Ultraman: The Adventure Begins was an animated movie jointly produced by Hanna-Barbera and Tsuburaya Productions in 1987. The movie was titled Ultraman USA for its Japanese release in 1989. The movie was intended as a backdoor pilot for an animated TV series, but no such TV series ever emerged. However, the costumes based on the three main heroes (the Ultra Force) were made for use in stage shows in Japan.
Production
Newspaper promotional coverage for Ultraman: The Jupiter Effect[1]
In the 1980s, Tsuburaya Productions proposed creating theatrical films based on the Ultraman series. These projects included Ultraman: Monster Bible and Ultra Q: Monster Concerto. However, due to concerns about the content and potential box office performance, these proposals were ultimately shelved. At that time, President Noboru Tsuburaya strongly hoped that the Ultraman series could be produced as theatrical films or TV series in the United States, aiming to make Ultraman a global character.[2]
The precursor to Ultraman: The Adventure Begins can be traced back to 1979, with a project referred to by the Japanese staff as "US Ultraman." The script was titled Ultraman: The Jupiter Effect.[3][4] This project was planned to be directed by Akio Jissoji, with the English script written by Jeff Segal, and was scheduled to start filming in the winter of 1979. Reportedly, the movie was even advertised in English newspapers. However, just as the main staff were about to travel to the U.S. for pre-production, the project was canceled.[2] The remaining script was used as a modified version for an English recut of the finale of The☆Ultraman, and the concept and general premise were utilized as a building block for Ultraman: Towards the Future.
The script cover for "Ultraman: Hero from the Stars" and the concept art of the original Ultraman featured in the film were illustrated by Alex Wald[5][6]
Despite this, the overseas expansion project continued to be part of Tsuburaya Productions' film planning. Between 1981 and 1983, Tsuburaya Productions established a planning department in the United States called "ULTRA COM," with the aim of creating a film script titled Ultraman: Hero from the Stars.[7] This film, written by Donald F. Glut, focused on the story of an Ultraman active in the United States. The initial plan was to produce a live-action tokusatsu film, with Jackson Bostwick and Anne Lockhart cast as the main actors.[8][9]
However, considering various factors such as production costs and budget promotion, the project was ultimately decided to be produced in animated form. This transition was confirmed around 1985. After extensive discussions, Tsuburaya Productions decided to collaborate with the American animation production company Hanna-Barbera to create the animation.
The reason for selecting Hanna-Barbera as a partner lies in the fact that since its establishment in 1960, the company has produced many well-known television animated works and enjoys high visibility in Japan as well. Although the animation production was carried out by the Japanese production company Studio SIGN and Ashi Productions, Hanna-Barbera provided crucial advice and guidance in planning and production. In 1986, the project entered the specific implementation phase, with Mitsuo Kusakabe from a Japanese studio serving as the director, and the script being jointly authored by four American writers under the pen name John Eric Seward. Eventually, the television pilot version was completed in 1987, which is the current movie version.[7]
Ultraman Film Festival 1989 poster
Due to various reasons, the planned TV animated series for Ultraman: The Adventure Begins was ultimately unrealized. However, the concept of this series was incorporated into the "New Ultraman" project undertaken by Tsuburaya Productions in Japan since 1986. This trend became the primary direction for Tsuburaya Productions in producing Ultraman: Towards the Future" after 1989.[7]
Ultraman: The Adventure Begins finally premiered on October 12, 1987, on television in the United States. On April 28, 1989, it was released in Japan as part of the Ultraman Festival in a Japanese dubbed version, a film program that also included Ultraman: Terror on Route 87, Ultraman Ace: Giant-Ant Terrible-Monster VS the Ultra Brothers, and Ultraman Kids.[10]
Original Concept
An early pilot film treatment from 1986 had a working title of "The Evil That Men Do: An Ultra Adventutre" with a different premise and cast of five Ultra characters, although the main one was still referred to as Scotty, perhaps a holdover from the earlier U.S. adaptation of Ultraman Joneus which was also helmed by screenwriter Jeff Segal.
Legacy
Due to its nature as a foreign co-production, for the longest time the movie's ability to be officially released outside of Japan was marred with difficulties. However, 38 years after its initial release, the film has been confirmed to be reciving a new home media release in Spring 2025, incluing a brand new English dub, as well as a movie tie-in novelization of it.[11]
Plot
Scott, Chuck, and Beth, a trio of stunt pilots, experience a strange burst of light during a stunt show. In spite of their planes crashing as a result, they emerge unharmed. They are soon contacted by an agent from outer space (whose secret identity is the groundskeeper of a Pebble Beach golf course), who informs them that they've become the host forms of three alien warriors who've arrived to protect the planet from a group of monsters from the planet Sorkin. The three pilots become the members of a group called the Ultra Force headquartered within Mount Rushmore. They are equipped with futuristic fighter ships, and when in particularly great danger they automatically assume the forms of the alien warriors. After defeating the final Sorkin monsters, the warriors remain on Earth to protect it from further danger.
