Ultraman (Back to the Beginning)

Commander Benson March 24, 2026 at 8:27am

Episode 11: "The Rascal from Outer Space"

This was obviously meant to be a humorous episode, like Bonanza used to run on occasion---except Bonanza's humorous episodes were usually funny.

As much as I hate kid-centric episodes, "The Rascal from Outer Space" would've benefited from omitting the character of the adult who stole the orb and conjured Gango. It's difficult to reconcile him as anything but an idiot. It would've made for a much tigher script if, instead of Hoshino turning the orb over to the Science Police (which, indeed, Baron, was unusually responsible-acting for the kid), to do this: after all of the youngsters have a turn at using the orb to create their fantasy wishes, one of the children sneaks off with it, to selfishly keep it for himself. Perhaps a scene could've been added showing the kid to hide the orb in his house, and his parents, unaware of its presence, make idle wishes which the orb brings to life.

It would follow that a kid would imagine the existence of a giant monster. And, of course, one would expect that a child would not anticipate the damage to his house that would occur to his house as the orb created Ganjo. Instead of the orb-thief, it's the kid who gets knocked unconscious by the destruction of the building---and the rest of the story proceeds from there. The Science Patrol gets involved when Hoshino informs it of the wish-granting orb. That would've made for a streamlined plot and omitted the goofiness of the man who steals the orb.

. . . I guess that Hayata is Muramatsu's second-in-command.

I know that in episode twenty-eight, "Human Specimens 5 & 6", when Captain Mura is believed out of action (actually, he and a woman are being hunted by the Dada), Hayata takes charge of the Patrol, reminding them that, with Mura gone, he is in charge. Hayata's second-in-command status may be officially established before that, but I recall this instance, as I just watched the episode a few days ago.

Commander Benson March 24, 2026 at 9:24am

Episode 12: "Cry of the Mummy"

There was a lot for me to digest from this episode. First, as with Jeff, the episode's version of a mummy did not conform to my idea of one, even when I first saw the episode back in '67. Then, as now, I reconciled it as being the Japanese version of a mummy, but even so, it wasn't as terrifying as seeing Boris Karloff shuffle around, wrapped in bandages.

Speaking of shuffling around, the Japanese mummy shared the same problem as Universal's---it could only shamble along, forcing me to wonder why the victims didn't just run away. The episode got around that, though, by giving its mummy those deadly eye beams.

At Professor Iwamoto's request, they try to take the mummy alive . . .

To me, this was as ridiculous as Professor Carrington's insistence on keeping the murderous plant man alive in The Thing from Another World (RKO, 1951). And it was even more absurd that the Japanese police observed Professor Iwamoto's similar request, as it cost the lives of at least three of the Japanese officers. If that situation had been genuine, as soon as the first officer was killed by the mummy's eye-beams, the rest of the cops would've pulled their guns and drilled the mummy (they saw it had been wounded by the slain cop's bullet). No degree of potential "scientific knowledge" is worth a man's life---and that would've been the police's stance.

At the end, Professor Iwamoto expresses regret that the mummy could not be saved, and the S.P. agrees with him. But no words of regret for the cops who were killed. That didn't sit well with me.

Ide has invented a "Barrier Machine", a sort of personal forcefield.

And I was glad to see that it worked as advertised. I don't have a problem with Ito being the "goofy" member of the Patrol (though the show often handles it badly), but he can't be a complete screw-up. He has to be proficient as a mechanic and an inventor, for it justifies his presence in the Patrol. As I recall, though, we never see this Barrier Device on the show, again. That's the way continuity worked on television in those days. But one would think that, from now on, each Patroller would be outfitted with such a protective piece of equipment.

[Arashi] uses the Spider-Shot to shoot out one of Dodongo's eyes . . . Ide then takes out the creature's other eye.

Finally! Every time I watch one of those old monster movies from the 1950's, or any teleplay in which people are going against a rampaging animal, such as a bear, I always shout at the screen "Aim for its eyes!", as that would be the quickest way to handicap, if not outright kill, the creature. So I chuckled in congratulation when the S.P. thought of that tactic, as well. However, it sort of backfired on me . . .

. . . it does feel a little like he's beating up on this poor blind creature . . . and the creature gets a very sad death scene.

