Ultraman Max (series)

Series	Episodes
Ultraman Max
Ultraman Max is the 19th entry in the Ultra Series
Format:	Tokusatsu, Science fiction
Created by:	Tsuburaya Productions
Starring:	Sota Aoyama, Shusuke Kaneko, Kai Shishido, Hitomi Hasebe, Hikari Mitsushima
Opening Theme:	Ultraman Max
Ending Theme:	NO LIMITED
Country Of Origin	Japan
Number Of Episodes	39 (40 with special)
Running Time	Approx. 24 mins per episode
Original Channel	Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting ABS-CBN (Philippines) TOKU (US)
Original Air Date	July 2, 2005
Preceded by	Ultraman Nexus
Succeeded by	Ultraman Mebius
Watch on Crunchyroll
Watch on Hulu
Watch on TOKU

Ultraman Max (ウルトラマンマックス Urutoraman Makkusu) is the 19th installment in the Ultra Series, and started airing on 2 July 2005. After the darker series Ultraman Nexus, Tsuburaya featured a more traditional formula with weekly monsters and a lighter theme.

Many actors (and characters) from previous shows make cameos, most notably professor Yukari Yoshinaga and chief Kenzo Tomioka, who are played by the actors Hiroko Sakurai (Akiko Fuji) and Susumu Kurobe (Shin Hayata) from the original Ultraman. One episode (#29) revolves around the filming of the 1964 program Ultra Q, the first entry in the Ultra Series. Two actors from that show appear as themselves.

Much like Ultraman: Towards the Future, Max has a strong environmental message: most monster and alien attacks have something to do with the environment.

The tagline is "Strongest! Fastest!! Max Power! Max Speed!!" (最強! 最速!! Max Power! Max Speed!! Saikyō! Saisoku!! Max pawā! Max Speed!!)

On January 27, 2017, the US television channel TOKU announced that the series will be broadcast in the United States on its channel beginning February 27, 2017, making it the fifth Ultra Series to air in the United States after Ultraman, Ultra Seven, Ultraman: Towards the Future, and Ultraman Tiga. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Series overview

Although certain monsters from the previous Ultra Series appear here in this series, the characters do not actually recognize them. This series does not have any direct continuity to any of the other Ultra Series (except episode 24: "The Untargeted Town" which seems to be a sequel to the Ultra Seven series episode 8: "The Targeted Town").

Just like his predecessors, Ultraman Max is from Nebula M78 and is supported by DASH (Defense Action Squad Heroes), a branch of the UDF (United Defense Federation). His human host is Touma Kaito. He bears many resemblances to Ultraseven, such as his armor and his eye-slugger. His superior, Ultraman Xenon, appears in episodes 13 and 39.

Team DASH is stationed in a harbor and their base is called the Base Titan. They have a main airplane called the Dash Mother which releases two other small planes known as Dash Bird 1 and 2. A third plane called the Dash Bird 3 appears in episode 23.

Team DASH also has an android operator, named Elly, who learns a bit about human behavior in some episodes. She also has a small ball shaped robot called Koko which makes a high pitched sound to respond to queries.

This series is notable for it's attack team containing both an android member, and, for the first time, a foreigner. (The latter would carry on to later series such as Ultraman Mebius.)

Characters

DASH (Defense Action Squad Heroes)

Main article: DASH (Defense Action Squad Heroes)

• Captain Shigeru Hijikata: The team leader of DASH.
• Kenjiro Koba: The marksman and sharpshooter of DASH.
• Mizuki Koishikawa: The ace pilot and token female member. She is Kaito/Ultraman Max's love interest.
• Sean White: The team inventor/scientist/joker. He was transported from DASH North America branch.
• Elly: The robot operator (android) of DASH. She learns human behavior and once wished to become a human. She even cried in Episode 16 and in the final episode. During the series she shows a growing interest in Kenjiro Koba, even admitting at a certain point during the series that she likes him. She also has a steam when gets mad.
• Kaito Touma/Ultraman Max: The team's latest recruit. After he lost his parents during an earthquake while he was traveling, he resolved to do his best to protect others, so that no one would experience the loss he did. In order to do this he tried joining DASH, but failed the test the first time. He was saved by Ultraman Max from a certain death and was given the Max Spark, so that he could transform whenever needs arose.

