Ultra Series
Encyclopedia
Tsuburaya Productions
is a Japanese special effects studio founded in 1963 by special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya and was run by his family, until October 2007, when the family sold the company to advertising agency TYO Inc. The studio is best known for producing the original Ultraman TV series, as well as the Ultra...
featuring Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
, his many brethren, and the myriad Ultra Monsters. The Ultra Series is one of the prominent tokusatsu
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
superhero genre productions from Japan, along with Toei
Toei Company
is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
produced series Kamen Rider
Kamen Rider Series
The is a metaseries of manga and tokusatsu television programs and films created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The various Kamen Rider media generally feature a motorcycle-riding superhero with an insect motif who fights supervillains often referred to as...
, Super Sentai
Super Sentai
The is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
, and the Metal Heroes.
The Ultra-Crusaders
Ultraman and his many kin usually have metallic red-and-silver bodies (although several color variations have been seen in recent years) and have glowing yellow almond-shaped dome eyes (although there are exceptions to both the shape and color) and various abilities, most notably to fire energy beams from various positions of crossed hands. The Ultra-Crusaders's main weakness is that they can only stay on Earth in giant form for a limited span of time, usually not longer than three minutes, owing to a limited supply of energy (Earth's atmosphere filters out solar energy). This is marked by a light on the character's body usually called the Color Timer, or "warning light," which eventually begins to blink with increasing frequency as his energy supply dwindles (and turns from blue to red). At this stage, the Ultra beings must either find a way to recharge or finish the fight as soon as possible, or involuntarily revert to human form, or worse, risk certain death. Some say another reason for an Ultra-Crusader to recharge is because the Earth is badly polluted by humans, so Ultraman only has three minutes on Earth, but can survive long enough in outer space. The time limit only happens inside the Earth's atmosphere but they have none of those setbacks outside. To counter this, Ultra-Crusaders almost always merge with a human host or create a human form for themselves in order to survive on Earth, more often than not reviving a recently dead person with their own lifeforce. Ultra-Crusaders also appear to be near impossible to permanently kill, as several times an Ultra-Crusader has been killed only to be revived by another member of their species. In other cases a large enough amount of energy can be utilized to bring them back to life, usually provided by their human allies, even after being completely destroyed, as was the case with Mebius's death at the hands of Empira, only to be revived shortly thereafter by the life energy of his allies.Ultra-Crusaders always try to avoid battles in inhabited areas or fighting in a place where there are innocent bystanders and try to cause the least amount of destruction as possible, from the side effects of their fights when confronting in the city, when and if they cannot; a city like Tokyo would be destroyed. The Ultra-Crusaders all belong to the "Ultra-Garrison," whose members are ranked from low-tier cosmics to high-tier cosmics.
The Ultraman phenomenon
UltramanUltraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
was followed by many other series. Sequels to the original series are: Ultraseven (1967, TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
), The Return of Ultraman (1971, TBS), Ultraman Ace
Ultraman Ace
is the 5th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 7, 1972 to March 30, 1973, with a total of 52 episodes....
(1972, TBS), Ultraman Taro
Ultraman Taro
is the 6th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, this series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 6, 1973 to April 5, 1974, with a total of 53 episodes....
(1973, TBS), Ultraman Leo
Ultraman Leo
is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show and is the 7th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Leo was aired between April 12, 1974 to March 28, 1975, with a total of 51 episodes. Tatsumi Nikamoto was the in-suit actor of Ultraman Leo.-Plot:...
(1974, TBS), Ultraman 80
Ultraman 80
is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show produced by Tsuburaya Productions which aired on the Tokyo Broadcasting System channel from April 2, 1980 to March 25, 1981, lasting a total of 50 episodes. It was the ninth TV show in the Ultra Series and began a week after the conclusion of the anime series The...
(1980, TBS), Ultraman Tiga
Ultraman Tiga
is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show and is the 11th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Tiga was aired at 6:00pm and aired between September 7, 1996 to August 30, 1997, with a total of 52 episodes with 4 movies After a franchise hiatus of over 15 years, set in a...
(1996, MBS
Mainichi Broadcasting System
is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...
), Ultraman Dyna
Ultraman Dyna
is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show which aired between September 6, 1997 to August 29, 1998. The series is a direct sequel to the previous Ultraman series, Ultraman Tiga.-Plot:...
(1997, MBS), Ultraman Gaia
Ultraman Gaia
is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show and is the 13th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Mainichi Broadcasting System , Ultraman Gaia was aired on JNN TV stations from September 5, 1998 until August 28, 1999, with a total of 51 episodes.-Plot:Ultraman Gaia takes place in yet...
