Ultra Heroes EXPO Summer Festival

Ultra Heroes EXPO Summer Festival (ウルトラヒーローズEXPO（エキスポ）サマーフェスティバル, Urutora Hīrōzu Ekisupo Samā Fesutibaru), often shortened to UlSummer (ウルサマ, Urusama), is a annual exhibition event based on the Ultraman Series held primarily at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, Tokyo since 2021. It is held at the same time and place as Ultraman Festival, serving as its spiritual successor.

The festival's duration is split into two halves, with new exhibits and merchandise introduced in the second half. The event is closed for a single day in-between. Both halves feature a different stage show performed multiple times per day. The stages are equiped with large LED screens to display location backgrounds, special effects and pre-recorded character appearances. Characters from the ongoing TV series at the time appear onstage on particular days.

A day before the festival opens, a preview is held for the press and TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION members who win a lottery to explore the exhibition, watch the first stage show, and attend an opening ceremony hosted by cast members or ambassadors chosen to represent the event that year.

On certain days, paid one-time events are held on the stage in the evening, featuring Ultraman Series or Gridman guests. They usually celebrate series anniversaries or promote upcoming projects by Tsuburaya Productions, and some are livestreamed through SPWN or U-NEXT.

Exhibition[]

Summer Festival venues are filled with Ultraman Series props, displays and photo opportunities for guests to explore. The exhibition and its layout changes every year, though some elements are reused from previous events. Exhibits tend to pertain to the currently running series or celebrate anniversaries of previous entries.

Common Elements[]

Ultra Shot (ウルトラショット, Urutora Shotto): A photo booth for taking photos with Ultras that is available at most Ultraman events.
Giant Diorama: A large diorama depicting Ultras and Kaiju battling in a city. A new diorama is designed each year.
Mini Stage (ミニステージ, Mini Sutēji): An area with a catwalk above dedicated to small events featuring defense team members, Ultras and kaiju. It is similar to Ultraman Festival's Greeting Square and has been renamed each year.
Ultraman Department Store (ウルトラマンデパート, Urutoraman Depāto): An expansive gift shop selling all kinds of Ultraman merchandise, including event-exclusive items.
Meet The Hero (ミート・ザ・ヒーロー, Mīto Za Hīrō): A paid attraction where customers can interact and take photos with an Ultra Hero for three minutes. It is held outside of the main venue.

Events[]

Tokyo[]

