si-mexico Chapter 94 Reverse Cultural Export: Conquering Showa Veterans
Chapter 94 Reverse Cultural Export: Conquering Showa Veterans
(Thanks to the amazing verification from Shuangyue Honghu-Chen Yeyan, I've added an extra chapter... I'm out of drafts!)
The excitement surrounding "Ultraman Star" has caused ripples not only in the Xia Kingdom.
This giant wave from "light" finally crossed the strait and crashed hard onto the birthplace of tokusatsu—Japan.
Neon lights, Tokyo.
For tokusatsu fans, the nightlife is just beginning late at night.
In this parallel world, due to the decline of tokusatsu (special effects) films, tokusatsu fans in Japan have long become a marginalized group.
The decline of Tsuburaya Productions has led many young people to view the "Ultraman" IP as something outdated in the eyes of their parents.
However, in the last few months, a strange wind blew in from the neighboring Xia Kingdom.
A tokusatsu series called "Ultraman Tiga" has become a hit in Japan's underground forums, Twitter, and the "wild reposting" sections of major video websites with an extremely aggressive attitude.
At first, the otaku in Japan were dismissive.
[The following is entirely in Japanese]
"Chinese people making Ultraman? Don't be ridiculous."
"Isn't this another one of those trashy companies that buys our outdated IP and uses a five-cent production budget to scam money?"
"I will absolutely not watch any work that doesn't have the soul of Tsuburaya Productions!"
"Wait a minute? Since when has China been able to provoke our Tsuburaya Productions?"
This is the first reaction of the vast majority of Japanese tokusatsu fans.
The Japanese tokusatsu (special effects) community has an extremely serious problem of "fundamentalists".
Most of these people grew up watching the original Ultraman series from 1966. In their hearts, the original Ultraman is a god, an absolutely inviolable sacred place.
Any deviation from the original design or any inaccuracy in the costume will invite their devastating criticism.
However, as time went on, the famous "law of true fragrance" was proven true once again in the Japanese archipelago.
From the first episode, "The Heirs of Light," to the later "The Devil's Judgment," and then to the tear-jerking "The Battle of Zelda Center"...
Everyone who saw it was stunned.
Tonight is the day when episode 49 will be released simultaneously with both the raw and unsubtitled versions.
Japanese amateur subtitling groups are now able to release subtitled (Japanese) versions in just three hours.
Although it has not been officially introduced, for passionate fans, language is not a barrier at all as long as there is love.
Moreover, this episode was already rumored to be a "tribute to Eiji Tsuburaya" during the preview stage by the director known as "Old Thief Gu".
YouTube, Virtual Streamer section.
A personal VTuber named "Nekomiya Mana" is currently streaming.
Her costume is that of an adorable girl with pink cat ears who usually talks about random things and games, but she also has a little-known identity—a hardcore tokusatsu otaku.
"Good evening, everyone~"
Mana Nekomiya's voice was full of energy, but her tone revealed an undisguised nervousness and anticipation. "Today... cough cough, we're going to have a special appreciation session."
Although it wasn't officially imported, I, Mana, just couldn't resist!
The number of viewers in the live stream is skyrocketing.
The number of people jumped from two or three thousand to over ten thousand in an instant, and is still increasing at a rate of several hundred people per second.
Bullet comments (still in Japanese):
[It's here! We've finally waited for this episode!]
[Is Mana-chan also a giant of light? Waaaa!]
[I heard that the Chinese director brought Eiji Tsuburaya back to life in this episode? Is that true?]
[Don't talk nonsense, this is a tribute to the god of tokusatsu!]
Although I'm a Showa-era fan, after watching the previous episodes, I admit that Ultraman Tiga was indeed well-made. However, I have reservations about this episode's homage to Eiji Tsuburaya.
Looking at the mixed comments in the live chat, Nekomiya Mana took a deep breath.
"Well then, without further ado, let's begin! Episode 49 – 'The Land of Ultra'!"
The video has started playing.
When the retro-styled 1965 street appeared on screen, the neon-lit viewers in the live stream were stunned.
This taste...
Could a director from China really have made this?
