Product Details

• Actors: Susumu Kurobe, Akiji Kobayashi, Akihiko Hirata, Masanari Nihei, Hiroko Sakurai
• Directors: Hajime Tsuburaya, Akio Jissoji
• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC
• Language: Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Dubbed: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: September 29, 2009
• Run Time: 840 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (154 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002DQSKLU
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,565 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #10 in Movies & TV > DVD > Foreign Films
  • #98 in Movies & TV > DVD > Science Fiction

Editorial Reviews

When the world is threatened by alien invaders and giant prehistoric monsters, there is only one agency equipped to handle the situation, The Science Patrol, an ultra-sophisticated police force equipped with high-tech weaponry and spacecrafts. Led by Captain Muramatsu, the team defends the planet from the unknown. Unbeknownst to the team, one of their members, Hayata, has the ability to transform himself into the giant superhero from Nebula M7B, Ultraman, when all their weaponry and skills can't stop their foes!

Created by special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya (Godzilla, Mothra), the 1960's television series Ultraman remains one of Japan's most beloved science-fiction exports. Airing between 1966 and 1967 with a total of 39 episodes, the live-action series followed a high-tech police force and their alien superhero Ultraman as they battled to save the Earth from invading aliens and monsters. This collection presents the complete series in original un-cut and re-mastered editions. Special features include English Subtitles, U.S. Opening Credits and interviews with the English dub team of Peter Fernandez, Corrine Orr and the late Earl Hammond (the team that also voiced the English version of Speed Racer).
Episodes:

• Ultra Operation No. 1 (July 17 1966)
• Defeat the Invaders! (July 24 1966)
• Sally Forth, Science Patrol! (July 31 1966)
• 5 Seconds Before the Big Explosion! (August 7 1966)
• Treasure of the Miloganda (August 14 1966)
• The Coast Guard Command (August 211966)
• The Blue Stone of Baradhi (August 28 1966)
• The Lawless Monster Zone (September 4 1966)
• Operation: Lightning Speed (September 11 1966)
• The Mysterious Dinosaur Base (September 18 1966)
• The Ruffian from Outer Space (September 25 1966)
• The Cries of the Mummy (October 2 1966)
• Oil S.O.S. (October 9 1966)
• The Pearl Oyster Protection Directive (October 16 1966)
• The Terrifying Cosmic Rays (October 23 1966)
• The Science Patrol to Outer Space (October 30 1966)
• Passport to Infinity (November 6 1966)
• The Brother from Another Planet (November 11 1966)
• The Demons Once More (November 20 1966)
• Terror on Route 87 (November 27 1966)
• Break Through the Smoke! (December 4 1966)
• The Underground Destruction Work (December 11 1966)
• My Home Is Earth (December 18 1966)
• The Undersea Science Base (December 25 1966)
• Mystery Comet Tsuifon (January 1 1967)
• Monster Majesty: Part 1 (January 8 1967)
• Monster Majesty: Part 2 (January 15 1967)
• Human Specimens 5 & 6 (January 22 1967)
• A Challenge to the Underground (January 29 1967)
• The Snowy Mountain of Illusions (February 5 1967)
• Who Has Come? (February 12 1967)
• The Endless Counterattack (February 16 1967)
• The Forbidden Words (February 26 1967)
• Gift from the Sky (March 5 1967)
• The Monster Graveyard (March 12 1967)
• Don't Shoot, Arashi! (March 19 1967)
• The Little Hero (March 26 1967)
• The Spaceship Rescue Command (2 April 2 1967)
• Farewell, Ultraman! (April 9 1967)

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• English Subtitles
• U.S. Opening credits
• Interviews with English dub team of Peter Fernandez, Corrine Orr, and the late Earl Hammond... the team that voiced the original SPEED RACER

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

118 of 123 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Like Being 8-Years-Old All Over Again October 5, 2009

By T. Zeigler

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

First things first...I've seen some of the audio comments (English dubbing intercut with Japanese subtitles) made for this release and the one back in 2006. Think of your favorite syndicated show. You know having watched the original that some scenes get cut in syndication. Now, think of Ultraman in that same vein, only it was already in "syndication" when it reached our shores way back. So, when the complete, original episodes are released on DVD, they include original, Japanese-only scenes which WERE NEVER DUBBED IN ENGLISH. However, to be a complete episode, they are still inlcuded.

