"Sigh, Gundam SEED really is entertaining, especially with its cool Gundam designs," Daniel muttered as he sat in front of the TV, waiting for the latest episode of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED to air.
The series had progressed to the point where the Archangel made an emergency landing on Earth, but only at the cost of the 8th Fleet's heavy sacrifices.
For Daniel, the mecha battles and overarching themes made it an incredibly enjoyable series. However, some of the characters left much to be desired.
Especially Flay Allster.
Since the start, Flay's hostility toward Kira had already made her an unpopular character among many viewers, including Daniel himself.
And after the loss of her father, Flay's behavior only worsened.
Consumed by rage and grief, Flay took out her anger on Kira. To further her vengeance, she enlisted in the military and manipulated Kira with feigned kindness, pushing him to fight relentlessly, hoping he'd eventually die in battle.
With such actions, how could viewers not despise her?
In the previous episode, Flay had even gone as far as to kiss Kira, taking advantage of his emotional vulnerability after failing to save a little girl.
To make matters worse, Flay's fiancé was none other than Sai, one of Kira's closest friends.
As the show's opening theme faded and the new episode began, Daniel leaned forward with anticipation.
The episode opened with Andrew Waltfeld leading a nighttime raid against the Archangel. Sai, concerned for Flay's safety, went to her quarters to wake her up.
But Flay did not respond. The curtains around her bed were tightly drawn.
"No way…"
Even though there hadn't been any revealing shots yet, Daniel's gut told him something was off.
And sure enough…
When Sai left the room, the curtains parted, revealing Flay lying under a bedsheet, completely exposed.
The one opening the curtains? Kira.
"What the… This woman is insane!"
Daniel was dumbfounded.
Flay, driven by her obsessive need for revenge, had gone so far as to use her body to ensure Kira kept fighting.
"She's terrifying," Daniel muttered.
At the same time, he couldn't help but feel disappointed in Kira.
Kira knew that Flay was Sai's fiancée—there was no way he didn't.
Yet, he still allowed himself to cross that line.
"'A brother's wife is off-limits'—wasn't that supposed to be the rule?"
But the drama didn't end there.
As the episode continued, Waltfeld prepared a counterattack on the Archangel in retaliation for their recent actions. Meanwhile, Kira, making adjustments to the Strike Gundam, was drawn into an argument between Sai and Flay.
To everyone's shock, Flay openly declared her relationship with Kira. When Sai angrily confronted him, Kira snapped and shoved Sai to the ground, confirming Flay's claims.
As the episode ended, viewers were left stunned.
Online discussions exploded immediately.
"Man, Kira's no hero," one viewer complained.
"Right? Stealing his best friend's fiancée and then pushing him to the ground? Shouldn't he at least feel ashamed?"
"'Bro-code? Never heard of it,' says Kira. He's a real backstabber!"
Many were critical of Kira's behavior, expressing disappointment that such actions came from the series' protagonist.
"Let's be real—if this were a minor character, nobody would care. But Kira's the main character. He's supposed to be better than this!"
Some, however, defended Kira.
"What's the big deal? They were just engaged, not married. It's not like Flay had to stay with Sai!"
"Exactly. Marriage is a choice. Just because their families arranged it doesn't mean Flay can't change her mind."
"And it's not like Kira forced Flay. She made her own decisions."
The debate quickly escalated, drawing attention from fans and casual viewers alike.
Meanwhile, Ultraman Gaia was gearing up for its debut.
Even though the series hadn't premiered yet, Picca Comics had launched an aggressive marketing campaign.
Gaia and the mysterious black Ultraman were featured everywhere—on subway advertisements, large digital screens in shopping districts, train stations, and even roadside billboards.
Thanks to Picca's financial backing, the marketing blitz was massive.
Online, discussions about Ultraman Gaia began trending almost immediately.
"It's finally happening!"
"Does anyone know who that black Ultraman is? A new transformation, maybe?"
"I think it's a separate Ultraman entirely!"
"If there are two Ultramen in one series, it's double the excitement!"
"But if that's the case, doesn't that mean the final boss is going to be ridiculously powerful? I mean, it takes two Ultramen to stop it!"
"Or maybe both Ultramen are super weak and need each other just to survive?"
"Shut it! All Ultramen are awesome!"
Fans' excitement for Ultraman Gaia surpassed even that of Ultraman Dyna.
The reason? Ren had been particularly secretive about the second Ultraman, Agul.
The shadowy figure teased in promotional materials reminded fans of the "shadowed suspects" in Detective Conan, leaving them itching for answers.
Many were convinced this would be the first Ultraman series to feature two distinct heroes from the start.
Naturally, this speculation only heightened their anticipation.
"By the way, how did they make that spinning, oil-paint-like effect in the teaser? It's so cool!"
"Probably some kind of editing software?"
Ren, noticing the curiosity, decided to explain.
"That wasn't CGI," Ren revealed. "We painted the Ultraman logo with real oil paints, then stirred it from both sides into a spiral. The video you saw was simply played in reverse."
While modern software could've easily replicated the effect, Ren had chosen to experiment with traditional techniques for fun.
And the result? An unforgettable teaser that left fans in awe.
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