The Q-Files

The Complete Ultra Q Episode Guide
by
Jim Cirronella & Kevin Grays

(Originally published in KAIJU-FAN Issue # 4 November 1996)

 

On January 2, 1966, Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd premiered what was to become the first series in an extensive legacy of fantastic television in Japan. Inspired by classic 1960s American sci-fi television programs, the 28-episode anthology series entitled Ultra Q introduced audiences to an array of bizarre monsters, strange aliens and alternative dimensions unleashed upon our world when the delicate balance of nature was disturbed by mankind. This theme was originally developed by Tsuburaya Productions as a proposed series entitled Unbalanced, a project which ultimately evolved into Ultra Q when the emphasis was shifted from sci-fi mystery to kaiju-oriented stories. Filmed in 35-millimeter black and white and transferred to 16-millimeter for broadcast, each half-hour episode was richly atmospheric with creative, ingenuity compensating for lack of budget. Although frequently compared by western fans to The Twilight Zone and The Otter Limits, Ultra Q actually has more in common with the British Quatermass film series, in which the renowned scientist and his team discover strange creatures or covert alien operations hell-bent on taking over the world.

Ultra Q starred Kenji Sahara as Jun Manjorne, a pilot for Hoshikawa Aviation whose enthusiasm for science fiction leads him to uncover many of the series’ extraordinary scenarios. The cast also included actress Hiroko Sakurai as Daily News Photographer Yuriko Edogawa, and Yasuhiko Saijo as Jun’s assistant pilot and comic relief, Ippei Togawa. Together, these three formed the crack investigative trio with a penchant for stumbling upon strange phenomena, preceding other famous TV sleuths of the supernatural such as Carl Kolchak in Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974) and FBI agents Scully and Mulder in the hit series The X-Files. In addition to semi-regulars Yoshifumi Tajima as Daily News desk editor Seki (Yuriko’s boss) and Ureo Egawa as Dr. Ichinotani, the renowned scientist with a scientific explanation for everything, Ultra Q guest-starred a virtual who’s who of famous Japanese sci-fi feature film and television actors (to be noted in the episode summaries which follow).

While it was fortunate that Ultra Q was able to attract many familiar personalities to portray its human characters, it was the monsters that were ultimately responsible for the overwhelming popularity of the series. Because the series was produced by Tsuburaya Productions, monster costumes from various Toho films for which Tsuburaya had provided the special effects were redressed to be utilized as new creatures in Ultra Q. The popularity of the kaiju stars, especially among children, was the key aspect responsible for the creation of Ultraman and subsequent sci-fi television series produced by Tsuburaya; likewise, several original monster designs from Ultra Q later appeared in Ultraman, as well. Today, many Ultra Q monsters remain as popular icons for the entire Japanese kaiju genre.

THE COMPLETE “ULTRA Q” EPISODE GUIDE

Staff:
Supervisor: Eiji Tsuburaya
Producers: Eiji Tsuburaya, Kin Shibusawa, Minoru Sogai
Photography: MaSaharu Utsumi
Lighting: Tadao Gotoh
Production Design: Kyoshi Shimizu
Music: Kunio Miyauchi
Recording Secretary: Atsuko Tanaka
Post-Production Services: Kinuta Laboratory

Special Effects Staff:
Photography: Koichi Takano
Lighting: Yuusuke Horie
Production Design: Seishiro Ishii, Asaya Iwasaki, Tohru Narita, Akira Watanabe
Optical Photography: Minoru Nakano Grips. Sadashige Numasato, Tetsuro Nakajima, Tatsuro Fukuda
Recording Secretary: Tokuko Suzuki

Cast:
Jun Manjome: Kenji Sahara
Ippei Togawa: Yasuhiko Saijo
Yuriko Edogawa: Hiroko Sakurai
Dr Ichinotani: Ureo Egawa
Daily News Editor Seki: Yoshifumi Tajima
Assistant Honda: Tadashi Okabe
Narrator: Koji Ishisaka
Kaiju: Haruo Nakajima, Yukio Fukutome, Haruyoshi Nakamura, Yukihiro Seino, Bin Furuya, Minoru Takahashi

Episodes are listed in original broadcast order. The numbers in parentheses represent the original script number and the order of production, respectively. The original production title is listed if substantially different from the final episode title.

1. (12/12) Defeat Gomess!
Monsters appearing: Ancient monster
Gomess / Prehistoric bird Littra
Original airdate: January 2, 1966
Ratings 32.2%
Screenplay: Kitao Senzoku
Director: Hajime Tsuburaya
Director of Special Effects: Hajime Koizumi
Guest Stars: Tatsuhiro Ebara (Reporter Nitta), Junji Muraoka (Jiro),
Nakajiro Tomita (Chief Nakamura)

While mining a train tunnel between Tokyo & Osaka, a construction crew unearths a strange object from within a huge underground cavern. Unable to identify the object, Jun and Yuriko venture into the tunnel to further investigate. In the meantime, Ippei and a reporter, with the help of a young boy named liro, discover that the object is the egg of the monster bird Littra. According to ancien legend, when Littra’s egg is found, the giant monster Gomess will appear to destroy the Earth and consequently, Littra will rise up to defend against it. Unfortunately, Jun and Yuriko have already encountered Gomes while exploring in the caverns and are pursue, to the surface by the ferocious monster. Jiri and Ippei help to warm the egg, thereby accelerating the hatching process and soon Littra is born. Gomess emerges from the tunnel and the two monsters clash in battle After a vicious struggle, Littra uses its citronella acid ray to defeat Gomess and then expires itself, having fulfilled its destiny.

Actors Ren Yamamoto and Senkichi Omura, both of whom have made numerous Toho film appearances to their credit, portray two of the miners in this episode; Yamamoto’s character helps Jun and Yuriko escape from the tunnel, while Omura play’s the Unfortnate miner who first encounters Gomes. The Gomess costume is a refurbished Godzilla siut from “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1963), sporting the addition of a horn. ftusks, hair, scales, talons, armored plateing and a forked tail in an efforl to disgllise its otherwise obvious origins. The monster (referred to in the legend as Gometus) was played by none other than Harno Nakajima, the actor Who gave life to Godzilla from 1954 through 1972; Nakajima was initially enlisted by Eiji Tsuburaya to instrnct the other suit actors on how to correctly portray the series’ monsters.

