The Meta Field
"I really hope that woman dies soon!"
"If I were Nexus, I'd punch her to death first!"
"Shouldn't you focus on the actual enemy, the monster?"
"She picks on the weak, probably because attacking the monster wouldn't help and might lead to retaliation. Ultraman won't fight back, right?"
"What's this 'monster' you're talking about? In this series, they're called Alien Beasts! I think they're even stronger than regular monsters."
"Nonsense, monsters are way stronger."
The debate raged on as fans discussed the latest developments in *Nexus*. Even though the plot hadn't fully unfolded, the scenes in the first two episodes had already grabbed the attention of many viewers.
*Nexus* made an impressive debut, drawing both praise and criticism. Most notably, fans were outraged at the female member of the Night Raiders who had attacked Ultraman.
In most tokusatsu series in this world, humans generally see anyone who helps them fight off monsters as a friend. Even if they have doubts, they wouldn't attack them outright. But this woman did just that.
Besides the controversy over her actions, fans were also arguing about whether Alien Beasts or traditional monsters were more powerful. Some believed that Alien Beasts were smarter and could adapt during battles, making them more formidable. Others argued that monsters started off strong and didn't need to evolve to be a threat.
As fans debated, the second episode aired. When the Night Raider attacked Nexus, he chose to ignore her and continued fighting the Alien Beast. During the battle, Nexus transformed, gaining a new red form and unleashing a new, never-before-seen skill—the Meta Field!
Unlike the original version, where budget constraints made the Meta Field scenes relatively simple, Ren's version spared no expense, giving Andrew the resources to create something truly impressive.
Andrew even made some special modifications. In this version, when Nexus activates the Meta Field, the space around him distorts, accelerating time and bringing them into a post-apocalyptic future. The desolate landscape, filled with skeletal remains and crumbling buildings, depicted a world where civilization had collapsed—a stark warning of what could happen if the invaders weren't stopped.
"Is this some kind of ancient ruin?"
"Could Nexus also be an ancient Ultraman? Maybe he's from Tiga's world?"
Some fans speculated, but others quickly pointed out that the landscape within the Meta Field matched the location where the battle had started. Although the architecture looked advanced, the overall layout was still recognizable.
But why had the surroundings changed so drastically when the Meta Field was activated? What had happened? Fans didn't know yet, but as the story progressed, they began to sense that *Nexus* was going to be a heavy, emotional ride.
They also started to feel sympathy for Nexus. According to later explanations in the show, the reason the public wasn't informed about the Alien Beasts wasn't just to maintain order. These creatures fed on fear—the more people feared them, the more frequently they appeared.
This meant that Nexus could never receive the gratitude or respect he deserved, nor would anyone call him a hero. Knowing the nature of the Alien Beasts, Nexus deliberately used the Meta Field to keep their existence hidden from the public. Unlike Tiga, who fought his battles openly, Nexus fought in secret, away from the eyes of the world.
Nexus never damaged buildings or harmed civilians. He always dealt with the monsters quietly, out of sight.
But there was more—Nexus's human host bore the full brunt of the injuries sustained in battle. This meant that every fight took a severe toll on his body.
No wonder Nexus's human host looked so worn out!
This made the characters in *Nexus* much more complex and memorable. Viewers didn't just remember Ultraman; they remembered the human host, battered and bruised, yet still willing to transform and fight.
Most of all, fans sympathized with Kazuki Komon, the man who became Nexus. He had been a war photographer, risking his life to capture images that revealed the brutal truth of war. Those photos won him great acclaim, but Komon was consumed by guilt.
To get those photos, he had failed to protect a local girl named Serra, who had cared for him when he was wounded. Her smile had been his only solace. But during a rebel attack on her village, Komon rushed into the warzone with his camera, hoping to get the perfect shot. Serra, meanwhile, ran against the fleeing crowd, desperately searching for him. In the end, she died in front of him when a bomb exploded at her feet.
Although his photos were celebrated back home, they brought him no satisfaction, only deepened his regret.
What kind of strength kept Komon fighting to protect humanity after losing Serra? Even when attacked by the very people he tried to save, he continued to battle the Alien Beasts.
Many viewers thought that if they were in Komon's place—having lost Serra and been attacked while doing good—they would have grown to hate humanity and given up on them.
Despite the heavy themes, fans couldn't deny that *Nexus* was an outstanding series. As the plot thickened, with the Alien Beast threat growing, mysterious forces emerging from the shadows, and the Night Raiders facing internal conflicts, viewers were more excited than ever to see what would happen next.
----------
For 10 advance chapters: patreon.com/angelictranslating