Hiroshi Maruyama Ultraman Series.
is a Japanese illustrator and character designer. He is renowned for being responsible for the design of the majority of Ultras and Kaiju in the HeiseiCareer[]
Maruyama graduated from Tokyo Designer Academy and joined The Oriental Land Company's product department in the late 1980s. Starting from 1988, he became involved in television program production, serving as a designer.
In 1992, Maruyama joined Tsuburaya Productions, beginning his career in art design for tokusatsu productions. In 1995, he participated in the pilot episode of Ultraman Neos, responsible for the appearance design of the main characters in the series. Subsequently, from 1996 to 2007, he was selected as the principal designer for the Heisei Ultra Series, contributing to the design of nominal Ultras and the majority of Kaiju.
On January 21, 2008, Maruyama resigned from his position at Tsuburaya Productions and began participating in works from other fields. Currently, he works as a freelancer and is active in various creative projects, including design and illustration, through his personal studio, atelier-M.
In 2019, Maruyama collaborated with Tsuburaya Productions to release the ULTRAMAN ARCHIVES CLASSIC ARTS poster series, featuring the theme of "Tiga, Dyna, Gaia".[2] In 2023, at the TSUBURAYA CONVENTION 2023, Maruyama released a mini design booklet titled "Ultraman Gaia Version Up Fight!" The booklet focuses on the version upgrades of Gaia and Agul, along with relevant design sketches for Kaiju designs.[3]
Works[]
- Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider (1993) - Character coordination
- Moon Spiral (1996) - Logo designer
- Ultraman Tiga (1996-1997) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Tiga
- Multi Type
- Power Type
- Sky Type
- Golza
- Fire Golza
- Melba
- Gakuma
- Kyrieloid
- Kyrieloid II
- Ligatron
- Sealizar
- Gazort
- Machina
- Gagi
- Gagi II
- Alien Reguran
- Evolu
- Illusion Evolu
- Leilons
- Alien Raybeak
- Alien Muzan
- Sukunaoni
- Alien Standel
- Gobnu
- Deban
- Enomena
- Magnia
- Weaponizer
- Litomalus
- Dinosauroid
- Silvergon
- Obiko
- Jobarieh
- Alien Natarn
- King Molerat
- Bizaamo
- Shiela
- Desimonia
- Kyuranos
- Guwam
- Galra
- Goldras
- Dethmon
- Faldon
- Iludo
- Faivas
- Geozark
- Evil Tiga
- Guardie
- Gijera
- Taraban
- Metamorga
- Menjura
- Charija
- Yanakargie
- Zoiger
- Gatanothor
- Ultraman Tiga
- Ultraman Dyna (1997-1998) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Dyna
- Flash Type
- Miracle Type
- Strong Type
- Shieldron
- Fohgus
- Gyabish
- Bao-on
- Giakuuda
- Kodaigon
- Dexador
- Mons-Ahgar
- Himala
- Garaon
- Gyanzar
- Neosaurus
- Bishmel
- Kokakucho
- Alien Lasesta
- Sodom
- Diplas
- Digon
- Reicubas
- Demagorg
- Gigantes
- Gaigaraid
- Gregore
- Satan Lovemos
- Geomos
- Zomborg
- God Jagira
- Diolius
- Mountain Gulliver 5
- Graikis
- Torongar
- Moravia
- Alien Fabiras
- Alien Chadabin
- Terranoid
- Gran-Sphere
- Ultraman Dyna
- Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light (1998) - Kaiju designer
- Ultraman Gaia (1998-1999) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Gaia
- V1
- V2
- SV
- Ultraman Agul
- V1
- V2
- Dragon in Gamu's Vision
- C.O.V.
- Geel
- Apatee
- Mezard
- Bokrag
- Gan-Q
- Tenkai
- Anemos
- Crabgan
- Rezaito
- Wolf Gas
- Antimatter
- Alguros
- Deents
- Zonnel
- Diglobe
- Geschenk
- Candea
- Pazuzu
- Gomenos
- Zoruim
- Mimos
- Enzan
- Rukulion
- Gokigumon
- Aeroviper
- Syazac
- Algona
- X-Savarga
- Tigris
- Tsuchikera
- Pazgeek
- Σ-Zuigul
- Bizorm
- Izac
- Shinryoku
- Mokian
- Deathbringer
- Fishman
- Zog
- Ultraman Gaia
- Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, & Ultraman Gaia: The Decisive Battle in Hyperspace (1999) - Kaiju designer
- Ultraman Nice (1999) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey (2000) - Character designer
- Ultraman Neos (2000) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Gaia: Gaia Again (2001) - Kaiju designer
- Ultraman Cosmos: The First Contact (2001) - Kaiju designer
- Ultraman Cosmos (2001-2002) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Cosmos
- Luna Mode
- Corona Mode
- Lidorias
- Golmede
- Igomas
- Chaos Ultraman
- Chaos Header 0
- Ultraman Cosmos
- Ultraman Cosmos vs. Ultraman Justice: The Final Battle (2003) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Cosmos
- Future Mode
- Ultraman Justice
- Crusher Mode
- Ultraman Legend
- Ultraman Cosmos
- Ultraman Nexus (2004-2005) - Character designer
- Ultraman Nexus
- Anphans
- Junis
- Junis Blue
- Dark Faust
- Dark Mephisto
- Dark Zagi
- Ultraman Noa
- Ultraman Nexus
- ULTRAMAN (2004) - Character designer
- Ultraman the Next
- Anphans
- Junis
- Ultraman the Next
- Ultraman Max (2005-2006) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Mebius (2006-2007) - Character and kaiju designer
- Ultraman Mebius
- Mebius Brave
- Mebius Burning Brave
- Mebius Phoenix Brave
- Ultraman Hikari
- Fire Windom
- Femigon
- Mebius Killer
- Ultraman Mebius
- Ultraman Mebius & the Ultra Brothers (2006) - Character designer
- Ultraman Mebius
- Mebius Infinity
- Ultraman Mebius
- Bio Planet WoO (2006) - Character designer
- Ultra Idemitsujin (2007) - Character design
- Ultraseven X (2007) - Props designer
- Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle (2007-2008) - Character designer
- Superior 8 Ultra Brothers (2008) - Suits supervision
- Ultraman Orb THE ORIGIN SAGA (2016-2017) - Kaiju designer
- SSSS.GRIDMAN (2018) - Kaiju designer
- SSSS.DYNAZENON (2021) - Kaiju designer
- GRIDMAN UNIVERSE (2023) - Kaiju designer
Other Works[]
- Devil Lady (1998) - Character designer
- Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002) - designer
- Battle Spirits Series (2008) - Spirits designer
- Kamen Rider Wizard (2012) - Phantom designer
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- On Twitter/X in 2024, Maruyama revealed that, in the early 1990s, he not only worked as a suit technician for Tsuburaya Productions, but was also a suit actor. He was Ultraman for an event with Noboru Tsuburaya at Ultraman World M78 in 1993, Ultraman Great in a commercial, and Ultraman Tiga (Multi Type) in a Tiga making-of video.[4][5][6]
References[]
- ↑ https://x.com/hiro_mrym/status/1591076601621803010
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-5100
- ↑ https://twitter.com/hiro_mrym/status/1725424826264031648/
- ↑ https://x.com/hiro_mrym/status/1844829138856841512
- ↑ https://x.com/hiro_mrym/status/1844829143437025665
- ↑ https://x.com/hiro_mrym/status/1844832194834903263