pjbooks Chapter 449 Old Tang: New Ao Debuts, These Special Effects Are Top-Notch
Chapter 449 Old Tang: New Ao Debuts, These Special Effects Are Top-Notch
As expected, Blue Planet sparked a heated discussion in the tokusatsu (special effects) community.
after a while.
When the number of paying users for this online movie reaches a new stage.
The account of the content creator "Poisonous Tongue Lao Tang" was updated on time with a 30-minute in-depth analysis and review video.
The video title still uses the familiar formula of piggybacking on others' popularity:
Spoiler Alert! A steal at six dollars! In-depth analysis of the entire Cosmos movie! Major revelations about the new Ultraman!
The screen was filled with bullet comments that completely overwhelmed the video.
[The episode with the fastest internet speed.]
Seeing how diligent Lao Tang is, I'm undoubtedly excited.
Even the donkeys in the production team wouldn't dare rest like you!
Just finished watching the movie for the second time, and I felt there were some plot points I didn't understand. It's even better with Lao Tang's analysis!
[Six yuan is such a great deal! This scene is absolutely breathtaking!]
The screen lit up, and Lao Tang appeared in front of the camera with slightly tired dark circles under his eyes, but his eyes were unusually excited.
"Brothers, esteemed viewers!"
Good morning, good afternoon, everyone! This is Lao Tang!
"Just last night, that old scoundrel Gu served us another truly impressive dish!"
Have you all seen "Ultraman Cosmos: Blue Planet"?
"As usual, let's not keep you in suspense and get straight to the overall impression!"
Old Tang gave a thumbs up to the camera.
"The special effects are absolutely amazing!"
"Absolutely the hottest thing ever!"
"Whether it's the choreography of the action scenes or the sense of destruction in the large-scale scenes, it's a clear leap ahead of the low-quality online movies currently on the market."
"Your brother Nan really made us eat too well!"
"As for the plot, although it is generally decent, the pacing is a bit too tight."
"While it may be slightly inferior to the peak of Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Gaia in terms of core depth, it is definitely above average."
"It could even be described as a truly excellent popcorn blockbuster!"
The screen behind Lao Tang began playing the opening scene of the movie.
Then a spoiler warning sign was placed next to it.
"First, let's talk about the film's impeccable visual spectacle."
"Gu Nan has reached an unparalleled level of mastery in combining virtual rendering engines with live-action shooting."
The image depicts the horrific state of Juran, a planet transformed into a dead planet, with its cracked earth and endless yellow sand.
"Look closely at this opening. Comet Juran, which first appeared in episode 10 of the TV series, later became a vibrant planet, but was tragically destroyed here."
"That poor guardian beast Parastan, who was already possessed by Chaos's head and turned into a muscular man in the TV series, suffered even worse this time, getting blasted into a pile of charcoal. A pure extra's treatment!"
"And the cosmic monster that caused all this, Scobis, is named after the English word for the constellation Scorpio."
"According to the specifications, it is 54 meters tall and weighs 61,000 tons."
"This biological weapon that spreads death has a unique ability: to release destructive light blasts that can turn the earth into a desert."
"Next up is the first appearance of the Gaussian Cosmic Corona Mode!"
Old Tang deliberately slowed down the video, showing everyone frame by frame: "The silver and purple color scheme has lost some of the wildness of the original TV series, but has gained a sense of unfathomable spatial oppression and a strong sense of technology."
"Come on, let's take a look at the settings: As a combat form in outer space, the Cosmic Corona can absorb energy from outer space as a source of power. To put it bluntly, in space, it's a super cheat code that doesn't consume any mana!"
"Faced with this monster, Gauss didn't waste any words and directly used the End Ring Ray, which is a super-powered version of the Nebuster Ray, to physically exorcise it."
"This swift and decisive sale is truly stress-relieving!"
[The Cosmic Corona is so cool! I wonder if it's a limited edition.]
Is Cosmos currently the Ultraman with the most forms?
[To deal with such a irrational killing machine, there's no point in trying to reform it; cremation is the most appropriate choice.]
Master Gao: Buddha is merciful, but even Buddha has anger. The moment the main account's password is logged in, the villain is instantly offline.
[The story starts with the death of the guardian beast Parastan; that's pretty cruel of the plot.]
"But brothers, this is just an appetizer."
"When the plot moves to Earth and into the deep sea, that's when the real visual feast begins."
"Here's a brief background setting: two years have passed since the TV series finale."
