Ultraman Ginga S Ep. 12: To Meet You

August 5, 2026July 8, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

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 →

Ultraseven Ep. 48 & 49: The Biggest Invasion in History

July 11, 2026July 17, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

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 →

Ultraman Ginga S Ep. 11: Gan-Q’s Tears

July 8, 2026July 1, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

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 Tiga Ep. 40: Dream

July 4, 2026July 3, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Akio Jissoji. Written by Akio Jissoji, Akio Satsukawa. Airdate June 7, 1997.

Director Akio Jissoji is primarily interested in the visual style of his episodes, less in their narratives. His greatest Ultra Series episode, Ultraseven’s “Nightmare of Planet No. 4,” is essentially a guided tour rather than a full-fledged story. His previous Ultraman Tiga episode, “Flower,” is an exercise in stage aesthetics stretched over the thin framework of an alien invasion. “Dream,” Jissoji’s second Tiga episode, comprises his usual visual hallmarks: image collages, canted angles, diffused lighting, off-center framing, cartoonish sound effects, and classical music. But it also has a strong story driving it. Not a complex story, but one that supports and enhances Jissoji’s preferred style. The result is arguably the director’s best work for the Heisei Ultra shows.

Continue reading →

Ultraseven Ep. 45: The Saucers Have Come

June 6, 2026June 17, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Written and Directed by Akio Jissoji.¹ Airdate August 11, 1968.

Our favorite lunatic artist, Akio Jissoji, is back for one last blast in the Showa era. After this, Jissoji won’t direct another Ultra television episode until 1997: “Flower” for Ultraman Tiga. For his temporary farewell, he’s brought along his usual stylistic hits that make his episodes visually rich and strange. He’s got some classical music, too. That’s become another Jissoji trademark.

Continue reading →

Ultraseven Ep. 43: Nightmare of Planet No. 4

May 16, 2026May 27, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Akio Jissoji. Written by Shozo Uehara. Airdate July 27, 1968.

Last week, we had director Kazuho Mitsuta’s masterpiece. This week, we have director Akio Jissoji’s masterpiece: a dystopian planetary tale unlike anything in the Ultra Series before or since. A mix of The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and Jean-Luc Godard’s Alphaville. It’s the most brutal episode of the show, and it’s astonishing to me that it ever got on the air. The network must have given up on Ultraseven ever pulling back a younger audience, because this is an unapologetic work of adult science fiction. Children hoping for giant monster fun won’t enjoy seeing fascist firing squads mow down dozens of innocent people.

Continue reading →

Ultraseven Ep. 42: Ambassador of the Nonmalt

May 6, 2026May 27, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo. Airdate July 21, 1968.

Dan and Anne are enjoying a trip to the beach, their romance nudging forward. Across the waves, they can see Seahorse Ocean Base, which is conducting research to create seafloor farms and cities. A young boy approaches Anne and warns her that the Ultra Guard must stop this interference with the ocean floor, or “something bad will happen.” He dashes off before Anne can find out who he is. Immediately afterward, Seahorse Base explodes and sinks, taking with it Mansanari Nihei’s brief cameo role as a technician.

Continue reading →

Ultraseven Ep. 39 & 40: The Seven Assassination Plan

April 15, 2026July 11, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Toshihiro Iijima. Written by Keisuke Fujikawa. Airdate June 30 & July 7, 1968.

Alien races have targeted Ultraseven before, both in his giant form and as Dan Moroboshi. But Alien Guts has an elevated kill plan. As monochrome footage plays of Seven battling a kaiju (not stock footage; it’s new, with a monster called Aron), Alien Guts carefully analyzes Seven’s abilities and lays out their plot. Killing Dan isn’t sufficient. They must defeat Ultraseven in a public, humiliating way to break Earth’s resistance. It’s kin to the opening of From Russia With Love, as SPECTRE plots the ultimate defeat and debasement of another “Seven,” 007. The tone is set from the opening scene: this is going to be a major event, a two-parter that will push Seven and the Ultra Guard to their limits. It wildly succeeds.

Continue reading →

Ultraman Tiga Ep. 28: One Vanishing Moment

February 14, 2026March 13, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed and Written by Kyota Kawasaki. Airdate March 15, 1997.

We start big. We start explosive. GUTS and TPC’s ground forces are waging a furious battle against giant monster Jobarieh. The action is pitched on a large scale, with the tanks and GUTS Wings in full assault mode. They manage to drive Jobarieh into a temporary stasis, which is good news, because they have another major operation that’s just about to go into action.

Continue reading →

Ultraman Ep. 37: A Little Hero

January 7, 2026January 17, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo. Airdate March 26, 1967.

Friendly monster Pigmon debuted in “The Monster Anarchy Zone,” Ultraman’s first classic episode. The kids who watched the show loved the little creature. It was natural for Pigmon to return, even though the monster died sacrificing itself in its first appearance. With the series’ best writing-directing team at the helm — Tetsuo Kinjo and Kazuho Mitsuta — Pigmon’s return engagement is one of the most emotionally charged episodes. It also sets up the show’s upcoming conclusion, which raises heavy questions about the whole premise of Ultraman.

Continue reading →