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Ultraman Blazar 05 |Henshin Inspection – Going Ultra – Going Ultra – Presented by Henshin Inspection
Join MJ for a discussion of Ultraman Blazar 05. What did you think of it?
Read my Ultraman-Inspired Story for kids
Ultraman Blazar Episode 5: Nature, Nostalgia, and Repetition
The episode’s focus on Anri’s hometown and the awakening of Dorgo, a kaiju considered a local guardian deity, provided some intriguing world-building. I appreciated the lore surrounding Dorgo’s thousand-year sleep and its connection to the area’s water and soil quality. The character Mizuho, with her ability to hear animal and insect voices, added an interesting dimension to the story.
Action-wise, this episode delivered some standout moments. Earth Garron’s cartwheel shooting sequence and Blazar’s mid-fall transformation were particularly thrilling. Dorgo’s moss-beard design and its use of mountain cannons as weapons were creative touches that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I was pleasantly surprised by the English dub’s use of Midwestern-style accents for the rural characters. It’s an interesting adaptation choice that added flavor to the dialogue and characters.
However, I couldn’t help but notice similarities between this episode’s plot and those from previous Ultraman series, particularly Ultraman Z and Ultraman Arc. The “nature episode” trope, featuring a small town, ancient scrolls, and misunderstood kaiju, feels a bit overdone. As someone who’s followed multiple Ultraman series, this repetition is somewhat disappointing and might be off-putting to long-time fans.
While I enjoyed many aspects of this episode, I’m concerned about the recycling of story elements across different Ultraman series. It’s especially noticeable given that these recent series are being presented to a global, English-speaking audience. I fear this repetition might lead to criticism and unfairly diminish the unique aspects of each show.
As I work on my own monster-battling book series, I’m reminded of the importance of bringing fresh ideas to familiar concepts. While drawing inspiration from tokusatsu, I’m striving to create something that feels both nostalgic and new.
Despite my criticisms, I’m still looking forward to future episodes of Blazar and continuing to analyze its strengths and weaknesses. The show, even with its flaws, continues to spark my imagination and fuel my passion for the genre.
MJ Muñoz 