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Ultraman
The , also known as ''Ultraman'', is a Japanese science fiction media franchise owned and produced by Tsuburaya Productions, which began with the television series '' Ultra Q'' in 1966. The franchise has expanded into many television shows, films, comic books, and other media publications, becoming one of the most prominent productions in the Japanese ''tokusatsu'' and ''kaiju'' genres and pioneering the ''Kyodai'' Hero subgenre. The ''Ultraman'' series is centered on a fictional alien race of superheroes who often combat ''kaiju'' or other aliens. In Japan, the Ultraman brand generated $7.4 billion US dollars in merchandising revenue from 1966 to 1987. This makes it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. Ultraman was the world's third top-selling licensed character in the 1980s, largely due to his popularity in Asia. References to Ultraman are abundant in Japanese popular culture, much like references to Superman in Western culture. The Ultras The fra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ultraman (1966 TV Series)
is a Japanese ''tokusatsu'' science fiction television series created by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, it is a follow-up to '' Ultra Q'', though not technically a sequel or spin-off. Tsuburaya Productions produced 39 episodes (40, counting the pre-premiere special) that aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) and its affiliate stations from July 17, 1966, to April 9, 1967. Its premiere topped the average rating set by ''Ultra Q'' and kept climbing each week, marking the show as a success. It was also the first Japanese television series to use a bidding system for commercial rights, allowing multiple third-party companies to sponsor the show. This was following TBS's merchandising troubles with its predecessor. Although ''Ultraman'' is the first series to feature an Ultraman character, it is the second installment in the Ultra Series, following ''Ultra Q''. This is symbolised by the Japanese show opening with the ''Ultra Q'' logo exploding into the ''Ultra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eiji Tsuburaya
was a Japanese special effects director, filmmaker, and cinematographer. A co-creator of the ''Godzilla (franchise), Godzilla'' and ''Ultraman'' franchises, he is considered one of the most important and influential figures in the history of cinema. Tsuburaya is known as the having pioneered Japan's special effects industry and introduced several technological developments in film productions. In a career spanning five decades, Tsuburaya worked on approximately Eiji Tsuburaya filmography, 250 films—including globally renowned features directed by Ishirō Honda, Hiroshi Inagaki, and Akira Kurosawa—and earned six Japan Technical Awards. Following a brief stint as an inventor, Tsuburaya was employed by Japanese cinema pioneer Yoshirō Edamasa in 1919 and began his career working as an assistant cinematographer on Edamasa's ''A Tune of Pity''. Thereafter, he worked as an assistant cinematographer on several films, including Teinosuke Kinugasa's ''A Page of Madness'' (1926). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kaiju
is a Japanese term that is commonly associated with media involving giant monsters. Its widespread contemporary use is credited to ''tokusatsu'' (special effects) director Eiji Tsuburaya and filmmaker Ishirō Honda, who popularized the ''kaiju'' film genre by creating the ''Godzilla (franchise), Godzilla'' franchise and its spin-offs. The term can also refer to the monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and battling either the military or other creatures. ''Godzilla (1954 film), Godzilla'' (1954) is often regarded as the first ''kaiju'' movie. When developing it, Honda and Tsuburaya drew inspiration from the character of King Kong, both in its influential King Kong (1933 film), 1933 film and in the conception of a giant monster, establishing it as a pivotal precursor in the evolution of the genre.King Kong’s influence on the giant monster genre: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * During their formative years, ''kaiju'' movies were generall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term for live-action films or television programs that make heavy use of practical special effects. Credited to special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya, ''tokusatsu'' mainly refers to science fiction film, science fiction, War film, war, fantasy film, fantasy, or Horror film, horror media featuring such technology but is also occasionally dubbed a genre itself. Its contemporary use originated in the Mass media in Japan, Japanese mass media around 1958 to explain special effects in an easy-to-understand manner and was popularized during the ":ja:第一次怪獣ブーム, first monster boom" (1966–1968). Prior to the monster boom, it was known in Japan as or shortened . Subgenres of include ''kaiju'' such as the ''Godzilla (film series), Godzilla'' and ''Gamera'' series; superhero such as the ''Kamen Rider Series, Kamen Rider'' and ''Metal Hero Series, Metal Hero'' series; Kyodai Hero, ''Kyodai'' Hero like ''Ultra Series, Ultraman, and Gridman the Hyper Agent, D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ultra Q
is a 1966 Japanese ''tokusatsu'' ''kaiju'' television series created by Eiji Tsuburaya, first broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) on January 2, 1966 and having its twenty-eighth and final episode aired on December 14, 1967. This series was the first entry in Tsuburaya Productions long-running ''Ultraman'' franchise, whose eponymous character would be introduced in the following and more popular series, ''Ultraman'' (1966). ''Ultra Q'' can be described as a half-hour Toho kaiju series. Executive producer Eiji Tsuburaya intended this series to be more like the American television series ''The Twilight Zone'' and ''The Outer Limits'', featuring a variety of strange and unusual stories. After a survey, the TBS network convinced Tsuburaya Productions to add more giant monsters, as children were intensely interested in them, since Gojira and Gamera were sensational characters during the period. Some commentators have described a "Kaiju Boom" which began after ''Ultra Qs succ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kyodai Hero
