While the Ultraman franchise has carved out a clear plan for worldwide exposure over the past few years, there were times where it ran the risk of being a little too predictable for longtime fans. Then following a string of series where paying tribute to the past seemed to be a primary factor (whether it be the gimmicks and continuity of the New Generation Heroes or the "reimagining" approach of Trigger  and Decker ), Ultraman Blazar came along and tore up the playbook - featuring a fresh take on its hero that wasn't quite as tied to the show's history. And though its now firm tradition for an Ultraman series to end with a big screen movie adventure, Ultraman Blazar the Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown is similarly unfazed by its predecessors. Though released in Japan back in February 2024, unlike other recent Ultraman movies this was not made available worldwide through Ultraman Connection  - with English-speaking fans having to wait for the recent complete series blu-ra...

Release Date: December 2023 RRP: 9900 yen Ultraman Blazar took something of a "back to basics" approach when it came to its titular hero, and one aspect of that was a heavy reduction in the number of alternate forms he has. While from a show perspective this was definitely a breath of fresh air, it does of course leave Bandai with a lot less options when it comes to toys. Luckily to balance this Blazar also featured a companion mecha - something that has become a staple in the past few years of Ultraman. So this means instead of multiple Blazar we instead have a much quicker release for S.H. Figuarts Earth Garon , the second Figuarts release from the series and the first support mecha to be a retail release.

After 25th anniversary celebrations of both Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna in the form of Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga and Ultraman Decker , it was fair to assume that Ultraman Gaia would receive similar treatment for the Ultraman series in 2023. However Tsuburaya Productions aren't always that predictable, and after director Kiyotaka Taguchi ( Ultraman X , Ultraman Orb , Ultraman Z ) decided that replicating a show as good as Gaia was a near-impossible task, he instead sought to create a brand new series from the ground up. That series was Ultraman Blazar , the 35th entry in the Ultra Series and fifth to be produced in the Reiwa era. As has been the case for the last few years Blazar was simulcast worldwide via the official Ultraman YouTube channel , but this time TsuPro went one step further. In addition to simulcast subtitles in a variety of languages, English (starring Power Rangers alumni Johnny Yong Bosch in the lead role), Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Taiwanese Ma...

Release Date: November 2023 RRP: 7150 yen For the last few years both Ultraman and Kamen Rider fans have been able to enjoy the newest (titular) S.H. Figuarts releases at a lower price than what Bandai Tamashii Nations usually demand, meant to act as a sort of "gateway" entry to a new range and entice collectors to pick up more. Sure said releases are usually missing key accessories that end up getting packed in with other releases, but if you were planning to pick up more than one character anyway it's not a bad money saving opportunity. However those days might just be coming to an end though, with both the latest entries from both franchises bucking that trend. With the forthcoming Kamen Rider Gotchard it's likely due to that chrome finish, but with S.H. Figuarts Ultraman Blazar it's a little less obvious. One of the last Ultraman releases for 2023, this retail release is more along the lines of your average S.H. Figuarts purchase. Is there enough here to just...

While the " New Generation Series " era of Ultraman has been pivotal in helping Tsuburaya Productions re-establish the franchise as a major player in both Japan and the rest of the world, there's no denying that it's lost the lustre it once had. While the overall quality of the shows remain high, the look and feel of the shows have become formulaic. Even shows like Ultraman Trigger and Ultraman Decker , both of which were supposed to harken back to Ultraman' s return in the 1990s, didn't feel all that removed from their recent predecessors. Clearly TsuPro have recognised this themselves as well, which is why for the 2023 instalment of the franchise they seem to be going back to basics. Ultraman Blazar has arrived, with fans worldwide once again able to watch the series legally via TsuPro's official YouTube channel or the Ultraman Connection website. Additionally for the very first time, the series will be available with an English dub released simultane...