WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Ultraman: The Trials of Ultraman #3 by Kyle Higgins, Mat Groom, Francesco Manna, Espen Grundetjean and VC’s Ariana Maher, on sale now.
The world of Marvel’s Ultraman saga has been changing faster than anyone can keep up with. Ever since opening up the interdimensional Kaiju Vault in the hopes of averting catastrophe, the monstrous former residents of that strange limbo have been appearing all over the globe without warning. While Ultraman is always there to tackle the threats head-on, the general populace have had a much harder time wrapping their heads around all of it. Some have decided that the entire Kaiju threat is little more than a hoax, while others have taken to dangerous new hobbies in the hopes of catching a small piece of the glory for themselves.
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Shin Hayata and Kiki Fuji have only recently returned to Tokyo after rescuing former USP agent Dan Moroboshi from the clutches of a dangerous terrorist organization. During their mission, the heroes were assaulted by a powerful mechanical Kaiju — one that nearly cost Shin his life and has sent the USP searching for the origin of this dastardly technology. Dan hasn’t offered much in the way of help, though it is understandable that after so many decades locked away in another world he would be hesitant to share much with anyone. With so many serious issues cropping up, the fact that there are still wild Kaiju to battle almost seems like an afterthought for Shin and the USP, though the rest of the world is still acutely aware of their presence. So much so, in fact, that people have even begun recording themselves waiting to be rescued by Ultraman instead of evacuating the area when Kaiju show up. It sounds like a dangerous, exhilarating time, but once the terror gets too close for comfort, it quickly becomes clear just how bad of an idea it is.
A group of friends begins recording in their apartment, one of them remarking that they can hear the commotion but are unable to see anything. As he peers out the window, the wall of the apartment explodes inwards, leaving glass and concrete strewn about. As the three friends lie on the ground, one of them remarks that they have to leave before the man who had been looking out the window announces that Ultraman will save them. Of course, the titular hero is busy taking down a massive monster, and almost doesn’t notice the trio of bystanders before their apartment building collapses and sends them all hurtling to the ground below. Thankfully, Ultraman is able to catch them before anyone is irreparably harmed, but that doesn’t make their encounter any less stressful. It isn’t just the people in the video and their reckless actions that have ratcheted up the tension for Ultraman and the USP, but the fact that the entire world is watching all of it unfold online, and some very different opinions on the matter are already forming.
The media has been torn on what to make of the revelation that the USP, Ultraman and Kaiju even exist, let alone that they might be shaping the future of our world while those who inhabit it are largely unable to make a difference on their own. Plenty of pundits have determined that Ultraman is a hoax, or that Kaiju have been engineered or made up for some nefarious reason, but the influx of new amateur media documenting the battles and aftermath of Ultraman’s heroics make it hard to look away. There are certainly those who support Ultraman in his fight for humanity, but even those closest to Shin seem incapable of understanding the gravity of the situation. Shin’s father, who had previously derided both the USP and Ultraman, has not grown any closer to his son since realizing the truth. As he watches the horror unfold through his smart phone, he can only worry that things have gone too far. Of course, Shin is not the one deciding what happens, nor is he in any semblance of control of the situation. As hard as it is to cope with, Shin is merely reacting to problems that have been building for decades, and doing so in the best way possible. Whether or not the rest of the world wants to acknowledge that is completely outside of his control.
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