‘Ultraman Arc: The Complete Series & Movie’ Blu-ray Review
Ultraman, the legendary Japanese superhero, has captivated audiences since his debut in 1966. Over the decades, his popularity has expanded far beyond Japan, earning devoted fans across the globe. For several years, Mill Creek Entertainment has been bringing both classic and modern Ultraman adventures to Blu-ray, giving fans the chance to experience the franchise in stunning quality. Their latest release continues that tradition with Ultraman Arc (2024), presented here as a complete series collection along with its accompanying movie.
Ultraman Arc: The Complete Series – Yuma, then only 7 years old, was camping with his parents in Mt. Shishio when Monogelos attacked, but somehow miraculously survived unhurt. This experience led him to pursue the path of kaiju biology research, and despite his traumatic past he has not lost his imagination. As a rookie investigator, Yuma joined SKIP and was assigned to the Hoshimoto City Branch. Not long after, another large-scale kaiju disaster occurs. As Yuma sees the desperate people in front of him, a strong will springs into his mind — “I want to protect them!” It was at that moment when Yuma hears the voice of Rution, the being of light that he once saw as a child: “You and I are one and the same… Unleash your imagination!” When the mystic light emerging from Yuma’s hand embodies his entire body, his power of imagination fuses him with the light and he transforms into Ultraman Arc, the Giant of Light who protects the future! Alongside his precious friends, Yuma gallops towards his everlasting dream!
Ultraman Arc The Movie: The Clash of Light and Evil – Everything begins when a mysterious space sage, Sascal, poses this challenge to Yuma. Sascal sets three trials to test Yuma’s worthiness as a true hero. Protecting Hoshimoto City as a member of SKIP, building trust with his comrades, and wrestling with the inner conflict over the meaning of defeating kaiju — all these responsibilities weigh heavily on Yuma ever since he gained the power to transform into an Ultra hero. Now, these very burdens are twisted by Sascal, who manipulates them, launching one test after another.
Ultraman Arc is a real triumph in the Ultraman mythos. The series and movie are both filled with awesome action, humorous moments and wonderful character development. One of the best things about this is that it doesn’t rely on CGI, it mixes the CGI with the classic Tokusatsu practical effects.
This 4-disc Blu-ray set includes all 25 action-packed episodes, as well as the movie. Both have been transferred to Blu-ray in 1080p and are presented in widescreen format in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The audio track is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo track in Japanese, and there is also the English dub. Finally, there are English subtitles. Of course, this is a series and movie from 2024, so these were produced in High Definition, so you have a great starting point. The transfer of these episodes and movie is spectacular. There are no signs of compression issues or audio anomalies. One of the best parts of this release is the English dub track. As a kid, I grew up on the old kaiju movies like Godzilla and Mothra. The bad English dubs hold such a special place in my heart. They take me back to my childhood.
In addition to 25 episodes and the Ultraman Arc movie, this Blu-ray come with some cool bonuses. There is a stunning-looking slipcover. There is also a booklet that is filled with information about the Ultramen and the monsters as well. There is also a bonus card from the Ultraman Card Game.
***** 5/5
Ultraman Arc: The Complete Series & Movie is a really nice addition to the Ultraman Universe and will make a great addition to your Ultraman collection. Order yours on Amazon now.
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Review originally posted on ClassicCinema+
