FanFare

Ken Sato, a superstar baseball player who returns to Japan to become the latest hero to carry the mantle of Ultraman. [more inside]
posted by ursus_comiter on Jun 27, 2024 - 3 comments

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the franchise, this 10-episode series is a darker reimagining of one of its most popular iterations (especially if you count its international footprint), Kamen Rider Black. (wiki) The series follows a loner named Kotaro Minami against the backdrop of a world where kaijins are fighting for their right to exist. Available worldwide on Amazon Prime.
posted by cendawanita on Nov 5, 2022 - 3 comments

As the threat of giant unidentified lifeforms known as "S-Class Species" worsens in Japan, a silver giant appears from beyond Earth's atmosphere. Released in Japan in May 2022, it has begun wide international release beginning September. Not sure about North America.
posted by cendawanita on Oct 5, 2022 - 10 comments

Non-threating, clunky robots from space invade Japan, and the country's only defense is a bunch of children and Space Chief. The robots turn into women, but their threat level does not increase measurably. Satellite News identifies this as another of the worst movies MST ever did, where a lot of the humor comes from the suffering of the riffers. There are a lot of little moments to watch for, like Tom Servo's "Song About Stock Footage," him saying "Just when I think I've seen the worst movie ever made, along comes the WORST movie EVER MADE!", Mike and Crow just wandering out of the theater at one point, and a number of excellent host segments including Noh Theater, Roji Panty Complex, the return of Krankor, and Crow's Letter To Japan. Oh, and the sudden and unexplained presence of the Hitler Building. Despite all of that, I'd say this one of tough going. In the subplot, an amnesiac Bobo is revealed to be the "Mad Goth," who gets his memory back just in time to get him, Pearl and Brain Guy captured at the end of the episode. YouTube Premiered October 11, 1997. [more inside]
posted by JHarris on Oct 4, 2017 - 9 comments

Emi and Ullr talk shop at a bar while Earth-chan, the Sputnik-like superhero, races past their window to confront Judas, a superhuman recently released from prison. Judas is at that moment meeting Kikko, assigned with bringing him to the Superhuman Bureau's office. Kikko's next assignment is to open discussions with the seemingly temperamental Earth-chan. [more inside]
posted by ardgedee on Nov 15, 2015 - 4 comments

In Year 44, Fuurota encounters some past acquaintances while following Jiro, who is no longer with the Bureau. And on June 30, Year 41, the Beatles played at the Budokan. [more inside]
posted by needled on Nov 12, 2015 - 1 comment

In year 42, Yoshimura and Fuurota are in the southern islands of Japan searching for the carcass of a beast the U.S. military is said to have abandoned. Meanwhile, student unrest is being whipped up against superhumans, the flames being fanned by various agents. [more inside]
posted by ardgedee on Nov 1, 2015 - 12 comments

Year 14: On a tropical island, Professor Hitoyushi encounters GaGon, a monstrous ape-like creature, for the first time. Three years later, Americans are shown trying to confront GaGon with their own superheroes. Twelve years after that, a Japanese city is fleeing the attacks of a different monster, and Prof Hitoyushi retrieves a young Jiro lying passed out on a river bridge. And in year 41, a proliferation of monsters becomes a problem when Japan's primary defender against them has left. [more inside]
posted by ardgedee on Oct 29, 2015 - 3 comments

In Shinka year 47, an expat stranded for 27 years returns to a hero's welcome. In year 41, a string of bombings that leave no evidence, targeting Yatsuka Heavy Industry, attract the attention of both the Superhuman Bureau and the cyborg Inspector Shiba. Each has their own personal reasons for interest in the attacks.
posted by ardgedee on Oct 27, 2015 - 7 comments

Fuurota, a ghost boy, transforms into a bird and frees a colorful beetle before a black fog descends. The Superhuman Bureau retrieves him later and informs him that they're going to be responsible for watching him. [more inside]
posted by ardgedee on Oct 24, 2015 - 12 comments

