SciFi Japan

    Koichi Takano (standing, center) supervises the filming of Gomora for ULTRAMAN Episode 26,

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: Bob Johnson and Brad Warner Translations: Brad Warner Special Thanks to James Ballard, Keith Aiken, Norman England, Shusuke Kaneko and Takeshi Yagi The science fiction community suffered a number of losses recently, including Forrest J. Ackerman, Beverly Garland and even Catwoman Eartha Kitt. But somewhat lost in the media news shuffle was someone very important to the Ultraman franchise; former Tsuburaya Productions managing director Koichi Takano. Mr. Takano passed away on November 30, 2008 at a hospital in the Tokyo metropolitan area at the age of 73 from emphysema. A resident of Tokyo, his funeral was attended only by close relatives. A farewell party is scheduled for February 27th of next year at an as yet undecided venue. Born August 25, 1935, Koichi Takano graduated from Seijo Gakuen High School in Tokyo in 1953 and joined Toho Co, Ltd. in 1954. Having

    One of the pieces on display will be Alex Wald`s

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Florida Gallery Host Exhibition of Japanese Monster Art Source: ArtCenter/South Florida press release Visit KAIJU MONSTER INVASION on MySpace KAIJU MONSTER INVASION: MIAMI BEACH On view December 2, 2008 – January 4, 2009 ArtCenter/South Florida’s Richard Shack Gallery 800 Lincoln Road at Meridian Avenue, Miami Beach, FL Admission is free! OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION: Wednesday December 3rd, 8:00pm-10:00pm ARTISTS SIGNING: Friday December 5th, 8:00pm-10:00pm KAIJU THEMED COMPUTER MUSIC CONCERT: Saturday December 6th, 8:00pm-10:00pm ArtCenter/South Florida (“ACSF”) presents KAIJU MONSTER INVASION: MIAMI BEACH 2008, an exhibition featuring Japanese monster-inspired interpretations by renowned contemporary western and eastern artists. The Japanese word Kaiju, which translates to “strange beast” or “monster”, first emerged in post-war Japan in the 1950s and 1960s. After experiencing the Atomic Bomb, Godzilla and Gamera became the mutant brainchildren of anti-nuclear cinema. Now a half-century later, Lowbrow and Pop Surrealists including Coop, Ron

    ULTRA GALAXY: MEGA MONSTER BATTLE - NEVER ENDING ODYSSEY ©2008 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd / Bandai Co., Ltd

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    It`s a kaiju battle royale in the highly anticipated sequel series! Author: James Ballard Official Website: Daikaijyu.com Toho may have retired their legendary monster star Godzilla in 2004, and the likelihood of a new Gamera movie may seem bleak following the monster`s 2006 outing, but giant monsters are still running amok on Japan`s airwaves. The Ultra Galaxy franchise is a spin-off from Tsuburaya Productions` popular Ultraman series, showcasing the show`s giant monsters rather than the Ultraman heroes. It began as an arcade game MEGA MONSTER BATTLE: ULTRA MONSTERS (Daikaiju Batoru Urutora Monsutaazu), which tied in with a series of monster trading cards featuring bar codes that could be read by the arcade machines. The popularity of the video game and trading cards led to last year`s TV series ULTRA GALAXY: MEGA MONSTER BATTLE (Urutora Gyarakushii Daikaiju Batoru). 2008 saw the continuation of the franchise with the new

    MIPCOM ad for TPC`s new Visual Translation System. © 2008 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    ULTRA GALAXY: MEGA MONSTER BATTLE is First Series Offered Author: Keith Aiken Source: Tsuburaya Productions Last month, Tsuburaya Productions introduced a surprising new filming system that they hope will make their long-running Ultraman franchise more sellable to overseas markets. Dubbed the "Visual Translation System", this new arrangement would allow foreign distributors to customize TPC shows to suit the country of export. The Visual Translation System was unveiled at MIPCOM, an annual entertainment industry market and trade event held in Cannes, France. The 2008 MIPCOM took place from October 13-17 and featured 13,588 industry professionals from more than 100 countries. Tsuburuya Pro has routinely attended both MIPCOM and its sister event MIP-TV to help promote and export programs and films like ULTRAMAN MAX (Urutoraman Makkusu, 2005) and MIRROR MAN: REFLEX (Miraaman Rifurekkusu, 2006). But these shows have not received much interest from European and American buyers, and

