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Ultra Hero Series (2016)

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Ultra Hero 500/Series

For the Kaiju counterpart to this line, please go to Ultra Monster Series (2016).

UHS
Ultra Hero 500 (Ultra Hero Series)

Ultra Hero 500 (ウルトラヒーロー５００, Urutora Hīrō Go-hyaku) was a toyline created by Bandai, which consisted of 5.5 inch (14 cm) figures of Ultra Warriors. Each of the figures had a stamp on their left foot and were compatible with the DX Ginga Spark, Victory Lancer, X Devizer, and other related roleplay items.

The series was later rebranded as Ultra Hero Series (ウルトラヒーローシリーズ, Urutora Hīrō Shirīzu) with the Live Sign removed to reflect changes in the toyline, making it a spiritual successor of the discontinued original Ultra Hero Series toyline.

The Ultra Hero Series is also part of the Ultra Sofubi Series (ウルトラソフビシリーズ, Urutora Sofubi Shirīzu).

NOTE: Keep in mind that the wiki will mark these figures as Ultra Hero Series (500)/(2016) on their individual pages for specifications' sake.

Pricing[]

When the Ultra Hero 500 series was first launched during the run of Ultraman Ginga in 2013, figures were priced at 500 yen each. Due to inflation and the rising costs of raw materials, price revisions have been made to the toyline over the years. The first price revision comes with the removal of the Live Sign and the transition to the Ultra Hero Series name.

Name Date Price (excl. tax) % Increase
Ultra Hero 500
Ultra Hero X
Ultra Hero Orb 		June 29, 2013[1] 500 yen
650 yen (with Cyber Card) 		-
Ultra Hero Series July 1, 2016[2] 600 yen 20%
October 1, 2022[3] 700 yen[Note 1] 17%
  1. ↑ Ultra Hero Series 96. Ultraman (ULTRAMAN: RISING) retails at 800 yen

Tags[]

Each Ultra Hero Series figure comes with a tag which has information on the character and its series number.

  • Like the Ultra Monster Series (2016), most tags of characters from before the New Generation era are depicted with on-set photos, while characters who debuted in the New Generation era are given tags with their character renders against a shared background specific to their shows.
  • It is to note that some of the Ultra Hero Series 2016 tags were further updated in 2020, featuring a character render in place of the on-set photo. One notable example is Ultra Hero Series 21 Ultraman Zero.

Catalogs[]

Toy catalogs are occasionally given out at no cost at store fronts to promote the products of the latest Ultraman show. The toy catalog tradition dates back from the original Ultra Sofubi Series toyline and continues to this day.

In 2023, the Ultra Sofubi Series Complete Super Encyclopedia was published by Televi Magazine, featuring figures from the Ultra Hero Series line up to Ultraman Blazar.

Lineup[]

Standard Retail[]

Ultra Hero Series[]

Ultra Hero Series EX[]

Special Sets[]

Gashapon[]

The Gashapon Ultra Hero & Ultra Monster 500 (ガシャポン ウルトラヒーロー＆ウルトラ怪獣) series was discontinued after two sets.

Exclusives[]

Magazines[]

Campaign[]

Store Exclusives[]

Events & Limited Retail[]

Banpresto[]

Others[]

Initial Release[]

The first wave of Ultra Hero Series figures are typically released on an earlier date to promote the show before it begins. In some cases, these figures retail at a special discounted price before the standard retail stock comes in. The only exception is Ultra Hero Series EX Glitter Tiga, which has continued to retail at its initial price point. Prices listed below do not take Japanese goods tax into account.

Campaign[]