is a television subgenre in ''tokusatsu'' that involves Japanese superheroes or robots either with the ability to grow to immense heights to fight kaiju, giant monsters or who are originally giant as a part of their lives. The Kyodai Hero is the mainstream superhero genre that is widely popular in Japan. One of the earliest and most famous Kyodai heroes is Ultraman (character), Ultraman who made his debut in 1966. Since then, Ultraman has helped spawn the Kyodai hero genre with countless shows, franchises and films such as ''Ike! Godman, Go! Godman'' and ''Iron King''. 1960s The inception of the Kyodai hero genre initially began with Godzilla in the film ''Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster''. Godzilla is portrayed as a personified natural disaster at first but over the course of the film franchise's many monster battles, he is gradually put into the position of protector of the human race, a key Trope (literature), trope of the Kyodai Hero genre. Though Godzilla established the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tohl Narita
was a Japanese visual artist. He is best known for creating the characters and mechanics for the television programs in the ''Ultra'' series: ''Ultra Q'', ''Ultraman'', and ''Ultraseven''. Biography Childhood and education (1929–1954) Narita was born on September 3, 1929, in Kobe City, Hyōgo, Japan. His family moved to Aomori shortly after his birth. When he was eight months old, Narita suffered a burn on his left hand after grabbing charcoal from the hearth in his abode; his hand didn't heal even after having many surgeries. Narita began school in April 1936, at Aomori Municipal Furukawa Elementary School. At eight years old, his family moved to Ōshō Village, Muko District, Hyōgo (presently Amagasaki), and was transferred to Ritsudai Sho Jinjo Elementary School (presently Amagasaki Municipal Osho Elementary School). Due to the school's separation, Narita completed the fourth grade at Ritsudai Sho Jinjo Second Elementary School (presently Amagasaki Nishi Elementar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kazuho Mitsuta
, also known by the name , is a Japanese film and television director and producer. He is one of several people who have been given credit for creating Ultraman. Career After working as an assistant director at TBS, he joined Tsuburaya Productions in 1964. His first directed work was the 21 episode of '' Ultra Q'', "Space Directive M774". He has directed and produced many works of Tsuburaya Productions including the original Ultraman series. In ''Ultraseven'', he was selected for the final production. In addition, he also showed his musical and acoustic skills by effectively using the insert song "ULTRASEVEN" and the candidate song for the theme song (commonly known as "Ultra Seven Song Part II") that was rejected, and by performing the announcement of "Fourth Gate, Open!" that resonates in the base in the launching scene of Ultra Hawk 1. Filmography Director * '' Ultra Q'' (1966) * '' Kaiju Booska'' (1966) * ''Ultraman'' (1966) * ''Ultraseven'' (1967) * '' Operation: ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ultra Galaxy
is the first season of its series that is the 23rd entry in the Tsuburaya's long-running Ultra Series. It is an adaption of the video game ''Mega Kaiju Battle: Ultra Monsters''. The show first aired on December 1, 2007 and concluded on February 23, 2008. On December 20, 2008, the second season titled premiered. ''Ultra Galaxy'' was the first Ultra Series to be shown as a pay-per-view service. On July 25, 2017, Toku announced that the series (along with its second season) would air in the United States on its channel with English subtitles beginning August 31, 2017. Plot 50 years after the extinction of monsters, humanity had finally advanced to outer space. The crews of Space Pendragon were tasked to investigate Planet Boris after communications on that planet were mysteriously halted. Arriving on the planet, the crew was astonished to find it inhabited by monsters, with every nearby city destroyed. While forced to wait for reinforcements, the crew must solve the mystery of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tsuburaya Productions
also abbreviated as is a Japanese special effects studio founded in 1963 by special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya and was run by his family, until October 2007, when the family sold the company to advertising agency TYO Inc. The studio is best known for producing the ''Ultra Series''. Since 2007, the head office has been located in Hachimanyama, Setagaya, Tokyo.The Official Tsuburaya Productions English Webpage company profile History 
First established by Japanese special effects (''tokusatsu'') pioneer Eiji Tsuburaya in 1963, it was responsible for the creation of such cl ...
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List Of Highest-grossing Media Franchises
This is a list of media franchises that have grossed more than $2 billion. List See also * List of best-selling comic series ** List of best-selling manga ** List of best-selling light novels * List of best-selling video game franchises * Lists of multimedia franchises * Lists of highest-grossing films ** List of best-selling films in the United States ** List of films by box office admissions ** List of highest-grossing films ** List of highest-grossing animated films ** List of highest-grossing Japanese films ** List of highest-grossing non-English films Notes References {{DEFAULTSORT:Highest-grossing media franchises Mass media industry Lists of media franchises Economy-related lists of superlatives ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Popular Culture
Japanese popular culture includes Cinema of Japan, Japanese cinema, Japanese cuisine, cuisine, Television in Japan, television programs, anime, manga, Video gaming in Japan, video games, Music of Japan, music, and doujinshi, all of which retain older artistic and literary traditions; many of their themes and styles of presentation can be traced to traditional art forms. Contemporary forms of popular culture, much like the traditional forms, are not only forms of entertainment but also factors that distinguish contemporary Japan from the rest of the modern world. There is a large industry of music, films, and the products of a huge comic book industry, among other forms of entertainment. Game centers, bowling alleys, and karaoke parlors are well-known hangout places for teens while older people may play ''shogi'' or ''Go (board game), go'' in specialized parlors. Since the end of the Occupation of Japan, US occupation of Japan in 1952, Japanese popular culture has been influenced by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