As both you and Jeff poined out, blinding Dodingo suddenly made me feel sympathetic toward it. As the creature began to thrash about sightlessly, the cries it emitted resonated with me like the bleating of a frightened animal, scared and helpless. I suddenly felt very sorry for it---and its extended death scene didn't help matters. For the first time, I watching, hoping that Ultraman wouldn't kill the beast (even though I knew better). I imagine that youngsters watching this episode felt the same way.

Ultraman flies off and we see him transform back into Hayata for the first time.

Like Jeff, this was the scene to which I alluded earlier. Jeff states that this is the only time that we see Ultraman's transformation back to Hayata. When I wrote my Deck Log Entries about the show, I stated that we would see this scene on one other occasion. I presume I did my research when I wrote that it occurred twice, but I don't have my notes, anymore. So I can't state that with specificity---so Jeff could very well be correct.

Ide wonders if Hayata could be Ultraman.

"Who does Hayata think he is? He stands there just the way Ultraman would stand. Hmmm . . . " This is the third time that we see Ito express a suspicion that there's some connexion between Hayata and Ultraman, and more definitely this time. I'm embarrassed to admit that I never noticed Ito's musings on this point in all my viewings of the show. I like the idea that at least one of the Patrollers is wondering about that, and it's even better that it's the one member whose suspicions the others are most likely to dismiss.

(Somebody mentioned somewhere that a later incarnation of the characters insisted that all of the Patrollers knew that Hayata was Ultraman, and that they just kept quiet about it. Aye, it makes the S.P. look less stupid, but I just can't get behind that idea. That the S.P. knew at the time that Hayata was Ultraman doesn't work for me; but I'm O.K. with the idea that, after Ultraman returned to Nebula M78 in the final episode, that Hayata told the others of his secret. That is, if one goes by the English-dubbed ending of the episode, in which Hayata remained aware of his connexion to Ultraman. In the Japanese version, the restored Hayata recalls nothing that took place after his death in episode one.)

The Baron March 24, 2026 at 10:46pm

Episode 13: "Oil S.O.S."

"Featuring Oil Monster Pestar" Who looks like two conjoined starfish with a bat's head in the middle.
Beginning in Iran, there are mysterious oilfield fires and tanker sinkings around the Middle East. The local SSSP cannot determine a cause.
In Japan, a late night drunk sees mysterious lights underwater. He tries to tell two guys driving a tanker truck about it, but they blow him off and drive on. hr then hears an explosion and turns to see the truck in flames. Pestar appears out of the water and takes the truck as the drunk runs away.
The SSSP investigates. At first, Arashi and Ide see nothing from the air.The cops don't believe the drunk. Cap thinks that it may be connected to the events in the Middle East. Just then, Arashi and Ide see the mysterious lights and watch as Pestar sinks a ship. The Professor theorizes that Pestar eats oil.
Back at HQ, Cap speclates that the next place to be attacked will be an oil refinery. There's an amusing moment where Ide suggests that since Pestar is full of oil, it might be explosive. Arashi scoffs at this, but the Professor says that Ide might be right.and Ide smirks and gives a smug little "Hmm, hmm, hmm".
Choppers drop barrels of gasoline into the water to luire Pestar. It appears and begins eating the barrels. The SSSP shoots at it, but it gets away. Ide shoots again impulsively, inadvertently starting a fire in the refinery. Pestar moves onshrpe. Ide fires a third time, and the creature collapses.
The SSSP lands, and Cap gets called out by the refinery manager. Shamed, Ide races off to fight the fire himself. Cap sends Arashi and Hayata out to search for him. Ide is knocked out while using a fire hose. Hayata transforms to Ultraman and kills Pestar with the Spacium Beam. Then, he uaes his heretofore unseen water powers to put out the fire.
Ide tries to resign from the SSSP, but Cap reassures him.

Overall: Another OK episode. Pestar is one of the odder and least convincing monster designs that we've seen. One wonnders why it left the Middle East and went to Japan. Another episode with no sign of Hoshino.

Jeff of Earth-J > The Baron March 25, 2026 at 7:50am

Who looks like two conjoined starfish with a bat's head in the middle.

