She is the stern serious captain with the soft side from time to time but is also not willing to put up with cover-up BS as shown in the mirage monster.
Her second in command Munakata meanwhile is probably one of the more flatter characters, his big episode is 33 since it deals with his repoter friend dealing with a vampire cult. Aside from that he is the stern chief
Scientist Horrii is also really solid, the smart scientist who invents a lot of things to help the team, something I do like is that we get to see a relationship built between him nd another side character across two of his focus episode that ends with their wedding. I really do like these stories that get some follow up.
Big guy Shinjoh acts as sort of the big brother for the team, since he also has a sister working for TPC also helps, some of the episodes focused around him have him helping with some kid struggling with something like the park episode and he human collector.
Yazumi is probably the most forgettable for me, he's the teen genius of the group who is often at the base analyzing the monsters to discover weaknesses and the like. He gets a couple of focus episodes with him getting not one but two different potential love interest, the other being Shinjoh's sister.
I know some of these were short but that's the thing about the cast, they get moments and episodes, but that is the thing, because the show has no overarching villain or reccuring rival and antagonist, it makes the show feel very directionless, like yes their is Yuzare's prophecy that we know is dangerous, but most of the show is just the day to day of GUTS dealing with monsters. Which I don't think is bad, the cast has good chemisty with each other when they act around one another which really helps to elevate the season from average for me to good. But the lack of a major threat hanging over the season is an issue. And maybe that is just something the entire showa era does have, but this season sets up something in the first episode and never revisits until close to the end. Their are interesting monsters throughout the season such as the Kyrieloid's, the gazort are an interesting thing, Enomena is a solid hate sink monster. But for the main villain, they don't really matter until the end. Besides the Kyrieloids, their is Keigo Misaki, a corrupt ceo who is also an inheritor of the light but rather than using it for good, intends to become a god with the powers, it doesn't pan out and he becomes more a wild beast that kick's tiga's dog. But it does have an interesting character bit for Daigo in that he is without his powers for a bit since Keigo stole the sparklens. But after his arc he shows up for the finale and is more a helping good guy against the final villain.
AESTHETICS
Likely keeping with the return to basics design, Tiga only really adds new additional blue colors and what I thinks works is how they factor in to his different forms, in that when he becomes the power form the red covers his body and the sky type makes the color fully blue. Its a nice simple way of showing difference in power sets, I also like that Tiga starts the season with all of these forms, Though their is a clear favoritism towards the power type than sky type, probably just a cost thing since it required effects for the flying.
Monster-wise, we get some really solid one's, Golza, Sakuna Oni, Gatanothor. All original creations that both feel like send ups to the classic while having their own identities and despite the financial troubles of the time, you wouldn't think with how it looks, yeah their is some obvious mid-90's age to deal with, but it still looks solid all this time later on with its miniture work and choreography.
The music also has some solid bops and the theme set the standard, with its euro beat inspired hook that not only is catchy. As well as the ending theme also is pretty solid, the soundtrack is overall decent, nothing too stand out besides the opening and ending.
EPISODES
Episode 2: I really like how in the early part of the episode Daigo is initally not happy about the idea of being Tiga and why he is thrust into it, it isn't much in terms of characterization, and I do like the fight afterwards, one thing I can give is that the entire team is competent, which is not something I can give trigger.
Episode 21: I really liked the this for the little troupe and for having one of the more irredeemable monsters in the series, I liked the fights here and wht this one could do.
Episode 25: The followup to the third episode is really good, featuring its most interesting foe at this point and filled with solid tension as the people belive that Tiga is the devil. I also like all of the drama between Captain Iruma and her family as her mother-in-law is one of the people brainwashed to believe that he is the devil, and the kyrieloids are a lot smarter this time around trying to prevent Daigo from transforming by beating him up.
Least Favorite: Episode 24, child episodes are hit and miss, and I hve never been fond of the whole child called wolf story and this really, really is not particularly that interesting and I just got more annoyed with them.
Episode 30: I really like this episode for how it treats the monster differently, rather than either bent on destruction or world domination, this one just is an animal, so it takes a different way to defeat it.
Episode 49: As sort of a last fun episode before endgame, I really liked this one, it can be seen as fanservice as Daigo travels back in time to when the original Ultraman was in development and teaming up with the first one. But its so much fun and seeing the improved technology on the old stuff is so charming.
CONCLUSION
Ultraman Tiga is a really solid return for the franchise, but it defintely is with flaws, its episodic nature is fine, but the length can make the show at times feel meandering especially with no real antagonist to latch on besides the MOTW. The team does have good chemistry and interactions but no real development as characters making them feel at times bland. But their are really good to great episodes in their that makes it worth it, for an episode that feels mediocre or bad, their is giong to be stuff like the zoo episode or the dark tiga arc. Its not perfect at times but it is still solid.
FINAL GRADE: B
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