SSSP (Science Special Search-Party)

The SSSP, Science Special Search Party (科学特捜隊), is a fictional organization from the 1966 tokusatsu TV series Ultraman. An International Science Police Organization, officially named the Science Special Investigation Team (科学特別捜査隊). Abbreviated as "The Science Patrol" (科特隊). Its basic designations are to seek out bizarre anomalies, and in special cases, protect the public from kaiju attacks. They have a headquarters set in Paris and have other major branches India, New York, Middle East, and Bolivia that are mentioned in series, but they also have connections in Brazil, London, Moscow, and Turkey. Their telephone number is 999.

Overview
The members that most appear in Ultraman are the five members from the Japan branch, Captain Muramatsu (referred to as a Cap), followed by Vice-Captain Shin Hayata, Daisuke Arashi, Mitsuhiro Ide, and Personnel Officer Akiko Fuji. The young boy Isamu Hoshino was also made a Special Personnel Officer in the middle of the series, and the title of special personnel was also awarded to the friendly kaiju Pigmon (in episode 37). The Japanese branch has also been visited by members from the Paris headquarters and Overseas branches (instances in episode 7,episode 22,episode 23,episode 31, and episode 32).

While originally depicted with an emphasis on research rather than as a combat organization, the Science Patrol has managed to defeat many monsters on their own, the number of their successes is the largest of any defense team.

Logo
The symbol of the Science Patrol is the outline of a five-pointed Meteor with the outline of a conventional tail having its tip in the center of the meteor.

Japanese branch base
Founded 20 year ago by Dr. Ichinotani from Ultra Q, located in the Tokyo suburbs, the SSSP Japanese branch HQ is formed by two buildings, one half is a gray colored, trapezoidal shaped building, while the other half is a black building with a parallelogram shape. The launch pad of Jet VTOL, is separate construct next to the main building.

The outer walls of the base is made with a special ferrol alloy steel concrete, to block all light ray and heat ray attacks.

The internal of the base includes the command room which is equipped with a large electronic brain. The bedrooms are on the upper floor with a fire pole leading down to the command room. A hotel section exists with well-equipped sleeping rooms for visitors. An analysis room, used to study items recovered from field missions and to assemble equipment and new weapons. An automatic water discharge apparatus was installed all around the base, to counter fires.

Ultra Strategy
At the heart of the Japanese branch was establishment was Dr. Ichinotani and his colleagues, who appeared in "Ultra Q". During the event's of Tsuburaya prods.'s certified PC game, "Ultra Strategy, Mobilization of the Science Patrol!" (which depicts the events between this work and "Ultra Q"), the Science Patrol had been fighting against monsters before the appearance of Ultraman.

Initially the founder Dr. Ichinotani was seriously injured when the nuclear dew monster Gold King attacked the Science Patrol's operations in the Hexagonal village ("Ultra Strategy" episode 1 "Science Patrol, birth of the Japan Branch"), and has since retired from the front line work. In episode 31 of Ultraman, Cap Muramatsu mentioned the Japaneses branch of the SSSP had existed for at least 20 years at that time.

Ultraman
TBA

Members
{{#tag:tabber| Captain Muramatsu= {{Main|Toshio Muramatsu}} {{nihongo|Toshio "Cap" Muramatsu|ムラマツ・トシオ（村松 利夫）, Muramatsu Toshio}}: The Leader of the Science Patrol. He is very serious and is also highly intelligent. He is sometimes shown smoking a pipe. He is known as Captain Mura in the US version. {{-}} {{!}}-{{!}}
 * Age: 36 years old
 * Actor: Akiji Kobayashi

Member Hayata= {{main|Shin Hayata}} {{nihongo|Shin Hayata|ハヤタ・シン（早田 進）, Hayata Shin}} The Science Patrol's brave and no-nonsense Executive Officer. His life changed when Ultraman's Travel Sphere accidentaly crashed with Hayata's Delta VTOL, destroying it, and killing Hayata. Ultraman, ashamed of what he did, decided to merge his life force with Hayata's, bringing the human back to life. Ultraman gave Hayata the Beta Capsule, which, when he depresses the red button on its side, transforms him into Ultraman.
 * Age: 25 years old
 * Actor: Susumu Kurobe; Ultraman himself is played by Bin “Satoshi” Furuya

The SSSP's arsenal
The Science Patrol is equipped with numerous special equipment, so they can operate according to any situation. Development of equipment is done mainly in the science center, by Dr. Iwamoto and member Ide.

Personnel wear
The Patrol personnel wear international-orange field uniforms under a regular duty blue business suit uniform with white trousers or skirts. When the order to go into the field is given, the outer suit is designed to be quickly removed in favor of the field uniform. Accompanying the field uniform are special helmets with ear fixtures that improve the reception of their communicator pins, and visors that provide visual aid, such as when using weapons. The field uniform/helmet combination also provides a degree of protection, such as from radiation, even enough to allow a human to operate in space.

