Ultraseven (series)

Ultraseven (ウルトラセブン) is the third entry in the Ultra-Series, airing in Japan in 1967. Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, this follow up to Ultraman went on to become one of Japan's greatest fantasy TV series, with average ratings of over 36%.. Such is his popularity that Ultra Seven (or simply 'Seven') has appeared or at least made cameos in nearly every Ultra Series following his own and has had far more exposure than even the original Ultraman (though the original Ultraman is without a doubt the face of the Ultras). It later returned for another season, in 1994 on to 2002, known as Heisei Ultraseven.

Ultraseven is sometimes incorrectly called "Ultraman Seven" by many sources outside Japan (or in the case of KHON/Honolulu, Hawaii, Ultra 7, as listed in TV Guide when it ran in 1975). Both the series and its hero can also be called Ultra Seven (with a space).

The 1967 TV series
Ultraseven'', produced by Tsuburaya Productions, aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from October 1, 1967 to September 8, 1968. In the not-too-distant future, the Earth finds itself constantly under attack from extraterrestrial threats. To combat them, the Terrestrial Defense Force establishes the Ultra Guard (ウルトラ警備隊), a team of six elite members who utilize high-tech vehicles and weaponry. Joining their fight is the mysterious Dan Moroboshi who is secretly an alien from the Land of Light in Nebula M-78, Ultraseven.

Characters  The Ultra Garrison (ウルトラ警備隊)

 * Commander Kaoru Kiriyama is the captain of the Ultra Garrison. A no-nonsense but kind leader. He is from Tokyo.
 * Actor: Shōji Nakayama
 * Shigeru Furuhashi is a rotund, strong, trigger-happy member of the Ultra Garrison. Many years later, he would find himself a high-ranking TDF commander and one of Ultra Seven's few allies. He is from Hokkaido.
 * Actor: Sandayū Dokumamushi, or Iyoshi Ishii, who had previously been Science Patrolman Daisuke Arashi in Ultraman
 * Anne Yuri is the only female member of the Ultra Garrison, and also the youngest. She is the team's communications operator and nurse, but is still effective in action. Has feelings for fellow member Dan Moroboshi. She is also from Tokyo.
 * Actor: Yuriko Hishimi
 * Soga is Ultra Garrison's expert marksman. He is easy-going, but fierce in battle. He is a friend of Dan Moroboshi. He is from Southern Kyushu.
 * Actor: Shinsuke Achiha
 * Amagi is the twitchy stragegist. He is from Nagoya.
 * Actor: Bin "Satoshi" Furuya, previously the suit actor of Ultraman
 * Dan Moroboshi/Ultraseven (Agent 340), the title character, is from the Land of Light in the Nebula M-78, the same planet as Ultraman. Originally sent to map the Milky Way, he visits Earth and it captivates him. On his first visit he saves the life of a young mountain climber named Jiro Satsuma, who nearly falls to his death while saving a fellow climber. Instead of merging with him, as Ultraman did with SSSP member Shin Hayata, Seven morphs himself into a duplicate of the unconscious Jiro. However, he names himself Dan Moroboshi to avoid confusion. A mysterious but friendly young man, Dan joins the Ultra Guard as its sixth member. Unknown to them or anyone else, he saves the day from alien invasions as Agent 340, christened by the Garrison as its "honorary 7th member," Ultra Seven.
 * Actor: Kohji Moritsugu; Suit Actor: Koji Uenishi

Capsule Monsters

 * Windam (Episode 1, 24, and 39)
 * Miclas (Episode 3 and 25)
 * Agira (Episode 32 and 46)

