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 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. 42: Ambassador of the Nonmalt”
Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Bunzo Wakatsuki. Airdate July 14, 1968.
As “Challenge From Underwater” begins, it feels like it could be an episode of Ultra Q shot in color. We meet a team of amateur paranormal investigators who have come to Lake Ishu to follow rumors of sightings of water creatures called kappa. It’s hard not to see this “Japan Kappa Club” as an analog to the Ultra Q cast. Their leader, Sumitani (Masami Taura), is a science-fiction author like Jun; the one woman in the group, Fujishima (Kazuko Miyakawa), is a photographer like Yuriko. The difference is that these people treat probing into the unknown as a lark, nothing to be taken seriously. Sumitani even says they’d like to date kappa — a damn weird thing to admit.
Continue reading “Ultraseven Ep. 41: Challenge From Underwater”
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 “Ultraman Ep. 37: A Little Hero”
Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Masahiro Yamada. Airdate March 19, 1967.
Science Patrol Member Daisuke Arashi is one of the character templates of the Ultra Series: the action-oriented, shoot-first defense team member who’s always ready to rumble with the monster of the week, whether it’s a smart move or not. This archetype has shown up many times since. The action-guy In Ultraseven, Furuhashi, is even played by the same actor who plays Arashi, Sandayu Dokumamushi. Defense teams need a person like this to balance the more peaceful and utopian approach the shows often take. There has to be someone around to say, “Let’s just shoot the damn thing!” even if that tactic rarely works. And poor Arashi has so often been wrong about shooting first.
Continue reading “Ultraman Ep. 36: Don’t Shoot, Arashi!”
Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Shinichi Ichikawa. Airdate April 21, 1968.
Similar to “Return to the North!”, this episode looks at the life of an Ultra Guard member outside of the day-to-day work of defending Earth from invaders. We learn that Soga is engaged; his fiancée, Saeko Nambu (Sanae Kitabayashi), is a sophomore at Kyonan University. The other UG members tease Soga by calling him Soga-kun, the familiar form of address that Saeko uses with him. This is a welcome touch of humor and lightness among the Ultra Guard, who rarely have the easy camaraderie of the Science Patrol in Ultraman.
Continue reading “Ultraseven Ep. 29: The Earthling All Alone”
Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Shozo Uehara. Airdate April 14, 1968.
We have something special for you today, Ultra fans! My distinguished regular readers and guests, children of all ages, please direct your attention to the starting line of Day One of a 700 kilometer race. (That’s 435 miles for all my US-based readers.) I present to you … Dino Tank!
Continue reading “Ultraseven Ep. 28: The 700 Kilometer Run”
Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo. Airdate March 24, 1968.
An intense cold snap and snow storm descend on the HQ of the Terran Defense Force. Temperatures plunge below –100°F and keep dropping. Ultra Guard member Soga isn’t concerned at first, talking dismissively as he pours a cup of coffee: “A cold wave zone 114 degrees below zero is nothing to get nervous about. The atomic reactor in the power house 18 floors under is burning red. Praise human technology.”
The moment Soga says this, viewers know everything is about to go wrong in the worst way. The episode does not disappoint.
Continue reading “Ultraseven Ep. 25: Showdown at 140 Degrees Below Zero”
Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Shinichi Ichikawa. Airdate March 17, 1968.
It’s rare to have an Ultraseven episode focused on a drama about an individual Ultra Guard member. There are occasional shows that let a particular character take the spotlight, such as “Search for Tomorrow,” which put Captain Kiriyama in conflict with his own team. But “Return to the North!” goes further: it examines the personal life of a member outside of the Ultra Guard. Surprisingly, the UG member picked for the starring role is Shigeru Furuhashi, the team’s “shoot first” action guy.
Continue reading “Ultraseven Ep. 24: Return to the North!”
Directed by Kazuho Mitsuta. Written by Toshihiro Iijima. Airdate June 26, 1966.
Director Kazuho Mitsuta’s second aired episode (although produced before “Space Directive M774”) is his first classic. Mitsuta had a knack for intense character-driven stories told with cinematic flair. His episodes look fantastic without being ostentatious. “Blazing Glory” shows Mitsuta operating at a high level and delivering the best possible episode from one of Ultra Q’s most dramatic, human stories.
Continue reading “Ultra Q Ep. 26: Blazing Glory”
The Ultra Project 