MANILA, PHILIPPINES — It is said that one of the most powerful forces is nostalgia. The yearning and the feeling of something so familiar from days past are strong enough to tap a certain kind of euphoria otherwise irrecoverable.
For children who grew up between the early 60s to sometime around the 90s, the silver and red hero with legendary massive eyes would be instantly recognizable. Ultraman, as he is known, has been a global phenomenon, cementing its place in popular culture as among the pioneers of the tokusatsu heroes – a genre from which the likes of Power Rangers and a handful of more Ultraman spinoff shows and characters were patterned after.
Three decades of Filipino children were raised being inspired by the heroics of the Japanese icon. And more than half a century later, Ultraman’s influence is still more than relevant as the media giant Netflix picked up where the 1966 series left. Truly, before the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the DC Extended Universe came into the contemporary spotlight, Ultraman was a childhood hero to more than one generation.
DBTK, in its attempt to inspire the youth to fight for ideals bigger than themselves, will be partnering with the Ultraman brand in the hopes that the cultural icon will be a beacon of courage to the Kids today, and tap the memories of the Kids before.
Shin Hayata of the Science Patrol may be able to manifest Ultraman and its abilities for only three minutes, but the essence of the character lies in having a lionheart that is willing to try and start, hence strong enough to finish and accomplish.
The DBTK X Ultraman collection transcends nostalgia as it aims to cease the sentimentality associated with it and project it into a vision by which the Kids today can be inspired.
Perhaps it’s wishful thinking to fantasize for tangible objects to stimulate values where better versions of us can be built upon, but it’s definitely worth the leap of faith. Releasing this collection is personal to the DBTK family who grew up in a generation encouraged by the nobility of the Ultraman character. If the Beta Capsule enables the transformation to the titular hero, let this collab be a vessel to inspire working on our dreams and defending our principles – because believe it or not, we could be heroes.
The collection drops on August 21, 2021, at dbtkco.com (10am).
