New Ultraman Anime!

[O.Supreme]

To me it looks about on the same level as the Godzilla films. Not sure why cell shading and cg are so popular. Traditional animation looks so much better. Still, I've been reading the manga. If they are faithful to the story it should be good.

[klen7]

^ its cheaper and faster

[O.Supreme]

Just watched the first episode, and really enjoyed it. Pretty faithful to chapters 1&2 of the Manga. I look forward to following it along, seeing what omissions, additions, and changes take place, or if it stays faithful.

Also I believe this is the first really massive release of Ultraman in the United States since the original series went off syndication in the early/mid 80's. I mean I know Towards the Future had limited syndication in 91/92, the Ultraseven dub was on TNT in the mid 90's (If you happen to set your VCR like me since it aired anywhere from midnight on weekends, to 5am on some weekdays), and Tiga aired on Fox Kids in 2001/02. Additionally, the TOKU cable network has had a fairly robust representation of Ultraman, but to say all these examples are fairly niche wouldn't be an exaggeration. As a fan, I knew how/where/when to search these out. I know there are a ton of people in their 40's/50's who are going to see this as the first Ultraman since the original, and the first few minuets of the first episode are a nice setup.

Needless to say, if it takes a turn I don't like, I'm not blind to giving it criticism, but so far, I am enjoying it.

[Dr Kain]

How is the CGI animation?

[lhb412]

^ Rough in places, but overall solid for CGI anime. Where it excels is the fight sequences, which are very well done.

Really enjoyed the first two episodes. Despite lacking the giant kaiju element I love from every other version, it still has a distinctly tokusatsu feel to it.

Watching the English dub I was impressed with the main character's voice; a bit more naturalistic sounding then the usual anime voice acting. Looking at the end credits I see that it's Josh Hutcherson from The Hunger Games! He has some background in anime voice acting, voicing the kid in Howl's Moving Castle all those years ago.

[sentaison]

I meant to just start watching the series today, not binge watch it all the way through! But that's what I ended up doing. They stuck pretty faithfully to the manga storyline with just a couple of minor detours and the loss of one supporting character. The animation was mostly top grade but it did drop a bit in the later episodes (pretty much like in much of traditional anime when you think about it). The fights were spectacular and the dubbing was up there as well. In short I loved it and I'm hoping that there's enough interest to get another season before too long.

[Dr Kain]

Watching the English dub I was impressed with the main character's voice; a bit more naturalistic sounding then the usual anime voice acting.

That's pretty much the standard with most dubs in general these days.

Not surprised to hear the animation is rough in parts though. They don't understand how to do CGI properly.

[O.Supreme]

I meant to just start watching the series today, not binge watch it all the way through! But that's what I ended up doing. They stuck pretty faithfully to the manga storyline with just a couple of minor detours and the loss of one supporting character. The animation was mostly top grade but it did drop a bit in the later episodes (pretty much like in much of traditional anime when you think about it). The fights were spectacular and the dubbing was up there as well. In short I loved it and I'm hoping that there's enough interest to get another season before too long.

yeah I got to episode 5. I have been paging through the Manga as I watch the episodes at the same time. I could have easily kept binging it, but I had to get some sleep. I noticed it started to deviate a bit in episode 5. It seems the multi-eyed alien who is a blogger/fan of that pop-star, his story line is shuffled around quite a bit (I think its supposed to be Galamon?, but not sure...)

Also I noticed when Jack was introduced, he seemed to be fighting something more closely resembling Black King, as opposed to Red King in the Manga.

Also, I've been jotting down the corresponding manga Chapters

Episode 1 (Chapters 1-2)
Episode 2 (Ch 3-6)
Episode 3 (7-11 1/2)
Episode 4 (11/12- 14)
Episdoe 5 (15-17 *ish...)

Viz Manga is currently up to Volume 11 which is chapters 66-70, and volume 12 comes out in July.

Sentaison- do you know by the end of episode 13, about what Manga chapter that corresponds to? Just curious... I think a second season of 13 episodes would be fantastic, then, I'm guessing, they'd be pretty much all the way caught up to where the Manga is...

[Dr Kain]

Wait, I thought they said they were adapting the entire manga into a 26 episode season?

[LoneWolfandCub]

It's horrible. I rather watch THE ULTRAMAN that this dreck.

[lhb412]

It's horrible. I rather watch THE ULTRAMAN that this dreck.

And with every episode of The Ultraman available for streaming on Toku you can do just that!

[Gentleman]

I was only ever casually into anime, so between the Godzilla trilogy and the first two episodes of Ultraman, I can definitely say I prefer my anime animated. The CGI stuff just doesn't match up.