    Takeshi Yagi`s Official Website ©2008 Takeshi Yagi

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Ultraman director launches English homepage Author: James Ballard Official Website: www.takeshi-yagi.com Japanese director/producer Takeshi Yagi launched his official English language homepage today. Yagi joined Tsuburaya Productions in the mid-1990s after graduating from Waseda University, where he began serving as an assistant director on popular shows such as ULTRAMAN TIGA (Urutoraman Tiga, 1996). He quickly made his directorial debut with on an episode of the original video series MOONSPIRAL (Muunsupairaru, 1996), and followed this with his on-air debut directing an episode of ULTRAMAN GAIA (Urutoraman Gaia, 1998). Over the years, Yagi continued to direct episodes of Tsuburaya`s enduring Ultra series, including ULTRAMAN COSMOS (Urutoraman Kosumosu, 2001), ULTRA Q: DARK FANTASY (Urutora Kyuu Daaku Fantajii, 2004), ULTRAMAN NEXUS (Urutoraman Nekusasu, 2004) and ULTRAMAN MEBIUS (Urutoraman Mebiusu, 2006). In 2005 he produced the popular ULTRAMAN MAX (Urutoraman Makkusu), which saw the series return to its roots as a more colorful

    Kanegoneh`s Shining Road ©2004 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd./avex/SPEJ/I-ENT

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    The Ultimate Guide to the 2004 Revival of the Classic Sci-Fi Series Author: James Ballard Official Website: Ultra Q Dark Fantasy Special Thanks to Brad Warner, Tsuburaya Productions A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Just in time for Halloween, SciFi Japan is pleased to present the first official English language episode guide for ULTRA Q: DARK FANTASY, written by James Ballard and approved by Tsuburaya Productions. Contents Introduction Cast & Character Profiles Staff Profiles Episode Guide Monsters, Aliens and Creatures! Production Credits Introduction First broadcast on 2nd January 1966, ULTRA Q (Urutora Kyuu) was a landmark in Japanese television. The series was the first work from Tsuburaya Productions, the production company founded by Eiji Tsuburaya, the master of special effects on Toho`s Godzilla film series. In a similar vein to the

    Ultraman Mebius, Ultraman Gaia, Ultraman Dyna, Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman, Ultra Seven, Ultraman Jack, and Ultraman Ace join forces in the new movie. ©2008 GREAT DECISIVE BATTLE! THE SUPER 8 ULTRA BROTHERS Production Consortium

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: James Ballard Official Website: Great Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie. It`s Saturday morning on September 13th, and despite a late night out I`ve woken up unusually early, as today is the premiere of the latest Ultraman feature, entitled GREAT DECISIVE BATTLE! THE SUPER 8 ULTRA BROTHERS (Daikessen! Chou Urutora Hachi Kyoudai). I`m looking forward to seeing my second Ultraman movie in Japan, following 2006`s ULTRAMAN MEBIUS & ULTRAMAN BROTHERS (Urutoraman Mebiusu & Urutora Kyoudai). After kicking off with a bowl of pork udon in Ueno, I make the ride over to Shinjuku station, where I meet the film`s director Takeshi Yagi just before 8:00am. I first met Yagi through my good friend Norman England almost two years ago, and in that time he has simply been one of the

    Advertisement for the Yokohama Ultraman Exhibit running through October. ©2008 GREAT DECISIVE BATTLE! THE SUPER 8 ULTRA BROTHERS Production Committee /Yokohama Doll Museum

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: James Ballard Official Website: Yokohama Doll Museum Official Movie Website: Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE With Yokohama as the setting for the latest Ultraman feature film, the Yokohama Doll Museum is currently running a special - albeit very small - exhibition entitled "Great Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers in the Yokohama Doll Museum". Most of the items on display come from the latest film GREAT DECISIVE BATTLE! THE SUPER 8 ULTRA BROTHERS (Daikessen! Chou Urutora Hachi Kyoudai) which opened in theatres nationwide in Japan on September 13th. When first entering the exhibit, visitors see the elegant white dress and red shoes worn by the mysterious "red shoed girl" in the new movie. The highlight of the exhibit is the Yokohama diorama featuring Ultraman Tiga, Dyna, Gaia and Mebius battling with the monsters King Gesura and King