The grainy texture unique to the Showa era, the style of the street signs, and even the clothing of the pedestrians—if you didn't know this was a drama filmed in Japan in the 21st century, you would definitely think it was an old film reel dug out of the TBS television station's warehouse!
"The first country of Sri Lanka..."
Mana Nekomiya stared wide-eyed at the virtual screen. "This level of detail... was it really filmed by people from China? And that commentary on the Giants baseball game playing on the radio... is it the original 1965 audio?!"
【real or fake? 】
[The poster in the background is definitely a popular style from 40!]
[Did director Gu Nan travel through time to see this detail?]
[Waaaaah, seeing this street reminds me of the shopping street my grandpa used to take me to when I was little.]
[Was this filmed by someone from China? Huh? Wasn't this filmed by Tsuburaya Productions?]
The barrage of comments started to increase, mostly expressing amazement at the detailed recreation.
However, the real nuclear bomb was yet to come.
When the old man with glasses and an old suit—Eiji Tsuburaya—appeared on the screen and began to instruct Daigo on how to act "surprise."
The live stream fell into a brief silence.
Then came an explosive flood of posts!
That's...that's...
[No way?! This face?!]
[Kazuo Tsuburaya?! The president of Tsuburaya Productions?!]
They really do look alike... even their expressions and demeanor are similar...
[OMG! Casting their own grandson as the grandfather! Who came up with this idea? It's ingenious!]
[Ichifu-san's acting...that look in his eyes...oh my god!]
Although I've never met director Eiji in person, I've seen him in documentaries, and his passion for tokusatsu (special effects) is exactly the same!
Mana Nekomiya's voice trembled with tears: "Everyone... I'm starting to break down. They actually managed to get President Kazuo Tsuburaya to act in it himself... Director Gu Nan, he was really serious..."
at the same time.
The largest anonymous forum in Japan, the tokusatsu (special effects) section.
A thread titled "Discussion thread about episode 49 of the Chinese tokusatsu drama Ultraman Tiga" has been pushed to the top of the site's popularity chart.
This thread not only contains young fans like Nekomiya Mana, but also a large number of extremely picky and stubborn "Showa fundamentalists".
One of the users, whose ID is "Seven's Reading Glasses," is a notorious troll in the forum.
He is also a so-called "Showa era veteran," and he doesn't recognize any works that try to ride the wave of popularity or claim to be "tokusatsu," let alone this "knock-off" made by people from China.
It's said that a company in China created something called Superpower... Power King?
When he saw it, he couldn't help but start criticizing.
However, this one rant resulted in the deletion of his account in China...
Not only in China, but even in Japan, his posts were always full of hostility:
"Hmph, they're just using Kazuo Tsuburaya to sell nostalgia."
"What do people from Xia know about tokusatsu spirits?"
"I've seen it before; they just use computer-generated effects to create visuals, they have no idea what the charm of costumes and miniature models is!"
"Just watch, when the monster comes out, it'll definitely be one of those light and airy CG cutscenes, with no sense of weight at all."
However, when he saw Charigana's bizarre alien suit, and when the plot progressed to Lake Ryusei, the monster Yanagaki broke out of the water.
Seven's fingers hovered over the keyboard, unable to type anything.
On the screen, that monster...
It's a complete tokusatsu suit!
It was a real, solid leather case, full of rubber texture, and you could even see the wrinkles in the case!
It's even more exquisite than the ones made in Japan back then.
The monster's heavy footsteps pounded the earth, kicking up dirt and pebbles—all real footage!
Even the monster's slightly stiff but powerful movements perfectly replicate the style of the early Showa era!
"this……"
"Seven's Reading Glasses," a retired man in his sixties, was trembling as he took off his reading glasses and vigorously rubbed his eyes in front of the computer.
"This isn't CG...this is...this is real tokusatsu..."
"Youth is back"
He watched as Ultraman Tiga was utterly crushed by this Showa-era monster, saw Tiga's light energy being drained, and heard the urgent alarm.
That long-lost sense of tension, which only existed in childhood memories, was revived through the lens of a director from China.
"Keep it up..."
