SciFi Japan

    Creatures from the various Ultraman shows and movies celebrated

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Popular Ultra Series Characters Enjoy a Day at the Amusement Park Author: Daisuke Ishizuka January 9, 2012 was a national holiday in Japan known as "Coming of Age Day" (????, Seijin no Hi). The holiday is held each year on the second Monday of January, and celebrates those Japanese who -- over the past year -- turned 20 years old, the age one is considered an adult can legally vote, drink and smoke (and be tried as an adult in court). Throughout the day, special ceremonies honoring the new adults (???, Shin Seijin) were held at cities across Japan. Young women dress up in fancy, fur-lined silk kimonos called furisodes while men wear suits or traditional hakama. The Yomiuriland amusement park in Inagi City, Tokyo decided to celebrate Coming of Age Day in a unique and fun way. Just as the English language

    Former Ultraman director/producer Takeshi Yagi at an Ultraman event in Tokyo in 2009. Photo by Jim M. Ballard. Author: Jim M. Ballard Special Thanks to Takeshi Yagi

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Conceived by Tsuburaya Productions - the production company founded by Eiji Tsuburaya, the master of special effects on Toho’s Godzilla film series - the original ULTRAMAN (Urutoraman) first broadcast from July 17th 1966 until April 9th 1967 on TBS. Throughout 39 exciting episodes, audiences nationwide watched the superhero Ultraman defend the Earth from a plethora of giant monsters. ULTRAMAN proved so successful that after 45 years and over 30 spin-offs and feature films, Ultraman is continuing to thrive, ingraining itself in Japanese popular culture shoulder-to-shoulder with Godzilla and other famous icons. In March 2011, immediately following the earthquake disaster, Tsuburaya Productions established the Ultraman Foundation. Through the support of Tsuburaya`s creative staff and their extensive back-catalog of famous heroes, the charity is helping to raise money for children directly affected by the events of March 11th, and spreading a message of hope to children throughout Japan in

    Covers for Monster Attack Team issues M8 (illustration by Kevin Grays) and M9 (art by Matt Frank). Photos courtesy of MAT. © 2011 Monster Attack Team

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Japanese SF Movie Zine to be Distributed by Diamond Source: Monster Attack Team Special Thanks to Michael G Keller and Edward Holland In the 1990s, Monster Attack Team, a fanzine devoted to Japanese live action sci-fi and fantasy productions, ran for seven issues. After a fifteen year break, editors Edward Holland and Michael Keller revived MAT in 2010 with a massive, full-color 132 page eighth issue packed with informative articles covering a wide range of tokusatsu film and television programs. And now Monster Attack Team is back in a big way. Holland and Keller are currently working with a team of top writers on MAT #9, another 100+ page, full-color special. The magazine is tentatively scheduled for release in early October, exact date and price to be announced. The issue can be ordered at monsterattackteam.com. Monster Attack Team has also been picked up

    Advance poster for ULTRAMAN SAGA. © 2011 Ultraman Saga Film Partners

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    45th Anniversary Film Coming from Tsuburaya Pro Author: Elliot Gay and Keith Aiken Source: Tsuburaya Productions Official Movie Site: ultramansaga.com Tagline: “We still have a shining hope with us!” Continuing their 45th anniversary celebration of the Ultra series, Tsuburaya Productions has announced the production of their next feature film ULTRAMAN SAGA (?????????, Urutoraman Saga), to be released in 2012 on both 2D and 3D screens in Japan. The new movie is a sequel to the recent films, MEGA MONSTER BATTLE ULTRA GALAXY: THE MOVIE (?????? ???????? THE MOVIE, Daikaiju Batoru Urutora Ginga Densetsu THE MOVIE, 2009) and ULTRAMAN ZERO: THE REVENGE OF BELIAL (???????? THE MOVIE ?????????????, Urutoraman Zero THE MOVIE Chou Kessen! Beriaru Ginga Teikoku, 2010). ULTRAMAN SAGA will continue the recent trend in the Ultraman movies of bringing together characters from several different series and timelines. The newest Ultra hero, Ultraman Zero, will once

    T-`s Facto presents the prototype Godzilla 54 sculpture, one of the the incredible kits sold at Winter WonderFest 2011. Photo by Ed Godziszewski. © 1954 Toho Co., Ltd.

