We are still at the midway point for Ultraman Geed, but we are now on the clip-show episode! In recent years, series either focus on single episode to compile the first half, rather than being a last minute catch-up. However, if one saw Ultraman X, he or she was met with three to four clip-shows, after every seven episodes. Never the less, they were not the great… Yet, this one here may have ended the curse of the terrible clip-shows!
Summary:
REM explains the Crisis Impact, as Riku and Pega play baseball indoors. REM attempts to stop Riku, but he ignores the claim. This leads to Riku and Pega damaging REM. Meanwhile Moa meets with Reito and Ultraman Zero. Zero explains they found Belial’s hideout, but did not encounter him. Zero tries to convince Moa to get AIB to bring in Geed for further assistance. However, Moa tries to deal with the fact Riku is still Ultraman Geed. Whereas, back at the Nebula House, Laiha insists they should feed the lost data back into REM’s data bank!
To recover the lost data, Riku begins to narrate the story of their early adventures. Riku obviously starts with who he met REM and became Ultrama Geed. Riku then follows up by explaining Ultraman Geed’s various forms, and abilities. Soon Reito appears, and Zero takes over to explain his backstory since joining Riku. However, Zero’s ego proves to be too much, as Pega stops him from going into his entire past. Laiha then begins to question the anomalies known as the Little Stars, and their connectivity to the Ultra Capsules.
The discussion about the Little Stars leads our heroes to talk about Kei Fukuide, and his part in Belial’s plan. REM shuts down during their discussion, and Riku believes REM is gone. However, after a “simple reboot,” REM reveals it was just a ploy to teach Riku a lesson. With everything settled with REM, Riku asks Reito why he came by. Reito now in control of his own body, explains he met with AIB and Moa, which interests and enrages Laiha. This leads to Laiha throwing a huge stuffed animal at Riku, but he avoids it only for it to hit REM…
My Thoughts:
This is one of the few clip-show episodes that I have ever seen present itself as something necessary to the overall plot. In addition, the episode does not use all the footage directly for the intended use to repair REM, but to deal with characters’ inner turmoil. For example, the episode does not start off with Riku, Pega, or Laiha feeding REM the story of how they came to meet; the first flashback literally jumps back to past three episodes with Zero searching for Belial, and Moa discovering Riku is Ultraman Geed. However, as time goes on these personal flashbacks become confined to our cast being located within the Nebula House. Having a majority of the cast in the same location is a regular thing for any clip-show, so I cannot entirely fault it. Yet, starting with Moa, and Reito/ Zero meeting up for a debriefing made the episode feel fresh. It changed the normal aesthetic of a clip-show.
Other changes with the format of the clip-show was the presentation, and means for its use. Having an amnesia-like plot is not entirely uncommon, but presenting it as a loss of data for a computer/ A.I. sounds very modern or realistic. Then having the cast recount their history together in a refined order of priority than chronological order seemed poetic. I personally feel that the presentation is an effortless way to obtain new viewers without entirely spoiling the preceding episodes’ individual plots. The most that it spoiled was the more recent episodes pertaining to Ultraman Geed Magnificent (Episodes 11 & 12). Now, the ending being revealed to be a method to teach Riku and Pega “a valuable lesson” was just a little ironic, but comedically appealing; especially since the mistake was loosely repeated due to Laiha’s own temper, rather than Riku’s own hijinks.
Never the less, it is a clip-show episode that will not disappoint viewers, and may bring a new audience. I loved how it managed to focus around the aspects of Ultraman Geed, the Ultra Capsules, and some of the story thus far. It left out some elements to make possible new viewers maybe want to go back, and learn more about what was presented. Furthermore, I am glad the episode explained what power the kid got from the Ultraseven Ultra Capsule/ Little Star, which even I could not originally identify. Yet, I now look forward to the next two episodes as it features the mysterious new kaiju, Zegan the Interdimensional Destruction God. In addition, the episodes guest star, Hiroki Suzuki (Geki Red), as Alien Shadow Kuroto. These two elements will surely intensify the final half of Ultraman Geed… Also, do not forget Mayu is Ultraman Zero’s daughter; she is not Reito’s daughter…
