Why Don't We Talkback 80?

[Mac]

This board is pretty dead right now, and we could use a weekly communal activity to get this place lively again. I'm willing to bet 90% of us haven't seen a single episode of Ultraman 80 (I've seen maybe half of it). It's new, yet vintage tokusatsu from a period where the genre was in a weird place.

All the episodes of Ultraman 80 are now available free on crunchyroll, so there's widespread availability. I was thinking we could watch an episode a week, and there wouldn't be much time commitment given that the episodes are less than a half an hour.

Anyone up for it?

[klen7]

I can do a half hour a week.

[Baltan II]

Sure, why not? I've never done any of the MZ talkbacks, I'd be game.

[Hybrid Gojira]

I don't know how consistent I'll be, but I will give it a whirl.

I watched Ep 1 tonight. It was fun. I'm not really a huge Ultraman buff, but the miniatures were great and I loved the low camera angles used during the monster rampage and fight scenes. Crecent is a weird monster, but I guess I expect some over the top designs from the Ultraman franchise (and to be fair he wasn't really over the top compared to other kaiju I've seen). The series if off to a good start!

[Megalon-5]

I finished 80 just last month, so the show is still fresh in my mind. I'm game!

I enjoy the first episode of 80 quite a bit. Nothing really groundbreaking or exciting, but it shows off how Tsuburaya's craft had really improved since stuff like Leo and Izenborg and makes for a good reintroduction for the franchise. Crescent isn't too shabby of a monster and looks nice, though imo, he kinda reminds me of a Red King lookalike.

[Hybrid Gojira]

Episode 2 down. It's pretty fun...I can't say enough about how great the miniatures are.

[Specium Ray]

About 10 episodes in and really enjoying it. The premise of Yamato being a teacher and a UGM member is a bit busy but I can see what they're going for. The burning soul of ultra series is that variety you get with a show like Twilight Zone or Outer Limits. Ultraman is very grounded by it's hugh-mon cast, and appeals heavily to children. So you get episodes with the students, who have all been pretty well cast so far, with allegorical tales that tie into the kaiju if the week. And you get episodes featuring just the UGM members that have the traditional science patrol appeal. There's a lot to like.

Effects are terrific so far. I like the UGM airfield, it's a change of pace from the usual Thunderbirds-inspired "jet takes off from an elaborate series of elevators" scene. Yamato's actor is very likeable and comes across as sincere. The school scenes have an almost sitcom appeal that I really enjoy. I would have really liked this show as a kid. It makes me feel nostalgic somehow.

[Rody]

I'm four episodes in myself. I had trouble processing Ultraman Leo a lot of the time, but 80 is doing much better so far. The writing and the effects are both stronger and more consistent. I like seeing an Ultraman as a teacher, and I almost wish he stayed separate from the UGM altogether, at least for the time being.
There's a certain level of silliness and disbelief suspension still present in the show, but that comes with the (Ultra)territory, I suppose. I do like the concept of the monster-of-the-week being a metaphor for the kid-of-the-week's issues; it's a more interesting angle for the monsters than just RANDOM ATTACK ON A CITY!!!

Episode 4 had what may become one of my favorite monster fights:

[Rody]

Well, I've been pretty slow at getting through this show; I'm only now 16/50 episodes in. I've certainly enjoyed it so far, however. Yamato is a very likeable Ultraman, equal parts intuitive and innocent, and his relationship with both his students and his teammates are delightful.
The last few episodes have started veering more towards UGM-centered plots. While I've enjoyed them so far, I certainly hope I'll see more of the classroom soon, as it's a very different environment for an Ultra story.

[DannyBeane]

Just started watching 80 on Crunchyroll and I'm like it so far. It has really strong spfx and the monster designs are cool. I never really hear anyone talking about this series.

[Dai]

I've watched a few episodes, and it's pretty good. But, if ever there was an Ultraman show that should have strayed a little further from the usual formula, it's this one. The school teacher set up and mirroring of the human and kaiju stories work so well, I wish they'd ditched the mandatory earth defence force angle altogether. Regardless, like Rody says, 80 is a lot more accessible than Leo. Much as I like Leo's weirdness, it comes from a really dark place that's frequently jarring, and seems to reflect a dour moment for Japanese society. 80 is much more good-natured, from the temperament of its protagonist to the resolution of its conflicts.

Effects are strong, and whoever is in that Ultraman suit must be one of the most athletic actors to ever wear the mask. 80 himself is a strange design though, almost coming across like an Ultraman bootleg rather than the genuine article.

[O.Supreme]

80 actually holds a special place with me as it was the first Ultraman series I had ever seen outside of the original, and this was way back probably in 82/83 so the series was still very fresh. My parents took me to a show in the bay area at a hotel that was featuring Godzilla, Anime, Toku etc..., long before anime cons were all what they are now. I remember walking in, and they had a few TV's set up in a viewing room, and it was an episode of Ultraman...but it was something "new" (I would not know for many years it was actually Ultraman 80 episode 3). I just saw it was a new/different Ultraman, and I thought it was cool. I had no idea there were so many series in between until much later.

