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Shin Ultraman

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Wikipedia article




{{Infobox film

| name = Shin Ultraman

| image = Shin Ultraman Theatrical Poster.jpg

| alt = A poster depicting Ultraman's head, neck, and shoulders adorned with the SSSP members, the Tokyo skyline, and a crowd of onlookers, several recording an event unfolding in front of them on their phones. The film's title is printed in red katakana with the text "A Special Effects Fantasy Film" underneath. Credits and the film's release date are printed below the title.

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| native_name =

| director = Shinji Higuchi

| writer = Hideaki Anno

| based_on =

| producer =

| starring =

| narrator =

| cinematography =

| editing =

| music = Shir Sagisu

| studio = {{plainlist|

* Toho Studios

* Cine Bazar

}}

| distributor = Toho Co., Ltd.

| released =

| runtime = 112 minutes

| country = Japan

| language = Japanese
English
Russian

| budget =

| gross =


}}

is a 2022 Japanese superhero 'kaiju' film directed by Shinji Higuchi and written, co-produced, and co-edited by Hideaki Anno. A reimagining of 'Ultraman', the film is a co-production between Toho Studios and Cine Bazar, and presented by Tsuburaya Productions, Toho Co., Ltd., and Khara, Inc. It is the 37th film in the 'Ultraman' franchise, and the second reboot of a 'tokusatsu' series to be adapted by Anno and Higuchi, after 'Shin Godzilla', with 'Shin Kamen Rider' to follow in 2023. The film stars Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Daiki Arioka, and Akari Hayami, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman. In the film, an extraterrestrial accidentally kills a man while battling a giant monster and takes on his appearance and place.

In the summer of 2017, Anno was tasked with writing a proposal for a trilogy of 'Ultraman' productions by Takayuki Tsukagoshi, the future chairman of Tsuburaya Productions. A year after completing the plan for the trilogy on January 17, 2018, Anno wrote the first draft of 'Shin Ultraman's screenplay on February 5, 2019. However, his participation in the film had to be deferred until the completion of 'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time'. Tsuburaya Productions officially announced the film had begun production on August 1, 2019. Principal photography took place during fall 2019 in Ibaraki Prefecture, Hiratsuka and Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kfu and Minobu in Yamanashi Prefecture, and Ichihara in Chiba Prefecture, and wrapped in November. Post-production was decelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in editing taking roughly two-and-a-half years.

After being delayed from an early summer 2021 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 'Shin Ultraman' was theatrically released in Japan on May 13, 2022, to mixed reviews and grossed at the Japanese box office. Upon its release, it became the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film of 2022 until it was overtaken by 'Kingdom II: Harukanaru Daichi e', as well as the most commercially successful film in the 'Ultraman' franchise, surpassing the 2008 film 'Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers'. Tsuburaya Productions launched 'Shin Ultra Fight', a spin-off web miniseries featuring stock footage from the film as well as entirely new footage on May 14, 2022. 'Shin Ultraman' premiered in North America at the 26th Fantasia International Film Festival on July 21, 2022, and in the United States two days later at the 21st New York Asian Film Festival to generally positive reviews. Starting at the Odex Film Festival in Singapore and Malaysia in September, the film will be released in 37 countries and territories throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The Exchange is currently selling the film to distributes in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and other remaining countries at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

Plot





Following the invasion of several giant lifeforms classified as the "S-Class Species", the Japanese Government establish the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol to eliminate further threats. Shortly thereafter, the SSSP address the monster Neronga's attack, when a silver extraterrestrial giant dubbed "Ultraman" appears to defeat the monster and save humanity, however, he inadvertently kills SSSP member Shinji Kaminaga during his battle with the monster. He subsequently takes Shinji's appearance and place, leaving the real Shinji's body in the forest where he died. Ultraman in the form of Shinji then bonds a friendship with SSSP analyst Hiroko Asami, but she is unaware of the original Shinji's fate.

The monster Gabora appears in the Japanese countryside, attacking a nuclear power plant. In order to prevent the monster's radioactivity from causing harm, Ultraman kills it and flies off with its radioactive corpse. Shortly thereafter, Alien Zarab reveals himself, claiming the government has signed a peace contract with him, but the SSSP discovers that he is seeking to conquer the Earth. Zarab kidnaps Shinji and impersonates Ultraman to undermine his reputation and ruin his public image. Videos of these events surface online, revealing Shinji's secret identity. Shinji unintentionally left his "Beta Capsule" device, which allows him to transform into Ultraman, with Asami, leading her to discover the truth about the actual Shinji's fate. Asami frees Shinji from Zarab but is captured by Zarab herself. Shinji transforms into Ultraman, saving Asami, exposing Zarab's disguise, and cutting the alien in two with the "Ultra Slash".

Shinji is now regarded as a globally wanted criminal. Asami is transformed into a giant by Alien Mefilas to show humanity that they can become gigantic like Ultraman. Mefilas turns her back to her original size, to demonstrate good faith, and presents humanity with an object that functions like the Beta Capsule. Mefilas meets Ultraman to discuss symbiosis, but the latter declines after learning that Mefilas' machine can alter humanity's DNA, turning them into monsters; he also reveals to Ultraman that the government signed him up for affiliation, mocking his concern for humanity.

The SSSP assemble underground and decide to take Mefilas' Beta System. Due to Asami's gigantification earlier, the SSSP locate Mefilas' energy signature in an unoccupied factory. Ultraman confronts Mefilas, snatching his Beta System and throwing it into the SSSP's aircraft. An angry Mefilas transforms into his true form to combat Ultraman. Ultraman's superior, Zffy, then appears, making Mefilas flee Earth out of fear.

