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Operation: Mystery (怪奇大作戦, Kaiki Daisakusen, lit. Mysterious Strategy) is a mystery supernatural show produced by Tsuburaya in 1968. It was filmed after the production of Fight! Mighty Jack. Tsuburaya Productions' official international title for the series is Operation: Mystery.

Rather than focus on giant monsters, the series focuses on paranormal phenomena and revolves around the exploits of the Science Research Institute (SRI) as they combat these threats.

Synopsis[]

The SRI confronts enigmatic scientific crimes disguised as inexplicable incidents. An eerie moth that dissolves humans with phosphorous powder. A French doll wielding a knife and attacking people. A phosphorescent human fused with sulfur. Bizarre and unsettling incidents, along with the hidden human darkness behind them, are exposed through scientific investigation.

The advancements in science and the unchanging human psyche have given rise to new forms of terrifying crimes.[1]

Characters[]

SRI[]

  • Tadashi Matoya
  • Shiro Maki
  • Kyosuke Misawa
  • Hiroshi Nomura
  • Saori Ogawa

Kaiju[]

Cast[]

  • Shiro Maki (牧 史郎, Maki Shirō): Shin Kishida (岸田 森, Kishida Shin)
  • Kyosuke Misawa (三沢京助, Misawa Kyōsuke): Homare Suguro (勝呂 誉, Suguro Homare)
  • Tadashi Matoya (的矢 忠, Matoya Tadashi): Yasumi Hara (原保 美, Hara Yasumi)
  • Hiroshi Nomura (野村 洋, Nomura Hiroshi): Seiji Matsuyama (松山 省二, Matsuyama Seiji) (episodes 1-17, 19-26)
  • Saori Ogawa (小川 さおり, Ogawa Saori): Reiko Kobashi (小橋 玲子, Kobashi Reiko) (episeodes 1-5, 7-22, 24-26)
  • Taizo Machida (町田 大蔵, Machida Taizō): Akiji Kobayashi (小林 昭二, Kobayashi Akiji) (episodes 1-2, 4-8, 10-21, 23-26)
  • Jiro (次郎, Jirō): Hiroshi Nakashima (中島 洋, Nakashima Hiroshi) (episodes 1-3, 11)

Staff[]

  • Producers: Koji Morita, Koichi Noguchi, Takaaki Toyako (Tsuburaya Pro) Ken Kumagai, Yoji Hashimoto (TBS)
  • Supervisor: Eiji Tsuburaya
  • Music director: Naozumi Yamamoto
  • Music: Hiroki Tamaki
  • Screenplay: Uehara Shozo, Kanagi Tetsuo, Sasaki Mamoru, Wakatsuki Bunzo, Ichikawa Moriichi, Fukuda Jun, Takahashi Tatsuo, Fujikawa Keisuke, Tanabe Torao, Ishido Yoshiro, Yamaura Hiroyasu
  • Directors: Toshihiro Iijima, Hajime Tsuburaya, Akio Jissoji, Suzuki ShunTsugi, Tsuneo Kobayashi, Ando Tatsumi, Takashi Nagano, Shigeo Nakagi, Jun Fukuda, Kazuho Mitsuda
  • Special effects: Toru Maba, Junkichi Oki, Koichi Takano, Kazuo Sagawa
  • Assistant directors: Masataka Yamamoto, Seiichi Namba, Takehiko Ishii, Takeshi Ando, ​​Goro Takahashi, Sei Okamura, Shohei Tojo, Hiroshi Shimura
  • Cinematography: Yasuzo Inagaki, Yasudo Fukuzawa, Kiyoshi Suzuki, Yoshihiro Mori, Takeshi Nakamachi
  • Art: Iwasaki Masaki, Iketani Senkoku, Fukada Tatsuro, Kurahashi Toshiro
  • Production cooperation: Kyoto Film (only episodes 23 and 25)
  • Production: Tsuburaya Productions, TBS
  • Provided by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.

Spin-offs[]

There have been three sequels/remakes of Operation: Mystery:

  • Mysterious Incident Special Investigation Team SRI: The Sneering Man Engulfed in Flames (怪奇事件特捜チームS・R・I 嗤う火だるま男, Kaiki Jiken Tokusō Chīmu Esu Āru I Warau Hidaruma Otoko) - 2004
  • Operation: Mystery - Second File (怪奇大作戦 セカンドファイル, Kaiki Daisakusen Sekando Fairu) - 2007
  • Operation: Mystery - Mystery File (怪奇大作戦 ミステリー・ファイル, Kaiki Daisakusen Misuterī Fairu) - 2013

Manga[]

The series received a number of manga adaptions by various authors.

Home Media[]

Operation: Mystery first released on multiple VHS and LaserDisc sets. In 2003-2004, it was released on six DVDs, each containing 4-5 episodes. Episodes were proportioned the same on a second series of DVDs in 2012-2013, which were also included in two box sets that released on September 21 and November 21 in 2012.[2][3] A Blu-ray set of the series in HD across four discs was released on March 6, 2019, with a fifth disc containing interviews and trailers.[4] The banned twenty-fourth episode is not included on any of the DVD or the Blu-ray sets.

German Dub[]

13 episodes were dubbed in German and aired in Germany under the name S.R.I. and the Sinister Cases (S.R.I. und die unheimlichen Fälle) in 1968. These episodes were released on DVD in 2013 by Pidax Film, along with a second volume containing the remaining episodes of the series with German subtitles.

Gallery[]

Images[]

Videos[]

Trivia[]

  • This is the last television series Eiji Tsuburaya contributed to before his death.