"Our protagonist, Comrade Musashi, finally achieved his dream of becoming an outstanding astronaut, and his parents went to Northeast China to run a farm."
"He got caught up in this crisis by mistake because he was going to attend his old classmate's wedding."
The video seamlessly cuts to the scene of the submarine entering the underwater tunnel.
"This time, the crew not only went all out with special effects, but also used top-notch locations."
"In order to showcase the theme of 'the courage to not succumb to destruction,' the production team still traveled to Saipan for location shooting."
"Come and see this underwater world known as the 'Blue Zone.' A huge, transparent dome, outside which swim schools of brightly colored deep-sea fish."
"The interior features futuristic architecture and metal corridors that far surpass the current technological level of Earth."
"There's something I have to rave about here. If you go check out the behind-the-scenes footage recently released by Light Chaser Animation Studios, you'll see that the actors and crew actually had diving licenses for this underwater scene."
"This was filmed personally while scuba diving, not just a couple of green screen photoshopped together!"
"This Atlantis-like lost civilization setting, combined with top-notch rendering technology, really shows how much money was spent."
"Can you believe this is just a six-yuan online movie?"
[This underwater footage, with added effects, is wallpaper-worthy; the spotlight really knows how to handle large-scale scenes.]
The entire art team at Light Chaser Animation Studios is phenomenal!
[Those with thalassophobia say they both enjoy and fear watching it.]
"Now that we've talked about the stunning special effects, let's calm down and discuss the plot and character development."
Old Tang's expression turned serious, and he leaned forward slightly.
"Besides showcasing technical skills, the director also hid a ton of Easter eggs in the film. Did you guys spot them?"
"The girl Xiao, who transforms into a mermaid underwater, is actually played by the Red Ball Girl from the Ultraman Gaia movie 'Super Time Battle'!"
"Is it a kind of collaboration? Hmm... a dream collaboration?!"
"The SEA team (Marine Team), which is dedicated to protecting sea monsters in the defense force, is also re-employed."
"Hidden inside are members of Ultraman Tiga, Dyna, and Gaia!"
"This is full of nostalgia, it's truly a celebration for longtime fans."
"But it's also possible that your brother Nan is too lazy to find new actors!"
Old Tang released footage of the Jiaxi aliens Xiao and Ren.
"The core discussion this time remains 'life' and 'coexistence'."
"Xiao and Jin's home planet, Jiaxi, was ruthlessly destroyed because it had a desert environment that the cosmic demon Saint Delos liked."
"At first, the alien guy Ren was extremely hostile to humans. He believed that humans were very selfish and would bring disaster to them once they knew about the existence of the Blue Zone."
"However, this guy is quite skilled. He used the K2 radio waves unique to the Earth monster Rega to develop the K2 electromagnetic shield to protect the Earth."
"By the way, the Earth monster Reiga that merged with Akatsuki was originally a ray."
"It was originally designed to be 53 meters tall and weigh 4 tons!"
"After combining, it directly transforms into a bipedal combat form, increasing its height to 72 meters and its weight to 59,000 tons, just like the evolution of Pokémon from the neighboring Nintendo."
"So, how did our protagonist, Haru Musashi, react to Jin's hostility?"
"He didn't preach with those empty and grandiose theories, but instead took Xiao's hand directly."
Old Tang quoted a line from the movie with great emotion:
"Holding hands like this allows you to feel each other's body temperature, right?" "We humans use this method to tell others that we have no hostile intentions."
"This is Musashi's personal charm. He melted the ice in the alien's heart little by little with the purest sincerity and kindness."
"After all, as his father said, 'If you believe, your dreams will come true.'"
Musashi's emotional intelligence is truly high; he deserves to be Ultraman.
[Holding hands with an alien girl directly—what a role model! I've learned something!]
[Jin was initially a grumpy guy who disliked humans at every turn, but he eventually won them over with Musashi's persuasive words.]
"Moreover, the film excels in its portrayal of Musashi's growth."
The scene shifts to the beach of South Moon Island, where Scobis is rampaging, and Musashi is holding up the Blue Glow Stone but unable to transform.
"The scene where he loses the power of Gauss is arguably the most heart-wrenching and crucial turning point in the entire series."
"When the miraculous blue light burst like a soap bubble, Musashi discovered that all those breathtaking counterattacks were just fantasies born of his despair."
"He didn't collapse or just wait to die."
Instead, he decisively grabbed a standard-issue weapon and used a human flashbang to attack Scobis, saving Rega and Akatsuki.