Ultraman visits Shinji's body in the forest to reflect. Zffy tells Ultraman that he must stand trial for sharing his lifeforce with a human because such an act is prohibited under Space Garrison law. Zffy deploys the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, Zetton, to destroy humanity, believing that they would pose a threat if they could evolve into giants. Shinji leaves behind data for the SSSP on how to destroy Zetton in case he doesn't survive.

Zetton's artillery defeats Ultraman, hitting him with a fireball which sends him plummeting to Earth and returning to his human form. Because Zetton used powerful attacks to counter Ultraman, it overheats and must cool down before recharging, giving the SSSP time to study the information left behind by Shinji. Later, they find Shinji unconscious and nursed him back to health. The SSSP determines that the only way for Ultraman to defeat Zetton is for him to activate his Beta Capsule while in a transformed state. Thus, Shinji transforms into Ultraman one last time, flying into space as Zetton resumes its attack. Ultraman activates his Beta Capsule, creating a black hole that engulfs both him and Zetton. Zffy rescues Ultraman, insisting that he must return to the Star of Light with him. Ultraman, on the other hand, wishes to stay on Earth and protect it. Zffy refuses to compromise, thus Ultraman decides to sacrifice himself to resurrect Shinji. Zffy questions Ultraman's decision to sacrifice himself to save an inferior race, but after witnessing his teamwork to defeat Zetton, he is forced to admire their tenacity in the face of death. Zffy then takes Ultraman's corpse back to the Star of Light.

The SSSP watch Shinji as he opens his eyes, having received a second chance at life.

Cast



* Takumi Saitoh as Shinji Kaminaga, an executive strategy officer who worked for the National Police Agency Security Bureau before he was designated to the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol (SSSP). He is unintentionally killed by Ultraman during his fight with Neronga. Ultraman took his appearance and place. Saitoh has a fond memory of playing with Ultraman figures and his father worked on the 1973 TV series 'Ultraman Taro'. Saitoh had previously played a JSDF tank squadron commander named Ikeda in 'Shin Godzilla'.

* Masami Nagasawa as Hiroko Asami, an analyst who worked for the Public Security Intelligence Agency before she was appointed to the SSSP.

* Hidetoshi Nishijima as Kimio Tamura, the leader of the SSSP who formerly worked at the Ministry of Defense. The day before the film's release, Nishijima appeared as Tamura in two 24-second web-exclusive commercials for Procter & Gamble's dishwashing liquid Joy.

* Daiki Arioka as Akihisa Taki, an unparticle physicist who graduated from the Johoku University of Science. Taki is a fan of science fiction and has models of USS 'Enterprise' (NCC-1701) from 'Star Trek: The Original Series', and 'Thunderbirds' 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 from 'Thunderbirds' on his desk.

* Akari Hayami as Yumi Funaberi, a universal biologist who worked at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology before she was appointed to the SSSP.

* Tetsushi Tanaka as Tatsuhiko Munakata

* Kyusaku Shimada as Taishi Okuma, the Prime Minister of Japan

* Ry Iwamatsu as Hajime Komuro, the Minister of State for Disaster Management

* Tru Masuoka as Kunihiko Kariba, the Minister of Defense

* Keishi Nagatsuka as Hayasaka, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Cmdr.

* Hajime Yamazaki as Seiichi Nakanishi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs

* Masami Horiuchi as the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan

* G Rij as the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister

* Sk Wada as Kagami, member of the National Police Agency Security Bureau

* Yutaka Takenouchi as a government official. In 'Shin Ultraman Design Works', screenwriter Hideaki Anno indicated Takenouchi's character to be a reprisal of his role as Hideki Akasaka from 'Shin Godzilla'.

* Bin Furuya and Hideaki Anno as Ultraman (motion capture), an extraterrestrial from the Star of Light who came to Earth to protect humanity from giant monsters known as the "S-Class Species" and was dubbed "Ultraman" by Asami. Furuya and Anno have both portrayed Ultraman before; Furuya portrayed the titular hero in the original 1966 series, and Anno unofficially portrayed the character in his 1983 fan film 'Daicon Film's Return of Ultraman'.

** Issey Takahashi as the voice of Ultraman

* Koichi Yamadera as the voice of Zffy, Ultraman's superior who tries to eradicate humanity with the weapon of mass destruction, Zetton, believing that they would pose a threat if they were able to evolve into giants. To reference misinformation about his first appearance in 'Ultraman''s series finale, the character's Japanese name is deliberately spelled incorrectly in the film.

* Koji Yamamoto as Alien Mefilas, an extraterrestrial who tries to prove to humanity that they can also become giants. He asks Ultraman to become his ally but is turned down by him and later fights him due to their differing opinions regarding humanity.

* Kenjiro Tsuda as the voice of Alien Zarab, an extraterrestrial who kidnaps Kaminaga and impersonates Ultraman, only to be defeated by Ultraman himself.

