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Ultraman Taro 
Summary
Ultraman Taro (ウルトラマンT(タロウ), Urutoraman Tarō) is the sixth show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 6, 1973, to April 5, 1974, with a total of 53 episodes.[1]
| Ultraman Taro | |
|---|---|
 Logo | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Tsuburaya Productions |
| Developed by | Shigemitsu Taguchi |
| Directed by | Eizō Yamagiwa |
| Starring |
|
| Composer | Masanobu Higurashi |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| No. of episodes | 53 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 24 minutes (per episode) |
| Original release | |
| Network | TBS |
| Release | April 6, 1973 – April 5, 1974 |
| Related | |
Plot edit
Kotaro Higashi is a wanderer who joined ZAT during his return to Japan, but his aircraft crashed and he died from severe burns while fighting Astromons.[2] The Five Ultra Brothers brought Kotaro's body to their home world of Nebula M-78 as Mother of Ultra warped him with the Brothers' own light, turning Kōtarō into Ultraman Taro, who would now form the Six Ultra Brothers.[2] Kotaro was taken back to Earth and defeated the aforementioned monster as his first opponent.[3][2] Many foes were found that would threaten the Earth, but Taro and ZAT defeated them time and time again with occasional help from the other five Ultra Brothers and from the weaklings of monsters only Taro could defeat. During Taro's era, Birdon killed him and Zoffy but Taro was revived and killed the bird monster. After Samkujira's death, Kotaro declared his intention to continue as a human and returned the Ultra Badge back to the Mother of Ultra. Valky would return to hunt the now-human Kotaro but the latter used his own skills and quick thinking to kill the alien by luring him to an oil refinery. The series ended with ZAT bidding farewell to Kotaro as he left for parts unknown.
In the original series, Ultraman Taro was meant to be Kotaro's transformed form (while the Ultra Brothers and Mother and Father of Ultra were regarded as his non-blood family members), which explained his absence in Ultraman Leo.[3] The Ultraman Story movie in 1984 would retcon this into providing a story of Taro being raised on the Land of Light, with Mother and Father of Ultra being his biological parents and his training was shown before he left for Earth.
Episodes edit
| Nº | Title | Director | Writer | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Mother of Ultra Is Like the Sun" Transliteration: "Urutora no Haha wa Taiyō no Yō ni" (Japanese: ウルトラの母は太陽のように) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | April 6, 1972 |
| 2 | "That Moment, Mother of Ultra..." Transliteration: "Sono Toki Urutora no Haha wa" (Japanese: その時 ウルトラの母は) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | April 13, 1972 |
| 3 | "Mother of Ultra Now and Forever" Transliteration: "Urutora no Haha wa Itsu made mo" (Japanese: ウルトラの母はいつまでも) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | April 20, 1972 |
| 4 | "Giant Sea Turtle Monsters Attack Tokyo!" Transliteration: "Ōumigame Kaijū Tōkyō o Osō!" (Japanese: 大海亀怪獣 東京を襲う！) | Yasuo Yoshino | Shōzō Uehara | April 27, 1973 |
