Please add entries in the following format:- The meme. [[labelnote:Explanation]]The explanation behind the meme. [[/labelnote]] Explanation Like this.
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The whole franchise in general
- "Is this a waybig ripoff?”Explanation When Marvel's Rise of Ultraman trailer dropped on youtube, several comments were made comparing Ultraman to the Tokustar aliens from Ben 10. Some were kidding, some were not.
- Also made a return when Netflix dropped the trailer for Ultraman Rising.
- Ultraman Without Context: A series of Youtube videos showing random clips from the shows, especially from the campy earlier episodes of the franchise, showing just how goddamn weird the shows could be without (And sometimes even with) any explaination.
- This image, showing Ultraman drop kicking Bemular in the head at the 2022 Anime Expo Ultaman shage show. Mostly used to describe a situation where someone or a group of people get suddenly screwed over by something.
- The fact that Ultra Series shows tends to be aired on Saturday instead of Sunday (and far more importantly, not made by Toei Company) didn't stop some from considering Ultra Series as an unofficial member of Super Hero Time programming block, even more so after Ultra Series started to air on regular yearly basis (though not full year as the episodes are 25 at max) from Ultraman Ginga onwards.
Ultraman
- Shuwatch! Explanation Ultraman's iconic cry when taking off to the sky after defeating the Monster of the Week in written form.
- VO VO VO VO VO! Explanation The written form of Alien Baltan's iconic Evil Laugh.
- Corn King/Corn GodzillaExplanation The western Fan Nickname for iconic kaiju Red King, a dinosaur monster with skin texture that coincidentally looks like a corn cob.
- Red King isn't redExplanation Likewise, Red King's Non-Indicative Name is something of a joke among western fans on the Internet. The real reason is that Red King was originally meant to be the Big Bad for an Ultraman prototype called Redman.
- "I am Mr. Bad!" Explanation From the infamous unauthorized Space Warriors 2000 where Red King (who bizarrely can talk) calls himself Mr. Bad. It has become a joking nickname for him in the English-speaking fanbase.
- The show's intro's character silhouettes are a popular stock parody of the series. Here's one for Pacific Rim.
Ultraseven
- Dyuwah! Explanation Ultraseven's iconic cry, said whenever Dan puts on the Ultra Eye to take on the Alien of the Week.
- Metron's coffee tableExplanation A scene in episode 8 of Ultraseven from when Dan meets the Affably Evil alien Metron and is invited to speak over a tatami table with some tea. One of the most iconic moments in the show in Japan, and has been endlessly parodied in TV and anime.
- Every year is a Seven anniversary yearExplanation Due to the immense amount of appearances and/or references to Ultraseven (both the series and the character) over other Ultras, fans have joked that Ultraseven will always be referenced or appear in new shows.
Return of Ultraman
- A Pixiv meme is to draw characters posing in an upside-down position, in which their bottoms are above their heads. This is inspired by the appearance of the kaiju Twin Tail, who is positioned upside-down.
Ultraman Taro
- Fire Head Man Explanation Zoffy getting his head set alight by Birdon is a rather common meme image on tokatsu message boards. The scene is iconic enough that when Zoffy gets depicted as an Ultra-Act action figure, said figure feels the need to re-create the scene of Zoffy's head on fire!
Ultraman Leo
- Seven's Jeep Explanation In Episode 6, where Leo fights a charging alien, Dan Moroboshi trains Leo in his human identity Gen by attempting to run over Gen with a jeep. This scene is widely regarded as among the most infamous scenes in the entire franchise as the pinnacle of Dan's cruel treatment of Gen, made worse by the fact that Gen's fearful reactions to the oncoming vehicles were those of his actor. Fans treat this as a Never Live It Down moment, and tend to joke that Ultraseven eagerly anticipates having new students to attempt to flatten.
- "We're going to kill Astra!"Explanation A line uttered by Ultraman towards the Leo Brothers after Astra (actually Alien Babalou in disguise) steals the Ultra Key and nearly dooms both Earth and M78 into colliding with each other. Even decades after the mistake has been cleared up, fans joke that Ultraman still has a burning hatred for Astra that he vocally expresses whenever the two are together.
Ultraman Tiga
- Japanizing Beam!Explanation A three panel comic of Tiga firing his Zepellion Ray that pokes fun at Moe Anthropomorphism by turning Tiga's target into Moe, eg. the jewels into Land of the Lustrous. Funnily enough, the screencap is actually from Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers. Variations with other countries exist, like an "Americanizing Beam" with Superman.
- DaigoneExplanation 2021's series of recap specials, Ultraman Chronicle Z: Heroes' Odyssey, prominently featured Tiga, but due to talent agency issues, any scenes featuring Daigo himself (or the opening theme) are edited out of the recaps, resulting in a version of Tiga without its protagonist. Some people instead joke that Daigo's plane, shots of which are the closest we ever get to seeing him, is the actual Daigo.