The film features several cameos and supporting appearances by Yukio Tsukamoto, Masaaki Akahori, Asahi Yoshida, Nobuyoshi Hisamatsu, Shoken Kunimoto, Eiji Yokota, Yasumasa ba, Hiroko Yashiki, Kentaro Shimazu, Naoto Kaji, Daisuke Hibi, Seigo Nishihara, Tetsu Hirahara, Junichiro Nakano, Shingo Murakami, Mikiya Sanada, Yoshihiro Kasuya, Yhei Hosokawa, Ry Yoshida, Yusaku Mori, Yta Inoue, Shta Miyazaki, TERU, Akihisa Muramoto, Yoshinori Miyata, Tatsuya It, Satoshi Iwago, Taihei Nishi, Takahiro Araki, Yoshihiro Yamanaka, Naoki Hasegawa, Ryumi Shiga, Atsushi Toyoda, Nana Okazaki, Keiji Inada, Yuki Arisawa, Shko Hotta, Kota Hosoi, Rento Oyama, Kazuya Shiraishi, and Muneto Yuda. Shhei Kumamoto, Masayoshi Deguchi, Kohei Matsuoka, Ryhei Sakai, Makoto Arakawa, Ken Got, and Yasuaki Sekita are credited as motion capture actors.

Themes



Noah Oskow of 'Unseen Japan' felt that the film criticizes Japan's weak government bureaucracy like its predecessor, 'Shin Godzilla', which was a "meditation on ruinous government inaction and gridlock, specifically serving as a harrowing metaphor for the devastating 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant." In his review for 'Screen Daily', Tim Grierson wrote that the film contains "a little commentary on humanitys place in the universe, and whether weve proven ourselves worthy of continuing as a species", adding: "this messaging isnt always elegantly executed but, like so much of the film, its presented with such enthusiastic sincerity that its hard to resist. The world may sometimes be a terrible, frightening place, but 'Shin Ultraman' argues that a little decency can still go a long way".

Director Shinji Higuchi stated to Nerdist in 2022 that the film does not include the same "emphasis on the bureaucracy, politics, etc." as its predecessor, because "if we just did the same thing, it's kind of pointless." Rather, Higuchi explained that the crew intended the film to delineate how humanity and the Japanese government would deal with aliens and monsters as depicted in 'Ultraman'.

Production



Crew



* Shinji Higuchi director and additional cinematographer

* Hideaki Anno various positions

* Katsuro Onoue associate director and additional cinematographer

* Ikki Todoroki deputy director and teaser poster designer

* Masayuki assistant director and additional cinematographer

* Hisashi Usui executive producer

* Katsura Kurosawa executive producer

* Akihiro Yamauchi co-producer

* Kensei Mori line producer

* Tohl Narita original monster and extraterrestrial designs (posthumous)

* Satoru Sasaki VFX director

* Atsuki Sato VFX supervisor

* Hiromasa Inoue VFX producer

* Masayo Ohno VFX producer

Personnel taken from Toho's official website and the film's theater pamphlet.

Development

supervised, organized, wrote, produced, and edited the film.

A life-long 'Ultraman' fan, Hideaki Anno made his directorial debut with his own fan film of 'Return of Ultraman' for Daicon Film when he was a film student. On December 28, 2013, nine years prior to 'Shin Ultraman''s release, Anno completed the draft for a reboot of the 'Ultraman' franchise titled and submitted it to Tsuburaya Productions on March 19 of the following year. Anno later reflected, "I wrote [the script] to some friends and their reactions were positive ... but at the time I was not able to finalize the content of the project in a way that satisfied me, so it was abandoned." In the summer of 2017, Takayuki Tsukagoshi who would later be appointed chairman of Tsuburaya Productions on November 16, 2017, after Hidetoshi Yamamoto, the chairman of Fields Corporation, failed to organize production commissioned Anno to direct an 'Ultraman' production and its two sequels, set to be released in 2020. A few months later, Anno submitted a recreation of 'Return of Ultraman Plot Memo', to Tsukagoshi. On January 17, 2018, Anno finished the trilogy proposal for 'Ultraman' productions in which he wrote:

"Our goal is to create a world of Ultraman that is not for children, but for the generation that watched Ultraman back then, and that they want to watch now that they are adults. We aim to create entertainment for adults that is consistent with the modern age, a coexistence of dreams and reality that can be depicted only with special effects images. To achieve this goal, we will draw an interesting work that emphasizes quality and sensitivity (even in terms of reality), glistening with the theme of invasion rather than a catastrophe. We will depict a realistic and hard-line, worldview depicted on a beautiful screen with a quality and a sense of externalities. The film depicts the current state of the Japanese people, who are vaguely anxious about an invasion that they do not really feel. It also aims to experience a world where Ultraman exists, a world that everyone desires and no one has ever seen before. However, this seems to be a difficult task."


A first draft of the script for the film was completed by Anno on February 5, 2019, however, his involvement in the film was put on hold for another year while he worked on 'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time'. In 'Shin Ultraman Design Works', Anno stated that he intended the film to be connected to his previous 'tokusatsu' film, 'Shin Godzilla', "The overall worldview of the film may be somewhat connected to that of 'Shin Godzilla'. Because of copyright management, it was hard to make a clear connection, so I used the title, Shin, and cast Yutaka Takenouchi as the government man."

The project was first announced on August 1, 2019, with Higuchi as the director and Anno as the screenwriter. Masami Nagasawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima and Takumi Saito were named to star in the film. The film would be co-produced between Tsuburaya Productions, Toho and Khara, with an aim for a 2021 release. Higuchi commented, "A baton has been entrusted to me that has been shining ever since I was a small child. I will solemnly strive to fulfill my responsibility to pass on that heavy, radiant baton created by my seniors." The rest of the supporting cast members were announced in September of that same year.

Design

's design was based upon Tohl Narita's 1983 depiction of the character entitled "Incarnation of Truth, Justice, and Beauty".