| 5 | "Parent Star, Child Star, First Star" Transliteration: "Oyaboshi Koboshi Ichibanboshi" (Japanese: 親星子星一番星) | Yasuo Yoshino | Shōzō Uehara | May 4, 1973 |
| 6 | "Jewels Are a Monster's Meal" Transliteration: "Hōseki wa Kaijū no Esa da!" (Japanese: 宝石は怪獣の餌だ！) | Masanori Kakehi | Shigemitsu Taguchi | May 11, 1973 |
| 7 | "Heaven and Hell, the Island Moves!" Transliteration: "Tengoku to Jigoku Shima ga Ugoita!" (Japanese: 天国と地獄 島が動いた！) | Masanori Kakehi | Toshirō Ishidō | May 18, 1973 |
| 8 | "The Spirit of the Man-Eating Marsh" Transliteration: "Hitokui Numa no Hitodama" (Japanese: 人喰い沼の人魂) | Makoto Okamura | Shigemitsu Taguchi | May 25, 1973 |
| 9 | "The Day Tokyo Crumbles" Transliteration: "Tōkyō no Kuzureru Hi" (Japanese: 東京の崩れる日) | Makoto Okamura | Toshirō Ishidō | June 1, 1973 |
| 10 | "The Tusk Cross Is the Monster's Grave!" Transliteration: "Kiba no Jūjika wa Kaijū no Hakaba da!" (Japanese: 牙の十字架は怪獣の墓場だ！) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Airaku Kido | June 8, 1973 |
| 11 | "The Vampire Flower Is a Girl's Spirit" Transliteration: "Chi o Sū Hana wa Shōjo no Sei" (Japanese: 血を吸う花は少女の精) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Airaku Kido | June 15, 1973 |
| 12 | "Monster's Solo Journey" Transliteration: "Kaijū Hitori Tabi" (Japanese: 怪獣ひとり旅) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | June 22, 1973 |
| 13 | "The Monster's Cavity Aches!" Transliteration: "Kaijū wa Mushiba ga Itai!" (Japanese: 怪獣の虫歯が痛い！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | June 29, 1973 |
| 14 | "Taro's Head Flew Off!" Transliteration: "Tarō no Kubi ga Suttonda!" (Japanese: タロウの首がすっ飛んだ！) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Toshirō Ishidō | July 6, 1973 |
| 15 | "The Girl of the Will-o'-Wisp" Transliteration: "Aoi Kitsunebi no Shōjo" (Japanese: 青い狐火の少女) | Masanori Kakehi | Masao Saitō | July 13, 1973 |
| 16 | "The Monster's Flute Sings" Transliteration: "Kaijū no Fue ga Naru" (Japanese: 怪獣の笛がなる) | Masanori Kakehi | Shigemitsu Taguchi | July 20, 1973 |
| 17 | "Two Giant Monsters Close in on Taro!" Transliteration: "Ni Dai Kaijū Tarō ni Semaru!" (Japanese: 2大怪獣タロウに迫る！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | July 27, 1973 |
| 18 | "Zoffy Died! Taro Died Too!" Transliteration: "Zofi ga Shinda! Tarō mo Shinda!" (Japanese: ゾフィが死んだ！タロウも死んだ！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | August 3, 1973 |
| 19 | "Mother of Ultra, Miracle of Love!" Transliteration: "Urutora no Haha Ai no Kiseki!" (Japanese: ウルトラの母 愛の奇跡！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | August 10, 1973 |
| 20 | "Surprise! A Monster Fell from the Sky" Transliteration: "Bikkuri! Kaijū ga Futtekita" (Japanese: びっくり！怪獣が降ってきた) | Masataka Yamamoto | Toshirō Ishidō | August 17, 1973 |
| 21 | "The Sinking of Tokyo New Town" Transliteration: "Tōkyō Nyū Taun Chinbotsu" (Japanese: 東京ニュータウン沈没) | Masataka Yamamoto | Shigemitsu Taguchi | August 24, 1973 |
| 22 | "Wrath of the Monster with Cub!" Transliteration: "Kozure Kaijū no Ikari!" (Japanese: 子連れ怪獣の怒り！) | Masanori Kakehi | Kiyoshi Ōhara | August 31, 1973 |
| 23 | "The Gentle Monster Father!" Transliteration: "Yasashii Kaijū Otōsan!" (Japanese: やさしい怪獣お父さん！) | Masanori Kakehi | Toshirō Ishidō | September 7, 1973 |