- ULTRA DURIFTO!Explanation Ultraman Tiga's opening song Take Me Higher was written by Dave Rodgers (credited under his real name Giancarlo Pasquini), whom most people would recognize from multiple of his Eurobeat songs being featured in Initial D's anime adaptation. After Rodgers' original English version of Take Me Higher appeared in Initial D Battle Stage 3, this meme wrote itself into existence. Also prominent are jokes about Ultraman Tiga drifting in an AE86.
- "When super's just not enough!"Explanation Part of the lyrics from the 4Kids dub theme song "Larger than Life", which can be seen as a humorous Take That! to the flagship hero of DC Comics.
Ultraman Gaia
- Imitation Agul's◊ Slasher Smile is a popular reaction image among fans.
- Gaia and Agul kissing with tongue Explanation Among Gaia fans on Tumblr, this particular phrasing has become a meme used to describe Gamu and Fujimiya's intense rivalry-turned-allyship.
Ultraman Max
- Max Appreciation Society/THE Strongest And Fastest UltraExplanation In response to the immense amount of jobbing Max underwent after his series ended, fans have begun treating him as a Memetic Badass whose losses have always been due to him holding back and that instead, he is actually the strongest Ultra ever.
Ultraman Mebius
- Mirai's Ocular Gushers as a reaction gif for anything sadExplanation Originally from episode 24, specifically a scene in which Mirai tears up at a passionate statement made by his friend and GUYS teammate Ryu about how much their team has grown and bonded over the series.
- "You didn't protect a damn thing!"Official translation You didn't protect anything!Explanation In the first episode, Mebius' amateur fighting style results in most of Tokyo being destroyed in the battle against the monster Dinozaur. Ryu's angry response is often used as a reaction image
Ultraman Zero
- According to The Other Wiki, Zero is this when crossing over with Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
- Due to his many power-ups gained in later appearances and even stacking and outright combining some of them, many fans jokingly make up new forms that take up to eleven the idea of more powerups or some really overdesigned fusion.
Ultraman X
- Daichi's Gomora giving a thumbs up has become quite popular on the Internet.
- Spagetty Explanation A misspelled billboard on a building Red King destroys in his episode.
Ultraman Orb
- Due to how ironic of a combination Orb's Thunder Breaster form isnote using Zoffy and Ultraman Belial, it's quite common for fans (mainly Japanese fans) to draw Belial and Zoffy having an internal conflict in Orb's Thunder Breaster form.
Ultraman Geed
- Acro Fusmassher (アクロ襖ッシャー, Acro Sliding Door Smasher): Explanation Geed Acro Smasher's pose looks like him peeking from the shadows, this makes the fandoms crazed enough to have Geed with crossovers from anime and even recreate the scene from Kamen Rider Blade via the infamous Ondul meme.
- With the aforementioned similar gimmick to Fullbottles, some even went to shake their Ultra Capsules with no effect.
- Cure Princess and Cure Earth are Geed's sidekicks Explanation Due to Megumi Han being the voice actor of both Pega and Shirayuki Hime/Cure Princess, along with Suzuko Mimori voiced both RE.M. and Asumi Fuurin/Cure Earth, some fans goes along and reimagned them as Riku/Geed's sidekicks, as shown here and here. Doubles as Hilarious in Hindsight with Riku's reappearance in Ultraman Z episode 6, which kinda foreshadowed Asumi/Cure Earth debut few weeks later despite R.EM. didn't appear herself.
Ultraman R/B
- Slapping the show's logo on a picture of Drake & Josh, with one comment saying "You'll understand if you watched the show" with the show in question depending on which fandom is being presented the joke.
- The Orb Ring NEO is compared to a pizza cutter, just like Orb Trinity's Orb Slasher.
Ultraman Taiga
- Where's Grigio?Explanation A popular question among fans, Ultrawoman Grigio was never to be seen joining the New Generation Heroes in episode 1 as they were chasing Tregear.
- The THICC-est Ultra to existExplanation Ultraman Titas' absurdly muscular body built earn this moniker from fans online.
- Blu-let when?Explanation In episode 7, fans were waiting for Taiga to use the last of the New Generation bracelet, the Blu-let, which lead to Fuma only using Victory-let in against a Babarue. Ultraman Blu's actor, Ryosuke Koike even lampshaded this. Of course, this meme was rendered moot in the next episode.
- Banana ClawsExplanation Imit-Ultraman Belial in this series has yellow-colored fingernails and crest which due to their size and being curved were likened to bananas by Kana and the fans. As such he's occasionally received nicknames such as the aforementioned Banana Claws.