Ultraman, the titular hero of the film, had his design unveiled at the 2019 Tsuburaya Convention. The concept is based on the 1983 oil painting by the late Tohl Narita.Multiple sources:

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The first concept art was made by Hideaki Anno on October 3, 2018, under the likeness of Bin Furuya, the hero's original suit actor in the 1966 series. This redesign of the original hero was based on Anno's desire to revisit Tohl Narita's original design, going as far as to seek permission from Narita's son, Kairi. The design in question has the mask modeled after Akira Sasaki, the body frame of Furuya and eliminating elements such as the Color Timer, and the back fin and peepholes that were part of the actor's costume. Furuya returned to portray the character with Anno via motion capture. Director Higuchi stated, "Without Furuya's physical features, such as his tall stature, long chin and arms, and large palms, it wouldn't have been possible to reproduce Ultraman's silhouette, appearance, behavior, etc. even with the latest technology available today." Likewise, Anno had experienced playing the titular hero in his own fan film of 'Return of Ultraman'.

The crew struggled to reproduce Ultraman's silver skin color virtually. Higuchi explained in an interview, "Ultraman can't be sprayed with silver paint like in the old days. But if you use mirror-like silver and seriously calculate and depict the rays of light, there would be weird streaks on his arms and face... and his arms and face would look like mirrors that would be reflecting in each other." VFX supervisor Atsuki Sato added "when it comes to color, there are things you can't understand until you actually place the object on the stage, such as the reflection of the silver color on the body and its glittering effect. The hardest part was finding the right balance between reality and image."

Since the beginning of production, Anno and Higuchi had intended to utilize the 3DCG model of Godzilla from their 2016 film 'Shin Godzilla' to depict the monster Gomess, who first appeared in episode 1 of Tsuburaya Productions' 1966 TV series 'Ultra Q'. Anno stated that "since Toho was a member of the ['Shin Ultraman'] production committee we [were allowed to use] the original Godzilla model for Gomess." The concept art for Gomess was also customized from the original concept art for Godzilla's fourth form in 'Shin Godzilla'. Similarly, the digital set for Tokyo Station, where the second giant unidentified lifeform dubbed the "Mamouth Flower" appeared, was reused from 'Shin Godzilla' in order to reduce the film's budget.

The third giant unidentified lifeform to appear in the film, Peguila, who served as the antagonist of episodes 5 and 14 in Tsuburaya Productions' 'Ultra Q', was based upon an illustration by Yji Kaida, which depicted "cold air flowing from the surface of its body". The fifth giant unidentified lifeform to appear in the film, Kaigel, who debuted in episode 24 of 'Ultra Q', was also based on an illustration by Kaida, as well as the monster's original concept art by Narita. Anno drew the CG model of the fourth giant monster to make an appearance in the film, Larugeus, who debuted in episode 12 of 'Ultra Q'. In 'Shin Ultraman Design Works', Anno stated that he "tried to make it look like a real bird". The monsters Pagos, Neronga, Gabora were modified from the same computer-generated model to reduce the film's budget. The same method was also used for their first appearance in 1966, when they were adapted from the suit of Baragon featured in Toho's 1965 film 'Frankenstein Conquers the World'.

Tohl Narita's original concept art for episode 18 of 'Ultraman' inspired Alien Zarab's design. Anno stated that Zarab's expressions could not be achieved in a costume, but only with 3DCG, with the body part being transparent. A model of Zarab's head was created but it did not appear in the final cut and was used instead to design his CG depiction. The crew considered altering the body surface of the CG model for Ultraman to recreate Zarab's impersonation of the titular hero, however, only the eye shape was changed, inspired by Narita's hexagonal-eyed Ultraman illustration.

A 3D scan of Ultraman Jack's mask worn by Eiichi Kikuchi in 'Return of Ultraman' was used to design the face of Ultraman's superior, Zffy. The character's design was heavily inspired by Narita's 1989 concept art for Ultraman in 'Ultraman: Towards the Future', entitled . As part of the design process, the crew examined Zffy's design in episode 39 of 'Ultraman', specifically the black line in the center of his head and a pattern near the surface line of his body. Zffy's ultimate biological weapon, Zetton, was based upon Narita's original concept art created for its first appearance in episode 39 of 'Ultraman'. However, the geometric features were emphasized in the final design.

Filming

On August 20, 2019, it was announced that Higuchi was looking for extras to take part in additional filming in Autumn 2019. On November 23, 2019, Higuchi made a surprise appearance at the 2nd Atami Monster Film Festival to announce that principal photography had wrapped. Location shooting took place at the Prefectural Assembly Building in Ibaraki Prefecture, Hiratsuka and Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kfu and Minobu in Yamanashi Prefecture, and Ichihara in Chiba Prefecture.

Ultraman and Mefilas' first conversation in their human disguises was filmed at Asakusa Ichimon, an 'Izakaya' restaurant in the Asakusa district of Tait, Tokyo, Japan. After the film's release, the restaurant was inundated with reservations. Anno cut a scene filmed by Higuchi, in which, Asami kisses Ultraman farewell in his human disguise, Shinji, before he departed Earth to defeat Zetton, in consideration of the overall balance of the moment.

Several scenes were filmed in 4K using the cast and crew's personal iPhones and iPads.

