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
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
END OF A DREAM: "Three hours left until the Sphere Barrier starts to shrink. The three hours is the last hope for humanity. To destroy the Sphere Obelisks, Kanata and GUTS-Select start a joint operation with TPU. However, the Terraphaser stands before them. What will Kanata do to save Agams?"
I'm goijng to admit I'm getting a little tired of these series-long arcs. They're exhauting, and by the time we get close to the end its just all action, very little plot development. Ryumon does discover that Kanata is Decker, however. (Actually, that happened in the previous episode; I just neglected to mention it.) The first half of this episode is Kanata winning over Agams, then Decker and Terraphaser teaming up to destroy the Sphere. They are successful, and contact is restored with the Mars colony. Suddenly, Trigger falls from the sky, and the second half of the episode is Decker and Trigger and Terraphaser triple-teaming Mother Spheresaurus. Agams sacrifices himself, and Decker and Trigger are defeated and forced back into their human forms. (Also Kanata is afflicted by some sort of space virus or something I didn't quite follow.) Then Mother Spheresaurus begins devouring Earth like Galactus ate the Skrull homeworld in Fantastic Four #257.
One episode left!
THE LIGHT FAR BEYOND: "As Earth's apocalypse approaches, the injured GUTS-Select members put their final plan into action in hope of defeating Mother Spheresaurus. Will Kanata and the others be avle to move forward to the future? and what awaits them there?"
This was a satisfying conclusion to the series, but too complicated to summarize here. It was well-acted all around, especially by the actress who plays Ichika Kirino when she realizes Kanata may die. The two episodes leading up to the finale seemed to be drawn out a bit, but not a scene was wasted here. It could almost stand alone. Just the sequel movie left to Ultraman Decker.
ULTRAMAN DECKER FINALE -- "JOURNEY TO BEYOND":
"A peculiar sound echoes through the sky. Those who hear it faint and eventually vanish. Expert team GUTS-Select investigate but are met with attacks from an alien army and a pitch-black mobile fortress, Zorgaus, piloted by Professor Gibellus who seeks to rule the skies of Earth. As Kanata and crew find themselves in trouble, a mysterious woman who knows Gibellus suddenly appears. The woman, Dinas, posesses a mysterious power. With her 'duty to protect,' Dinas and GUTS-Select work together to foil the evil scheme, but a barbaric 'Emperor Beast' appears and casts a shadow over the events. Kanata, Dinas, and GUTS-Select begin an all-out battle to decide the fate of the Earth and the Entire galaxy."
There were three "recap" episodes preceeding the final movie, but I have learned from past series that they are not worth watching with the series still fresh in my mind. Maybe, in the future, I will watch the recap episodes instead of rewatching the series. Kanata lost the ability to change to Ultraman at the end of the series as Decker himself returned to space. As the story opens, one year has passed. Kanata, Ichika and Ryumon are training a new batch of recruits. Although Captain Murahoshi and Vice-captain Kaizaki both appear, they are soon promoted, and Ryumon becomes the new captain of GUTS-Select, which is now Kanata, Ichika and best three of the new recruits. Although Kanata does gain the ability to transform into Ultraman Decker in his own right, that doesn't happen until the last ten minutes of the film. Mostly this story is about a new, female Ultra, Ultrman Dinas (pronounced DEE-nas).
NEXT UP is Ultrman Arc.
ULTRAMAN ARC:
ARC TO THE FUTURE: "Yuma Hize has a strong will to protect everyone. As a rookie investigator of SKIP, the Scientific and Kaiju Investigation and Prevention center, he works hard on his job every day to prevent, investigate and deal with kaiju disasters. Then one day, Shu Ishido from the Global Defense Force shows up. They soon find themselves in danger while going after the kaiju Shagong. That's when 'he' appeared in front of Yuma."
Kaiku: Shagong, the Armored Shell Kaiju
It has been 16 years since "K-day," when all the kaiju disappeared from Earth. the GDF keeps the SKIP intact because, every once in a while, a terrestrial kaiju comes up from the earth and has to be dealt with. In this epsiode, the team are investigating a kaiju horn that has become a local landmark. There are lifesigns coming from within, but it's likely just a nest of birds or squirrles or something like that. Suddenly, some sort of space parasite (called an "Oo-ze") emerges. I causes a host to grow to gigantic size, but becomes dormant when the host organism is killed. What has happened to bring it to life? It finds a kaiju to inhabit, cause it to grow and "shed" hundreds of little parasites. A "Giant Being of Light" appears and offers to share his power with Yuma Hize. (I get the feeling this is not the first time these two have met.) The new GDF special investigator gives him his name (because" it would be rude to keep calling him 'Giant Being of Light'), named for the color arc of light he leaves behind.
LEGEND IN THE WOODS: "A construction site is razing a forest and comes across a relic thought to be an ancient ruin. As Hayato, the site manager's son, anxiously warns Yuma that the construction is in danger, the legend of the forest unfolds. Now it is Yuma's time to respond to Hayato's feelings."
Kaiku: Leodo, the Ancient Kaiju
What was thought to be twin alters in the midst of a forest are actually the toes of a buried kaiju. One thing about SKIP is that they don't wear uniforms, but rathjer civilian clothing... and very casual civilian clothing at that. Also, Shu Ishido is young... almost imossibly young for the position he he has, I'd say as young as he can be. Yuma's transformation device is a cube, about the size of his palm. He places it in a diamond-shaped device (like the suit of cards), then twists its top and its side like a Rukik's cube to activate it. Leodo has a trunk, and You-bot flies the only thing that will calm him up to head level, but is itself inhaled. Then Ultraman Arc must use an uprooted tree to make Leodo sneeze.