"When Xiao pulled out the bomb, his face filled with determination, wanting to perish together with the monster."
"Musashi uttered that resounding line: 'Sacrificing one's life for a temporary victory is not true protection. Only by living can one see hope.'"
[This scene, without the Giant of Light, was actually the most moving to me.]
[A mortal body, yet standing shoulder to shoulder with the divine. This is the awareness and soul that a human being should possess!]
[Haru Musashi has fully matured; he is no longer the reckless boy who only knew how to rely on Gauss's power.]
It's easy to want to die; you can just close your eyes and it's over. But the hardest thing is to want to live and protect the people around you.
The video's pace suddenly quickened, and the background music changed to an extremely rousing battle symphony.
"Next comes the most thrilling and adrenaline-pumping climax of the entire film!"
"The Scobis army is pressing in, and twenty monsters have turned into suicide bombs. The K2 electromagnetic shield, which the defense forces had high hopes for, was instantly destroyed by the suicide attack."
"The Earth Defense Force's leadership has once again demonstrated their traditional skill in the face of an alien crisis—only capable of helpless, furious humiliation."
"Once the horse is finished, it belongs to the family!"
"However, sharp-eyed brothers will surely have noticed that these three high-ranking officers of the defense force are all old acquaintances:"
"Captain Megumi from Ultraman Tiga, Captain Dyna's captain, oh, and even Vice-Captain Munakata!"
"Several generations of ace captains appearing together and getting thrashed, the scene is just too beautiful."
"But! At this critical moment, who came to the rescue?"
"Youth Elite Team!"
"Our forever EYES team is back in full force!"
In the scene, Captain Haruka, Kazefuki, Mizuha, and Tsuchikage pilot the familiar Tektronix, weaving through dense barrages with incredible maneuverability.
"Faced with the sarcastic rebuke from the high command of the defense force, Captain Haruko's protective words were absolutely electrifying:"
"He was an important comrade who fought alongside us to protect our great dream of monsters!"
[Tears welling up! Team EYES are forever legends! This performance had its own background music!]
[Captain Qingguang's sense of security is off the charts.]
The bonds between us are so beautifully portrayed; everyone's hearts are forever connected.
"And in the ruins of South Moon Island, Musashi, in response to the desperate little boy's call, once again took out that dim brilliance stone."
"This time, in the extreme despair of Rega being shot down and Ren's fate unknown, he let out a scream that tore everything apart."
Old Tang captured the most intense scene during the climax of the transformation:
"The corona above the sun throbbed wildly, and the crimson phantom of the sun rose above the ruins."
"Ultraman Cosmos, Eclipse Mode, descends with a deafening roar amidst dazzling light!"
"A perfect blend of kindness and strength! He blasted the monster in mid-air with a single punch right from the start, showcasing the beauty of sheer power—he doesn't reason with you at all!"
[Starting with an eclipse pattern, Master Gao is truly determined to kill!]
The scene composition and lighting during this transformation give me goosebumps every time I see it!
[The Grand Cycle's form is utterly unreasonable, its main characteristic being a powerful, explosive force, like a brick flying through the air—a physical deterrent!]
"But the real show is just beginning."
"The cosmic demon Saint Deros, which destroyed the planet Garcia, has finally revealed its disgusting true colors."
"This thing is a full 67 meters tall and weighs 85,000 tons. Its shape is like a huge tree that has been severely polluted and mutated."
"Three horns like tree branches grew from the base of his neck, and his chin was split into four petals like flower petals, filled with sharp teeth."
"This design is groundbreaking!"
"Its immense energy and red-black psychic attack directly caused the indicator light of Eclipse Gauss to flash red wildly with a single blow."
"Just as Saint Delos was about to unleash a devastating fireball to instantly kill the bound Gauss."
Old Tang paused deliberately.
Immediately afterwards, the screen was filled with an extremely dazzling golden light.
"Guys! The climax of the whole movie is coming!"
"The big reveal of the new Ultraman!"
"Amidst that dazzling and sacred golden light, the legendary giant Ultraman Justice makes his grand entrance with unstoppable force!"
The image freezes on Justice's rugged armor, a blend of silver and red and black.
Old Tang stroked his chin and began to offer an objective evaluation:
"First of all, Justice's design is outstanding."
"His English etymology—Justice, as the name suggests, means 'justice' in English."
"Your name is the complete opposite of Master Gao's!"
"It follows the same naming logic as Gaia and Agul back then!"