2. (11/9) Goro and Goro
Monster appearing: Giant monkey Goro
Original airdate: January 9, 1966
Ratings: 33.4%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo
Director: Hajime Tsuburaya
Director of Special Effects: Teisho Arikav
Guest Stars: Yoshio Tsuchiya (Researchel Ono), Haruo Suzuki (19 year-old Goro),
Shigei Ijida (Researcher Matsuzaki), Nadao Kirino (Daily News Reporter),
Masanori Nihei (Truck Driver) Akira Tani (Villager)

Amagi Mountain (also known as Saur-yama or Monkey Mountain due to its indigenous monkey population) is discovered to be the home of a 50 meter tall giant monkey, after the animal had ingested green leaf walnuts laced with Helipron G from a nearby research facility (Helipron G, a hormona nutrient developed during World War II for the purpose of strengthening soldiers in battle is found to trigger rapid growth in monkeys following excessive consumption). The research facility’s custodian, a young deaf mute man named Goro, who had previously befriended the monkey and also named hin Goro, now helps to find food to satisfy tht animal’s monstrous appetite. When Goro is caught stealing provisions, however, he is arrested by the police and jailed. Soon, the giant monkey begins looking for his little friend and winds up running wild in the city streets. Having first publicized the giant monkey story for the Daily News, Editor Seki devises a plan to have Goro feed his enormous pet narcotic-laced milk, so that the druggec animal can be safely transported to Iliyan Island, where similar giant monkeys were recently discovered

In addition to an expanded role for supporting actor Yoshijilmi Tagjima (to whom Ippei jokingly refers to as a “gorilla’), this episode features an unequaled number of noted Japanese sci-fi film and television actors. While actor Yoshio Tusuchiya is probably the most famious, having starred in such Toho classics as “The Human Vapor” (1959) and “Monster Zero” (1965), the other guest stars have numerous Toho feature film credits as well. Masanori Nihei, who appears briefly as a frightened truck driver is best known to Western fans as Science Patrol officer Ito (Ide in the original Japanese version) in “Ultraman.” Likewise Nadao Kirino guest-starred as a Keronia alien agent in an episode of the same series. The giant monkey Goro was portrayed by Yukio Fukutome; the Goro costume is a restored King Kong suit from “King Kong vs. Godzilla” (1962), although referbished with ears and tail so as to more closely resemble a monkey than an ape.

3. (5/4) The Gift from Space
Monster appearing: Mars monster Namegon
Original airdate: January 16, 1966
Ratings: 34.2%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo
Director: Hajime Tsuburaya
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakarni
Guest Stars: Jun Tazaki (President of the Space Explorations Bureau), Koichi Sato (Gangster),
Shigeo Kato (Area Policeman)

When Jun and Yuriko sight a U.F.O, it is discovered to be a lost space capsule that has returned to Earth after a trip to Mars. The unmanned capsule is found to contain two small gold spheres. Before the objects can be scientifically identified, however, they are stolen by a thief who mistakes them for real gold. When one of the spheres inadvertently comes in contact with heat, it grows to huge proportions and hatches a giant slug monster which kills the gangster and his accomplice. Upon investigating the scene, Jun and the others come face to face with the monster, which Jun successfully lures over a cliff and into the sea below The monster is dissolved by the salt water (ala Day of the Triffids) and the Earth is spared from further destruction. Dr. Ichinotani theorizes that the spheres were sent by an advanced alien race, possibly as a warning to mankind for launching so many pesky space probes. Meanwhile, Yuriko wears the second sphere as a necklace, unaware of the monster inside waiting to be born.

Guest star Jun Tazaki also starred as Captain Shinguji in “Atragon” (1963), among other Toho feature film appearance. Harnya Kato, known for his comical roles in such Toho films as ‘King Kong vs Godzilla”, appears brilifly as a Daily News reporter who is too scared to cover the monster story. Also appearing in this episode are Toho supporting actors Ryuusuke Saijo and Saburo Kadowaki. The roar of the monster Natnegon (in Japanese, name kuji means slug) was realized by the same sound effect used for Baragon’s roar in “Frankenstein Conquers the World.” There exists an English-dubbed version of this episode (in which Jun is re-named “Jim” and Ippei is called “Happy), presumably created to sell the series to fit foreign markets.

4. (1/1) The Mammoth Flower
Monster appearing: Giant plant Juran
Original airdate: January 23, 1966
Ratings: 35.8%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo, Koji Kajita
Director: Koji Kajita
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Minoru Takada (Dr Genda), Sachio Sakai (Tokyo Advertising Manager),
Yutaka Nakayama (Tokyo Advertising Company Man), Junichiro Mukai (Tokyo Police Chief)

A strange disturbance in Tokyo upturns the ground and shakes the buildings as if something huge is moving beneath the foundations of the city. In the canal of the Imperial Palace, a large tentacle-like vine appears, frightening passersby. Following this incident, Jun, Ippei and Yuriko witness an underground attack on humans, as the vines try to suck blood from their victims. Dr. Ichinotani suspects that a giant plant has taken root beneath Tokyo. Soon afterward, the monster-plant’s bulb crashes upward through a building and the mammoth flower blooms over the city. While Ippei tries to rescue a friend from the devastated building, Jun flies Dr. Genda high above the mammoth flower in his Cessna. The scientist drops a special device that showers carbonic acid gas upon the giant plant and it is destroyed.

All the guest stars in this episode have appeared in numerious Toho productions. When “Ultra Q” was originally developed as the series “Unbalance.” Ichinotani’s character was to have served as a Rod Sterling-tlype host at the beginning of each episode, a concept that was later scrapped in favor of voice-over narration. However, as this episode was produced from a script written for “Unbalance,” Dr Ichinotani has a featured role. This episode introduced several concepts that were later ultilized in poplllar science fiction films, most notably the appearance of the Juran vine in the Imperial Palace’s canal, which is reminiscent of Biollante’s .first appearance in Ashino lake in “Godzilla vs Biollante” (1989) and the Juran flower breaking through the rooftop, identical to several scenes in “Gamera 2: The Advent of Legion” (1996).

Acting as a special correspondent for the Daily News, Jun travels to Japan’s base at the South Pole. Once there, he learns about the mysterious disappearance of staff member Nomura three years ago, an incident that is made more intriguing by a passage in Nomura’s journal which refers to the unknown entity, “Pegila.” Yoko Kuhara, staff physician and Nomura’s fiance, is also stationed at the base and remains optimistic that they will find the missing Nomura. Soon, strange disturbances begin to take place, as well as a dramatic drop in the region’s temperature. After Yoko overhears the staffs decision not to risk searching for Nomura, she sets out on her own to find him. When Jun and Captain Amada finally catch up with her, they find Yoko unconscious, guarded by Nomura’s faithful dog, Sabu. Nearby, they find Nomura’s body imprisoned in the ice, the sight of which had caused Yoko to faint. As they work to remove the body from the ice, the monster Pegila attacks but the team is able to get away unscathed. While determining how Sabu was able to survive against Pegila, Jun and Yoko find coke residue on the dog’s coat. From this, it is concluded that Peguimin H, a chemical extract from coke, is the monster’s weakness. When Pegila reappears to attack the base, a missile containing Peguimin H is directed at the beast. Pegila is repelled by the missile and flees the South Pole.

Actor Jun Kuroki has appeared in several Toho feature films including “Mothra” (1961) and “Ghidora the Three-Headed Monster” (1964). Pegila. a monstrous mutation of a penguin and a seal with tusks, was played by Yukihiro Seino: the Pegila costume was later utilized as the monster Chandora in “Ultraman.”