Characters
Ultra Force
- Scott Masterson
- Chuck Gavin
- Beth O'Brian
- Walter Freeman
- Ulysses
- Samson
- Andy
Others
Ultras
Kaiju
Cast
| Character | Original | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Masterson/Ultraman Scott | Michael Lembeck | Toru Furuya |
| Chuck Gavin/Ultraman Chuck | Chad Everett | Shinji Ogawa |
| Beth O'Brien/Ultrawoman Beth | Adrienne Barbeau | Hiromi Tsuru |
| Walter Freeman | Stacy Keach, Sr. | Kōhei Miyauchi |
| Susan Rand | Lorna Patterson | Rihoko Yoshida |
| Newsman | David Hall | Unknown |
| Scientist | ||
| General Cooper | Ed Gilbert | Takeshi Aono |
| Old Lady | Adrienne Alexander | Unknown |
| Woman | ||
| Andy | Charley Adler | Kyoko Yamada |
| Samson | Ronald Schell | Hiroshi Ōtake |
| Ulysses | William Callaway | Isamu Tanonaka |
| Cajun | Peter Renaday | Unknown |
| Paramedic | ||
| Clarinetist | Al Fann | |
| Paramedic | ||
| Mark Watkins | Mark Taylor | Kaneto Shiozawa |
| Baldinger/Colonel Bodinger | Allan Lurie | Masaharu Sato |
| Aide | Vince Trankina | Unknown |
| Doctor #2 | ||
| Photographer | ||
| Dr. Philby | Les Tremayne | Yasuo Tanaka |
Additional Voices
- Masato Hirano
- Hiroyuki Satou
- Kōzō Shioya
- Kazumi Tanaka
- Kouji Totani
- Kouji Yada
Staff
- Executive Producer: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, Noboru Tsuburaya
- Producer, Original Story: Noboru Tsuburaya
- Creative Producer for Hanna-Barbera: Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward
- Writer: John Eric Seward
- Supervising Director: Ray Patterson
- Director: Mitsuo Kusakabe
- Creative Design: Iwao Takamoto
- Key Character Design: Floro Dery
- Key Background Supervisor: Al Gmuer
- Character Design: Kazuo Iimura
- Background: Akira Furuya
- Voice Director: Gordon Hunt
- Animation Casting Director: Andrea Romano
- Talent Coordinator: Kris Zimmerman
- Sound Director: Noriyoshi Matsuura
- Editorial Supervisor: Larry C. Cowan, Joe Sandusky
- Film Editor: Naoyuki Masaki
- Music: Shinsuke Kazato
- Ultraman Theme Music: Toshikazu Tokura
- Musical Producer: Hidetoshi Kimura
- Musical Director: Kazuo Kogure
- Executive in Charge of Production: Jayne Barbera
Music
- Opening Theme
- "Sky High Hero"
- Lyrics: Yū Aku
- Composition: Toshikazu Tokura
- Arrangement: Shinsuke Kazato
- Artist: Shinichi Ishihara Feat. Koorogi '73
- Ending Theme
- "Toki no Naka o Hashiri Nukete"
- Lyrics: Yū Aku
- Composition: Toshikazu Tokura
- Arrangement: Shinsuke Kazato
- Artist: Shinichi Ishihara Feat. Koorogi '73
Soundtrack
The music was composed by Shinsuke Kazato and released by Nippon Columbia. The soundtrack was released as a Limited Edition printing of 5,000 copies. Kazato would go on to compose the Soundtrack to Ultraman Great, and both works feature the same main theme.
Home Media
Ultraman: The Adventure Begins was initially released on VHS in April 1989, followed by a LaserDisc release in July 1991.
Due to shared ownership of the rights by two companies, the film remained unavailable on DVD or Blu-ray for a considerable period of time. Besides copyright issues, a major obstacle was the lack of contact with the screenwriter, John Eric Seward, which led to complications in royalty payments.
In April 2018, Tsuburaya Productions placed an advertisement on the "Rights Information Center" page of the Copyright Research and Information Center, seeking contact information for John Eric Seward.[12] After this, an American volunteer expressed willingness to provide relevant information via Twitter. According to this volunteer, "John Eric Seward" was not a single individual's name, but rather a collective pseudonym shared by three to four individuals.[13]
On September 26 of the same year, Bandai Namco Arts officially released the Blu-ray version, digitally remastered from 35mm film to high-definition digital format. This edition marked the first time that both the Japanese and English versions were included.[14][15]
In July 2024, Mill Creek announced plans for a 2025 release of the film as part of an announcement of a screening at G-Fest XXIX.[16]
Gallery
Trivia
- This movie marks the last Ultraman Series production of the Showa era.
- Although it was first produced and premiered during the Showa period, the era had changed to the Heisei period by the time that the movie was available in Japan; hence, Tsuburaya Productions officially recognizes this film as the first "Heisei" Ultraman Series production, as verified in magazines from 2019.
External Links
References
- ↑ https://twitter.com/terebifunhouse/status/1628489815057473538/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 37: Ultraman Zearth / Ultraman USA, pg 20
- ↑ https://www.videojunkie.org/2012/09/the-never-got-made-files-76-79-glut-of.html?zx=b6fe6867ccd265b8
- ↑ https://www.angelfire.com/film/unmadekaiju/ultramanjupiter.html
- ↑ https://donaldfglut.com/ultraman-hero-from-the-stars/
- ↑ https://alexwald-art.blogspot.com/2010/01/monster-attack-team.html
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 37: Ultraman Zearth / Ultraman USA, pg 21
- ↑ https://vantagepointinterviews.com/2018/06/11/i-was-a-teenage-movie-maker-donald-f-glut-on-his-kaiju-related-projects/
- ↑ https://www.angelfire.com/film/unmadekaiju/ultramanhero.html
- ↑ https://tsuburaya-prod.com/news/499
- ↑ https://vxtwitter.com/UltramanConnect/status/1811921198982283516?t=mz47JIHQ4roDswYxghSV1g&s=19
- ↑ https://www.cric.or.jp/c_search/doc/search1803_tsuburaya.pdfShortly
- ↑ http://blog.livedoor.jp/mdgw7/archives/30909766.html
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/ultraman-bd/ultramanusa/index.html
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-4813
- ↑ https://collider.com/ultraman-the-adventure-begins-screenings-g-fest/