mchenry-crisis.org Chapter 204: On the Eve of the Grand Finale! Dyna's TV Series Goes from Hot to Low on the Ranki
Chapter 204: On the Eve of the Grand Finale! Dyna's TV Series Goes from Hot to Low on the Ranki
Time flies, like a fleeting moment.
In the blink of an eye, almost a year has passed since "Ultraman Dyna" premiered.
During this period, Light Chaser Animation Studios, with its incredibly high production capacity and consistently high quality, steadily pushed this tokusatsu epic, which carries the dream of a "new era," to its climax.
Just last night, episode 48 of "Ultraman Dyna" officially aired.
Based on the episode schedule of Ultraman Tiga, this means that the entire series is only three episodes away from the finale.
As the plot unfolds, everyone has deduced that it will be time to settle things with "Sphia," who has been a central figure throughout the series.
Forums, online communities, and Weibo hashtags related to tokusatsu (special effects films) are almost entirely dominated by terms such as "Dyna's finale," "Shin Asuka's fate," and "Battle of Softia."
Countless viewers are anxiously awaiting the final chapter, while also wildly speculating about the plot's direction.
Saturday night at 8 PM.
The live stream of Lao Tang, a top-tier content creator in the Bilibili special effects section, suddenly lit up.
Before Lao Tang's video had even fully loaded, the number of viewers in the live stream had already exceeded 10,000. The dense barrage of comments was like a blizzard, completely obscuring the screen.
[Take your seats in the front row! Old Tang, come out quickly!]
I'm so nervous! After watching episode 48, I feel like the final battle is about to begin!
What kind of ending will that old scoundrel Gu give Dyna? I haven't been able to sleep well these past few days!
Please don't send any angst! Asuka must come back safely and marry Ryo-senpai!
What exactly are Spheres? Why do they keep hindering humanity's exploration of the universe?
[I've already prepared my nitroglycerin pills; the finale is definitely going to be a grand spectacle!]
The scene flashed, and Lao Tang appeared in the frame.
He wore a team jersey jacket with the Super Victory logo on it today.
"Good evening, guys!"
Old Tang shouted into the microphone and leaned back tactically.
"Looking at this screen full of comments, I know how anxious everyone is right now. To be honest, I'm feeling exactly the same way! After watching episode 48 last night, I was so excited I couldn't sleep half the night!"
Old Tang cleared his throat and brought his face close to the camera.
"There's only a little bit of progress left until the finale. These past few days, there have been posts all over the internet speculating on the ending. Some say he'll defeat Softia and retire gloriously. Others say it'll be a repeat of Ultraman Tiga's ending, or that the old GUTS team will return. Today, in our live stream, besides discussing our speculations on the ending, the most important thing is..."
With a wave of his hand, Lao Tang displayed a very familiar Excel spreadsheet on the computer screen.
The table's title boldly proclaims: "[Old Tang's Selection: Ultraman Dyna Series Ranking from Popular to Lowest Popularity (Up to Episode 48)]!"
"That's right! Brothers! Back when we were watching Ultraman Tiga, we did a ranking from most popular to least popular, although we were proven wrong by the finale. But it doesn't matter! Now that Ultraman Dyna is about to end, it's time to give this masterpiece a thorough review and summary of its current episodes!"
As soon as Lao Tang finished speaking, the atmosphere in the live broadcast room was instantly pushed to a climax.
【Yay! It's time for my favorite part: assigning seating!】
[Dyna's series is really interesting, and it's a bit more relaxed than Ultraman Tiga's, plus many of the episodes are absolutely amazing!]
[Hurry, hurry! Old Tang, get to the rankings! I want to see where my favorite episode ranks!]
There will definitely be episodes 25 and 26! That's my absolute favorite!
[And the episode with the fake Dyna! It's a must-watch!]
Looking at the screen full of enthusiasm, Lao Tang smiled and nodded, then skillfully gripped the mouse.
"Let's cut to the chase and get straight to the point! First up, the undisputed 'absolutely amazing' tier! This tier of dramas, in terms of their dramatic core, tokusatsu execution, and emotional impact, has reached the pinnacle of tokusatsu history—the kind of masterpieces that give you goosebumps every time you watch them!"
As Old Tang spoke, he dragged several names heavily to the very top of the pyramid.
"The first one is absolutely amazing! Episodes 25 and 26, which is the second part of the prequel to our grand finale, 'The Mobile Fortress Cannot Float'!"
