If you were wondering what is the best point of entry into the Ultraman universe, this series probably wouldn't be the first recommendation by fans, but it is still not a bad place to start.
What makes X rise above previous series, in this over milked franchise is the quality of the effects. The fights are better choreographed, and the monsters no longer look like obvious men in costumes. The camera work is more animated and uses angles that give a better illusion of scale, The editing is tighter, the green screening more polished, and the miniature effects more realized. Previous series like Ultraman Max and Mebius, feature the kind of squibed flame bursts and smoke effects that you would see at a kiss concert to recreate laser beam impacts or car explosions. In the end, all that this really achieves is making the show a little less plastic. The truth is, this is terrible television.
But so what? Ultraman has all the same superficial charms as Power Rangers. The target audience is ten year old boys, but the show can still be enjoyed if you are a bit older; Most of it is eye candy. There is a hidden 'cuteness' factor to Ultraman that often gets over looked but is part of the appeal. Deep down we accept that all the monsters, and Ultramen look like oversized versions of the toys we used to love. The Heroes wear matching spiffy leather uniforms that look like they came right out of the box and ready for a cosplay convention. Their armoured vehicles look like Hot Wheels, in all their NASCAR coloured glory., and their laser guns are the kind that every ten year old boy wants to shoot.
Each episode sees large portions of city turned to rubble but the beginning of the next episode always feels like a brand new day. There is never any emotional impact from what preceded or even any sign that previous damage has been done. Ultraman faces off his enemies in the same miniaturized set over and over, with occasional changes in scenery. It's all very much like a day dream, that recurs over and over. Once you've seen one episode, you've seen pretty much all of them.