Now, on with the review. After occasionally catching a Power Ranger show a few years back, I knew that I would need to steer my young son clear of this influence (the kids are always fighting and sarcastic with each other.) Anyway, my comment in seeing the "power" rangers would be, "Ultraman could defeat these guys." My boy became curious as to who I was talking about, and when the Ultraman DVDs were released back in 2006, I was able to show him.

Talk about the memories that this show rekindles. The first time the show's theme song began to play, I got chills. I was immediately taken back to my grandmother's house in rural Pennsylvania (we didn't get Ultraman in Texas in the '70s.) I watched a few episodes with my son and I could still recall some of the details in the story line that I hadn't seen for thirty years. Over time, I have managed to find Ultraman action figures that my son loves, and even a beta capsule that makes the familiar sound.

I bought this latest release because over the three years, nephews have managed to scratch the older DVDs. Now, each one will have their own set for Christmas (hard to beat at this price.)

If you remember Ultraman as he was, your memory will probably be stirred by this set. If you are new to the original Ultraman, you'll have to dial back your current expectation level of special effects and sound quality, but hopefully you will still be able to appreciate the presentation of how things were in the almost forty years ago.

I used this series to springboard my son's exposure to the Godzilla movies of the '60s and '70s. Enjoy.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile Buy for Any Ultraman Fan, Whether This Full Set, or the Older Two-Part Set October 31, 2008

By Bryan E. Leed

Format:DVD

It is true that if you already have the previous, two box sets, (Volumes 1 and 2), then this full collection is not needed, BUT, if you are an Ultraman fan from way back, then this new collection is well worth having if you don't already own the previous, two volume collections.

I think it is amazing that this set is even available. This is quite enjoyable for me, having seen these episodes on broadcast TV, way back in the 1970s.

This collection is a bit of a labor of love, perhaps more so than it being a major commercial studio release. So, at times it may seem rough around some edges, yet, I say again, it is a wonder that these episodes are even available, and even more complete than they appeared on 1970s TV in the USA, nearly four decades ago.

A lot of creative talent overlaps the Godzilla films of the 1960s and 1970s, so if you like those Godzilla films, then this TV series is pretty similar. It leans to the more kid-friendly aspects of the Godzilla films.

The only thing you should be warned about is to not be confused by the added footage that never appeared on TV in the USA. Imagine if the DVD makers of this set were able to round up all the deleted scenes that were cut from each episode, well, they have! But, instead of putting them on the DVD as a Bonus Feature, separate from each episode, they have done it better by restoring these cut scenes and footage right back into their natural continuity of each episode. Here's the catch: this restored footage was never dubbed into English for TV in the USA, so there is no English dialog recorded. The DVD makers had to just use the original Japanese language audio with English sub-titles for these extra scenes.

I don't mind. It is easy to get used to it, once you understand the situation.

I can highly recommend this DVD set to anybody who fondly remembers these old Ultraman episodes from way back, or for any fans of the Godzilla films. You will not be disappointed, and the more of a serious fan you are, the more you will enjoy this DVD collection!

67 of 75 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great price but the sacrifice is the DVD packaging. October 7, 2009

By D. Rodriguez

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is for the Complete Series 4 DVD set released in 2009, not the 6 DVD set released in 2008. Since this is my first Ultraman DVD set, I am not sure if the quality suffers be squeezing all episodes from 6 DVDs to 4 DVDs.

The DVD case is a double-wide DVD case, but there are no spindles/holders. The 4 DVDs are each put in a black paper sleeve and are stacked on top of each other. The sleeves don't move around because they are "held" in place by a square shaped molding on the inside of the DVD case.

I was very surprised by this packaging because I have dozens of DVD television sets and have never seen a set packaged like this. For the price (I paid $10.99 free shipping), I am okay with it, but just be prepared that is a bare-bones budget set.

5 stars for the show, 3 stars for the packaging.