(1998, MBS), and Ultraman Cosmos
Ultraman Cosmos
is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show being the 17th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Cosmos was aired between July 7, 2001 to September 28, 2002, with a total of 65 episodes, which currently makes it the longest running Ultra Show to date.In June 2002, Cosmos was...
(2001, MBS). Recently the studio tried a reinvention of the hero through the "Ultra N Project," which involved three heroes: Ultraman Noa (the "mascot" of the Ultra N Project, who appears in stage shows as well as the final episode of Ultraman Nexus) in late 2003, Ultraman Nexus
Ultraman Nexus
was produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting. It was the 20th entry in the Ultra Series. The series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System, including TBS, CBC, MBS, etc. The show ran from October 2, 2004 until June 25, 2005, with a total of 37 broadcast episodes...
(2004, CBC
Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
is a regional radio and television service serving Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its radio service is affiliated with the Japan Radio Network and its television service affiliated with the Japan News Network and the TBS Network.-Radio:Frequency...
), and ULTRAMAN
Ultraman (2004 film)
Ultraman: The Next, released in Japan simply titled , is a 2004 tokusatsu superhero film. It is part of the Ultra Series' experimental Ultra N Project, and features an Ultraman character codenamed "The Next"...
(2004, Shochiku Productions). This was followed by a return to old-school style series in the form of Ultraman Max
Ultraman Max
was an Ultraman TV series which started airing on 7 July 2005, and produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting Co., Ltd.. The show tried to return to the true formula of new monsters every week and being a fast paced show like previous series with the exception of Ultraman Nexus...
(2005, CBC). In the course of Max series, another new hero known as Ultraman Xenon was also introduced. April 2006 saw the 40th anniversary series, Ultraman Mebius
Ultraman Mebius
is a Japanese television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting. It is the 17th TV series and 40th anniversary production in the Ultra Series, which first began in 1966. It premiered on the Tokyo Broadcasting System on April 8, 2006...
, which signalled a long-awaited return to the original canon. Another hero was also introduced: Ultraman Hikari, formerly known as Hunter Knight Tsurugi.
The franchise has also been in the movie theaters, starting with Ultraman Zearth
Ultraman Zearth
is a fictional character from the Ultra Series of tokusatsu and the name of a 1994 movie in the series .-Character traits:Ultraman Zearth is a parody Ultraman. He hails from The Land of Pikari in Nebula Z95. He has a big red face and dislikes dirt, and will go to great lengths to wash it off his...
and Ultraman Zearth 2, Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey
Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey
is a tokusatsu movie, and part of the Ultraman franchise, released in 2000. The movie is a direct sequel to the original Ultraman Tiga television series, serving as an epilogue to the events between Tiga and the successor series, Ultraman Dyna....
, released in 2000, as well as ULTRAMAN, a movie that opened in December 2004. The straight-to-video market also saw the release of Ultraman Neos
Ultraman Neos
is a Japanese tokusatsu show, being the 17th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Neos was released direct-to-video on November 22, 2000, with a total of 12 episodes...
in 2000, as well as special features for Ultraman Tiga, Dyna, and Gaia, who have teamed up in theatrical features (Tiga and Dyna once, as well as the three of them all together). The Ultraman Mebius and Ultra Brothers movie opened in September 2006.
Foreign productions include the 1987 Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
co-production Ultraman: The Adventure Begins (in Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, Ultraman USA), an animated movie; Ultraman: Towards The Future (in Japanese, Ultraman Great), an Australian 1991 production and Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero (in Japanese, Ultraman Powered), produced in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1993. Ultraman series have also been dubbed into various languages, including English, Spanish (only Ultra Q, the original Ultraman, Ultra Seven, Return of Ultra Man, Ultraman Great & Ultraman Tiga were known to be translated into Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
), Portuguese (Ultraman, Ultraseven, Return of Ultraman and Ultraman Tiga in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
), Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
, Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, Mandarin, Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
and Cantonese. Also of note is the American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
dub of Ultraman Tiga by 4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
that aired in 2002. The dub considerably distorted the characterization and general mood of the series, and--possibly as a result--it achieved only limited success. An episode of the Hoshi no Kirby anime series ("Kirby: Right Back at Ya" in America) contains an Ultraman reference, leading to the possibility that "Tiga" may have only been licensed in order to explain the reference (both shows debuted on the same day).
In 1993, Tsuburaya Productions and Toei Company
Toei Company
is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
co-produced Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider
Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider
is the name of a television special that aired July 21, 1993 featuring clips from the various series from over the years, interviews with two of the stars, and finally a team-up between Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman and Toei Company's Kamen Rider. It was also released on VHS and Laserdisc in...