Monsters And Aliens

 * Alien Cool (Episode 1)
 * Alien Waiell (Episode 2)
 * Alien Pitt (Episode 3)
 * Eleking (Episode 3)
 * Alien Godola (Episode 4)
 * Alien Bira (Episode 5)
 * Alien Pegassa (Episode 6)
 * Alien Quraso (AKA Alien Prisoner 303, Episode 7)
 * Alien Metron (Episode 8)
 * Alien Chibu (Episode 9)
 * Zero One (Episode 9)
 * Alien Icarus (Episode 10)
 * Alien Wild (Episode 11)
 * Narse (Episode 11)
 * Alien Spell (Episode 12)
 * Alien Iyros (Episode 13)
 * Furuhashi and Amagi Duplicates (Episode 13)
 * King Joe (Episode 14, and 15)
 * Alien Pedan (Episode 14, and 15)
 * Annon (Episode 16)
 * U-Tom (Episode 17)
 * Alien Bell (Episode 18)
 * Gumonga (Episode 18)
 * Sunflan II (Episode 18)
 * Ticks Of the False Space (Episode 18)
 * Alien Bado (Episode 19)
 * Alien Shaplay (Episode 20)
 * Giradorus (Episode 20)
 * Ironrocks (Episode 21)
 * Alien Mimy (Episode 21, only its voice is heard)
 * Alien Buraco (Episode 22)
 * Gabula (Episode 23)
 * Alien Shadow (Episode 23)
 * Alien Cannan (Episode 24)
 * Gandar (Episode 25)
 * Alien Poll (Episode 25)
 * Gyeron Monster (Episode 26)
 * Alien Borg (Episode 27)
 * Dinosaur Tank (Episode 28)
 * Alien Kill (Episode 28)
 * Alien Prote (Episode 29)
 * Alien Plachiku (Episode 30)
 * Darii (Episode 31)
 * Rigger (Episode 32)
 * Alien Mandala (Episode 32, only their settings are seen)
 * Shadowman (AKA Shadowmen, Episode 33)
 * Alien Uley (Episode 33, only their settings are seen)
 * Dancan (Episode 34)
 * Petero (Episode 35)
 * Alien Zamppa (Episode 35)
 * Alien Pega (Episode 36)
 * Alien Magellan "Maya" (Episode 37)
 * Alien Banda (Episode 38, mentioned, but only their ship appears)
 * Crazygon (Episode 38)
 * Alien Guts (Episode 39 and 40)
 * Aron (Episode 39)
 * Tepeto (Episode 41)
 * Alien Tepeto (Episode 41)
 * Guyros (Episode 42)
 * Nonmalt (Episode 42)
 * Robot Chief (AKA Robot Chief Episode 43)
 * People of the Fourth Planet (Allies and multiple others, Episode 43)
 * Alien Goron (Episode 44)
 * Gorry (Episode 44)
 * Alien Perolynga (Episode 45)
 * Robot Ultraseven (AKA The Fake Ultraseven, Episode 46)
 * Alien Salome (Episode 46)
 * Alien Hook (Episode 47)
 * Pandon (Episode 48 and 49, as Reconstructed Pandon)
 * Alien Ghos (Episode 48 and 49)

Cast

 * Dan Moroboshi/Ultra Seven (Voice) (モロボシ・ダン／ウルトラセブン（声）): Kohji Moritsugu (森次 晃嗣)
 * Anne Yuri (友里アンヌ): Yuriko Hishimi (ひし美 ゆり子)
 * Shigeru Furuhashi (フルハシ・シゲル隊員): Sandayū Dokumamushi (毒蝮 三太夫, Dokumamushi Sandayū)
 * Kaoru Kiriyama (キリヤマ・カオル)： Shoji Nakayama (中山昭二)
 * Soga (ソガ): Shinsuke Achiha (阿知波信介)
 * Amagi (アマギ): Bin Furuya (古谷敏)
 * Narrator (ナレーター): Hikaru Urano (浦野光)

Suit Actors
Ultraseven (ウルトラセブン): Uenishi Hirotsugu (上西弘次 Hirotsugu Uenishi)

Movie
A Movie Version of Episode 18 was published July 21, 1968 in the Toei Manga parade

NTV Specials (1994)

 * Ultraseven - Operation: Solar Energy
 * Enemies: Alien Pitt, Eleking
 * After defeating Reconstructed Pandon and leaving Earth, Ultraseven falls back to Earth after being defeated in space. On Earth, Furuhashi is now Captain of the new Ultra Garrison while Anne has retired and now lives with her brother, who is a renowned scientist working on a 'Hyper Solar System' module, which the Alien Pitt want to acquire.

This episode features cameos from members of the Science Patrol from Ultraman, namely Susumu Kurobe, Hiroko Sakurai and Masanari Nihei. The actor who plays Furuhashi also played Arashi in Ultraman.

This episode guests stars Hiroshi Tsuburaya, grandson of Eiji Tsuburaya.
 * Ultraseven - The Ground of the Earthlings (ウルトラセブン - 地球星人の大地, Urutorasebun - Chikyū Seijin no Daichi)
 * Enemies: Alien Metron, Dinosaur

Ultra Seven 30th Anniversary Memorial Trilogy (1998)

 * Episode 1 - Lost Memory
 * Episode 2 - From Earth Forever
 * Episode 3 - Betrayal of the Sun

The Final Chapters (1999)

 * Episode 1 - Legend and Glory
 * Episode 2 - The Large Flying Iron Lump
 * Episode 3 - The Day the Fruit Ripens
 * Episode 4 - Consequences of a Promise
 * Episode 5 - The Imitated Man
 * Episode 6 - I Am an Earthling

Ultra Seven 35th Anniversary: EVOLUTION (2002)

 * Episode 1 - Dark Side
 * Episode 2 - Perfect World
 * Episode 3 - Neverland
 * Episode 4 - Innocent
 * Episode 5 - Akashic Record

TNT Episodes
In 1985, Turner Program Services commissioned Cinar to dub all 49 episodes for run in syndication. The Cinar produced episodes featured new opening and closing credits, eyecatches, and even new episode names. After failing to sell it to local and national stations, Turner put the tapes back into their vaults until 1994, when Ultra Seven was selected for broadcast on the Toons 'Till Noon and MonsterVision blocks on TNT. The Toons 'Till Noon broadcasts received substantially heavy editing to make them suitable for the time slot, while the MonsterVision broadcasts were left completely uncut. Episodes 5-7 were missing, but instead of paying Cinar for the missing episodes, they aired all the tapes they had already. When the contract expired between Tsuburaya, Cinar, and Turner, all materials (film, tapes, audio masters) reverted to, and were collected by Tsuburaya.

