Ultra Q is really where it all began. It’s the precursor series to the wildly popular Ultraman series, which was a staple of Saturday morning television for many American youths. Ultra Q premiered January 2, 1966, and ran for a total of twenty-eight episodes. The series was shot in 35mm black and white so it stands out quite a bit from the many follow-ups. Mill Creek Entertainment has brought the series to Blu-ray in a Standard Edition as well as Limited Edition Steelbook. Their plans are grand, and over the course of the next year they plan to bring all of the Ultra series to U.S. shores.
Eiji Tsuburaya, co-creator of icons such as Mothra, Rodan, and Godzilla, launched his own company in the sixties and the first production he brought to television was Ultra Q. The show would focus on a small group of people who have partnered together to investigate strange phenomena occurring in Japan. The mysteries they would investigate would involve creatures from other worlds as well as giant monsters bent on destruction.
As campy as the show may be, there’s a surprising amount of maturity in many episodes that dealt with some very serious issues. While the giant monsters rampaged around Japan, the solutions to the situations in many cases didn’t involve giant weapons, and the monsters were defeated by the meeting of minds and intellectual solutions, which was rather refreshing. It was almost weird to watch, in a way, since it never really felt like a kids show, though that’s who it was aimed at.
As most of you will know, the aforementioned aliens and giant monsters of the series were created by throwing men in those giant rubber suits we’ve all come to adore. Some of the suits look ridiculous, some bizarre, and others defy description. The human actors Hiroku Sakurai, Kenji Sahara, and Yasuhiko Saijo brought a surprising amount of depth to their characters. I just wasn’t expecting the show to feel quite as adult as it did. As a kid, I had watched Ultraman pretty religiously, and maybe it was the horrible dubbing, but I never felt like I was learning anything. It was always just a goofy good time in front of the tube. After watching Ultra Q, I was actually pondering some of the points made and felt some of what was addressed in the show was just as relevant now as it was then.
Not every episode was a slam dunk, but many of them were. Mill Creek has really gone all out on restoring the series and the video quality on these discs is outstanding. Each episode is presented with the original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. There aren’t too many extras, but it does include a 24-page booklet that includes a brief history, pictures, and an episode guide. If this is the standard for what they have to come, Mill Creek is quickly becoming one of my favorites for classic film and television releases.
If you’re a fan of classic Kaiju films and series, you will want to add this set to your shelf and be ready, there’s more to come.
Mill Creek Entertainment Ultra Q Page
Related Article: The World of Tokusatsu Outside of Japan