I've seen probably the first 10 episodes or so, and the one with the Evil Ultra 7, but I do plan to watch the rest all on CR soon. But as I typically do, I like to skip to the end, doing this doesn't spoil a series for me. But I thought the ending was pretty weak. Not sure why later Ultra series (Taro did the same, not sure about Leo yet as I haven't watched its finale), had this whole "ok Ultraman has defeated every monster for us, now we have to do it on our own" thing going. The final episode should be an epic battle, not time to let Ultraman step aside and just fly off...I mean I know this *kind of* happened in the original series as well, but the Science Patrol only stepped up after Ultraman was defeated, which, while not ideal, I can live with. Admittedly I was a bit distracted while watching this, but did they even defeat the monster? Anyway... despite the weak ending, I still plan to watch the rest of this series soon, looks like there are several good episodes to make it a pretty good overall series despite the ending.

[Specium Ray]

I lost steam on this show after I found out the school premise was completely abandoned. I thought it was very charming and unique. I'm somewhere around episode 30, strong show all around, I just can't help pine for what could have been.

[Jinzo Ningen]

Can someone point me to one of the later movies where 80 shows up? I caught a brief clip on YouTube a few years back. There's a scene in this film near the end, after the main monster is defeated and 80 is preparing to leave. Some of Yamato's former students gather to tell 80 what he meant to them and what they had gone on to do with their lives, thanks to his influence as their teacher. I actually found it quite touching, but cannot for the life of me remember which movie that scene was from. Would like to buy or DL the complete movie this scene is from.
Thanks.

[Specium Ray]

[Jinzo Ningen]

OK! Thanks so much for the info. Mebius is on my list of must DL from kissasian. Will bookmark Ep41.

Thanks again!

[Jinzo Ningen]

Just finished watching this for the first time.

THOUGHTS: Loved it out of the gate, bummed (seriously) by the dropping of the teacher aspect, baffled by mid-show 'cold intro' credits switch, cringed at change of opening theme (new one sucked the big beta capsule), and scratched head at UN-ultra conclusion. Also the intro & build up of Yulian was almost a non-event when she finally changed, and then only helped out ONE time. Lame. Also odd that they added new characters more than halfway thru the show, and then killed off a main character. Very uneven.

[Dr Kain]

I don't talk about 80 because I haven't watched it yet.

To be honest, it is probably going to be one of the last Ultra series I watch. Not because I expect it to be bad or anything, just that I want to see all of the other series first. Like I'm currently suffering through UltraSeven X, and then the plan is to watch Ginga with my g/f as I watch Leo by myself. After that it is going to be Nexus, Max, and Mebius (not sure if it will be in that order though).

[Jinzo Ningen]

Don't get me wrong. It isn't an awful show. It definitely does have its moments and standout episodes. But my gut feeling is that there were either too many writers inputting with no overseer to guide them, Or else they just made every script they got without trying to tie everything together to make the overall series more cohesive. When it's good, it really is on par with many of the better ultra shows, but when it stumbles, it makes you want to slap the writer(s) across the face. I guess what surprised me, unlike so many shows I've watched, it that this series seemed to generally get worse as it went along, instead of better. Left me scratching my head more than once. Still, not bad overall, and worth catching now that we can enjoy it with legible subtitles.

[Dr Kain]

I'm betting it doesn't stumble anywhere near the extent of this Ultra Seven X crap I'm currently watching. Oh thank Godzilla it's only 12 episodes, but it has taken me a week to get through the first 9.

[Rody]

Oh, shoooooooot -

I'd agree this show has gotten more uneven over time, which is a shame, because it had a really strong start. I only have a few episodes left now, so I should probably try to go ahead and finish it soon (one less title on my Crunchyroll queue then).

[Rody]

Allllllright, Ultraman 80 is finished. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt, but the farewell for the heroes was sweet.

All in all, it was a good show; it probably could have been great, had they stuck with the school setup longer, but as the last major Ultraman show of the Showa era, it was a solid run.

Now to finally start Gaia on Crunchyroll.

[lhb412]

^Gaia is soooo good.

[Kaiju_Ultra_Fan]

I'm on episode 42 or 43 of Ultraman 80. I really like the show and really like Takashi Yamato as Ultraman. It really bums me out they completely abandoned the fact that he's a teacher and all those characters, (the Principal who covered for him, the Sourpuss Woman, the gym teacher and all his students).

It's neat seeing he became a full-time member of UGM but it's an abrupt transition. So far out of the few Ultraman series and movies I've seen, Yamato is the only human character I wish I could find an action figure of to go with my (few) Ultraman figures.

I'm going to sort of miss seeing Officer Jouno when the series is over. She's adorable.

Looking forward to seeing that Mebius episode that supposedly wraps up the 'Teacher' storyline.