Supporting characters

• Chief Kenzo Tomioka: A UDF general, the supervisor of DASH.
• Professor Yukari Yoshinaga.
• Ultraman Xenon (ウルトラマンゼノン Urutoraman Zenon): He appears once to help Ultraman Max when he is in danger and is also the one that gives Ultraman Max the Max Galaxy. He also appeared in episode 39 to wait for Ultraman Max to leave after Ultraman Max defeats Giga Berserkes.

Super Battle Special

After the broadcast of Ultraman Max, an eight minute special was released on DVD. This special was a five minute clip show giving a review of Ultraman Max's backstory and primary attacks up until Ultraman Xenon gives him the Max Galaxy. After the clip show, the monster Red King attacks Max with Zetton shortly joining in. The special ends with Max defeating both of them.

Cast

• Kaito Touma (トウマ・カイト Tōma Kaito): Sōta Aoyama (青山 草太 Aoyama Sōta)
• Shigeru Hijikata (ヒジカタ・シゲル Hijikata Shigeru): Kai Shishido (宍戸 開 Shishido Kai)
• Mizuki Koishikawa (コイシカワ・ミズキ Koishikawa Mizuki): Hitomi Hasebe (長谷部 瞳 Hasebe Hitomi)
• Kenjiro Koba (コバ・ケンジロウ Koba Kenjirō): Nobuyuki Ogawa (小川 信行 Ogawa Nobuyuki)
• Sean White (ショーン・ホワイト Shōn Howaito): Sean Nichols (ショーン・ニコルス Shōn Nikorusu)
• Elly (エリー Erī): Hikari Mitsushima (満島 ひかり Mitsushima Hikari)
• Kenzo Tomioka (トミオカ・ケンゾウ Tomioka Kenzō): Susumu Kurobe (黒部 進 Kurobe Susumu)
• Yukari Yoshinaga (ヨシナガ・ユカリ Yoshinaga Yukari): Hiroko Sakurai (桜井 浩子 Sakurai Hiroko)
• Ultraman Max (voice) (ウルトラマンマックス（声） Urutoraman Makkusu (koe)): Kazuya Nakai (中井 和哉 Nakai Kazuya)
• Narration (ナレーション Narēshon): Shirō Sano (佐野 史郎 Sano Shirō)

Songs

Opening theme

• "Ultraman Max" (ウルトラマンマックス Urutoraman Makkusu)
  • Lyrics: Neko Oikawa (及川 眠子 Oikawa Neko)
  • Composition & Arrangement: Yasuharu Takanashi (高梨 康治 Takanashi Yasuharu)
  • Artist: TEAM DASH with Project DMM

Ending theme: "NO LIMITED"

Fight theme: "DASH Alpha"

2017 English Dub

On January 27, 2017, the television channel TOKU announced that the series will be broadcast in the United States on its channel beginning February 27, 2017.^[5] Days later, it is confirmed that the series will be dubbed in English. ^[6] The series was broadcast Monday through Friday at 7pm ET with replays every day during the morning or afternoon and was finalized on March 24, 2017.

Other Media

Cameo

• Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends The Movie (2009), Max along with Xenon help the M78 Ultra Warriors to fight against the evil Ultraman Belial.

DVD Releases

Ultraman Max complete season

Volume 1, features episodes 1-2

Volume 2, features episodes 3-6

Volume 3, features episodes 7-10

Volume 4, features episodes 11-14

Volume 5, features episodes 15-18

Volume 6, features episodes 19-22

Volume 7, features episodes 23-26

Volume 8, features episodes 27-30

Volume 9, features episodes 31-34

Volume 10, features episodes 35-39

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Trivia

• Max's opening credits, the hero and some kaiju silhouetted on moving multicolored lights, are a tribute to Ultraman 80, which used a similar opening.
• Multiple Showa actors, including Ryu Manatsu and Kohji Moritsugu make cameos in episodes.
• In one episode the scene where Kaito and an alien were having a conversation about the alien's past with ancient Earth shows a village. This is the same village from Ultraman Tiga Gaiden: Revival of the Ancient Giant, the footage had just been updated and a few new scenes were added.
• This series along with Ultraman X The Movie: Here Comes! Our Ultraman and Ultraman Ginga S The Movie: Showdown! The 10 Ultra Warriors! were dubbed in English, marking the first time an Ultraman related movie or series was dubbed since the Ultraman Tiga 4Kids Dubbing.

References

External links

• Watch on Crunchyroll
• Official site