Visual effects

Visual effects for the film were created by Shirogumi. The visual effects crew used previsualization to create the storyboards for the computer-generated imagery (CGI). Post-production supervisor Michito Ueda explained that "This time we also used it [previsualization] to verify the angel that people would stare at a giant object when it was in front of them." According to Ueda, the crew also used photogrammetry to scan locations that would be used as computer-generated backdrops in the film's fight scenes, stating that "we [the visual effects crew] visited power plants in the provinces, walked around Tokyo, and went with the director [Shinji Higuchi] and film crew on location scouting trips to find image sources for the background." VFX supervisor Atsuki Sato added that "we took a lot of photographs from numerous angles using a drone and constructed 3DCG based on the differentiation in the data we captured to create the background."

Numerous visual effects sequences in the film are combined with original 'tokusatsu' practical effects, such as extensive miniature effect shots. Ultraman's iconic Spacium Beam was created by optical artist Sadao Iizuka using the same technique he used for the original 1966 series, where he would draw a series of rays on paper and change their length and position slightly each time.

Editing

Yhei Kurihara edited the film primarily using Adobe Premiere Pro. Director Higuchi edited a battle scene between Ultraman and one of the monsters. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, post-production was decelerated, resulting in a roughly two-and-a-half-year editing process.

Music



Shir Sagisu scored the film. The score features several of Sagisu's unused songs which he composed for 'Shin Godzilla' and 'Neon Genesis Evangelion', as well as several recycled tracks by Kunio Miyauchi. King Records released the film's soundtrack album entitled in Japan on June 22, 2022.

On April 8, 2022, it was announced that Kenshi Yonezu would sing the film's theme song "M87". According to Anno, Yonezu originally titled the song "M78" after Ultraman's fictional home galaxy in the original 1966 series, but Anno requested that the title be changed to M87 because he felt it was "more appealing in terms of setting." On May 25, 2022, 'Oricon News' reported that the single had sold approximately 228,881 physical copys. On May 31, 2022, "M87" became No. 1 on the 'Billboard Japan' Hot 100. However, it was surpassed by Hey! Say! JUMP's "a r e a" on June 2, 2022.

{{Tracklist

| title1 = Main Title/'Ultraman' (QM-1T2 + Title T5)

| music1 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note1 =

| length1 = 00:15

| title2 = Main Title B

| music2 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note2 =

| length2 = 00:06

| title3 = 'Ultra Q' Theme III (M-2T2)

| music3 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note3 =

| length3 = 01:12

| title4 = Two Deadly Giant Monsters Battle (M6)

| music4 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note4 =

| length4 = 00:45

| title5 = Ragon's Revenge (B3A)

| music5 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note5 =

| length5 = 00:54

| title6 = The Raid of Red King (B1)

| music6 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note6 =

| length6 = 01:07

| title7 = Lightning Strikes (by the London Orchestra) (A1)

| music7 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note7 =

| length7 = 01:19

| title8 = The End of Bullton (M2)

| music8 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note8 =

| length8 = 00:51

| title9 = Early Morning from London

| music9 = Shiro Sagisu

| length9 = 03:27

| title10 = Break down the Buddy

| music10 = Shiro Sagisu

| length10 = 01:22

| title11 = Science Special Search Party

| music11 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note11 =

| length11 = 02:07

| title12 = The Ferocity of the Red Monster (L8)

| music12 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note12 =

| length12 = 00:44

| title13 = The Invisible Enemy (L10)

| music13 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note13 =

| length13 = 00:40

| title14 = Crisis (B2)

| music14 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note14 =

| length14 = 00:48

| title15 = Fight (by the London Orchestra)

| music15 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note15 =

| length15 = 01:53

| title16 = Sortie (M4T2)

| music16 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note16 =

| length16 = 01:06

| title17 = Visitors (L9)

| music17 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note17 =

| length17 = 00:36

| title18 = The New Weapon (L4)

| music18 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note18 =

| length18 = 00:41

| title19 = The Devil's True Identity (K5)

| music19 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note19 =

| length19 = 00:10

| title20 = Rapid Advance (L5)

| music20 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note20 =

| length20 = 00:36

| title21 = Kemular Appears (K1)

| music21 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note21 =

| length21 = 00:23

| title22 = Ominous Premonition (C3)

| music22 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note22 =

| length22 = 01:16

| title23 = Alien Baltan (C1)

| music23 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note23 =

| length23 = 00:36

| title24 = Ultraman the Destroyer (EXTRA1)

| music24 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note24 =

| length24 = 00:50

| title25 = Mysterious Group of Saucers (M7)

| music25 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note25 =

| length25 = 00:40

| title26 = The Group of Saucers Approach (M8)

| music26 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note26 =

| length26 = 00:39

| title27 = Victory (by the London Orchestra) (M5)

| music27 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note27 =

| length27 = 01:51

| title28 = Aerial Warfare (by the London Orchestra) (A2)

| music28 = Kunio Miyauchi

| note28 =

| length28 = 01:07

| title29 = L'invasion du silence: quatuor

| music29 = Shir Sagisu

| length29 = 02:48

| title30 = Brebis gare: violon et piano

| music30 = Shir Sagisu

| length30 = 01:35

| title31 = Univers rels et irrels

| music31 = Shir Sagisu

| length31 = 02:39

| title32 = An Out of Body State

| music32 = Shir Sagisu

| length32 = 03:38

| title33 = Original Sin

| music33 = Shir Sagisu

| length33 = 02:31

| title34 = Brebis gare: alto et piano

| music34 = Shir Sagisu

| length34 = 01:36

| title35 = Is Humanity to die?

