ULTRAMAN ARCHIVES: ULTRA Q Episode 19: CHALLENGE FROM THE YEAR 2020 Blu-ray & DVD Set On Sale February 20

CHALLENGE FROM THE YEAR 2020 title card. Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. © TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

Source: Tsuburaya Productions Official Site: m-78.jp/ultraman-archives (Japan)

A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. © TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

In October, Tsuburaya Productions announced their new ULTRAMAN ARCHIVES (????????????) Project that looks back at key episodes of the Ultraman Series through home video, public events, and deluxe merchandising. The first home video release will be the ULTRAMAN ARCHIVES: ULTRA Q Episode 19: CHALLENGE FROM THE YEAR 2020 Blu-ray & DVD Set (ULTRAMAN ARCHIVES??????? Episode 19?2020?????Blu-ray?DVD????), which will be available in Japan on February 20, 2019. The set features HD remasters of the original 1966 black & white episode and the COLOR ULTRA Q colorized version from 2011 plus video testimonials by cast and crew members such as director/screenwriter Toshihiro Iijima and actors Hiroko Sakurai, who starred in ULTRA Q as reporter Yuriko Edogawa, and Satoshi “Bin” Furuya, who played Kemur in the episode (and later starred as Ultraman). Also included are new viewpoints and commentary from outside experts (including monster suit maker Fuyuki Shinada) and additional bonus features. The content will be identical on the Blu-ray and DVD discs in this set. CREDITS Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo, Toshihiro Iijima Director: Toshihiro Iijima Special Feature Director: Sadamasa Arikawa Cast: Kenji Sahara, Yasuhiko Saijo, Hiroko Sakurai PRODUCT DETAILS Japanese Release Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2019 Product Code: PCXE-50870 Number of Discs: 2 Blu-ray: BD 25G DVD: Single-Sided Single Layer Price: ¥4,800 (Approximately $ US, Plus Tax) Contents: Main Feature (Color/Black & White) and Interviews Main Feature Running Time: 25 Minutes Interviews Running Time: Approximately 40 Minutes Blu-ray Main Feature Specs: 4:3 (1080p High Definition) / Linear PCM (Stereo/Monaural) Blu-ray Interviews Specs: 16:9 (1080i High Definition) / Linear PCM (Stereo) DVD Main Feature Specs: 4:3 / MPEG-2 / Dolby Digital (Stereo/Monaural) DVD Interviews Specs: 16:9 / MPEG-2 / Dolby Digital (Stereo) Manufacturer: Tsuburaya Productions Distributor: Pony Canyon

The set includes interviews with (top row: left to right) episode director/screenwriter Toshihiro Iijima, actor Hiroko Sakurai, (bottom row: left to right) actor Satoshi Furuya and biologist Shinichi Fukuoka. Photos courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. © TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

? Interview Contents ?Chapter 1??????? NAVIGATION ?Chapter 2??? DIRECTION ?Chapter 3??? PRODUCE ?Chapter 4??? CREATION ?Chapter 5??? PERIOD ?Chapter 6??? DESIGN ?Chapter 7??? CRITICAL ESSAY ? Interviews Takashi Kakoi (Producer) Toshihiro Iijima (Director/Screenwriter) Akira Tsuburaya (Assistant Director) Sadao Iizuda (Optical Photography) Minoru Nakano (Optical Compositing) Kazuho Mitsuta (Assistant Director) Atsuko Tanaka (Screenwriter) Hiroko Sakurai (Actor) Satoshi Furuya (Actor) Kazuki Nakashima (Playwright/Screenwriter) Asato Izumi (Columnist) Fuyuki Shinada (Sculptor) Shinichi Fukuoka (Biologist)

CHALLENGE FROM THE YEAR 2020 Visual Sheets, an Amazon Japan retailer exclusive. Photos courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. © TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS1

RETAILER EXCLUSIVES A handful of Japanese retailers are offering exclusive gifts with pre-orders of the CHALLENGE FROM THE YEAR 2020 Blu-ray & DVD Set... ? WonderGOO/Shinseido: Original B2 (50 x 71cm) Poster ? Amazon.co.jp: L Format Visual Sheet (4 Pieces) ? Pony Canyon Shopping Club: Original Sticker

About Tsuburaya Productions

Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. has created dozens of heroes and other characters, including Ultraman, who have been loved from generation to generation. The base for the company was Tsuburaya Visual Effects Research, which was launched by the Japanese “Father of Special Effects” Eiji Tsuburaya. After showing his skill and making a name for himself working on many monster movies and special effects laden fantasy science films, in 1963 Tsuburaya incorporated Tsuburaya Visual Effects Research and established Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. in order to advance further research and development of special effects technologies and release visual works that could be enjoyed by a wider audience. The company has continued to maintain Eiji Tsuburaya’s policies even after his death. 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the company’s founding, and it continues its work to this day. Currently, the company carries out activities including production of works for television, original video works, and films for theatrical release; licensing of owned characters’ content; development of various products; event planning and live staged events that bring out the maximum appeal of its owned characters, and development of facilities that handle related items.

For more information on ULTRAMAN ARCHIVES, please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: