Ultra Q Ep. 20: The Primordial Amphibian Ragon

April 9, 2025November 16, 2025 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Hiroyasu Yamaura and Samaji Nonagase. Story by Shoji Otomo. Airdate May 15, 1966.

Yuriko is on assignment again, investigating an undersea volcanic explosion near the island of Iwame. She tells her boss Seki that she thinks this is a “mediocre” story, which seems ridiculous until you realize the giant monster and alien weirdness Yuri-chan has been dealing with for the past few months. Undersea volcano? Meh.

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Ultra Q Ep. 16: Garamon Strikes Back

February 12, 2025July 23, 2025 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo. Airdate April 17, 1966.

At this point in the timeline of the Ultra universe, the people of Tokyo have got to be fairly terrified, right? In the past few months, their city has almost been destroyed by 1) a humongous alien floating blob that nearly drained all of Tokyo’s energy; 2) a giant penguin-walrus thingy that brought along its own Ice Age; and now 3) multiple alien constructs half the size of Tokyo Tower that look like frazzled Pokémon characters with skeletal hands and legs.

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Ultra Q Ep. 15: Kanegon’s Cocoon

January 29, 2025July 17, 2025 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Masahiro Yamada. Airdate April 10, 1966.

After four giant monster episodes in a row, it’s time for something different. Really different. Something so out there it doesn’t even have room for any of the series leads. Spoilers ahead, but believe me, they don’t matter. In fact, go watch the episode right now and come back so we can share.

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Ultra Q Ep. 14: Tokyo Ice Age

January 18, 2025July 23, 2025 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Masahiro Yamada. Airdate April 3, 1966.

The most terrifying monster of all has arrived: climate change! Yes, scientists already knew about this encroaching global threat in 1966 and were sounding the alarm bells. They didn’t, however, warn that melting Antarctic ice combined with nuclear power plant accidents would force the deep-freeze monster Peguila north to wreck wintry havoc! Would more people have paid attention if they did? I think so.

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Ultra Q Ep. 11: Balloonga

November 23, 2024October 29, 2025 ~ Ryan Harvey

The giant form of Balloonga floats over Tokyo. Tokyo tower is visible, showing the creature's immense size.

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Kunio Torami. Airdate March 13, 1966.

Another giant monster episode, but with a difference. Rather than a traditional rampaging kaiju tale, “Balloonga” takes an approach that borders on cosmic horror. It’s a dark turn for the show, with a fatalistic mood and gloomy aura. It’s highly effective for most of the running time, but the finale doesn’t match what the rest of the story promises.

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Ultraman Ep. 9: Lightning Operation

November 13, 2024December 6, 2025 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Masahiro Yamada. Airdate Sep. 11, 1966.

A good Ultra fight finale can do a lot to salvage an otherwise mediocre episode. Ultraman’s wrestling match with monster-of-the-week Gabora (orGavora as the Mill Creek subtitles spell it) is tough and agile. A good deal of the credit for its success goes to performers Bin Furyua in the Ultraman costume and the legend himself, Hauro Nakajima, in the Gabora costume. Nakajima was the first person to put on the Godzilla suit, and he played the monster for almost 20 years. I believe he’s the best suitmation actor to ever rampage across a miniature stage. He brings something extra to every monster he plays, and Gabora is no exception.

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Ultraman Ep. 8: The Monster Anarchy Zone

November 2, 2024January 17, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Red King from Ultraman episode The Monster Anarchy Zone

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo and Shozo Uehara. Airdate Sep. 4, 1966.

In the previous episode, the Science Patrol flew off for a fantasy adventure in the Middle East. This week, they’re taking the Jet VTOL to a volcanic jungle island stacked with monsters. It’s classic Lost World and Skull Island stuff, and I’m surprised Eiji Tsuburaya didn’t find a way to cram in a giant gorilla among all the other kaiju. The King Kong influence is all over this half-hour.

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Ultraman Ep. 7: The Blue Stone of Baradhi

October 19, 2024September 10, 2025 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo and Samaji Nonagase. Airdate August 28, 1966.

We pop out of the slump of middling episodes with a mini-epic that sends the Science Patrol to a lost city in the Middle East and expands upon the mythos of the Ultras. The mixture of 1930s pulp adventure and giant monster movie makes for a stand-out half hour. I also just enjoy it when an Ultra show sends its defense team outside of Japan to soak up some different backdrops.

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Ultraseven Ep. 3: Secret of the Lake

October 9, 2024October 4, 2025 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo. Airdate Oct. 15, 1967.

This was the first Ultraseven episode produced, and it’s fascinating to see how much the crew already had a feel for the show’s possibilities and what made it different from Ultraman. It’s a better start than the first two episodes aired: “The Invisible Challenger” put the pieces in place, “The Green Terror” emphasized the serious mood, but “Secret of the Lake” demonstrates what Ultraseven can do when it swings into action with full confidence in its premise.

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Ultraman Ep. 6: The Coast Guard Command

October 2, 2024January 2, 2026 ~ Ryan Harvey

Directed by Samaji Nonagase. Written by Masahiro Yamada. Airdate August 21, 1966.

The first episode to focus on young Hoshino, the boy who wants to one day join the Science Special Search Party. Hoshino and his friends Chiro and Nobuku get swept up in a Hardy Boys-style story investigating smugglers along the wharf. Notorious smuggler “Diamond-Kick” (great name) has hidden his newest diamond shipment among bags of cacao beans, and the young detectives end up kidnapped when they start poking around the warehouses. It sounds like the kind of adventure tale a child might come up with. A child might also add a giant monster that comes up onto the wharf to throw everything into chaos. A monster who loves chocolate.

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