Ultraman is a treasured childhood memory for me and yes the show does hold up. Having watched that and Johnny Sokko as wee kid are what made seeing Big Man Japan such a wonderful and hilarious movie.
Was Inframan ever a thing?
Until a moment ago, I would have sworn I remembered “Inframan” but now I totally don’t know.
That is a Shaw Brothers/Hong Kong thing and draws from Kamen Rider and Super Sentai more than it does from Ultraman.
It is a movie that is very much worth watching with a bunch of friends who like that kind of thing.
Thanks for posting this. As @TobinL said, a treasured memory indeed. Fondly remember Grandma Lily taking my brother and I to McRories five and dime in Silver Spring (where we could make our own fountain drink! Anyone remember “Teem” soda?) and then take the bus back in time to catch Ultraman, then Speed Racer.
Perfect timing. This used to be on every morning on a UHF station in Florida and I’d watch it when we took family vacations there. As a huge Godzilla/Gamera fan I absolutely loved Ultraman.
The problem is I’d forgotten what it was called so couldn’t reconnect with that part of my childhood until just now.
All his battles end the same way, though…they wrestle for a little bit, then he shoots them with the hand-ray thing, and it’s over. Why not just use the hand-ray thing, in the first place?
Bob Wilkins immediately came to mind when I saw that
Bay Area OGs remember Captain Cosmic & Creature Features!
I should add for the Godzilla fans… Ultraman was created by Eiji Tsuburaya who was the head of special effects for the original Godzilla films.
Ultra Q the series before Ultraman is out from Shout Factory! but isn’t the dirt cheap $5 though 
I too loved Ultraman when I was little (OK, I still love Ultraman). One of life’s mysteries was recently solved for me – the swirling paint that starts the show. I was given the box set of the series that preceded Ultraman, which was “Ultra Q”. The episodes start with the paint that unswirls to form the title of the show. When the same team did Ultraman, they had a little fun and started the show with the same swirling paint (and you can see it forms the Q), then it shatters to show the real title.
There was only one season of the original Ultraman, which ran 39 episodes. That item you’ve linked to is the first volume from a Mill Creek two volume release. You could also purchase the entire series in one box set from Mill Creek (which I have) for only $8:
If offers both English and Japanese dubbing. Ultraman was actually the second series, following the X-Files-esque Ultra-Q. Interestingly, a lot of Ultraman is notably darker than expected (if somewhat goofily disjoint at points) and its nice to see the Science Patrol isn’t always out of their league or incompetent.
CAPTAIN COSMIC! Not to mention… CREATURE FEATURE!
“From a distant planet land, Comes our hero, UltraMan!!!”
We’re big on UltraMan at our house. the 6-year-old went to DragonCon 2015 as Ultraman.
I’ve often wondered though, what must be the exact wording of the “Science Patrol” charter?
My recollection was that it was a last resort that depleted his energy reserves. It still made it weird that he had to resort to it every. single. time.
Except he doesn’t, it is used A LOT but not every time.
I was a huge Ultraman fan when it was still very popular in Japan. We moved there in 1968, and I was the perfect age to become obsessed with that and similar shows. I also liked the Flintstones, although that show was in Black and White and in Japanese. When my oldest son was little, we moved back to Japan, and All those shows were popular again, although in more of an ironic fashion. We still have a bunch of Ultraman toys, and the other day I was rummaging in the basement, and came across an Ultraman “noren”, which is sort of a half curtain room divider. It brings back memories. Tsubaraya studios has a big Ultraman statue outside of their Tokyo office.
Also a slightly used and modified Godzilla suit, vs. Ultraman!
I like how Ultraman bows to the monster after the fight is over.
Ok, I haven’t watched the show since I was a wee child - it certainly felt like it was every single time. I’m surprised I don’t remember him not using it, because it would have been kind of remarkable.
My other favorite show was the creepier Spectreman, where my recollection is that he had a larger repertoire at his disposal, comparatively.
