Ultraman Taro Ultraman Series. It aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 6, 1973 to April 5, 1974.
is the sixth entry of theThe series can be watched on Tubi, Roku, and Prime Video.
Synopsis[]
Kotaro Higashi trained to be a boxer, but after an incident with Astromons, he was killed. However, his body was brought to Nebula M78 where the Mother of Ultra saved his life by merging him with Ultraman Taro. Taro had spent many years training, honing his skills based on those of the other Ultra Brothers to become strong. The two returned to Earth, as a new Kaiju era was beginning.
Characters[]
ZAT[]
- Kotaro Higashi
- Yutaro Asahina
- Shuuhei Aragaki
- Kazumi Nitani
- Jiro Nishida
- Tadao Nanbara
- Tetsuya Kitajima
- Izumi Moriyama
- Takashi Ueno
Others[]
Ultras[]
Kaiju[]
- Oil Drinker
- Astromons
- Cosmo Liquid
- Live King
- King Tortoise
- Queen Tortoise
- Mini Tortoise
- Jirenma
- Ganza
- Tagarl
- Tondaile
- Arindo
- Depparas
- Basara
- Volkeller
- Sheltar
- Enmargo
- Miegon
- Okariyan
- Kemjila
- Birdon
- Flying Raidron
- King Zemira
- Pandora
- Chinpe
- Rodera
- Space Moths
- Mururoa
- Rabbidog
- Mukadender
- Mandarin Grass
- Alien Mefilas II
- Eleking II
- Yapool
- Reconstructed Bemstar
- Reconstructed Sabotendar
- Remodeled Verokron II
- Mushra
- Guron
- Alien Temperor
- Alien Katan
- Grost
- Hertz
- Alien Medusa
- Alien Miracle
- Alien Terrorist
- Mochiron
- Tyrant
- Gongoros
- Android Seiko
- Elegia
- Motokureron
- Alien Kisaragi
- Alien Dorzu
- Memole
- Piccolo
- Gorgosaurus III
- Gelan
- Alien File
- Veron
- Orphy
- Alien Khan
- Garaking
- Rindon
- Dorobon
- Alien Valky
- Samekujira
Cast[]
- Kotaro Higashi Saburo Shinoda :
- Yutaro Asahina Akira Nagoya :
- Shuuhei Aragaki Takahiko Tono :
- Tadao Nanbara Toyoyuki Kimura :
- Jiro Nishida Kiyotaka Mitsugi (1-7, 13) :
- Izumi Moriyama Kiyoko Matsuya :
- Tetsuya Kitajima Hidesuke Tsumura :
- Takashi Ueno Akihiko Nishijima (8-30, 33-35) :
- Kazumi Nitani Noboru Mitani :
- Saori Shiratori Mayumi Asaka (1-16), Keiko Ono (20-53) :
- Kenichi Shiratori Shinya Saito :
- Lady in Green Mother of Ultra : Peggy Hayama /
- Narrator: Tetsuro Sagawa , Akira Nagoya
Cast Changes[]
Throughout the show, multiple cast changes were made. These were done for several reasons.
- Mayumi Asuka stepped down from her role as Saori, and was replaced in episode 20 by Keiko Ono.
- Akihiko Nishijima decided to leave after episode 35 to film for another show, Ginza NOW!
Music[]
- Opening Theme
- Ultraman Taro
- Lyrics: Yū Aku
- Composer-arranger: Makoto Kawaguchi
- Song: Tarō Takemura, boys and girls choir lake. Uncredited synth arrangements by Higurashi Masanobu.
