You can summarize Shin Ultraman thusly: in many of the shots taking place in the SSSP ofice, SSSP member Taki’s model of the USS Enterprise is proudly seen on his desk, surrounded by other models of cars and the vehicles from Thunderbirds. At the end of the day, what saves humanity is not advanced weaponry, technology, or even fisticuffs: it’s making the best of humanity being thrust into circumstances it isn’t prepared to face, and the best of humanity taking that little nudge to come together.
Much has been written and joked about with regards to Hideaki Anno and his passion for classic tokusatsu like Ultraman. Much has been said about his dedication to detail—such as Ultraman never originally having had a three-minute limit to his powers, or his original design not incorporating his Color Timer (neither of these details are in Shin Ultraman). But Anno’s true passion lies…