6. (8/7) Grow! Turtle
(Original title: Taro’s Sketchbook)
Monsters appearing: Giant turtle Gameron / Strange dragon
Original airdate:. February 6, 1966
Ratings: 31.2%
Screenplay: Masahiro Yamada
Director. Harunosuke Nakagawa
Director of Special Effects: Hajime Koizumi
Guest Stars. Kazuo Nakamura (Taro Urashima), Masanori Nihei (Gangster), Chotaro Tohgin (Gangster),
Akira Ohizumi (School Teacher)

A young boy named Taro develops a curious preoccupation with his pet turtle, to whom he constantly encourages to grow. After getting into trouble for bringing his turtle to schooland neglecting his studies, Taro winds up in the company of two bumbling gangsters as they flee from the authorities. While hiding out in the sewer, Taro is delighted to find that his turtle has suddenly grown to 99 centimeters in length. The sight of the giant turtle, however, frightens the gangsters into the welcoming arms of the police. Assuming that Taro had been kidnapped by the two thieves, the authorities return to collect the boy, who is nowhere to be found. Instead, he rides on the back of his turtle to the undersea Dragon Palace, as depicted in his crayon drawings. There he meets a young mischievous princess names Otohime, who eludes Taro while riding on a rocket and then proceeds to sic her pet dragon on him. (Otohirne’s name is derived from the Japanese “otome” meaning young girl and “hime” meaning princess). When Taro wishes to retum home, Otohime gives him a mysterious box, which she tells him never to open and he is immediately transported back to his family. Unable to resist temptation, Taro opens the box and instantly becomes an old man!

As a modern-day re-telling of the classic Japanese folklore tale “Urashima Taro,” this children’s story is one of several episodes not to ,feature the regluar cast (who appear only briefly while investigating Taro’s disaparance). Masanori Nihei guest stars in his signature comedic role, along with Toho supporting actor Chotaro Tohgin as the Iwo inept gangsters. In the kaiju department, Yukio Fuklltome played the giant turtle Gameron. while the 5-meler Manda puppet from the Toho science fiction film “Atragon” (1963) makes a brief appearance as Otohime’s pet dragon.

7. (26/26) S.0.S. Mt. Fuji
(Original title. Gorgos)
Monster appearing: Rock monster Gorgos
Original airdate: February 13,1966
Ratings: 32.5%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo, Kitao Senzoku
Director: Toshihiro Ijima
Director of Special Effects: Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Eijiro Takashima (Takeru), Kazuko Ichikawa (Mitsuko), Dai Kanai (Yokohama Policeman)

When Yuriko investigates increased volcanic activity in the Mt. Fuji area, she learns the story of a modern-day Tarzan named Takeru, who is rumored to live in the region’s dense woods since becoming lost within them 15 years ago. Meanwhile underground volcanic energy creates boiling temperatures in a lake at the foot of the mountain and a huge boulder erupts from the waters. Because the rock obstructs a main travel route, it is blasted apart with dynamite and the pieces are transported back into the forest. At night, the pieces collect around a strange luminescent rock, creating an enormous rock monster that lives and breathes like an animal. While the investigative trio searches for Takeru with the help of his older sister Mitsuko, an area policeman finds him trapped by the monster beneath a fallen tree and helps him to escape. Takeru rushes the others to safety and then confronts the monster alone. Climbing on the creature’s back, he is successful in destroying the mysterious glowing orb which functions as the monster’s heart and the beast falls over dead. Takeru is reunited with his sister and happily returns to civilization.

Tetsuo Kinjo writer and series planner for “Ultra Q,” “Ultraman” and “UltraSseven,” is considered to be one of the driving creative forces behind the early Ultra series. Kitao Senzokl, is the pen-name for director Toshihiro Ijima, who scripted and directed several series episodes. Godzilla’s trademark roar was ued for the rock monster Gorgos, as played by Harnyoshi Nakamura.

8. (10/11) The Terror of Sweet Honey
Monster appearing: Mole monster Mongler
Original airdate: February 20, 1966
Ratings: 32.6%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo
Director: Koji Kajita
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Susumu Kurobe (Shigeo Kimura), Gen Shimizu (Site Chief Hasegawa),
Keiko Sawai (Aiko Hasegawa)

Jun, Yuriko, lppei and Dr. Ichinotani visit a laboratory near Mount Isa to learn more about the experiments of a researcher named Kimura. Kimura has developed a special nutrient called Honey Jellion, which he has fed to colonies of bees. Following an incident of vandalism at the greenhouse where the bees are stored, a giant mole appears, terrorizing the farmland community. Apparently, the animal had eaten the larvae bred on Honey Jellion and grew to super size. Kimura blames himself for the tragedy when the monster wreaks havoc in the nearby village. The investigative trio soon discovers, however, that it was Kimura’s jealous colleague, Itami, who had deliberately demolished the greenhouse, thus enabling the mole access to nutrient-raised insects. Itami flees the authorities and, in trying to destroy the monster with dynamite, is killed. Under the suggestion of Dr. Ichinotani, the military is alerted to launch missiles to stimulate the volcanic activity in the area. The mole monster is eventually destroyed in the ensuing eruption.

Having appeared as a supporting role as a bad guy in several Toho films, Susumu Kurobe is most famous for playing Ultraman’s heroic alter-ego, Science Patrol member Hayata in “Ultraman.” The mole monster Mongler (in Japanes “mogura: means mole) was played by Yukio Fukutome. Stock footage from “Rodan” (1956) and “The Mysterians” (1957) was used in the episode’s climatic battle sequence.

9. (13/13) The Spider Baron
Monster appearing: Giant spider Tarantula
Original airdate. February 27, 1966
Ratings: 35 7%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo
Director: Hajime Tsuburaya
Director of Special Effects: Hajime Koizumi
Guest Stars: Yuusuke Takida (Haiyama), Akiko Wakabayashi (Kyoko), Jiro Tsuruga (Takehara),
Koji Iwamoto (Lighthouse Keeper)

Returning home from a party one night, Jun and company become lost in the outskirts of Tokyo. When Ippei and Takehara accidently stumble into a marsh, the group seeks refuge in a nearby Western-style mansion to help keep the two men warm. While in the abandoned mansion, Jun remembers the tale of the Spider Baron, a man who lived in a similarly-styled dwelling and harbored a bizarre attraction to spiders. Legend has it that when the baron’s only daughter was accidentally killed by his poisonous tarantula, she was reborn as a spider herself, driving her father insane. Before long, Jun and the others are attacked by two giant tarantulas, the reincarnated forms of the baron and his daughter that have been lurking in the shadows of the mansion. Jun succeeds in killing one of them with a knife and the group flees the mansion with the second spider in close pursuit. Upon reaching their cars, Jun is successful in driving over the monstrous arachnid, killing it, too. When the spider expires, the mansion crumbles into the swamp leaving nary a trace of its existence,.

This was series lone haunted house’ entry and Kenji Sahara’s favorite episode. Actress Akiko Wakabaya portrayed Prince Salina in “Ghidora the Three-Headed Monster” (1964) and the lone female hood in the gang of diamond thieves in “Dogora the Space Monster” (1965 ).