Insert Songs[]
- Ultra Roku Kyodai
- Lyrics: Yū Aku
- Composition & Arrangement: Makoto Kawaguchi
- Artist: Ryōichi Fukuzawa , Mizuumi Boys and Girls Choir
- Episodes 18, 25, 33 and 34
Other Songs[]
Episode | Song |
---|---|
Episode 23 "Gentle Daddy Monster!" | "Rainbow Dreams" |
Episode 24 "This Is the Land of Ultra!" | "Musique de l'infini" |
Episode 25 "Burn On! The Six Ultra Brothers" | "Musique de l'infini" |
Episode 29 "Bemstar Resurrected! Taro Absolutely Sacrificed!" | "Les Mysteres du Cosmos" |
Episode 31 "Danger! Lying Poison Mushroom" | "Funky Monkey Baby" |
Episode 34 "The Last Day of the Six Ultra Brothers!" | "Once In My Country" |
"House In The Plain" | |
"Xylo Conception" | |
Episode 36 "Coward! The Breed Cried" | "Musique de l'infini" |
"Electric Days" | |
Episode 39 "The Father of Ultra and Son Big Mochi-Making Strategy" | "La Guerre Des Bouffons" |
"Sloane Square" | |
"Sonatine Pour Un Métallophone" | |
Episode 40 "Go Beyond the Ultra Brothers!" | "Escale sur Jupiter" |
"Deuil et douleur" | |
"Catastrophe et Séisme" | |
Episode 41 "Mother's Wish-A Mid-Winter Cherry Blossom Blizzard" | "Escale sur Jupiter" |
"La Guerre Des Bouffons" | |
Episode 43 "Pickle the Monster With Salt!" | "Music A 7" |
"Le Défilé Des Moustiques" | |
"One two two" | |
"La Panthere Cosmique" | |
Episode 46 "The White Rabbit Is a Bad Guy!" | "Slippery Scales" |
"Le Gâteau D'Anniversaire" | |
Episode 47 "The Monster Master" | "A L'Aube De L'An 2000" |
"Les Mysteres du Cosmos" | |
Episode 48 "Monster Girl's Festival" | "Music A 7" |
"Moogy-Boogy" | |
"La Guerre Des Bouffons" | |
"Aim Out" | |
"Love Dial 6700" | |
"Girl with Roses" | |
"Relationships of Others" | |
Episode 49 "Sing! Monster Big Match" | "Paris 2000" |
"My Blue Bird" | |
Episode 50 "The Monster Sign is V" | "Ballet Intersideral" |
"La Guerre Des Bouffons" | |
"Le Gâteau D'Anniversaire" | |
"Sonatine Pour Un Métallophone" | |
"Sign is V" | |
"Jeu A Quatre" | |
Episode 52 "Steal the Ultra Life!" | "Musique de l'infini" |
"Catastrophe et Séisme" |
Home Media[]
An English-subtitled DVD set was released by the Malaysian company VGB Network; however, a few grammatical errors were made during the subtitling.
A Blu-ray remaster was released in 2017 through Amazon Prime.
Mill Creek announced on October 22, 2020 the official release of both a standard and SteelBook Blu-ray of Ultraman Taro. January 12, 2021, was the release date of both versions of Ultraman Taro.
Manga[]
- Main article: Ultraman Taro (manga)
The Ultraman Taro manga series was written and illustrated by Ken Ishikawa, Mangaka (Manga Author) who co-created Getter Robo with Go Nagai, ran in Weekly Shōnen Sunday. Like the Getter Robo manga series, the Taro manga is very dark and violent despite its childish appearance. Although it follows a different story, it also touches on "the reason why Ultraman protects the Earth", and there is a part in it that is similar to the Heisei Ultraman series in later years.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- As the main Ultra from Return of Ultraman was not yet known by it, the name "Jack" was considered for Taro. The reasoning behind this was that Jack is a popular name for fairy tale heroes in the West, but Taro was settled upon as the Japanese equivalent. "Ultraman Star" was also considered as a name during production.
- The Ultra Brothers appeared frequently in this series and it was in their later appearances that drastically changed how they appear. Examples include: Ultras with orange eyes (done to conserve the budget of the lightbulbs in the eyes), Jack sharing the same suit as Ultraman with more silver than red, and the design on the bottom looks like a female, Ultraseven without ears in episode 40, which would happen again on the premiere of Ultraman Leo, and finally, Jack with red gloves and boots in episode 52.
- Ultraman Taro was filmed alongside Jumborg Ace and Fireman.
- At the time ratings were falling, and as Tsuburaya felt Ultraman Ace had been a bit too dark at times, they took a lighter approach in Taro to please children. Ironically, this lost even more views from older fans, causing the series to be followed by Ultraman Leo, often considered the darkest and grittiest entry in the Showa era Ultraman Series.
- Due to production problems with the next series, Ultraman Leo, Tsuburaya extended Taro's run for several episodes.
- This series is the longest running Showa series.