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
Ultraman Decker 2022
Ultraman Blazar 2023
Ultraman Arc 2024
Ultraman Omega 2025
Ultraman Theo 2026
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!
Replies
I wonder if "Grace" is a riff on Royce Gracie, the MMA fighter.
Very likely.
MAN AND MONSTER: "The mysterious monster Neomegas appears suddenly in town, defeats several other monsters, and leaves. Vice-captain Kaizaki tries to find out what is really going out (sic), when she remembers the words of her mentor. The terrifying meaning behind those words reveals itself before Kanata, the GUTS-Select team and Decker. "
Kaiju: Neomegas, the Newly-Constructed Monster; King Guira, the Sea Monster; Sadolon (who didn't stay last long enough to get a descriptor)
Vice-captain Kaizaki's mentor was Maki Shigenaga. It was Prof. Shigenaga who inspired Kaizaki to go into the field of monster reasearch, but five years ago whe was caught up in a big monster cloning/control scandal and was forced to resign. She hasn't been seen since. But Neomegas has her fingerprints all over it. Her idea is to clone monsters and control them as slaves, but when Kaizaki breaks the control crystal, which was also holding Neomagas' power in check, it runs amok and Decker must find a way to stop it. Shigenaga is taken away in handcuffs at the end, but I have a sneaking suspicion we'll see her again.
MACHINE GOD DEPLOYED: "Finally! Finally!! GUTS-Select are given with new equipment (sic) in the form of a robot! It's name is the Terraphaser!! Everyone is excited to meet the robot they'd been waiting for, but for some reason monsters appear every time they try to test boot-up sequence!! As Ultraman Decker holds off the monsters, can the team safely start up the Terraphaser?!" (I generally edit the exclamation points out of these summaries, but they seem so goddamed excited about the new robot I left them in.)
Robot: Terraphaser, the Cybernetic Golem
Kaiju: Raibasser, the Lightning Bird Monster; Hinabasser (from Orb); Gazort (from Tiga)
To be perfectly honest with yout, I just wasn't in the mood to "read TV" tonight, so I watched the episode but pretty much ignored the subtitles. I didn't take notes and haven't been fo some time, but the Kaiju from previous series, although given descriptive names in the subtitles, are not identified in the accompanying booklet (appy-pollt-loggies to Hinabasser and Gazort). Actually (according to Ultrman Wiki), the "Bassers" are a whle "family" of related monsters. this was a pretty wild episode, with a giant robot (Terraphaser), call-backs to King Joe, and three different kaiju. From what I gather, something has gone wrong with the AI program running Terraphaser, so HANE2 is drafted to pitch in. At one point, GUTS-Select is playing "football" (with HANE2 as the ball) as the flee from the Lighning Bird Monsters. Kanata transforn to Decker, but for some reason I don't know, was stuck at human size. Actually, it was pretty entertaining trying to figure out what was going on without reading the subtitles. I may start watching them all like that.
NEOMEGAS STRIKES BACK: "The remaining cells of Neomegas are used to create Sphere Neomegas, and Ultraman Decker and GUTS-Select struggle against it's overwhelming power. Kanata and the others are left powerless in this desperate situation, but pulling together all of their strengths around the Terraphaser, their counter-attack plans begin!"
Kaiju: Noiseler, the Noise Monster
Essentially this episode is Terraphaser's acid test. Yuichiro Asakage, the the main technician behind Terraphaser's development, learns Kanata's secret.
I feel as though their "kaiju-naming " skills are letting them down a bit. They could have called it "Kakophonoserah" or something. Maybe "Noiseler" works better in Japanese.
JUMBLE ROCK: "The Nursedessei's systems suddenly go down. Who appears in this emergency but Maruluru of the previous GUTS-Select team. Kanata and the crew are grateful for their senior's timely appearance, but Maruluru's sharp tongue leads to heated outbursts. Will Kanata and crew figure out how to work with Maruluru and safely restore power to the Nursedessei?"
There's really not much of a point to this episode other than to bring back Maruluru and showcase how well the three main characters work together (and also how they don't). quyite a few clips from previous episiodes.
"Jumble Rock" made me think "Ouy a'tni ohti'nn btu a uhdno gdo".
BIRTH OF A DARK GOD: "Ultraman Decker and the Terraphaser prove to be the ultimate duo. Kanata if overjoyed when the pair's successive victories increase their popularity around the world. Suddenly, the Spheresaurus appears again at the spaceport. It seems to be even stronger than the last time. As the ultimate duo faces against the monster, a disturbing shadow begins to move."
In this episode we learn that Professor Asakage is really an alien double-agent who can project his consciousness into Terraphaser and that his real mission is to kill Ultraman Decker. In the midst of Decker and Terraphaser's battle against Spheresaurus, Terraphaser suddenly changes sides and attacks Decker, forcing him back into human form. Then Asakage assumes human form as well. Suddenly, a bright light appears from a hole in space and out falls a man with bleach-blond hair. He says he has followed Asakage and compliments Kanata on the job he has done so far. Suddenly, Kanata's transformation device disappears from his belt and reapperas on the stranger's. The stranger transforms into the real Ultraman Decker and Asakage transforms into Terra phaser, leaving Kanata behind on the ground. This "new" Decker really knows how to use his powers, and a six-way fight breaks out when he materializes all of the Dimension Card Monsters at once.
A PROMISE FOR TOMORROW: "Kanata and the crew of GUTS-Select are shaken by an unforeseen event... Just who is the mysterious figure who appears before Kanata? When the true face behind the sphere and the truth about Ultraman Decker are revealed, a dynamic miracle form appears."
The stranger tells Kanata he is from an alternate future. Professor Asakage's real name is Agams. When Agams traveled back to the past, the stranger was unable to follow because reasons, but he was able to send his flasher (transfomation device) due to writer's fiat. When the stranger learns Kanata's full name is Asumi Kanata, it clear from his reaction that he is Kanata's descendant (also because that's the way these things work). Kanata spends the rest of the episode calling the stanger "Mister." When Agams reappears as Terraphaser, "Mister" lets Kanata become Ultraman, but this time he transforms into his own unique configuration: Ultraman Decker - Dynamic type. The Stranger must return to his era, leaving Kanata to guard his. Just before he leaves he reveals that his name is Asumi Decker.
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