| music35 = Shir Sagisu

| length35 = 02:29

| title36 = Samsara: strings

| music36 = Shir Sagisu

| length36 = 00:29

| title37 = The Raid of Red King (by the London Orchestra) (B1)

| music37 = Kunio Miyauchi

| length37 = 01:08

| title38 = The End of Bullton (by the London Orchestra) (M2)

| music38 = Kunio Miyauchi

| length38 = 00:53

| title39 = Early Morning: tribute to M

| music39 = Shir Sagisu

| length39 = 03:27

| title40 = Break down the Buddy: full version

| music40 = Shir Sagisu

| length40 = 02:33

| title41 = Sortie (by the London Orchestra) (M4T2)

| music41 = Kunio Miyauchi

| length41 = 01:06

| title42 = L'invasion du silence: cordes

| music42 = Shir Sagisu

| length42 = 02:30

| title43 = Brebis gare: piano solo

| music43 = Shir Sagisu

| length43 = 01:33

| title44 = Univers rels et irrels: version complte

| music44 = Shir Sagisu

| length44 = 03:35

| title45 = An Out of Body State: full version

| music45 = Shir Sagisu

| length45 = 04:41

| title46 = Original Sin: full version

| music46 = Shir Sagisu

| length46 = 03:46

| title47 = Is Humanity to die?: full version

| music47 = Shir Sagisu

| length47 = 03:28

| title48 = Alien Mefilas: the riff segue

| music48 = Shir Sagisu

| length48 = 06:18

| total_length = 80:44

}}

Release



Marketing

, Godzilla, and Kamen Rider at the Hideaki Anno Exhibition in the Abeno Harukas Art Museum, Abeno-ku, Osaka.

The project was first publicized on August 1, 2019 by Tsuburaya Productions and Khara, with the directors of 'Shin Godzilla' proclaimed to be in charge of the film. On December 14, 2019, Tsuburaya Productions unveiled a miniature model of Ultraman's new design as well as a new logo for the film, during the opening ceremony of the 2019 Tsuburaya Convention. On November 2, 2020, a human-sized Ultraman statue was unveiled outside the Tokusatsu Archive Center in Sukagawa, the home of 'Ultraman' creator Eiji Tsuburaya, and a summer 2021 release date was announced. The Ultraman statue was later displayed alongside a statue of the 2016 incarnation of Godzilla and a statue of the 2023 incarnation of Kamen Rider as part of the Hideaki Anno Exhibition at the Abeno Harukas Art Museum, located in Abeno-ku, Osaka. Its first teaser trailer was released on January 29, 2021, and received high praise from filmmakers Guillermo del Toro, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, and James Gunn. Two days later, Bandai's official website confirmed that the two monsters that appear in the trailer were Neronga and Gabora of 'Ultraman'.

On February 13, 2022, Toho, Khara, Toei, and Tsuburaya Productions announced a collaborative project titled "Shin Japan Heroes Universe" for merchandise, special events and tie-ins. The project will unite properties that Anno had worked on bearing the title "Shin", such as 'Shin Godzilla', 'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time',{{efn|Known in Japan as .}} 'Shin Ultraman' and 'Shin Kamen Rider'. On March 17, 2022, the final theatrical release poster and a new theatrical banner for the film were released. As part of the Hideaki Anno Exhibition at the Abeno Harukas Art Museum in Abeno-ku, Osaka, a longer trailer was shown exclusively in theaters and a third teaser trailer was released on April 15. On April 18, 2022, an 82-second trailer for the film was released. To promote the film in Japan, McDonald's released a new version of their Chicken tatsuta fried chicken burger called the "Shin Tatsuta Miyazaki Specialty Chicken Nanban Tartar" on April 20, 2022.

The film was marketed in Japan under the tagline , which was a question Zffy asked Ultraman in the series finale of 'Ultraman'.

Theatrical

'Shin Ultraman' was previously scheduled for an early 2021 summer release, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2021 Tsuburaya Convention, Tsuburaya Productions announced the new release date in Japan to be May 13, 2022, along with a new teaser trailer and a new poster. On May 2, 2022, the Film Classification and Rating Organization gave the film a rating of "G" (suitable for all ages). It had its red carpet premiere on May 9, 2022. The premiere took place in Kabukich, Shinjuku, Tokyo along Godzilla Street, and the red carpet dubbed the "Shin Ultra Red Carpet", was 60 meters in length the fictitious height of Ultraman in the film. Due to the film's success Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Koji Yamamoto, and Shinji Higuchi made a "thank you stage greeting" at a theater in Tokyo on May 25. It was released to MX4D, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema theaters in Japan on June 10, 2022. From July 8 to July 21, 2022, the film was screened alongside episode 33 of 'Ultraman', "The Forbidden Words", and was screened alongside episode 39, "Farewell, Ultraman", from July 22 to August 4, 2022.

The film made its festival premiere at the 2022 Neuchtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Neuchtel, Switzerland on July 2, 2022. It had its North America premiere at the 26th Fantasia International Film Festival on July 21, 2022, where it was packed to the 700-seat capacity, and in the United States two days later at the 21st New York Asian Film Festival, where it was also very successful, with Higuchi attending both screenings. On July 27, 2022, it was announced that Golden Screen Cinemas would distribute the film in Malaysian theaters on October 6, 2022. On August 5, 2022, Tsuburaya Productions announced that the film would be released in 37 territories worldwide (including Asia, the Middle East, and Africa). As part of the Odex Film Festival, the film was screened in Singapore at Cathay Cineplex Downtown East from September 3-4 and in Malaysia at GSC Paradigm on September 3, 2022. The film was theatrically released in the United Arab Emirates on September 15, 2022, opening in several cities, including Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Fujairah. In Thailand, the film is scheduled to be screened at the Paragon Cineplex in Siam Paragon, Bangkok on September 22, 2022. PVR Pictures will distribute the film theatrically in India on September 23. On September 12, 2022, 'Variety' exclusively announced that The Exchange has obtained the sales rights for North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and other remaining countries and is currently introducing the film to buyers at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.



