By Affa Adi
Edited by Syafiqah Suhaimi
If someone were to ask you what you think about Ultraman, you might say something along the lines of, “that it’s just a typical superhero story fighting monsters in every single episode.” Or even better perhaps, that it’s a good suit-covered creature who disguises himself as human while saving the world; a story for kids; unrealistic and predictable.
While the answers above are true, Ultraman as a whole franchise does not only portray itself as a series of battling monsters, nor does it convey the message that to be strong is to be big. Instead, it delves deeper into what it means to have love, hope, and faith in humanity—a notion that is apparent in Ultraman Mebius.
Ultraman Mebius is part of the long-running “Ultra Series” and is sent to Earth
when a new wave of aliens and monster attacks begins. He disguises himself by taking the human form of the deceased Hiroto Ban to honor his courageous act of saving his crew in outer space. Later, Mebius names himself Mirai Hibino (meaning: future days) and joins crew GUYS (a special task force established in Japan that deals with alien invasions).
When I was a kid, I simply regarded it as one of the many superhero tales out there—typical and somewhat corny to an extent, yet enjoyable enough for me to stick around to watch it. There are lots to nitpick about though, like how can the crew GUYS recruit newbies with no prior training? Why do monsters always only appear in Japan? Why do they send four to seven armies to battle the monsters? These are big, giant creatures we are dealing with, not bank robbers.
But the most significant question that remains a mystery to me is: why do the Ultramen protect the Earth in the first place?
We are all aware that they do not belong there and that they are from some far-distant planet that has much better technology. Why would they bother with the Earthlings and fight with them, for them, against those violent entities?
Fret not, we have a total of 50 episodes to figure out what goes on in Ultraman's head.
I suppose it is better to start by wondering why Mebius always wins in practically every single fight against the invaders. In the first few episodes, he is shown to be weak and inexperienced compared to his opponents. So it is almost ridiculous that he still comes out winning at the end of the day.
Then, an interesting remark is made in episode 16. An alien called Zamusha, who has slandered many great monsters alike, is furious when Mebius defeats him. Zamusha asks, “Why did I lose (to Mebius)?” And Tsurugi, a half-Ultraman (it’s complicated), answers, “He always fights to protect something; that’s what makes him strong.”
This statement suggests that it is not his strength or skills that allow Mebius to win every time. Because it is no longer about guarding the planet he has been tasked with; rather, it stems from his desire to protect those he has come to love—his comrades. Thus, he can not afford to lose, to let the people he cares about be killed, and these thoughts spur him to get up and defeat the enemies.
However, in the second half of the series, they show how love is not enough for Mebius to gain victory over the others. He could still be overpowered when he faces much stronger enemies. With the appearance of Imperaizers and the four mighty aliens, Mebius finds himself in a difficult situation.
In episode 48, Mebius loses and is severely injured after a confrontation with one of the Imperaizers. Following this incident, Imperaizer announces to the whole of humankind to expel Mebius, and in exchange, they will not destroy the Earth.
During this critical period, a selfish reporter leaks the identity of Mebius, disclosing that Mirai has been disguising himself as part of the crew GUYS. This revelation shocks the people and many protest over the fact that an alien has been living among them playing a hero all this time. This is where humans are forced to decide whether to give in to the Imperaizers’ demands or keep supporting Mebius.
Captain Sakomizu promptly broadcasts to the world to convince people to be on Mebius’ side. He quotes, “We, the people of the Earth, have to protect it with our own hands,” and further tells how Mebius can muster his power through the smallest things, such as hope and courage that come from humans.
The response was immediate, and almost all of the people started to make calls and urged the government to not turn Mebius over. Some even posted heartwarming wishes for Mebius’ recovery, defying the Imperaizer’s order, and Mebius resurges with newfound energy.
This scene is closely related to a surprising encounter between Captain Sakomizu and Ultraman Zoffy in episode 42. The captain recounts an incident that happened 40 years ago when he was attacked by alien spaceships. In outer space, Zoffy comes to rescue him and then commends the humans for having finally come this far to protect themselves with their own power. And he promised that his kind would be the shield for the Earth until humans could defend themselves fully.
A quote that deeply touches a part of me is when the captain realizes how Ultramen have always been safeguarding them even without their knowledge: "We were being protected. At times when we were unaware, in places we knew nothing of, from an enemy we couldn't fathom." This reinforces the idea that Ultramen genuinely find humans worthy of protection.
Despite the show having some unrealistic elements, what pulls me in is the premise of how Ultramen regard humans as lovely beings, whom they will forever risk their lives for. This selfless act is driven by their faith in humanity and their wish to see Earth grow in prosperity. It is deeply woven into the character of Mebius, where his source of power and strength evidently derives from humans themselves.
Even after being introduced to the ugly sides of humans and at times questioning whether they are even worth defending, he still chooses to believe in the goodness of people. In his short time on Earth, he discovers the personal reasons that fuel his desire to keep them safe.
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