And I'm not sold on Ultraman. I'll check out a couple more episodes, but... so far, it's just not Ultraman. I'll see if it turns around some, but so far I'm not digging it.

[sentaison]

Sentaison- do you know by the end of episode 13, about what Manga chapter that corresponds to? Just curious... I think a second season of 13 episodes would be fantastic, then, I'm guessing, they'd be pretty much all the way caught up to where the Manga is...

It corresponds to Chapter 50, which is in the first half of Volume 8. So they need 4 more volumes after 12 to make around the same volume of story.

[O.Supreme]

^ Thank You

Wait, I thought they said they were adapting the entire manga into a 26 episode season?

That is certainly possible, but this is good. With Volume 12 coming out in July, this will give the everyone involved time to develop additional manga volumes, and the Animated series, so they should arrive hopefully around the same time, even though we may have to wait, maybe a year or more to get that second set of 13 episodes.

I've not watched many anime that are straight Manga adaptations...are there any that actually got ahead of their respective Manga? Still makes me sad about Guyver. a single OVA from the late 80's, a 12 episode series in the 90's, and a 26 episode series sin the 2000's, and THAT only got up to Volume 10, of 32 Volumes, it seemingly appears it will never be finished...

Just watched episode 7 last night, which finally had Moroboshi turn into Ultraseven, er I mean Ultraman 7.1 . Also I thought it was interesting that in the Manga, the Alien in the warehouse that Shinjiro is sent after early on was a new alien I'd never heard of, but in the Anime they changed it to Buruton. Such an obscure choice, but I liked it .

I guess I never really payed attention in the manga how much of an A-Hole Moroboshi is in this, that is definitely different form his original portrayal, also I cant wait to see Jack Transform, as next to the Original Ultraman, he is my 2nd favorite.

[lhb412]

Purely anecdotal, but it seems the show's pretty well received from what I've read. Also, I dig the uptick in interest in the franchise as a whole. I hope the momentum increases and Tsuburaya takes advantage of it!

[EricDent]

So I am slowly watching this as well, but not that familiar with the Ultraman stuff.
Who the heck was that "Space Godzilla" looking monster in episode 5?
He was cool!

[O.Supreme]

So I am slowly watching this as well, but not that familiar with the Ultraman stuff.
Who the heck was that "Space Godzilla" looking monster in episode 5?
He was cool!

That was Black King, a monster first shown in Return of Ultraman. Interesting how in the manga it was Red King, and he didn't die, but is a surviving side character.

I finished the 13 episodes. It did deviate a bit more as the series went on. I did like how more well known monsters were used instead of the manga more obscure aliens. However the final battle against Ace Killer I think was better in the Manga since Hayata, Jack & Red joined us n as well.

As stated earlier, it covers 50 chapters. So at least another year or so until we'll have enough manga material for another 13 episodes.

[UltraDada72]

I've started watching it and have enjoyed it so far. I like the modern take on the Ultramen (though I've read some fans complain that it's basically Ironman). I also like the modern takes on the kaiju. Bulton, Dada and Metron in particular were fun. I've only watched up to episode 9 so far. I did notice that beginning with episode 8, the story seems to have kind of... lost traction? I think the introduction of both Ultraseven and now Ace (I think) is a bit too much, throwing too many characters into the mix, taking away the main focus on Shinjiro learning to become a better Ultraman. Other than I enjoy it. I'll watch the rest of the episodes this week.

[O.Supreme]

Also just FYI the blond buff guy acting as an informant is Jack, though you won't see him transform in this batch of episodes, happens later in the Manga. Taro and Zoffy Also come in way later, so eventually you have the original six

[Kiryu]

I enjoyed the anime. Binged it when I had a few days left of my Netflix subscription. The English dub is fantastic, but I was really irked by the mouth animation. The characters moved like 2000's video game characters too. The fight scenes were good though. I didn't have a problem with the animation there.

[kidnicky]

Did you guys feel like the animation was difficult to watch? It seemed excessively “choppy” to me,to the point that I shut it off like 5 minutes in. It might have been my connection though,if you guys say it’s good I’ll try again another time.

[lhb412]

^ Even though it's CGI it still has the frame rate of a traditional 2D anime.

[kidnicky]

I’m going to rewatch it. There might have been something wrong on my end.

[klen7]

i don't know if the Godzilla anime took it out of me, or that the manga was so packed with shonen tropes, but I still haven't taken the plunge and tried watching this. Seems like the overall reaction has been positive though

[kidnicky]

I much prefer 2D regular anime to CGI but it is what it is