| 24 | "This Is the Land of Ultra!" Transliteration: "Kore ga Urutora no Kuni da!" (Japanese: これがウルトラの国だ！) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | September 14, 1973 |
| 25 | "Burn! The 6 Ultra Brothers!" Transliteration: "Moero! Urutora Roku Kyōdai" (Japanese: 燃えろ！ウルトラ6兄弟) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | September 21, 1973 |
| 26 | "I Can Beat a Monster Too!" Transliteration: "Boku ni mo Kaijū wa Taiji Dekiru!" (Japanese: 僕にも怪獣は退治できる！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Bunpei Ai | September 28, 1973 |
| 27 | "Here He Is! Alien Mefilas!" Transliteration: "Deta! Mefirasu Seijin da!" (Japanese: 出た！メフィラス星人だ！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Kiyoshi Ōhara | October 5, 1973 |
| 28 | "Monster Eleking Barks at the Full Moon!" Transliteration: "Kaijū Erekingu Mangetsu ni Hoeru!" (Japanese: 怪獣エレキング 満月に吼える！) | Masaru Takahashi | Toshirō Ishidō | October 12, 1973 |
| 29 | "Bemstar Revives! Taro's in a Desperate Pinch!" Transliteration: "Bemusutā Fukkatsu! Tarō Zettaizetsumei!" (Japanese: ベムスター復活！タロウ絶体絶命！) | Masataka Yamamoto | Shigemitsu Taguchi | October 19, 1973 |
| 30 | "Revenge of the Monster Army!" Transliteration: "Gyakushū! Kaijū Gundan" (Japanese: 逆襲！怪獣軍団) | Masataka Yamamoto | Shigemitsu Taguchi | October 26, 1973 |
| 31 | "Watch Out! The Lying Poison Mushroom" Transliteration: "Abunai Usotsuki Dokukinoko" (Japanese: あぶない！嘘つき毒きのこ) | Masanori Kakehi | Kiyohide Ōhara | November 2, 1973 |
| 32 | "Wintry Wind Monster! Matasaburo of the Wind" Transliteration: "Kogarashi Kaijū! Kaze no Matasaburō" (Japanese: 木枯し怪獣！風の又三郎) | Masanori Kakehi | Bunpei Ai | November 9, 1973 |
| 33 | "Five Seconds Before the Great Explosion of the Land of Ultra!" Transliteration: "Urutora no Kuni Dai Bakuhatsu Go-byō-mae!" (Japanese: ウルトラの国 大爆発5秒前！) | Tadashi Mafune | Mamoru Sasaki | November 16, 1973 |
| 34 | "The Last Day of the 6 Ultra Brothers!" Transliteration: "Urutora Roku Kyōdai Saigo no Hi!" (Japanese: ウルトラ6兄弟最後の日！) | Tadashi Mafune | Mamoru Sasaki | November 23, 1973 |
| 35 | "Fatal Attack! Taro's Strike of Anger!" Transliteration: "Hissatsu! Tarō Ikari no Ichigeki!" (Japanese: 必殺！タロウ怒りの一撃！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | November 30, 1973 |
| 36 | "You Swine! The Bride Cried" Transliteration: "Hikyōmono! Hanayome wa Naita" (Japanese: ひきょうもの！花嫁は泣いた) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Bunpei Ai | December 7, 1973 |
| 37 | "Monster, Return to Your Homeland!" Transliteration: "Kaijū yo Furusato e Kaere!" (Japanese: 怪獣よ 故郷へ帰れ！) | Masanori Kakehi | Toshirō Ishidō | December 14, 1973 |
| 38 | "The Ultra Christmas Tree" Transliteration: "Urutora no Kurisumasu Tsurī" (Japanese: ウルトラのクリスマスツリー) | Masanori Kakehi | Shigemitsu Taguchi | December 21, 1973 |
| 39 | "The Ultraman Father-and-Son's Grand Mochi Making Plan!" Transliteration: "Urutora Oyako Mochitsuki Dai Dakusen!" (Japanese: ウルトラ父子餅つき大作戦！) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Toshirō Ishidō | December 28, 1973 |
| 40 | "Surpass the Ultra Brothers!" Transliteration: "Urutora Kyōdai o Koeteyuke!" (Japanese: ウルトラ兄弟を超えてゆけ！) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Shigemitsu Taguchi | January 4, 1974 |