Reception



Box office

Prior to the film's release Tsuburaya Productions predicted that the film would gross about . On its opening day in Japan (May 13, 2022) 'Shin Ultraman' was 32nd at the box office in Japan having sold 191,302 tickets and earned . By its third day the film had been screened in 401 buildings nationwide, sold 641,802 tickets and grossed , becoming the most commercially successful film in the 'Ultraman' franchise, surpassing the 2008 film 'Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers', and breaking the record that Shinji Higuchi's previous 'kaiju' film, 'Shin Godzilla' had on its third day. In IMAX theaters, the film grossed $1.13 million, making it the highest IMAX live-action film opening in Japan. On May 21, 2022, it was reported that the film had sold 1.032 million tickets and grossed . On May 23, 2022, it was reported that the film had sold 1.34 million tickets and grossed . The film was #1 at the Japanese box office, until it was overtaken by 'Top Gun: Maverick' during its third weekend. During its fifth weekend, the film dropped to #3, behind 'Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero' and 'Top Gun: Maverick', and during its third weekend, had dropped to #4 with a gross of . By its 45th day the film had sold 2.69 million tickets and exceeded . By July 3, the film had earned an accumulative total of . Crunchyroll reported that the film had grossed by the end of its theatical run, with 'Variety' reporting it grossed a total of in Japan.

Critical response in Japan

'Shin Ultraman' received mixed reviews in Japan. On May 16, 2022, the online magazine 'FILMAGA' ranked it fourth out of all Japanese films currently being screened in Japan, with an average rating of 3.81/5 based upon 11,244 reviews from review aggregator Filmarks. The film has a score of 3.5/5 on 'Eiga.com', based on 1125 reviews, with 45% of reviewers giving it a 4/5.

Tsunehira Furuya of 'Newsweek' said "fans with a great deal of background knowledge on 'Ultraman' naturally tend to praise 'Shin Ultraman'. However, when seen by an unscrupulous audience, that is, when it is viewed as a pure film, the flaws in this cinematic production would not be defined as a masterpiece, thus it may have fatally been caught by some audiences as a lump. In conclusion, I have to describe 'Shin Ultraman' as an endeavoring and motivated work. Unfortunately, I cannot call it a masterpiece. Unlike 'Shin Godzilla', I don't want to watch it while screaming over and over again." Matt Schley of 'The Japan Times' gave the film three and a half stars out of five, saying that the film is "fun but lacks the punch and gravitas of its predecessor. 'Shin Godzilla' wasn't just a nostalgic reboot of a storied franchise: It was a vehicle for commenting on Japan's bureaucracy, the limits of its military might and the trauma of the Great East Japan Earthquake. 'Shin Ultraman' is less interested in using a beloved character to probe modern Japan than it is in playing around with old toys."

Yukihiro Udagawa of 'The Nikkei' wrote "as it was a fairly complicated story, it was also developed quickly, and although it was impressive, I was a little tired after watching it. Like 'Shin Godzilla', it was overloaded with information, but the depiction of the monster [in 'Shin Godzilla'] was overwhelmingly wonderful, and even that led to catharsis. This time the dialogue came first. I found Masami Nagasawa's gigantification and the confrontation with Fake Ultraman were the most interesting parts of the film." An uncredited writer from 'Animate Times' called the film a "masterpiece", saying that "[the film] is loved by generations of 'Ultraman' fans including fans in the same generation as me, who saw it when they were kids." Takashi Shimizu of 'The Asahi Shimbun' wrote that the film is "probably the best 'Ultraman' update that adds a new interpretation and a unique perspective to the mysteries and contradictions that were not depicted [in 'Ultraman']."

Ultraman's original suit actor, Bin Furuya, praised the film at a 4K screening of 4 episodes from the 1966 series on June 3, 2022, stating: "I really felt the love for 'Ultraman' from the [film's] creators." Furthermore, Furuya expressed interest in making a cameo appearance in a proposed sequel to the film, tentatively titled 'Shin Ultraseven', which would serve as a remake of the 1967 television series, 'Ultraseven', in which he played Ultra Guard member Amagi.

Critical response internationally

'Shin Ultraman' received generally positive reviews from critics internationally. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 8.80/10.

Richard Eisenbeis of Anime News Network said that "'Shin Ultraman' is a perfectly watchable filmthough far from a great one. It's clear that the exceptional amount of creative freedom was given to the creators which brings the film to its highest highs and lowest lows. When it comes down to it, I can't help but feel that 'Shin Ultraman' should have been a TV series rather than a filmjust like the production it is based on. What we're left with is a movie that tries to do too much and leaves us with a bit too little. However, as a love letter to Ultraman and shows like it from half a century ago, it works well enough. It's a nostalgic spectacle and it's easy to see why the franchise continues to be popular even today." Alicia Haddick of Crunchyroll called the film a "welcoming creative spectacle showing Hollywood how it's done when it comes to rebooting a classic character for a new generation." Noah Oskow of 'Unseen Japan' called it "a gloriously fun modern take on 'Ultraman'", stating, "The giant monster battles are impactful, but unlike 'Shin Godzilla', we don't feel any of the existential threat they pose. That's true of the whole movie; some commentary on weak government bureaucracy aside, 'Shin Ultraman' is basically about having a nostalgically goofy, enjoyable time."

