Return of Ultraman
Return of Ultraman[1] (帰ってきたウルトラマン, Kaettekita Urutoraman) is a Japanese tokusatsu science fiction television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions. The fourth entry in the Ultra series, the series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 2, 1971 to March 31, 1972. It became successful enough to inspire a second "Kaiju Boom" in Japan, with rival studios producing their own tokusatsu shows and Tsuburaya Productions producing additional Ultraman shows annually for the next three years.[3] Prior to the series' release, Ultra Q, Ultraman, and Ultraseven were stand-alone titles however, Return of Ultraman is the first installment to unite the first three shows into an interconnected universe.[4]
| Return of Ultraman | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Genre | |
| Developed by | Shozo Uehara[1] Yoji Hashimoto[1] |
| Starring | |
| Narrated by | Akira Nagoya[2] |
| Theme music composer | Koichi Sugiyama |
| Composers |
|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| No. of episodes | 51 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 24 mins |
| Release | |
| Original network | Tokyo Broadcasting System |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Original release | April 2, 1971 – March 31, 1972 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Ultra Seven |
| Followed by | Ultraman Ace |
Premise
This series is a follow up to the original Ultraman & Ultra Seven that is set in 1971, four years after Ultraseven left Earth, and five years after Ultraman came to Earth. The first episode begins with a fight between two giant monsters named Takkong and Zazahn in Tokyo. Amid the monster destruction, young race-car driver Hideki Go is killed while trying to rescue a little boy and a dog from the falling rubble. His valiant sacrifice is noted by everyone, including his friends and the new defense force MAT (Monster Attack Team), but an unseen being also takes notice. Looking over Hideki is "New Ultraman" ("Ultraman Jack"), who is so touched by the race car driver's heroism, that he decides to combine his life force with that of Hideki, thus bringing him back to life (just like the original Ultraman did with Shin Hayata), much to everyone's astonishment. MAT then asks Hideki to join the team, which he does, especially since in this frightening new "Age of Monsters", Earth will need a savior. In times of crisis, Hideki will raise his right arm and, by force of will, transform into Ultraman to fight monsters. In addition, the original Ultraman and Ultra Seven are watching New Ultraman's battles from the sidelines, and offer their help when he is in peril.[2][5]
Cast
- Jirō Dan as Hideki Go/Ultraman Jack
- Nobuo Tsukamoto as Katsuichirō Katō
- Jun Negami as Ryū Ibuki
- Shunsuke Ikeda as Takeshi Minami
- Ken Nishida as Fumio Kishida
- Kō Mitsui as Ippei Ueno
- Mika Katsuragi as Yuriko Oka
- Shin Kishida as Ken Sakata
- Rumi Sakakibara as Aki Sakata
- Hideki Kawaguchi as Jirō Sakata
- Kazuko Iwasaki as Rumiko Murano
- Susumu Fujita as Chief Kishida
- Kenji Sahara as Staff Officer Satake
Voice performers:[6]
- Isao Yatsu as Ultraman Jack,[lower-alpha 1] Ultraman, Alien Varduck, Alien Messie, Alien Zoole, Alien Sasahiler
- Ichirō Murakoshi as Ultraman Jack and Ultraseven
- Tetsuya Kaji as Alien Zeran and Draculas
- Ritsuo Sawa as Alien Nackle
- Osamu Saka as Alien Baltan Jr. and Alien Stora
- Osamu Ichikawaa as Yametarans
Production
Eiji Tsuburaya had intended Ultraseven to be the conclusion to the Ultra series. However, due to increased merchandise sales from the first three shows and demand by fans for a new show, Tsuburaya decided to develop the fourth Ultra series. Tsuburaya conceived the show's title and the idea was for the show to be a direct sequel to the 1966 series, with Hayata and passing the Beta Capsule over to a new human host. The idea was submitted to Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) in April 1969. However, TBS and its sponsors requested that the new series be centered on a brand new Ultraman, separate from the 1966 character, for marketing and merchandise purposes.[1]
