Kosei Hoshimi is a ordinary young man who lives and works part-time at Taiyo warehouse. After he witnesses a humanoid-shaped meteorite fall to Earth, his life completely changes. Not only does he meet a strange man with amnesia, but a giant monster suddenly appears! After witnessing Kosei's kindness in the midst of a crisis, the stranger transforms in a giant and defeats the monster. Though he still does not remember who he is or where he came from, the stranger does however remember his name: Omega.
Adopting the name Sorato Okida, Omega lives alongside Kosei as the pair tries to recover his memories in a world that has never seen kaiju before. Together with research biologist Ayumu Ichido, they investigate these strange new creatures, while Omega continues to defend humanity against them - calling upon his own monster companions in times of need. But as the world rapidly begins to change and Sorato's past is revealed, will the world one day need to cope without its Ultraman?
After nearly six decades of storytelling, you would assume there aren’t many ways to mix up the traditional Ultraman format without some sort of radical departure. However Ultraman Omega found a way, asking the question “what would happen if Ultraman landed in a world with no prior experience of kaiju?” It’s an interesting place to start a series, and it’s one Omega handles to varying effect. For the first half of the series, the Earth is completely unequipped to deal with monster attacks – completely relying on its strange new hero as it gets to grips with the new status quo. The decision to not include a traditional defence team was a conscientious one, with director Takasue stating that they wished to give children a reprieve from visuals of armed forces in a time where they may be subject to news of actual conflicts happening around the world. Whilst incredibly admirable in its intentions, how much of its potential is actually realised onscreen is a different matter. Despite a promising start, Omega’s world doesn’t really feel all that different to the kind seen across the New Generation Ultraman shows. Once the threat of kaiju attacks has been established, the world kind of just gets on with it – and though the lack of a defence force is felt through the choice of stories, ultimately it doesn’t feel all that different to other series that have either lacked or featured scaled-down teams. A setting that evolves alongside our heroes is something Ultraman Omega strives for, and while the show’s ambition should be admired it’s a shame that it didn’t quite have the means (be it budget or time) to fully flesh that out.
So although the series is predominantly episodic in the same vein as most Ultra shows, the main narrative largely sits on the backburner in favour of more low-key character-driven stories. The halfway point offers a shake-up with some vague hints towards Omega's origins and the formation of the KSCT (Kaiju Special-Countermeasure Team) Special Task Unit, but following that it quickly returns to business as usual until all the big revelations are crammed into the last four episodes. The KSCT changes up the dynamic and offers slightly more focus for the subsequent stories, but the show's priorities remain the same. Even its trilogy of recap episodes centre around completely unrelated character Nariaki Akaji, who runs his own business on the floor above Taiyo warehouse. While there are some really strong emotional stories of varying tones on offer here (for example fifth episode "Miko and Mikoto" tells of a bittersweet relationship between a young girl and a kaiju, whilst episode 19 "Chasing the Starlight" is a loving tribute to the art of tokusatsu), by token of being an episodic series the quality is often uneven - and the lack of a solid thread, whether it be more stable worldbuilding or a more gradual reveal of Omega's past, further harms it.
That all said, there is method to how Ultraman Omega operates and that all becomes very clear as the show enters its endgame. Frustrating as its episodic nature can sometimes be, that slow burn makes the revelations that follow all the poignant and essential in rooting the series as a deeply personal story even as the stakes grow that much bigger. As with the previous two series Omega offers up its own unique lore for its Ultraman, and although its concept of "Space Gazers" isn't too far removed from the ideas presented in Shin Ultraman the execution is different enough to feel fresh and unique. These final few episodes are undoubtedly its finest, not just because they help make sense of everything that came before but in how they frame their conflict. While the end goal may be "defeat the monster" the same way it always is, the real crisis is one of the heart. Ultraman Omega examines the bonds between human and Ultra to intense degree, ending up in a very significant place in the process. This sadly in turn presents another problem in that the series ends up in a far more interesting place than it began, and whilst how it gets there is satisfying enough it also makes it feel like a prelude to something that will likely never come - especially as it seems the series won't be getting the usual follow-up movie either.
