Ultraman Mebius Volume 11 DVD (episodes 41-44)
Sorry that this review is late and not as detailed as I would have liked (my mind is pretty much a blank slate at the moment). If nothing else, I sort of squee-ed over 43 before, and wrote something for 44 already.
As always, DVD picture quality is very clear. No artifacts that I can see.
41: I really like the theme in this episode (which apparently is a recurring theme in Ultraman 80), that the darkness from within the human heart calls forth evil monsters. And an ultra host who actually has a day job outside of a defense team? So very cool. Triple the coolness factor when he is a teacher. Who apparently had touched the lives of his students so much they still remember him fondly 25 years later. (Also liked the only episode I'd ever seen of 80. A little disappointed that it wasn't back in his school teaching days, however.)
42: Randomly, Sakocchi doesn't want to be called that in front of his darling underlings. (Why does Mirai act surprised anyway? He'd heard the name being used before...) Don't know why. Nothing else (well, other than the lack of coffee beans) seems to bother him. (Or maybe he is simply making a conversation? I probably am reading too much into this.) And the Urashima Taro effect explains how Sakocchi doesn't look a day over 40. (Or maybe I have mixed up my folklore?) Yapool is suitably ominous in this episode. Two old school monsters appearing (though not at the same time) reminds me of some early episodes of Ultraman Max (the ones with Red King).
43: Apparently Aya comes for a visit to make sure that her suspicion is correct about Mirai being Mebius. Not sure if Aya is really romantically interested in Mirai, but she must at least feel a little upset at the fact that their date keeps getting interrupted by unsavory characters. (Yes, I admit that Hirukawa is not good. I may like him, but I'm not blind to his numerous faults.)
If I were to write a dialogue like in my previous review, I would have Teppei made that crack about Ryuu being vice captain again. He acted so like one in this episode, practically deciding for the team to leave when they couldn't get in contact with Mirai.
44: Ha! Yapool is all talk. Shut him up and Mebius can beat him easily.
Mirai wakes up at Ryuu's cry. Normally wouldn't remark upon it except that I'd seen the 'waking up at the sound of their names being called telepathically' thing done before with official canon couples in other Ultra series.
Nice logic there Hiru. You can beat up a GUYS member but he cannot return the favor because you are a civilian? Just be glad that Mirai is not disillusioned with humans. (Sure, he can be discouraged from his fights by poisonous talks, but it seems very unlikely that he would ever abandon humans, considering that he manages to withstand the extreme provocations in this episode.)
DVD Extras:
Toriyama's actor interview: Nice. He doesn't talk like his character at all. Of course there are hilarious behind-the-scenes involving Toriyama throughout. Notable ones are from episodes 12 and 36.
Aya's actress interview: Very nice. And I just love the end when Rasshii (who, in an un-Mirai-like move, rolls up his sleeves to his shoulders) joins her. There are also repeats of some of the date scenes. (I'm not shipping Aya and Mirai, but I think they look rather cute together.) Anyway, I'm afraid I'm doing this segment no justice in my rather bland description.
Catch the Mebius 11: Seems the guy being interviewed is responsible for telling the actors how to convey their body language in any given scene. Simply enjoy for a trip down memory lane (it includes scenes from as early as episode 1).
The version I have is first pressed, so contains stickers for TEAM EYES and Night Raiders.
As always, DVD picture quality is very clear. No artifacts that I can see.
41: I really like the theme in this episode (which apparently is a recurring theme in Ultraman 80), that the darkness from within the human heart calls forth evil monsters. And an ultra host who actually has a day job outside of a defense team? So very cool. Triple the coolness factor when he is a teacher. Who apparently had touched the lives of his students so much they still remember him fondly 25 years later. (Also liked the only episode I'd ever seen of 80. A little disappointed that it wasn't back in his school teaching days, however.)
42: Randomly, Sakocchi doesn't want to be called that in front of his darling underlings. (Why does Mirai act surprised anyway? He'd heard the name being used before...) Don't know why. Nothing else (well, other than the lack of coffee beans) seems to bother him. (Or maybe he is simply making a conversation? I probably am reading too much into this.) And the Urashima Taro effect explains how Sakocchi doesn't look a day over 40. (Or maybe I have mixed up my folklore?) Yapool is suitably ominous in this episode. Two old school monsters appearing (though not at the same time) reminds me of some early episodes of Ultraman Max (the ones with Red King).
43: Apparently Aya comes for a visit to make sure that her suspicion is correct about Mirai being Mebius. Not sure if Aya is really romantically interested in Mirai, but she must at least feel a little upset at the fact that their date keeps getting interrupted by unsavory characters. (Yes, I admit that Hirukawa is not good. I may like him, but I'm not blind to his numerous faults.)
If I were to write a dialogue like in my previous review, I would have Teppei made that crack about Ryuu being vice captain again. He acted so like one in this episode, practically deciding for the team to leave when they couldn't get in contact with Mirai.
44: Ha! Yapool is all talk. Shut him up and Mebius can beat him easily.
Mirai wakes up at Ryuu's cry. Normally wouldn't remark upon it except that I'd seen the 'waking up at the sound of their names being called telepathically' thing done before with official canon couples in other Ultra series.
Nice logic there Hiru. You can beat up a GUYS member but he cannot return the favor because you are a civilian? Just be glad that Mirai is not disillusioned with humans. (Sure, he can be discouraged from his fights by poisonous talks, but it seems very unlikely that he would ever abandon humans, considering that he manages to withstand the extreme provocations in this episode.)
DVD Extras:
Toriyama's actor interview: Nice. He doesn't talk like his character at all. Of course there are hilarious behind-the-scenes involving Toriyama throughout. Notable ones are from episodes 12 and 36.
Aya's actress interview: Very nice. And I just love the end when Rasshii (who, in an un-Mirai-like move, rolls up his sleeves to his shoulders) joins her. There are also repeats of some of the date scenes. (I'm not shipping Aya and Mirai, but I think they look rather cute together.) Anyway, I'm afraid I'm doing this segment no justice in my rather bland description.
Catch the Mebius 11: Seems the guy being interviewed is responsible for telling the actors how to convey their body language in any given scene. Simply enjoy for a trip down memory lane (it includes scenes from as early as episode 1).
The version I have is first pressed, so contains stickers for TEAM EYES and Night Raiders.