Eiji Tsuburaya intended to conclude the Ultra Series with Ultraseven. Tsuburaya Productions moved on to new science fiction and fantasy programs, such as Mighty Jack and Operation Mystery. These shows were popular with critics but drew smaller audiences than the Ultra trilogy. Eiji Tsuburaya began developing a concept for a new Ultraman show, sketching an outline for a program titled Return of Ultraman.
Continue reading “Return of Ultraman: An Introduction”
Directed by Kazuya Konaka. Written by Aya Takei. Airdate Dec. 2, 2013.
After two episodes of nutty, wonderful fun, Ultraman Ginga S switches to a story about UPG politics to set up the final stretch of episodes. The Defense Organization governing the UPG steps in to seize control of operations. They kick out all the members (with one important exception) and escalate UPG’s anti-alien measures by unleashing a secret weapon that’s been in the base the whole time: a Victorium-powered laser cannon.
Continue reading “Ultraman Ginga S Ep. 13: Split! UPG”
Directed by Tsugumi Kitaura. Written by Keiichi Hasegawa. Airdate June 21, 1997.
The digital effects in Ultraman Tiga are one of its major flaws. They hit their nadir in this episode, where they account for around 90% of the visual effects, leaving only a fraction for old-fashioned suitmation action in the finale, where Tiga takes on the giant robot form of an artificial intelligence called, no kidding, “Karen.”
Continue reading “Ultraman Tiga Ep. 42: The City Where the Girl Disappeared”
Directed by Kiyotaka Taguchi. Written by Sotaro Hayashi. Airdate Nov. 25, 2013.
Ultraman Ginga S follows an excellent standalone episode driven by bizarre comedy and a sweet story with … another excellent standalone episode, one that pokes into the weird corners of Ultra history while also telling a sweet story. I’m not certain what was happening in the show’s creative department that led to this explosion of terrific episodes honoring the finest Showa-era programs. But I’m thrilled it happened. Kiyotaka Taguchi directed both episodes, and he clearly wanted to honor the legacy of the franchise.
Continue reading “Ultraman Ginga S Ep. 12: To Meet You”
Directed by Tsugumi Kitaura. Written by Ai Ota. Airdate June 14, 1997.
The fourth and final Ultraman Tiga script from Ai Ota. Her previous episodes show her talent for stories with fairy-tale and fantasy slants, similar to Ultraman Taro but without the Showa-era crackpot absurdity. “Deban’s Turn” is a delightful children’s story, while “The Battle of Zelda Point” takes a sombrous approach to what could have been a simple girl-and-her-pet fable. Good stuff, and Ota would continue to write other enjoyable scripts for future Heisei Ultra shows.
Continue reading “Ultraman Tiga Ep. 41: A Friend From Space”
This site is approaching its second anniversary, and I’ve kept up a steady schedule of posting new reviews twice a week. Which, honestly, surprises me. More surprising is the continually growing number of visitors from across the world who are popping in to read my opinions on a Japanese superhero franchise.
Continue reading “The Ultra Project Is Taking a Summer Vacation”
With my review series for Ultraseven completed, here’s a full episode guide with links to each of the individual reviews.
Continue reading “Ultraseven: The Complete Episode Review Guide”
It’s strange and a bit bewildering to think that this site hasn’t even reached its second-year anniversary, and already I’m writing the closing post for Ultraseven. Although I’m not tackling the Ultra franchise in strictly chronological order (I’m currently reviewing shows from the 1990s and 2010s), I always intended from the inception of this project to start with the “original trilogy”: Ultra Q, Ultraman, and Ultraseven. I closed out Ultra Q just under a year ago with a post about my favorite episodes, and followed with the post about my favorite episodes of Ultraman in the first month of this year.1
Continue reading “My Favorite Ultraseven Episodes”
Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo. Airdate Sep. 1 & 8, 1968.
For the 50th anniversary of the Ultra Series in 2016, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) polled fans on their favorite episodes. The winner: “The Biggest Invasion in History, Part 2.” No surprise. Few fans would say this is anything less than the best finale of any Ultra show.
Continue reading “Ultraseven Ep. 48 & 49: The Biggest Invasion in History”
Directed by Kiyotaka Taguchi. Written by Takao Nakano. Airdate Nov. 18, 2013.
The New Generation Heroes era gets its first genuinely fantastic episode. Recalling some of the great one-off episodes of the series, “Gan-Q’s Tears” steps away from the usual world of defense teams and Ultra warriors. It finds new characters to make into the protagonists of a story that’s both comically weird and quietly heartfelt.
Continue reading “Ultraman Ginga S Ep. 11: Gan-Q’s Tears”
The Ultra Project 