#out that she still likes toku when her mother has always disapproved

[t-u-i-t-c]

nightmare scenario

[iristial]

Ultraman Ramble #5: Fire And Water Don’t Always Clash - Ultraman R/B Episode 1

The only other Ultraman series I had ever watched was one that apparently aired at the same time as Kamen Rider Wizard, though my interest wasn’t as piqued. Thankfully it means that I had zero expectations upon entering the Ultraman R/B world; as in, I’m not comparing it to any predecessors and can enjoy it as it is. And let me say, this is good. Seriously – is 2017~2018 some golden age for tokusatsu?

At first I thought the monster fight that appeared in the first five minutes was a “final battle” the heroes were facing and the series would lead up to it, but luckily it turned out to be a “recap” of how they got to that point. If it had been the former, I’d end up forgetting that plot point as the season goes on and I get immersed in the current flow of events

THE OP IS SUPER GOOD WHY ARE THE OPS SO GOOD LATELY CAUSE SOONER OR LATER THIS ONE IS GOING ONTO MY PLAYLIST LIKE “BE THE ONE”

So the Ultraman heroes are the Minato brothers – Katsumi and Isami – who reflect their colour motifs by being exact opposites. Katsumi is the dutiful older son who assists his father in their t-shirt store (I actually liked this because usually tokusatsu + characters running stores = something popular or unique like detective agencies). Isami is the smart oddball second son who pulls an all-nighter and is willing to pursue the results of his data even when the earth is shaking around him.

The contrast between the brothers is great! Usually Katsumi would be the character who is good at everything or is too nice for his own good, while Isami would either be someone who rejects the possibility of Kaiju attacks (because as tokusatsu goes, the scientific folk disapprove of supernatural entities) or has the spirit but no brains and is secretly envious of his brother. Instead it’s Katsumi who doesn’t really believe in the origins of Ayaka and Isami is intelligent, reckless and believes whole-heartedly in the legends. This is somehow making up a good balance

Katsumi’s visuals remind me of Terui Ryu/this guy I can’t recall and Isami’s visuals reminds me of Gentarou

The first t-shirt proposal reminded me of Gentarou’s post-transformation call

WHOA your mother’s been gone for fifteen years???? I have a gut feeling she’s alive but wow, that is a long time and the Minato family head is still loyal to her ain’t that sweet

THE COMEDIC TIMING IS GOLDEN

Katsumi thinks about their mother…and just when he reached the peak of sentimentality Isami SLAPS HIM RIGHT IN THE FACE BECAUSE OF A MOSQUITO I BURST OUT LAUGHING SUPER HARD AND REWATCHED THAT SCENE FIVE TIMES PFFFFT

Isami insisting on pursuing the source of the disruption because “he is a scientist” and the very moment he turns to look at the Kaiju, he smiles and goes “yeah let’s run” OTL THAT DECISION WAS SO EASILY ACCEPTED

I think Katsumi is an athlete of sorts because he’s seen jogging in the morning (a toku sign for the athletic) and his attacks as an Ultraman remind me of a baseball player. He even runs faster than Isami, who – as per the traits distributed to the eager and reckless type like him – should be the one running ahead instead of grabbing a bicycle and has his brother yelling at him about how this even benefits anyone

The transformations give me the impression of a fusion between Super Sentai and Kamen Rider. You have them using belt-like devices with transformation trinkets and they turn into megazord size warriors

But all these special effects keep reminding me of washing machines. I’m dubbing them the Laundromat Brothers

So they transform like pros but attack like amateurs – FINALLY THEY MADE THE FIRST FIGHT REALISTIC TO A CERTAIN EXTENT

Isami tries a flying kick but he misses by so much, keeps accidentally landing hits on Katsumi ranging from roasting him with flames to kicking him square in the spine, and both of them proceed to argue about the whole deal and turn to look…at the Kaiju XD LOL THIS DUDE JUST VENTURED UP TO THEM

So Katsumi gets energy balls while Isami gets jet stream-like attacks neato

I really like how they can switch their elements/crystals

Katsumi’s cat ears!!!!

THEY BOILED THE KAIJU TO DEATH/OUT OF TRANSFORMATION THAT IS SUPER GRUESOME OMG HOW IS THIS NOT CENSORED

Their younger sister is Asahi, who is so cute like a toku fairy and I can just feel that she isn’t your run-of-the-mill annoying younger sister awwwww

She gives them both of them a candy each and they don’t even do that brotherly thing of teasing her – they just join her and Isami tries to get more sweets T^T at first I was bummered by how Asahi was related to them (usually main girl isn’t related to the heroes in tokusatsu and I got so used to that to a point where I rarely don’t ship the main girl with someone) but now I wouldn’t have it any other way, I live for this sibling relationship

Katsumi and Isami get along super well – yay Hamada brother style fist bump rituals! – and fight just as well

I think this is the pinnacle of a great sibling relationship - also Katsumi and Isami remind me of Sento and Ryuuga XD Brothers to the end!

I already know Ultra Orb Dark Black Black Black is a bad guy so it’s amusing seeing how hammy he gets in that pure white suit he’s got

Also kudos for him wearing pink XD