He has come, our Ultraman!

March 14, 2013 5:16 PM

Ultraman Hit Song History Legend Hero Hen and Ultraman Hit Song History New Hero Hen are two 45 minute commemoration compilations of theme songs and clips of the Japanese tokusatsu hero Ultraman that were put together for the show's 45th anniversary. If you're pressed for time, you can just watch the original theme song with English subtitles.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants (12 comments total)

Nice post. Throws me right back to eight years old, watching this in my parents bedroom, in glorious black and white.
posted by doctor_negative at 5:28 PM on March 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

And here is a small collection of anime Ultraman references for your viewing pleasure.
posted by 23 at 5:28 PM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

I was always partial to Spectreman.
posted by Max Power at 5:33 PM on March 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

This is the theme song that I remember. Ultra Man came on after Clutch Cargo and before Speed Racer. Truly the golden age of (brain rotting) television.
posted by jabo at 6:26 PM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

While I remember watching Ultraman and Spectreman, my favortie was The Space Giants (with Goldar, Silvar and their son, Gam). I think Star Wars kinda took over for me/took me over until I--much later--discovered Robotech, which was the best of all the cartoons (G-Force, Voltron, ,etc.).

Which show had human-sized bad guys that were all in black, but when shot would turn into a steaming pile of purple jelly-like stuff?
posted by whatgorilla at 6:33 PM on March 14, 2013

ETA: It was Space Giants--found them at minute 2:30.
posted by whatgorilla at 6:43 PM on March 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

I always wonderedwhy wouldn't these guys exist if there were gigantic monsters.
And then I think, no, it's got to be a civil engineer contractor conspiracy.
posted by Smedleyman at 7:40 PM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

Why, Senator... deliberately setting civilians on fire with an Ultra-Beam and then stamping them all out, just to impress a pretty girl with how far I could get the flaming guts to splurt, well that would be wrong and evil. You dont think I'm evil when I defeat the space-monster that threatens your coastal Delaware mansion, do you? Let's all sing a song!
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:32 PM on March 14, 2013

Wow I loved Ultraman (and the space giants) when I was a kid. I can still remember being worried every single time that light started blinking....was he going to make it???? and the monsters...something about that weird chaotic motion (which I now know is simply wiggly rubber suit) gave me the creeps.
I forced my son, who was 6 or 7 a the time, to watch a bunch of them with me a few years ago. he mostly laughed. but then we watched most of marine boy and he really got into that. I would argue that it has an even better theme song
posted by OHenryPacey at 9:38 PM on March 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

Ahhhh whatgorilla! I used to carry a whistle thing around my neck when we played space giants....we'd make that sound...i hadn't heard that sound in all these years til i saw that clip, thanks! and the goo...oh the gooo!!!
posted by OHenryPacey at 9:44 PM on March 14, 2013

Japanese tokusatsu hero Ultraman

Just, just for a moment, I thought that said Japanese tonkatsu hero. Totally different thing.

But seriously, Ultraman? Why don't the other monsters run away for three minutes, then come back after his powers wear off, then continue destroying the city. Don't these monsters watch the game tape!?
posted by Ghidorah at 11:05 PM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

This Ultraman comic, (link is to iTunes), isn't terrible. It seems to adequately capture the Ultraman ambience, especially the semi-animated version.
posted by chavenet at 5:18 AM on March 15, 2013