, a crossover with the original Ultraman and Toei's Kamen Rider 1
Kamen Rider 1
is a fictional character and main superhero or henshin character featured in Japanese tokusatsu. He first appeared in the television series Kamen Rider, the first in the famous Kamen Rider franchise of tokusatsu programmes. The primary protagonist of the series, Kamen Rider 1 is a motorcycle-riding...
. This direct-to-video feature is co-copyrighted by both Toei (and its subordinates, Toei Video and Ishinomori Productions) and Tsuburaya Productions.
At present, Tsuburaya Prod. accepts 36 Ultramen as official (counting Ultraman Legend, the combined form of Ultramen Cosmos and Justice, as a separate entity). This figure does not account for Thai-produced Ultramen. (The figure is 38 if Next, Noa, and Nexus are counted as separate entities--it has been revealed in Nexus that all three are a single being with various modes used by different hosts.) In 2001, the Ultra Series was cited in the Guinness Book of World Records as the record-holder for the most number of spin-off shows.
Basic shows
An asterisk * denotes shows (or movies) that feature no Ultramen.- Ultra Q *Ultra Qis a tokusatsu SF/kaiju series made in the tradition of Toho's many tokusatsu sci-fi/horror films.Produced in black and white by Tokyo Broadcasting System/Tsuburaya Productions, this is actually the first of the long-running Ultra Series, and was broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System from January...
(1966) - UltramanUltramanis Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
(1966–1967) - Ultra SevenUltra Sevenis tokusatsu SF TV series that aired on Japanese TV in 1967. Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, this follow up to Ultraman went on to become one of Japan's greatest fantasy TV series...
(1967–1968) - The Return of Ultraman (Kaettekita Ultraman, AKA: Ultraman Jack) (1971–1972)
- Ultraman AceUltraman Aceis the 5th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 7, 1972 to March 30, 1973, with a total of 52 episodes....
(1972–1973) - Ultraman TaroUltraman Tarois the 6th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, this series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 6, 1973 to April 5, 1974, with a total of 53 episodes....
(1973–1974) - Ultraman LeoUltraman Leois a Japanese tokusatsu TV show and is the 7th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Leo was aired between April 12, 1974 to March 28, 1975, with a total of 51 episodes. Tatsumi Nikamoto was the in-suit actor of Ultraman Leo.-Plot:...
(1974–1975) - Ultraman 80Ultraman 80is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show produced by Tsuburaya Productions which aired on the Tokyo Broadcasting System channel from April 2, 1980 to March 25, 1981, lasting a total of 50 episodes. It was the ninth TV show in the Ultra Series and began a week after the conclusion of the anime series The...
(1980–1981) - Ultraman: Towards the FutureUltraman: Towards the FutureUltraman: Towards the Future is a tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series produced in 1990 in Australia by the South Australian Film Corporation and Japan's Tsuburaya Productions . There were 13 episodes filmed...
(AKA: Ultraman Great) (1990) Co-production with AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... - Ultraman: The Ultimate HeroUltraman: The Ultimate HeroUltraman: The Ultimate Hero is a tokusatsu series produced in the US in 1993 by Major Havoc Entertainment and Tsuburaya Productions , with a total of 13 episodes...
(AKA: Ultraman Powered) (1993) Co-production with USAUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Ultraman TigaUltraman Tigais a Japanese tokusatsu TV show and is the 11th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Tiga was aired at 6:00pm and aired between September 7, 1996 to August 30, 1997, with a total of 52 episodes with 4 movies After a franchise hiatus of over 15 years, set in a...
(1996–1997) - Ultraman DynaUltraman Dynais a Japanese tokusatsu TV show which aired between September 6, 1997 to August 29, 1998. The series is a direct sequel to the previous Ultraman series, Ultraman Tiga.-Plot:...
(1997–1998) - Ultraman GaiaUltraman Gaiais a Japanese tokusatsu TV show and is the 13th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Mainichi Broadcasting System , Ultraman Gaia was aired on JNN TV stations from September 5, 1998 until August 28, 1999, with a total of 51 episodes.-Plot:Ultraman Gaia takes place in yet...
(1998–1999) - Ultraman NeosUltraman Neosis a Japanese tokusatsu show, being the 17th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Neos was released direct-to-video on November 22, 2000, with a total of 12 episodes...
