Ultraman The Complete Series features all episodes.
1999 release
2009 release
Ultraman The Complete Series
Trivia[]
The storyline of this episode follows an astronaut who suffers a catastrophic accident in space, mutates into a monster, and returns to Earth seeking revenge. Given its heavy themes, comedic elements were deliberately minimized.[1][2][3][4][5] Additionally, due to extended recording sessions that exceeded the planned timeframe, certain scenes had to be cut.[6]
The script, written by Mamoru Sasaki, was heavily influenced by the story of Laika, the Soviet space dog. Sasaki was deeply disturbed by Laika’s fate, which he saw as a cold and inhumane product of scientific ambition. He considered such experiments not only cruel to animals, but indicative of a broader disregard for life. Through the tragedy of Jamila, Sasaki sought to condemn this indifference.[7]
According to Yoichi Iwasa, he once had a detailed conversation with Sasaki at the Yamazaki Hotel bar in Ochanomizu about the episode's narrative. Sasaki reportedly told him, "You shouldn’t think Jamila is entirely right. I want the audience to question his sense of justice." He explained that while the story reflects his own views, his aim was not to present a single truth, but to challenge viewers to think critically. Sasaki emphasized that his sympathy always lay with the marginalized. In his view, regardless of one's actions, no one deserves to be treated as less than human. Still, he acknowledged that these were personal beliefs, and hoped viewers would approach them with doubt or at least a willingness to reflect.[7]
Sasaki also drew on his own memories of Japan’s defeat in World War II. He recalled feeling uncertain about the future when the war ended. As GHQ implemented democratic reforms, Sasaki began questioning the ideals he had been taught during the imperial era. Were those values ever just? That turning point marked the beginning of his lifelong habit of questioning dominant ideologies.[7]
This episode was never intended to simply draw sympathy for Jamila. Instead, Sasaki’s message was broader: "Truth is never one-sided. Only through multiple perspectives can we approach it." He also believed that justice, like truth, is not absolute.[7]
The plaque dedicated to Jamila is written in French, with the following inscription:
A JAMILA (1960–1993)
ICI DORT CE GUERRIER QUI S'EST
SACRIFIÉ EN QUÊTE D'IDÉAL POUR L'HUMANITÉ AINSI QUE
POUR LE PROGRÈS SCIENTIFIQUE
Cinematographer Yuzo Inagaki recalled that one of the toughest challenges in filming was dealing with the muddy water used in Jamila's fight scene. The set was small, and the actors' movements were unpredictable, often placing them in poorly lit areas. Although the crew worried about the lack of lighting, when the final footage was reviewed, director Akio Jissoji surprisingly asked why the image looked too bright.[8]
This episode was filmed concurrently with "Overthrow the Surface." Due to the stark contrast in tone between the two, director Akio Jissoji discussed the scriptwriting approach with Mamoru Sasaki in advance. Because of a tight production schedule, the special effects scenes were shot as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, some of Jissoji’s directorial touches remained in the final cut—most notably, the scene where Jamila steps on the World Flags.
The moment when the light fades from Jamila’s eyes was actually caused by a technical mishap: a wire came loose by accident. However, special effects director Koichi Takano felt the result captured Jamila’s sorrow more effectively than intended, so they kept the take and continued filming.[9]
The comparison between conceptual images and actual images (excluding the images of astronauts in A-3H-024) is as follows.
In Jamila’s background scenes, the conceptual imagery draws from real-life space race icons. These include the Capsule Nose Docking of Gemini 7, Ed White’s spacewalk, the Gemini Project, Valentina Tereshkova, the Apollo A-3H-024 spacesuit, SA-500F, and more.
While the final version closely followed the original draft, several notable differences remain:
In the draft, the Paris HQ team member was named "Hark."
Before Muramatsu explains rocket propulsion, the draft included a scene where he suddenly asks Ide to fetch a bicycle. A confused Ide questions the request.
In the draft, Hark is portrayed as having anticipated the enemy’s motive for arriving on Earth.
In both versions, Hark (or Alan in the final version) orders Jamila's destruction by the lakeside. After giving the command, he is shown with tears in his eyes.
The battle was originally set underwater, but the final version takes place during a manufactured rainstorm.
The draft ended with Jamila falling into the sea during the final confrontation with Ultraman, leading to his death.
Both versions end with a grave mound ("grave-mound (土まんじゅう, Do Manjū)") on a hillside. In the draft, Ide raises a cross, and the gravestone inscription is added there—unlike the final version, where it’s shown separately.
In the original final draft, Ide’s monologue was omitted entirely, leaving the final scene silent. However, in the aired version, one of Ide’s most iconic lines was added, along with a sorrowful cry from Jamila.
"It's always like this for victims. Only the words are elegant."
―Ide
The battle between Ultraman and Jamila in this episode lasts only 2 minutes and 3 seconds.
In an interview, Bin Furuya revealed that he was struck by how harsh and emotionally difficult the story felt upon his first reading of the script. The episode confronts a complex moral question: can sacrifices truly be justified in the name of scientific progress? While the premise may seem sound on the surface, Furuya found himself questioning its moral absoluteness.[10]
Reading the script reminded Furuya of a real-life incident from Japan’s early Antarctic expeditions. During one mission, the team was forced to abandon their Sakhalin husky sled dogs when returning home. Only two of the dogs—Taro and Jiro—survived; the rest perished in the harsh conditions. Though the decision to leave them behind had its reasons, it remained an undeniable act of abandonment. This story deeply resonated with Furuya, who saw clear parallels between Jamila’s tragic fate and that of the forsaken dogs.[10]
At the time, Ultraman was often dismissed as simplistic children’s entertainment—some even called it "infantile." Furuya disagreed strongly. He argued that if the show were merely chasing ratings, Jamila’s fight would have been pure spectacle. Instead, the episode made a bold narrative choice, prioritizing emotional and ethical depth over action.[10]
A clear example of this can be seen in Ultraman's decision to use the Ultra Water Current instead of the more destructive Spacium Beam to defeat Jamila. The SSSP had discovered that Jamila was vulnerable to water, making the tactic logical—but not without moral weight. As Jamila writhes in pain, overwhelmed by the water, the scene highlights the ambiguous boundaries between heroism and cruelty, justice and tragedy.[10]
When filming Jamila’s death scene, suit actor Teruo Aragaki performed the sequence live without any prior rehearsals, delivering a raw, instinctive portrayal.[10]
Jamila as seen in Midnight Cowboy.
A brief clip of this episode, showing Jamila, appears on a TV screen in the 1969 American film Midnight Cowboy.
Years after the Jamila incident, Alan Bilotz retires from the SSSP and becomes a freelance journalist. He publishes a book titled My Home Is Earth, detailing the Jamila case. The book causes a global uproar. One country, believed to be Jamila’s homeland, publicly denies the book's claims and files a lawsuit against Bilotz.
During the legal battle, Alan is arrested by Paris police for allegedly stealing items from SSSP headquarters during his service. He is sentenced to two years in prison. Alan insists that the charges are false and intended to discredit him and his work. Ultimately, My Home Is Earth is withdrawn from publication, and the planned Japanese edition is canceled.
Despite these events, Jamila remains classified as a "space monster" in official curriculum at the GUYS training school.