No.	Title	Duration	Stage Shows	Opening Ceremony Guests
1	Ultra Heroes EXPO 2021 Summer Festival IN Ikebukuro・Sunshine City (ウルトラヒーローズEXPO 2021 サマーフェスティバル IN 池袋・サンシャインシティ, Urutora Hīrōzu Ekisupo Ni-sen Ni-jū-ichi Samā Fesutibaru IN Ikebukuro・Sanshain Shiti)	July 22 - August 9, 2021	STAGE 1. "To Those Living Now: Ultra-Ancient Legend" (今を生きる君たちへ超古代の伝説, Ima wo Ikiru Kimi-tachi e Chō Kodai no Densetsu)	Taiyo Sugiura and Nozomi Tsuji (ambassadors)^[2]^[3]
1		August 11 - August 29, 2021	STAGE 2. "Ultra Brave Story ～The Beginning of a New Legend～ (ウルトラブレイブストーリー～新たなる伝説の始まり～, Urutora Bureibu Sutōrī ～Aratanaru Densetsu no Hajimari～)	Taiyo Sugiura and Nozomi Tsuji (ambassadors)^[2]^[3]
2	Ultra Heroes EXPO 2022 Summer Festival IN Ikebukuro・Sunshine City (ウルトラヒーローズEXPO 2022 サマーフェスティバル IN 池袋・サンシャインシティ, Urutora Hīrōzu Ekisupo Ni-sen Ni-jū-ni Samā Fesutibaru IN Ikebukuro・Sanshain Shiti)	July 23 - August 8, 2022	STAGE 1. "Those Who Light Up the Dark Nights of Summer" (夏の闇夜を照らす者, Natsu no Yamiyo o Terasu Mono)	Takeshi Tsuruno (ambassador)^[4] and Hiroki Matsumoto^[5]
2		August 10 - August 29, 2022	STAGE 2. "Decker into Space" (Decker into Space（デッカーイントゥスペース）, Dekkā into Supēsu)	Takeshi Tsuruno (ambassador)^[4] and Hiroki Matsumoto^[5]
3	Ultra Heroes EXPO 2023 Summer Festival IN Ikebukuro・Sunshine City (ウルトラヒーローズEXPO 2023 サマーフェスティバル IN 池袋・サンシャインシティ, Urutora Hīrōzu Ekisupo Ni-sen Ni-jū-san Samā Fesutibaru IN Ikebukuro・Sanshain Shiti)^[6]	July 22 - August 7, 2023	Stars Chapter: "New Generation Warriors" (スターズ編「新世代の戦士たち」, Sutāzu-hen "Shin Sedai no Senshi-tachi")^[7] Ultraman Blazar Chapter: "A New Light" (ウルトラマンブレーザー編「新たなる光」, Urutoraman Burēzā-hen "Aratanaru Hikari")^[7]	Tomoya Warabino and Himena Tsukimiya^[8]
3		August 9 - August 28, 2023	Ultraman Blazar Chapter: "The Revolving Star of Wishes: SIDE Blazar" (ウルトラマンブレーザー編「巡る願い星 SIDE ブレーザー」, Urutoraman Burēzā-hen "Meguru Negaiboshi SIDE Burēzā")^[7] Stars Chapter: "The Revolving Star of Wishes: SIDE Stars" (スターズ編「巡る願い星 SIDE スターズ」, Sutāzu-hen "Meguru Negaiboshi SIDE Sutāzu")^[7]	Tomoya Warabino and Himena Tsukimiya^[8]
4	Ultra Heroes EXPO 2024 Summer Festival IN Ikebukuro・Sunshine City (ウルトラヒーローズEXPO 2024 サマーフェスティバル IN 池袋・サンシャインシティ, Urutora Hīrōzu Ekisupo Ni-sen Ni-jū-yon Samā Fesutibaru IN Ikebukuro・Sanshain Shiti)^[9]	July 20 - August 5, 2024	STAGE 1. ～Stand By You～	Yuki Totsuka and Rin Natsume^[10]
4		August 7 - August 26, 2024	STAGE 2. ～To All Living Things～ (～すべての生きるものたちへ～, ～Subete no Ikiru Mono-tachi e～)	Yuki Totsuka and Rin Natsume^[10]

Other Locations[]

Title	Location	Duration	Stage Shows
Ultra Heroes EXPO 2024 Umeda Summer Festival (ウルトラヒーローズEXPO 2024 うめだサマーフェスティバル, Urutora Hīrōzu Ekisupo Ni-sen Ni-jū-yon Umeda Samā Fesutibaru)^[9]^[11]	Umeda South Hall and Hanshin Umeda Main Store, Umeda, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture	August 13 - August 25, 2024	～Stand By You～

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

In 2021 and 2022, the two stage shows per year were labelled STAGE 1 and STAGE 2, with STAGES 3-5 performed elsewhere as part of the THE LIVE Series. However, for the 2023 event, these labels were only used when the stage shows released on Blu-ray and DVD. Both shows were also split into two parts.

External Links[]

References[]

