Ultraman: The Adventure Begins
Encyclopedia
Ultraman: The Adventure Begins was an animated movie joint produced by Hanna-Barbera
and Tsuburaya Productions
in 1987. The movie was titled for its Japanese release in 1989. The movie was intended as a pilot for an animated series, but no such series ever emerged. However, the costumes based on the three main heroes (the Ultra Team) were made for use in stage shows in Japan.
to capture escaped monsters from the planet Sorkin who have arrived on Earth. They become the Ultra Force, headquartered within Mount Rushmore
, and are assisted by a trio of robots, (the pint-sized Andy, the strong Samson, and the twitchy Ulysses). Although equipped with futuristic fighter crafts, inevitably one or more of the team is required to transform into an Ultraman, a gigantic red and silver superhuman being, to battle the monsters. After destroying the most powerful Sorkin monster, the constantly growing King Maira, the Ultra Force remains together to combat further threats to planet Earth.
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
and Tsuburaya Productions
Tsuburaya Productions
is a Japanese special effects studio founded in 1963 by special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya and was run by his family, until October 2007, when the family sold the company to advertising agency TYO Inc. The studio is best known for producing the original Ultraman TV series, as well as the Ultra...
in 1987. The movie was titled for its Japanese release in 1989. The movie was intended as a pilot for an animated series, but no such series ever emerged. However, the costumes based on the three main heroes (the Ultra Team) were made for use in stage shows in Japan.
Plot
A stunt pilot trio called the "Flying Angels" (Scott Masterson, Chuck Gavin, and Beth O'Brien), are caught in a bizarre flash of light and crash, only to emerge unharmed. They are later informed by an agent of an interstellar peace-keeping agency (whose secret identity is the groundskeeper at a Pebble Beach golf course) that they have become the host bodies of warriors from the planet Altara in M78Messier 78
The nebula Messier 78 is a reflection nebula in the constellation Orion. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and included by Charles Messier in his catalog of comet-like objects that same year....
to capture escaped monsters from the planet Sorkin who have arrived on Earth. They become the Ultra Force, headquartered within Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States...
, and are assisted by a trio of robots, (the pint-sized Andy, the strong Samson, and the twitchy Ulysses). Although equipped with futuristic fighter crafts, inevitably one or more of the team is required to transform into an Ultraman, a gigantic red and silver superhuman being, to battle the monsters. After destroying the most powerful Sorkin monster, the constantly growing King Maira, the Ultra Force remains together to combat further threats to planet Earth.
The Ultra Force
- Scott Masterson (voiced by Michael LembeckMichael LembeckMichael Lembeck is an actor, television and film director.Lembeck was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Caroline and Harvey Lembeck, an actor and comedian. He began acting in the late-1960s and directing in the 1970s. His most notable acting role was as Julie Cooper's husband, Max Horvath, on...
; Tōru FuruyaToru Furuyais a veteran narrator and seiyū born on July 31, 1953 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As a child, he was a member of Gekidan Himawari, a children's acting troupe...
in Japan) - The story's young protagonist. Transforms into Ultraman Scott.- Height: 82 Meters
- Weight: 64,000 Tons
- Flight Speed: Mach 24
- Weapons:
- Granium Light Ray
- Ultra Energy Ball
- Ultra Slicer
- Triple Power
- Chuck Gavin (Voiced by Chad EverettChad EverettChad Everett is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and television series but is probably best known for his role as Dr. Joe Gannon in the 1970s television drama Medical Center.-Early life:...
; Shinji OgawaShinji Ogawais a Japanese voice actor and actor from Setagaya, Tokyo. He is affiliated with Office Osawa.He is best known as the dubover artist for Michael Douglas and Timothy Dalton, and for voicing Hyō in Fist of the North Star.-Television animation:...
in Japan) - The toughest and oldest of the team and the de-facto leader of the Ultra Team. Transforms into Ultraman Chuck.- Height: 79 Meters
- Weight: 68,000 Tons
- Flight Speed: Mach 22
- Weapons:
- Granium Light Ray
- Ultra Bubble Beam
- Beth O'Brien (Voiced by Adrienne BarbeauAdrienne BarbeauAdrienne Jo Barbeau is an American actress and the author of three books. Barbeau came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical Grease, and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Maude Findlay in the sitcom Maude...