Old Tang's voice instantly rose eight octaves, sounding extremely excited, "Brothers, these two episodes are absolutely Dyna's masterpiece! Gu Laoze has perfectly captured the essence of 'desperate situation' here! The oppressive feeling of the complete collapse of all three lines, the invasion of half-fish people from the seabed, Rechubas in the sky, and that artificial sun that tries to melt Antarctica!"
"What did we see in this suffocating despair? We saw Mai Kawakita's courage to overcome her fear and charge into the missile launch site; we saw Chung-shima and Xing Xingtian's resolute determination to cut off the signal, holding the self-destruct key; and we saw Hibiki's steely yet tender side as he single-handedly charged into battle to help the captain, calling for Dyna to stand up!"
"Dyna was frozen into an ice sculpture, but then recharged by an artificial sun, transforming into a guardian miracle type to instantly defeat the monster! This kind of 'life-or-death' plot pacing, this ensemble cast where everyone is a hero—what else could it be but a smash hit?!"
The live chat was flooded with comments expressing agreement:
[Absolutely amazing! These two episodes are so exciting, I get fired up every time I watch them!]
[A Hymn to Humanity's Indomitable Courage in the Frozen Sea!]
[Mai, the little angel, completely transformed in this episode!]
Old Tang took a sip of water and continued dragging the mouse.
"The second one is absolutely amazing! Episode 29, 'In the Light of Destiny'!"
When this episode was mentioned, Old Tang's tone became somewhat heavy and emotional. "This episode is the core and soul of the entire 'Dyna' series! It not only tells the story of the bond between Asuka and his father, Shinichima, but also represents the ultimate sublimation of the grand theme of the 'New Territory Era'!"
"Asuka pilots the Plasma Hyakushiki, challenging the limits of light speed. In his hallucination, he sees his father and hears the angry shouts of Captain Daimon. He finally understands that he is not flying to fight his father, but to 'fly forward'! To fly for humanity's dream of exploring the universe!"
"When Asuka, alone outside the solar system, defeats the comet monster Gagarad and, gazing at the vast starry sky, utters the words, 'Dad, I'm still alive,' this kind of masculine romance, this tragic heroism of pioneers following one after another, elevates the theme of tokusatsu dramas to the level of a space epic!"
"Fly to move forward! I'll remember this line for the rest of my life!"
This episode truly captured the essence of Dyna's story.
[Shin Kazuma is definitely a true man, and Asuka inherited his will!]
That light was my father's protection!
"The third one is absolutely amazing! Episode 31, 'Deathmatch! The Real and Fake Dyna!'"
Old Tang's eyes gleamed with fervor. "I don't need to say much about this episode, right? This is the pinnacle of Dyna's entire action sequences! The Guregorian disguises himself as Dyna to cause trouble. Gu Nan even pulls out the real suit actor to play the villain in the dramatic scenes—that Easter egg is brilliant!"
"As for the fight scenes, the hand-to-hand combat between the real and fake Dyna was absolutely brutal! The fake Dyna was arrogant and domineering, using various mixed martial arts techniques to easily defeat his opponents. But what about the real Dyna? When he was being beaten so badly that his red light was flashing, he heard the cheers of the little girl Xia Mei and the entire city! He realized! He knew that he wasn't fighting to show off his strength, but to protect!"
"In the end, the real Dyna transformed into the Miracle Type, but instead of using superpowers, he used the purest inside straight punches to forcefully subdue the fake Dyna! A berserker in a sorcerer's skin unleashed a devastating attack! This was not only a victory of force, but also a victory of heroic conviction!"
[A classic battle where we lost on the left flank, hahaha!]
[This episode was so exciting! The battle between Zhang Ge and Wang Ge was phenomenal!]
[Natsumi's words really woke Asuka up; power is for protecting.]
[Absolutely amazing! It's so relaxing and exciting to watch!]
"Next, let's put the bombshells from the last few episodes into the [Top Tier]!" Old Tang said quickly.
"Episode 20, 'Young Cosmic Man,' I know many people liked this episode because it explored themes of separation and friendship, and the dialogue was extremely delicate and romantic."
"In episode 43, 'Captain Long Legs,' Golza reappears after eight years! Hibiki helps the captain confront his past nightmares, and his mutual redemption with Haruna-sensei—that tender side of a tough guy is absolutely amazing!"
"Episode 44, 'Snow on Venus'! Gu Laoze's insane physical special effects made the hellish environment of Venus breathtaking! The ultimate romance of Gulaiqis turning into a blanket of white snow at the end is simply the pinnacle of tokusatsu aesthetics!"