The uniforms of the SSSP are noteworthy, as they were international orange in dominant color, and based on those used in the film Forbidden Planet in having a mantle that descends from each shoulder in front with a curved hem. However, they wear white shirts and orange four-in-hand ties instead of a ribbed imitation of a sailor's striped shirt. Their tie tacks are emergency detectors; each flashes and beeps when a monster is near. They wear plastic airman's helmets with the insignia in the middle, which also appears on both descending parts of the mantle. As a precursor to the later Star Trek's communicator being incorporated into the insignia, theirs functions as a two-way radio once a tiny antenna is raised from the star on the insignia on the left.

Equipment

 * Meteor Bade (流星バッジ): Each Science Patrol officer is equipped with a small pin shaped as the organization's meteor emblem that has a radio transmitter of considerable power and range for its size—or one that relies on a dense network of radio-communications relays. All the operator has to do is pull out the small antenna at the top of the pin to activate it and send a message.
 * Science Patrol Shuriken : Shin Hayata hurls a shuriken or shaken shaped like the Meteor bade at the man-sized version of the alien Alien Baltan in episode 2. (On the DVD, it can actually be seen bouncing off before the film is edited to show it sticking into the monster.)
 * Monster Translator : Invented by Matsuhiro Ide to translate any monster's language. It was used to communicate with the friendly monster Pigmon, in the second of the two episodes he appeared in.

Firearms

 * Supergun : the basic sidearm carried by each Science Patrol member. When unholstered, the barrel flips out from the handle and the gun is ready to fire. The weapon discharges either a wave of what looks like electricity or, alternatively in some episodes, a thin beam of energy. Three of them can be combined for a "triple shot," which is powerful enough to take down a (revived) monster. It returns for an episode of Ultraman Dyna as an "older model."
 * Spider-Shot: A heavy atomic gun that Daisuke Arashi uses frequently; it is his favorite weapon. Fashioned as a two-handed weapon—somewhat like a submachine gun with a massive barrel—it is clearly more powerful than the standard Supergun sidearm, and visually more impressive. It has at least three settings; stun, red-heat, and heavy damage. It is called the "gamma-ray gun" in the English dub.
 * Mars 133: A gun  invented by Mitsuhiro Ide, that works on the same principle as Ultraman's Specium Ray, and is thus mortally effective against Baltans. The name is read "Mars ichi-san-san" (one-three-three) in Japanese.
 * QX Gun: A two-handed blaster, which attacks a monster's nervous system. Stands for "Quickly eXtinguish Gun." Called the "M-Ray Gun" in the US version.
 * Mad Bazooka: A large shoulder-mounted bazooka, also created by Matsuhiro Ide.
 * Spark 8: An attachment for the Supergun invented by Matsuhiro Ide, and used by him, that enables the gun to fire rapid shots. The effect is best described as a Gatling gun that disintegrates its target in parts. It is easily the most effective handheld weapon the Science Patrol has in its arsenal, yet Matsuhiro Ide/Ito only uses it twice; against a revived monster (Dorako II) and Geronimon.

Mecha
The SSSP operated many different vehicles, most of which are depicted by models. But their car was a customized 1961 rear engine air-cooled Corvair sedan, one of the smallest cars Chevrolet ever made.


 * Jet VTOL: The Science Patrol's iconic principal craft, and is frequently just called the "VTOL." (The prop for the Jet VTOL was originally from the 1962 Toho SF epic, Gorath, but repainted and probably modified for this series. It should be noted that the Gorath prop was slightly pointier than the rounded VTOL.) Up to three are seen. A hydrogen-rocket modification is later built for it, allowing it to go into space. It is generally armed with missiles of varying quality, depending on the episode.
 * Sub VTOL: A smaller, triangular version of the Jet VTOL, is actually an STOL with no VTOL capabilities. This was the vehicle piloted by Shin Hayata when he crashed it into Ultraman's "Travel Sphere" ship in "Ultra Operation Number One," the first episode, and destroyed both. It is generally not used to attack monsters, as it lacks the heavier firepower and carrying space of the Jet VTOL.
 * Submarines S16, S21 and S25: The Science Patrol's short-range, high crush-depth underwater submarines, all of which are airlifted by the Jet VTOL to lakes or other bodies of water one at a time.
 * Underground Tank Pelucidar: The Science Patrol's subterranean vehicle with a huge drill at the front. Similar to the Mole fromThunderbirds, it is named after the underground world from Edgar Rice Burroughs's At the Earth's Core. It appears to have its own incidental music when it is first used.
 * Special Search-Party Private Car: a silver 1961 Chevrolet Corvair four-door sedan with the Science Patrol logo on the doors and roof.

Manga SSSP
The Manga version of the first attack team from the 2011 manga from HEROES magazine.