Ultraman The Ride' Opens At Seibuen Amusement Park On July 14th

"Ultraman The Ride" Opens At Seibuen Amusement Park On July 14th

Photo courtesy of Seibuen Amusement Park. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

Source: Seibuen Amusement Park press release
Official Website: https://www.seibu-leisure.co.jp/amusementpark/ultraman_teaser/index.html (Japan)

Seibuen Amusement Park (Headquarters: Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, President: Tatsuya Yoda) has announced that "Ultraman the Ride: The Great Duel of the Century" (ウルトラマン・ザ・ライド　世紀の大決闘, Urutoraman za Raido Seiki no Daikettō), the world’s largest indoor ride attraction based on Ultraman, will open on Friday, July 14th. The ride is produced by the same creative team behind the award-winning “Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle” (ゴジラ・ザ・ライド大怪獣頂上決戦, Gojira za Raido Daikaijū Chōjō Kessen) and is part of the park's year-long "Tobikkiri Sugo YEAR 2023!" celebration.

"Ultraman the Ride" allows guests to experience heart-stopping excitement and an unprecedented sense of immersion with their entire body as they travel through the skies with Ultraman as rookie members of the Science Special Search Party (aka Science Patrol) and fight together against monsters. This time, the Space Dinosaur Zetton, famous for being the most powerful monster in the original series, will appear as the ultimate threat. The overwhelming thrill of dodging and fending off attack after attack from Zetton and facing it together with Ultraman is sure to bring uncontrollable excitement to attendees.

In addition, "Ultraman the Ride" has been produced by Japan's world-class creative team that includes film director Takashi Yamazaki and Shoichiro Tsuno, the swordsmith from Katana Marketing and Entertainment Co., Ltd. The attraction will offer the ultimate experience with an overwhelming scale and quality, including detailed images, a powerful screen that presents the battle between Ultraman and Zetton on a 1/1 scale, and a ride system that perfectly synchronizes with the images and shakes violently to create the experience of flying in any direction, including rapid acceleration and sharp turns, to deliver an unprecedented sense of speed.

Unparalleled quality produced by Japan's world-class creative team

"Ultraman the Ride" was created by the same creative team that has created numerous attractions and experiences. Takashi Yamazaki, one of Japan's leading film directors, was involved in the production of the visuals, which are breathtakingly beautiful and depict dynamic battles between Ultraman and the monsters. Mr. Shoichiro Tsuno of Kaatana Marketing and Entertainment, who boasts an outstanding track record in theme park experience design, was in charge of creating the attraction experience, including the ride's movements and story. Not only will guests experience a sense of immersion and speed through motion that takes full advantage of the ride system, but the event technology will be perfectly synchronized with Takashi Yamazaki's images to create a world-class attraction.

Takashi Yamazaki and Shoichiro Tsuno. Photo courtesy of Seibuen Amusement Park.

◆ Takashi Yamazaki Profile

Yamazaki made his directorial debut in 2000 with JUVENILE (ジュブナイル, Jubunairu) and is a leading figure in the field of visual effects and VFX, making full use of advanced visuals in computer graphics. His ALWAYS: SUNSET ON THIRD STREET (ALWAYS 三丁目の夕日, Ōruweizu: San-chōme no Yūhi, 2005), a VFX film about a Showa-era town with heartwarming humanity, vitality, and atmosphere, became a hot topic of conversation, winning 12 awards including Best Picture and Best Director at the 29th Japan Academy Prize. His films THE ETERNAL ZERO (永遠の0, Eien no Zero, 2013) and STAND BY ME DORAEMON (STAND BY ME ドラえもん, Sutando Bai Mī Doraemon, 2014) won Best Picture and 8 other awards including Best Animated Film at the 38th Japan Academy Awards, respectively. He is counted as one of Japan's leading film directors, and is currently working on the latest "Godzilla" movie to be released on November 3, 2023.

Comment: I am extremely excited to be involved in creating the Ultraman ride this time. My childhood dreams are coming true one after another… If I could tell my younger self, I would definitely cry tears of joy from the overwhelming happiness. With "Godzilla the Ride", the theme of giant monsters and the system of the Yuhi-kan [a section within Seibuen with the theme of the Showa era] created an unexpected chemical reaction, and we were able to deliver an excitement that even we ourselves were surprised by. This time, I believe the challenge is to create a ride that no one has ever experienced before. What is the key to achieving this? I think it is the power of storytelling. Please look forward to our further challenge of how we can convey a sense of excitement and emotion within a short period of time.

◆ Shoichiro Tsuno Profile

A professional with a keen insight into consumer psychology, Shoichiro Tsuno is a creator of precisely calculated entertainment that stirs the emotions. He is a rare creator who has made the "impossible" into the "possible" in every genre of entertainment, including parades, stage shows, and visual attractions, making full use of all kinds of production methods and technologies. At Universal Studios Japan, he is not only a show producer, but also a multi-creator who has created scripts, edited music and videos, and even designed costumes and show sets. He is widely known as the overall producer of "Halloween Horror Nights," which triggered the revival of Universal Studios Japan. His role in planning and directing almost all of the entertainment lead the event to great success.

Logo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

Ultraman the Ride Overview

Location: Seibuen Yuenchi Sunset Pavilion
Opening Date: Friday, July 14　
Experience Time: Approx. 10 Minutes (Including Pre-Show)
Eligibility: 4 Years Old or Older and 100 cm or Taller (if less than 130 cm, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian 18 years old or older)

The movie theater "Yuhikan", which stands on a small hill that can be seen from the shopping street, is loved as a place of relaxation for the people of the town. However, it is only a movie theater on the surface, as the South Kanto Special Operations Headquarters of the Science Patrol was set up in the basement. As rookie members of the Patrol, the guests train on the flight equipment called a "Floater," but during their training they encounter the Space Dinosaur Zetton. Ultraman rushes to the scene, but Zetton attacks fiercely, and the Science Patrol and Ultraman find themselves in a tight spot. Can the guests and Ultraman protect the peace of the earth?

Shorten the waiting time for "Ultraman the Ride" with the Seibuen Limited Express Ticket

The "Seibuen Limited Express Ticket," which cuts the waiting time for "Ultraman the Ride," will be available online starting Friday, June 30. Please check the website for information on the attraction's pre-sale page.

"Ultraman the Ride" Ticket 1,000円 (Approx. $7.16 US)
"Seibuen Limited Express Ticket": 2,000円 (Approx. $14.33 US)

Ultraman Goods and Special Menus Only at Seibuen Amusement Park

In addition to "Ultraman the Ride", a variety of food items and goods that offer a rich Ultraman experience are also available throughout Seibuen Amusement Park. More than 10 kinds of original goods and menus will be available, including Seibuen's standard wearable goods and exclsuve finger puppets available only at Seibuen Amusement Park.

Business Hours
Business Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

*Varies depending on the season and other factors. Please check the website "Business Hours" for details.

Note: Screenings of "Godzilla the Ride" will be suspended from July 14th to September 13th. Screenings will resume on September 14th, and guests will be able to enjoy both "Ultraman the Ride" and "Godzilla the Ride" from that time on.

About Seibuen Amusement Park

Seibuen Amusement Park is located in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. in 2021 it reopened as a retro-themed attraction inspired by 1960s Tokyo.