    Down goes Take-Majin! Guilala gets the better of his MONSTER X STRIKES BACK/ ATTACK THE G8 SUMMIT foe in a mock battle held at the World Characters Convention. Photo courtesy of Daisuke Ishizuka. Guilala and Take-Majin © 2008 Guilala Production Committee

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: Daisuke Ishizuka The 23rd World Characters Convention was held at Tokyo Big Sight on July 20- 21. SciFi Japan correspondent Daisuke Ishizuka has sent a report and photos of this past weekend’s events… I rarely attend conventions because I am not much interested in purchasing expensive toys. However, I attended the World Characters Convention on July 20 even though most of the convention floor was taken up by dealers. I had two purposes; first, this was chance to see in person the Guilala suit from the new movie MONSTER X STRIKES BACK/ ATTACK THE G8 SUMMIT!. Another was to get Mr. Koji Moritsugu’s new CD. The convention featured some onstage programming. The programs for July 20th were: 1. Guilala Festival: A talk with Mr. Minoru Kawasaki, director of the new Guilala film, and a “battle attraction show” between Guilala and his opponent

    Eight warriors and two generations of Ultra heroes unite! ©2008 DECISIVE BATTLE! THE SUPER 8 ULTRA BROTHERS Production Committee

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Advance ticket sales exceed 55,000 Author: James Ballard Sources: Variety Japan, Eiga.com, Barks, Sanspo Official Website: Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers Advance ticket sales for the upcoming theatrical feature DECISIVE BATTLE! THE SUPER 8 ULTRA BROTHERS (Daikessen! Chou Hachi Urutora Kyoudai), which went on sale on April 26th, have already surpassed 55,000, Variety Japan reports. The Cine Libre theatre in Tokyo`s Ikebukuro district has sold more than 3,000 tickets alone. The movie, which isn`t due to be released for another three months, will unite eight warriors and two generations of Ultra heroes. Set and filmed in Yokohama, the movie will also commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Opening of the Port of Yokohama. Production of the movie was officially supported by the City of Yokohama, with Mayor Hiroshi Nakada also putting in an appearance as himself. Featuring famous locations such as the

    King Joe Black and Ultra Galaxy battle card illustrations at Bandai`s booth ©2008 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    A Look at This Year`s WonderFest Author: Ed Godziszewski [Note from Editor] There were so many pictures submitted for this article, many are contained as links within the text. Please click on the highlighted links so you don`t miss any of the amazing kits or items from WonderFest! Sunday February 24 marked the semi-annual ritual of collecting avarice and odd behavior in Japan known as Wonder Festival. Held at the massive Tokyo Big Sight on the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay (think of the conclusion of GODZILLA VS. DESTROYER), WonderFest is akin to a pilgrimage of fans of all types. On this cold and extremely windy day (with sustained gusts over 40mph), 30,000+ people jammed the huge convention center for shopping, socializing, costume play (i.e. cosplay), and ogling new and upcoming toys and models from small and large companies alike.

    A gallery of monsters from ULTRA Q and ULTRAMAN greet attendees of

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Japanese Exhibit Devoted to ULTRA Q, ULTRAMAN and ULTRA SEVEN Author: Ed Godziszewski In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the classic science fiction Ultraman series, a series of special Ultraman-themed exhibitions have taken place throughout Japan since early 2006. As a finale for this series of events, "Ultraman Exhibition--Operation Roppongi Sky" (Urutoraman Dai Hakurankai: Roppongi Tenku Daisakusen) opened on December 6, 2007 at the Mori Arts Center Gallery located on the 52nd floor of the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in the center of Tokyo. An exhibition of original props, artwork, and memorabilia from the first three Ultra series, many of which have are being shown to the public for the very first time, this display runs through January 20 of 2008. After taking the express elevator to the 52nd floor, just inside the exhibition entrance, patrons immediately come