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Godzilla, Ultraman, and More at Tokyo Model and Toy Collectors Show Author: Ed Godziszewski Official Site: Wonder Festival Once again, it`s that time of year for the winter season orgy of model kits, toys, and cosplay otherwise known as Wonder Festival. Hosted once again by toy and kit maker Kaiyodo, this year`s event again took place February 6, 2011 at the Makuhari Messe, just a few train stops down the Keio Line from Tokyo Disneyland. And as usual, this year`s show had its share of surprises as well as the weird, wacky, and wonderful. If you are fan of Japanese movie monsters, the news isn`t quite so good. Continuing the trend of the last few years, the number of kits related to Japanese SF films has been on a steady decline, a fact which several of the major kit makers have bemoaned. And

    It`s round two for Ultraman Zero and the evil Ultraman Belial! Photo courtesy of Shochiku. © 2010 Ultraman Zero- Revenge of Belial Film Partners

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Review Of The Latest Ultraman Movie Author: Jim M. Ballard Official Movie Site: ultramanzero.com SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie. Opening to theaters nationwide in Japan on December 23rd, ULTRAMAN ZERO: THE REVENGE OF BELIAL (Urutoraman Zero THE MOVIE Chou Kessen! Beriaru Ginga Teikoku) is the latest entry in the enduring Ultraman series, and serves as a direct sequel to last year`s MEGA MONSTER BATTLE ULTRA GALAXY: THE MOVIE (Daikaiju Batoru Urutora Ginga Densetsu THE MOVIE) in which the evil Ultraman Belial was released from a millennia of imprisonment and resurrected an army of 100 monsters to defeat the Ultra warriors. The new film delves right into the action with a dramatic sweeping shot of Princess Emerana`s home world of Esmeralda being ravaged by Ultraman Belial (now calling himself "Kaiser Belial") and his empire, and her protector Mirror

    Logo design for ULTRAMAN ZERO: THE REVENGE OF BELIAL. Photo courtesy of Shochiku © 2010 Ultraman Zero- Revenge of Belial Film Partners

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Official Press Notes For The Latest Ultraman Movie Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd., Tsuburaya Productions Translation: Jim M. Ballard Official Movie Site: ultramanzero.com THE ULTRAMAN SERIES 45TH ANNIVERSARY The Ultraman series continues to send to children, and to those adults who have not forgotten their dreams, a "message of hope for the future". In this new production commemorating the 45th anniversary of the series, Ultraman Zero encounters new friends on his adventures, delivering a story of growth to adulthood as our heroes learn many important lessons. Previously defeated by the Ultra warriors, the evil Ultraman Belial has revived, returning as the "Galactic Emperor Kaiser Belial" with aspirations of universal conquest and revenge against the Ultra warriors! Will the warriors from the "Land Of Light" be able to defeat this evil army!? INTRODUCTION Tagline: "This is our light!" (Kore ga, ore-tachi no

    Memorial card for Shunsuke Ikeda, star of the 1973 Toei superhero show KIKAIDA 01. Photo courtesy of Tetsu Shiota. © 1972 Ishimori Production Inc. and Toei Co., Ltd.

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Memorial Service in Hawaii for KIKAIDA 01 Star Source: Anime Jungle, Generation Kikaida Special Thanks to Tetsu Shiota, Daisuke Ishizuka, Joanne Ninomiya and Scott Shinsato On November 11th, family and friends gathered at Diamond Head, Hawaii to bid a final farewell to actor Shunsuke Ikeda, who died this past June after a long battle with stomach cancer. Ikeda had appeared in a number of television dramas and FX shows during the 1960s and 70s and is best remembered for his starring role in the popular superhero series KIKAIDA 01 (1973). Shunsuke Ikeda was born Norio Ikeda in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture on November 11th, 1940. His father was Tatsuo Ouchi, a renowned tateshi (sword fight choreographer), and Ikeda was trained in martial arts from an early age, earning black belts in both Judo and Karate. In 1962, he joined Toei Movie Company as part

