EJ
Hello, and welcome back to Watch Club. I’m EJ Couloucoundis, editor-in-chief of Ultraman Connection.
SL
And I’m Sarah Last, content creator and staff writer! Say, EJ, have you ever been in a haunted house before?
EJ
Actually, I worked in one back in college. For a bit. I got too scared of my surroundings and had to quit. Y’boy’s a coward, folks.
SL
I personally love the experience, especially with friends. It’s a bit like being on a roller coaster, where you get all the fun of an adrenaline rush, but understand that it’s a controlled environment where you’re not in any real danger. Of course, take away that assurance of safety, and even the most familiar surroundings can become terrifying. Episode 18, “Project Blue” takes the threat of an otherworldly invasion, and brings it not just to Earth, but literally inside the house of the guest characters introduced in this week’s story.
EJ
Before we meet them, though, we check in on the Ultra Guard, and their discussion of the TDF’s plan to build an anti-alien barrier around the Earth. Resident secret alien Dan has some sensible misgivings about said barrier, however.
SL
His objection here makes for a really fascinating insight into his character. Before, he’s objected to using the TDF’s technology for military applications, but in this episode he’s concerned that “Project Blue”, the electromagnetic barrier proposed for shielding the Earth and the Moon, would prevent humanity from expanding out into space! It shows that he isn’t just concerned about the peace and safety of humanity on Earth, but also its development into the future.
That fits in appropriately with what we see of other Ultra heroes from the Land of Light, and their relationship with the Earth. Although it’s just a small line here, I think it’s something important to keep in mind with Dan’s characterization throughout the show, and elsewhere in the franchise.
EJ
The captain, of course, remarks that they’re not simply walling themselves in; they’ll have plenty of secret passages out, of course.
Cut to the project’s lead developer, Professor Miyabe, going home to see his wife, Grace, for her birthday. Unaware that he will soon be trapped within a kind of barrier of his own… a prison! You see, the professor is being followed by mysterious forces…
SL
Like some other episodes we’ve seen, this one starts out with all the trappings of a horror movie. The professor drives down a long, desolate road out in the countryside, at night, in the fog, and sees a mysterious pedestrian who disappears when he slows down to get a better look at them! The mysterious events only ramp up when he arrives home, and an earthquake interrupts a quiet night with his wife.
Meanwhile, the Ultra Guard gets spooked after receiving word that aliens are trying to sabotage Professor Miyabe’s work. The Captain puts everyone on high alert, and Dan out on patrol, but like Miyabe back in his house, no one is panicking just yet. Things are creepy and unusual, but they’re experienced professionals, prepared for threats against the Earth just like this.
The night seemingly passes without incident, but after the Professor wakes up and makes himself breakfast, the real sinister plan starts. The invaders against the Earth this week, the Bado aliens, have secretly laid a trap literally right underneath Miyabe’s house!
Seriously, what kind of construction equipment do they use to build this massive bunker and its secret trap doors, all without anyone having the slightest clue? Did they just teleport everything directly under the foundation?
EJ
I’m more curious where they got the uh… steel tentacle trap?
Poor Miyabe goes through it, dragged onto a slab and interrogated for the weakness of the barrier.
You see, the Bado are not invaders. They do not want the Earth at all. They wish to destroy it, because they are insulted that intelligent life other than them exists. These guys are bad news, even among the alien threats on this show.
SL
This is the first time I think we’ve been threatened with the Earth being utterly destroyed. Every other alien invasion to this point has been more of a…. Uh, metaphorical kind of destruction? Not the Earth literally going “Kablooie”.
EJ
They want the Earth! Nobody in space denies that the planet is something worth cherishing. EXCEPT THESE GUYS! Seriously, it’s crazy.
SL
Speaking of crazy, can we talk about how they just casually mention that there used to be intelligent life on Pluto millions of years before humanity? They only bring it up as an aside in this scene to brag about destroying them too!
Talk about raising the stakes! But then the Alien Bado are also forced to admit there’s one thing they haven’t taken into account with their plans — Project Blue. Despite their powerfully destructive technology, they can’t seem to get past the barrier around the Earth, even with the project itself still incomplete! After capturing Professor Miyabe, they try to force him to give up the secrets of the barrier!
EJ
As the Ultra Guard investigates meteorites hitting the half-active barrier — the sure sign of an alien invasion — Grace returns home to find her husband’s things all still hung up and waiting to be worn; almost like he never left the house. Strange…
In the alien basement (Everyone should have an alien basement, but not for this sort of thing), Miyabe is barraged by maddening “confession rays” that are meant to break his will. Until he does, the Bado will have to settle for tormenting Grace as well to pass the time, and here’s where the haunted house shenanigans really begin.
SL
Between their goals of just annihilating all other intelligent life in the Solar System, and their absolute glee in terrorizing Grace as she creeps through the house, the Bado aliens really come across as some of the meanest alien invaders we’ve seen so far. Other evil aliens have had sinister goals, but they still involved some sort of material gain or advantage. It seems like the Bado just want to steal what technology they can and destroy what they can’t use for themselves, all for their own entertainment.
Thankfully, the Ultra Guard realize Professor Miyabe must be in trouble, and Dan and Anne are sent out to investigate. They arrive just in time to hear Grace scream as she’s attacked inside the house, and Dan wastes no time taking out the other aliens.
He also wastes no time waiting before immediately running after the others and transforming into Ultraseven! I wonder if this haste means that he’s encountered these guys before. With their bragging about being the “Emperor of the Universe”, it seems like they might already have a reputation.
EJ
I’ve watched the entire Ultraman Series, and I’ve seen the real Emperor of the Universe. He’s a lot scarier than these guys. Somehow, though, he’s less of a scumbag than the Bado, who are armed with all sorts of nasty stuff.
SL
Even he at least has some standards. I think.
EL
Dan infiltrates the Bado lair through a mirror with one of my favorite effects in the show, a water trick that in my opinion still looks super cool.
SL
It does! I almost wish we got more mind-bending optical illusions to really sell this “trick house” that’s been taken over by sinister forces in this episode.
The Bado aliens are confident they can escape with the Professor away from Seven, but not so fast! Seven climbs aboard their ship, then forces it to land. When the last Bado alien pops up to fight him mano a mano on the ground, at full size, the episode takes another sharp turn. Instead of a spooky set of tricks and illusions to frighten him, the Bado unleashes probably the dirtiest, ugliest street-fighting brawl I’ve seen in an Ultraman show.
I’m not exaggerating, he literally pulls a shiv on Seven.
EJ
These guys, like I said, are despicable. And you know what? Seven responds in kind, practically beating this goon’s brains in.
SL
“Practically”? That’s definitely blood we see after Seven chucks him over the side of a mountain to end the fight! It’s hard to feel too bad about their demise after everything else in this episode. Considering the dirty, desperate tactics they resorted to when put up against Ultraseven himself, I wonder if the Bado weren’t just talking a big game, and were actually only braggadocious bullies at the end of the day.
EJ
And of course, we find exactly where the important secrets about the barrier Miyabe were hidden — in Grace’s lovely new dress. Oh Miyabe, you lovable stinker.
Next time on Watch Club, we return to the mines for another episode that really rocks. Really has rocks, sorry. It’s Episode 19, “Destroy Earthquake Epicenter X”. See you then!