Cinar titles:


 * 1) Enter Dan Moroboshe
 * 2) Shrubs From Space
 * 3) Secret of the Lake
 * 4) Double Trouble At Sea
 * 5) Smokers On The Rampage
 * 6) Toys In Crisis
 * 7) The Man Next Door
 * 8) Captured In Living Color
 * 9) Crystallized Corpusels (Banned Episode 12)
 * 10) Space Ace Reunion
 * 11) Planets In Conflict Part 1
 * 12) Planets In Conflict Part 2
 * 13) The Eyes Have Had It
 * 14) Cave-In
 * 15) The Bells Are Ringing
 * 16) Wane Lord Of The Universe
 * 17) The Quakemaker
 * 18) Nissans Return Engagement
 * 19) Chromosone Eaters
 * 20) Fugitive Fortune Teller
 * 21) Mother Knows Best
 * 22) Ultra-7 Exposed
 * 23) The 8,000 Megaton Mistake
 * 24) Temporary Traitor
 * 25) Death On Wheels
 * 26) The Apprentice Alien
 * 27) Trial By War
 * 28) Blood-Thirst
 * 29) Island In The Sky
 * 30) The Dead Invaders
 * 31) Urban Removal
 * 32) Moon-Stuck
 * 33) Sharp Shooter Showdown
 * 34) Devils Angle
 * 35) Brave One
 * 36) Ultra 7 - Tastes Defeat Part 1
 * 37) Ultra 7 - Tastes Defeat Part 2
 * 38) Killer Lake
 * 39) The Boy By The Lake
 * 40) Design By Tyranny
 * 41) Stargazer
 * 42) Simian Says Surrender
 * 43) Dan And The Ultra-7 Challenge
 * 44) Home Sweet Home
 * 45) Exit Ultra-7 Part 1
 * 46) Exit Ultra-7 Part 2
 * 1) Home Sweet Home
 * 2) Exit Ultra-7 Part 1
 * 3) Exit Ultra-7 Part 2

Shout! Factory English Subtitled Release
In 2012, Shout! Factory obtained a license to subtitle Ultra Seven in English, and released it for sale on their website as a physical boxed CD set, which is only available for shipping within the US and Canada. The original Episode 12, however, was not included, so the total number of episodes in this release was 48. On December 11, 2012 Shout! Factory made the set available through regular retailers. The case this time is a standard DVD keep case.

Theme song

 * Ultraseven Opening
 * "Ultra Seven no Uta" (ウルトラセブンの歌)
 * Lyrics: Kyōichi Azuma
 * Composition & Arrangement: Tōru Fuyuki
 * Artist: The Echoes & Misuzu Children's Choral Group

Appearances in other Ultra series
Besides the Heisei Ultraseven series, Ultraseven's huge popularity enabled him to make either guest or regular appearances in the following Ultra Series after the end of the original 1967 TV series. Ultraseven appeared in 2 episodes of The Return of Ultraman (Kaettekita Urutoraman, 1971), as well as in numerous episodes in Ultraman Ace (Urutoraman Eesu, 1972) and Ultraman Taro (Urutoraman Tarou, 1973). Seven loses his ability to transform and his human form, Dan Moroboshi acts as the captain for the defense team MAC in Ultraman Leo (Urutoraman Reo, 1974). A monster resembling Ultra Seven in black, known as Delusion Ultraseven, appears in Ultraman 80 (Urutoraman Eiti, 1980). Another Ultra similar to Ultra Seven, known as Ultra Seven 21, appeared in Ultraman Neos. Ultra Seven's most recent appearances include movies Ultraman Mebius & Ultraman Brothers and Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers, as well as TV series Ultraman Mebius (Urutoraman Mebiusu, 2006). Ultraseven X is actually a spin-off featuring the hero in another dimension. To date, Ultra Seven's also appeared in Ultra Galaxy:NEO and its movie, Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy, alongside his son Ultraman Zero. This also makes him the first known Ultra being other than the Mother and Father of Ultra to have an offspring. Seven returned yet again in 2010's Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial as a supporting character.

Parody
Uchimura Seven

Uchimura Seven is a sketch parody based on UltraSeven.

DVD/Blu-Ray Box Sets
Ultraseven Box Set, & Ultraseven The Complete Series Features All Episodes Except Episode 12. Heisei Ultraseven DVD Box Sets features All Episodes. Ultraseven Blu-Ray Box I Features episodes 1-25 except Episode 12, & Blu-Ray Box II features Episodes 26-49.