- Listed under "D": Days of Urashimasakatasen, aka. Urashimasakatasen no Nichijou
- Listed under "H": How Clumsy you are, Miss Ueno, aka. Ueno-san wa Bukiyou
- Listed under "I": If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord, aka. UchiMusume
- Listed under "S": Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2202, aka. Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2202: Ai no Senshi-tachi, ep.23 of 26
- It's a feature-length animated concert: Uta no Prince-sama? Maji Love Kingdom Movie
- It's a bonus episode on the Blu-rays: Uchi no Maid ga Uzasugiru! OVA (which is fun)
- It's four bonus 7-minute episodes on the Blu-rays: Uchuu Senkan Tiramisu II Specials
- It's a 15-minute children's film: Uchi no 3 Shimai Movie
- It's a 5-minute children's anime: Unicorn no Kyupi, about a helpful sprite that lives in the kitchen and polishes dirty pots and pans clean with its fluffy white body. Harigorou, a rival sprite shaped like a hedgehog, tries to interfere.
- It's a 1-minute children's anime: Usagi no Matthew
- It's a 41-second promotional video: Uchuu Seibutsu Jirou
- ULTRAMAN
- Series 50-ish? I'm guessing.
- Episodes: 13 x 23 minutes
- Keep watching: no
- One-line summary: Netflix CGI Ultraman
Ultraman is a genre-defining Japanese superhero franchise, with hilarious live-action tokusatsu monsters.
Unfortunately, this new version is desperately CGI, because it's Netflix. The characters move like Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds. It's faintly unpleasant to watch. The episode's most entertaining bit is when Ultraman's son accidentally crushes the foot of an obnoxious cock, but it's undercut by the victim's inadequate facial expressions.
The show itself is generic superhero fare. Almost no female presence and no sense of humour. Conversations are very serious. It's gritty, macho, formulaic, etc. Admittedly it was Netflix Japan's most-watched anime for 2019, nominated for Best Direction in the 47th Annie Awards, but I wasn't even remotely tempted.
- Ultramarine Magmell
- Gunjou no Magmell
- Season 1
- Episodes: 13 x 24 minutes
- Keep watching: no
- One-line summary: new continent in the Pacific Ocean
Worryingly, it's a Netflix Original Anime. I'd read spectacular online trashings of this show, but this episode wasn't that bad and I'd sooner watch it than Ultraman.
GOOD STUFF: 35 years ago, a huge new continent appeared in the Pacific Ocean. Now, it's full of exotic life like Lost in Abyss. It also dislikes modern technology, so explorers must ride horses, etc.
BAD STUFF: the protagonist, Inyou, is a condescending brat who's only interested in money. His job is saving people, but his character moments generally involve putting down or ignoring the humanitarian wishes of his client. Mind you, it's possible that he got that way because Magmell "amplifies the greed and hatred in humans". He can also punch people in the face with super-speed and kill them.
I like the world and premise. Magmell will be doing extreme things to the world's wind, sea and weather patterns, for instance, although I'd be pleasantly surprised if the anime explored that. One episode of Inyou was too much for me, though.
