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What better excuse to talk about the elder statesman of the Ultraman franchise, than to revisit the episode homaged by last night’s #UltramanZ episode
It’s time for “Challenge From The Year 2020”
It’s time for “Challenge From The Year 2020”
It’s remarkable how much influence Tsuburaya’s works have had on science-fiction, both in Japan and globally, but Q is pretty obviously influenced itself by The Twilight Zone. There’s the deliberate monochrome, the anthology style, and the opening and closing narrator.
Ultra Q is a bit different in that it has a core group of characters who become involved with the weekly round of Weird Shit, but there is also a cast of one-off guests each episode, including some familiar faces like Akiji Kobayashi here, who would play Captain Muramatsu later.
Q doesn’t have Ultraman in it, but it’s still very clearly connected to the rest of the franchise thematically. It’s all about humanity encountering the unknown, and how we react and respond to those parts of the universe outside of our knowledge or comprehension.
I have no clue how they did this photo-negative effect for the opening credits but IT LOOKS SO COOL and perfectly reflects the bizarre circumstances the characters and the audience have both been thrust into
Seriously Tsuburaya’s technical wizardry in this series is astonishing, it is literally unmatched at the time and it’s almost a shame how CGI has come to supplant this kind of experimentation
Oh speaking of recurring actors, one of Ultra Q’s main trio, spunky photojournalist Yuriko, is played by Hiroko Sakurai. You probably know her better as SSSP member Akiko Fuji from Ultraman!
A recurring theme in this episode is denial. Something weird is DEFINITELY going on in broad daylight, but it just sounds so bizarre that even the witnesses start to doubt their own eyes.
Good thing Yuri is hard-headed enough to not let go of a good story!
Good thing Yuri is hard-headed enough to not let go of a good story!
Oh yeah and the “lead” of our trio of main characters, private pilot Jun, is played by none other than KENJI SAHARA
hmm well that certainly is a coincidence
In many ways, it’s easier to accept insanity than to acknowledge that something is happening beyond the realm of accepted possibility.
I had to clip this part because it’s sooo good
no dramatic stings or apprehensive music, no fancy camera angles, just relentlessly claustrophobic dramatic tension and the PERFECT drop off a cliff at the end
no dramatic stings or apprehensive music, no fancy camera angles, just relentlessly claustrophobic dramatic tension and the PERFECT drop off a cliff at the end
well if there’s one thing this series should teach you, it’s never to trust appearances
Seriously the tension in these scenes is just <chef’s kiss>
Just like with Amano and Jun, they disbelieve what’s happening right in front of their eyes because it’s easier than acknowledging that something so ludicrously far outside of human understanding is happening.
-Which allows the Kemur aliens to hide LITERALLY in plain sight until it’s too late to escape.
Just kidding lmao
that fakeout nearly stopped my heart the first time I watched this
that fakeout nearly stopped my heart the first time I watched this
This is why I love the decision to film this series in black and white. It makes so many compositions in the show stand out, and so many effects look impressive because of the stark monochrome
Like here, where the characters are finally confronted with the impossible
Like here, where the characters are finally confronted with the impossible
EVEN NOW, the characters are still trying to rationalize away the obvious circumstances
ah yes
the far off, distant future of the year 2020
*sweats*
the far off, distant future of the year 2020
*sweats*
HMMMMMMMMM
ABOUT THAT...
ABOUT THAT...
Ironically enough, this is the only rational response to these events. To deny the plainly obvious evidence is ridiculous at this point, even if the conclusion leads one to some very unpleasant implications
I used to have recurring nightmares similar to this, so yall would not believe how much my blood pressure spiked when watching this scene for the first time, and how terrifying that reveal is
Kemur Man was kind of a joke in other cameos in Ultraman shows, because even when he’s giant size it’s still a black rubber suit alien without fire breath or claws or anything else
But in this context, against humanity alone? That alone makes it scary as hell.
But in this context, against humanity alone? That alone makes it scary as hell.
Also ironic that the Kemur aliens stayed hidden in literal broad daylight, but it’s at nighttime when the characters are forced to acknowledge the reality of its existence
anyways Ippei and Amano use the professor’s notes to craft superscience bullshit and defeat the Kemur alien and everyone comes back from their trip into the future and lives happily ever after
In conclusion: everyone who thinks Showa era kaiju or monster flicks are “cheesy and bad on purpose” can go fuck right off, the technical effects and atmosphere in Ultra Q as a whole are quite literally unmatched
And did I mention the whole thing has a BD release through @MillCreekEnt and @movie_SPREE
seriously go watch it
seriously go watch it
