The beloved Ultraman Nexus series is now available in its entirety with the Mill Creek 6-Disc Box Set! With a bonus disc featuring Ultraman The Next, and all thirty-seven episodes complete with English subtitles,this is the ultimate bundle for any Nexus fans, Ultraman series collectors, and newcomers alike.
The box set features a comprehensive information and episode guide that breaks down all vehicles and weapons used by the militant defense team known as the Night Raider. One booklet page is dedicated to every kaiju (called Space Beasts in this series) who appears in the series, from the vicious Lizarias to the human-eating Golgolem.
The booklet and case-cover both showcase Nexus’s various forms, including Anphans, Junis, and Junis Blue. For maximum viewing, watch Nexus’s power evolution, starting chronologically with the included movie, Ultraman The Next,leading into Ultraman Nexus itself, which takes place after a four-year time-skip.
Ultraman Nexus deviates from the classic Ultraman series formula. Instead of seeing the world through the eyes of our initial host, or Dunamist, Jun Himeya, we follow Kazuki Komon, a relatively unremarkable trainee who was offered (more like kidnapped for) a top-secret position at TLT (Terrestrial Liberation Trust) defense force. Komon doesn’t understand why he’s been chosen, but we’re promised to find out along the way.
The tone of Ultraman Nexus is darker and more mysterious than its predecessors. Komon is a rookie for the Night Raider, a covert organization who secretly ward off intruding Space Beasts so as not to send humanity into panic. While navigating the intricacies of this strange team, Komon finds that so much of what we see is a well-maintained illusion. There are great mysteries that lurk beneath the surface, threatening humanity’s well-being.
In episode one, ‘Night Assault - Night Raid -’, the Night Raider take on Pedoleon, the Blob-Type Beast. Peddleon is an ethanol-consuming creature with a taste for humans as well, capable of melting and reforming to escape threats and consume prey. The Night Raider struggle to track the beast that can escape any cage and slip through any gap, and learning too late that there is more than one of these creatures loose on Earth. When things look grim, and the civilian Komon is in danger of losing his life to Pedoleon, a silver giant appears to save him, crushing the Space Beast under his mighty fist.
The first Dunamist shown in the TV show, former war photographer Jun Himeya, is a tough, grief-stricken, uniquely serious Ultra host, whose pain is palpable but intriguing. The drama of Ultraman Nexus lends itself to being very character-driven, however this doesn’t take away from its vibrant elements.
Now in Dolby audio, enjoy the most kick-butt soundtrack in Ultra history, widely considered as one of the best sound effect landscapes in the franchise, with punches that pack weight and kicks that sound lethal.
Nexus is considered by some fans to be a “Second Generation-era fighter in a Classic-era series”, in regard to his quick reaction time and impactful moves. Though he seems to have his own set of rules compared to other Ultras, Nexus has, like any hero in this series, some incredible finishers like the Cross Ray Schtrom and Particle Phaser. Not to mention, the aerial fights in this series are impressively dynamic, a testament to the show’s incredible ambition.
The battles, violent and dangerous, have real impact on the characters’ wellbeing, the cliffhangers are addictive. We get great Space Beasts like Bugbuzun and Beesectar ready to throw down, sometimes for multiple episodes in a row. These monsters mean business, and so does the Night Raider!
The Night Raider is a militant group, who aren’t quick to trust Ultraman. Tension and distrust are a themes in all the characters, and systems speak to humanity’s layers of deceit and skepticism. Things are grittier, and more grounded in this story, with even Ultraman himself looking slightly more alien and less familiar.
The backdrops are gorgeous and otherworldly and the combination of SFX and practical suits is peak, whether cars are crashing out of the sky, or greedy tentacles are wrapping around a horrified civilian.
Grab your Ultraman Nexus Mill Creek Box Set here and binge the wild series from the beginning! Be sure to stay tuned for more here on Ultraman Connection.
