Chapter 237: Ultraman Returns
On the screen, just as Daigo and his two companions were reminiscing about their childhood and feeling lost in their current lives, a sharp, piercing scream jolted them back to reality.
Immediately after, a heavy rumbling sound echoed through the theater, heard by everyone in the audience.
It turned out that the mastermind behind the scenes, the Black Silhouette, had orchestrated a car accident. Under the influence of dark energy, a truck scraped against the roadside guardrail, roaring like a beast as it charged toward a busy intersection.
The incident happened so suddenly that everyone on the street was paralyzed with fear. The children crossing the street were especially terrified, frozen in place.
Not that it would have mattered if they could move—the truck was speeding too fast for anyone to escape in time.
At that critical moment, the four great Showa-era Ultraman veterans sprang into action.
Among them, Dan Moroboshi rushed into the truck's cab, trying to stop it, while the other three quickly pulled the children out of harm's way.
Compared to the original version, which glossed over this scene, Shinji enhanced the special effects dramatically.
Borrowing Hollywood's visual techniques used for speed-based superheroes like Quicksilver and The Flash, Shinji transformed what was originally a low-budget, five-second sequence into a full-scale blockbuster moment.
Shattered glass flew through the air, terror-stricken expressions froze on people's faces, and the truck's uncontrolled collision played out in stunning slow motion.
Against the backdrop of time seemingly coming to a halt, the heroic movements of Hayata, Dan Moroboshi, Hideki Go, and Seiji Hokuto looked nothing short of superhuman, leaving the audience in awe.
In traditional tokusatsu shows, heroes before transforming were often depicted with simple, crude enhancements—either a glowing eye effect for X-ray vision or effortlessly lifting small objects to suggest super strength.
But now, this spectacular life-saving scene under a speeding truck was something no tokusatsu creator had ever imagined.
"Damn, if I had that kind of budget, I could do something like this too!"
Shinichiro Shirakura, who had produced Kuuga, Agito, Ryuki, and several other Heisei-era Kamen Rider series, sighed.
As someone still regarded as a top executive at Toei (at least before later controversies), Shirakura had been an almost godlike figure in the early Heisei Rider era.
Kamen Rider's rise to dominance in 2000, surpassing both Sentai and Ultraman to become the top of the three major tokusatsu franchises, was an achievement that could not be separated from Shirakura's contributions.
Of course, these achievements did not excuse his later questionable creative decisions in Zi-O.
For now, however, Shirakura had not yet tarnished his reputation. Thanks to his successes with Kuuga and Agito, he was still a revered figure among Kamen Rider fans.
"That director, Shinji Matou, is way too extravagant. That single truck rescue scene alone could've funded several episodes of Kamen Rider."
Shirakura's remark wasn't a boast about being frugal—it was a deep expression of envy.
If given the choice, who wouldn't want to have unlimited funding to create their vision?
The notoriously tight budgets of Kamen Rider weren't something Shirakura had wanted either.
Sitting in the row behind him, Koichi Sakamoto nodded in agreement upon hearing Shirakura's words.
Unlike Shirakura, who had spent his entire career in Japan, Sakamoto had spent the past two years developing his skills in Australia.
His original plan was to gain experience abroad, learn advanced filming techniques, and then return to Japan to innovate the industry.
But upon hearing that Tsuburaya Productions had been acquired by foreign investors, lifelong Ultraman fan Koichi Sakamoto decided to return to Japan—dreaming of the possibility that he might get to direct an Ultraman production himself.
Using his connections in the tokusatsu industry, Koichi Sakamoto easily secured a ticket to the premiere.
His original plan was to watch Super 8 first and then go to Tsuburaya Productions for an interview, hoping to give the impression that he was well-prepared and leave a good impression.
However, what Sakamoto never expected was that Super 8 would turn out to be a 3D movie like no other!
As shards of glass seemed to fly off the screen, nearly grazing his cheek, he couldn't shake the feeling that the world had changed.
What stunned him the most was the 3D imaging technology used in the film—it didn't require special glasses and wasn't the standard anaglyph 3D technique commonly seen at the time.
Since Sakamoto had a solid understanding of the latest industry technologies, the more he watched, the more baffled he became.
He had no idea how the director had managed to achieve this.
"Am I already outdated? But I'm only in my 30s!"
By the standards of Japan's seniority-based film industry, Sakamoto was still quite young for his position.
Yet, seeing a director who wasn't even twenty years old produce a film that felt completely out of his league, even the ever-confident Sakamoto couldn't help but question himself.
Meanwhile, film critic Milo Johnson, who sat nearby, wasn't burdened by such existential thoughts.
Because of his complicated ties with Time Group, Milo had been closely following Super 8 and was privy to some insider information.
He wasn't a hardcore tech enthusiast, nor was he a dedicated tokusatsu fan.