  • Hero Time Limited Edition Sofubi Campaign (ヒーロータイム 限定ソフビキャンペーン): A giveaway campaign where participants could win DVDs of Ultra Heroes THE LIVE Acrobattle Chronicle 2016 / Ultraman Festival 2017 Special Price Set by sharing photos of selected limited edition sofvi figures with a special photo frame via the Hero Time Ultraman app.[5]
  • Ultra Sofubi 100 Figures Set Campaign (ウルトラソフビ100体セットCP): A Twitter campaign where participants were given until June 19, 2023 to follow the Bandai Toys Twitter account and retweet the post to stand a chance to win a set of 100 Ultra Sofubi Series figures. It was held to celebrate the opening of Tokyo Toy Show 2022.[6] The lucky winner was Twitter user @asaginosakura.[7]
  • Favorite Ultra Monster Sofubi Sharing Campaign (最推しウルトラ怪獣ソフビ投稿キャンペーン): A Twitter campaign where participants could stand a chance to win from one of three sofvi figure sets by sharing their favorite Ultra Monster sofvi figures with the relevant hashtags. The campaign was held from January 31, 2022 to commemorate Ultraman Chronicle D.[8]
  • New Generation Stars Broadcast Commemoration Follow & Retweet Campaign (ニュージェネレーションスターズ放送開始記念 フォロー&RTキャンペーン): A Twitter campaign where five lucky participants could win the New Generation Heroes Ultra Sofubi Set by following and retweeting the Bandai Toys Twitter account. The campaign was held from January 27, 2023 in conjunction with the broadcast of Ultraman New Generation Stars.[9]
  • Buy 3 & Get! Sofubi Outing Box Campaign (3体買ってゲット！ソフビおでかけボックスキャンペーン): A cardpaper box that also acts as a diorama can be obtained from stores nationwide with the purchase of any three products from the Ultra Sofubi Series. The campaign was held from February 23, 2024 to coincide with the release of Ultraman Blazar The Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown.[10]
  • Every First Saturday of the Month is Ultra Sofvi Day! Campaign (毎月さいしょの土曜日はウルトラソフビの日キャンペーン): A campaign where customers can obtain special Ultra Sofvi Stickers (ウルトラソフビステッカー) with the purchase of Ultra Sofvi Series figures on the first Saturday of the month.[11]

Storage[]

  • Spark Dolls Bag (スパークドールズバッグ, Supāku Dōruzu Baggu): A convertible storage bag that can accommodate the Ginga Spark and up to 10 Ultra Hero/Monster 500 figures, or be unfolded into a diorama inspired by the Ultraman Ginga setting.[12]
  • Battle Field Box (バトルフィールドボックス): These are soft storage boxes for sofvi figures which can be unfolded into a battle field playmat.
  • Ultra Battle Storage Box (ウルトラバトルストレイジボックス): A hard plastic storage box for sofvi figures that can be unfolded into multiple landscapes. Comes with a Ultra Hero Series EX Glitter Tiga figure.

Trivia[]

UHS-(500)-JapanVSIndo

Figure 1. Comparison of paint quality between the same Ultra Hero Series figures produced in different regions.

  • In 2012, the Ultra Hero 500 toyline was first rolled out in test markets under the name Ultra Hero Series 500 (ウルトラヒーローシリーズ５００). The test products lacked Live Signs but had a white dot marking on their right feet.[13] It appears that only figures of Ultraman, Ultraseven, Ultraman Mebius, and Ultraman Zero were released as test products before the Ultra Hero 500 toyline was officially launched.[14]
  • One rare but known manufacturing defect in some Ultra Hero 500/X figures is that the Live Sign may be prone to peeling off due to a lack of adhesive.
  • The Ultraman Ginga product site originally teased a 35th Ultra Hero 500 figure after Ultra Hero 500 34 Ultraman Victory Knight, but this was shelved with the introduction of the Ultra Hero X toyline in 2015.
    • In 2017, Ultra Hero X 01 Ultraman X was re-released as Ultra Hero Series 35 Ultraman X after the rebranding of the Ultra Hero 500/X/Orb toyline.
  • The Bandai Indonesia releases of the Ultra Hero Series figures feature glossier paint (refer to Figure 1).
  • The Spark Dolls of Astra, Ultraman 80 and Ultraman Nexus Anphans were not restocked for a long time, even in Japan, which led people to believe that they were discontinued. This was evidenced in a promotional catalogue for the Ultra Hero Orb toyline; a spread of all the 500 series figures was made, however it omitted Astra, 80 and Nexus Anphans.
    • In 2021, the Ultraman 80 and Astra figures finally received re-releases in the Ultra Hero Series toyline due to their characters appearing in Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Absolute Conspiracy.
    • In 2024, after almost 8 years, the Ultraman Nexus Anphans figure will be re-released in the Ultra Hero Series toyline.
  • The Super Sofubi Battle Series (超决战软胶系列) produced by Bandai China since 2014 are two-pack figure sets that are repackaged from the Ultra Hero Series toyline. Occasionally, these sets feature characters who have yet to be released in Japan, and Bandai China has opted to either A. repurpose existing molds from the 2000 - 2012 Ultra Hero Series line, albeit downscaled (e.g., Tector Gear Zero), or B. repaint existing figures (e.g., Ultraman Orb Darkness).
  • In 2013, Bandai ran trials for selling Ultra Hero 500 figures in convenience stores, with special display packaging made.[15]
  • In other territories, the Ultra Hero 500 figures were released in alternate packaging (see gallery below).
    • In the United States, to coincide with the premiere of Ultraman: Rising, figures were sold in two variations: the traditional hang tag, and open box packaging with a collectible card.
    • In Hong Kong/Macau, the windowed packaging is in a style reminiscent of the old Ultra Hero Series boxes.
    • In Thailand, the figures were distributed by Kidz&Kitz through 7/11 stores and retailed in clear plastic boxes and/or Ziploc packaging.
    • In Malaysia, the Wan Lee Brothers distribute figures with light-up Color Timers in three sizes: 5-inch, an 8-inch pair set, and 10-inch. Evidently, these figures are manufactured from reused secondhand molds of the Ultra Hero Series, in a way similar to bootleg figures, but surprisingly are officially licensed. The line-up only covers Rosso Flame, Rosso Aqua, Blu Aqua, Blu Flame, Ruebe, Taiga, Titas, and Fuma.
    • In Taiwan, Ultra Hero Series figures are sold at 7/11 convenience stores in simple plastic packaging.