10. (25/25) The Underground Super Express to the West
(Orginal title: The Underground Super Express)
Monster appearing: Artificial being M-I
Original airdate: March 6, 1966
Ratings: 32.6%
Screenplay: Hiroyasu Yamarnura, Kitao Senzoku
Director: Toshihiro Ijima
Director of Special,Effects: Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Susumu Ishikawa (Chief Nishioka), Tetsuo Yarnarnura (Itachi),
Kiminobu Okumura (Driver Koyarna)

Yuriko and Ippei are passangers on the inaugural voyage of the Inazuma; a futuristic bullet train leaving New Tokyo Station for North Kyushu. Mistaking it for Yuriko’s case, Ippei accidently brings along the high-pressure container which houses Dr. Aikawa’s artifical lifeforrn, M-I. The lifeform, which primarily exists in a jelly-like state, becomes active when carelessly exposed to a photographer’s flashbulb. While stowed in the Inazuma’s engine room, rapid cell division occurs, evolving M-I into a gorilla-like being. M-I frightens the crew and playfully toys with the equipment in the abandoned engine room, damaging the train’s electronic brain. With the Inazuma speeding out of control, the conductor separates the passenger car from the engine, leaving M-I inside the engine room. However, a young stowaway named Itachi is also trapped with the panicky M-I in the engine car, now speeding toward destruction. At the last terminal, the Inazuma’s maiden voyag’e ends in fiery disaster; Itachi and M-I, however, having hidden in a storage locker, are safely launched into orbit!

A tongue-in-cheek episode as evidenced by the goofy antics of M-1 (short for Man-Made No. I), as played by Harnyoshi Nakamura, which inchlde scratching its head monkey-style and uttering “watashi wa kamome” (I am a gull) while being propelled into outer space. Production designer Tohrn Narita also envisioned a more exotic concept for the evloved M-I, in addition to the gorilla-like design that was ultimately used.

11. (17/16) Balloonga
Monster appearing: Balloon monster Balloonga
Original airdate: March 13, 1966
Ratings: 32.6%
Screenplay: Kunio Torami
Director: Samaji Nonagase
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Hirayoshi Aono (Dr. Naramaru), Masaroh Takahashi (Pilot), Ryusuke Nakae (Administrator)

A mysterious lifeform adheres to the rocketship Saturn I on its return trip following the exploration of Saturn. The alien creature absorbs the rocket’s energy, causing it to crash into the sea upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Investigating in his Cessna, Jun discovers the seemingly harmless balloon-like lifeform and brings it to Tokyo for further study. Feeding on the vast power in the heart of the city, Balloonga grows out of control, destroying Jun’s car and seriously injuring Ippei in the process. Balloonga floats high above Tokyo as it continues to absorb the city’s energy, keeping the residents in a constant state of blackout. Conventional weapons cannot destroy the creature, which grows even larger after digesting a typhoon. Under the advice of Dr. Nararnaru, a rocket is fired into the Earth’s upper atmosphere, creating an artifical sun which lures Balloonga away from the city and into space.

12. (7/6) I Saw A Bird
Monster appearing: Anicent monster bird Larngeus
Original airdate: March 20, 1966
Ratings: 35.7%
Screenplay: Masahiro Yamada
Director: Harunosuke Nakagawa
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Akihide Tsuzawa (10 year-old Saburo), Kazuo Higata (Minato Police Lieutenant),
Yutaka Nakayama (Fisherman)

A strange occurrence at the zoo has caused the animals to disappear and has left the zoo keeper near death. Gasping his last breath, the dying man murmurs, “I saw a bird.” At a peaceful fishing village, a 10th-century sailing vessel mysteriously drifts into port. Upon investigating, Jun and the others find the ship to be completely deserted, but discover the navigational log and a small, white bird. Without warning, the ship begins to crumble around them and the group flees, taking along the ship’s journal. The ship is lost beneath the waves and the small bird flies away. Back in Tokyo, Dr. Ichinotani determines the ship’s log to be 998 years old; oddly enough, the final entry reads “I saw a bird…” Adding to the mystery, the small bird that was discovered is identified as an extinct spieces of prehistoric bird named Larugeus. In the meantime, a young boy from the village named Saburo befriends the small bird and names it Kuro (an ironic name for a white bird, as kuro means black in Japanese). Shortly after the bird’s appearance in the village, a large flock of chickens is missing. Believing the bird to be dangerous, the local authorities capture and hold it in jail. Larugeus grows to gigantic proportions, breaking its bonds and causing widespread destruction to the city as it flies away. Saburo catches sight of the departing Larugeus and bids the bird farewell.

As directed by Harnnosuke Nakagawa, this episode comes across as a children’s tale as opposed to a sci-fi mystery. Akihide Tsuzawa also appeared as the Science Patrol’s youngest member, Isamu Hoshino in ‘Ultraman.” S’tock footage from “Rodan” (1956) was employed for the scene in which Larngeus destroy’s the city.

13. (19/17) Garadama
(Original title: The Valley of Garadama)
Monster appearing: Meteorite monster Garamon
Original airdate: March 27, 1966
Ratings: 36.8%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo
Director: Hajime Tsuburaya
Director of Special Effects: Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Toyoshi Fukuda (Teacher Ooki), Kotaro Tomita (Tokyo Research Institute Scientist),
Tomoharu Minamiya (Mamoru), Shizuo Kobayashi (Takeshi)

When several boys discover a mysterious, lightweight meteorite, their teacher delivers the strange rock to Dr. Ichinotani in Tokyo. Under analysis, the meteorite which the children call garadama, is identified as being comprised of Tilsonite and is found to be emanating powerful radiowaves. As Ichinotani, Jun and the others investigate the area where the meteor was found, a huge garadama falls to Earth in the nearby river bed. The heat from the enormous fireball evaporates the waters surrounding a hydro-electric dam, leaving a small boat stranded upon a steep cliff. As Jun and Ippei attempt to rescue the two women trapped inside the boat, the meteorite hatches a huge monster. Becoming violent, the monster begins to destroy the dam and the surrounding area. Back in Tokyo, Yuriko and the institute’s scientists determine that the Tilsonite rock is acting as the monster’s electronic brain. In order to interrupt the flow of the transmitted waves, a special screen casing is placed around the meteorite. With it’s control signal cut off, the giant Garamon falls over dead and the inavsion from space is averted.

Kotaro Tomita also appeared as the Setopian agent who steals control of Jet Jaguar in “Godzilla vs. Megalon” (1973). The monster Garamon (short for Garadama-monster) was played by Minonl Takahashi; the name may also be constroed as a play on the monster’s robotic elements, as gara-gara in Japanese means a rattling nosie, similar to the ticking sound emitted when as monster walks. Although the monster’s costume was also used as the man-sized kaiju Pigmon in “Ultraman,” Garamon has become the single most identifiable image of the enitre “Ultra Q” series.

14. (16/15) Tokyo Ice Age
Monster appearing Refrigeration monster Pegila
Original airdate: April 3, 1966
Ratings: 36.8%
Screenplay: Masahiro Yamada
Director: Samaji Nonagase
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Hideaki Sato (Haruo), Masahiko Arima (Teruo Sawamura)

At a Tokyo airport, a sudden, mysterious cold wave causes an aircraft to crash and grounds the other planes. A strange black cloud descends on Tokyo and from within it, emerges the monster Pegila. Resting from its journey between the South and North Poles, the monster arrives in the heart of the city, turning the area into an artic landscape. During Pegila’s destructive spree, the Daily News offices are damaged in the attack. Yuriko, Editor Seki and a young boy named Haruo become trapped when their car is hurled by Pegila’s freezing assault. In the meantime, Jun and Ippei discover a drunken man asleep in their plane. After bringing the man inside, he wakes up and holds the two pilots at gunpoint. Having escaped from the snowed-in vehicle, Haruo makes it to Hoshikawa Airport to ask for Jun’s help. The desparate man recognizes the boy as his son and commandeers Jun’s Cessna to attack the monster. After picking up a supply of Peguimin H from the Polar Vegetation Research Institute, Haruo’s father sacrifices his life by piloting the plane into Pegila and succeeds in driving the monster away from Tokyo.