Stage Shows and Events
Ultraman Festival	1990 \| '91 (Live Stage) \| '93 \| '94 \| '95 \| '97 \| '98 \| '99 \| 2000 \| 2001 \| 2002 \| 2003 \| 2004 \| 2005 \| 2006 \| 2007 \| 2008 \| 2009 \| 2010 \| 2011 \| 2012 \| 2013 \| 2014 \| 2015 (Part 1, Part 2) \| 2016 (Part 1, Part 2) \| 2017 (Part 1, Part 2) \| 2018 (Part 1, Part 2) \| 2019 (Part 1, Part 2) \| ONLINE
Ultra Heroes EXPO Summer Festival	2021 (STAGE 1, STAGE 2, Cosmos Night) \| 2022 (STAGE 1, STAGE 2) \| 2023 (Stage 1, Stage 2) \| 2024 (STAGE 1, STAGE 2)
Ultra Heroes EXPO New Year Festival	2008 \| 2010 \| 2011 \| 2012 \| 2013 \| 2014 \| 2015 \| 2016 (Battle Stage) \| 2017 (Battle Stage) \| 2018 (Battle Stage) \| 2019 (Battle Stage) \| 2020 (Battle Stage) \| 2021 (Battle Stage, Special Stage) \| 2022 (Battle Stage) \| 2023 (Battle Stage, Special Stage) \| 2024 (Battle Stage) \| 2025 (Battle Stage)
THE LIVE Series	NEW GENERATION THE LIVE Ultraman Taiga \| Ultraman Z \| Ultraman Trigger (STAGE 1, STAGE 2, STAGE 3, STAGE 4) \| Ultraman Decker (STAGE 1, STAGE 2, STAGE 3, STAGE 4, STAGE 5) \| Stars STAGE 1 \| -Stars- TSUBUCON 2023 SPECIAL STAGE \| UlSummer Stage 1 \| UlSummer Stage 2 \| Blazar ～The Other Hero～ \| Blazar "...To the Future" \| Stars ~They Are Ultimate Force Zero~ \| Stars - Ultraman Zero ～The Beginning Story～ \| Arc (～Stand By You～, ～To All Living Things～) 6 Ultra Brothers THE LIVE -Featuring Ultraman Taro- \| -Featuring Ultraman- \| -Featuring Zoffy- \| Featuring Ultraman Vol. 2 \| A Little Courage and the Power of Bonds \| Featuring Ultraseven Vol. 1 \| Imagination Goes Beyond the Starry Sky TDG THE LIVE Ultraman Tiga \| Ultraman Dyna (STAGE 1) \| Ultraman Gaia (STAGE 1)
Ultra Family Grand Assembly	1998 \| '99 \| 2000 \| 2001 \| 2002 \| 2003 \| 2004 \| 2005 \| 2006 \| 2007 \| 2008 \| 2009 \| 2010 \| 2011 \| 2012 \| 2013 \| 2014 \| 2015 \| 2016 \| 2017 \| 2018
Ultraman Premier Stage	Stage \| Stage 2 \| Stage 3 \| 2011
Ultraman Precious Stage	For the Children of the Future \| Dad Is Ultraseven \| A Life Led by a Miracle \| A BRAVE HEART \| ～LOVE～ \| ～School Opening～
Ultraman Legend Stage	2010 \| 2011 \| 2012 \| 2013 \| 2014
Karnival Upin & Ipin	2014 \| 2015 \| 2017 \| 2018
Ultraman Live in Genting	2015 \| 2016 (Stage I, Stage II)
Ultraman The Live In Taiwan	2021 \| 2022 \| 2023 \| 2024 \| 2025
Other Stage Shows	Ultraman Super Stage \| Ultraman Live Stage \| Ultraman Live Stage 2 \| Ultra P \| Ultra Hero Battle Theater! \| Ultraman Live: Peace of the Earth \| Hida Takayama: Ultra Hero Legend Stage \| Funatsuza Ultraman Starlight Stage \| Ultraman and the Wonders of Science \| The Earthling All Alone feat. ULTRASEVEN \| Ultra Double Stage \| Ultra Heroes Acrobattle (2015, 2016, 2017) \| DARKNESS HEELS～THE LIVE～ \| SSSS.GRIDMAN Stage Play \| SSSS.DYNAZENON SHOW \| Ultraman Blazar Spectacle Live in NYCC 2023 \| GRIDMAN UNIVERSE SHOW \| A New Battle! Unexpected Alien Invasion!
Other Events	3 Major Tokusatsu Hero Festival \| Ultra Heroes EXPO New Generation World \| TSUBURAYA CONVENTION (2019, 2021, 2023) \| ULTRAMAN MUSIC LIVE \| Takaya's Room \| Ultraman Connection Live \| TSUBURAYA EXHIBITION \| INTO THE STORY: Ultraman Trigger \| Ultraman Real-Time Motion Capture Labo \| 10 Days of Ultraman \| Ultraman the Ride \| All Ultraman Grand Vote \| Ultra Heroes Academy in Dufan Ancol 2024 \| Sukagawa Imagination Festival 2024

[1] ttps://www.ultra-expo.com/summer/2021/

[2] ttps://m-78.jp/news/post-5958

[3] ttps://m-78.jp/news/post-5981

[4] ttps://m-78.jp/news/post-6326

[5] ttps://m-78.jp/news/post-6431

[6] ttps://m-78.jp/news/post-6716

[EN-7] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 https://ultra-expo.com/summer/2023/en/

[8] ttps://m-78.jp/news/post-6816

[2024_Announce-9] 9.0 ^9.1 https://m-78.jp/news/post-7068

[10] ttps://m-78.jp/news/post-7162

[11] ttps://m-78.jp/news/post-7094

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