"Finally, it's about to start!"
Daniel couldn't wait as he sat on the couch, eager to see the latest Ultraman series.
To be honest, he was really excited, even more than when he had watched Ultraman Tiga. There were three reasons for this. First, Tiga and its movie had given him a lot of confidence that this new Ultraman series would be just as good, even though it was created by the Porter's apprentice. After all, the apprentice Claire had surprised him with the masterpiece "Your Lie in April." Second, Ultraman is a huge franchise with an excellent start. The Porter wouldn't risk ruining it just to let his apprentice try something out. If the Porter approved it and allowed his apprentice's work to be aired, it meant he had confidence in it!
The third reason was the Porter's earlier promotion. Daniel was particularly intrigued by the mention of suspense and horror elements. He enjoyed watching horror movies in his spare time, so this caught his interest. He was also curious about what the Porter meant by "semi-adult-oriented."
As a tokusatsu series, most tokusatsu shows are made to be family-friendly, leaning toward younger audiences. But the Porter outright stated that this series had a semi-adult focus, which piqued Daniel's curiosity.
Too bad...
Daniel glanced at the two kids sitting next to him. Recently, some relatives' kids were staying at his place for a few days while their parents were out of town. But these two brats were a handful! Luckily, he had put away his collectibles and models beforehand; otherwise, they probably would have been destroyed by now.
Right on time, the ads on the TV ended.
A message flashed on the screen, catching Daniel's attention. He read it aloud: "Children should watch this show with their parents..."
Hmm?
Was this tokusatsu show going to be that scary?
Daniel chuckled at the thought. What a funny opening line. How scary could a tokusatsu show really be? Could it possibly compare to actual horror movies?
Soon, a catchy, upbeat song filled the room, making Daniel feel a bit hyped up, even humming along. The first images on the screen were wide shots of a desolate, ruinous landscape, with various stone statues and buildings. Together, they formed a scene full of bleakness.
"The time for awakening... is near!"
A man standing on a cliff narrated this while observing the ruins, accompanied by eerie background music. It was clear to Daniel that something unknown and terrifying lurked beneath this peaceful surface, ready to strike...
"Tiga! Tiga! Tiga!"
"When is Tiga coming out?"
The two kids beside him clapped and shouted.
"Could it be another ancient Ultraman? But in a parallel universe?"
Taking a deep breath, Daniel tried to block out the kids' voices and focused on the ruins. He wondered if this desolate scene was somehow connected to R'lyeh, the city from Tiga.
Meanwhile...
Late at night, at a gas station, a bottomless gas tank caught the attention of the gas station attendant. Just as he was crouched down, checking if the car was leaking gas, the liquid-type Beast Pedoleon appeared.
"Aahhh!"
The two kids screamed and clung to each other, dropping their Ultra Sticks to the floor.
Even Daniel was startled by the gas station attendant's scream and the sudden appearance of the monster.
This creature, Pedoleon, was likely a childhood nightmare for many who watched Nexus when they were young. It was almost on par with the shadowy figure from Detective Conan.
And considering that the special effects of this new Nexus series were much better than those used in the original, this added a significant layer of horror.
Pedoleon was designed as an oversized, grotesquely exaggerated soft-bodied creature, resembling a slug. The special effects vividly portrayed the movements of its tentacles and mouth as it hunted its prey.
"Damn, why does this Ultraman feel so different from Tiga?" Daniel finally exhaled after a while.
He had a secret fear of bugs, especially soft-bodied ones—they gave him the creeps!
Comparing this monster to those from Tiga, Daniel suddenly realized that this show indeed had a more adult tone. Didn't the two kids beside him just huddle together out of fear?
Moreover, unlike Tiga, which avoided showing human casualties, this show didn't shy away from depicting how people died. This gave it a much more realistic feel.
But this only made Daniel even more curious.
The story continued as the Pedoleon that attacked the gas station was quickly spotted and engaged by the Night Raiders. The creature escaped into a tunnel, with the Raiders in hot pursuit, launching a second wave of attacks to destroy it.
Not only that, but Daniel noticed something else during the subsequent conversation. The weapons and equipment used by the characters in this show felt more realistic compared to the high-tech gadgets from Tiga. The Night Raiders also seemed to be much more capable, not always relying on Ultraman to save the day.
It seemed there was even a "memory-wiping police" force.
Could it be that in this world, the existence of monsters was kept secret?
As Daniel pondered this, the story shifted to a man named Komon, who received a strange order to undergo a "physical examination." When he arrived at the designated location, he was kidnapped by mysterious men who subjected him to a full-body "inspection."
"You've been reassigned!"
Confused, Komon found himself holding an application form for the Night Raiders, unsure of what was happening.
At this point, Daniel was even more puzzled.
He initially thought that the man standing by the ruins and appearing in the tunnel was the Ultraman. But now, the show was focusing heavily on Komon. What did that mean?
Was it possible that this story had two Ultramen?
The first episode was full of hints and mysteries, keeping Daniel intrigued.
As he continued to watch, the Pedoleon, which everyone thought had been destroyed, attacked a tour bus. Komon noticed something was wrong and tried to help, but the creature ensnared his legs.
Struggling desperately, Komon suddenly remembered a hand that had once reached out to save him from drowning when he was a child.
"Don't give up!"
And then, a miracle happened!
The vicious Pedoleon was smashed by a tightly clenched fist, and when Komon looked up, he saw a silver-gray giant before him.
The real Ultraman and the man Daniel had suspected of being an Ultraman met at last!
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