In this sequel to episode 5, Pegila was once again portrayed by Yukihiro Seino.

15. (22/20) Kanegon’s Cocoon
Monster appearing: Coin monster Kanegon
Original airdate: April1 0, 1966
Ratings: 28.5 %
Screenplay: Masahiro Yamada
Director: Harunosuke Nakagawa
Director of Special Effects: Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Toshi Tsujisawa (Kaneo Kaneda), Torahiko Hamada (Kaneo’s Father),
Fumio Watanabe (Director Nakamura “Higeoyaji”)

A greedy boy named Kaneo Kaneda (in Japanese, kane means money) finds a small cocoon-like object at the dump site where all the children enjoy scavenging for loot, much to the chagrin of the site’s workers. Kaneo is delighted to hear the sound of coins rattling inside of the object. When his parents warn him about the creature named Kanegon, who eats money and is brought about by such greedy behavior, Kaneo takes little heed to their story. Instead, he is ecstatic to find that the little cocoon has grown enormous, as he envisions vast riches inside. Eager to obtain his new-found wealth, Kaneo reaches into the cocoon and is pulled inside. The next morning, the young boy wakes up, “hatching” from the cocoon as the monster Kanegon. After frightening his parents away, Kanegon seeks out his friends for help. He must have money to eat or his body will lose energy and he could die. The children have fun with Kanegon, feeding him coins and using him to scare the dump site workers away. But trouble escalates for Kanegon when his appetite drives him to the local bank for a feast. Eventually, Kanegon blasts off into space, releasing the young Kaneo, who parachutes back to Earth. The boy is overjoyed to be himself again, but upon returning home, he now finds that his parents have also become Kanegon creatures!

The second qf the series’ light-hearted children’s tales as directed by Harnnosuke Nakagawa, in which the reglllar cast does not appear. Masanori Nihei appears again briefly as one of the bumbling dump site workers. The monster Kanegon. a saucer- headed, other-worldly creatllre with eyes on slalks and a zipper mouth, was played by Harnyoshi Nakamllra.

16. (28/28) The Revenge of Garamon
Monsters appearing: Meteorite monster Garamon / Strange alien Cicada Man
Original airdate: April 17, 1966
Ratings: 31.2%
Screenplay: T etsuo Kinjo
Director: Samaji Yanagase
Director of Special Effects: Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Akihiko Hirata (Chief Hanazawa), Yoichi Numata (Truck Driver)

Under the cover of night, a mysterious man steals the Tilsonite rock from Tokyo’s Astrophysics Research Institute. When a group of meteors is detected approaching the Earth, Jun and the others fear that an invasion from outer space is once again imminent. Hiding the Tilsonite in a contra-bass case, the thief hitch-hikes a ride on a truck and flees Tokyo. Soon, the city is besieged by two flaming meteorites, which crash-land in the heart of Tokyo, unleashing a pair of Garadama-monsters. The two giant monsters immediately proceed to destroy the city. As the Garamon are being controlled by the electronic waves emanating from the stolen Tilsonite, a search is conducted by Chief Hanazawa to locate the mysterious man. Following a lengthy pursuit, Jun and the police corner the man by a remote lake and succeed in retrieving the Tilsonite. Hanazawa encases the alien rock in a special screen mesh that effectively cuts off the transmitted signals and the Garamon monsters collapse in a heap. The strange man reveals his true identity as a cicada-headed alien and stumbles toward the lake, as a spacecraft rises from the waters. Instead of rescuing him, however, the craft emits a heat ray that incinerates the alien (his punishment for failing in his misson) and departs from the Earth.

Akihiko Hirata starred in numerious Toho productions, most notably’ as Dr. Serizawa in “Godzilla” (1954), as well appearing in the semirregular role of Dr. Iwamoto in the “Ultraman” series. As a direct sequel to episode 13, this entry was the last to be scripted and produced. The popular monster Garamon returns for a repeat performance, portrayed again by Minorn Takahashi. The cicada man L’osfllme was modified into the most popular of all UItraman villians, the Baltan Alien.

17. (9/8) The 1/8 Project
(Original title: The Dream City)
Original airdate: April 24, 1966
Ratings: 31.7%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo
Director: Hajirne Tsuburaya
Director of Special Effects: Teisho Arikawa
Guest Stars: Fuyuki Murakami (S 13 District Warden), TerukoMita (District Welfare Officer),
Sachio Sakai (Clerk-in-Charge)

After being trampled beneath the maddening rush of a crowded Tokyo train station, Yuriko discovers crowds of people volunteering to participate in a new experiment called the 1/8 Project. When Yuriko enquires into the nature of the project, she is accidently reduced to 1/8 her normal size. The project, she learns, is being tested by the Japanese government as a possible solution to urban overcrowding; by miniaturizing the citizens, cities can allow for the continued proliferation of life on a much smaller scale. Following her miniaturization, Yuriko is accused of having trespassed into Area S13 without a passport and is delivered to a jail for incarceration. Hearing her plight, her normal-sized cell mate helps her to escape. She is discovered by two nuns, who deliver her to Jun’s office at Hoshikawa Airport. Upon finding a memorial photo of herself in the empty office, Yuriko’s hopes of returning normal size begin to fade and she leaves for Area S13. In their search for Yuriko, Jun and Ippei discover the miniature metropolis, but their enormous size frightens the Lilliputian citizens. When they locate Yuriko, she flees from thern, resigned to remain in Area S13 Yuriko eventually awakens in a hospital bed, elated to find that she has been restored to normal size. It turns out that her whole adventure was a dream, following her nearly being trampled to death in the train station.

As one of the straight science fiction stories of the series, this episode played its bizarre events for laughs, as evidenced by such scenes as Jun and Ippei romping through the miniature city like giant monsters or the minialllre Yuriko’s imprisonment in a normal-sized jail with an ovenweight cell mate. Teisho Arikmawa worked under Eiji T.suburaya on numerious Toho productions until he assumed the role of director of special effects himself on “Son of Godzilla” (1967) and “Destroy All Monsters” (1968).

18. (25/21) The Rainbow’s Egg
Monster appearing: Underground monster Pagos
Original airdate: May 1, 1966
Ratings: 28.9%
Screenplay: Masahiro Yamada
Director: Toshihiro Iijima
Director of Special Effects: Teisho Arikawa
Guest Stars: Hikaru Shirakawa (9 year-old Hiiko, Piko), Shino Shiba (Grandmother Tamiko),
Hideyo Jyosho (Dr. Itoigawa)

Jun, Ippei and Yuriko investigate a hillside accident involving a truck that was transporting a uranium capsule. After rescuing the drivers, they learn that the monster Pagos had surfaced from underground, following the appearance of a mysterious rainbow, and caused the accident. When the rainbow appears again, Pagos rises and terrorizes a group of children that plays in the area. A young girl named Piko has discovered the uranium capsule, which she percieves to be the magical “rainbow’s egg” that can grant wishes of healing. Piko has a particular fondness for an elderly woman named Tamiko, whom the children call “grandmother,” and wants to use the egg’s magic to help her walk again. Attracted to uranium, Pagos initially approaches the young girl as she struggles with her quarry, but is ultimately lured to a nearby atomic power plant instead. The monster attacks and devastates the plant before neo-neutron missiles can be launched against it. Pagos is drenched by the radioactive fallout from the exploding missiles and solidifies into rock. Crashing to the ground, the monster shatters apart and the mysterious rainbow disappears. Piko, however, is determined to present the “egg” to Tamiko and is reluctant to surrender it to Jun and the others. When Tamiko arrives, she is so overjoyed to find that Piko is safe, she rises from her wheelchair and miraculously begins to walk again!