After Tsuburaya's death, his eldest son Hajime was named president of Tsuburaya Productions and assembled a team to revise Return of Ultraman. The first three shows were rebroadcast to temporarily appease fan demands. Shozo Uehara and TBS producer Yoji Hashimoto conceived the final concept of the series.[1] Revisions were made to the new Ultraman's design, after feedback from licensees, to avoid similarities with the 1966 Ultraman. This included giving the new Ultraman gloves, boots, and pinstripes around the red areas. The new character was referred to as "New Ultraman" by fans and the name was used by Tsuburaya Productions for later appearances. The character was rebranded as "Ultraman Jack" in 1984 after Tsuburaya Productions held a contest for children to submit suggestions.[4]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "All Monsters Attack" Transcription: "Kaiju Soh-Shingeki" (Japanese: 怪獣総進撃) | Ishirō Honda | Shozo Uehara | April 2, 1971 |
| 2 | "Takkong's Great Counterattack" Transcription: "Takkongu Dai-Gyakushu" (Japanese: タッコング大逆襲) | Ishirō Honda | Shozo Uehara | April 9, 1971 |
| 3 | "The Monster Realm of Terror" Transcription: "Kyoufu No Kaiju Makyou" (Japanese: 恐怖の怪獣魔境) | Masanori Kakei | Shozo Uehara | April 16, 1971 |
| 4 | "Fatal Attack! Meteor Kick" Transcription: "Hissatsu! Ryuusei Kikku" (Japanese: 必殺! 流星キック) | Masanori Kakei | Shozo Uehara | April 23, 1971 |
| 5 | "Two Giant Monsters Attack Tokyo" Transcription: "Nidai Kaiju Toukyou O Shugeki" (Japanese: 二大怪獣東京を襲撃) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shozo Uehara | April 30, 1971 |
| 6 | "Showdown! Monsters vs. MAT" Transcription: "Kessen! Kaiju Tai Matto" (Japanese: 決戦! 怪獣対マット) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shozo Uehara | May 7, 1971 |
| 7 | "Operation Monster Rainbow" Transcription: "Kaijū Reinbō Sakusen" (Japanese: 怪獣レインボー作戦) | Ishirō Honda | Shozo Uehara | May 14, 1971 |
| 8 | "Monster Time Bomb" Transcription: "Kaijū Jigen Bakudan" (Japanese: 怪獣時限爆弾) | Masanori Kakei | Shigemitsu Taguchi | May 21, 1971 |
| 9 | "Monster Island S.O.S." Transcription: "Kaijū-jima S.O.S" (Japanese: 怪獣島SOS) | Ishirō Honda | Masaru Igami | May 28, 1971 |
| 10 | "Dinosaur Detonation Order" Transcription: "Kyōryū Bakuha Shirei" (Japanese: 恐竜爆破指令) | Masanori Kakei | Shozo Uehara | June 4, 1971 |
| 11 | "Poison Gas Monster Appears" Transcription: "Dokugasu Kaijū Shutsugen" (Japanese: 毒ガス怪獣出現) | Noboru Kaji | Tetsuo Kinjo | June 11, 1971 |
| 12 | "Revenge of Monster Shugaron" Transcription: "Kaiju Shugaron no Fukushiu" (Japanese: 怪獣シュガロンの復讐) | Noboru Kaji | Shozo Uehara | June 18, 1971 |
| 13 | "Terror of the Tsunami Monster, Tokyo in Peril" Transcription: "Tsunami Kaijū no Kyōfu Tōkyō dai Pinchi" (Japanese: 津波怪獣の恐怖 東京大ピンチ) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shozo Uehara | June 25, 1971 |
| 14 | "Terror of the Two Giant Monsters, The Great Tokyo Tornado" Transcription: "Ni Dai Kaijū no Kyōfu, Tōkyō Ōtatsu Maki Fukushū" (Japanese: 二大怪獣の恐怖 東京大龍巻) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shozo Uehara | July 2, 1971 |
| 15 | "Revenge of the Monster Boy" Transcription: "Kaijū Shōnen no Fukushū" (Japanese: 怪獣少年の復讐) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | July 9, 1971 |
| 16 | "The Mystery of Big Bird Monster Terochilus" Transcription: "Dai kaichō terochirusu no nazo" (Japanese: 大怪鳥テロチルスの謎) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Shozo Uehara | July 16, 1971 |
| 17 | "Monster Bird Terochilus, Big Air Raid of Tokyo" Transcription: "Kaichō Terochirusu Tōkyō Dai Kūbaku" (Japanese: 怪鳥テロチルス東京大空爆) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Shozo Uehara | July 23, 1971 |
| 18 | "Here Comes Ultraseven!" Transcription: "Urutorasebun Sanjo!" (Japanese: ウルトラセブン参上) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shinichi Ichikawa | August 6, 1971 |
