Ultraman
 

I may be showing my age here but does anyone remember Ultraman? I remember it fondly. Often, as a tiny burger, I would come home from school and do my homework whilst Ultraman duked it out with some new guy in a monster suit. Good times. Here's a little more information on the show:

http://home.earthlink.net/~steveandrenee/ultraman.jpg

En route from Nebula M78, a police officer was escorting the captured monster Bemura to the Space Graveyard when he collided with an earth space ship piloted by Science Patrol officer Hayata. Out of compassion, the interplanetary cop combined his energy with the fatally wounded Hayata, so that the Science Patrol officer might live. In exchange, Hayata was given the solemn duty of protecting the earth as Ultraman.

Ultraman could fly and shoot Specium beams when his hands were crossed, as well as change shape up to 200 feet high. On his chest was a warning light, which would activate when his energy levels were depleting.

The hero's powers were derived from solar radiation, but because Earth’s atmosphere let in less solar power than that of his native planet, Ultraman could only survive in this form for a few minutes at a time. As the narrator would state, “If the warning light should stop blinking, it would mean that Ultraman would never rise.”

Ultraman was eventually defeated by the monster Zetton, who was in turn defeated by the Science Patrol. Zoffy, Ultraman’s commanding officer, arrived on the scene and separated Ultraman from Hayata. He sent Ultraman home to Nebula M78, giving Hayata only enough energy to survive for a short time. In order for Hayata to live, he would have to rejoin with Ultraman, but the series ended before the situation was ever resolved.

Although Ultraman lasted only 39 episodes, the “Ultra-Series” was extended over seven different shows, including Ultra Seven, Ultra Ace, and Ultraman: Towards the Future.

The man responsible for Ultraman, Eiji Tsuburaya, was a special effects maven who also brought Godzilla to the big screen.

I am wearing my ultraman t-shirt right now!

:) i love the old school ultraman.. same thing with the old school original power rangers...

My fave was Johnny Socko and his Flying Robot.. :)

Old school?... Studio Tsuburaya still cranks them out... The show and movies are still broadcast around the world.

Power Rangers is such an Ultraman rip off...

The original Ultraman is the best imho. I've seen the king ultraman and other variations and they look pretty weird. (as if UM isn't weird looking enough)

This episode made me cry. I was 6 years old. I remember how outraged I was when after I explained to my mom why I was so sad all she could do was laugh.

http://www.waynebrain.com/ultra/imag...n/seabohzu.jpg

Episode 35: The Monster Graveyard
3/12/1967

While patrolling space, Arashi and Ide discover a Monster Graveyard, where Ultraman sends all dead monsters (which is kind of surprising, since most of them get blown to smithereens). Kemular, Antlar, and Neronga float by, and the guys even observe one monster that they've never seen on Earth.

Fuji feels sad for the monsters, who are eliminated just because their size makes them an inconvenience for humans. The Science Patrol takes up Ide's suggestion to have a memorial service for them. Hayata runs outside and begs for the monsters forgiveness, saying that he had no choice but to ensure the safety of the Earth. He transforms into Ultraman and just stands there.

The ceremony takes place the following day. It is in the Buddhist style, with black bands on black and white images of Gomola, Gamakujira, Aboras, Gavadon, and Red King II.

Meanwhile, Japan's first Moon rocket blasts off and accidentally snags monster Seabohzu from the Graveyard back to Earth. Fuji is crying. However, she catches a communication about the new monster, and the Science Patrol scrambles, leaving the monks to complete the ceremony by themselves.

Seabohzu meanders the town looking all depressed. The Science Patrol attacks, but all the creature does is whine. It climbs a building and wails to the sky, and Fuji deduces that it is simply yearning to return home. To add some weight to her theory, Seabohzu jumps off of the building with arms flapping, and crashes into the ground.

Seabohzu kicks around at sunset, with sad harpsichord music playing in the background. The Science Patrol convinces the moon rocket people to return Seabohzu to the sky using their second moon rocket. Feeling responsible for bringing the monster to Earth in the first place, albeit accidentally, the scientists agree.

Seabohzu seems happiest at night, and it is undoubtedly the most peaceful place for these oversized behemoths. On Earth, they would be attacked mercilessly as inconveniences to humanity. (More unhappy scenes in sepia color of past monsters being attacked, including Gomola, Goldon, Gamakujira, Gigas, Kemular, and Jamila.)

The following morning, the Science Patrol shoots anchors into Seabohzu's hands and tries to drag it to the rocket, but the monster ends up knocking it over. After fighting Seabohzu, Ultraman's time limit runs short and he is unable to take him successfully back to space.

The rocket is rebuilt overnight and made to look like Ultraman, because Seabohzu now ostensibly understands that the red and silver giant was attempting to return him to space. I personally don't see the resemblance, but the plan is that Seabohzu does.

OK, so Seabohzu doesn't, either. The real Ultraman must point, shove, and browbeat the monster into grabbing onto the rocket. He escorts the rocket-riding monster back to the Graveyard, where he rejoins old floating monsters like Pygmon and Telesdon.

I too remember Ultraman. Pretty cool then, campy now.

I'm not old enough to remember the orignal show when it first aired, but i've seen some of the spin offs and a few of the orig. show. It just seems to me that this show has cult following so big that Fox has launched a new version of the show called Ultraman Tiga for the US kids to watch today...

I had an Ultraman video game for SNES. If I recall it kind of sucked.

Ultraman has its time and its place. The time is the late 1960's and early '70s. The place is in front of your parents TV, sitting Indian-style drinking fruit punch that is so sweet it almost burns.

i remember seeing it, though i cant imagine that it was the original... being only 19, its couldnt have been much later than 1993 or 94. Thing i remember most about it either Tim Curry or someone that looks like him being in it.

He was a load o laughs!

Ultra-man rocks...
and rules

Ultraman...(sigh) those were the days. My little brother and I would watch Ultraman and Grandizer, along with these 3 other guys who joined to form this cool robot. One guy was Air, the other was Land and the other was Sea. Can't remember the name of it. It was a Japanese animation. It was so cool after school!