Hideki Go

Biography

Gallery

"Go, if I'm not mistaken, aren't you too (an orphan?)"
"Yes, but I have MAT as a home, and you (Captain Ibuki) as a father."

―Ryu Ibuki and Go, The Monster User and the Boy.

Hideki Go
Data
Ultra	Ultraman Jack
Transformation Item	Willpower
Type	Hero
Age	22 years old
Gender	Male
Home World	Planet Earth (former) Land of Light (currently)
Family	Unnamed father Unnamed mother (mentioned in episode 1) Aki Sakata (girlfriend/wife; Superior 8 Universe) Megu Go (daughter; Superior 8 Universe)
Affiliation	MAT (Monster Attack Team) Ultra Brothers
First Appearance	Return of Ultraman episode 1 "All Monsters Attack"
Latest Appearance	Ultraman Saga
Portrayed by	Jiro Dan

Hideki Go is the human host of Ultraman Jack and the protagonist of the Ultraman Series' fourth entry, Return of Ultraman.

Personality

Go is a strong willed man who is very sincere, with a strong sense of justice. He often helps children and civilians with a kind attitude. After joining MAT, he aspired to fight for human freedom and happiness.

In addition to his driving skills as a racing driver,Go is also proficient in swordsmanship, shooting, and judo. However, at first, he was overconfident in his extraordinary abilities and sometimes got into trouble. Moreover, due to ideological differences, he often clashed with other team members over discussing events. As the series progressed and he personally experienced the grief of losing his loved one, Go grew into a more mature person and gradually integrated into the team, building friendships with other members.

Even though he left the Earth in the end, he still occasionally returns as an Ultra Warrior to assist his juniors. When educating his juniors, he talked about his experiences to express his philosophy of protecting the Earth and humanity: "To love humanity, one must understand humanity."

Through his experiences on Earth, Go realized the strength, ugliness, and beauty of humanity. He believed that it was impossible to love this planet without understanding the existence of both the positive and negative aspects.

In his spare time, Go likes to eat glutinous rice cakes and his hobby is playing the guitar.

History

Past

In the past, Go was a young man living in Japan. When he was 13 years old, his father died in a mountaineering accident. After that, he came to Tokyo and dreamed of winning in car races. He worked at the Sakata Auto Repair Shop and became a driver for the company's racing machine "Ryusei-Go." His dream was to become a racing driver to provide a better life for his mother who still lived in his hometown. During this time, he got to know the Sakata family and became a part of their family.^{Evil Monster Realm of Terror}

However, in a later conversation with Captain Ibuki, Go revealed that he was already alone, and it can be inferred that his mother had passed away before the series began.^{The Monster User and the Boy}

Return of Ultraman

In a near-death state, Ultraman Jack is integrated with Go

Hideki Go was a young race car driver who died while rescuing a little boy and a dog from falling rubble caused by a fight between Takkong and Zazahn. His valiant sacrifice is noted by everyone, even his friends and the new defense force MAT, but an unseen being also took notice. Looking over him was Ultraman Jack, who was so touched by his heroics that he decided to merge his own life-force with Hideki's, thus bringing him back to life (just like the original Ultraman did with Shin Hayata), much to everyone's astonishment.

MAT asked him to join the team, to which he agreed, especially since, in this frightening new "Age of Monsters", the Earth would need a savior. In times of crisis, Hideki Go would raise his right arm, and by force of will, transform into Ultraman Jack to fight monsters.^{All Monsters Attack}

Go saddened to witness Aki's death

In the middle of the series, Alien Nackle, an evil alien, killed his lover, Aki Sakata, and his friend, Ken Sakata. Once Go heard the news and arrived at the hospital, he only had enough time to see them die in front of his eyes. Even worse, his comrades from MAT had been hypnotized into Nackle's slaves. Go/Jack was captured and prepared for execution at the alien's homeworld. However, Jack's brothers, Ultraman and Ultraseven, appeared and rescued him. ^{Ultraman Dies at Sunset}

Jack/Go gave a salute to his comrades before taking off back to Earth. However, upon returning, Go was seized by MAT comrades, who'd all been placed under Nackle's Mind-Control. Go managed to escape, and he quickly made his way to Black King and Alien Nackle for one final fight. Go became Ultraman Jack again, but Nackle and Black King were still be too strong for him to beat.

During the fight, Jack managed to destroy the mind-control Dish, freeing MAT from Nackle's control. Receiving support from his fellow MAT members, Jack fought back with much strength. Jack managed to kill Black King by decapitating him, leaving Nackle all alone. Jack then grabbed Alien Nackle, tossed him up into the air, and slammed him down onto his head, severing the alien's spine. At death's door, Nackle then warned Jack that one of his weapons was still remaining and would destroy Japan and he laughed before dissolving away.^{When the Ultra Star Shines}

When Alien Bat entered Go's dreams, he began to have nightmares about Zetton, a monster that nearly killed the original Ultraman, affecting both Jack and his host mentally. Once Bat made himself known, he revived Zetton to terrorize Tokyo while keeping Jiro and Rumiko hostage by having Zetton hold them.

