Ultraman is a Japanese tokusatsu science fiction television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions. It is a follow-up to Ultra Q, though not technically a sequel or spin-off. Tsuburaya Productions produced 39 episodes that aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) and its affiliate stations from July 17, 1966, to April 9, 1967. Its premiere topped the average rating set by Ultra Q and kept climbing each week, marking the show as a success.
Hideaki Anno is a Japanese animator, filmmaker and actor. He is best known for creating the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995). His style is defined by his postmodernist approach and the extensive portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions, often through unconventional scenes presenting the mental deconstruction of those characters. The Evangelion franchise has had a significant influence on the anime television industry and Japanese popular culture, with many deeming Anno as one of the medium's first auteurs.
Tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live action film or television series that makes heavy use of practical special effects. Developed by Godzilla and Ultraman creator Eiji Tsuburaya, Tokusatsu entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, war, fantasy, or horror media featuring such technology but is sometimes dubbed a genre itself. Its contemporary use originated in the Japanese mass media around 1958 to explain special effects in an easy-to-understand manner and was popularized during the "first monster boom" (1966-1968). Prior to the monster boom, it was known in Japan as Tokushu gijutsu and Tokugi.
Joshua Michael Peck is an American actor and comedian. Peck began his career as a child actor in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and had an early role on the Nickelodeon sitcom The Amanda Show from 2000 to 2002. Peck rose to prominence for his role as Josh Nichols alongside Drake Bell's character on Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh from 2004 to 2007, and in its two television films, Drake & Josh Go Hollywood (2006) and Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008). He then acted in films such as Mean Creek (2004), Drillbit Taylor (2008), The Wackness (2008), ATM (2012), Red Dawn (2012), Battle of the Year (2013), Danny Collins (2015), and Take the 10 (2017) and played the main role in the Disney+ original series Turner & Hooch, a continuation of the 1989 movie of the same name. Peck provided the voice of Eddie in the Ice Age franchise since Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), and voiced Casey Jones in the Nickelodeon animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012–2017). He also starred with John Stamos in the Fox comedy series Grandfathered (2015–2016). In 2017, Peck started a comedic lifestyle YouTube channel, Shua Vlogs, featuring his wife Paige O'Brien, David Dobrik, and many of the vlogsquad members.
Ultraman, also known as the Ultra Series, is the collective name for all media produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad monsters. Debuting with Ultra Q and then Ultraman in 1966, created by special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya, the series is one of the most prominent tokusatsu superhero genre productions from Japan, along with the Toei-produced series Kamen Rider, Super Sentai and the Metal Heroes. The series is also one of the most well-known examples of the kaiju genre, along with Toho's Godzilla series and Daiei Film's Gamera series. However, the series also falls into the Kyodai Hero subgenre of tokusatsu, a subgenre it also helped popularise.
Mitsuki Koga, is a Japanese actor who is known to be featured in films that involve much martial arts. He trained in Muay Thai, Karate and Boxing before starting his acting career.
Franklin Nathaniel Jonas is an American former child actor.
Koichi Sakamoto is a Japanese-born stunt actor, and producer for films and television. He is best known for his work as executive producer, as well as fight coordinator and frequent director, for the long running Power Rangers franchise.
Keiichi Hasegawa is a Japanese screenwriter from Atami, Japan.
Blake Michael is an American actor, journalist, and businessman. He is perhaps best known for his role as Charlie Delgado in the Disney Channel original movie Lemonade Mouth (2011), as well as for his role as Tyler James in the Disney Channel series Dog with a Blog (2012–2015), which earned him the 2013 Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Television Series. In 2021, Michael became the Chief Evangelist of Lumanu, a social media management company aimed at helping online creators manage their brand and business. That same year, he began writing for Forbes as a marketing expert and business analyst.
Ultraman X is a Japanese television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions. The 27th entry to the Ultra Series, it is currently the last series to air as part of the New Ultraman Retsuden programming block on TV Tokyo. On July 13 Crunchyroll announced it would be simulcast in North America on their site and app, making it the first tokusatsu show in the world to be simulcast while airing in Japan.
Ultraman X The Movie is a Japanese superhero and kaiju film, serving as the film adaptation of the 2015 Ultra Series television series Ultraman X. It was released on March 12, 2016, in celebration to the 50th anniversary of the Ultra Series, as well as 50th anniversary of Ultraman and 20th anniversary of Ultraman Tiga, both appearing in this movie as supporting characters. The film was scheduled for release on January 8, 2017 in the United States along with Ultraman Ginga S The Movie as a double feature. Actors of the English dub were announced on December 10, 2016 by SciFi Japan. The American release also coincided with the Canadian release from William Winckler Productions.
Ultraman is a fictional superhero who debuted in the pilot episode to his 1966 TV series of the same name, entitled "The Birth of Ultraman". He is the first tokusatsu hero launched by the Ultra Series and by extension, Tsuburaya Productions. His appearance in the entertainment world helped spawn the Kyodai Hero genre with countless shows such as Godman and Iron King.
Ultraman Orb is a Japanese tokusatsu television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions and broadcast on TV Tokyo. This series is the 28th entry to the Ultra Series, released to commemorate its 50th anniversary of the Ultra Series and is the first one since Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey not to be a part of Ultraman Retsuden/New Ultraman Retsuden. Similar to its preceding series, Ultraman X, Orb is also simulcasted in North America via Crunchyroll. The series was also released on Toku on July 2, 2018, and then added to its streaming platform the following month.
Ultraman Ginga S The Movie is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero film, serving as the film adaptation of the 2014 Ultra Series television series Ultraman Ginga S. It was released on March 14, 2015 in Japan and legally screened in English dub by the Philippine cinema chain SM Cinema. The film will also be released on January 8, 2017 in the United States along with Ultraman X The Movie as a double feature. Actors of the English dub were announced on December 10, 2016 by SciFi Japan. The American release also coincided with the Canadian release from William Winckler Productions.
Ultraman Zero: The Chronicle is a biography series produced by Tsuburaya Productions created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ultra Seven. This show follows a format similar to Ultraman Retsuden, and continues to feature Ultraman Zero as the show's main navigator, bringing the viewers to movies and miniseries that featured his major involvement. Before its official airing in 2017 in Japan, it was shown in Malaysian television channel Astro Ceria starting from April 10, 2015 in Malay.
Ultraman Orb The Movie is a Japanese superhero and Kaiju film, serving as the film adaptation of the 2016 Ultra Series television series Ultraman Orb. It was released on 11 March 2017, in celebration to the 50th anniversary of Ultra Seven where the titular character himself and his son Ultraman Zero is set to appear. Both Blu-Ray and the DVD were released on 28 July 2017.
Ultraman Taro is the title character of the 1973 Ultra Series, Ultraman Taro. In the series, Ultraman Taro merged with Kotaro Higashi the latter loses his life during Astromons' rampage. After that, Kotaro joined the battle as a ZAT member and utilized Taro's power to fight against giant monsters while receiving assistance from either his fellow brothers-in-arms or his parents. In the final episode, Kotaro severed his connection to Taro and returned the Ultra Badge, as he wanted to continue living his life as a normal human. He is last seen traveling around the world.
Yūji Kobayashi is a Japanese screenwriter and novelist that is mostly known for his work on Garo series, Ultraman franchise, and the first three seasons of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal series.
