Fridge / Shin Ultraman

Fridge Brilliance

• The two appearing monsters in the first trailer were Neronga and Gabora, both of which strangely had their CGI models being similarly designed on the underside. In the final film, they are joined by Pagos, who is depicted as a composite of both. Given that these three were created by modifying Toho's Baragon suit in the original 1966 series, it comes off as a nice easter egg.
  • This approach to monster design is taken further with the film's version of Gomess, which is obviously a modified version of Shin Godzilla's character model.
  • With the reveal that the kaiju are bioweapons and thus share parts between them, this implies the existence of Shin versions of Chandlar, Magular and Jirahs.
• There is, in fact, one more kaiju based on Ultra Q monsters in the film, though its existence is implied: the Beta Box being able to turn humans into proto-kaiju means it could essentially create the Shin version of Giant Kohji from the Q episode "Metamorphosis".
• Given this movie's deconstruction of many conventions of the Ultra Series, it may seem odd that Ultraman is able to catch a falling Asami without injuring her at all. However, given Zarab's earlier exposition that Ultraman manipulates the Specium-133 his body is composed of to distort gravity and fly, he likely manipulated the gravitational forces around himself to slow Asami's fall before catching her.
• Fitting for the Messianic Archetype he is, Ultraman sacrifices himself to destroy the cross-shaped Zetton, thus saving humanity from certain death by the Planet of Light's judgement. As such, the entire finale of the movie can be seen as a metaphor of the Crucifixion of Christ.
• Shinji Kaminaga dies. Then Ultraman, whose impact blast killed him, merges with him, creating a second Shinji Kaminaga. Given the nebulous specifics of their Fusion Dance, "Kaminaga" probably never divulges the real Kaminaga's fate because Kaminaga himself also decided not to, on top of Ultraman not bringing it up despite being the dominant personality.
• Taki has models of vehicles from Latitude Zero, Mighty Jack, Star Trek and Thunderbirds. All of these series have a common theme of humanity working together as a whole to surmount impossible odds, which reflects Taki's character arc of initially despairing over Zetton's insurmountable threat, before the Beta System blueprints Kaminaga left for him gave him hope and inspired him to gather all of humanity to formulate a strategy for Ultraman.
• Why does Zarab appear to have a transparent back that seems to show that he doesn't have anything in the way of internal organs or a skeleton inside his body? Because, aside from demonstrating his Bizarre Alien Biology, for all of his deceit, his Manipulative Bastard tendencies, and otherworldly powers and abilities, Zarab is ultimately a hollow being, with nothing to offer.
• Zarab's Imitation Ultraman is a much closer imitation of the real Ultraman than the original Obviously Evil design from the tv show. Besides the fact that it was done to make it more realistic that he'd successfully be able to frame Ultraman for his crimes, the key tell being in the eyes (Imitation Ultraman's are smaller, less egg shaped and just a bit too white) are a Take That! towards the UM Corporation (an Ultraman bootleg company with ties to Chaiyo) Ultraman design.

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