Today is the day. Sixty years ago on this exact date, January 2, television viewers in Japan could tune their sets to the Tokyo Broadcasting System and see the first episode of a new special-effects program: Ultra Q, the creation of visual effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya. The first episode, “Defeat Gomess!”, featured a Godzilla-like monster emerging from a tunnel excavation project to battle a bird beast from legends. Audiences loved it, and they kept tuning in to Ultra Q in huge numbers for the rest of its run.
Those viewers then stayed to watch the immediate follow-up show, Ultraman, when it premiered on July 27 that same year. A superhero character was now part of the tales of monsters, aliens, and the weird and unusual — and the hero would stick around, changing to have as much variety as his surroundings.
People have kept tuning in since, for six decades and more than three dozen shows. The most recent show, Ultraman Omega, is wrapping up its run right now.
Tsuburaya Pro started the official Ultraman 60th anniversary celebrations early, making an announcement on July 10, 2025 with the message they want to convey during this project:
When we stand at a crossroads in life, facing seemingly insurmountable difficulties, a “Giant of Light” from our distant memories might just come to mind. Ultraman has never been out of reach; he’s always quietly stayed by our side, walking with each and every one of us.
This is why “with U” has been chosen as the core message for this project. This message carries two meanings: one is “with You,” and the other is “with Ultraman.” Our hope is that Ultraman will continue to be a source of strength and a companion in forging the future, just as he always has been. We also want to convey our wish that people’s daily lives become even more vibrant and full of light.
I find it amusing to think of Ultraman always “by my side,” considering that most Ultras are around 150 feet tall. Of course, I like the sentiment here. The Ultra Series has always been an optimistic one, much like another show that’s also celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Star Trek. It’s about heroism, but unlike many superhero stories, it’s about the heroism of the “ordinary” people. The humans in these stories don’t always rely on the silver giant to rescue them. They make the first moves to protect lives and defend the Earth. The original Ultraman builds to a conclusion where the Ultra warrior is no longer needed: humanity will fight its own battles. Although Ultras have continued to come to Earth, it’s never a permanent residence. At the end, humans must learn to work together to defend the planet.
It’s a good message. Another good message the Ultra series sends is that it’s so damn cool watching giant monsters and sleek silver aliens beat each other up while smashing buildings and wrecking landscapes. The shows are a lot more than that, or else they wouldn’t have continued for 60 years, but there’s nothing wrong with recognizing this deep, primal appeal. Watching big monsters is one of the joys of being alive.
If you’ve been following my reviews, you’ll know that one of the franchise’s biggest appeals for me is its variety, so I hope Tsuburaya Productions will also acknowledge the importance of Ultra Q, which is not only the first show in the series, but also the template for many different types of stories future shows would tell. There are far fewer installments of Ultra Q, which doesn’t have the merchandising power of an Ultraman-centered show, but some of the finest and most creative work in all of tokusatsu has come from it. And I’d love for the legal issues over Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy to go away so we can finally get an official North American release. Not likely, I know.
What’s Coming Up at the Site in 2026
The Ultra Project is now entering its second full year. We’ll reach another milestone at the end of January: the completion of all the reviews of the original 1966 Ultraman. The review for the last episode, “Farewell, Ultraman,” is scheduled for January 28. (Yes, I do have my reviews completed about two and a half months in advance. Gives me plenty of time to make revisions.)
I considered moving directly from Ultraman into reviewing Return of Ultraman, the next Showa program on the schedule. However, I decided that I’d like to try to review only three shows at the same time, rather than the four I’ve kept up with since the start. I’ll begin reviewing for Return of Ultraman once the Ultraseven reviews are completed.
Here’s what you can expect (still tentative) for my review series in 2026:
- Complete Ultraseven, and then move into Return of Ultraman.
- Complete Ultraman Ginga/Ginga S, then go into the next New Generation Heroes show, Ultraman X.
- Complete Ultraman Tiga and go directly into its sequel show, Ultraman Dyna.
That will keep up the pattern of reviewing one Show, Heisei, and New Gen simultaneously.
I’ve also considered slipping in one or more of the shorter one-off shows into the mix, such as Ultraseven X or Neo Ultra Q. I’m always open to hearing suggestions from my readers, such as if there is a particular show you nice folks would like me to fast-track. I could potentially jump around in the New Generation Heroes era, but the Showa era is locked down in strict chronology.
There will also be more movie review breaks. Since I’ve reviewed the full classic Gamera series from Daiei Studios, I thought I’d take a look at the studio’s other major contribution to tokusatsu cinema, the Daimajin trilogy. I also have a few other monster pictures from outside Japan lined up. Admittedly, these never get as many views as my other posts, but I enjoy writing them regardless. I may also write reviews of the two recent English-language novelizations of Ultraman and Ultraseven by Pat Cadigan.
Please hang out with me at this site through this special celebration year, and let’s watch more Ultra shows than we think we can handle!
The Ultra Project 