The other big question Ultraman Omega dares to pose viewers is "what if Ultraman were a jobless amnesiac?". Enter Sorato, our hero for the series. The show's biggest strengths lie in the portrayal of its two main protagonists, and actor Shori Kondo does an incredible job with Sorato - playing a character who can simultaneously feel wise beyond his years and a clueless goofball. Although the series could have done a better job teasing out his past gradually rather than cramming it all into the tail end, Sorato never stops being fun and even in his amnesiac state has a strong moral code suited to an Ultra hero. The way this is built up over the course of the show is especially important as his old memories begin to surface, and Sorato faces the ultimate crisis of consciousness. Not only is a distinction between Sorato and Omega drawn, but also one between Omega and "Ultraman" Omega - the title bestowed upon him by humanity. Sorato's realisation at the being he once was and the way he's pushed towards returning to it is gut-wrenching, with Kondo's acting truly capturing a man who's psyche has literally been fractured into two very different personalities. The time spent with humanity is always integral to an Ultraman's growth, but the order in which Omega lays it out is an interesting spin on the franchise fundamental.
Sorato wouldn't be half as good if he didn't have Kosei alongside him though, as it's the bond between these two characters that is the very foundation of Ultraman Omega. The series immediately stands out by featuring a human character that is as much of main character without being an Ultra himself, and in some ways his journey proves to be focus of the entire series. As well as being Sorato's closest friend and the one who teaches him about the joys of humanity (and perhaps most importantly of all, the food), Kosei is even part of the action through his control of the Meteokaiju - Omega's three monster companions and power-ups. Like Sorato he has a strong sense to do what's right, always going above and beyond his abilities. Not only is his heroism the catalyst for Omega to act in the very first episode, but it remains a key aspect in their relationship right through to the end. Again special mention should be given to actor Haruto Yoshida, who also excels in those final few episodes. If anything there's the sense that Kosei's story has only just begun, and the burning desire to see more of him and this world is both a credit to his development throughout the series and a frustrating note to go out on.
Unfortunately this focus on Sorato, Kosei and their relationship does have a knock-on effect though, in that despite Omega working with a smaller cast than usual everyone else are almost completely overshadowed by them. Completing the main trio of characters is biologist Ayumu “Ayu” Ichido, who begins working alongside the pair after encountering them during a kaiju investigation. While certainly a likeable character that fits in well with the rest of the cast, her purpose in the show often just feels like a means to an end. There isn’t a great deal of focus on her as a person outside of her scientific abilities, so most of the time she just feels like the obligatory smart character needed to move the plot along. The first half of the series sees Sorato and Kosei keep everything a secret from her, and then even after the episode quite literally titled “Ayu Finds Out” it doesn’t feel like all that much changes. Even the episode itself diverts itself away from some of the more awkward questions by throwing in a lost Pigmon plot thread. Even at the very end of the series, Kosei is still keeping secrets from her despite the connection she built with Sorato over the course of the show. Given that the show has three Meteokaiju it would have been easy to bring her into that aspect as well instead of solely leaving it to Kosei, and while the fact it doesn’t it isn’t all that surprising it is still disappointing. The same can also be said of KSCT squad leader Sayuki Uta, who joins the show midway through to draft the trio into her own special unit. Though wonderfully charismatic and surprisingly perceptive, Sayuki falls into the same trap as Ayu – another science girl to help move the story along, but this time with a level of authority to go with it. She also just comes and goes as she pleases, so never really feels properly integrated with the rest of cast despite having a great dynamic with all three of them (especially Ayu). It speaks volumes that the series finale is almost entirely centred around big moments between Sorato and Kosei, none of which Ayu and Sayuki are physically present for. Although side characters with more limited importance isn’t exactly a new thing for Ultraman, Omega’s smaller cast and more character-driven narrative offered plenty of opportunity for them to do more.