UNLEASH YOUR IMAGINATION: "A space kaiju appears in Hoshimoto City-- a mysterious giant of light who stands on humanity's side. What is the meaning of his father's last words...? Yuma now has to confron the recurring nightmare, but with a strong belief in his heart."
Kaiku: Monogelos & Digelos, both Galactic Beasts
This episode is a (recent) flashback to Yuma Hize's first day on the job as a SKIP agent, which is also, coincidentally, the 16th anniversary of K-day, the day Yuma's parents were killed. They were on a family picnic when the kaiju Monogelos fell from the sky. It was followed by a Giant of Light, which killed Monogelos, but Yuma's parents were killed in the battle. No one other than Yuma witnessed the battle or saw the Giant of Light, and the authorities concluded that Monogelos died because it could not process the oxygen in our atmosphere. Yuma was seven years old.
He is now 23, and his grandmother wakes him and sends him off to his first day of work at SKIP with a good breakfast. She volunteers at the local school. Yuma and Rin are sent on a routine call. Digelos appears, and Yuma starts to hyperventilate. Digelos looks just like Monogelos but with two horns. Ultraman Arc appears, for the second time in Yuma's life, and gives him the two transformation devices: the cube and the "Rubik's diamond" thing. The school where his grandmother volunteers is endangered, but Yuma/Arc saves it. Later, Yuam looks through the drawing he did when he was a boy, of Ultraman arc, the transformation devices, the sword he has learned he can manifest, and some kaiju. There are also drawing of Ultraman exibiting powers he does not yet know he has: the "Power of the sun" and the "Power of the Moon."
At the very end, his discovers that he and Shu Ishido walk the same way to work. They are about the same age. Shu loves coffee.
I am really impressed with this series so far. You'd think, after all these years, that not much more could be done with the show, but Ultraman Arc introduces several new visual techniques.
ON THE KAIJU'S TAIL: "Something happens at Rin's favorite shopping street. The culprit seems to be a rat, but it's not just your ordinary rat. In search of the cause, Rin finds herself in danger, and it's time for Arc to respond with his imagination!"
Kaiku: Nezutron, the ElectroRat Kaiju
There is a certain bacteria which thrives on electricity. When a rat carrying this bacteria is exposed to electricity, it grows to giant size. The bit about "respond with his imagination" in the capsule summary is a reference to how this Ultraman's powers work. Basically, his powers and weapons come from the drawings he made as a child. He can manifest whatever he needs as long as he can imagine it. Tracy compared him to Green Lantern. (What she actually said was, "Oh, great! It's Kyle Rayner.")
(What she actually said was, "Oh, great! It's Kyle Rayner.")
OCEAN ON THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE: "A favorite of kids far and wide, the Dinosaur Professor, Shinya Makino, has arrived in Hoshinoto City. And it seems he wants to investigate the fossil discovered at the mountain ridge. When Yuma is exited to see his childhood hero in action, Hiroshi seems troubled. As it turns out, the professor was Hiroshi's teacher. Among all this, a lake suddenly appears at the excavation site."
Kaiku: Livyjira, the Giant Cetacean Beast
The big mystery here is that the lake is not a lake, but rather an ocean. In other words, it's salt water. How did sea water get up into the mountains? The GDF orders Hoshinto City to be evacuated, the calls SKIP in to investigate. They are on a time limit to find evidence of kaiju activity, otherwise the people will be allowed to return to their homes. The team can't prove there is a kaiju in the area at first, but they can't prove there isn't, either. Then, working together, Hiroshi and Professor Makino appraoch the problem from another angle in time to save the townspeople from moning into harm's way.
The fight scenes are really eerie, not just because they're underwater (which we've seen many times before), but because they're essentially still in a forest, but one which has been submerged, with electrical towers and machinery on the "ground."
WELCOME TO THE AKEBONO INN: "As SKIP investigates a kaiju appearance in the mountains, they meet an old clerk in the Akebono Inn. Previously known as a UFO appearance site, the place brings out Shu's investigative skills, leaving Yuma and Rin baffled. What will Shu's decision be when the inn's secrets are finally revealed?"
Kaiju: Shagong, the Armored Shell Kaiju (x2)
Alien: Croco, the Mushroom-Huinting Alien
While investingating a kaiju appearance near the Akebono Inn, the SKIP team discovers that the inkeeper himself is an alien. He was stranded on Earth 16 years ago on K-day, got a job at the inn, won the owner's trust and eventually took it over. Shu is being a real hard-ass towards the the alien, whose name is Numa, despite the testimony of his co-workers at the inn. He is a Croco from the Champiene Galaxy and had been on Earth gathering mushrooms (a delicacy on his planet, now a specialty at the inn). Harboring an alien is a criminal offence, and he had been shielding his co-workers by pretending he came in secret, but when two Shagong kaiju attack, he sacrifices his life to save them by crshing his home-built spacecraft into one, thereby teaching Shu a lesson. At the end, it is revealed that he miraculously survived, and Shu praises Tuma's "imagination" for seeing beneth the surface and trusting Numa all along.
Speaking of Yuma's imagination, one of the things he imagines is a half-suit of yellow & orange armor which looks like it's made of plastic and looks ridiculous on an Ultraman.
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