Upin & Ipin and ULTRAMAN RIBUT Review



Ultraman!
Nothing can be said about this long running television series from japan. First appearing on television in 1966 and continuing still to this day. Ultraman is also one of the three longest running live action television shows. In 1966, Ultraman became the first Giant hero and created the Kyodai (giant) Hero genre.



But Ultraman hasn't remained just Ultraman. There are many others.
Ultraman: 7, Taro, Jack, Zoffy, Ace, Ginga, Tiga, Dyna. Gaia, 80, The Great, Powered, Zero, Zearth, Cosmos, Agul, The Next, Nexus, Noa, Astra, Leo, and many more!

this isn't what I want to talk about, though



I just wanted to tell you a little about ultraman so you know a little about it before hand.

This is who I'm supposed to be talking about

Their names are Upin and Ipin. Twin boys of 5 years. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnd I have absolutely know clue what kinds of things happen on their show.

Why? Because it's from Malaysia! And it is cgi animated. And the English dub is on Disney channel asia.

Why am I telling you all this? because.......................I found a video

on yotube

of three episodes of upin and ipin

Featuring an ultraman

the first Malaysian and third foreign ultraman

Ultraman Ribut

The episode wasn't dubbed either so I can only guess through response and reaction what the heck they were saying

BUT JUST BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND DOESN'T MEAN I WASN'T AMAZED!!!

I was very amazed by how good the animation was and above everything else

How Cool This Guy Looks!!!!!!!!!

When Ultraman showed up I just shouted "Ginga!" Unfortunately I shouted the wrong name because this is clearly not Ultraman Ginga. However, it is an easy mistake. Ribut has the same arm braces as Ginga, but his face and body are similar to Ultraman (original).

Ribut translated is the Malaysian word for storm, but his name sounds look Reboot. He does look like a reboot of Ultraman but with all the ultramen in the series he's basically another Ultra.

Review Start Now!

1st! Animation

The animation was amazing especially for CG. Ultraman is a show that sticks with the old and only uses a little of the new when it comes to video techniques and special effects. In the Ultraman series special effects are only used to for attacks and certain visuals. Ultraman and the Monsters he fights are never CG. All have a suit and an actor in the suit. The only time I saw a CG Ultraman was in an Ultraman movie. But the CG wasn't used until the climatic final battle and was used so ultraman could pull off the most amazing acrobatic feats I'd ever seen a giant hero perform.

Upin and Ipin is an entirely CGI animated show, so Ultraman Ribut is also CGI. And just like in the Ultraman movie I saw, Ultraman Ribut was able to pull off some amazing acrobatic feats during a fight. His movements in battle were unlike any I had seen in regular Live Action Ultraman. With Upin and Ipin being Totally animated, this means No Suits. So no suits equals no limitations. With the animation they can show Ultraman Ribut dodge an enemy's laser beam with a simple movement of his body. To put it in a phrase: No suit, No actor, No damageable costume! Everything is fake so let's make his body move like no one can.

2nd! Characters

I couldn't understand anything. So I have no clue who anyone is or what their character is like. Other than Upin and Ipin who are the distinguishable Titular characters. Course, I couldn't tell which one was which at the time.

Even though I have nothing to say about the characters. I have a little bit of something to say about their clothing and etc.

Observe Ipin and Upin here. Looking cool dressed in their Science Patrol like uniforms. The science patrol is another part of ultraman. Humans don't rely on just Ultraman, in fact they don't know about him until he makes an appearance. However, humanity knows about monsters as they appear out of nowhere. When that happens the Science Patrol or GUTS of TPC or Super GUTS or etc etc (Each incarnation has its own version of the science patrol) shows up in their vehicles (Usually a plane but they have spaceships or deep space exploration vehicles, drill or underground exploration vehicles, submarines or deep water exploration vehicles, cars, bikes and more) to fight the monster. They always work alongside ultraman and try to do whatever they can to aid him in the fight against the monsters. Running Theme of Ultraman: The person who can transform into Ultraman is also a member of the Science Patrol and when the going gets tough this person disappears as Ultraman shows up to save the day. Upin and Ipin are also apart of their own science patrol with their own vehicles but I'll save some space and let you look them up.

But how do I know they are Science Patrol -esque? Because they are wearing ties. You can clearly see a yellow tie or a blue tie on either Ipin and Upin (I don't know who's who). See the picture below

This is the Science Patrol from Ultraman (original). Notice that their uniforms include an orange jumpsuit, helmet and a red tie.    I rest my case!

3rd! Story

Cannot Understand! But I don't need too. I already know the overall plot, Beat The Big Bad Monster And Go HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!

The Ultraman series follows a formula just like the Power Rangers. Fight the monster of the week and go home happy. However, Ultraman has a weakness. Like Superman's weakness to Kryptonite, Wonder Woman's inability to set herself free if a man ties her up (I ain't lyin') Ultraman cannot retain his giant form for no more than 3 minutes because of earth's atmosphere. If he doesn't transform back Ultraman will cease to exist. In the Original Ultraman a phrase like this is said almost every episode when Ultraman's color timer starts to blink and make a beep beep sound. I'd say it takes about three minutes until it starts blinking then if Ultraman doesn't transform back before it stops he dies. All Ultramen have this weakness and so does Ribut. But like all ultramen he beats the monster.

 The monster Ultraman must fight

All Ultraman becoming giant sequences are like this

The hero appears in the nick of time and does a rescue nice use if shadow

All Ultramen have a signature beam attack along with a handful of other attacks to fight monsters. The beam is the main and more commonly used finishing move.

Finale and Overall!!!!

Ultraman Ribut beats the monster and then flies off into the sunset. But a new plot point is made known when Ipin and Upin wake up and find that everything was all a dream.  ............................................. I'll wait

They run out side and tell their teenage sister about her dream and she laughs at them because they're both 5 yrs old and thought it was soooo real.

Then they're friends show up wearing these on their faces

Masks starting from left to right: Taro, Father, Original, Mother, Ginga (the most current)

A happy ending ensues and blah blah,

But just before the ending we see Ipin and Upin wearing the transformation bracelets that were worn by the guy who transformed into Ultraman Ribut in their dream. The twins each have one and just before their friends arrived they were about to attempt to transform into Ultraman Ribut.

                                        WATTA TWEEST!!!!!!

Final Thoughts

Why, don't we do something like this in America. This Upin and Ipin episode was a joint project with the company that owns upin and ipin and Tsubaraya the company that owns ultraman. Why they did it I don't know. I just know that I enjoyed the action scenes a lot and I loved all the little stereotypes of the ultraman series that put in. Like the science patrol and the monsters and vehicles. They could have gone the easy way out and made Upin and Ipin become Ultraman Ribut and fight a monster. Instead they have someone else become Ribut and let the titular characters play science patrol members.

In the end I couldn't understand anything but with ultraman you don't have to if you want to see some really cool fight scenes.

even the title is ultraman -esque