This episode features particulary outstanding visual effects including the depiction of the atomic power plant, and Pago’s destruction by the radioactive fallout. The costume for the monster Pagos as brought to life by Haruo Nakajima, was created from the Baragon suit used in “Frankenstein Conquers the World” (1965). The monster’s roar is a composite of the sound effects used for both Baragon and Godzilla.

19. (24/22) Challenge of the Year 2020
Monster appearing: Strange abductor Kemur Being
Original airdate: May 8, 1966
Ratings: 28.6%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo, Kitao Senzoku
Director: Toshihiro Iijima
Director of Special Effects: Teisho Arikawa
Guest Stars: Akiji Kobayashi (Major Amano), Hiroshi Yanagiya (Detective Udagawa),
Yasuo Tsuchiya (Assistant Tomoda)

Following the sighting of a U.F.O. and the destruction of two J.S.D.F. jets sent to investigate, a series of strange disappearances plagues Tokyo. When Yuriko witnesses a woman vanish before her eyes, she begins her own investigation. As Jun and Major Amano scout the area where the planes were shot down, Jun suddenly vanishes from the cockpit of his own Cessna. A strange, jelly-like substance that appears before each disappearance attacks Yuriko in a phone booth, but she escapes with the help of an eccentric investigator named Udagawa. Udagawa tells her that he has been tracking an alien invader from Kernur, who has been abducting humans in order to disguise its true form. Ippei notes that Udagawa’s story is so closely related to the science fiction novel “Challenge of the Year 2020” as to be unbelievable. After kidnapping Yuriko, the Kernurian appears and escapes from Udagawa and the police. Ippei and Major Amano observe that in the novel, the alien is defeated by the X-channel light ray invented by Dr. Kanda. Upon searching the deserted residence of the real Dr. Kanda, they discover a K-miniode fuse, which they implement atop Tokyo Tower. Yuriko awakens at an amusement park and is confronted by Jun, which turns out to be the Kernurian in disguise. When Udagawa and the police arrive, they shoot the extra-terrestrial and it grows to gigantic proportions. The Kernurian proceeds to destroy the park, until it is struck down by the concentrated beam of the X-channel ray fired from Tokyo Tower. The alien’s body vanishes and the people that were abducted re-emerge into their own dimension. All seems well until a curious Udagawa spies a puddle of liquid and steps into it.

A particularla spooky episode with many bizarre elements: Jun transfonning into the Kemurian before Yuriko’s eyes and the cover of a novel mirroring Yuriko’s attack in the phone booth are particularly unnerving. The Kemurian, who also popped up in several episodes of “Ultraman,” was played by Bin Furuya, the fame actor who portrayed the giant superhero from M-78.

20. (27/24) The Undersea Primate Ragon
Monster appearing:Undersea primate Ragon
Original airdate: May 15, 1966
Ratings: 30.9%
Original Story: Shoji Ohtomo
Screenplay: Hiroyasu Yamaura, Samaji Nonagase
Director: Samaji Nonagase
Director of Special Effects; Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Jiro Ishimisaki (Dr Ishii), Megumi Tama (Furniko Ishii)

Jun and Yuriko travel to the island of Iwanejima to investigate undersea volcanic activity. A young marine geologist, Dr. Ishii, has theorized that the entire island may soon be in danger of submerging beneath the sea. Ishii’s theories, however, are met with indifference by the island’s population, which relies on the local fishing trade to exist. When a mysterious object is retrived by one of the fishing boats, a strange humaniod sea creature comes ashore and terrorizes the village at night. Dr. Ishii wonders if the ancient superstitions regarding a primitive race of beings called Ragon, which are believed to live beneath the sea, could be true. The creature enters Ishii’s house, frightening the doctor’s younger sister, Fumiko, before leaving. Jun notes’ that Ragon was momentarily drawn to the music from a transistor radio, which appeared to calm its hostile nature. Jun uses the radio to lure the creature to the edge of a cliff, where a sudden tremor causes it to lose its footing and fall to the rocks below. The escalating tremors indicate that Ishii’s theories are true; but when the villagers try to leave the island, their path is blocked by a second Ragon, which surfaces in the harbor. The strange object turns out to be an egg, which hatches a baby Ragon. Furniko delivers the infant creature to its parent, who gently takes the baby and returns peacefully to the sea. Arriving in a helicopter, Ippei rescues Jun and Yuriko and the villagers flee the island in their fishing boats. Iwanejima is tom apart by a massive quake and vanishes beneath the waves, a frightening omen of what may one day happen to Japan.

The sea monster Ragon, Tsuburaya’s homage to the “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” was played by Bin Funlya. A giant Ragon also appeared in the fourth episode of the Ultraman series.

21. (18/18) Space Order M774
(Original title: The Targeted World)
Monster appearing: Space ray Bostang
Original airdate: May 22, 1966
Ratings: 26.9%
Screenplay: Shozo Uehara
Director: Kazuho Mitsuta
Director of Special Effects: Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Keiko Mizuki (Kiyomi Ichijo Zemi), Susumu Fujita (Coast Guard Patrol Ship Captain),
Kinjo Omino (Coast Guard Navagations Officer)

While aboard a cruise ship for the evening, Yuriko finds a child’s doll, which suddenly speaks to her. The voice introduces itself as Zemi, an alien from the planet Ruparts, and warns of an invasion from outer space. Shocked, Yuriko throws the doll overboard, but Jun and Ippei take little heed to her story. Later, while flying in the Cessna, the controls of the plane suddenly freeze on Jun and Ippei. The plane eventually returns to base by itself, the cockpit empty. Jun and Ippei find themselves in an abandoned inn, where the jukebox in the bar plays a record that speaks to them in the voice of the alien. Zemi explains that the monster Bostang has been sent to Earth as the principle instrument of invasion from the planet Keel. Following Space Order M774, Zemi has been assigned to help Earth against this hostile threat. The monster’s egg has already fallen to Earth and, from the ocean floor, has hatched a giant manta ray that proceeds to cause several ship diasters. At the central library, the investigative ‘trio are greeted by the woman Kiyomi, the human form of the alien Zemi, who joins them in alerting the authorities about the monster. Together, they join the coast guard in locating Bostang and, after a tense struggle, the alien devilfish is destroyed by a squadron of J.S.D.F. jets. With the danger having passed, Zemi reveals that many of her kind already peacefully co-exist on Earth among mankind.