Good description.

In Japan, a late night drunk sees mysterious lights underwater.

Drunks are funny!

Then, he uses his heretofore unseen water powers to put out the fire.

Whenever Ultraman used a power he has never used before, it was always a topic of conversation the next day on the playground.

Ide shoots again impulsively, inadvertently starting a fire in the refinery... Shamed, Ide races off to fight the fkre himself.

Welcome character development of Ide/Ito.

Commander Benson March 25, 2026 at 8:38am

Episode 13: "Oil S.O.S."

Pretty much a by-the-numbers episode of Ultraman---except for the character development of Ito.

Ito has been given some depth. I liked the way it was Ito who suggested that the oil-filled pouches of Pestar might be its weak spot, and Arashi scoffs it off (because--he's Ito), and then the Professor says that Ito might be right.

Ito was careless, or at least, dangerously impulsive, when he fired that rocket at Pestar so close to the refinery, which instigated the blaze. And Captain Mura was quite right that that the Science Patrol as a unit would have to shoulder the blame for Ito's carelessness. I also noted with approval that when the refinery executive confronted Mura about the mistake in firing the rocket so close to the refinery, the captain accepted the blame instead of throwing Ito under the bus. That's leadership.

Ito's profound guilt over his error was natural---many lives had to have been lost in the explosions and the inferno---and I understood his actions completely. I think Captain Mura was a bit generous, at the end, in telling Ito he was a valued member of the Patrol, but then, that was not the time to bring up any disciplinary actions Ito would have to face later.

It's good writing to layer Ito's personality, rather than just making him the team clown all the time.

Like you and Jeff, I thought that Ultraman's "fire hose" power was rather pulled out of an oriface. It would've been more tolerable if he'd used some kind of beam to draw water out of the near-by seas to extinguish the fire.

The Baron March 25, 2026 at 10:33pm

Episode 14: "The Pearl Defense Directive"

Featuring Spout Monster Gamakugira". Also spelled "Gamakujira", which means "Toadwhale"".
It's the SSSP's montly payday, and Fuji is drgging Ide along as she looks at perls in jewelry stores. The store owner explains that pearls are so expensive lately is because that year's pearl crop has been wiped out for some mysterious reason. Fuji decides to go back to HQ to investigate.
A truck evacuating pearl oysters is attacked by Gamakujira. The SSSP sets out to investigate. Gamakujira tongues up the pearls, which is a little weird. (One does wnder why critters like Pestar and Gamakujiira are suddenly appearing at this point in time.) The SSSP attakcs to little effect. Gamakujira uses Water Spout attck, and the VTOl is taken down, although no one is hurt.
They really play into the "women love jewels" trope with Fuji here. She takes Gamakujira eating pearls personally. At one point, the camera is focused on her as she listens to the creature chewing on the pearls, and she looks scary, like "I want Gamakujjira dead. I want its family dead. I want all its friends dead" scary.
Once they are all rescued, the SSSP sets out after the monster again. They see that it is headed toward some cities. Csp decides that they must stop it before it reaches the shore. Their initial attacks have little effect. They fire Balloon Bombs so they can track Gamakujira. They lift it into the air using electro-nets Gamakujira takes down Hayata's VTOL. (He was in one VTOL, while everyone else was in the other, which seems odd.)
Gamakujira terrorizes some women bathers, leading to the greatest line in anything, anywhere, ever: "Oh, no! The monster's begun targeting women's accessories!"
Arashi suggests building a Pearl Bomb, which they somehow construct almost immediately. The creature eats the pearls, which explode inside it. This distresses it, butr also somehow makes it stronger.
Fuji finds Hayata, who tells her to send for the "Light Jet Engine Bullet". The SSSP fire it into Gamakujira's hindquarters, causing it to fly into the sky. Hayata transforms into Ultraman, flying into the monster, obliterating it.
We are told that pearls became plentiful again, "And they became very affordsble, even with the SSSP members' salary." So those guys don't get paid sh*t, apparently
Fuji buys herself loads of pearl jewelry. Ide tells her that she's buying too many, saying it's "just pearls on a pig" and comparing her to Gamakujira. I hope that Ide didn't have any hopes of getting anywhere with her, 'cause tht's done, now. She punishes him by making him carry her comically large number of packages.

