What is Passed Down

What is Passed Down
Ultraman Arc, episode 20
Information
Airdate	November 30, 2024
Directed by	Yusuke Akitake
Written by	Uiko Miura
Special Effects Directed by	Naoyuki Uchida
Continuity
Previous	The Transcending Wish
Next	The Dream Bird

What is Passed Down is the twentieth episode of Ultraman Arc.

Synopsis

Chief Hiroshi's daughter is participating in an occupation experience. But instead of SKIP, she chooses to be a news reporter!?

Seeing that, Hiroshi shows his fatherly side, and a certain melancholic feeling fills the air...

Right then, Gomess, the ancient kaiju appears, but what's with that form!? Huh!? Did Gomess just fly!?

Shu Ishido's Diary

Expand to read Shu Ishido's diary entry.

Earth being on the brink of explosion because of the Onyx. The arduous battle against Hellnarak, who came from another dimension. After these continuous major incidents, it seems that things have calmed down and SKIP’s Hoshimoto City Branch has seen quite a few peaceful days.

It was probably the first time we had such a quiet day since I have been deployed here. The kaiju hotline hasn’t even rang once.

But right then, we received a report of a kaiju sighting. The kaiju we saw on YouPi You-bot’s transmission of Mt. Ratsuno was Gomess, the ancient kaiju. It was extremely large in size, but the GDF had a stock of Citronella Acid, which had been previously used to defeat this species. Citronella Acid is a strong acid expelled by Gomess’ natural enemy, Litra, the primitive monstrous bird. As we know it to be lethal against Gomess, the GDF created a similar substance through chemosynthesis.

This meant that, while Gomess was a threat, with SKIP’s help we should be able to resolve it relatively quickly. Or so we thought. But we may have been a bit too optimistic to think it would be so easy. Gomess acted in a completely unexpected way, deciding to head up the mountain, instead of down where its prey is. It arrived at the top of the mountain the very next morning. And not only that, but once the GDF’s tanks attacked it using the Citronella Acid, it had no effect whatsoever, and to our surprise Gomess took off to the skies…

I will not bother to write down our disarray regarding the whole situation. But to sum it up: Gomess was not actually Gomess (as it had the same characteristics, in order to differentiate them, we have added the abbreviation "(SP)" to its name). It was a creature that looked exactly like Gomess, but able to fly and shortly arrived at Okami Town. Its true form was called "Supekkio". Supekkio is a space life form that was first observed 5 years ago, when retrieving a broken artificial satellite. It actually has the form of a small crystal and several of them can join together to create a perfect mimicry of another being. It’s able to fly due to its anti-gravitational beam and feeds off of silica (the main component of glass) and silicate.

The move to Okami Town was likely aimed at targeting the large glass factory located there. The one who stopped Supekkio this time was Ultraman Arc again. He used the Arc Eye Sword to protect himself against the powerful lasers closing in on it and then finished off the battle with a strong slash.

After the explosion, Supekkio revealed its true form, shifting into a huge crystalized mountain.

There was a concern about Supekkio coming down to Earth ever since it was first seen. I wonder if it was a coincidence it ended up exactly in Hoshimoto City, or if there was another reason for it. Up until recently, Onyx was buried within the depths of Hoshimoto City’s soil. Although it should have already disappeared, there’s still a chance there’s an undetected energy remaining.

What if it was what attracted Supekkio from space, after all? What if this incident was a presage of yet another calamity? This might be an unfounded concern. But even so, considering and exhausting all possibilities is part of my job as a member of the GDF.

Ultraman Arc is a great hero, but we can’t completely rely on him. We each have to figure out what it is we can do to help and join forces. What each of us can do might be different, but our actions are what will lead us towards a peaceful future. This is what I believe.

PS: I planned on finishing this entry nicely, but I just realized something. My last words were exactly what the Chief’s daughter had said. Her name is Tsugumi Ban. She chose to be a reporter for the occupational experience and ended up being present during Supekkio’s invasion. The wonderful words she spoke towards the camera stuck to me. The Chief must have been overwhelmed by emotion. It’s not hard to catch him watching that video over and over again during his break.

Thanks to that, her message has also affected me, who was right beside him. When I think about it, I have not contacted my father in a long time. Though communication is hard because he works in Canada as a teacher, it’s still a bit sad. I think I might try video-calling him soon. And then send him a little something.

The Dorayakis Yuma recommended from the shopping district might be a good option. And some of my preferred coffee beans, of course.

Ask TsuPi

This week's "Ask TsuPi" explores the question: A flying Gomess.

Yuma's Ultraman Arc Navi

Yuma's Ultraman Arc Navi #22

Today, Yuma discussed the core beliefs SKIP has upheld since its founding, and introduces the kaiju of the following episode, King of Mons.

Cast

• Yuma Hize : Yuki Totsuka
• Shu Ishido : Sho Kaneta
• Rin Natsume : Kaho Mizutani
• Hiroshi Ban : Koichiro Nishi

Voice Actors

• YouPi : Yuya Hirose

Guest Actors

• Tsugumi Ban : Rina Miura
• Akari Inui : Hinako Tanaka
• Cameraman : Yoshiyuki Miura
• Audio Staff : Arata Hiraki

English Dub

• Yuma Hize : Paul Castro Jr.
• Shu Ishido : Micah Solusod
• Rin Natsume : Dani Chambers
• Hiroshi Ban : Tony Oliver
• YouPi : Brandon McInnis
• Tsugumi Ban : Christina Assaf-Costello
• Akari Inui : Sara Ragsdale

Suit Actors

• Ultraman Arc : Hideyoshi Iwata
• YouPi : Daiki Yazaki
• Gomess : Hiroyuki Arai

Appearances

Ultras

• Ultraman Arc

Kaiju

• Supekkio
• Gomess (SP)

Trivia

• This episode is the first since episode 15 of Ultraman X, "A Soldier's Back," to revisit the theme of "a leader and his daughter." Notably, both episodes feature Gomess as part of the storyline.
  • This is also Gomess's first appearance in an episode centered on a "leader storyline" since episode 17 of Ultraman Decker, titled "Investigation from the Past."

• This episode includes several easter eggs and references to the Godzilla series. Since Gomess is based on Godzilla, there is a direct connection between the two.
  • The footsteps of Gomess (SP) and the power line scene recall a classic shot from the 1954 film Godzilla.
  • Supekkio exhibits traits of SpaceGodzilla by mimicking the appearance of Gomess and displaying characteristics such as flying using anti-gravity beams.
  • Given Gomess (SP)’s "imposter" role, some plot elements seem inspired by Mechagodzilla and its Fake Godzilla disguise. For instance, Gomess's skin reveals Supekkio's interior, exposing its true nature as a mimic monster. Additionally, Gomess (SP)’s use of a "reflective shield" and beam attacks in its battle with Arc mirrors Mechagodzilla's abilities in the 1974 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.
    • Shu’s line, "Is it a robot made to look like Gomess?" is a clear nod to Mechagodzilla.

• • The silhouette of Gomess (SP) standing on a mountaintop, walking through the city, and its resistance to GDF artillery are reminiscent of Godzilla’s portrayal in the 2016 film Shin Godzilla.
  • After Gomess (SP) is defeated, it transforms into its true form, Supekkio, resembling certain scenes from the conclusion of the 2021 anime series Godzilla Singular Point.
• In response to a question from a viewer on Twitter asking, "Why does Arc destroy the kaiju's barrier with just one attack using the Arc Eye Sword?" special effects director Naoyuki Uchida explained, "By reflecting the beam, I was able to amplify the energy, which is why the sword glows red when you look closely."

References