Review: Ultraman Episode 13 - Oil S.O.S.

 

Ultraman Episode #13

Oil S.O.S.

Original Air Date: October 9th, 1966

Directed by: Hajime Tsuburaya

Screenplay by: Tetsuo Kinjo

Review by: Toku Tom Fool

We begin with an oil crisis in the Middle East. Yes, we are still talking about the Ultraman show. Something has been attacking oil refineries in the Middle East and the SSSP from there had no idea what was the cause. Back in Tokyo Bay, we encounter a drunk man that spots a blue light in the bay. A an oil tanker drives by and he tries to warn them of what he saw but they don't listen and get blown up. This is when we get our first look at the monster which has giant wings and a bat head in the middle. It's name is Pestar.

Ide and Arashi are sent to fly over Tokyo Bay to investigate what happened but they don't find anything. The Defense Force believes that the drunk man lit the tanker on fire with his cigarette but he insists it was a monster. Captain Muramatsu and Hayata discuss whether the man is telling the truth and Muramatsu is considering it due to what happened in the Middle East. We don't have to wait long for the answer as Pestar sets a large carrier on fire. Our drunk friend is off the hook.


The SSSP discusses that Pestar will probably attack the oil refinery next because it's a monster that loves oil. I've read about monsters like that. The team talks about how they should aim for the stomach to kill the monster. Arashi is particularly excited about this because he loves using his Spider Shot, but Hayata tells him that's a bad idea in case Pestar gets angry and comes to attack on land. 

A plan is devised to get Pestar away from the oil refinery. This is accomplished by dropping barrels of gasoline into the water where Pestar has been seen. Pestar takes this bait and starts eating these things like Tic Tacs which looks hilarious by the way. Muramatsu wants Pestar to eat as much gasoline as possible to make it easier to beat. He warns Ide to not shoot until he is told to shoot. Ide is given the order but he misses because Pestar is too fast. Pestar than swims into Tokyo Bay where Ide is again told not to shoot in the bay. Alas, Ide panics and fires a shot at Pestar. This drives Muramatsu crazy even though it was an accident because if one person in the SSSP makes a mistake, then the entire SSSP makes that mistake.
 

Pestar walks onto the oil refinery and it starts setting that whole place on fire. This place is engulfed. Pestar on land is a funny visual because the suit is two people talking together and I find the image of it to be delightful. Ide gets some redemption as he fires another shot at Pestar which takes it out of action and now they have to put out all the fires. They had to where the oil company heads are at and they get chewed out for allowing their whole refinery to be set on fire. Ide feels responsible and it doesn't help when one of the oil guys says that even a novice would know not to fire a shot near the refinery. This sets Ide off to where he tries to put out the fires by himself which doesn't go well as he gets knocked out from an explosion. You're still my hero, Ide! 


 

The rest of the team goes out to look for Ide since they know he feels responsible for all this destruction. I don't believe he should take full responsibility. Instead, that should go to the guy that is about to appear and that's Ultraman. Ultraman comes in and puts out all the fires with his middle finger water gun. Pestar does wake up for a few seconds to shoot some fire at him, but Ultraman shrugs that off and Spacium Beams Pestar to death. If Hayata had taken the initiative earlier in the episode, he could have defeated the monster as Ultraman and saved the oil refinery. Maybe Ultraman secretly wanted that oil destroyed knowing that oil companies are evil. 

Ide wakes up from being knocked out and is ready to resign from the SSSP after failing. Muramatsu is having none of that. He tells Ide that he's a proud member of the team and their friend. Awe. I like that. Ide does too as he passes out again as the rest of the team laughs. 

There's a lot to like about this episode. I really liked Ide and Muramatsu's interactions in this episode. We saw how seriously Muramatsu takes his job in the SSSP and how he doesn't like when they do something wrong as he feels responsible for it even when it is not his fault. Ide is often seen as a comedy character but he is good at his job and to see his reaction to screwing up is very interesting. He feels really bad about embarrassing the SSSP and I like that he tries to make up for his mistake. Not really much from the other characters. Hoshino was absent again, Fuji still has nothing to do, Arashi still loves his Spider Shot, and Hayata still becomes Ultraman. There is no real Ultraman fight in this episode which I am fine with because I like when the formula gets changed up. A fight with that monster would have probably been terrible. 

I'll be back next time with "The Pearl Defense Directive" which could mean anything. Maybe there is an underwater pearl to get which could be fun. I'll be live tweeting the episode on Twitter @TokuTomFoolery so have a good one.

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