(2000–2001) Direct-to-DVD series - Ultraman CosmosUltraman Cosmosis a Japanese tokusatsu TV show being the 17th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Cosmos was aired between July 7, 2001 to September 28, 2002, with a total of 65 episodes, which currently makes it the longest running Ultra Show to date.In June 2002, Cosmos was...
(2001–2002) - Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy *Ultra Q: Dark Fantasyis a 2004 production, and the 19th installment in the Ultra Series that was broadcast in Japan in 2004. It is a sequel to Ultra Q, the first of the Ultra Series...
(2004) - Ultraman NexusUltraman Nexuswas produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting. It was the 20th entry in the Ultra Series. The series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System, including TBS, CBC, MBS, etc. The show ran from October 2, 2004 until June 25, 2005, with a total of 37 broadcast episodes...
(2004–2005) - Ultraman MaxUltraman Maxwas an Ultraman TV series which started airing on 7 July 2005, and produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting Co., Ltd.. The show tried to return to the true formula of new monsters every week and being a fast paced show like previous series with the exception of Ultraman Nexus...
(2005–2006) - Ultraman MebiusUltraman Mebiusis a Japanese television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting. It is the 17th TV series and 40th anniversary production in the Ultra Series, which first began in 1966. It premiered on the Tokyo Broadcasting System on April 8, 2006...
(2006–2007) - Ultraseven XUltraseven Xis the 23rd entry in the Tsuburaya Productions' long-running Ultra Series. It is a revival of the 1967 classic Ultra Seven, and is the first in Tsuburaya Productions' Ultra hero series to be exclusively for an adult audience and in wide screen high-definition format...
(2007) - Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle (2007–2008)
- Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending OdysseyUltra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odysseyis the second season and the 25th entry in Tsuburaya Productions' long-running Ultra Series. Like its predecessor Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle, NEO is a pay-per-view service. The first episode was distributed for free online on December 12, 2008, and remained available until January 31, 2009....
(2008-2009) - Ultraman RetsudenUltraman Retsudenis a biography seires produced by Tsuburaya Productions created to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Ultra Series. The show first premiered on TV Tokyo on July 6, 2011 and is planned to continue until March 2012...
(2011)
Ultraman Kids' shows
- The UltramanThe Ultramanis a Japanese animated television series co-produced by Tsuburaya Production and Tokyo Broadcasting System. The series aired on TBS Television affiliates on the Wednesday 7:00 PM time slot from April 4, 1979 to March 26, 1980, lasting a total of 50 episodes. It was the eighth installment in the...
(AKA: Ultraman Jonias) (1979–1980) anime series, co produced by SunriseSunrise (company)is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios... - Ultraman Kids' Proverb Stories (1989)
- Ultraman Kids: 30 Million Light Years Looking for Mama (1991–1992)
Movies
- UltramanUltraman (1967 film)is a 1967 Japanese tokusatsu kaiju film consisting of re-edited material from the original television series Ultraman, directed by Hajime and Eiji Tsuburaya and produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Toho.- Cast :*Akiji Kobayashi as Capt...
(1967) Compilation Film - Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster FightUltraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fightis a tokusatsu kaiju eiga produced by Tsuburaya Productions in 1969....
(1969) Special event movie filmed in CineramaCineramaCinerama is the trademarked name for a widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge, deeply-curved screen, subtending 146° of arc. It is also the trademarked name for the corporation which was formed to market it...
. http://www.tcat.ne.jp/~oguchi/Multiple-Image%20LIST%201960-1969.htm - The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster ArmyThe 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army, known in Thailand as Hanuman and the 6 Ultramen is a tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero film produced in 1974 by Tsuburaya Productions of Japan and Chaiyo Productions of Thailand...
(1974) Thai Coproduction - UltramanUltraman (1979 film)is a 1979 Japanese tokusatsu kaiju film directed by Akio Jissoji. It is a compilation film made up of scenes from Jissoji's episodes of the original Ultraman TV series.- Cast :*Akiji Kobayashi*Susumu Kurobe*Sandayū Dokumamushi*Masanari Nihei*Hiroko Sakurai...
(1979) Compilation Film - Ultraman: Great Monster Decisive BattleUltraman: Great Monster Decisive Battleis a 1979 Japanese tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Tsuburaya Productions, consisting of re-edited material from the original television series Ultraman.- Cast :*Akiji Kobayashi*Susumu Kurobe*Sandayū Dokumamushi*Masanari Nihei*Hiroko Sakurai-Monsters:...
