Shin Ultraman General Discussion (spoilers!)

For the discussion of Shin Godzilla, Godzilla -1.0, the anime trilogy, Godzilla Singular Point and Toho produced and distributed films after 2015. Includes US movies financed by Toho like Detective Pikachu.
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Shin Ultraman General Discussion (spoilers!)

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

This is the spoiler thread for shin-Ultraman. Don’t discuss the film anywhere else on the site!



Monsters:
Spoiler:
Opening Montage:
Shin-Gomess (looks like Shin Godzilla)
Juran
Goga (I initially confused it with Namegon)
Pagos(I Think)
Larageus
Peguila


Neronga:
He can turn invisible and fire electric nose beams.
Gabora:
Gabora acts like he does in his episode. What’s cool is that his backplates detach, and he sort of looks like those wild Angurius stills. He also fired a blue-version of Shin Godzilla’s beam.

Zarab

Fake Ultraman

Big Asami
-Definite reference to Big Fuji

Alien Meflias

Zetton:
-Maybe 100x bigger than Ultraman. Is sort of this giant fortress in the sky. While it’s still very similar to Zetton, it’s also more akin to the angels from Evangelion.

Zoffy

Godzilla (maybe): I believe Godzilla’s name is frequently referenced throughout, but I’ve only seen the movie once. However, the film is pretty explicit in that it’s a sequel to Shin Godzilla in imagery, and Shin Gomess. The way that the monsters are destroyed in the opening montage is identical to the climax of Shin Godzilla
Others:
The SSP office is filled with model toys. We keep getting rather closeup shots of the starship enterprise and the ship from latitude zero. It’s sort of funny how often the Enterprise appears in this.


General Plot:
Film is essentially a sequel to shin Godzilla, but maybe not a direct continuation. In the opening, “Shin Godzilla” name appears in katakana, over an Ultra Q backdrop. Then we see the films real title, and the Ultra Q theme starts, as it’s revealed that the SSSP fights monsters that appear.

An opening of montages is shown where monsters, very similar to Shin Godzilla, have been destroyed. They include Gomess, who is almost identical to Shin Godzilla. We then get a montage of monsters that humanity has defeated, and the entire thing is a gigantic homage to Ultra Q, including monsters from the series like Pagos, Juran, etc… Again, more Shin Godzilla references, as the way many of these monsters are defeated is identical to the way shin is defeated by being frozen.

We then get a scene where Neronga appears and the movie begins proper. He’s attacking an electrical power plant, the military launches some conventional attacks. Unsurprisingly they do nothing and we’re introduced to the SSSP. Neronga continues its rampage, and one of the SSSP crew goes to save a young boy in a nearby forest. Suddenly a silver Giant (Ultraman) appears. Neronga launches a beam, but Ultraman tanks the hit like it’s nothing. Ultraman fires his specium beam and Neronga is is quickly defeated.

Some time passes, while the mystery of Ultraman grows. We’re introduced to a new member of the SSSP, Asami. The office of the SSSP is filled with models that are direct references to other SF and Toho series, including the ship from latitude zero.

Gabora suddenly appears and is heading towards a nuclear dump. The military tries to kill Gabora with stealth fighters and Gabora shrugs it off. This scene is another overt reference to Shin Godzilla, including some jokey bad dialogue from the stealth pilot fighters.

Ultraman appears and a cool fight ensues. Gabora drills and drills and drills, while Ultraman dodged. Ultraman kicks him off and away, before Gabora extends his “cape” into the mountainside and absorbs energy. He then fired a beam, identical to Shin Gojira’s and IIRC the characters make a note of it. I could’ve sworn one of the characters shouts,” ITS LIKE GODZILLA’s” but I don’t want to mislead anyone.

Anyways, Gabora is defeated in a gruesome way, where Ultraman punches it’s skull in and then brings it to space.

Zarab appears,and he has this funny hat on. He claims to be an investigator, and says he’s here to help. He kidnaps Ultraman and imprisons him.

An imposter Ultraman appears. Asami frees Ultraman, and Ultraman fights imposter/Zarab. The fight is cool, they fight in a city at night and fly around a bunch. Ultraman slices Zarab in half.

A few days/time passes and other things happen. Suddenly, Asami is giant (a clear reference to giant Fuji). The SSP shows up, and she destroys some things but it’s nothing serious. Meflias’s voice taunts everyone, and I think he begins to goat humanity for being hypocritical.

Asami is embrassed that she became big, and there’s videos online of Asami being a big lady. She’s really upset, and Meflias, as a gesture of goodwill deletes the videos.

Meflias appears. There’s something where he’s making a deal with earth, to give a beta capsule, and it’s not unlike the Xilliens from IATOM (promising something good). However it’s a trap, and if I understood it correctly it would’ve altered everyone’s DNA (maybe, there was something with organisms). The SSSP knows this, but not everyone else does. Edit: I think I’m wrong here. I think it’s supposed to be a technology that can turn humans giant, and and a big question is that if humans deserve to have this technology.