    "Cover

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Author: Richard Pusateri Source: Chronicle Books Special thanks to Brad Warner and Ed Godziszewski North American fans of Japanese science fiction, horror and fantasy movies received a wonderful gift in late 2007. The first English language book detailing the life and work of Eiji Tsuburaya has arrived. Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, produced with the cooperation of Tsuburaya Productions and Toho Company Ltd., has photographs from the best sources and text by August Ragone, perhaps the most knowledgeable American on the subject of Japanese fantasy movies and television. Brad Warner, of Tsuburaya Productions Los Angeles office, is the “hidden hand” that shaped, edited and guided this book to completion. Other contributors are John Paul Cassidy, Norman England, Ed Godziszewski, Mark Nagata, Shogo Tomiyama, Akira Tsuburaya and the late Guy Mariner Tucker. Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters is the first notable addition to English language library specifically

    ©2007 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. / Ultraseven X Project

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Your Guide To Ultra Seven`s 40 Anniversary Series! Author: James Ballard Official Website: Ultraseven X Special Thanks to Keith Aiken, Norman England, Jared Foust, Ed Godziszewski, Takeshi Yagi Contents: Introduction Cast & Character Profiles Staff Profiles Episode Guide Soundtrack DVD Release Production Credits Introduction Last year saw the 40th anniversary of the original ULTRAMAN (Urutoraman, 1966), and with it the new television series ULTRAMAN MEBIUS (Urutoraman Mebiusu, 2006) and its accompanying theatrical adaptation ULTRAMAN MEBIUS & ULTRAMAN BROTHERS (Urutoraman Mebiusu ando Urutora Kyoudai, 2006). Following up this year, Tsuburaya Productions began their celebrations for the 40th anniversary of ULTRA SEVEN (Urutorasebun, 1967), which is still viewed by many as the apex of the Ultra series. While ULTRAMAN MEBIUS was produced as a more colorful, nostalgic family series in style of the Ultraman shows

    The modern wave of Ultramen are the focus of the new Japanese DVD ULTRAMAN HISTORY: THE SILVER CHAPTER. © 2007 Tsuburaya Productions / Bandai Visual

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    New Japanese DVD Featuring Heisei Ultraman Retrospective Author: James Ballard ULTRAMAN HISTORY: THE SILVER CHAPTER (Urutoraman Hisutorii Gin-no Shou) is a new made-for-DVD compilation of action footage from the Ultraman television series and theatrical films produced in the 10-year period from 1996 to 2006. Along with the CLIMAX STORIES which will be released from December 2007 to February 2008, ULTRAMAN HISTORY: THE SILVER CHAPTER helps introduce new and/or very young fans to the Ultraman characters of the post-1990s, in preperation for 2008`s feature film DECISIVE BATTLE! THE SUPER 8 ULTRA BROTHERS (Daikessen! Chou Hachi Urutora Kyoudai) which will bring together the classic heroes of the 1960/70s and the modern heroes of the 1990s for the first time. Beginning with ULTRAMAN TIGA (Urutoraman Tiga, 1996), the disc follows through the various TV series and films in order of production year, ending with ULTRAMAN MEBIUS (Urutoraman Mebiusu, 2006)

    Box cover art for a pair of the 80s Bandai

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    A Look Back at the Bandai "if" Series of SF/F Board Games Author: Robert Saint John On the eve of the release of Atari`s Godzilla Unleashed videogame, it`s interesting to take a rare look back at the grandfather of daikaiju simulations. No, not 1989`s Godzilla - Monster of Monsters! for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Not even the first Godzilla videogame for the Commodore 64 from 1983. Before videogames, there were boardgames, and the King of the Monsters had his place among them as well. Many are familiar with the vintage children`s Godzilla boardgames release in the U.S. in the 60s and 70s by Ideal and Mattel, respectively. During this period, though, another type of game was becoming increasingly popular -- both here and in Japan -- known as the conflict simulation or, simply, the wargame. In comparison to the more traditional family boardgame, wargames are generally much

    Beginning this week, the Pasadena Museum of California Art hosts an exhibition of artist-designed vinyl toys. © 2007 Los Angeles Toy, Doll, and Amusements Museum