A species of giant mama ray called Klapton, which feed on oil tanker tracks. originally appeared in the script entitled “Oil SOS,” written for Ultra Q by Shozo Uehara. When production could not commence due to difficulties with the location, the story was re-written as “Space Order M744” and the miniature Klapton prop was refurbished as the monster Bostang. A similar script, also entitled Oil SOS, was written for the “Ultraman” series by Tetsuo Kinjo and featllred Pester, a huge starfish-monster with an appetite for petroleum.

22. (2/2) The Transfonnation
Monsters appearing: The Giant / Morpho butterfly
Original airdate: May 29, 1966
Ratings: 30.1%
Screenplay: Kyoko Kitazawa
Original Story: Tetsuo Kinjo
Director: Koji Kajita
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Machiko Naka (Ayako), Kozo Nomura (Koji – The Giant)

Residents are horrified when reports of skeletal remains and giant footprints lead them to believe that an abominable snowman may be lurking in the nearby mountains. When the press is alerted, Yuriko is visted by her friend, Ayako, who relates a desparate story. While helping her fiance, an entomologist named Koji, collect insect specimens, they discovered a largespieces of Morpho butterfly that were thought to be native only to the Amazon. When the strange insects expelled their poisonous pollen on Koji, he became ill and fled from Ayako as though he were insane. When she finally caught up with him. Ayako became terrified to find that he was mutating into giant wildman. Aided by Dr Ichinotani, the investigative trio pursues the trail of the lost Koji. When sighted, Koji has grown to a monstrous height and appears to have lost his human identity. The frightened masses view him as a monster and the military is called upon to stop him. Ayako desparately reaches out to Koji, trying to revive any memories that he may still have of her. Dr. Ichinotani employs the X beam, a concentrated atomic heat ray designed to counter the effect of the Morpho poison, and before Koji can harm Ayako, he is driven back into the forest. Following his trail, Jun and the others find that he has been restored to normal size and is happy to be reunited with Ayako.

Kozo Nomura s’tarred in “Varan the Unbelieable” (1958). Hanlya Kato appears as the Daily News reporter who first encounters the giant Koji.

23. (14/23) Fury of the South Sea
Monster appearing: Giant octopus Sudar
Original airdate: June 5, 1966
Ratings: 27.0%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo
Director: Samaji Nonagase
Director of Special Effects: Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Akira Kubo (Yuzo), Noriko Takahasi (Anita),
Shigeki Ishida (Island Chief)

Following the destruction of a fishing vessel by a gigantic octupus, the lone survivor named Yuzo, the son of the ship’s captain, is washed ashore nearby Compass Island. He is rescued and cared for by the beautiful native girl, Anita and the two begin to develop affections for one another. However, the island’s chief declares the relationship a sacrilage against their god, the sea monster Sudar. Tensions increase further following the arrival of Jun and the others as they investigate the mysterious ship disappearances in the area of Micronesia. After saving Anita’s younger brother from the tentacles of Sudar, Jun and Ippei escape the island to warn the authorities of the monster. Upon their return, they find that the natives are preparing to offer their friends as a sacrifice to the giant octopus. The military arrives and drops bombs upon Sudar, providing a distraction that allows Jun and Ippei to rescue the others. Driven from the sea, the wounded Sudar comes ashore and attacks the village. The natives fight back, challenging the beast with spears and fire. With the help of Yuzo and Jun, Sudar is finally defeated and collapses before it can return to the sea. Having avenged his father’s death, Yuzo remains on the island with Anita, as Jun and the others return to Japan.

Akira Kubo has starred in numerous Toho productions including “Gorath” (1962), “Destroy All Monsters” (1968) and “Yog, Monster from Space” (1970). Noriko Takahashi appeared in both “Frankenstein Conquers the World” {1965) and “Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster” {1966). The giant octopus Sudar was realized by utilizing the miniature prop from “Frankenstein Conquers the World,” a filll-size tentacle prop from “War of the Gartgantuas” {1966) and stock footage of the giant octopus attack from “King Kong vs. Godzilla” {1962).

24. (23/27) The Idol of Goga
(Original title: The Castle of Relics)
Monster appearing: Shell beast Goga
Original airdate: June 12, 1966
Ratings: 31.5%
Screenplay: Shozo Uehara
Director: Samaji Nonagase
Director of Special Effects: Tohru Matoba
Guest Stars: Hisako Tahara (Aleen- Min Liyan), Suzuko Yamagata (Tami),
Tatsuo Matsushita (Iwakura)

A ring of smugglers, including a mysterious woman named Aleen, steal a rare statue and kidnap a young girl named Tami in the process. This particular artifact, the Idol of Goga, was crafted by the ancient civilization of Alanka 6,000 years ago and is said to carry a curse that will befall anyone that tries to remove it from its West Asian homeland of Abu; the penalty for such desecration will be the total destruction of the community in which the statue is held. The thieves, led by mastermind Iwakura, secure their booty at Iwakura Hall, among other priceless relics. Later, one of the smugglers in struck down by strange rays that are emitted from the statue’s eyes. The statue falls and shatters, releasing a snail creature that begins to grow in size. Jun, Yuriko and Ippei investigate the kidnapping of Tami and soon find themselves in the smuggler’s den. Aleen’s true identity is revealed to be Min Liyan and, upon being discovered to have been secretly working against the smugglers, she is imprisoned with Tami. Meanwhile, the snail-monster Goga continues to grow larger and eventually destroys the building, crushing Iwakura beneath a huge, fallen statue. Unscathed, Jun and the others are rescued by the military from the devastated building. A surviving thief tries to kill Min, but is crushed beneath the monster as it destroys the city Finally, Goga is consumed by the flames of a military bombardment and perishes, as Tarni is safely reunited with her mother

25. (3/3) The Devil Child
Monster appearing: Devil child Lily
Original airdate: June 19,1966
Ratings: 30.8%
Original Story: Ken Kumantani
Screenplay: Kyoko Kitazawa
Director: Koji Kajita
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Yoshio Kosugi (Akanuma the Magician), Noriko Sakabe (Lily)

Jun and the others attend a perforniance by Akanuma the Magician During the act, a young girl named Lily is enclosed inside a box and her ghostly spirit appears in the air, separated from her body. At the conclusion, her body and spirit are rejoined and she emerges from the box, generating applause from the audience. Dr. Ichinotani conducts his own research on the subject and theorizes that the part of the body we identify as the soul may simply be a further extenstion of human existence. Using Ippei as his subject, Ichinotani employs a new invention to briefly separate Ippei’s negative energy from his body, creating a ghostly double. Similarly, some aspect of Akanuma’s hypnotic hold over Lily has triggered this same division in the child’s body. Meanwhile, a series of bizarre accidents has been occuring in Tokyo, involving victims that have been frightened by the apparition of a little girl. It soon becomes apparent that the balance of Lily’s body has been altered, allowing her spirit to roam freely at night. When Akanuma is unable to find his daughter, he realizes that Lily has set out to locate her wandering soul. She eventually comes in contact with her evil twin, who proceeds to lead her into the path of an oncoming train; Lily perceives the train’s whistle to be her mother’s voice from beyond the grave and continues to move towards it. Jun and Ippei arrive just in time to use Ichinotani’s device to stabilize the balance between Lily’s positive and negative energies and save the girl from the speeding train. Reunited with his daughter, Akanuma prepares a new act that won’t place the child in danger.

Haruya Kato appears again as a Daily News reporter covering the mysterious accidents.