    ULTRAMAN DYNAA is now airing on the Los Angeles station UTB. © 1997 Tsuburaya Productions Co, Ltd., MBS

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    English Subtitled Episodes Broadcast on Japanese Language Station UTB Source: United Television Broadcasting Systems, Inc. Earlier this year, SciFi Japan reported that Tsuburaya Productions` ULTRAMAN TIGA (Urutoraman Taiga, 1996) was being broadcast on the independent Japanese language TV station UTB (United Television Broadcasting Systems, Inc.) in Hollywood. Now TIGA has been joined by the follow-up series ULTRAMAN DYNA (Urutoraman Daina, 1997), making its US television debut with two episodes airing each Saturday and Sunday from 6:30am - 7:25am. ULTRAMAN DYNA takes place in the year AD 2017. Humans have begun terraforming other planets for colonization during a time known as "Age of the Neo Frontier". One day, the Neo Frontier is attacked by mysterious objects known as the Spheres. Shin Asuka, new member training for the new GUTS (Global Unlimited Task Squad) team, "Super GUTS", fights back. Asuka`s ship is damaged during the

    Peter Fernandez at the 2008 premiere of SPEED RACER during the Tribeca Film Festival.

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: Bob Johnson On Thursday July 15, 2010, the television and movie industry lost one of its truly unsung heroes. Peter Fernandez passed away after a battle with cancer at the age of 83. Although fans of international films and TV know his name and his contributions, Hollywood as a whole has passed over a little-known industry that made it possible to import many foreign efforts that we would have never otherwise seen. The dubbing of international product was a thankless chore and an underpaid one in the 1960s and 1970s. However, Peter Fernandez was a tireless pioneer and turned out some of the most memorable and highest quality dub tracks of a generation. Fans of Japanese animation, Godzilla, Ultraman, Gamera, Space Giants, spaghetti westerns, kung-fu cinema, as well as films from France and other non-English speaking countries have heard Peter`s voice and voice direction literally

    EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE is just one of fifty Asian films playing this month at Fantasia. Photo courtesy of EIN`s M&M. © 2009 Khara

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Montreal Genre Movie Festival Runs July 8-28 Source: Fantasia press release Official Site: Fantasia 2010 The organizers of Fantasia International Film Festival— North America`s largest genre film festival— have once again pulled together an amazing lineup of movies to screen in Montreal. From July 8 to 28, Fantasia 2010 will showcase 120 feature films and several hundred shorts from all over the world, including a number of North American and international premieres. Please visit Fantasia`s official website for their complete film list and schedule, venues and directions, ticket information, and other details. SciFi Japan readers may be particularly interested in the fest`s Asian movie schedule, detailed in the following press release... From Asia with Love – Overview of the Asian Programming of Fantasia 2010 For its fourteenth edition, the Fantasia Film Festival is proud to present over 50 titles from Asia. Once again, Japan, the

    © ULTRAMAN ZERO THE MOVIE Production Committee

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Tsuburaya Announces Production of 45th Anniversary Ultraman Movie Author: Jim M. Ballard Source: Asahi.com Official Movie Site: ultramanzero.com In celebration of the Ultraman series` 45th anniversary in 2011, production has begun on Tsuburaya Productions` latest feature film ULTRAMAN ZERO THE MOVIE: SUPER DECISIVE BATTLE! BELIAL`S GALACTIC EMPIRE (Urutoraman Zero THE MOVIE Chou Kessen! Beriaru Ginga Teikoku), due for nationwide theatrical release this December in Japan. The latest Ultra hero Ultraman Zero, the son of Ultra Seven, takes on the role of the protagonist in this production, while Ultraman Belial, history`s first evil Ultraman who rampaged screens in last year`s ULTRA GALAXY: MEGA MONSTER BATTLE (Daikaiju Battoru Urutora Ginnga Densetsu THE MOVIE) has survived, returning in a powered-up form and proclaiming himself to be "the galactic emperor Kaiser Belial". Building up an enormous galactic empire, Kaiser Belial aspires for universal conquest in revenge against