"There's still episode 46! 'The Manifestation of Fear'! It's practically a zoo! It drags out and whips up all the psychological trauma of the main characters. Desfasa, the fake Dyna, and the monster Moshi all appearing at the same time, that oppressive feeling of the blurring of reality and illusion really pushes the suspense to the limit! And the suit battles were absolutely thrilling!"
"And episode 47, 'Goodbye, Hanejiro!' The magic stone amplified the dark side of the Frass aliens, and Hanejiro silently sacrificed for the greater good. Asuka's line, 'It's not a pet, it's our partner,' maximized the tear-jerking effect!"
Old Tang leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh: "Brothers, in the post-production of Dyna, that old bastard Gu is completely insane! Every episode has movie-level quality, and this top-notch cast is simply luxurious!"
The comments section was filled with praise.
[The later episodes were truly phenomenal, every single one was phenomenal; the production capacity was terrifying.]
I still remember the oppressive atmosphere of the Venus episode; it made me feel hot just watching it.
I cried like a baby when Hanaijiro left, sob sob sob.
Director Gu's control over the script is unparalleled in the Chinese entertainment industry, without exception.
"Alright, now that we've covered the 'Hottest' and 'Top-Tier' categories, let's take a look at the 'Superior' tier!"
Old Tang finished his cola and continued ranking the shows with renewed vigor. "These shows in this tier are also extremely excellent, but by some very strict standards, they're slightly inferior to the really popular and top-tier ones. However, within the entire tokusatsu (special effects) industry, they're still a force to be reckoned with!"
"First of all, the opening of the first two episodes, 'Light of Hope'! Dyna's opening is absolutely a game-changer, surpassing even Tiga's! The grand model of the Martian base, the dazzling special effects of the space battle, and Asuka's reckless gunfight. It immediately sets an extremely grand and exciting tone. Placing it among the elite is truly well-deserved!"
"Then comes episode 16, 'Fierce Battle! Monster Island'! This episode can be summed up in one word: awesome! Dr. Otomo performs genetic modifications, creating Neozars. Silvergon, Hilton Dragon, and another monster engage in a chaotic battle on the island. The powerful version of Dyna's Garnet bomb makes its stunning debut. This episode is pure tokusatsu violence and aesthetics!"
"There are also episodes 35 and 36, 'The Smile of Destruction' Parts 1 and 2! Scia returns, and veterans Shinjo and Horii make surprise guest appearances! The spirit of two generations of the defense force is passed down, and the launch of the Flying Swallow No. 1 and EX-J is full of nostalgia. Although the scene where Asuka throws away the transformation device is a bit off-putting, the later counterattack is extremely exciting!"
"Finally, I personally want to put episode 38 of 'Monster Drama' into the show!" Old Tang's expression became somewhat mysterious.
"This episode is extremely abstract; many viewers said they didn't understand it and were confused. It's very much in line with Director Gu's personal artistic style. Playwright Narumi attempts to create the monster Buenda in reality. The way he deciphers things with curved and distorted images, and the way he uses the interplay of reality and illusion in his camera work, may be difficult for some viewers to understand, but its artistic value is absolutely extremely high!"
The Monster Island episode was really stress-relieving; the giant monster battles were just so good!
[A destructive smile must come from the elite! The veteran players' appearance brought tears to my eyes!]
[I was completely bewildered when I watched episode 38, but after reading your analysis, Lao Tang, I realized how brilliant it was.]
[Gu Laozei's artistic talent really shines in this episode.]
[It seems like that old scoundrel Gu is still dreaming.]
"Now that we've talked about 'The Superior,' let's take a look at 'Above the Horizon.' Of course, we'll just build a comparison first, just to show that while it's relatively ordinary compared to other Dyna episodes, it's still a gem in the tokusatsu genre!"
Old Tang's mouse moved incredibly fast. "These episodes are complete in plot, have highlights, and are exciting. They are excellent episodes that form the foundation of Dyna's entire series."
"For example, in episode 4, 'Battle! Underground City,' Dyna's strong form makes its first appearance, and the sense of power in the strong form is portrayed very well; in episode 14, 'The Sleeping Overlord of the Moon,' the large-scale battle between Dyna and the cosmic emperor Isilis, who can control gravity, on the moon is incredibly exciting to watch; in episode 22, 'Soldiers of the Moonlit Night,' the atmosphere is extremely eerie, and Miyako overcomes his fear and wields a rocket launcher to fight the monster Moshi, which is very cool; in episode 23, 'The Castle of Dreams,' the underwater slow-motion special effects are extremely realistic, and Xing Xingtian completely unleashes his power to protect his friends' dreams."