| 19 | "The Invisible Giant Monster from Outer Space" Transcription: "Uchū kara kita tōmei dai kaijū" (Japanese: 宇宙から来た透明大怪獣) | Noboru Kaji | Shozo Uehara | August 13, 1971 |
| 20 | "The Monster is a Shooting Star in Space" Transcription: "Kaijū wa uchū no nagareboshi" (Japanese: 怪獣は宇宙の流れ星) | Masanori Kakei | Toshiro Ishido | August 20, 1971 |
| 21 | "The Monster Channel" Transcription: "Kaiju Channeru" (Japanese: 怪獣チャンネル) | Masanori Kakei | Shinichi Ichikawa | August 27, 1971 |
| 22 | "Leave This Monster to Me" Transcription: "Kono kaijū wa ore ga yaru" (Japanese: この怪獣は俺が殺る) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Shinichi Ichikawa | September 3, 1971 |
| 23 | "Spit Out the Stars, Dark Monster!" Transcription: "Ankoū Kaijū Sei wo Hakidake" (Japanese: 鮟鱇怪獣 星を吐き出け!) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Toshiro Ishido | September 10, 1971 |
| 24 | "Horror! Birth of the Apartment Monster" Transcription: "Senritsu Manshiyon Kaijū Tanjō" (Japanese: 戦慄! マンシヨン怪獣誕生) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shozo Uehara | September 17, 1971 |
| 25 | "Leaving My Home Planet, Earth" Transcription: "Furusato chikyū o saru" (Japanese: ふるさと地球を去る) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shinichi Ichikawa | September 24, 1971 |
| 26 | "Mystery! Homicide Beetle Incident" Transcription: "Kikai! Satsujin Kabutomushi jiken" (Japanese: 奇怪！殺人甲虫事件) | Masanori Kakei | Shozo Uehara | October 1, 1971 |
| 27 | "Go to Hell With This Blow!" Transcription: "Kono ippatsu de Jigoku e Ike!" (Japanese: この一発で地獄へ行け！) | Masanori Kakei | Shinichi Ichikawa | October 8, 1971 |
| 28 | "Operation Ultra Special Attack" Transcription: "Urutora tokkōdai sakusen" (Japanese: ウルトラ特攻大作戦) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Akio Jissoji | October 15, 1971 |
| 29 | "Jiro Rides a Monster" Transcription: "Jirō-kun kaijū ni noru" (Japanese: 次郎くん怪獣に乗る) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | October 22, 1971 |
| 30 | "The Cursed Bone God Oxter" Transcription: "Noroi no Hone-shin Okusutā" (Japanese: 呪いの骨神オクスター) | Tadashi Mafune | Toshiro Ishido | October 29, 1971 |
| 31 | "In Between Devil and Angel..." Transcription: "Akuma to Tenshi no ma ni" (Japanese: 悪魔と天使の間に) | Tadashi Mafune | Shinichi Ichikawa | November 5, 1971 |
| 32 | "Duel Under the Setting Sun" Transcription: "Rakujitsu no Kettō" (Japanese: 落日の決闘) | Jun Oki | Kitao Senzoku | November 12, 1971 |
| 33 | "The Monster Tamer and the Boy" Transcription: "Kaijū Tsukai to Shōnen" (Japanese: 怪獣使いと少年) | Shohei Tojo | Shozo Uehara | November 19, 1971 |
| 34 | "An Unforgiven Life" Transcription: "Yurusarezaru Inochi" (Japanese: 許されざるいのち) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Toshiro Ishido & Shinichiro Kobayashi | November 26, 1971 |
| 35 | "Cruel! Light Monster Prizuma" Transcription: "Zankoku! Hikari Kaijū Purizu Ma" (Japanese: 残酷! 光怪獣プリズ魔) | Eizo Yamagiwa | Shin Akekawa | December 3, 1971 |
| 36 | "Banish the Night" Transcription: "Yoru o ke chirase" (Japanese: 夜を蹴散らせ) | Masanori Kakei | Toshiro Ishido | December 10, 1971 |
| 37 | "Ultraman Dies at Sunset" Transcription: "Urutoraman Yūhi ni Shisu" (Japanese: ウルトラマン夕陽に死す) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shozo Uehara | December 17, 1971 |
| 38 | "When the Star of Ultra Shines" Transcription: "Urutoranohoshi Hikaru Toki" (Japanese: ウルトラの星光る時) | Yoshiharu Tomita | Shozo Uehara | December 24, 1971 |
| 39 | "Winter Horror Series: 20th Century Abominable Snowman" Transcription: "Fuyu no Kaiki Shirizu - Niju Seiki no Yuki Otoko" (Japanese: 冬の怪奇シリーズ・20世紀の雪男) | Masanori Kakei | Shigemitsu Taguchi | January 7, 1972 |
| 40 | "Winter Horror Series: The Phantom Snow Woman" Transcription: "Fuyu no Kaiki Shirizu - Maboroshi no Yuki Onna" (Japanese: 冬の怪奇シリーズ・まぼろしの雪女) | Masanori Kakei | Toshiro Ishido | January 14, 1972 |
| 41 | "The Revenge of Alien Baltan Jr." Transcription: "Barutan Seijin Junia no Fukushu" (Japanese: バルタン星人Jr.の復習) | Takaharu Saeki | Shukei Nagasaka | January 21, 1972 |