    Contents of the DVD Memorial Box © Mega Monster Battle ULTRA GALAXY Film Partners / Bandai Visual. Photo by Jim M. Ballard

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: Jim M. Ballard Official Movie Site: Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Director Koichi Sakamoto`s MEGA MONSTER BATTLE: ULTRA GALAXY (Daikaiju Batoru Urutora Ginga Densetsu THE MOVIE) was released on home video in Japan on April 23rd. Three different editions were released; a single disc DVD, a double-disc "Memorial Box" DVD collection, and a single disc Blu-ray. All three editions include English subtitles. While playback of the DVD editions are restricted to Japan, Europe and other Region 2 DVD countries, the Blu-ray edition is compatible with all Region A Blu-ray players, including North America. SciFi Japan takes a look at the feature-packed "Memorial Box" collection... Memorial Box Overview The Memorial Box DVD package for MEGA MONSTER BATTLE: ULTRA GALAXY follows the pattern for the last two Ultraman feature memorial boxes, ULTRAMAN MEBIUS & ULTRAMAN BROTHERS and SUPERIOR ULTRAMAN 8 BROTHERS. The entire contents

    “Will the galaxy be plunged into darkness?” reads this advance teaser ad for MEGA MONSTER BATTLE: ULTRA GALAXY. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Japan. © Mega Monster Battle ULTRA GALAXY Film Partners

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: Jack Bass Official Movie Site: Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie. Released on April 23 on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan with import friendly English subtitles, MEGA MONSTER BATTLE: ULTRA GALAXY (Daikaiju Batoru Urutora Ginga Densetsu The Movie; lit. Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends- The Movie) has finally made its way into the homes of the non-Japan residing Ultra faithful. After all of the trailers, promotional stills, early reviews, and months of speculation, how does the film stack up against previous entries in the series? Much like STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982), ULTRA GALAXY represents a bold new direction for an established series. Nearly every shot of the film features some sort of digital VFX, due in large part to filming almost exclusively against a green screen. By doing so, ULTRA

    In 2004, Tsuburaya Pro took Ultraman back to the basics with the feature film ULTRAMAN: THE NEXT. Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. ©2004 ULTRAMAN Movie Production Consortium

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    A Look Back at the Popular 2004 Film with Press Notes, Interviews, and Photos from Tsuburaya Pro Source: Tsuburaya Productions Official Movie Site: Ultraman The Movie Additional Material: Brad Warner After a trilogy of juvenile oriented films starring ULTRAMAN COSMOS (2001-2003), in 2004 Tsuburaya Productions decided the time had come for a major relaunch and revamp of their Ultra franchise. The company hoped to lure older viewers back to the fold with nostalgic and more adult-themed programming like the radio drama THE ULTRA Q CLUB (Urutora Kyuu Club), the late night TV series ULTRA Q: DARK FANTASY (Urutora Kyuu Daaku Fantajii), and the new Ultraman show ULTRAMAN NEXUS (Urutoraman Nekkusasu). For a more detailed look at these shows please see James Ballard`s article Tsuburaya Productions, 2004: A Year in Retrospect. Tsuburaya Pro wrapped up the year with ULTRAMAN: THE NEXT (Urutoraman), a new

    ULTRAMAN TIGA is now airing on the Los Angeles station UTB. © 1996 Tsuburaya Productions Co, Ltd., MBS

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Source: Tsuburaya Productions Official Site: United Television Broadcasting Systems, Inc. Tsuburaya Productions` popular series ULTRAMAN TIGA (Uritoraman Taiga) has returned to television in Southern California. The show is currently airing on the independent Japanese language TV station UTB (United Television Broadcasting Systems, Inc.) in Hollywood. ULTRAMAN TIGA was originally shown in Japan from 1996-97. The program was a hit, running for 52 episodes and leading to several theatrical features and video specials. An edited and English dubbed version of the TV series debuted in the United States on the FOX Network in 2002 as part of 4Kids Entertainment`s initial "Fox Box" Saturday morning lineup. The Americanized TIGA was canceled after only half a season. The series came back to US television this past February. Unlike the FOX broadcasts, United Television Broadcasting Systems, Inc. is showing the episodes uncut and in their original Japanese