Unbeknownst to him, this veteran troll who had been spewing nonsense on the forum for decades was now whispering to himself like a child.
Coincidentally, his voice echoed the cheers of director Tsuburaya in the film…
……
Back to Mana's live stream.
The plot has now reached its climax.
Eiji Tsuburaya's will transformed into light, and the red "Ultra Star" shot into the sky.
The red orb of light slammed into the monster, instantly saving Tiga.
At this moment, the background music suddenly changed.
It was no longer Ultraman Tiga's battle theme, but instead became a simple brass melody with a strong Showa-era flavor.
The classic battle BGM from the first game begins to play.
Just as that red and silver figure emerged from the light...
Mana Nekomiya's virtual avatar even experienced a momentary data freeze—that was caused by the vibration from her virtual persona slamming her hand on the table in excitement.
"They're here!!!"
Mana Nekomiya screamed, completely disregarding her image as an idol, "It's him! That's...that's..."
She didn't need to say anything; the comments section had already gone completely crazy.
Just like the previous Bilibili live stream, when the first generation appeared, there were no dense texts obscuring the view, and the originally noisy barrage miraculously showed "white space".
In those few seconds, there were only a few scattered lines of text on the screen, as if everyone had forgotten to type, or couldn't bear to obscure that great figure with words.
【First generation...】
【Manny-san… (Brother Man)】
They're back, they're all back.
When that figure stood still and assumed the iconic fighting stance, the barrage of comments erupted like a flood bursting its banks!
[Aaaaaah! It really is the original Ultraman!]
[Look at that suit! Look at that suit!]
[Not the current rounded version, nor the acid-stained Type A face, this is... this is a Type C face! This is the most perfect Type C face from 1967!]
[OMG! The quality! This must be newly made, right? Did they make a new suit specifically for this episode?!]
[That slightly hunched back...who is the costume actor? This is definitely not someone randomly chosen; this is an imitation of the late Mr. Satoshi Furuya!]
[Details! Every single detail!]
Director Gu Nan! He's a complete stickler for historical accuracy!
Japanese audiences understand the value of these details better than Chinese audiences.
Its body shape and physique are a perfect replica of the original Ultraman!
In their eyes, this was not just Ultraman's appearance, but a perfect "soul summoning"!
That slightly wide mouth and that kind and divine face are the most perfect image of the "first generation C-type" in the hearts of all Showa fans.
Moreover, this leather case doesn't have the rough feel of the Showa era; the materials have been significantly upgraded, with a better luster, yet it still retains that unique "biological" feel.
The battle begins.
There were no fancy light clashes.
The original Ultraman rushed in and immediately unleashed a textbook-perfect "Ultra Judo" move.
Back throw, shoulder throw, armbar!
The visceral impact of each punch, the dull thud of each collision, brought tears to the eyes of all the Japanese hunks watching.
"Seven's Reading Glasses" sat in front of the computer, tears already wetting the keyboard.
"Yes...that's it...this is Ultraman's battle..."
As he cried, he typed a line with trembling hands in the post he had once viciously attacked:
"I take back everything I said before. Mr. Gu Nan, no, Professor Gu Nan, he understands the Showa spirit better than the current Tsuburaya Productions. This first generation is more authentic than any version I've seen in the past thirty years. Thank you, kindred spirit from Xia Country."
This comment was instantly liked and pinned by countless people.
In the live stream, when the variation of "Ultraman Song" started playing, it coincided with the moment when Genji and Tiga simultaneously unleashed their beam attacks.
"Wash the socks!"
When that classic battle cry was heard, the entire live stream chat erupted in unison: (Japanese onomatopoeia)
Wash your socks!
Wash your socks!
Wash your socks!
This is a resonance that transcends national borders and languages.
At this moment, the heartbeats of the audience, whether in China or Japan, were synchronized.
Finally, at sunset.
That handshake that transcends time and space.
The words "exciting" and "cool" that were originally flooding social media gradually disappeared.
