Ultraman Z

I was a big fan of Ultraman when I was a kid. In the early ‘90s I discovered there was a new “Ultraman” show, but unfortunately I was more interested in acquiring episodes of the old show on VHS than I was episodes of the new one. Somewhat later I discovered that there have been many, many “Ultraman” series over the years, rivaling Doctor Who in its longevity. A brief search of the internet yields the following results (but I’ve probably missed a few).

Ultra Q
Ultraman 1966-67
UltraSeven 1967-68
Return of…(Jack) 1971-72
Ultraman Ace 1972-73
Ultraman Taro 1973-74
Ultraman Leo 1974-75
Ultraman 80 1980-81
Ultraman USA (The Adventure Begins) 1987
Ultraman Great (Towards the Future) 1990-91
Ultraman Powered (The Ultimate Hero) 1993
Ultraman Hero 1995
Ultraman Zearth (parody) 1996-97
Ultraman Tiga 1996-97
Ultraman Dyna 1997-98
Ultraman Gaia 1998-99
Ultraman Nice 1999-00
Ultraman Neos 2000-2001
Ultraman Cosmos 2001-02
Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy 2004
Ultraman: Next 2004 - p.82
Ultraman Nexus 2004-05 - p.82
Ultraman Max 2005-06 - p.86
Ultraman Mebius 2006-07 - p.91
Ultraman UltraSeven X 2007 - p.99
UltraGalaxy: Mega Monster Battle 2007-2009 - p.100
Ultraman Retsuden 2011-13
Neo Ultra Q 2013
Ultraman Ginga 2013
Ultraman Ginga S 2014
Ultraman X 2015-16
Ultraman Orb 2016
Ultraman Geed 2017
Ultraman R/B 2018
Ultraman Taiga 2019
Ultraman Z 2020
Ultraman Trigger 2021

We’ve been discussing other tokusatsu series in this forum lately, and because those series were produced later than Ultraman, I expected them to be technically better, but I ended up being somewhat disappointed in Super Robot Red Baron and Iron King. I enjoyed them, but I didn’t like them as much as I hoped to. Now I’ve started watching Ultraseven, and it’s everything I hoped it would be.

As the liner noteson the DVD set point out, “the difference in the overall quality in production between Ultraman and Ultraseven was marked, and made the show memorable 45 years later. According to Wikipedia, “Such is his popularity that Ultra Seven (or simply 'Seven') has appeared or at least made cameos in nearly every Ultra Series following his own and has had far more exposure than even the original Ultraman (though the original Ultraman is without a doubt the face of the Ultras).”

My wife and I disagree about the relative merits of Ultraseven in comparison to SRRB/IK. I would like to start the discussion with a look at the opening title sequence and music, then open the floor for rebutal.

The title sequence of Ultraman, as you will recall, looks as if it had been spelled out in a can of paint, slowly stirred, then run backwards. Ultraseven looks more like it had been spelled out in brightly colored confetti, placed atop one of those old electric football games, shaken apart, then run backwards. Whereas the soundtrack of Ultraman is jazzy, that of Ultraseven shows more of a classical influence.

Here is the English translation of the lyrics…

Seven… Seven… Seven… Seven…

Seven! Seven! Seven!
Seven! Seven! Seven!

A distant star was once his home
Ultra Seven! Fighter Seven!
Ultra Seven! Seven! Seven!

Onward to the edge of the galaxy
Use your Ultra-Eye and… STRIKE!
Seven! Seven! Seven!
Seven! Seven! Seven!

Dan Moroboshi is his borrowed name
Ultra Seven! Hero Seven!
Ultra Seven! Seven! Seven!

Defeat the great fire-breathing monster
Use yout Ultra-Beam and STRIKE!

THE SECOND ROBOT ACTIVATION PLAN: "STORAGE's new asset, Special Craft No. 2, Windom, is finally complete. However, a problem with its energy charge prevents it from being launched. Meanwhile the Subterranean Monster Telesdon rampages on the surface. Even worse, Telesdon is enhanced by a mysterious power. Can STORAGE and ULtraman Z overcome this challenge?"