    Cover for Monster Attack Team Issue 8. Photo courtesy of MAT. © 2010 Monster Attack Team

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Source: Monster Attack Team Special Thanks to Michael G Keller and Edward Holland After far too long an absence, the popular fanzine Monster Attack Team returns! Edward Holland and the late Joe Riley began Monster Attack Team (the name taken from the anti-monster team in RETURN OF ULTRAMAN) in the early 1990s as a fan club for aficionados of Japanese science fiction and fantasy. It soon evolved into a Dallas, Texas cable access television show and a small newsletter that grew to become a fan favorite mag. The print version of Monster Attack Team ran for seven issues, edited by Ed Holland with the assistance of David May and Michael G Keller, and featured articles and contributions by authors such as Ed Godziszewski, Kip Doto, Bob Johnson, Kevin Grays, August Ragone, Daisuke Ishizuka, Norman England, and Damon Foster. Nearly 15 years after the last issue, Ed

    Burning Godzilla roars over the crowd at Winter WonderFest 2010. Photo by Ed Godziszewski. © 1995 Toho Co., Ltd.

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Godzilla, Gamera, and Ultraman at Winter Model and Toy Collectors Show Held in Tokyo on February 7, 2010 Author: Ed Godziszewski Official Site: Wonder Festival Owing to an accident in 2008 which occurred at the Tokyo Big Sight, former home of Wonder Festival, this biannual mega collectors event was canceled for the year 2009. But after securing a new venue at Makuhari Messe, WonderFest is back and bigger than ever. For fans of Toho monster films, Makuhari Messe is a convention center complex which also happened to be ground zero for the final battle of GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA II (1993), conveniently nestled between the huge skyscraper that Mechagodzilla slammed Rodan into and the baseball stadium home of the Chiba Lotte Marines which Godzilla summarily trashed. The entire area has been nicely rebuilt since its destruction in 1993, and is now the new home

    Ultraman Belial, the first evil Ultraman from M78. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Japan. © Mega Monster Battle ULTRA GALAXY Film Partners

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: Steve Ryfle Official Movie Site: Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Special Thanks to Jim M. Ballard Steve Ryfle: How did you get the job of scoring MEGA MONSTER BATTLE: ULTRA GALAXY? Mike Verta: I was hired by the producer, Junya Okabe. They were looking for a sound they felt they couldn`t get in Japan, and they needed to get an American composer. They chose me because I`d worked with the producer many years ago, 12 or 13 years ago. I had done a trilogy of films called DARK SOLDIER D (1998) for him. He was actually one of my first scoring clients for features. I had done those films for him, but hadn`t done anything for him since. It`s kind of funny but I thought he`d been upset with my work, which was why I never heard from him. But as it

    The cast of MEGA MONSTER BATTLE: ULTRA GALAXY with Ultraman Belial, Gomora, and Ultraman Zero. Photo by Jim M. Ballard

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Exclusive Photos From The Premiere Of The New Ultraman Movie Author: Jim M. Ballard Official Movie Site: Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy The official premiere of the latest Ultraman movie MEGA MONSTER BATTLE: ULTRA GALAXY (Daikaiju Battoru Urutora Ginga Densetsu The Movie) was held today in Kawasaki. Prior to the screening, a special Ultra hero stage show was held in an event space at the centre of the Lazona Plaza shopping mall, where up to 500 Ultraman masks were freely distributed to members of the audience. The show started at 2.00pm with an introduction by Ultraman Dyna, star of the 1997 TV series of the same name, who also features prominently in the new movie. Following the introduction by Dyna, the classic foe Zetton attacked the stage, but was soon thwarted with the timely arrival of the original Ultraman and Ultra Seven! The

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