A large portion of the conflict here shows that Meflias is showing Ultraman that humanity is hypocritical. Meflias talks to Ultraman in a playground, before police surround them and it’s revealed to be a set-up. They talk over booze , and then time passes. Meflias leaks Ultramans’s identity, a sort of reversal of how he erased things.

In the Knick of time the SSSP and Ultraman stop Meflias.

Ultraman fights Meflias and it’s cool, but ends with Ultraman confirming his morals. Meflias reveals Ultraman’s identity, and there’s some drama involving that. During the fight, it looks as though Meflias is about to win, but Zoffy appears and Meflias is scared off. The fight stops, and Meflias agrees to leave peacefully, taking back his device.

Zoffy confronts Ultraman and released Zetton. Zetton appears. It’s a gigantic fortress in the sky. It’s like an angel from Evangelion, but it’s still distinctly Zetton. Ultraman goes up to fight it, gets decimated, and falls to Earth/the Ocean.

There’s a slight lull while Ultraman recovers. The SSSP does something (maybe calculations) and this helps Ultraman go off to fight Zetton again. Zetton transforms into a giant space laser, and I’m pretty sure it’s about to destroy the earth. Ultraman just in the nick of time blasts off and punches through. However, it’s less of a fight and more of a heroic sacrifice. Ultraman enters a black hole, and Zoffy appears to tell Ultraman he needs to be a hero. Ultraman/Ultraman host wakes up alongside his comrades and the film ends.

If the film feels episodic, that’s because it is. However, I believe the overarching story is if humanity can be trusted/is worth saving. The film doesn’t use the term “seijin” or “uchujin” but rather “Gaiseijin”. I can’t say if the films overall approach is positive due to a language barrier at play, but I believe the film is loosely satirizing xenophobia in japan. There’s a sequence where the prime minister of japan is talking a lot of shit about “gaiseijins” and other things, only to instantly pause for a rather cheery photo-op with Zarab.

The films climax thus isn’t some big fight, but rather a sacrifice against Zetton, and decided that humanity/japan is worth fighting for. I predict some people will be disappointed by this; the fights are both some of the best and some of the worst I’ve seen in any kaiju media.
Last edited by LSD Jellyfish on Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:40 pm, edited 17 times in total.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

Just saw the movie, currently updating. Movie is good.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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LSD Jellyfish wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 2:42 am Just saw the movie, currently updating. Movie is good.
On a scale of 1-10, exactly how good? Like really good or just average?

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

I don’t give films number ratings. I’d rate it slightly lesser than Shin Godzilla, but it’s completely up to personal tastes. The film is much more episodic, with Ultraman dealing with different threats, while Shin was a continual ramp up in tension. If you like Ultraman, and you liked Shin Godzilla, you will like this.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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LSD Jellyfish wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 3:05 am I don’t give films number ratings. I’d rate it slightly lesser than Shin Godzilla, but it’s completely up to personal tastes. The film is much more episodic, with Ultraman dealing with different threats, while Shin was a continual ramp up in tension. If you like Ultraman, and you liked Shin Godzilla, you will like this.
Is this movie an actual sequel to Shin Godzilla? Or just in a spiritual sense?

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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LegendZilla wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 3:08 am
LSD Jellyfish wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 3:05 am I don’t give films number ratings. I’d rate it slightly lesser than Shin Godzilla, but it’s completely up to personal tastes. The film is much more episodic, with Ultraman dealing with different threats, while Shin was a continual ramp up in tension. If you like Ultraman, and you liked Shin Godzilla, you will like this.
Is this movie an actual sequel to Shin Godzilla? Or just in a spiritual sense?
Both. Damnit give me a few minutes.

Added in 3 minutes 9 seconds:
The movie opens with Shin Godzilla in katakana, in what’s in front of the Ultra-Q background. We then cut to a montage that shows various monsters that have appeared over the years and have been dispatched by the SSSP.

The way they are killed is near identical to how Shin Godzilla was killed, with their bodies being frozen. Gomess appears, and it’s literally like they took Shin Godzilla’s body and put Gomess features on it.

I may be wrong, but throughout the film I could’ve sworn Godzilla’s name being stated a bunch of times, however Godzilla never physically appears on screen.

Iris worth noting that Gabora is attacked by bombers in the same way shin is, and there’s even bad English “we can’t continue”. Some music from Shin Godzilla plays (the jazz theme) and some locations and actors from Shin Godzilla reappear.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

Post by Gigantis »

You typed out Gomora instead of Gabora. :P

So, which kaiju does the most during the movie? Zetton is the final boss, and the two Baragon clones seem to be the ones getting the most advertisement.

Also, I hear that Ultraman's color goes from red to green when he's low on power in place of the color timer. Is that true?
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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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Gigantis wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 3:22 am You typed out Gomora instead of Gabora. :P

So, which kaiju does the most during the movie? Zetton is the final boss, and the two Baragon clones seem to be the ones getting the most advertisement.