After bidding farewell to Jiro and Rumiko, Go transformed into Ultraman Jack and left Earth.

Go put his life on the line to save Jiro and Rumiko, and after impaling Bat with the Ultra Lance, Zetton was quickly taken down. Go was moved to his new home Nebula M78, after Alien Bat's invasion ended, with Go going along since the Ultra had become his surrogate life. After MAT held the "Funeral of Go" at the seaside and left, the real Go appeared in front of Jiro and Rumiko, who stayed behind. Before leaving, he gave Rumiko a star-shaped necklace and explained the meaning of the "5 Ultra Oaths" to Jiro. Then he transformed into Jack alone and left the Earth.

Afterwards, Jack/Go returned to Earth to help other Ultras in their time of need.^{The 5 Ultra Oaths}

Ultraman Ace

Hideki as seen in Ultraman Ace

Although not appearing in the series, an impostor of Hideki Go, disguised by Alien Antira appeared in episode 10. After Antira is defeated, the real Go appears to Jiro at night as an image, smiling at his adoptive little brother, before vanishing.^{Duel! Ultraman Ace vs. Hideki Go}

Ultraman Taro

Hideki as seen in Ultraman Taro

In episodes 33 and 34, he returns with Shin Hayata, Dan Moroboshi, and Seiji Hokuto. The group gathered for a celebrative barbecue with Kotaro Higashi and Zoffy in human hosts. Unfortunately the Ultra Brothers' celebration was interrupted by Alien Temperor. For a time the Ultras switched hosts. Eventually they transformed and defeated the evil invader and returned home.^{5 Seconds Before the Great Explosion of the Land of Ultra!The Last Day of the Six Ultra Brothers!}

In episode 52, he makes a return, and transforms into Ultraman Jack to offer the marauding monster Dorobon his Color Timer in exchange for ZAT's sub-captain. As a result, Jack (and by extension, Hideki)'s sacrifice was a pivotal moment in Taro's fight against the alien monkey, and turned the battle in Taro's favour after Dorobon began to lose power from Jack's stolen Color Timer. After Dorobon was defeated, Jack and Hideki were revived.^{Steal the Ultra Life!}

Utraman Leo

Hideki as seen in Ultraman Leo

Hideki Go appeared on this series to fix Dan Moroboshi's Ultra Eye and give him a new capsule monster Sevenger. However, when Ultraman Jack was flying he got stopped by Ashuran. The two quickly went into battle but Ultraman Jack accidentally brought him to Earth.

He later transformed to help Leo fight the two-faced monster. After Ashuran was defeated, Go, with the Dan's damaged Ultra Eye on his hand, went back to Nebula M78.^{Ultra Brothers, Eternal Vows}

Ultraman Mebius & the Ultra Brothers

"Even if there is only the slightest hope of victory, fight believing that you will win."

―His words to Ultraman Mebius before transforming

Years after returning to Earth, Go works as a racing track coach in Kobe.

In 1986, Ultraman Jack and the Ultra Brothers chase Yapool to Earth, after which they imprison the monster under the ocean near Kobe City. In the process, the Ultra Brothers lost their powers and were forced to live as human beings. Hideki Go, in particular, returns to the car-racing industry and works as a racing instructor. He appears to own a racing academy. 20 years later, in 2006, Go and the other Ultra Brothers transform again in order to help Mebius. Eventually, the Ultra Brothers regain their powers and returned to normal when Zoffy and Ultraman Taro came to help them in the last battle with the Ultimate Terrible-Monster. ^{Ultraman Mebius & the Ultra Brothers}

Ultraman Mebius

Hideki as he appeared in Ultraman Mebius

Hideki Go appeared in episode 45 of the Ultraman Mebius series. He meets Mirai when he was depressed by how the public turned against his friends for being unwilling hostages. Hideki/Jack convinced him to not give up his faith in humanity.

When Deathrem attempted to destroy Crew GUYS, Hideki transformed and protected them for Mebius. In the episode, he was usually seen driving a jeep. At the end of the episode, he was speaking telepathically to Ikaruga George.^{Deathrem's Plot}

Ultraman Saga

Go appears in front of Team U.

Hideki appeared in the Ultraman Saga movie with Dan, Seiji, Hayata and Gen, each serving as the mouth piece for their Ultra counterpart. They met in the land of light when Seven/Dan noticed that Zero had just moved to another universe.

While they questioned why he would do that they also noted that something was going around different universes and taking monsters, even some from the Monster Graveyard. They noted that it was a powerful source of minus energy and that unfortunately they could only monitor a few of the countless alternate Space-Time zones.

In a deleted scene, Jack and the other Ultra brothers would fly to the alternate Earth to assist Ultraman Saga against Alien Bat's monster weapons. Jack would face his old enemy Black King again and defeat him with the Ultra Lance.^{Ultraman Saga}

Counterparts

Great Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers

Hideki with Aki Sakata and their daughter, Meg.

An alternate reality version of Hideki Go appears in Great Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers as Ultraman Jack's human form. Along with the other Ultra Brothers hosts and human forms, Hideki was a normal human being with a wife and daughter running an Car Repair Garage. Good friends with the other three Ultra Brothers' hosts he was close with Daigo Madoka, Gamu Takayama, and Shin Asuka.