26. (20/19) Blazing Glory
(Original title: Dynamite Joe)
Monster appearing: Deep-sea monster Peter
Original airdate: June 26, 1966
Ratings: 35.2%
Screenplay; Kitao Senzoku
Director: Kazuho Mitsuta
Director of Special Effects: TohruMatoba
Guest Stars: Kentaro Kudoh (Dynamite Joe), Takanobu Hozumi (Bill Oyarna),
Eiji Mutoh (Promoter Okui)

Joe Aikawa, better known as Dynamite Joe, takes Japan by storm as he rises through a series of decisive victories to become the country’s new boxing champion. Prior to the match for the world championship title however, Joe mysteriously disappears from the sports world, creating controversy towards his promoter. Some time later, as the investigative trio enjoys an evening of entertainment at a seaside resort, Jun recognizes a cavorting clown as Dynamite Joe in disguise. In his dressing room, Joe keeps his beloved pet, a small alligator named Peter, in a tank of water. When Joe’s manager accidentally removes Peter from the tank, the creature suddenly grows large, frightening the man and escaping from the resort in the process. Jun confronts Joe, who can no longer hide his identity. He explains that his life was changed when he first caught Peter while fishing off the Phillipines. Joe discovered that not only could the small creature assume a larger form when out of water, but that it could telepathically communicate with him as well. Peter was also able to forsee the future for Joe, predicting all his boxing victories. When Peter predicted joe’s defeat at the Wrold Championship however, Joe lost all his ambition to continue boxing. He now drowns his apathy in liquor between his preformances as a clown. That night, Peter returns to the hotel and Joe tries to lead the creature back to water. Peter, however, accidentally ovetrurns an oil barrel, causing a huge fire. Alone, Joe sets out to create his own destiny, now realizing that knowing the future destroys the ambition that drives us to realize out dreams.

The creature Peter, as played by Haruyoshi Nakamura, is described as a species of “alligatortise.” A cross between an alligator and a tortise. The Peter costume was refurbished and utilized as the monster Gesura in an episode of “Ultraman.”

27. (4/10) The Disappearance of Flight 206
Monster appearing Fourth dimension monster Todola
Original airdate: July 3, 1966
Ratings: 36.4%
Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo, Hiroyasu Yamamura
Director: Koji Kajita
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Hiroshi Koizumi (Cheif Kaneko), Hisaya Ito (Pilot Ijima),
Nadao Kirino (Criminal), Miki Yashiro (Stewardess)

Returning from a pilot’s conference in Hong Kong, Jun and Ippei’s flight aboard a supersonic passenger jet is suddenly interrupted by a strange pocket of turbulence. The aircraft disappears from radar screens, as it is sucked into a great twisting whirlpool that appears in the sky. Waiting at Tokyo International Airport, Yuriko and Dr. Ichinotani fear that the worst has happened to Flight 206. Aboard the jet, the passengers begin to regain consciousness and realize that the aircraft is no longer moving. Flight 206 now sits motionless in a vast expanse of clouds that stretch as far as the eye can see. A criminal aboard the plane succeeds in freeing himself from his guard, confiscating the man’s gun in the process. He then forces Jun, Ippei, and the two pilots into leaving the plane to walk amongst the cloudly mist. They discover the remains of several World war II planes with the decaying bodies of the pilots still intact within the cockpits. Seizing an oppurtunity, Jun tries to wrestlethe gun from the crimminal, accidentally wounding the pilots when the gun discharges. The criminal falls into an opening and is pulled beneath the clouds. Suddenly, a huge creatue emerges from the mist and pursues the men back to the aircraft. Jun now realizes the the plane was pulled into the fourth dimension and that they must try to fly back out again. With the pilots injured, Jun and Ippei activate the engines, repelling the approching monster with the plane’s powerful exhaust. They pilot Flight 206 out of the transdimensional pocket and back into Japanese air space, saving the crew and passangers.

Guest stars Hiroshi Koizumi and Hisaya Ito lend their familiar faces to this episode’s cast of characters: Koizumi has starred in many Toho, feature films including “Mothra” (1961), “Matango” (1963), “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964), and “Ghidora the Three-Headed Monster” (1964), while Ito has held supporting roles in numerous genre films including “The Mysterians” (1957) and “Destroy All Monsters” (1968). The costume for Magma, the giant walrus from “Gorath” (1962} was utilized for the monster Todola as played Yukio Fuklltome. Whereas azarashi means “seal” in .Japanese, todo refers to a larger version of the same animal, hence the name Todola for this epsiode’s monster).

28. (6/5) Open Up!
Original airdate: December 14, 1967
Ratings: 19.9%
Screenplay: Mieko Osanai
Director: Hajime Tsuburaya
Director of Special Effects: Keiji Kawakami
Guest Stars: Hiro Yanagitani (Sawamura), Eisei Amamoto (Kenji Tomono),
Shigeki Ijida (Conference Director)

While driving home one evening, Jun and Yuriko come upon a man lying unconscious in the road. They help him into their car and drive off. When they stop at a railroad crossing, the sound of the oncoming train startles the man awake, sending him into a fit of hysteria. The man, Sawamura, has a flashback of being the only passenger aboard a bizarre train, which travels wildly through the air. The train appears to be travelling in another dimension of time and space. Sawamura bangs frantically on the windows, begging for the train to stop and let him out, when a conductor suddenly appears. Following the conductor to the next car, Sawamura discovers several other passengers aboard the train, among them science fiction writer Kenji Tomono. Jun and Yuriko bring Sawamura to Dr. Ichinotani, whose assistant uses hypnotism to calm the troubled man into a peaceful sleep; he is later released to his family. Ichinotani is studying patients who are suffering from similar delusions and, together with Jun and Yuriko, attends a conference investigating this strange phenomenon. Searching for clues, Jun and Yuriko pay a visit to Tomono’s residence, only to find that the writer has disappeared. They are given an envelope containing Tomono’s last manuscript, which reveals the writer’s personal experience of having entered another dimension, a world free from the hassles of everyday life. Sawamura, incapable of readjusting himself into society, staggers after the flying train, crying out for it to take him back to the alternate dimension.

Eisei Amamolo has appeared in numerous Toho genre films, most notably portraying the sinister Dr. Who in “King Kong Escapes” (1967), as well as in the “Kamen Rider” television series. Toho supporting actors also appearing in this episode include Kyoko Mori, Yulaka Sada and Shizuko Ozuma. This episode, one of the earlies to be scripled and produced, wasn’t aired until nearly a year and a half after the serie’ original broadcast run. It was originally preempled so that “The Birth of Ultrarnan,” a special presenlalion preceding the firsl episode of the “Ultrarnan” series could be aired.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
My sincerest thanks to the following people without whom this article would not have been possible. Kevin Grays, a true expert on Japanese sci-fi, for his contributions above and beyond the call of duty. Ultrafans everywhere are indebted to Kevin for selflessly sharing his extensive knowledge of the genre and for his contInued support. Shigeko Kojima for her tireless efforts in assisting with the credit translations. Marc H. Miyake for his excellent Ultra Q fact file on the World Wide Web. August Ragone and Guy Tucker for providing additional information and helping to fill in the gaps. Extra Special Thanks to Yuji and Michi Nishimura of M-lchigo for all their help.