Upon returning from investigating a mysterious light source, Dan is called to agent Anne Yuri's quarters after a strange shadow like figure appears there. Claiming to be injured, Dan and Anne sit and talk to the shadow shaped figure, although the alien is equally shadowy about answering questions. Meanwhile, central control receives an alien signal from the planet Pegassa asking that Earth adjust its orbit to avoid a collision that would destroy both the Earth and the Pegassan metropolis. In an effort to avert total annihilation, Commander Manabe orders the city of Pegassa destroyed. But the Pegassas have plans of their own as well.
This episode was actually the third produced after filming officially began on the series.
During the early planning stages of the Redman series, this episode's draft was called "The Space City" (宇宙空間都市, Uchū kūkan toshi). At that time, Yoshiko Toyoura was still slated to play Anne Yuri, according to Yuriko Hishimi.[1]
The episode has two draft scripts—Draft 1 and Draft 2—with significant differences from the final version:
Draft 1 features conversations between Dan, Anne, and Alien Pegassa about science, philosophy, and entertainment across two civilizations. Alien Pegassa's dialogue sharply critiques late 1960s social issues, offering satire. The script ends bleakly, with the narrator stating, "...the vast, ever-expanding universe once witnessed the ironic event where Earth and Pegassa City could not coexist."
Draft 2 shifts focus to science's double-edged nature—its vast potential and hidden dangers. Pegassa City's survival depends on a factory producing water and air, making citizens fully dependent on technology. This version warns about overreliance on tech. The narrator closes with: "...the universe still expands rapidly, yet no place exists where Earth and Pegassa City can live together."
Producer Ken Kumagai shared in an interview with Yoichi Iwasa:[2]
Initially, the script planned for Alien Pegassa to commit suicide by holding a bomb at the end. It's unclear whether Ultraseven would take Pegassa into space for the bomb's detonation or if Pegassa would fly into space with the bomb in despair, exploding as Ultraseven followed.
TBS reportedly rejected this plot for being too “dark,” leading to changes in the final script.
The episode includes promotional photos, notably four of Anne brushing her hair in front of a mirror with Alien Pegassa behind her.[5][6]
Yuriko Hishimi explained fans often ask if this scene appeared in the episode; it did not. It was staged exclusively for promotion, a common practice separate from filming.[7]
Anne's room features a Licca doll, reportedly placed by the props team. The doll debuted in May 1967, and this episode was filmed around August 1967.[8]
The August 2015 issue of SF Magazine (published by Hayakawa) included a short story titled Transformation Disorder, set 26 years after this episode. Featured also in Return to Tatara Island: Ultra Monster Anthology, the story imagines a parallel world where Ultraseven continues to fight on Earth.[9]
A trailer for this episode was released on October 1, 2023 as part of a series of trailers created to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Ultraseven, that also promoted the episode being made free on TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION for a month.[10][11]
The "What-If" scenario, where Alien Pegassa uses a bomb to change Earth's orbit and avoid a collision with Pegassa City, became a key theme in the Ultraseven IF Story “The Future 55 Years Ago”.
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