References[]

Productions
Showa Series Ultra Q | Ultraman | Ultraseven | Return of Ultraman | Ultraman Ace | Ultraman Taro | Ultraman Leo | Ultraman 80
Heisei Series Ultraman Tiga | Ultraman Dyna | Ultraman Gaia | Ultraman Cosmos | Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy | Ultraman Nexus | Ultraman Max | Ultraman Mebius | Ultraseven X | Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle | Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey | Neo Ultra Q | Ultraman Ginga | Ultraman Ginga S | Ultraman X | Ultraman Orb | Ultraman Geed | Ultraman R/B
Reiwa Series Ultraman Taiga | Ultraman Z | Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga | Ultraman Decker | Ultraman Blazar
Outside of Japan Ultraman: The Adventure Begins | Ultraman: Towards the Future | Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero | Ultraman: Rising
Original Video and TV Special Ultra Fight | Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider | Ultra Super Fight | Ultraman Nice | Heisei Ultraseven | Ultraman Neos | Ultraman: Super Fighter Legend | Ultra Idemitsujin | Ultra Zone
Showa Movies Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature | Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight | The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. The Monster Army | Ultraman (1979) | Ultraman: Great Monster Decisive Battle | Ultraman ZOFFY: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster Army | Ultraman Story
Heisei Movies Ultra Q The Movie | Revive! Ultraman | Ultraman Zearth | Ultraman Zearth 2 | Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna | Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, & Ultraman Gaia | Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey | Ultraman Cosmos: The First Contact | Ultraman Cosmos 2 | New Century Ultraman Legend | Ultraman Cosmos vs. Ultraman Justice | New Century 2003 Ultraman Legend | ULTRAMAN (2004) | Ultraman Mebius & the Ultra Brothers | Super 8 Ultra Brothers | Ultra Galaxy Legends The Movie | Ultraman Zero The Movie | Ultraman Saga | Ultraman Ginga Theater Special | Ultraman Ginga Theater Special: Battle Royale | Ultraman Ginga S The Movie | Ultraman X The Movie | Ultraman Orb The Movie | Ultraman Geed The Movie | Ultraman R/B The Movie
Reiwa Movies Ultraman Taiga The Movie | Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z | Shin Ultraman | Ultraman Decker Finale | Ultraman Blazar The Movie
Spin-Offs Andro Melos | Ultraman Zearth: Parody Chapter | Revival of the Ancient Giant | The Return of Hanejiro | Gaia Again | Ultra Q Kaiju Legend | Ultraman Kaiju Legend | Hikari Saga | Armored Darkness | Ghost Rebirth | Ultraman Zero vs. Darklops Zero | Q - Door to Another Dimension | Killer the Beatstar | Ultra Zero Fight | Ultra Fight Victory | Ultraman Orb THE ORIGIN SAGA | Ultra Fight Orb | New Generation Heroes | The Absolute Conspiracy | Sevenger Fight | The Struggle of Special Section 3 | The Destined Crossroad | Continued Ultra Fight | Shin Ultra Fight | Return of Special Section 3 | Ultraman Regulos | Ultraman Regulos: First Mission | Ultraseven IF Story | SKaRD Break Room
Rebroadcast Shows Ultraman Retsuden | New Ultraman Retsuden | Ultraman Zero: The Chronicle | Ultraman Orb: The Chronicle | Ultraman New Generation Chronicle | Ultraman Chronicle: ZERO & GEED | Ultraman Chronicle Z: Heroes' Odyssey | Ultraman Chronicle D | Ultraman New Generation Stars
Informational Ultraman The Prime | ULTRAMAN ARCHIVES | Ultra Science Fantasy Hour | Ultra Fight Club | UlSummer Information Station | Ultra Information Center | Professor Teruaki's "Blazar Kaiju Academy" | Super Power! Ultra Encyclopedia! | Ultra Construction Tour | THE ORIGIN OF ULTRAMAN | Ultraman 4K Discovery
Docudramas Fly in the Sea Breeze! Ultraman | The Men Who Made Ultraman | My Beloved Ultraseven | The Man Who Wanted to be Ultraman | The Kaiju Club | The Two Ultramen
Other Series Kaiju Booska | Captain Ultra | Mighty Jack | Fight! Mighty Jack | Operation: Mystery | Chibira-kun | Mirrorman | Redman | Triple Fighter | Emergency Directive 10-4·10-10 | Iron King | Horror Theater Unbalance | Fireman | Jumborg Ace | Mirror Fight | Army of the Apes | Pro-Wres no Hoshi Azteckaiser | Dinosaur Expedition Born Free | Dinosaur Great War Izenborg | Star Wolf | Dinosaur Squadron Koseidon | Anime-chan | Gridman the Hyper Agent | Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad | Moon Spiral | Cyber Girl Telomere | Booska! Booska!! | Otasuke Girl | Mirrorman REFLEX | Bio Planet WoO | Mirror Fight 2012 | Gridknight Fight
Anime The☆Ultraman | Ultraman Kids | Ultraman Graffiti: Wild! Ultra Country | Ultraman: Super Fighter Legend | Ultra Nyan | Ultra Nyan 2: The Great Happy Operation | Ultraman M78 Theater Love & Peace | Gridman the Hyper Agent: boys invent great hero | The・Ultraman: Jackal vs. Ultraman | Kaiju Sakaba Kanpai! | Kaiju Girls | SSSS.GRIDMAN | ULTRAMAN (2019) | Kaiju Step Wandabada | SSSS.DYNAZENON | KAIJU DECODE | GRIDMAN UNIVERSE
Outlaw Content Space Warriors 2000 | Project Ultraman | Ultraman The Animation | Ultraman: A Little Journey on Earth | Fun... English with Ultraman | Young Ultraman | Ultraman Big Transformation | Sinic Q | Red Jade | Dragon Force: So Long Ultraman | Dragon Force: Rise of Ultraman
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