Ultraman

Executive Summary

The original Ultraman... the defender of Earth from the Nebula M78 who merges with Hayata of the Science Patrol.

Ultra Stats

Height: 40 meters
Weight: 35,000 tons
Flight Speed: mach 5
Running Speed: 700 kph
Home Planet: The Land of Light, Nebula M78
Human Form: Hayata
Transformation Item: Beta Capsule
Team: KAGAKU TOKUBETSU SOHSA TAI (Science Special Investigation Team, usually abbreviated as KAGAKU TOKUSOH TAI or even just KATOKUTAI; known as The Science Patrol in the U.S. United Artists dubbing)--Captain Toshio Muramatsu (Capt. Mura in the U.S.), Shin Hayata, Mitsuhiro Ide (Ito in the U.S.), Daisuke Arashi, Akiko Fuji, Isamu Hoshino.
Air Dates: July 17, 1966-April 9, 1967
Episodes: 39

Weapons

• SPECIUM RAY: The hallmark Ultra weapon... crossed plus-style forearms... beam fired from vertical right hand.
• Ultra Slash (YATSUZAKI KOHRIN): A jagged ring of Specium energy, used to slice enemies in half.

See all Ultraman weapons.

Comments by Absolute Ultraman!

The one that started it all.

Ultraman is the mysterious red and silver alien superhero of a popular Japanese TV series that aired from 1966 to 1967. (An English version by United Artists was broadcast on local stations in the United States in subsequent years). He is able to stay on Earth by secretly merging with Hayata, a man who works for the Science Patrol (a task force with high-tech mecha that tackles giant monsters, aliens, and other unusual phenomena).

Each week, when the Science Patrol is in trouble, Hayata pulls out a device known as the Beta Capsule, which he uses to transform into Ultraman. To fight the giant monsters, Ultraman has a vast arsenal of laser weapons and other abilities. His signature weapon is the Specium Ray, a devastating laser that he fires from his right hand by crossing it with his left hand in the form of a plus-sign.

Because his energy depletes rapidly in the Earth's atmosphere, Ultraman can stay for only three minutes. The blue Color Timer in the middle of his chest begins beeping and blinking red to let him know that time is running out. Should the timer run out, we are told, Ultraman will never rise again.

Ultraman originally comes to Earth while pursuing a monster through space, but inadvertently collides into Hayata's plane and kills him. Feeling remorse for the tragedy, the alien decides to save the human by merging their lives. He stays on Earth with Hayata and vows to defend the planet.

Though the special effects are rather dated and charming (if not outright bad) in this day and age, they were quite remarkable for their time. In fact, the series was created by Eiji Tsuburaya, who is also known as the father of Godzilla. The stories are corny and geared toward children, but the series is a classic and still enjoys a considerable fan base. Many fans in the U.S. who remember the little old show may be surprised to find out that the original has spawned a franchise that consists of numerous sequel series and movies and an army of Ultras.

The Science Patrol provides much of the human scale in the series. Muramatsu (known as Captain Mura in the U.S.), is the consummate captain. Hayata is the clean-cut, no-nonsense hero. Arashi the strong marksman, and Ide (Ito) is the quirky gadget man and comedian. Fuji is the charming lone female and communications officer, who struggles to fit the traditional female role even though she's such a tomboy.

A major source of Ultraman's popularity is of course the monsters. Almost every week brings one or more new monsters and/or aliens. Although they are obviously men in rubber suits, the best monsters have personalities that make them icons of the genre. Most are evil and must be destroyed, but there are also good and/or sympathetic monsters. A few of the truly famous monsters include Baltan-seijin (the clawed, insect-like alien that is perhaps the best-known Ultra monster and a recurring nemesis throughout the Ultra fanchise), Red King (the rambunctious bully), Pygmon (the diminuative and brave friend of humans), Gomola (the only monster to span two episodes), Dada (the surreal three-faced humanoid creature with distinct black patterns on white), Seabohzu (the pathetic monster who crashlands on Earth and yearns only to return to the sky), and Zetton (the space dinosaur who defeats Ultraman in the final episode).

That's right, our hero is ultimately defeated by Zetton after the space dinosaur damages Ultraman's Color Timer. Surprisingly, this is one of those few times when the Science Patrol is able to use one of their weapons to defeat the creature themselves. Fortunately, Ultraman has a superior officer named Zoffy, who takes him back to M78 to have the timer repaired. Zoffy also happens to have with him an extra life, which he uses to separate Ultraman from Hayata.

The Ultraman series is followed by the Ultraseven series.

Trivia

Ultraman is a spin-off of the black-and-white monster/mystery TV series, Ultra Q. See the origins of Ultraman for an interesting look at the pre-production development phases of the show.