It has finally been announced that the latest installment in the Ultraman series, "Ultraman Blazer," will begin airing on July 8th. The previous two works, Ultraman Trigger and Ultraman Decker, were reminiscent of Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna from the Heisei Ultraman trilogy. I was excited to see what this latest installment would be like until the information ban was lifted, and it looks like Ultraman Blazer will be a work with a new worldview. Details about the show are gradually being revealed, so here we would like to summarize the production staff and production company. Be sure to check it out before watching the new installment.
The production company is Tsuburaya Productions
Tsuburaya Productions, which has produced not only the Ultra Series but also many other special effects works, is probably well-known not only among special effects fans but also to many others. The founder of Tsuburaya Productions was Eiji Tsuburaya, known as the "God of Special Effects." I would like to briefly introduce Mr. Tsuburaya and Tsuburaya Productions, the creator of the Ultra Series.
A Pioneer in Japanese Special Effects
Known as the "God of Special Effects," Eiji Tsuburaya is a pioneer who developed Japan's unique special effects technology and brought global recognition to Japanese special effects works. Hideaki Anno, director of Shin Ultraman, even goes so far as to say that Eiji Tsuburaya (special effects director) is the de facto originator. He worked as a special effects technician on "Godzilla," Japan's first full-scale special effects monster movie, produced in 1954. The film was a huge hit and the first Japanese film to be released in the US. The following year, "Godzilla Raids Again" was produced, and he was given the title of "Special Effects Director," the world's first.
Establishing Tsuburaya Productions
In 1963, Director Tsuburaya terminated his exclusive contract with Toho and established "Tsuburaya Special Effects Productions Co., Ltd." based on the Tsuburaya Special Effects Laboratory, which he had founded, and became its president. This became a foothold for Director Tsuburaya, who aimed for greater freedom in his work and a foray into the television industry, and led to the subsequent Ultraman series.
The First Monster Boom
After founding Tsuburaya Productions, he began planning a TV series. Then, in 1966, "Ultra Q" and "Ultraman" were broadcast as part of the "fantasy special effects series." Ultraman became a huge hit, with viewership ratings reaching the high 30% range from episode 8 onward. Numerous monster special effects works followed, sparking the "first monster boom."
Second Monster Boom
Around the time Ultra Seven aired, the monster boom began to die down, and popularity shifted to animated adaptations of manga. However, even after the boom died down, reruns of shows like Ultraman attracted a new generation of fans, and the airing of Ultra Fight led to a surge in the popularity of soft vinyl dolls. Then, with the broadcast of giant superhero shows like "Space Monkey Gori" and "Return of Ultraman," a "second monster boom" began. Numerous special effects superhero shows followed, and it was around this time that "Kamen Rider" began airing.
Toward a New Tsuburaya Productions
Unable to shake off its "priority of producing high-quality works over profitability" mentality, Tsuburaya Productions continued to run at a loss and was on the brink of bankruptcy. Management reforms and changes in mindset were implemented, and the management team was completely replaced. The Bandai Namco Group then invested in the company, and with the help of changes to its commercial strategy, the new management policy got underway. Starting with the broadcast of "Ultraman Ginga," a series has been produced every year since "Ultraman X" in 2015. This year, "Ultraman Blazer" will be the latest installment.
Anything Beyond the Ultraman Series?
Tsuburaya Productions is often known for its special effects films, but they don't just produce special effects. They also produce television dramas, including shows on Saturday Wide Theater and Tuesday Suspense Theater, as well as period dramas. They also collaborate on productions across a variety of genres, but Tsuburaya Productions' strength lies in its special effects technology. Special effects are fundamentally the company's core focus, and I don't think that's changed.
The main director is Kiyotaka Taguchi
Director Kiyotaka Taguchi, who serves as the main director and series composer, became interested in special effects as a child after watching reruns of "Ultra Q" and "Ultraman." He grew up watching the Heisei Gamera series, Heisei Godzilla series, and Heisei Ultra series. By the time he was in high school, he had already decided he wanted to work in special effects.
Director Taguchi's Two Greats
Director Taguchi himself refers to Mamoru Oshii and Shinji Higuchi as his two greats. He was a huge fan of "Mobile Police Patlabor" and, naturally, a big fan of Mamoru Oshii. When Shinji Higuchi was with Motor/lieZ, Director Taguchi had a desk there, and Mamoru Oshii, a fan of special effects, approached him, which led to their acquaintance. This connection led to him joining the live-action version of "THE NEXT GENERATION PATLABOR" as the fourth director.
Director Taguchi's spiritual mentor
Director Taguchi calls Shinji Higuchi his spiritual mentor. He has admired him since the Heisei Gamera series, and in interviews, he said he had a great time meeting him on the set of "Sakuya Yokaiden." They have worked together on projects such as "The World of Rock Drill" and "MM9," and they often go to the movies together. They apparently have a good relationship both personally and professionally, and Taguchi appeared as an extra alongside his father in Higuchi's film "Nobou no Shiro." While Taguchi considers him his mentor, Higuchi says he "doesn't remember taking on an apprentice," calling him his "underling."
Director Taguchi and the Ultra Series
Director Taguchi's first Ultraman project was "Ultrazone," where he was in charge of the drama section and Ultrazone Channel. As for the Ultraman TV series, he has directed all of the New Generation series, starting with Ultraman Ginga S. He was the main director for Ultraman X, Ultraman Orb, and Ultraman Z.
Fourth Time as Main Director
Director Taguchi, who serves as the main director for his fourth film, "Ultraman Blazer," spoke about his aspirations for this project in an interview at the production announcement. Having been involved with Ultraman as a director for the past 10 years, he said he wants to utilize the knowledge and experience he has accumulated over the years. From the very beginning, he was told, "You can do something completely new," and in the interview, Director Taguchi explained that he created a film that is different from anything he's done in the past 10 years, but still follows a traditional approach.
The main scriptwriter is Keigo Koyanagi
発表になりましたね...！
メイン脚本と、田口監督と共にシリーズ構成を担当させて頂いております。
自分自身、7月8日(土)からのオンエア＆配信が楽しみでなりません！
何卒、宜しくお願いいたします！！ https://t.co/uHUFS1OQOF— 小柳啓伍 (@KeigoKoya) April 21, 2023
This time, Keigo Koyanagi will be working as the main scriptwriter and series composition writer alongside Director Taguchi. He began working as a production assistant and setting designer at an animation production company in 2006, and went freelance in 2011. He currently writes anime scripts while also conducting setting and military research for anime and special effects.
How did he get involved with the Ultra Series?
Koyanagi's first involvement with the Ultra Series was as a military researcher on Ultraman Z. According to Koyanagi, "Director Taguchi showed me an illustration of King Joe SC (Storage Custom) and asked me, 'If you were to name each part of this, what would you think would be good?' That's when it all began." He later participated in the scriptwriting for Ultraman Trigger, and this time he will team up with Director Taguchi as the main screenwriter.
Summary of the Production Company and Staff
We've introduced Tsuburaya Productions, the producer of the latest Ultraman series, "Ultraman Blazer," as well as lead director Kiyotaka Taguchi and lead screenwriter Keigo Koyanagi. Director Kiyotaka Taguchi, who has worked on all of the New Generation Heroes films, has stated that "Ultraman Blazer" will be a classic Ultraman series, different from any of the past decade. We can't wait to see what kind of show it will be when it airs. Thank you for reading to the end.