Sometime into the movie after meeting up with Hayata, Dan, Go, Seiji, their families and Daigo as well as Asuka and Gamu at Dan's restaurant, the seven men take a walk together. As they do, a mysterious cloaked being knocks out a person driving a truck, making it head right towards a group of kids. Before the truck reached them, however, Hayata, Dan, Go, and Seiji rescue the children and stop the truck with amazing speed. The mysterious being, however, laughs at this and vanishes. Daigo begins to think again that they could be actually Ultramen, but once again dismisses it.

A day later, when King Pandon attacks the city during his Fight with Mebius, Go's wife is injured while protecting an old man from falling rubble, leaving her in a coma and Go emotionally crushed. Later on, after hearing Rena's message on the Radio, Go goes with the other Ultra Brothers and encourages Daigo, who turns into his Ultra form, along with Asuka and Gamu. When the three seemed to be losing, by the words of their wives and the thoughts of their loved ones, Go and the other Ultra brothers transform and revive the petrified Mebius.

The eight Ultras proceeded to destroy Giga Khimaira. Later, when the dark wizard appeared, Go and the other Ultras went into Glitter Mode and destroyed the entity of minus energy. Afterwards, in human form, the group are met by their families who tell Go that his wife was out of critical condition and had awoken. After Mebius had returned home, and Daigo, Asuka and Gamu had achieved their dreams, the seven heroes and their families head off to the Nebula M78.^{Great Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers}

Transformation

Willpower: Unlike most Human Hosts, Go does not need a transformation device to transform into Jack. All he has to do is focus his willpower to transform, this is usually accompanied by the lift of his right hand. However, Jack can interrupt the transformation if he feels that the situation is too dangerous.

Go's usual transformation stance

Go transforming

Powers and Weapons

• Enhanced Senses: After his revival by Jack, Gh is able to hear better and see better than any of his companions. It was to the point that he could perceive or just notice monsters no normal human could.
• Enhanced Agility: Go was shown to be much more athletic than the trained MAT soldiers he worked with.
• Enhanced Dexterity: Go's marksmanship was shown to be on par and even surpass, the gunslinger of his team.

Merchandise

Medicom Toy

• Hideki Go (Real Action Heroes, 2012)
  • RAH Number: 573
  • Release Date: July 2012
  • Price: 16,590 yen
  • Materials: ABS, PVC (doll), Fabric (clothes)
  • Accessories: MAT Helmet, MAT Shoot

Released as part of the Real Action Hero Series, Hideki Go is a 300mm tall action doll complete with fabric clothes, and he utilizes the RAH301 Kai Doll body. He also comes with a removable MAT helmet and MAT Shoot.

This item is a limited sale item of Amazon.co.jp(R).

Trivia

• According to Shozo Uehara, who served as the screenwriter of the series, the origin of Go’s name comes from the pinyin of Japanese in hometown + excellent tree .
• Unlike Shin Hayata, who later completely fused with Ultraman after the original series finale, Go completely fused with Ultraman Jack in the series, as evident from the final episode of Return of Ultraman.
• According to information from the proposal "Special Effects Monster Series/Continuation of Ultraman" issued on April 28, 1969, the original protagonist of the series was named Hideki Ban , who worked at the Kadoya ranch in Hokkaido and was loved by the children of the ranch owner, Kaoru and Masayuki. He also enhanced his abilities through special training, such as learning special techniques and transforming with the Beta Capsule. However, due to considerations for commercialization, the sponsor believed that it should be set as another character, and with the death of Eiji Tsuburaya in 1970, this setting was ultimately rejected and changed to the current setting of Go.
• According to an interview with Jiro Dan in Sports Hochi in 2011, he mentioned that he did not fully understand the specifics of how he came to play the role of Go. At that time, his personal agency was primarily a music agency, mainly handling Shiseido advertising-related work. When he faced some difficulties, experts in theater and stage joined his team and were responsible for finding new job opportunities. They eventually discovered the opportunity with "Ultraman."
  • Due to Dan's height of over 185 cm and his good looks, he was quickly chosen to play the role of Go. At that time, his acting experience was still quite limited, so he did not have any reservations about participating in a tokusatsu program.
  • During filming, Dan’s acting reference was Hideki Kawaguchi, who played Jiro. He recalled that the assistant director held a stick about two meters long wrapped in dirty cloth and said, "The monster is right in front of you," and actors would react based on this. Kawaguchi, as a child actor, displayed the most natural acting, which taught Dan how to perform and deliver lines naturally.
  • Regarding the positioning of the 5 Ultra Oaths, Dan explained, "These are meant to tell children to not worry their parents, help others, and do ordinary things that children can do. Although children in the affected areas of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami may not be able to do these everyday things (the interview was in 2011), I believe that someday these ordinary things will become ordinary again. I hope everyone can believe that."
• Shunsuke Ikeda was initially considered for the role of Go, but he ultimately ended up with the role of Takeshi Minami in the same series.