"Then, the 28 episodes, using a first-person mockumentary style, brought us a brand-new visual experience from an extremely innovative perspective."
"There's also episode 39, 'The Light and Shadow of Youth,' which explores cloning technology and the dark side of humanity. The Black Storm team makes its debut, and Kenji Fudo's path to redemption is also very well-developed."
"And those hilarious everyday episodes! For example, episode 30, 'The Script of Invasion,' where the three aliens from Miki become extras, creating a surreal sense of reality that breaks down the dimensional barrier; and episode 37, 'The Collection of Dreams,' where trash turns into monsters, a highly satirical environmental theme, all of which make Dyna's storylines extremely rich and colorful."
In the live chat, viewers also reminisced about these exciting plot points.
The episode about soldiers under the moonlight scared me so much I was afraid to go to the bathroom.
[The episode with the underwater fight scene was incredibly moving; the sense of despair when the submarine lost buoyancy was palpable.]
[This mockumentary is interesting! It instantly puts you in the world of Dyna, watching ordinary people watch their hard-earned cars and houses get destroyed by monsters.]
The person upstairs was terrified and cried!
[The Miki aliens are definitely the comedic relief; the villain died because he didn't pay his electricity bill, hahaha!]
Dyna's daily episodes are really interesting, with varied styles and lighthearted storylines.
The remaining dramas, which were lukewarm and lacked compelling plots, were placed in the "Normal" category.
Of course, Dyna has hardly had any [pulling] scenes in his current series.
As Lao Tang's ranking ended, the chat in the live stream began a heated discussion.
Although some people disagreed with the ranking of individual series, overall, everyone agreed with Lao Tang's solid summary.
"No matter what!"
Old Tang slammed his hand on the table, ending the ranking segment. "Flaws don't detract from its overall brilliance! 'Ultraman Dyna' is absolutely a masterpiece! It vividly portrays humanity's soaring spirit in its pursuit of space!"
Just as Lao Tang was about to continue chatting with his fans...
The tone of the comments in the live stream suddenly changed.
[Kids, our much-anticipated video critic has released a new video!]
[666, this is a content creator whose grandfathers are constantly urging him to update! Oh? He released a super long preview video predicting the finale!]
[Going to check it out!]
"Oh? The King of Talking Movies has released a video?" Old Tang's eyes lit up, and he immediately opened the Bilibili homepage in his browser.
Sure enough, the most prominent recommendation spot on the homepage prominently featured the latest video just released by Kanpianwang.
The video's title is highly provocative:
[Ultimate Preview! In-depth Analysis of the Core Spirit of "Dyna": Scia's Final Conspiracy and Shin Asuka's Fated Battle!]
The video had already garnered over 500,000 views in less than ten minutes after it was released.
Without saying a word, Lao Tang immediately clicked play and started the "watching together" mode with the viewers in the live stream.
The screen lit up, and the face of the "King of Talking Movies," wearing black-rimmed glasses and exuding an air of wisdom, appeared on the screen.
"Brothers! Let's use the barrage of comments for protection!"
The talkative commentator cuts straight to the point, saying, "Ultraman Dyna has aired 48 episodes, and the finale is just around the corner. Today, we won't talk about special effects or individual plot points. Instead, we'll delve into the final boss that has been lurking in the shadows throughout the series—the Sphere of Specia—and the ultimate fate that Shin Asuka is about to face!"
The video quickly flashed over several key moments in Softia's appearances in the first 48 episodes: her first appearance at the Mars base, the strengthening of the possessed monster, the crisis at the mobile fortress, and the mutation of the artificial bacteria on Venus.
The film critic said with a solemn expression, "Have you all noticed that Specia doesn't appear very often in Dyna, and its presence isn't even as strong as the monsters in Ultraman Tiga? However, every time it appears, it precisely strikes at the heart of humanity's 'New Territory Project'!"
"Mars base, space power station, Venus's ice Venus... wherever humanity's exploration of the universe goes, Sphia's destruction follows."
The film critic tapped his fingers on the table, posing an extremely pointed question: "Why? What exactly is Sphia afraid of? Or rather, what are they trying to stop?"
The comments section erupted with a frenzy of discussion:
[Yeah, Sphia is like a security guard in space, causing chaos everywhere.]