But when it comes to gimmicks, Tsuburaya show fans once more that if an idea has worked twice, then it’s worth doing for a third time as well. Jokes aside, Omega’s use of the Meteokaiju as armour power ups for Ultraman Omega feels unique enough to stand apart from the ones used in Blazar and Arc, even if is essentially just a more fleshed out version of the former. What separates them is the use of the kaiju as partners as well as just armours – working both as a way to incorporate Kosei into the fight scenes but also creating a parallel to Ultraseven (with whom Omega shares a number of similarities) in being a modern equivalent to his Capsule kaiju. While it’s a shame that both the Meteokaiju’s origins nor why they resonate with Kosei are never properly explored, the trio (Rekiness, Trigaron and Valgeness) boast some of the best monster designs in the show and for the most part feel like characters rather than just gimmicks. In fact Omega in general manages to never to feel too toyetic, despite its often-lengthy transformation sequences and miniature CGI versions of the kaiju based on their transforming toys. As such, they never outstay their welcome and if anything the show could have actually benefitted to incorporating them into the story more – especially as it wants to highlight the bonds with kaiju just as much as it does humans.
The Meteokaiju definitely lead the charge, but Omega also features plenty of other interesting new monsters to inhabit its previously kaiju-free world. Similarly to Arc the series feels very Showa-inspired in its approach, offering simple but effective designs that feel like they could work in any era of the franchise. Among these include the “burning kaiju” Graim, “Poison Sea Lizard” Dugrid, “Gravityless kaiju” Pegunos, “Cell Proliferation kaiju” Eldeghimera and Zomera – a new hybrid kaiju with elements from monsters both new and old. Taking place on a previously kaiju-less Earth means the show has a greater focus on Earth-based monsters, but this makes the appearance of alien threats all the more significant - the appearance of Zovaras being a turning point in the story. Though the latter half of the series begins to lean more on veteran monsters, Omega features an interesting range of classic creatures – with some notable appearances from original Ultraman alumni. As well as old favourites like Gomora, Gubila and Pigmon, Gabora continues to enjoy revitalisation fresh off its appearance in Shin Ultraman. Alligatortois returns once more following its surprise cameo in Arc, marking the first time the Ultra Q kaiju has ever faced off against an Ultra warrior. Along with appearances from Dyna, X, Blazar and Arc monsters, Omega continues the franchise tradition of pulling from its past as well as looking toward its future.
However action is sadly another area which Omega sadly falls short due to its budget limitations. While it’s worth noting that Tsuburaya are still very much masters of their craft and visually both the suits and sets look just as impressive as ever, there is a noticeable downgrade when it comes to the variety of sets used and the action sequences. The show very much opens on a high, with the first episode kicking off with a lavish and fast-paced CGI battle that is never really matched again. The designs of Omega’s armoured forms are all great, incorporating design elements of their respective Meteokaiju well whilst also featuring unique power sets. But the fights themselves are fairly basic by Ultraman standards, and outside of debut appearances are rarely a highlight of the episodes. That said, Sorato's battle with Zovaras' human form in "Omega Elimination Order" is an impressive piece of human-scaled action. While ultimately less action is more tolerable in more character-driven series like this, it is a shame that a series as ambitious as Omega had to take a hit so that Tsuburaya could recoup and prepare for (presumably) a far more extravagant 60th anniversary year. Particularly from, when at least viewed from the outside without any behind the scenes knowledge, Ultraman feels like it’s in a healthy place right now.
Ultraman Omega is a very ambitious series, offering an incredible dynamic between its two lead characters and one of the franchise’s strongest endgames in recent years. However while that ambition propels the series it also often leads to its downfall, and in lacking the means to fully realise it often leads to some of its more interesting developments not actually being part of the show itself. But what the series lacked in time and budget to develop its setting and supporting characters, it makes up for in heart and an interesting approach to the classic Ultraman story. Omega is Ultraman the long way round – something that makes the time spent with it satisfying despite its flaws.
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