Transformation items from childhood possessed a special power that made them feel like more than just mere tools. It is a mysterious power where fantasies begin the very moment you hold them, turning the room in front of you into a base or the scenery outside into a battlefield. And among the Ultraman series, the Sparklence must be one of the items most deeply etched into our memories. I feel that the word “simple reissue” is a bit insufficient for the “SUPER BEST DX Sparklence” arriving this time. Rather than selling a past product once again, this feels like an entrance for reaching out to those feelings from back then once more. The moment you hold it, a sensation of “I still remembered this after all” will mysteriously spring up, not just a sense of nostalgia.

The charm of the Sparklence lies first in its shape. Someone seeing it for the first time might feel, “It has a slightly unusual shape for a transformation item.” It is neither a sword nor a gun, and it carries an impression a bit different from typical hero items. That is for good reason, as the motif of this item is said to be a tuning fork. It embodies the concept that light is born when the existences of Tiga and Daigo harmonize with each other and become one. What makes it interesting is that instead of just aiming for a cool shape, the story itself has taken form. The more you look at it, the less it feels like a mere transformation tool.

In the SUPER BEST DX Sparklence, the specifications are designed so that the light emission and sounds are activated via button operations. While it becomes an extremely simple explanation when put into text, this act of “pressing” carries great meaning. The fun of a transformation item lies more in its motions than in the functions themselves. Holding it in your hand to assume a stance, you extend your finger toward the button with a sensation like holding your breath just a bit. Then, at the moment the light and sound begin, it feels as if the space you are normally in changes into a slightly different place. Perhaps from the surroundings it looks like you are just playing around. However, inside the head of the person holding it, a massive kaiju might already be closing in, or they might be standing tall bearing the future of humanity on their shoulders.

In the series, the Sparklence was a special sacred treasure granted to Madoka Daigo through his fusion with the stone statue of Ultraman Tiga. Furthermore, Yuzare speaks of it as proof of being an ancient heroic warrior, giving it a meaning distinct from simple equipment. That must be why it stays in one's impression. While transformation items often serve the role of a “tool to become stronger,” the Sparklence is a bit different. If anything, it is an existence closer to a “proof of being chosen.” It is not that you can become a hero because you hold it, but rather something that appears before the person who is meant to hold it. I feel that this mystical positioning is what makes this item special.

The Sparklence transforms Daigo's body into light, transforming him into Tiga. However, its mechanism is not explicitly spoken of. Normally, having detailed settings would make it easier to understand, but rather, not having it explained gives birth to the joy of imagining. Once you start thinking, “Why can he transform?” or “How can he become light?” there are no answers. However, I think it is precisely because there are no answers that the charm never fades. When looking back at it as an adult compared to when watching it as a child, different perspectives are bound to emerge.

This SUPER BEST edition comes with a chronicle visual sheet commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Ultraman series, and the packaging is also a commemorative specification. These aspects are not just about the accessories, but allow you to feel the very history that has been loved for a long time. Some people might find themselves a bit torn over whether to open it just for playing or to preserve it carefully together with the box. That is how firmly packed it is with the atmosphere of a commemorative product.

The Sparklence is not an item for flashily swinging weapons around. Yet, it possesses the power to greatly move one's heart with just a single small display of light. I believe the “SUPER BEST DX Sparklence” is a product that reminds us of such charm once again. Whether you are someone who used to mimic the transformation poses in front of the TV as a child, or someone touching the world of Tiga for the first time as an adult, you will surely think the same thing the moment you hold it: “Maybe this is what it felt like to become light.”