Story and Characters.
This.... almost feels unnecessary doesn't it? I mean Ultraman is such a well-known series to Toku peeps that it seems like most people know of these episodes just through osmosis. Not to mention Ultraman is a very simple show plot-wise so coverage is a bit of a challenge- that isn't to say it's not engaging- in fact, Ultraman is a really solid and consistent show that constantly improves with each episode. However it is very minimal, yet the show is not completely devoid of deeper thematics as Tsuburaya sought to make Ultraman a series about hope and the future. I see a lot of people refer to the prior series, Ultra Q as sort of a Japanese take on The Outer Limits. Granted, such statements are often shorthanded and oversimplified that ignore nuance at best and are insultingly misguided at worst. Although I understand the use and if I was to do such as well I would say Ultraman is akin to a more simplified version of Star Trek meshed with the Thunderbirds. Glorious 60s Sci-fi aesthetic aside, Ultraman carries that same sort of optimistic viewpoint Trek carried. No, it doesn't quite get into things like racial issues, but it does still use its fantastical setting to present messages at times. It features episodes that touch upon human nature and tragedy, even some of the monsters are tragic. The rest of the time it's usually just having fun.
But before I delve any further, if nothing than obligation, I feel I should relay the basic plot.
