Muruchi

Muruchi (ムルチ, Muruchi) is a fish-like kaiju that debuted in the television series Return of Ultraman. Despite being a monster native to the Earth.

Subtitle: Giant-fish Monster (巨大魚怪獣 Kyodai-gyo Kaijū)

History

Return of Ultraman

The first Muruchi was originally seen chasing after Ryo Sakuma at the beginning of the episode, until encountered and sealed underground by an Alien Mates, who would later adopt the boy. However, Alien Mates was tragically shot and killed by a police officer in an angry mob (who were trying to kill the boy too,) Muruchi arose from underground and caused havoc. Believing that those people who were responsible for the innocent alien's murder, Go initially refused to transform into Ultraman Jack and let the villagers reap for their sins, but he eventually did under the persuasion of Captain Ibuki. He and Muruchi fought in a local refinery plant until he destroyed Muruchi with a single use of the Specium Ray. The Monster User and the Boy

Trivia

• Design: Ken Kumagai
  • Muruchi's head design is based on Salmon.
• Muruchi's name comes from the Japanese pork cuisine, Inamuruchi.
• In earlier sketch designs Muruchi had an antenna on his head for Alien Mates' control over him.
• Although not physically seen, Muruchi was one of the monsters that made up Beryudora's left arm in Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends The Movie.
• Muruchi's roar is from a roar heard in "The Prince of Monsters: Part 1" when Arashi and the college group go to Johnson Island.

Ultraman Ace

Muruchi reappeared in Ultraman Ace, episodes 7 and 8 "Kaiju vs. Choju vs. Alien" and "Life of the Sun, Life of Ace", as Muruchi Ⅱ (ムルチ二代目 Muruchi Nisei).

A second Muruchi appeared in the middle of a battle between Ultraman Ace, Doragory, and Alien Metron Jr., joining the fray and attacked Ace along with the Choju and his master. Despite intending to help the others, Muruchi II's appearance was short-lived. Muruchi II picked up Ace and threw him to the ground, but then tripped and accidentally rammed into Doragory. Doragory angrily attacked Muruchi II, viciously killing the monster by tearing off his lower jaw and his left leg.

Trivia

• Muruchi II is very thin compared to the first generation, he is colored more silver, and the tip of the tail is shaped like a tail fin of a fish.
• Muruchi II's sudden appearance in the series has caused some confusion as to how or why he appeared. Some believe that this Muruchi was in fact the original, having survived his fight with Ultraman Jack, and was disturbed by Ultraman Ace's battle.
  • However the Ultraman Encyclopedia states that Muruchi II is actually the son of the first, theorizing that the first Muruchi might had laid an egg sometime before he fought Jack.
• Seagorath was originally intended to appear in Muruchi's place, but was changed for unclear reasons.
• The Muruchi II costume is actually an altered first generation Muruchi costume. It was used in other works over the years and became too battered to be used any futher, which is why the developers decided to have Muruchi II ripped apart by Doragory in the screen play.

Ultraman Mebius

Muruchi reappeared in episode 32 of the series, Ultraman Mebius as Zoa Muruchi (ゾアムルチ Zoa Muruchi). This monster was originally a normal Muruchi being enhanced through biological remodeling when Bio sneaked into Earth in the early years when defense forces was very weak.

Zoa Muruchi was created by Bio, the son of the original Alien Mates (from Return of Ultraman), but this time as a means of vengeance against the humans for killing his father. And then Bio unleashed Zoa Muruchi to destroy the nearby city. While Zoa Muruchi and Ultraman Mebius fought, Bio met a woman, a principal of a kindergarten, who tells him that she knew the boy whom the elder Bio's father had adopted. After learning of a tragic story about his adopted brother's efforts to find the his father's UFO, Bio found reason to forgive the humans, however he had created Zoa Mururchi as the embodiment of his hatred towards the humans. Overcome with grief, but wanted to believe in human kindness again, Bio then called out to Mebius to end his hatred by destroying Zoa Muruchi. Mebius used the Mebium Shoot, and destroyed Zoa Muruchi, after it let out one last anguish-filled cry, ending the suffering the human disguised Mates had gone through. The Monster Master's Legacy

Trivia

• The "Zoa" in Zoa Muruchi's name means "Hate" in the Alien Mate's launguage, hence Bio's hatred against earth for his father's death.
• Zoa Muruchi looks very similar to the normal Muruchi, but they are now more streamlined and have a cluster of blue spots on their belly, as well as yellow highlights on the fins.
  • In a sense of irony, Zoa Muruchi's suit was used to represent the normal Muruchi in modern recreation of the scenes from Return of Ultraman episode 33.
• This episode was later featured in episode 20 of New Ultraman Retsuden, "Mebius and Alien Mates: The Monster Master's Legacy".

Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle

Muruchi reappeared in episode 9 of Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle, again as Zoa Muruchi.

Confronting the ZAP SPACY underwater (after King Joe Black shot the Pendragon down into the ocean) Zoa Muruchi was attracted by a sonar frequency that the ZAP SPACY had created to scare away a group of Arigeras. Threatened by the imposing monster, Rei sent out Eleking to battle it, as Gomora was not as adept at fighting underwater. The battle went back and forth, but eventually, Eleking's electric attacks proved too strong, and Zoa Muruchi was destroyed by his electric tail shock.

Trivia

• Zoa Muruchi is one of the few kaiju in the series that does not appear in the opening credits, (along with Juran, Fire Golza, Bullton, Arigera, Nova, Lunaticks, King Joe Black, and Zetton.)
• Ironically for a fish-based kaiju, this is the only appearance of Muruchi that shows him in water.

Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends The Movie

Zoa Muruchi reappeared in the movie Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends The Movie as one of Ultraman Belial's 100 Monster Army. He was first seen as a spirit in a shot of the Monster Graveyard along with Hoe, King Pandon, Fire Golza, and Frogos. He then teamed up with Telesdon, Arstron, Alien Hipporito, and Alien Temperor to fight Gomora and was later killed by Ultraman Mebius' Mebium Shoot.

Trivia

• If one looks closely inside Ultraman Belial's Giga Battle Nizer, they can see Zoa Muruchi along with Vakishim, Verokron, Antlar, Alien Baltan, Red King, and Zetton.

New Ultraman Retsuden

He makes an apperance in New Ultraman Retsuden episode 8 as Muruchi II. His appearence is referenced by Alien Valky as he explains Doragory's battle in Ultraman Ace.

Ultraman Ginga

Muruchi, as Zoa Muruchi, appears as a Spark Doll. He and several monsters cheer on Ultraman Ginga as he fights Dark Galberos. The Closed World

After Ultraman Ginga defeated Dark Lugiel, it is most likely that Zoa Muruchi returned to Alien Mates' planet. Your Future

Ultraman Ginga Theater Special: Ultra Monster ☆ Hero Battle Royale!

Zoa Muruchi returned in the second movie special. He was the second monster to be UltraLived by the Livepad and the first one by Hikaru Raido. He went up against Doragory but he knocked him down immediately. After he got back up, he along with Zetton were defeated by one slash of Zamsher's katana. Ultraman Ginga Theater Special: Ultra Monster ☆ Hero Battle Royale!

Ultraman Ginga S

Zoa Muruchi appeared in episode twelve of Ultraman Ginga S, where he was MonsLived by Alien Guts Vorst to attack Chigusa Kuno and Alien Metron Jace. Metron grew to the monster's size but before he can strike, Muruchi fired his Energy Beam at him and he was struck down. Ultraman Victory and Ultraman Ginga appeared to assist him but they could only accomplish so much. They only distracted and held off but Muruchi only wanted to put the hurt on Metron Jace. When the alien started dancing with his lighters, thanks to Chigusa's singing, Muruchi became distracted by the alien's singing and dancing and, as a result, got blown up by a combination of Victory's Victorium Shoot and Ginga Strium's Ultra Shot.

Trivia

• The long take and cut of the battle scene at the rugged oil tanks, might possibly be paying tribute to the original Muruchi's battle against Ultraman Jack.
• This is the final appearance of Zoa Muruchi's suit. Two years later in Ultraman Orb, Zoa Muruchi was modified into Maga-Jappa. However even if that's the case, a simply cheaper suit still existed for stage show events.

Ultraman Taiga

While not appearing physically in the series, a modified variant called Modified Muruchi (改造ムルチ Kaizō Muruchi) appeared under the control of the Guar general Imbiza is talked about in episode 14's voice drama. It was stopped when Taiga punched a hole through its body.

Trivia

• Modified Muruchi's death maybe a reference to its Ace incarnation who teamed up with Doragory, the latter's defeat also having a hole punched through it.

Data​

Muruchi Ⅰ

Stats

• Height: 48 m
• Weight: 10,000 t
• Tail Length: 50 m
• Origin: Planet Mates

Powers and ​Weapons

• Heat Ray: Muruchi can fire a yellow, flame-like, missile-strength heat ray of energy from his mouth. Medium in strength, this ray can cause small explosions.
• Burrowing: Muruchi can burrow at low speeds.

Heat Ray

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Muruchi II

Stats

• Height: 48 m
• Weight: 10,000 t
• Tail Length: Unknown
• Origin: Underground

Powers and ​Weapons

• Burrowing: Muruchi II can burrow.
  • Smokescreen: Before Muruchi II reveals itself, he unleashes a mist to cover the area.
• Strength: Muruchi II boasts significant physical strength, able to grab and throw opponents down.
• Heat Ray: Although Muruchi II is never shown using it, it is highly likely that like his predecessor, Muruchi II has the ability to fire a Heat Ray.

Smokescreen

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Zoa Muruchi

Stats

• Height: 48 m
• Weight: 10,000 t
• Origin: Planet Mates (Ultraman Mebius), Unknown, most likely called from Mates by Bullton (Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle)
• Attack: 800
• Defense: 800
• Speed: 700

Powers and ​Weapons

• Energy Beam: Zoa Muruchi can emit and then launch a missile-strength heat beam of blue energy from his mouth. This beam is rather averagely powerful, capable of covering whatever it hits in a series of explosions and can rival Eleking's electric discs in power.
• Underwater Adaption: Zoa Muruchi can easily maneuver and fight underwater.

Energy Beam

Underwater Adaption

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Other Media

Kagayake Ultra no Hoshi

In the non-canon manga Kagayake Ultra no Hoshi, a Muruchi was one of the many monsters under Giant Yapool's command to fight against Ace in Shikoku, Japan.

Merchandise

The first known figure of Muruchi was created by Popy in 1978 as part of the "King Zaurus" toyline. It has about four to five rotating parts, and its design is relatively show-accurate. However, being an older figure, its paint job isn't incredibly accurate to the costume seen in the show, painted with mostly red as well as some yellow and green around the body. The figure stands at approximately 6-7 inches in height.

A figure of Muruchi II was created by Marmit in 2010. It's estimated to have six rotating parts and it is highly show-accurate when compared to the original. The figure is approximately 9 inches in height.

In more recent years, a figure of Zoa Muruchi was released as part of the Ultra Monster 500 series. The figure has three rotating parts and has a somewhat show-accurate paint job, however, its appearance lacks certain details that are noticeable in the show. The figure is # 38 in the series and stands at 5 inches in height.

Figure of Muruchi, by Marmit.

X-Plus

Zoa Muruchi Spark Doll

Figure of Muruchi, created by Popy.

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