(1979) Compilation Film - Ultraman Zoffy: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster ArmyUltraman Zoffy: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster Armyis a 1984 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Tsuburaya Productions and directed by Kōichi Takano.-Monsters:*Alien Baltan*King Joe*Zambolar*Crazygon*Giggas*Dorako*Red King*Gomora*Pagos*Peguila*Kemur*Ragon*Geronimon*Pigmon*Garamon*Kanegon*Mongular*M1...
(1984) - Ultraman StoryUltraman Storyis a 1984 Japanese tokusatsu kaiju film directed by Koichi Takano and produced by Tsuburaya Productions. The film features the kaiju superhero Ultraman.-Cast:* Tarō Ishida * Masako Ikeda * Hiroya Ishimaru : Ultraman Taro* Masako Nozawa : Taro...
(1984) - Ultraman: The Adventure BeginsUltraman: The Adventure BeginsUltraman: The Adventure Begins was an animated movie joint produced by Hanna-Barbera and Tsuburaya Productions in 1987. The movie was titled for its Japanese release in 1989. The movie was intended as a pilot for an animated series, but no such series ever emerged...
(AKA: Ultraman USA) (1987) US/Japan Animated TV Movies, Specials and OVAs - Ultra Q The Movie: Legend of the StarsUltra Q The Movie: Legend of the Starsis a special-effects monster movie produced by Tsuburaya Productions in 1990.- Cast :*Masami Horiuchi*Hiroshi Tsuburaya*Akiji Kobayashi*Susumu Kurobe*Sandayū Dokumamushi...
(1990)* - Ultraman Wonderful World (30th Anniversary Anthology)
- Revive! UltramanRevive! Ultramanis a 1996 Japanese tokusatsu kaiju film directed by Masahiro Tsuburaya and produced by Tsuburaya Productions in 1996. This was made to commemorrate the 30th anniversary of the Ultra-Series.-Synopsis:...
(1996) Compilation - Ultraman Company: This is the Ultraman (Wacky) Investigation Team (1996) (Anime)
- Ultraman ZearthUltraman Zearthis a fictional character from the Ultra Series of tokusatsu and the name of a 1994 movie in the series .-Character traits:Ultraman Zearth is a parody Ultraman. He hails from The Land of Pikari in Nebula Z95. He has a big red face and dislikes dirt, and will go to great lengths to wash it off his...
(1996)
- Revive! Ultraman
- Ultraman Zearth 2 (1997)
- Ultra Nyan: Extraordinary Cat who Descended from the Starry Sky (1997) (Anime)
- Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of LightUltraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Lightis a tokusatsu kaiju eiga produced by Tsuburaya Productions in 1998. This film is the only theatrical spinoff of the Ultraman Dyna TV series.- Plot Summary :...
(1998)- Ultra Nyan 2: The Great Happy Operation (1998) (Anime)
- Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna & Ultraman Gaia: Battle in HyperspaceUltraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna & Ultraman Gaia: Battle in HyperspaceUltraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna & Ultraman Gaia: Battle in Hyperspace is a tokusatsu kaiju eiga produced by Tsuburaya Productions in 1999. It was a sequel to the previous year's Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna and became second in a successful Ultraman series...
(1999) - Ultraman Tiga: The Final OdysseyUltraman Tiga: The Final Odysseyis a tokusatsu movie, and part of the Ultraman franchise, released in 2000. The movie is a direct sequel to the original Ultraman Tiga television series, serving as an epilogue to the events between Tiga and the successor series, Ultraman Dyna....
(2000) - Ultraman Cosmos: The First ContactUltraman Cosmos: The First Contactis Ultraman Cosmos theatrical film adaptation, was released in Japan on August 3, 2001. It is a tokusatsu film series Ultraman franchise, it also celebrates the 35th anniversary of the franchise. It is direct prequel to the original Ultraman Cosmos television series....
(2001) - Ultraman Cosmos 2: The Blue PlanetUltraman Cosmos 2: The Blue Planetis Cosmos theatrical film adaptation, was released in Japan on August 3, 2002. It is a tokusatsu film series Ultraman franchise, it also direct sequel to the original Ultraman Cosmos television series.-Summary:...
(2002) - Ultraman Cosmos vs. Ultraman Justice: The Final BattleUltraman Cosmos vs. Ultraman Justice: The Final Battleis Ultraman Cosmoss 3rd theatrical film adaptation. It was released in Japan on August 2, 2003.-Story:While EYES prepare to safely transport the world's monsters to a far off planet where they will no longer be troubled by humans, an army of giant alien robots, called Gloker Pawns appear to stop...
(2003) - UltramanUltraman (2004 film)Ultraman: The Next, released in Japan simply titled , is a 2004 tokusatsu superhero film. It is part of the Ultra Series' experimental Ultra N Project, and features an Ultraman character codenamed "The Next"...