Are they afraid that humans will become too powerful and take over their territory?
[The invaders, what else could they be after?]
"No, it is definitely not just a simple invasion."
The Movie Talker shook his head, his gaze extremely sharp. "Everyone, recall what Sphia said to humanity through Jomos in episode 35, 'The Smile of Destruction'?"
The scene cuts back to a clip from that episode, with the subtitles displaying Scia's line: "Humans, creatures driven by a fighting instinct, will become a cosmic catastrophe if they acquire too much power. We must eliminate you beforehand."
Kanpianwang took a deep breath, his tone becoming extremely solemn: "Sphia actually represents an extremely extreme 'cosmic order'! They believe that humans, beings with seven emotions and six desires, full of uncertainty and infinite possibilities, are the root of chaos."
"In the eyes of the Sphias, perfect peace lies in absolute unity devoid of emotion and individuality! They seek to assimilate everything and eliminate all differences. Humanity's relentless pursuit of the unknown, fueled by dreams and courage, is seen by them as disrupting the balance of the universe!"
Old Tang, listening in front of the screen, gasped: "So, the battle between Dyna and Scria isn't just about fighting monsters; it's a clash between two completely different philosophies of civilizational evolution!"
The talkative commentator in the video continues to deliver his commentary.
"Therefore, the final battle in the grand finale is definitely not a simple hand-to-hand combat. Rather, it is an ideological battle between humanity's infinitely potential 'light' and Sphia's absolute, deathly 'darkness'!"
"So, what fate awaits Shin Asuka, the representative of humanity's light?"
The scene in the video cut to episode 29, showing Shin Kazuma driving the Plasma Hyakushiki and disappearing in the light.
"Many people speculate that Asuka will follow Daigo's example, using all his strength to finally discover the power of the mind, defeat Scia, and then retire. But I believe Director Gu Nan's arrangement will be even more shocking!"
The film critic stood up, his hands supporting him on the table, his eyes revealing an extremely strong sense of certainty.
"What is the core of Dyna? It's 'flying forward'! It's the relentless march towards new frontiers!"
"Daigo in Tiga ultimately chose to stay on Earth as a human and live a peaceful life. This is because Tiga's theme is protecting our home."
"But Dyna is different! Dyna is a pioneer in exploring the universe! If Asuka only defeats the monster in the end, and then returns to Earth peacefully to marry Miyako and have children, then that drive to 'fly forward' will be completely broken!"
"I'll make a bold prediction!"
The film critic suddenly pointed to the camera, "In the final battle, Asuka will definitely face an extremely difficult choice! In order to completely destroy Scia's true form and to clear the obstacles for humanity's future exploration of the universe, he may face an unprecedented life-or-death crisis!"
"He won't die! Because the light will never be extinguished. But he may transcend the limits of the human body, completely transforming into that miraculous light called 'Dyna,' venturing into the deeper reaches of the universe to continue his and his father's unfinished journey of exploration!"
"He will become that wanderer who forever soars in the universe, an eternal starlight guiding humanity forward!"
boom!
Kanpianwang's prediction came like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, instantly igniting the atmosphere in Lao Tang's live stream and video comment section to its peak!
[Holy crap!!! No way!!!]
[Important! Prophet's warning!]
[While it sounds somewhat reasonable and elevates the theme, this is just too damn cruel!]
[I don't believe it! Who dares to create a bad ending these days?!]
[You old scoundrel Gu! If you dare write this, I'll really send you razor blades!]
[To transform into starlight to guide humanity... This is both romantic and tragic.]
[No way! These days, aren't all TV series finales supposed to end with a happy ending and people making dumplings? You're going to get roasted for this plot!]
Old Tang, seeing the screen filled with despair and shock in the comments, also covered his face in anguish.
"Kan's mouth is something else! His analysis is so logical and I can't even refute it!"
Old Tang's voice trembled slightly, "If it's true, then that old scoundrel Gu's knife is going to be stuck in everyone's carotid artery!"
At the end of the video, the "King of Talking Movies" pushed up his glasses, his tone becoming incredibly expectant.
"Regardless of the outcome, I believe that Gu Nan and Light Chaser Animation will bring us the grandest and most breathtaking final curtain call in the history of tokusatsu!"
"Let's wait and see, and welcome the final judgment of Ultraman Dyna!"
All emotions and all expectations were fully expressed.
Like a bowstring stretched to its limit, waiting for the final arrow to shoot into the vast and boundless starry sky.
The grand finale is coming soon.