Kaiju: Telesdon, the Subterranean Monster

According to the summary, Windom is "finally" complete, but seeing as funding was approved only last episode I'd say "already." Yuka designed it, but the engineers changed many of its specs, making it less efficient. Yuka goes to commiserate with Chief Inaba and finds him in his shop baking a sweet potato using a bit of Sevenger's discarded vent shielding as "tin foil." This inspires her to wrap one of Neronga's internal organs in the same material which somehow fixes Windom's energy storage problem. The scene in which she brings Windom to "life" uses "Frankenstein" imagery. Yuka and Isaba are referred to as Windom's "parents," which thrills Yuka but embarasses Inaba.

Meanwhile, the guy who was splashed with and posessed by monster goo (or whatever it was) back in the first episode uses Ultra-technology to create a monster "medal" (the kind used in transformation devices and whatnot. Meanwhile, Telesdon is rampaging. Sevenger is able to defeat it, but the guy arrives on the scene and tosses the monster medal into its mouth which gives it enhanced powers. Sevenger is no longer a match for it, but windom arrives on the scen and, with Ultraman Z's help, is able to defeat it.

Replies

Jeff of Earth-J April 26, 2025 at 7:01pm

THE SECOND ROBOT ACTIVATION PLAN: "STORAGE's new asset, Special Craft No. 2, Windom, is finally complete. However, a problem with its energy charge prevents it from being launched. Meanwhile the Subterranean Monster Telesdon rampages on the surface. Even worse, Telesdon is enhanced by a mysterious power. Can STORAGE and ULtraman Z overcome this challenge?"

Kaiju: Telesdon, the Subterranean Monster

According to the summary, Windom is "finally" complete, but seeing as funding was approved only last episode I'd say "already." Yuka designed it, but the engineers changed many of its specs, making it less efficient. Yuka goes to commiserate with Chief Inaba and finds him in his shop baking a sweet potato using a bit of Sevenger's discarded vent shielding as "tin foil." This inspires her to wrap one of Neronga's internal organs in the same material which somehow fixes Windom's energy storage problem. The scene in which she brings Windom to "life" uses "Frankenstein" imagery. Yuka and Isaba are referred to as Windom's "parents," which thrills Yuka but embarasses Inaba.

Meanwhile, the guy who was splashed with and posessed by monster goo (or whatever it was) back in the first episode uses Ultra-technology to create a monster "medal" (the kind used in transformation devices and whatnot. Meanwhile, Telesdon is rampaging. Sevenger is able to defeat it, but the guy arrives on the scene and tosses the monster medal into its mouth which gives it enhanced powers. Sevenger is no longer a match for it, but windom arrives on the scen and, with Ultraman Z's help, is able to defeat it.
Jeff of Earth-J April 27, 2025 at 7:16pm

FIRST JUGGLING: "The Freezing Monster Peguila is attacking the city. STORAGE is unable to combat the intensely cold air spit out by Peguila. Ultraman Z faces the crisis with a new weapon, the "Z Lance Arrow," a legendary weapon brought back from antiquity. What will be the outcome of this fearsome battle?"

Kaiju: Peguila, the Freezing Monster; Zeppandon, the Combined Lord Monster

An artifact from 30,000 years ago is brought back from Alaska. Peguila appears soon afterwards. Peguila defeats Windom by freezing it, with Yopko trapped inside. While Haruki is providing ground support he is accosted by an armored alien, Jugglus Juggler, who steals Haruki's Z riser (transformation device), then disappears. Haruki runs back inside and takes Sevenger without authorization. Meanwhile, Juggler makes a dark copy of the Z Riser, the Dark Z Riser, which he then uses to summon Zeppandon, the Combined Lord Monster. Haruki saves Yoko by turning Sevenger's jets on Windom and thawing it out, but Sevenger is badly damaged by Zeppandon in the process. Haruki sees Juggler not far off, confronts him, and Juggler gives the Z Riser back. Haruki transforms and the artifact flies to the scene and becomes the "Z Lance Arrow," the weapon of the ancient Ultrman. Ultraman Z defeats Zeppandon. Jugglas Juggler is revealed to be... Captain Hebikura!

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