Overall: Another OK episode.It almost feels like they got close to the end of the story and thought, "Oh, hey, we gotta put Ultraman in this, somehow."

Jeff of Earth-J > The Baron March 26, 2026 at 8:29am

...which means "Toadwhale"

Interesting.

It's the SSSP's monthly payday, and Fuji is dragging Ide along as she looks at pearls in jewelry stores.

That entire first scene (with her nose literally pressed against the glass of the display case) was cut from the English dub.

They really play into the "women love jewels" trope with Fuji here.

They really do. She comes off as kind of superficial to adult eyes, but I thought nothing of it when I was a kid.

At one point, the camera is focused on her...

Her portrayal in this episode reminded me of Daffy Duck: "Mine! Mine! Mine!"

Gamakujira terrorizes some women bathers...

Who wears pearls to the beach? Actually, they weren't even wearing them, they just took them along.

The creature eats the pearls...

It's tube-like "tongue" was interesting.

The SSSP fire it into Gamakujira's hindquarters, causing it to fly into the sky.

Yeah, I question the physics of that maneuver.

"Oh, no! The monster's begun targeting women's accessories!" - "just pearls on a pig"

Those lines didn't make it into the English dub.

She punishes him by making him carry her comically large number of packages.

...like Dagwood to her Blondie.
The Baron > The Baron March 26, 2026 at 2:52pm

I meant to note: No Hoshino in this episode,either.

Commander Benson March 26, 2026 at 1:10pm

Episode 14: "The Pearl Defense Directive"

The battle against Gamakugira was pretty much run-of-the-mill Ultraman. I didn't care for the sitcom-like antics of Fuji and Ito.

The Baron March 26, 2026 at 11:47pm

Episode 15: "Terrifying Cosmic Rays"

"Featuring Two-Dimensional Monster Gavadon"
Some kids are looking at drawings of monsters and composers. including Kanegon, who appeared in Ultra Q. YoungMushiba is mocked for naming the monster that he drew "Gavadon", which doesn't strike me as any sillier than many other monster names. Later, Mushiba draws Gavadon on the side of some industrial-sized clay pipe. Later, his friends came and critiqued his drawing.
AT SSSP HQ, Cap gets a call informing him of some strange cosmic rays. The next day, the kids discover that Gavadon has cme to life, although all it wants to do is sleep. The SSSP attacks and damages its tail. "I've never seen such a lazy monster!", says Fuji. I'm not sure that I want monsters with strong work ethics. As dusk cmes, Gavadon vanishes.
Back at HQ, Fuji gets a report that the cosmic rays make two-dimensional objects become real. Meanwhile, Mushiba and his pals re-draw Gavadon to make it look more interesting. IDe suggests just leaving it alone, since all it does is sleep. The next morning, Gavadon comes to life, but still just wants to sleep. (I can dig it.) However, it's a menace just by being there. Ide suggests waiting until night and erasing the drawing. This strikes me as well worth trying, but Cap dismisses it contemptuously. Actually, I'm a little surprised that the guy who owns the place where the pipes are hasn't erased the drawing by now.
The kids ask Gavadon to try a little harder, but when it comes back to life, it still just wants to sleep. The Army attakcs, to little effect. The kids protest, trying to get the Army to stop. Hayata tries to get the kids to leave, but falls into the water, where he transfoiorms into Ultraman.
Utlraman battles Gavadon, but not wanting to kill it in front of the children, he flies away with it (To kill it somewhere without witnesses?). Later, as the kids mourn the lethargic abommination that they created, that seem to hear Ultraman telling them that they'll be able to see Gavadon once a year on the Star Fesitvsl, implyimg that Gavadon has become a constellation.
Later, the SSSP visit the kids as they draw on the playground, no doubt hoping that the fresh horrors that they create will someday come to unholy life.

Overall: This is episode is one that made a strong impact on me when I was little. The idea of drawings coming to life fascinated me. When I watch it now, my main rection is, "Goddamn, these kids are annoying!" No Hoshino in this one, even though you'd thinlk that he'd be a good fit for an "annoying kid" episode.

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Ultraman (Back to the Beginning)

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