Believe in your power and find the light of courage within you.
Ultraman Gaia maintains its rank as one of the most acclaimed Ultraman series to date, over two decades years after its release. Mill Creek is here to honor the beloved series with a 6-Disc DVD Box Set. The set includes all 51 episodes plus Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, and Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyper Space and Ultraman Gaia: Gaia Once Again. These specials are sold separately for the same price as this entire package. What a steal!
The slipcover of the set can be removed to reveal Gaia and Agul, standing proudly side-by-side on the front. The back sports an awesome hero-shot of spooky fan favorite Kaiju Gan-Q, and its signature juicy eyeball.
As always, Mill Creek has come in clutch with an all-encompassing information booklet. The guide includes blurbs for every episode and a rundown of Gaia’s special moves and his V2 and SV forms, as well as Agul’s V2 form. Not to mention, details on the various teams that make up the G.U.A.R.D and XIG defense groups as well as all of their tech, weaponry, and transportation devices.
G.U.A.R.D and XIG are notorious for their size and manpower compared to their predecessors. They are highly equipped and ready to take on any threat, especially with the help of their several teams, which appear in various episodes and have their own rich internal lives.
Even Gaia’s host, Gamu Takayama, is in a unique position compared to previous hosts. He begins the series as a science prodigy, first interacting with Gaia through his own efforts in episode one, Seize the Light!, as opposed to alien intervention, connecting to the light of the Earth during an experiment. Eventually he proves his valor enough to receive the classic bond, but upon first meeting, Gamu finds the light within the Earth itself, rather than from the stars above.
Ultraman Gaia has secured itself as a top contender for most beautiful Second Generation Ultraman for a plethora of reasons. Between Gaia V2’s distinct red, black, gray and gold suit, the series’ insane leap in production value, and the novelty of a series featuring two Ultras of opposing sides, Gaia has been credited for redefining the capabilities of Tokusatsu television.
Now, in the best resolution yet, see giant crashing floods, immense blooming explosions, and multicolored sparks bursting through wreckage, destroying some of the highest quality miniature sets in Ultraman history.
Neon lasers pierce through sheets of thick smoke, out of the eyes and mouths of a huge variety of Kaiju. Ultraman Gaia has been credited with having some of the most unique Kaiju designs in the genre, with creatures like Blitz-Blotz, the Destruction Devil, Izac Platiard, the Altes Tiger Monster, and Zebubu, the Destruction Demon, becoming fixtures in our memories.
However, we all know it isn’t only the Kaiju that define this thrilling installment. The lifeblood of the series is the ongoing feud between Gaia and Agul, and their hosts, Gamu Takayama and Hiroya Fujimiya. Their rivalry surrounds a fascinating philosophical question: Is Ultraman’s purpose to defend Earth or to support humanity?
Gamu’s innocent demeanor is well-balanced by his passion for justice and his strong affinity for humanity. Though the show was produced within the Second Generation, Gamu has the “Classic-era attitude” of doing the right thing because he was given the power to, instead of behaving reactively. Fujimiya is his perfect foil, paralleling Gamu’s passion for justice while simultaneously allowing himself to be fueled by the all-too-relatable guilt for the crimes humanity has committed against our only planet. Their diametrically opposed views push the show forward and culminate beautifully in episode 26, The Final Resolution and episode 36 The Sky of Reunion.
However, Agul is not Gaia’s adversary, merely an ideological rival. The series’ overarching plotline revolves around the threat of the Radical Destruction Bringer, a mysterious cosmic entity that demands the destruction of humanity, using any means of manipulation to hasten our extinction. Between the various Kaiju from the Radical Destruction Bringer’s forces, the nuanced push-and-pull of Agul and Gaia’s perspectives, and the various perspectives between XIG’s multiple teams, the series is charged with conflict and action on so many levels.
Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, and Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyper Space, while in its own continuity,ties all of these concepts into a bow with an epic team-up, but more importantly, a powerful message about self-acceptance and the pursuit of passion.
Ultraman Gaia explores power. What do we choose to protect when we are given power? How do we react when we lose power? How can we share power with others who have different views than us?
Ultraman Gaia is packed with twists and turns that will give you a run for your money no matter how many times you’ve rewatched it. Ultraman Gaia is an Ultra-essential and it belongs on your shelf today. Be sure to purchase your copy today and stay tuned for more box set reviews!
