Ultraman: The Adventure Begins was an animated movie joint produced by Hanna-Barbera and Tsuburaya Productions in 1987. The movie was titled Ultraman USA (ウルトラマンUSA Urutoraman Yū Esu Ē) for its Japanese release in 1989. The movie was intended as a backdoor pilot for an animated series, but no such series ever emerged. However, the costumes based on the three main heroes (the Ultra Force) were made for use in stage shows in Japan.
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
Others
- Walter Freeman (Voiced by Stacy Keach, Sr.; Kōhei Miyauchi in Japan) - An elderly man in his late 60s who forms the Ultra Team. He explains to the heroes the true cause of their accident and the origins of their powers. His relation to the Ultra-Beings and how he knows about them is never revealed.
- Dr. Susan Rand (Voiced by Lorna Patterson; Rihoko Yoshida in Japan) - A young scientist from the Federation for Extraterrestrial Research (or F.E.R. Labs). He has sympathy towards the Sorkin monsters fought by the Ultra Force. She gets romantically connected with Scott.
Ultras
Robot Trio
- Ulysses
- Samson
- Andy
Sorkin Monsters
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.
Cast
- Michael Lembeck - Scott Masterson
- Chad Everett - Chuck Gavin
- Adrienne Barbeau - Lt. Beth O'Brien
- Stacy Keach, Sr. - Walter Freeman
- Charlie Adler - Andy
- Adrienne Alexander - Old Lady/Woman
- William Callaway - Ulysses
- Al Fann - Clarinetist/Paramedic
- Ed Gilbert - General Cooper
- Robert David Hall - Newsman/Scientist
- Allan Lurie - Baldinger
- Lorna Patterson - Susan Rand
- Peter Renaday - Cajun/Paramedic
- Ronald Schell - Samson
- Mark L. Taylor - Mark Watkins
- Vince Trankina - Aide, Doctor #2, Photographer
- Les Tremayne - Dr. Philby
Staff
- William Hanna - Executive Producer
- Joseph Barbera - Executive Producer
- Noboru Tsuburaya - Executive Producer, Producer, Original Story
- Jeff Segal - Creative Producer for Hanna-Barbera
- Kelly Ward - Creative Producer for Hanna-Barbera
- John Eric Seward - Writer
- Ray Patterson - Supervising Director
- Mitsuo Kusakabe - Director
- Iwao Takamoto- Creative Design
- Floro Dery - Key Character Design
- Al Gmuer - Key Background Supervisor
- Kazuo Iimura - Character Design
- Akira Furuya - Background
- Gordon Hunt - Voice Director
- Andrea Romano - Animation Casting Director
- Kris Zimmerman - Talent Coordinator
- Noriyoshi Matsuura - Sound Director
- Larry C. Cowan - Editorial Supervisor
- Joe Sandusky - Editorial Supervisor
- Naoyuki Masaki - Film Editor
- Shinsuke Kazato - Music
- Toshikazu Tokura - Ultraman Theme Music
- Hidetoshi Kimura - Musical Producer
- Kazuo Kogure - Musical Director
- Jayne Barbera - Executive in Charge of Production
Music
- Opening theme
- Sky High Hero (スカイ・ハイ・ヒーロー)
- Lyrics: Yū Aku
- Composition: Toshikazu Tokura
- Arrangement: Shinsuke Kazato
- Artist: Shinichi Ishihara Feat. Koorogi '73
- Ending theme
- Race Against Time (時の中を走りぬけて Toki no Naka wo Hashirinukete)
- 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.
Gallery
Add a photo to this galleryTrivia
- This movie marks the last Ultra Series production of the Showa era.
- Although it was first produced and premiered during the Showa period, the era had changed to Heisei by the time the movie was available in Japan. Hence, Tsuburaya Productions officially recognizes this film as the first "Heisei" Ultra Series production, as verified in magazines from 2019.