| 41 | "The Mother's Wish, a Midwinter's Sakura Blizzard!" Transliteration: "Haha no Negai Mafuyu no Sakura Fubuki!" (Japanese: 母の願い 真冬の桜吹雪！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Bunpei Ai | January 11, 1974 |
| 42 | "The Phantom Mother Is a Monster Tamer!" Transliteration: "Maboroshi no Haha wa Kaijū Tsukai!" (Japanese: 幻の母は怪獣使い！) | Kiyozumi Fukazawa | Kiyohide Ōhara | January 18, 1974 |
| 43 | "Pickle the Monster in Salt!" Transliteration: "Kaijū o Shiozuke ni Shiro!" (Japanese: 怪獣を塩漬にしろ！) | Tadashi Mafune | Bunpei Ai | January 25, 1974 |
| 44 | "Oh! Taro's Going to Be Eaten!" Transliteration: "A! Tarō ga Taberareru!" (Japanese: あっ！タロウが食べられる！) | Tadashi Mafune | Shigemitsu Taguchi | February 1, 1974 |
| 45 | "From a Japanese Nursery Song: She Wore Red Shoes..." Transliteration: "Nihon no Dōyō kara Akai Kutsu Haiteta..." (Japanese: 日本の童謡から 赤い靴はいてた…) | Masanori Kakehi | Bunpei Ai | February 8, 1974 |
| 46 | "From a Japanese Nursery Song: The White Rabbit Is a Bad Guy!" Transliteration: "Nihon no Dōyō kara Shiroi Usagi wa Warui Yatsu!" (Japanese: 日本の童謡から 白い兎は悪い奴！) | Masanori Kakehi | Toshirō Ishidō | February 15, 1974 |
| 47 | "From a Japanese Nursery Song: Monster General" Transliteration: "Nihon no Dōyō kara Kaijū Taishō" (Japanese: 日本の童謡から 怪獣大将) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Bunpei Ai | February 22, 1974 |
| 48 | "From a Japanese Nursery Song: Monster Doll Festival" Transliteration: "Nihon no Dōyō kara Kaijū Hinamatsuri" (Japanese: 日本の童謡から 怪獣ひなまつり) | Eizō Yamagiwa | Bunpei Ai | March 1, 1974 |
| 49 | "Sing! Monster Big Match" Transliteration: "Utae! Kaijū Biggu Matchi" (Japanese: 歌え！怪獣ビッグマッチ) | Isao Maeda | Toshirō Ishidō | March 8, 1974 |
| 50 | "The Monster Sign Is V" Transliteration: "Kaijū Sain wa Bui" (Japanese: 怪獣サインはV) | Isao Maeda | Bunpei Ai | March 15, 1974 |
| 51 | "Father of Ultra and the Bride Have Come!" Transliteration: "Urutora no Chichi to Hanayome ga Kita!" (Japanese: ウルトラの父と花嫁が来た！) | Masanori Kakehi | Bunpei Ai | March 22, 1974 |
| 52 | "Steal the Life of Ultra!" Transliteration: "Urutora no Inochi o Nusume!" (Japanese: ウルトラの命を盗め！) | Masanori Kakehi | Toshirō Ishidō | March 29, 1974 |
| 53 | "Farewell, Taro and Mother of Ultra!" Transliteration: "Saraba Tarō yo! Urutora no Haha yo!" (Japanese: さらばタロウよ！ウルトラの母よ！) | Masanori Kakehi | Shigemitsu Taguchi | April 5, 1974 |
Cast edit
- Kotaro Higashi (東 光太郎, Higashi Kōtarō): Saburō Shinoda (篠田 三郎, Shinoda Saburō)[3][4]
- Yūtarō Asahina (朝日奈 勇太郎, Asahina Yūtarō, 1-8, 10, 35, 51, 53): Akira Nagoya (名古屋 章, Nagoya Akira)[3][4]
- Shūhei Aragaki (荒垣 修平, Aragaki Shūhei, 1-34, 36-50): Takahiko Tōno (東野 孝彦, Tōno Takahiko)[3][4]
- Tadao Nanbara (南原 忠男, Nanbara Tadao): Toyoyuki Kimura (木村 豊幸, Kimura Toyoyuki)[3][4]
- Jirō Nishida (西田 次郎, Nishida Jirō): Kiyotaka Mitsugi (三ツ木 清隆, Mitsugi Kiyotaka)[3][4]
- Izumi Moriyama (森山 いずみ, Moriyama Izumi): Kiyoko Matsuya (松谷 紀代子, Matsuya Kiyoko)[3][4]
- Lady in Green (緑のおばさん, Midori no Obasan)/Mother of Ultra (ウルトラの母, Urutora no Haha, Voice): Peggy Hayama (ペギー 葉山, Pegī Hayama)[3][4]
- Tetsuya Kitajima (北島 哲也, Kitajima Tetsuya): Hidesuke Tsumura (津村 秀祐, Tsumura Hidesuke)[3]
- Takashi Ueno (上野 孝, Ueno Takashi, 8-30, 33-35): Akihiko Nishijima (西島 明彦, Nishijima Akihiko)[3]
