MOVIE REVIEW: Shin Ultraman (2022)
Growing up with reruns of the 1966 Ultraman show on WBFS-33 in the 1980s, I truly came to understand heroism as the Japanese wanted us to know it. Never give up, be willing to get your hands dirty, and be willing to risk it all: that’s what Ultraman taught me. The 21st Century has brought a new way of looking at tokusatsu properties, as I have examined in my review for Bravestorm [2017]. More notably are the films Shin Godzilla [2016] and Godzilla Minus One [2024], both taking Godzilla back to his roots as an antagonistic force of nature and metaphor borne from nuclear weapons. Since other tokusatsu properties were still available, Tsurubaya Productions (producer of the Ultraman IP) said they’d try the “Shin” treatment with their big hero. It’s why we have today’s review, courtesy of legendary director Hideaki Anno (“Neon Genesis Evangelion” [OVA], Cutie Honey [2004], Gunbuster: the Movie [2006]).
We begin in media res as Japan is under attack from S-class monsters called kaiju, each of them handled by the SDF with help from a government group called S-Class Species Suppression Protocol (SSSP). SSSP formulates a plan, and the SDF carries it out. Things have worked fine so far, but on one event with a burrowing kaiju, SSSP member Shinji Kaminaga (Takumi Saitoh, RoboGeisha [2009], Space Battleship Yamamoto [2010], Shin Godzilla [2016]) is hurt badly while trying to save a child. Suddenly, an alien silver giant appeared from the sky and defeated the monster. Once that was complete, the alien silver giant merged with Shinji. Now whenever Earth is threatened by aliens and kaiju, Shinji makes himself scarce to he can pop the Beta Capsule (a special wand for transformation) and change into the silver giant — codenamed “Ultraman” — to defend our world.
Sound familiar? That’s where the similarity stops. Everything else is so wrapped in the trappings of reality, it can drag down your vibe. Like Shin Godzilla, government bureaucracy and double-dealing are in full display. There are times when the Japanese government easily gives over control of the country AND the world in the face of superior technology — if only to get the tech before anyone else —without the slightest way to enforce the agreement. Even worse, the government is so quick to turn on Ultraman and the SSSP when they have no evidence. To be fair, that part is realistic and understandable as covering-your-ass is not a Japanese-only past-time. The film even references American hegemony over Japan, as Japan is dependent on American weapons to fight the kaiju and has to pay America back for the weapons and delivery method (dropped from B-2 stealth bombers). While this focus on realism might turn long-time fans off, the film makes up for it with top-notch action and call backs to Ultraman’s nearly 60-year history.
Straight out of Pacific Rim, the cinematography gives our titanic subjects weight as they move and fight in the arena spaces of metro Tokyo and the picturesque rural hills and mountains. The blows look great and the energy effects are amazing — especially when the Specium Beam is used. Weirdly enough, some of the flying scenes were intentionally made to look like Ultraman was hanging on a wire as was the case for the 1966 TV series. Speaking of the TV series, the movie did feel like several TV episodes strung together with wacky hijinks and plots thrown in for good measure; one of the original TV series plots was re-used for the movie. Even some original monsters showed up in all-new forms — I won’t say which ones because that’s half the fun. While much of the love-letter that is Shin Ultraman will go unappreciated by a casual watcher, anyone familiar with the lore will vigorously approve this movie.
CHOICE CUTS:
- In an attempt to be more realistic, Ultraman never says his catchphrase “SHUWATCH” when he takes off.
- The cast is wonderful with congratulations to all members of the SSSP: analyst and love-interest Hiroko Asami (Masami Nagasawa, Your Name [2016, animated]), biologist Yumi Funaberi (Akari Hayami, My Pretend Girlfriend [2014]), particle physicist Akihisa Taki (Daiki Arioka, “Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger” [TV-TV Asahi]), and Captain Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima, Drive My Car [2021], “Sunny” [TV-apple+]).
- The sacrifices for realism really stand out: there are no brightly-colored jumpsuits, bulky space-man helmets, or MASER cannons…which is sad.
- CAMEO: Ultraman Zōffy shows up in black and gold as opposed to the usual Ultraman red and silver. At first I thought it was a variant of Ultraman Belial (he in black and red), but I learned quickly.
- They got rid of the Color Timer and changed it so Ultraman’s red color fades over the course of a battle. I hate that thing’s beeping noise.
- Ultraman stands in a slouching form, just like the EVA units from Neon Genesis Evangelion — I think it’s a Hideaki Anno signature.