(AKA: Ultraman The Next) (2004) - Ultraman Mebius & Ultraman BrothersUltraman Mebius & Ultraman Brothers, an Ultraman Mebius theatrical film adaptation, was released in Japan on September 16, 2006. It is the 10th original film series in the Ultraman franchise, it also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the franchise. The movie peaked at 3rd in the Japanese box offices...
(2006) - Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers (2008)
- Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy (2009)
- Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial (2010)
- Ultraman SagaUltraman Sagais an upcoming Japanese film in the Ultra Series to celebrate the franchise's 45th anniversary. It serves as a sequel to Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial. The catchphrase for the movie is . The film will feature Ultraman Zero, Ultraman Dyna, and Ultraman Cosmos as well as the five Ultra...
(2012)
TV
- Ultra Seven - Operation: Solar Energy
- Ultra Seven - The Ground of the Earthlings
- Ultraman vs. Kamen RiderUltraman vs. Kamen Rideris the name of a television special that aired July 21, 1993 featuring clips from the various series from over the years, interviews with two of the stars, and finally a team-up between Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman and Toei Company's Kamen Rider. It was also released on VHS and Laserdisc in...
(1993) Co-production with Toei CompanyToei Companyis a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
and Ishinomori Productions
OVA (Original Video Animation)
- Ultraman Graffiti (1990)
- Ultraman: Super Fighter Legend (1996)
OVT (Original Video Tokusatsu)
1998 Ultra SevenUltra Seven
is tokusatsu SF TV series that aired on Japanese TV in 1967. Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, this follow up to Ultraman went on to become one of Japan's greatest fantasy TV series...
Series
- Ultra Seven - Lost Memory
- Ultra Seven - From Earth Forever
- Ultra Seven - Betrayal of the Sun
1999 Ultra Seven
Ultra Seven
is tokusatsu SF TV series that aired on Japanese TV in 1967. Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, this follow up to Ultraman went on to become one of Japan's greatest fantasy TV series...
Series
- Ultra Seven - Glory and Legend
- Ultra Seven - The Sky-Flying Colossus
- Ultra Seven - The Day the Fruit Ripens
- Ultra Seven - Consequences of a Promise
- Ultra Seven - The Imitated Man
- Ultra Seven - I Am an Earthling
2001 Heisei Ultraman Side Stories
- Ultraman Tiga Side Story: The Giant Resurrected In The Ancient Past (2001)
- Ultraman Dyna: Return of Hanejiro (2001)
- Ultraman Gaia: Gaia Again (2001)
2002 Ultra Seven
Ultra Seven
is tokusatsu SF TV series that aired on Japanese TV in 1967. Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, this follow up to Ultraman went on to become one of Japan's greatest fantasy TV series...
: EVOLUTION Series
- Ultra Seven: EVOLUTION - Dark Side
- Ultra Seven: EVOLUTION - Perfect World
- Ultra Seven: EVOLUTION - Neverland
- Ultra Seven: EVOLUTION - Innocent
- Ultra Seven: EVOLUTION - Akashic Record
2007 Ultraman Mebius
Ultraman Mebius
is a Japanese television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting. It is the 17th TV series and 40th anniversary production in the Ultra Series, which first began in 1966. It premiered on the Tokyo Broadcasting System on April 8, 2006...
Side Story: Hikari Saga
- Hikari Saga - Orb's Tragedy
- Hikari Saga - A Warrior's Training
- Hikari Saga - Return Of Light
2008 Ultraman Mebius
Ultraman Mebius
is a Japanese television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting. It is the 17th TV series and 40th anniversary production in the Ultra Series, which first began in 1966. It premiered on the Tokyo Broadcasting System on April 8, 2006...
Side Story: Armored Darkness
- Stage 1 - Destructive Legacy
- Stage 2 - The Wicked Immortal Armor
2009 Ultraman Mebius
Ultraman Mebius
is a Japanese television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting. It is the 17th TV series and 40th anniversary production in the Ultra Series, which first began in 1966. It premiered on the Tokyo Broadcasting System on April 8, 2006...
Side Story: Ghost Reverse
- Stage 1 - Graveyard of Darkness
- Stage 2 - Emperor of Resurrection
2010 Ultra Galaxy Legend Side Story: Ultraman Zero vs. Darklops Zero
- Stage 1 - Cosmic Collision
- Stage 2 - Zero's Suicide Zone
2011 Ultraman Zero Side Story: Killer the Beatstar
Ultraman Saga
is an upcoming Japanese film in the Ultra Series to celebrate the franchise's 45th anniversary. It serves as a sequel to Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial. The catchphrase for the movie is . The film will feature Ultraman Zero, Ultraman Dyna, and Ultraman Cosmos as well as the five Ultra...
