Ultraman Teo Episode 2, Welcome to the Astronomy Club, was another enjoyable watch. Picking up right where the premiere left off, we’re introduced to Pucchi, the mysterious kaiju that emerged from a landing pod shortly before Vialoga’s arrival. We also get the first proper opening theme of the show! What’s standing out to me across the 2 episodes so far is the editing. It feels like something you’d get out of a comic book, but in the best way possible, it doesn’t feel distracting or overbearing. It’s refreshing to see. As the episode’s title says, we’re introduced to the Astronomy Club, the first look at our main ensemble cast of the show. I’m really loving what I’m seeing: the chemistry amongst the club feels natural, and their comedic timing lands well. The show balances humor with more serious moments seamlessly.
The subplot with Professor Minobe and Kyoko Shiga feels like their search for kaiju is setting up some intriguing developments for the show, especially for Kyoko. There’s something mysterious about her. A friend of mine shared a fan theory that Kyoko could maybe, just maybe be a secret survivor from Teo’s home planet. Unfortunately, the original post or discussion in which this theory originated from couldn’t be found, but it’s certainly something interesting to speculate on! If I remember correctly, this likely stemmed from the first episode, where one of the mysterious figures from the meeting asked if she is tracking Teo or knows his identity, and Kyoko noticeably took a fair amount of time answering the question. Whether it’s true, or if this is an incredible reach, it’s absolutely something I’ll keep my eye out for.
The action sequences are yet again very well-made. I love the use of low-angle shots, giving more size to Teo and Vialoga. The suit actor also does a great job at conveying Teo’s fear and hesitation through subtle body language, with Teo’s restrained movements making it feel as though he’s trying to avoid taking unnecessary damage while ending the conflict as soon as he can. It takes a special kind of talent to communicate such emotions through a motionless face. Every feeling needs to come through the body language alone, and that’s where I truly feel tokusatsu stands above almost anything else. Whether it’s Ultraman, Super Sentai, or Kamen Rider, I’ve seen tremendous suit actors bring characters to life with just posture, movement, and physical performance.
My only criticism at the moment is the ending; it did feel quite abrupt. I normally expect early episodes to find some form of resolution by the final scene, but instead, this cuts away while a major development is unfolding. That reaction is mostly on me rather than the episode, though. I’ve gotten so used to the classic episodic formula where everything is wrapped up at the end, so a cliffhanger like this is a big break from the norm. Truthfully, this one caught me off guard, as it’s not something tokusatsu shows regularly do within the first couple of episodes (at least from what I’ve seen). I found myself eager to go straight into the next episode already, so I was slightly disappointed in the ending. Regardless, the latest episode of Ultraman Teo has convinced me this show will be something worth following; I’m excited to see where the story takes this cast, and the twists and turns ahead.