After watching the film at the 2022 Neuchtel International Fantastic Film Festival, Peter Martin of Screen Anarchy wrote that the film is "a lot of fun", adding: "what keeps it all bouncy good fun is the continual forward momentum propelled by director Higuchi Shinji and the likability of the characters, both leading and supporting." Kyle Anderson of Nerdist gave the film four stars out of five, writing that it is "a handsome, effective, and certainly loving riff on the original 'Ultraman' series. It references everything you would hope it does, and throws in a few surprises too. While I don't think it redefines the form like 'Shin Godzilla', I think it marries the hopefulness of the source material with our dour reality in a great way. The movie made a bajillion dollars in Asia so I'm hoping it gets a decently wide release in North America. It deserves to be seen big."

Ricardo Gallegos of 'La Estatuilla' criticized the film's themes, writing that they are "developed with little effectiveness due to the structure of the film", adding: "It seems that [the film] is divided into three parts, each with its own focus and not enough time to generate a full exploration." Christopher Stewardson of 'Our Culture Mag' gave the film four stars out of five, describing it as being "like several episodes of the show expanded and strung together", adding: "While on paper that may seem impenetrable to the uninitiated, I actually think it has the potential for wider appeal." Stewardson praised the film's effects, calling them "more visually arresting than the CGI used in Hollywood efforts" but criticized its human characters, asserting that the SSSP members "leave something to be desired". Jennie Kermode of 'Eye For Film' gave the film a score of four and a half stars out of five, writing: "It puts Western blockbusters to shame with its unabashed enthusiasm, its spectacular scenes of destruction and its larger than life characters."

Other media



Collaborative projects



Nagoya Railroad hosted a collaborative event from April 22, 2022 to June 26, 2022, that allowed participants to collect "Ultra admission tickets" at 8 stations with the word "Shin" in their titles. There were also collaboration events from April 29 to June 30, 2022 at the Yokohama Landmark Tower with a 10-meter balloon depicting Ultraman on display and merchandise on the 1st floor of Landmark Plaza, as well as novelties at shops and restaurants inside the building. On June 30, 2022, Toho added Neronga and the titular hero of the film to their mobile game 'Godzilla Battle Line' as part of the "Shin Japan Heroes Universe" collaborative project. In addition, Zetton and Alien Mefilas were introduced to the game on August 31, 2022, and will be available as level-enhancing battle pieces until September 30, 2022. From July 7 to August 21, 2022, the Bandai Namco Cross Store at Yokohama World Porters in Naka-ku, Yokohama, will host another "Shin Japan Heroes Universe" collaboration event called the "Shin Japan Heroes Amusement World". As part of a limited-time collaboration with Tsuburaya Productions' 'Ultraman' franchise, GungHo Online Entertainment added the film's incarnations of Ultraman, Neronga, Gabora, Zarab, Mefilas, and Zetton to their mobile puzzle video game 'Puzzle & Dragons' on July 18, 2022.

Books

The art book, , became available to purchase at theaters in Japan on May 13, 2022, distributed by Khara and was released to bookstores by Ground Works on June 24, 2022. Hideaki Anno authored the book, which contains over 500 artworks, including concept art, CG models, and 3D objects. In June 2022, Poplar Publishing released {{nihongo|'Shin Ultraman Millennials Book'| |Shin Urutoraman Mireniaruzu Bukku}}, a 32-page book celebrating the film's release and the 55th anniversary of the 'Ultraman' franchise. On June 28, 2022, Kodansha released , a mook detailing every entry in the 'Ultraman' series for adult fans of the franchise.

'Shin Ultra Fight'

A spin-off miniseries entitled , was streamed on Tsuburaya Productions' streaming service Tsuburaya Imagination from May 14 to July 4, 2022. 'Shin Ultraman' director Shinji Higuchi partially directed and supervised the series while Hideaki Anno, the film's screenwriter, organizer, and producer, was in charge of planning. Cine Bazar, Tsuburaya Productions, Toho, and Khara co-produced the series, which consists of 3 episodes repurposing footage from 'Shin Ultraman' and 7 episodes featuring 3D computer graphics by Studio Bros, Modeling Bros, and Shirogumi. Inspired by the 1970 TV series 'Ultra Fight', the series attempted to duplicate the low production values of the original program by filming unscripted episodes, using motion capture performances without correction, and setting the fights in computer-generated environments situated in regular filming locations.

{{Episode table|background=#A9271B|overall=|title=|director=|aux2=|aux2T=Narrator|airdate=|episodes=

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Future



In 'Shin Ultraman Design Works,' Hideaki Anno revealed that he initially wrote a proposal for Tsuburaya Productions on January 17, 2018, proposing a trilogy of films, starting with 'Shin Ultraman' and continuing with an untitled sequel and a remake of 'Ultraseven' from 1967, titled . Ultraman's motion capture actor, Bin Furuya commented: "If the public watch [the film] 5 or 6 times, there will likely be a story like 'Shin Ultraseven'."

See also



* Shin Japan Heroes Universe

** 'Shin Godzilla' (2016)

** 'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time' (2021)

** 'Shin Kamen Rider' (2023)

Notes



References



Bibliography



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