Ultraman Z
- Captain Hebikura, he is a JUGGLER.note After it was revealed that Shota Hebikura and Jugglus Juggler are one in the same person, portrayed by the same actor (Takaya Aoyagi) nonetheless, fans are quick to compare Juggler with Char Aznable during his stint as Quattro Bajeena.
- He'll fit in the Precure group perfectly/He's juggling his roles wellnote Based on these Reddit and Twitter posts, some fans apparently have noticed that Juggler's expression when he first activated his Dark Z Riser quite fittingly resembles the Precures' expression from Healin' Good♡Pretty Cure transformation scene, complete with accompanying sparkles no less.
- Ultraman Nnote When Z flies off after defeating a monster, he leaves a tilted 'Z' in the sky that looks like like the letter 'N' when viewed from a different angle.
- Sevenger Znote Sevenger's Rocket Punch attack and the series named Ultraman Z brings in mind to the title mecha of Mazinger Z having that same weapon.
- Also in the finale: Sevenger Giga Drill Break!note When Bako pilots Sevenger, he equips the robot's right arm with a drill weapon of all things, which it has the titular mecha of TTGL written all over it.
- Comparing Z's Beta Smash form to the infamous Redman due to their similar red color and head designs. Especially due to Gomora's Designated Villain status for Beta Smash's debut.
- Please let Belial rest in peace. (Spoiler)note Riku's dialogue in episode 7 before his essence was about to be drained becomes a rallying cry among fans to have Tsuburaya stop milking Belial's popularity despite his death way back in the last episode of Ultraman Geed. This is also apply to the upcoming form Delta Rise Claw's Beliarok sword due to Belial's head being visible on it.
- Deathcium Toothpastenote The upcoming Beliarok toy reveals that one of the many lines it had was something about Deathcium toothpaste. Cue the fandom relating Belial with toothbrushes and toothpastes.
- Cosmos doesn't like this episode.note Or really bringing up Cosmos and/or Mushashi regarding episode 11 where the episode starts off as a typical Red King gets violent and attacks people. Only to turn out there are mated Red Kings protecting their egg and Haruki killed the father before realizing why they were attacking. Creating a similar situation where his father was killed by a monster to protect him. Basically this was a situation where Ultraman Cosmos could have placated the kaiju without violence. It doesn't help that one of the two attacks Z used to kill the father involved using Cosmos' Ultra Medal.
- Yuka being portrayed as a Mad Scientist to ridiculous levels that made Celebro look inferior (See Memetic Psychopath below).note In the fandom, there are few fan arts depict her dissecting monsters and aliens.
- Geed is now a father.note In episode 15, Geed gets trapped into Greeza and his DNA was tapped by the space needle to create the Beliarok. Fans took it up that Geed/Riku is a father and Greeza is the mother.
- Due to having many powers Z's Gamma Future form is called or compared to Doctor Strange.
- Ultraman Z is a mecha anime in disguise.note One of the popular rallying cry of fans is that Ultraman Z is stealthily a mecha anime adapted into live action, considering STORAGE's use of SAA Units to fight monsters and even with the addition of Mecha Anime tropes seen above. The airing of episode 17 only boosted up the cry even further.
- Man nii-san.note Ultraman Z's transformation sequences make the very odd choice to have Haruki refer to the original Ultraman simply as "Man", in the same way that Ultraseven is often referred to simply as "Seven". Western fans online have appropriated this to refer to a Memetic Badass version of Ultraman with focus on his Heroic Build.
- <insert Ultra's name>-rok note Because of Beliarok's popularity, even other Ultras get the treatment of having a weapon themed to a particular Ultra, with their head being on the handguard (i.e., Tigarok) into a bootleg toy.
Ultraman Trigger
- Return of Ultraman Tiganote As Trigger is a Legacy Character to Ultraman Tiga who has the same set of powers as the former while having his own unique weapon, fans are quick to compare Trigger's situation to Ultraman Jack with the original Ultraman. Even more so when you consider that Trigger aired the same year as Return of Ultraman's fiftieth anniversary. This becomes more apparent when Tiga himself returns and fights alongside Trigger in episode 19.
- Trigger's name has led to plenty of photoshopped images online depicting various Ultramen with firearms. With the disclaimers jokingly claiming to be "leaked images" from Ultraman Trigger's concept art. Case in point.
- Ultraman Trigger
- Don't Toy With Me, Miss Carmearanote Carmeara's seiyuu, Sumire Uesaka, voiced the titular character of the manga's anime adaptation and with Carmeara having a psychotic obsession with Trigger along with a dominating attitude (whip included) meant that the fandom took little time to draw parallels between the characters
- Glitter Trigger Eternity. Presented by Mitsubishi. note When scans of Trigger's Super Mode surfaced, it was noted by fans that his colour timer is just Mitsubishi's logo, upside down. Leading to jokes about Trigger is being sponsored by the titular automobile company.