- "Stage 1 - Universe of Steel"
- "Stage 2 - Pledge of the Meteor"
Mini-Shows
- Ultra FightUltra Fightis a Japanese tokusatsu television series which ran from September 1970 to September 1971 on the TBS network.Following the end of Ultra Seven's run on television, production company Tsuburaya suffered low viewership for its two follow-up series, so in a last-ditch effort, conceived a "zero...
(1970) - Ultra Super Legend: Andromelos (1984)
- Ultraman NiceUltraman Niceis a spin-off of the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Nice was released in a series of commercials on October 20, 1999, with a total of 40 "episodes".-Plot:...
(2001)
"Digital Ultra" Japanese DVD Release
In Japan, there have been several box sets that were released which would each contain a particular Ultra series. As of now, there are only four such box sets. The sets were released as part of the Digital Ultra movement where the shows would be re-released with digital remastering.The following are the series which have been released as such:
- Ultra Q
- Ultraman
- Ultraseven
- Ultraman Jack
The "Digital Ultra" re-release order of the series may not match the chronological order in which they were originally aired in Japan.
Licensing rights dispute
Ultraman's licensing rights outside of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
have been the subject of a prolonged legal dispute between Tsuburaya Productions and Chaiyo Productions (also called Tsuburaya Chaiyo Co Ltd) based in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Tsuburaya had previously collaborated with Chaiyo on the production of two movies, The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army
The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army
, known in Thailand as Hanuman and the 6 Ultramen is a tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero film produced in 1974 by Tsuburaya Productions of Japan and Chaiyo Productions of Thailand...
and Jumborg Ace & Giant
Jumborg Ace & Giant
, known in Thailand as Giant and Jumbo A is a tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero film produced in 1974 by Tsuburaya Productions of Japan and Chaiyo Productions of Thailand. It was released theatrically in Thailand in April 1974...
--the latter of which featured another Tsuburaya superhero, Jumborg Ace
Jumborg Ace
is the title superhero of a tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the show was broadcast on Mainichi Broadcasting System from January 17 to December 29, 1973, with a total of 50 episodes...
--in 1974. Sompote Saengduenchai, founder/president of Chaiyo Productions, claimed and maintained that in 1976, the late Noboru Tsuburaya, Eiji's son, who had died in 1995, had given him and his company a contract which had given him rights to everything Ultraman outside Japanese territories in exchange for a monetary loan.
In spite of the fact that the document failed to state clearly and specifically exactly what had been given to Tsuburaya in exchange for these rights, Japanese and Thai courts accepted this contract as real and binding because of the supposed hanko of the late Noboru Tsuburaya in the document. Tsuburaya Productions insisted and maintained that the contract was a forgery (due to factual errors, including the faulty titles of the series in the document, such as Ultra Q
Ultra Q
is a tokusatsu SF/kaiju series made in the tradition of Toho's many tokusatsu sci-fi/horror films.Produced in black and white by Tokyo Broadcasting System/Tsuburaya Productions, this is actually the first of the long-running Ultra Series, and was broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System from January...
being called "Ultraman 1: Ultra Q," Ultra Seven
Ultra Seven
is tokusatsu SF TV series that aired on Japanese TV in 1967. Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, this follow up to Ultraman went on to become one of Japan's greatest fantasy TV series...
being called "Ultraman 3: Ultraman Seven," and Tsuburaya Productions being called "Tsuburaya Prod. and Enterprises," a name the company never did business under), and repeatedly contested the issue.
In the course of the legal battle, Sompote presented photos of himself sharing his photos of Thai Buddhist edifices stating that Eiji had based Ultraman's face on the said edifices, a claim which he has continued to hold since the dispute began. No other evidence supporting this claim was known to exist.
After an 8-year battle in the courts of both countries, Sompote Saengduenchai was awarded a favorable decision on April 27, 2004. The exact ruling fell into some dispute: Some said it only gave him merchandising rights for the first six Ultra Series (Ultra Q
Ultra Q
is a tokusatsu SF/kaiju series made in the tradition of Toho's many tokusatsu sci-fi/horror films.Produced in black and white by Tokyo Broadcasting System/Tsuburaya Productions, this is actually the first of the long-running Ultra Series, and was broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System from January...
through Ultraman Taro
Ultraman Taro
is the 6th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, this series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 6, 1973 to April 5, 1974, with a total of 53 episodes....