Milo's understanding of tokusatsu mostly stemmed from his interest in horror films, which often employed special effects techniques similar to those in tokusatsu.
As someone deeply invested in the business of cinema, Milo believed that if Super 8 succeeded, it would signify the maturity of IMAX technology and its acceptance by the market.
And that was good news for him.
After all, the more commercial films there were, the more money he could make.
Naturally, Super 8's biggest selling point—glasses-free 3D technology—was at the center of his analysis.
"Not every scene utilizes the 3D effect. Most dialogue-heavy moments barely have any pop-out visuals. But when the film does switch to 3D, it feels so natural... How is this even possible?"
Milo wasn't a technical expert. After struggling to find a scientific explanation for this miraculous effect, he simply gave up and decided to compare it to existing 3D technologies.
Pros:
✅ No need for 3D glasses.
✅ Brighter and more natural-looking visuals.
✅ Incredible pop-out effects—perfect for jump scares in horror films.
Cons:
❌ The depth effect (objects appearing to sink into the screen) wasn't as strong—was this a limitation of the technology or just a creative choice?
❌ Too many "show-off" shots that seemed to exist solely to flaunt the 3D effect, sometimes disrupting the film's storytelling.
"If future glasses-free 3D movies follow this trend, I hope they don't prioritize spectacle over narrative..."
Though Milo was amazed by the groundbreaking technology, he felt that its overwhelming presence overshadowed the storytelling at times.
Still, he had to admit—the overall quality of Super 8 had been elevated to a whole new level because of this innovation.
The immersive 3D visuals gave him a sensation that was both hyper-realistic and dreamlike at the same time.
"Matou Shinji… Calling himself the world's greatest commercial director wasn't an exaggeration at all. What a terrifying talent."
Unlike these industry professionals, who were torn between admiring the film and analyzing its technology, the general audience had only one thought at this moment:
They couldn't wait to see more.
They wanted to once again experience the same adrenaline-pumping intensity from the film's opening—a battle that made their blood boil.
Although Shinji had already used the illusion sequences and the truck crash to showcase the film's 3D technology, for the audience, these moments felt like scratching an itch through a thick layer of cloth—teasing, yet never quite satisfying!
At this point, the story had reached the one-third mark, meaning it was time for a major plot development—a crucial turning point.
This was exactly what the audience was waiting for.
Despite the numerous cameos from actors of past Ultraman series, the hidden Easter eggs scattered throughout the film, and the relatable struggles of human characters, none of those were the true stars of Super 8.
If this movie was called Ultraman, then the real protagonists could only be monsters and Ultraman!
And now, the long-awaited kaiju had finally arrived!
As Daigo went about his daily work, he suddenly found himself once again pulled into an illusion.
This time, it was the deep-sea monster Gubila!
At a seemingly peaceful dock, Daigo gazed into the distance, confused as to why he was there.
Suddenly, without warning, a monstrous wave erupted from the sea.
Daigo had no choice but to run toward the inner part of the dock.
Then—
A massive drill-like object burst out of the ocean!
The monstrous beast finally revealed its terrifying form. The moment it set foot on land, it unleashed devastation upon the docks, obliterating warehouses, and shaking the very ground beneath it.
The streets trembled beneath its immense weight. Cars bounced up as if they were nothing but toys.
Daigo, unable to keep his balance, stumbled and fell repeatedly, as if the world beneath him had turned into a giant trampoline.
Lying helpless on the ground, he let out a desperate cry:
"What the hell is going on? Is the world ending?!"
His answer came in the form of a colossal shadow, blocking out the sun—
A monstrous foot, descending from the sky, ready to crush him into nothingness!
But just as the foot was about to land, a blinding golden light shot down from the heavens, forcing the monster back!
A towering figure, clad in red and silver patterns, appeared before Daigo.
He assumed a combat stance, preparing to battle Gubila.
"HAAAH!"
The hero of a new generation, Ultraman Mebius, has arrived!
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
"Ultraman!"
Both Daigo, inside the screen, and the audience, outside the screen, erupted into thunderous cheers the moment Mebius appeared.
Even in China's preview screenings, where Ultraman Mebius had never been officially introduced, children cheered for this new warrior of light.
Familiarity didn't matter.
As long as it was an Ultraman, it would bring an indescribable sense of security.
"THIS is what I was waiting for!"
Even grown adults, like Li Ri'ang, couldn't contain their emotions.
Watching Mebius's towering figure on the big screen, he covered his mouth in awe, eyes shining with excitement.
"Ultraman… is back."
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind paying $5 each month to read till the latest posted chapter, please go to my Patreon[1]
Current Chapter In Patreon: Chapter 292: A Press Conference is Made for Making Headlines[2]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/135377284?collection=31097[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/31097?view=expanded[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/31097?view=expanded
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/135377284?collection=31097
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/135377284?collection=31097
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/31097?view=expanded