Reveal gallery

  1. ↑ For domestic promotion purposes, Ultra Monster Series Emi (Ultraman: Rising) is classified as a "Hero" figure on Bandai Namco America's official website.

NOTE: Ultra Hero 500

NOTE: Ultra Hero X

See Also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/n-1905
  2. ↑ https://ultra.fandom.com/wiki/File:UH500_Price_Hike_500to600.jpg
  3. ↑ https://bandai-a.akamaihd.net/corp/press/100001232650300.pdf
  4. ↑ https://toy.bandai.co.jp/series/ultraman/topics/detail/3000/
  5. ↑ https://thewonder.it/fes/87/description/
  6. ↑ https://toy.bandai.co.jp/series/ultraman/topics/detail/2545/
  7. ↑ https://twitter.com/asaginosakura/status/1545589879303979013
  8. ↑ https://toy.bandai.co.jp/series/ultraman/topics/detail/2387/
  9. ↑ https://toy.bandai.co.jp/series/ultraman/topics/detail/2893/
  10. ↑ https://toy.bandai.co.jp/series/ultraman/topics/detail/3492/
  11. ↑ https://toy.bandai.co.jp/series/ultraman/topics/detail/3851/
  12. ↑ http://ultraman.b-boys.jp/ultra-ginga/products/dioramabag/
  13. ↑ https://machinerobo.blogspot.com/2013/08/500_6285.html
  14. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/sofubiou/entry-11459160638.html
  15. ↑ https://twitter.com/m78_sh/status/843595556727410688

Toylines
Hero Sofubi Ultra Hero Series | Ultra Hero 500/Ultra Hero Series (2016) | Ultra Big Sofubi | Movie Monster Series
Monster Sofubi Ultra Monster Series | Ultra Monster 500/Ultra Monster Series (2016) | Ultra Monster DX | Movie Monster Series | Ultra Monster Advance
Roleplay Items Ultra Replica | Ultra Entry Set | Sound Ultra Narikiri
Action Figures Ultra Hero Alpha/Action Hero Series | Soft Body Figure Series | Super Reborn Chogokin | Ultra Change Series | ULTRA-ACT | S.H.Figuarts | Ultra Action Figure | FigZero | MAFEX | Hero Action Figure | Gigantic Universe (Giga Giant Gimmick Ultra Action Figure)
Gashapon
(Capsule Toy) 		HG Series (Sofubi Dou / Digital Grade / HG Heroes Ultraman Series / Ultraman Series (2019)) | Wonder Capsule | Ultimate Solid (Ultimate Monsters / Gashapon High Grade X (Cross)) | Ultimate Luminous (Exclusives) | Machiboke
Shokugan
(Candy Toy) 		Hyper Ultraman Series | Play Hero VS | Hyper Real Figure | Chara Egg | Action Archive Series | Shodo | CONVERGE/Motion | Chodo/Alpha
Plamodel The Toku Collection | Mecha Collection (MechaColle) | Figure-rise Standard
Display Figures Dimensions Ultra Display Series | Galaxy Ultra Lighting Series
Adult Collectibles Real Action Heroes | Project BM!
Prize Figures Banpresto Ultra Series | Collectible Sofubi Figures | Hero's Brave Statue Figure | Tokusatsu Stagement
Plush Ultra Warriors 30 | Ultra Monster 101 | M78 Ultraman FuwaFuwa Nuigurumi
Bandai China Exclusives Action Figure Mini | Blokees | Ultra Sound & Light Weapons | Ultra Avatar Weapons | Ultra Combination Weapons | Blazar Weapon Series | Ultra Classic | Ultra Kaijyu World
Bahasa Indonesia Bahasa Melayu
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