Also, I hear that Ultraman's color goes from red to green when he's low on power in place of the color timer. Is that true?
All four “main” monsters get roughly the same amount of time. Maybe Neronga the least, with Gabora/Meflias the most. Zetton is sort of cheating; it’s more like an angel from Evangelion and doesn’t move much.

I think the green thing is true too.
Last edited by LSD Jellyfish on Fri May 13, 2022 3:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

Post by Voyager »

SG92 showed me a screenshot of Gomess today and I fucking lost it. It was literally the CGI model of Shin Godzilla with Gomes parts stuck to it! It was hilarious!

I won’t be able to see the movie for a while so I frankly don’t care about spoilers. Does the movie really end with Zetton defeating Ultraman? That’s how you phrased it.
Last edited by Voyager on Fri May 13, 2022 3:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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Voyager wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 3:26 am SG92 showed me a screenshot of Gomess today and I skreeonking lost it. It was literally the CGI model of Shin Godzilla with Gomes parts stuck to it! It was hilarious!

I won’t be able to see the movie for a while so I frankly don’t care about spoilers. Does the movie really end with Zetton defeating Ultraman? That’s how you phrased it.
No to your question. Hold on. I’m outside the theater in the rain responding to multiple people.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

Post by king_ghidorah »

Apparently Ultraman Zoffy appears at the end as well? But he’s black or green instead of red…

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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king_ghidorah wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 3:34 am Apparently Ultraman Zoffy appears at the end as well? But he’s black or green instead of red…
It’s confusing. Ultraman Zoffy appears at the end, yes. He ressurects Ultraman/the host.

I’ve only seen the film once, and it was very fast paced so forgive me if I’m wrong about anything.
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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

Post by Gigantis »

Zoffy's appearance looks black and gold to me, which I think actually might be a nod to some of the shows concept art. That's cool!

I think he also acts as the "villain" (he's not evil, just doesn't like humans and wants to wipe out the species) as a nod to some early misconception that he was the one controlling Zetton.. which he does.
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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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When Ultraman first appears, he’s silver. Then after presumably merging with the human host, he’s red. I think there’s something going on there but I’m not sure.

And yes, Zoffy “releases” Zetton.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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LSD Jellyfish wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 3:48 am When Ultraman first appears, he’s silver. Then after presumably merging with the human host, he’s red. I think there’s something going on there but I’m not sure.

And yes, Zoffy “releases” Zetton.
Does Ultraman’s red parts turn green when he’s running out of power instead of a Color-timer? Or does he go through a metamorphosis where he starts grey, then green and finally red?

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

Oh the ship from Latitude Zero is also a model on one of the SSSPs desks.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

Post by Cryptid_Liker »

Is that shot of Ultraman in front of a raging fire actually Ultraman or Zarab in disguise?

Also, what role does KATO Ta-kun play? Is it just a prop for set dressing or is there something more?

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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Cryptid_Liker wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 4:43 am Is that shot of Ultraman in front of a raging fire actually Ultraman or Zarab in disguise?

Also, what role does KATO Ta-kun play? Is it just a prop for set dressing or is there something more?
Zarab in disguise. Imitation Ultraman is in the film
.

If Kato-Kun is that cute mascot, then no it doesn’t play a big role in the movie. Its just there on the desk.
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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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LSD Jellyfish wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 4:51 am
Cryptid_Liker wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 4:43 am Is that shot of Ultraman in front of a raging fire actually Ultraman or Zarab in disguise?

Also, what role does KATO Ta-kun play? Is it just a prop for set dressing or is there something more?
Zarab in disguise. Imitation Ultraman is in the film
.

If Kato-Kun is that cute mascot, then no it doesn’t play a big role in the movie. Its just there on the desk.
Yep, it's the mascot.

Probably my last question, does Ultraman use any other attacks than the Specium Ray?

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Re: Shin-Ultraman SPOILER THREAD/REVIEW

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Cryptid_Liker wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 4:55 am
LSD Jellyfish wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 4:51 am
Cryptid_Liker wrote: Fri May 13, 2022 4:43 am Is that shot of Ultraman in front of a raging fire actually Ultraman or Zarab in disguise?

Also, what role does KATO Ta-kun play? Is it just a prop for set dressing or is there something more?
Zarab in disguise. Imitation Ultraman is in the film
.

If Kato-Kun is that cute mascot, then no it doesn’t play a big role in the movie. Its just there on the desk.
Yep, it's the mascot.

Probably my last question, does Ultraman use any other attacks than the Specium Ray?
Yes.

He has his buzzasaw rings, and can conjure a shield. He’s nearly identical power-wise to OG Ultraman. The most notable thing about him is that he moved really strangely at some points. It’s hard to explain, but he lands in “backwards” and does a strange flip as if someone used a rotation tool in photoshop.

Speaking of:
All the fights and action were good. Good is the best word. They were awesome, but a lot of them end abruptly, and it always feels a little one sided. The highlight for me was Ultraman vs Gabora and it happens early in the film.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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