Jiro Hitoyushi, a 1970s-era sentai type superhero, recruits Kikko Hoshino, a 2000s-era magical girl type superhero at her day job as a cafe waitress, to aid him in thwarting a major scientist's collaboration with industrial spies. Five years later, Jiro is fleeing Kikko and Fuurota on a train while the non-superheroes around them protest. An interesting spin on one of the premises of Moore and Gibbons' "Watchmen": What kind of world would it be where various forms of magic, monsters, aliens and robots can coexist? [more inside]
posted by ardgedee on Oct 22, 2015 - 17 comments

Alfonso finds himself dealing with a group of thieves led by the Thief Knight Gaspard, and learns legends may not be be telling the actual story. He continues being aided by Germán against Horrors. León continues adjusting to farm life, and accidentally runs into Ema.
posted by needled on Jan 17, 2015 - 0 comments

León is discovered by a farm girl, whose family takes in León and nurses him back to health. Meanwhile Alfonso must deal with reconstruction efforts in Santa Bard, as well as fighting Horrors. Garm remains as unhelpful as ever. [more inside]
posted by needled on Jan 10, 2015 - 0 comments

León succumbs to Mendoza's machinations while Alfonso battles the Horror summoned by Mendoza. Alfonso makes a decision regarding Garo in order to protect Santa Bard.
posted by needled on Dec 23, 2014 - 0 comments

In the castle, Alfonso, León, and Germán encounter Bernardo, who is only interested in fighting Germán. While Germán and Bernardo confront each other, Alfonso and León venture deeper into the castle in search of Mendoza.
posted by needled on Dec 16, 2014 - 2 comments

Alfonso and León join forces due to their shared goal of freeing Valiante from Horrors. Alfonso is introduced to Ema and Germán. Germán misunderstands his relationship to Alfonso, which leads to his reminiscing about his younger days with Anna and Bernardo. Meanwhile, Alfonso prepares a plan for attacking the castle. News of Rafael's death leads Mendoza to remember the origins of his rift with the Makai Order.
posted by needled on Dec 16, 2014 - 2 comments

Rafael sends Alfonso to fight the Chimera of Orvien as the final test to become a Makai Knight. León also decides to fight the same Horror and runs into Alfonso along the way. While fighting the Horror together, Alfonso finds out León is Garo. The Horror proves to be too powerful for the two, when Rafael appears to provide assistance.
posted by needled on Nov 29, 2014 - 3 comments

Germán rescues a woman from some thugs, and ends up losing his clothes, money, and fighting a Horror, in addition to being pursued by guards. Ema informs Germán of León's defeat at the hands of the Black Knight. They discuss the possibility that León may not be worthy of the Garo armor. León runs into his naked father upon his return to town and throws a bag of money at Germán's face.
posted by needled on Nov 23, 2014 - 3 comments

León is pursued by the Knighthood of the Black after the innkeeper's wife mistakes him for Prince Alfonso and reports him. In the subsequent fight with the Black Knight, León has to be rescued by Ema, but the Black Knight interferes with the rescue attempt. León wakes up in an unfamiliar neighborhood, where people call him Pepe, and his own memories are fuzzy. He learns the local church selects children to send to a place called Lograja, but things may not be as they seem.
posted by needled on Nov 16, 2014 - 2 comments

Germán and León finally arrive in Santa Bard, Valiante's capital, where León was born and his mother perished at the stake. While gathering information, Germán befriends blacksmith Jordi whose son recently died while trying out to join the Knighthood of the Black. Meanwhile Ema rescues León at the market. Ema and Germán exchange information about the Knighthood of the Black and determine it is composed of Horrors. Mendoza is aware of the presence of a Makai Knight and a Makai Alchemist in the city. The Black Knight, who heads the Knighthood of the Black, offers to take care of the situation.
posted by needled on Nov 9, 2014 - 6 comments

Prince Alfonso learns about his origins and Makai Knights from Rafael Banderas, the man who rescued him from an attack by Horrors sent by Mendoza. Rafael is the Makai Knight Gaia, and a friend of the previous Garo. Rafael agrees to teach Alfonso the ways of the Makai Knights in order to protect the kingdom of Valiante from the Horrors and Mendoza. [more inside]
posted by needled on Nov 1, 2014 - 12 comments