- Kazumi Nitani (二谷 一美, Nitani Kazumi): Noboru Mitani (三谷 昇, Mitani Noboru)[3]
- Saori Shiratori (白鳥 さおり, Shiratori Saori): Mayumi Asaka (あさか まゆみ, Asaka Mayumi, 1-16), Keiko Ono (小野 恵子, Ono Keiko, 20-53)[3]
- Kenichi Shiratori (白鳥 健一, Shiratori Ken'ichi): Shinya Saitō (斎藤 信也, Saitō Shin'ya)[3]
- Narrator: Tetsurō Sagawa (瑳川 哲朗, Sagawa Tetsurō, 1-50, 53 preview), Akira Nagoya (51-53)[3]
Songs edit
- Opening theme
- "Ultraman Taro" (ウルトラマンタロウ, Urutoraman Tarō)
- Lyrics: Yū Aku (阿久 悠, Aku Yū)
- Composition and arrangement: Makoto Kawaguchi (川口 真, Kawaguchi Makoto)
- Artist: Tarō Takemura (武村 太郎, Takemura Tarō), Mizuumi Boys & Girls Chorus (少年少女合唱団みずうみ, Shōnen Shōjo Gasshōdan Mizuumi)
- Insert themes
- "Ultra Roku Kyōdai" (ウルトラ六兄弟, Urutora Roku Kyōdai, lit. "The 6 Ultra Brothers")
- Lyrics: Yū Aku
- Composition & Arrangement: Makoto Kawaguchi
- Artist: Tarō Takemura, Mizuumi Boys and Girls Choir
- Episodes 18, 25, 33 and 34
- "Ultra no Haha no Ballad" (ウルトラの母のバラード, Urutora no Haha no Barādo, lit. "Ballad of Mother of Ultra")
- Lyrics: Shigemitsu Taguchi (田口 成光, Taguchi Shigemitsu)
- Composition & Arrangement: Tōru Fuyuki (冬木 透, Fuyuki Tōru)
- Artist: Toshiko Fujita (藤田 淑子, Fujita Toshiko)
- Episodes: 38 and 53
Other appearances edit
Home media edit
In July 2019, Mill Creek Entertainment announced that it had acquired most of the Ultraman library from Tsuburaya Productions through Indigo Entertainment, including 1,100 TV episodes and 20 films.[5] The series was released on Blu-ray and digital on January 12, 2021, in standard and steelbook sets.[6]
In July 2020, Shout! Factory announced to have struck a multi-year deal with Alliance Entertainment and Mill Creek, with the blessings of Tsuburaya and Indigo, that granted them the exclusive SVOD and AVOD digital rights to the Ultra series and films (1,100 TV episodes and 20 films) acquired by Mill Creek the previous year. Ultraman Taro, amongst other titles, will stream in the United States and Canada through Shout! Factory TV and Tokushoutsu.[7]
References edit
- ^ "デジタル大辞泉プラス「ウルトラマンタロウ」の解説". kotobank. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- ^ a b c "ウルトラマンタロウ". ファミリー劇場. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "ウルトラマンタロウ Blu-ray Box（特装限定版）" (in Japanese). Bandai Visual. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "HDリマスター「ウルトラマンタロウ Blu-ray BOX」堂々の発売決定！" (in Japanese). m-78.jp. 2017-07-18. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
- ^ "Exclusive – Mill Creek Entertainment Acquires the Ultraman Library For Physical and Digital Home Entertainment Distribution Across North America". SciFi Japan. July 10, 2019. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ "Mill Creek Entertainment To Drop Ultraman Taro SteelBook And Standard Blu-ray Release January 12, 2021!". SciFi Japan. October 22, 2020. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Patrick Frater (July 10, 2020). "Shout! Factory Strikes 'Ultraman' Digital Distribution Deal With Mill Creek". Variety. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
External links edit
- Ultraman Taro at IMDb
- Official website of Tsuburaya Productions (in English)
- Ultraman Connection — Official website (in English)
- Official Ultraman channel at YouTube
