For kids of a certain age before there were a zillion choices on TV, the original Ultraman was an incredible find. The Japanese science fiction series introduced a whole new world of wonder. As one reviewer later put it: “While Other People were Growing up with Spiderman and Batman, I watched Ultraman, the Little-Known Japanese hero who could Punch Godzilla in the Face.” Now Netflix is rebooting Ultraman with an anime series. The new Ultraman will begin streaming on April 1, but this is no joke people — as the trailer below proves. Shinjiro Hayata is the new Ultraman, inheriting the responsibility from his father Shin. He will, as every superhero must, protect the earth. The stakes are that high! And the great conceit here is that who becomes Ultraman is really up for grabs — Shinjiro isn’t the only one who could end up with the power.
As for Netflix, if you’ve amassed power the way it has there’s a responsibility to create the best shows. It’s not unlike the responsibility Shinjaro feels — as we know from other superhero action, “with great power comes great responsibility.” Ultraman is a great idea for a reboot, and the trailer looks like we can expect great things. It’s too bad it won’t have the “questionable special effects” of the original, as another reviewer wrote, because those were part of its charm. But the new Ultraman is much anticipated. Really, is there a better name for a hero? Ultraman, C’mon, beat that.