| 42 | "The Monster that Stands on Mt. Fuji" Transcription: "Fuji ni Tatsu Kaijū" (Japanese: 富士に立つ怪獣) | Takaharu Saeki | Toshiro Ishido | January 28, 1972 |
| 43 | "The Demon God Howls at the Moon" Transcription: "Majin tsuki ni hoeru" (Japanese: 魔神月に咆える) | Masanori Kakei | Toshiro Ishido | February 4, 1972 |
| 44 | "To the Starry Sky with Love" Transcription: "Hoshizora ni ai o komete" (Japanese: 星空に愛をこめて) | Masanori Kakei | Shigemitsu Taguchi | February 11, 1972 |
| 45 | "Assassinate Hideki Go!" Transcription: "Go Hideki Ō Ansantsu seyo" (Japanese: 郷秀樹を暗殺せよ!) | Noboru Kaji | Masao Saito | February 18, 1972 |
| 46 | "Fill This Blow with Anger" Transcription: "Kono ichigeki ni ikari o komete" (Japanese: この一撃に怒りをこめて) | Noboru Kaji | Shigemitsu Taguchi | February 25, 1972 |
| 47 | "The Marked Woman" Transcription: "Newarata Ōnna" (Japanese: 狙わらた女) | Takaharu Saeki | Toshiro Ishido | March 3, 1972 |
| 48 | "We'll Take Earth!" Transcription: "Chikyū Itadakimasu" (Japanese: 地球頂きます) | Takaharu Saeki | Mieko Osanai | March 10, 1972 |
| 49 | "MAT is the Name of Space Warriors" Transcription: "Uchuu Senshi Sono Nama Matto" (Japanese: 宇宙戦士その名まMAT) | Shūe Matsubayashi | Masaru Igami | March 17, 1972 |
| 50 | "Invitation from Hell" Transcription: "Jigoku Kara no Sasoi" (Japanese: 地獄からの誘い) | Shūe Matsubayashi | Masao Saito | March 24, 1972 |
| 51 | "The Five Oaths of Ultra" Transcription: "Urutora Go tsu no Chikai" (Japanese: ウルトラ5つの誓い) | Ishirō Honda | Shozo Uehara | March 31, 1972 |
Post-release
Manga
A manga series by Akira Mizuho ran in Bessatsu Shōnen Sunday from May to December 1971.[7]
Home media
In November 2015, Tsuburaya Productions and Bandai Visual released the series on Blu-ray in Japan.[8] In July 2019, Mill Creek Entertainment announced that it had acquired most of the Ultraman library from Tsuburaya Productions through Indigo Entertainment, including 1,100 episodes and 20 films.[9] Mill Creek released the series on Blu-ray and digital in North America on February 25, 2020 in standard and steelbook sets.[10]
In July 2020, Shout! Factory announced to have struck a multi-year deal with Alliance Entertainment and Mill Creek, with the blessings of Tsuburaya and Indigo, that granted them the exclusive SVOD and AVOD digital rights to the Ultra series and films (1,100 episodes and 20 film) acquired by Mill Creek the previous year. Return of Ultraman, amongst other titles, will stream in the United States and Canada through Shout! Factory TV and Tokushoutsu.[11]
Notes
- Yatsu provided the voice for Ultraman Jack on episodes: 1, 18, 30, 31, 37, while Murakoshi provided the voice for episode 50.[6]
References
- Aiken 2020, p. 02.
- "帰ってきたウルトラマン Blu-ray BOX" (in Japanese). Bandai Visual. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- Aiken 2020, p. 04.
- Aiken 2020, p. 03.
- "高画質でキレイになって帰ってきた！『帰ってきたウルトラマン HDリマスター版』のレギュラー放送がスタート！" (in Japanese). PR Times. 2017-07-11. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- 円谷プロ画報. 第1巻. 竹書房. 2013. pp. 212, 213. ISBN 978-4-8124-9491-2.
- "「湯来のまち 空き家アート作品展」が始まりました。第１回は甲斐さゆみ・迫田良明 合同原画展". Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- Mike Dent (June 30, 2015). "Return of Ultraman, Ultraman Gaia Blu-Ray Boxes Dated". The Tokusatsu Network. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- "Exclusive – Mill Creek Entertainment Acquires the Ultraman Library For Physical and Digital Home Entertainment Distribution Across North America". SciFi Japan. July 10, 2019. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- "Mill Creek Entertainment To Bring Return of Ultraman And Ultraman Orb: The Origin Saga On Blu-ray In February 2020". SciFi Japan. November 20, 2019. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
- Patrick Frater (July 10, 2020). "Shout! Factory Strikes 'Ultraman' Digital Distribution Deal With Mill Creek". Variety. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
Sources
- Aiken, Keith (2020). Passing the Torch and Series History – Information and Episode Guide. Mill Creek Entertainment. ASIN B081KRBMZY.