Instead, the screen is filled with heartwarming Japanese text:
【ありがとう（Thank you）】
【ありがとう、ティガ（Thank you, Tiga）】
【Thank you, Director Gu Nan】
Mana Nekomiya, pulling out tissues and wiping her nose, choked back tears as she narrated, "This scene... Waaah... This scene is just too unfair. Heisei's Tiga, Showa's original Ultraman, they shook hands. This isn't just two Ultramen shaking hands; it's the passing down of the tokusatsu spirit..."
Whether it's China or Japan, light is light—light that transcends borders and races.
I used to reject works from Xia Guo (a famous Japanese filmmaker), and I feel guilty about it. Anyone who can create works like this must have a deep love for tokusatsu (special effects) films.
I remembered the first Ultraman soft vinyl figure my dad bought me when I was little; I'm going to find it tomorrow.
This is the kind of tokusatsu we need to see, not the cheesy productions some companies make just to sell toys, but real hero stories.
The video has ended.
But the shockwaves in the neon internet have only just begun.
On Twitter's trending topics list, six out of the top ten are related to "Ultraman Tiga".
#UltramanStar# Reached number one.
#Eiji Tsuburaya Resurrected# Part 2.
#Ultraman C-type# Fourth.
The names #GuNan# and #ChasingLightFilms# have entered the public eye in Japan with such force for the first time.
On the famous "2ch" forum, the previous doubts have completely disappeared. In their place are almost frantic calls for updates and petitions.
A post titled "Petition! Let Ultraman Tiga be officially broadcast on TV!" collected 100,000 signatures in just half an hour.
"We can't just watch pirated copies! We want to watch it on TV! We want to buy Blu-ray discs! We want to buy all the related merchandise!"
"What is Tsuburaya Productions doing? Why haven't they started negotiating the import yet? Are they going to make us keep eating raw meat?"
"Director Gu Nan is a god! Even though he's from China, he's still the earthly representative of the god of special effects!"
Some radical fans even went directly to Mr. Tsuburaya's current official Twitter account to leave comments and bombard him with messages:
"Please import Ultraman Tiga quickly! I want to watch the official version!"
In a model shop in Akihabara.
The store manager stared in disbelief at his inventory system.
Just now, within ten minutes of the "Ultraman Tiga" episode ending, all the original Ultraman figurines, soft vinyl figures, and even some high-priced rare statues that had been stockpiled in the store for decades were sold out online!
Even niche monster merchandise that usually goes unnoticed sold out instantly.
"Is this... the 'Tiga Effect'?"
The store manager swallowed hard, then quickly picked up the phone and dialed the supplier's number. "Hello! Yes! I want to order! Ultraman Tiga! And the original Ultraman! Send me everything related to Ultraman! The more the better!"
"What?!"
"Want to take over the fate of the Xia Kingdom? No problem!"
……
Meanwhile, in Xia Guo, at Gu Nan's studio.
Although it was very late, Gu Nan was still awake.
He was looking at a data report that Chen Bo handed him—a monitoring report on online public opinion in Japan.
"This is a reverse form of cultural export, but this feeling of being conquered... hehehe, really, Brother Nan, it's so awesome!"
As for how great it is?
It's like watching those "incompetent husbands" in Japan watch their most beloved IPs be ruthlessly "reshaped" by China and then returned to them, and they even feel grateful and happy about it!
Twitter, forums, and even some mainstream news websites are all discussing "Ultraman Star".
Especially those extremely difficult Showa era veterans, they've all become die-hard fans of Light Chaser Animation.
Gu Nan looked at the comments and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
He wasn't surprised.
Because he knows that sentiment transcends national boundaries.
Especially when you put in 100% sincerity and use top-notch production to recreate that golden age, no one can resist such an offensive.
Especially for Japanese viewers in this world, which is currently experiencing a low point in tokusatsu (special effects) productions, this episode of "Ultraman Planet" is undoubtedly a shot in the arm and a slap in the face, waking up those who are still asleep.
"That leather suit wasn't made in vain."
Gu Nan took a sip of water and said calmly, "We need to tell the props team to take good care of that suit; it might be useful in the future."
"Huh? It's still useful?"
Chen Bo was taken aback for a moment. "Will the original generation still appear in the future?"
Gu Nan smiled mysteriously and did not answer.