"His facial design pays homage to the classic Ultraman Seven, and the rugged red and black interwoven armor pattern on his body should also be inspired by Seven."
"I have to say, the old thief is really a die-hard fan of Seven. The spin-off he made for Seven before was also a masterpiece."
"And Justice's fighting style, characterized by its wide-ranging and purely violent aesthetics, is very captivating."
"As soon as he appeared, he transformed into the fastest flash charging power bank in the entire universe. He grabbed Gauss's hand and instantly restored Gauss's red light to a full blue light."
"In the subsequent battle between the two Olympians, Gauss even hurled Justis like a boomerang, smashing it into the 85,000-ton Saint Delos."
"This long take action scene is full of fluid movements, every punch feels real, and the tension is absolutely at its peak."
"Finally, facing Saint Delos's shameless 'Dark Space' tactic of releasing black mist, the two flew into the sky in perfect unison."
"Gauss's Kizmüm ray and Justice's Bikutolum ray have merged perfectly!"
"A thick beam of combined energy blasted the rotten tree into cosmic dust."
"The performance, the special effects—the exhilaration was off the charts!"
The clash between the two Olympic teams was absolutely electrifying, the budget was practically burning through!
[Gauss: Bro, this power bank of yours is really useful; it can even be used as a boomerang.]
Saint Delos is a complete paper tiger; despite his large size, he's an easy target in close combat with absolutely no armor.
Old Tang suddenly changed his tone, his voice carrying a hint of rigorous criticism: "However! As a professional tokusatsu plot analysis YouTuber, I must point out some flaws in the narrative of this movie."
"Aside from the fact that the appearance of the new Ultraman Justice was like a deus ex machina savior with little foreshadowing."
"There's another thing that I find very puzzling: the movie's main theme is clearly protecting the monster."
"But Rega, a monster born on Earth, is treated entirely as a tool and weapon in the film, and can even be used as a suicide bomb when necessary, ultimately meeting a tragic end."
"Ultraman Cosmos finally displayed the miraculous superpower 'Miracle Realization' and restored the building on South Moon Island."
"The fact that they didn't even give Rega a resurrection coin is a bit of a hellish joke."
"This is definitely a deliberate ploy by your brother Nan!"
The comments section was filled with agreement, but also with anticipation.
Tang is right, it really felt like I was just passing by and helping out casually.
[A monster's life matters too, Master Gao is being unfair!]
[But as long as he's handsome, that's all that matters! Being incredibly strong is all that matters, why ask for so much more!]
[Didn't Old Tang say earlier that he was looking forward to what would happen next? Old Gu always has a backup plan; he never acts without reason!]
Old Tang glanced at the scrolling comments and gave a knowing smile:
"That's right! Everyone in the comments is absolutely right!"
"Not only do the issues with the monsters and the plot need to be resolved, but the mysteries surrounding Justice also need to be solved!"
"And everyone, please don't forget that 'Ultraman Cosmos VS Justice: The Final Battle' will be released online on the 20th of next month!"
"Since the title clearly states VS, it means that there will inevitably be an earth-shattering conflict between these two different Ultramen."
"Therefore, I dare to assert here that Justice's somewhat abrupt transition in 'Blue Planet' is definitely a deliberate use of ambiguity by Gu Nan!"
"The second theatrical film will definitely flesh out his character much more thoroughly!"
I can't wait to see the next episode, please bring it up quickly!
[A suddenly prolific thief.]
[Hopefully the next one will maintain this level of quality.]
As the video neared its end, Lao Tang's smile faded, and he delivered a final, in-depth summary.
"Just like Musashi said to Jin in the sunset, it's because everyone has rediscovered trust, hope, and the bond of mutual understanding."
"This is the core spirit of Ultraman Cosmos. He not only has the strong power to eliminate all evil, but also the supreme power of love to nurture life and rebuild homes."
Old Tang gave a big thumbs up to the camera.
"In conclusion, Ultraman Cosmos: Blue Planet is a sincere and excellent work whose flaws do not outweigh its merits."
"The special effects are top-notch in the industry, and the fight scenes are exhilarating. The new Ultraman design is stunning, and it cleverly leaves plenty of suspense."
"For just six yuan, you get a truly exceptional audio-visual feast that lasts over an hour! It's absolutely great value!"
"This is Lao Tang. See you in the next video, or the next movie!"
The video playback officially ended with a signature dynamic transition animation.
Various recommendations for related tokusatsu videos and prompts for a like, comment, and share immediately popped up on the screen.