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Source: Los Angeles Toy, Doll, and Amusements Museum BEYOND ULTRAMAN: SEVEN ARTISTS EXPLORE THE VINYL FRONTIER Pasadena Museum of California Art (PMCA) October 10, 2007 - January 6, 2008 (Wednesday - Sunday: 12:00 - 5:00 pm) ADMISSION $6.00 for Adults, $4.00 for Seniors and Students The first museum show to examine the current wave of artist-designed vinyl toys and the Japanese toys that inspired them, BEYOND ULTRAMAN is a joint exhibition between the Pasadena Museum of California Art and the Los Angeles Toy, Doll, and Amusements Museum (LATDA). Featuring the work of Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, David Gonzales, David Horvath, Sun-Min Kim, Brian McCarty, and Mark Nagata, the exhibit also includes a historic timeline of the vinyl toy movement, and a look at the process of vinyl toy creation from sketch to finished product. The accompanying full-color catalog published by Baby Tattoo features essays by writer

    © Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Media Group Takes Controlling Interest in Ultraman Company Source: JCN Network, Japan Today, various Official Site: TYO Group Special Thanks to Oki Miyano Tsuburaya Productions, the studio behind the long-running Ultraman franchise, will soon become a subsidiary of the Japanese media group TYO Inc. On September 12, TYO announced that they will acquire a 68% stake in TPC and an 80% share in parent company Tsuburaya Enterprises Co. for Y80 million. Founded in 1963 by special effects legend Eiji Tsuburaya, Tsuburaya Productions created the incredibly popular series ULTRA Q (Urutora Kyu, 1966), ULTRAMAN (Urutoraman, 1966), and ULTRA SEVEN (Urutora Sebun, 1967). The company’s latest projects have included ULTRAMAN MEBIUS (Urutoraman Mebiusu, 2006) and the upcoming TV shows ULTRASEVEN X (Urutorasebun Ekkusu) and ULTRA GALAXY: GIANT MONSTER BATTLE (Urutora Gyarakushii Daikaiju Batoru). TPC has always been controlled by the Tsuburaya family, and in recent years has been

    The main characters for Tsuburaya`s new late night series ULTRASEVEN X. © 2007 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd./Ultraseven X Project

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Something X-tra for Ultra Seven’s Anniversary Author: Bob Johnson, James Ballard, and Oki Miyano Source: Sponichi Annex, Hyper Hobby Magazine, Oricon Style, various Official Site: UltrasevenX Translations by: Oki Miyano and James Ballard As Tsuburaya Productions ends a year of celebrating the 40th anniversary of Ultraman, they turn their Ultra-Eyes to another commemoration. Next month begins the 40th anniversary of one of their most critically celebrated characters, Ultra Seven. To mark the occasion, Ultra Seven will be returning to the airwaves this fall in an all-new series, ULTRASEVEN X (Urutorasebun Ekkusu). The series will debut the first week of October on three Japanese networks. The show starts on TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) at 2:25am and on the high-definition service CBC (Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting) from 2:15am on Friday, October 5th, followed by MBS (Mainichi Broadcasting System) on Saturday, October 6th at 3:25am during their regular Anime Shower slot from

    ULTRA GALAXY`s space survery team ZAP SPACY ready for action! From left: Kumano, Captain Hyuuga, Rei, Haruna and Oki, with the monster Gomora looming in the background. © 2007 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd./Bandai

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

    Another new Ultra series in the works! Author: James Ballard Source: Terebi-Kun, Hyper Hobby With Tsuburaya Productions` first late-night Ultra hero series ULTRASEVEN X (Urutorasebun Ekkusu) premiering on October 5th for a 12-week run, the company has already announced the next Ultra show. ULTRASEVEN X will be followed with a new TV series, ULTRA GALAXY: GIANT MONSTER BATTLE (Urutora Gyarakushii Daikaiju Batoru), a spin-off of the popular video game GIANT MONSTER BATTLE. The announcement in Terebi-Kun reads: GIANT MONSTER BATTLE will become a TV series of great power! Using the Battle-nizer, with the ability to freely manipulate the giant monsters, a grand adventure unfolds for the man of mystery Rei and the companions of the space survey team ZAP SPACY! Leading character Rei is played by 25-year-old Minami Shota. He has been a regular stage actor in the last few years, and also appeared in

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