- Darrgon-centric episodes I want to see note After his Heel–Face Door-Slam in episode 23, many Japanese fans used this hashtag on Twitter to post their ideas for episodes focusing on Darrgon if he successfully made a Heel–Face Turn.
- Smile Smile Cultnote Due to the initial prevalence of Kengo's catchphrase and the massive backlash it caused for western viewers, the subreddit for Ultraman ran with it in ironic comedy posts that had Kengo organize a "Smile Smile Cult" where several characters joined in, and which you had to join or else.
Shin Ultraman
- #UltramanSweepExplanation Based on the #MorbiusSweep meme from Morbius, many Western fans have begun to use this quote in commemoration of the release of Shin Ultraman to establish the success of the film before it even came out. One user in particular has even made numerous GIFs for it.
- "FIRST MOVIE TO SELL ONE ULTRILLION TICKETS"explanation Tying into the above meme, this particular phrase is being used to predict how the film will become so successful that it sells one Ultrillion tickets. This came to a head when a report of the box office earnings were released, showing that Shin Ultraman opened to an estimated 998,000,000 yen (about 7.7 million USD), surpassing even the opening weekend of Shin Godzilla. It not only making it officially the highest grossing film in the Ultra Series (the previous record holder was Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers at 800,000,000 yen), it's also well on track to being the highest grossing live action Japanese film this year.
- Alien Mefilas' human form in a suit seems to have become a somewhat popular fan art subject for artists. Perhaps because one of the pieces of concept art had him in a suit before settling with him naked.
- Another one around the web is Mefilas's catchphrase "私の好きな言葉です" which commonly translated as "[It is] My favorite word/expression." It even comes up in his character trailer, accompanied with the text spread and stretched across the screen, it was mostly used on japanese public but recently it started gaining recognition thanks to the US release of the movie as: "One of my favorite/Least favorite sayings." like this.
- Kaminaga's chairexplanation After the Gabora crisis, Kaminaga (Ultraman) is absent from the SSSP office, never sitting in his office chair. Some viewers have joked that Kaminaga's chair has more screentime than Kaminaga himself.
Ultraman Decker
- "Reiwa Ultraman Dyna"Explanation Like Trigger, Decker is a Legacy Character to Dyna who has the same set of powers as the former while having his own unique weapon and the ability to summon monsters similar to Ultraseven's Capsule Monsters, which this show is also an anniversary to both Ultraseven's 55th year and Ultraman Dyna's 25th year.
- Jin Takayama, is that you?Explanation The mysterious man from the future who transforms into Decker is portrayed by Masashi Taniguchi, who is known for his high-profile tokusatsu roles; aside from Jin, Taniguchi portrayed a Sentai Ranger, and a Rider for the second time around. It also helps when assuming Decker's form, the, he adopts Character Tics similar to Jin when transformed as Amazon Alpha.
Ultraman Blazar
- Ultraman GayerExplanation Back when the series had yet to be officially announced and the first leaks popped up, many joked that this series would continue the TDG celebration series with a Gaia-adjacent one and because of the naming convention for Trigger and Decker the fans jokingly came to the conclusion that the series would be called: Ultraman Gayer, the meme died down once the title was fully confirmed showing that there wouldn't be much direct Gaia influence on the series.
- BLAZAR! THE ULTRAMAN!Explanation Tomoya Warabino, who is famous for the role of Heart in Kamen Rider Drive, is cast as the protagonist Gento Hiruma. And Tomoya Warabino is not the first actor of having the distinction of playing a villain in a Kamen Rider series to become an Ultra Hero, that honor belongs to Hideo Ishiguro, who previously played Kai in Kamen Rider Den-O, and later, Gai Kurenai in Ultraman Orb.
- Ultraman Blaze It. Explanation The fact that an Ultraman named "Blazar" was given a reveal on 4/20 was not lost on Western fans. This was a result of time zone differences, as the teaser was released in Japan on 4/21.
- Everyone in the Cast is Buff.Explanation After the announcement of Konomi Naito (who is a professional karate fighter in addition to an actor) as a cast member, jokes began flying that every human character on Blazar would be a buff man/woman and even joked that they wouldn't need any mecha or even Ultraman's help because they all could beat the crap out of the kaiju threats with their bare hands.
- No! Not Comiket!Explanation In the final episode, Varallon's arrival on Earth is heralded by the destruction of Tokyo Big Sight, the convention center where Comiket, the largest Doujinshi convention, is being held twice a year. This became a source of amusement for fans, especially those of Love Live!, because of the fact that Nijigasaki High School is based off Tokyo Big Sight.