) and Jumborg Ace
Jumborg Ace
is the title superhero of a tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the show was broadcast on Mainichi Broadcasting System from January 17 to December 29, 1973, with a total of 50 episodes...
outside Japan, and broadcasting rights of said shows within Thailand. Other accounts, usually reported in the Thai/Asian media, said that Chaiyo had gained the rights to those six shows everywhere outside Japan. The latter could be taken as Chaiyo's side of the story, as Tsuburaya was reported in the Japanese media to continue taking further action against them.
Tsuburaya decided not to market any of the disputed six Ultra Series outside Japan until it had completely settled the rights issues with Chaiyo, although the company continued to merchandise and distribute all of the Ultraman programs created after Ultraman Taro, including the theatrical feature Ultraman the Next, throughout the world. Because of the copyright struggle, importing literature on Ultraman into Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Malaysia was prohibited. It also resulted in a slight backlash against Thai Ultraman fans, who were assumed to be outright Chaiyo supporters.
In 2005 the American company BCI Eclipse announced they had acquired the DVD rights to the original Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
from Chaiyo. A 3-disc box set containing the first 20 episodes of the series was released on July 18, 2006, and a second 3-disc box set containing the remaining 19 episodes was released on November 7, 2006. Both sets feature the original Japanese monaural
Monaural
Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
dialogue track as well as the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-dubbed version produced by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
for North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n syndication. At certain times, the English dialogue track switched over to the Japanese dialogue for small periods of time. This was because BCI had used audio from older recordings in which several scenes had to be cut or shortened for the American broadcast in order to fit running time constraints. Tsuburaya Productions still held on to the complete original English dubbing materials, which they had obtained from a warehouse in 1997, and refused to provide them for BCI. (Contrary to BCI's statements, the original English dubs were complete and uncut, except for a small cut in the conclusion of Episode 36, "Gift From The Sky.")
During the time of the legal battle, Chaiyo came up with three of their own Ultras: Ultraman Millennium, Dark Ultraman (an evil Ultra), and Ultraman Elite. These were not used for purposes other than stage shows and merchandise. Chaiyo also created a TV series he called "Project Ultraman," un-aired as of late March 2008, a joint project in China featuring his own Ultraman and attaching Hong Kong star, Ekin Cheng
Ekin Cheng
Ekin Cheng is a Hong Kong actor and Cantopop singer. Early in his career he used the name Dior as a first name. He has also been referred to as Noodle Cheng, after a popular noodle product with a similar name...
to the project.
On August 23, 2006, Tsuburaya Productions filed a new lawsuit against Chaiyo for copyright infringement and plagiarism (concerning their three original Ultraman characters), and the court case was taken to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The Chinese courts in Beijing opened "The Ultraman Copyright Study Group" in response to the lawsuit. In April 2007, the Thailand Intellectual Property Court ruled in favor of Tsuburaya Productions, ordering Chaiyo to cease and desist making commercial profits from Chaiyo-produced Ultraman characters such as Millennium, Dark, and Elite. The defendants were also fined THB
Thai baht
The baht is the currency of Thailand. It is subdivided into 100 satang . The issuance of currency is the responsibility of the Bank of Thailand.-History:The baht, like the pound, originated from a traditional unit of mass...
15,000,000 (approx. JPY
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
50,904,959 or USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
428,673.50 c. April 2007) plus interest and attorneys' fees. "Project Ultraman" went on hiatus as a result of the ruling, which implied that although Chaiyo owned the right to some of the Ultraman series, it did not own the right to Ultraman and his brothers, including the design. Chaiyo gained permission to merchandise the original series, but lost the right to create and market its own Ultraman, or even use the original, without Tsuburaya consent.
On February 5, 2008, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Tsuburaya Productions of Japan after they made an appeal to the initial ruling. The ruling ended the long legal battle by finding Sompote Saengduenchai was not a co-creator of Ultraman. The decision ended Sompote's bid to continue his enterprise, and the court gave Sompote 30 days to stop profiteering from Ultraman. The final ruling saw Tsuburaya Productions as the sole copyright owner. Sompote was also required to pay THB 10,700,000 plus interest at the rate of 7.5 per cent a year starting from December 16, 1997, when the original lawsuit was filed.
External links
- Henshin! Online: Official statement by Masahiro Tsuburaya (2003)
- Henshin! Online: Chaiyo vs. Tsuburaya (2004)
- "Ultraman . . . forever", The Japan TimesThe Japan TimesThe Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
, November 12, 2006. An overview of the franchise. - UltraColony An Ultraman fan site.