; Hiromi TsuruHiromi Tsuruis a Japanese voice actress from Kanagawa Prefecture. She is currently affiliated with Aoni Production.She is most known for the roles of Bulma , Ukyo Kuonji , Dokin-chan , Madoka Ayukawa , Miyuki Kashima , Reiko Mikami and Naomi Hunter is a Japanese voice actress from Kanagawa Prefecture. She...
in Japan) - The cool-headed female of the team. Transforms into Ultrawoman Beth.- Height: 76 Meters
- Weight: 54,000 Tons
- Flight Speed: Mach 23
- Weapons:
- Granium Light Ray
- Ultra Spout
The Robot Trio
A group of support robots built to assist the Ultra Team. Their true names were too long for the team to remember, so they were given nicknames by Scott (who came up with "Ulysses" and "Samson") and Beth (who came up with "Andy"). The initials in their names form the letters "USA".- Ulysses - The thin and effeminate robot in yellow. His true name is Combot Model MF842.
- Samson - The big and strong robot in blue. His true name is Combot Model BA666
- Andy - The pint-sized robot in red. His true name is Utiloid Model ZQ14582. In charge of the Transportation System.
Supporting Characters
- Walter Freeman (Voiced by Stacy Keach, Sr.Stacy Keach, Sr.Stacy Keach, Sr. was the stage name of Walter Stacy Keach , an American actor whose screen career spanned six decades. He and his wife, Mary Cain , were members of the Peninsula Players summer theater program during the 1930s. He may be best known for his role as Carlson in the television show Get...
; Kōhei MiyauchiKohei Miyauchi' was a veteran Japanese seiyū born in Kagoshima Prefecture. His real name was Takayuki Miyauchi and his nickname was "Miya-chan". On June 2, 1995, Miyauchi died on his hospital bed at the Nihon University Itabashi Hospital from abdominal varices...
in Japan) - An elderly man in his late 60s who forms the Ultra Team. He explains to the heroes the true cause of their accident and the origins of their powers. His relation to the Ultrabeings and how he knows about them is never revealed. - Dr. Susan Rand (Voiced by Lorna PattersonLorna PattersonLorna Patterson is an American film, stage and television actress.Patterson was born in Whittier, California, where she attended Rio Hondo College for a single semester. She is a founding member of the Musical Theatre Guild and has appeared in many stage musicals...
; Rihoko YoshidaRihoko Yoshidais a Japanese voice actress. Among her most noteworthy roles are Megu-chan in Majokko Megu-chan, Monsley in Future Boy Conan, Maria Grace Fleed in UFO Robo Grendizer, Michiru in Getter Robo, Klara in Heidi, Girl of the Alps, Rosalie Lamorliere in The Rose of Versailles, Miwa Uzuki in Steel Jeeg, ...
in Japan) - A young scientist from the Federation for Extraterrestrial Research (or F.E.R. Labs). He has sympathy towards the Sorkin monsters fought by the Ultra Force. She gets romantically connected with Scott.
The Sorkin Monsters
- Greenshocks - The vegetation monster. Has accelerated regeneration, and powerful vines.
- Height: 100 Meters
- Weight: 30,000 Tons
- Garuballade - The electronic machinery monster. Superficially resembles a crystal ball (with a creature face in the center), and uses scrap metal from machinery to construct itself a monster body. The ball phase, standing on its long spinal tail, is called the Im .
- Height: 91.44 Meters (152.4 Meters in Im stage)
- Weight: 30,000 Tons (27,000 Tons in Im stage)
- Zoon - The comical child monster. Being a gentle creature that's only dangerous because of his size, Chuck relocates him to another planet rather than killing him.
- Height: 35.05 Meters
- Weight: 35,000 Tons
- King Maira - The most powerful of the Sorkin beasts. A "super transformation" monster who can double his size every 90 minutes without a limit. He can also become invisible. His initial infant form (Wylon) is actually small and adorable. The Ultra Force had the most difficult time with him as his increased growth spurts resulted in deadlier abilities used against them.
- Height: Infinite in growth
- Weight: Infinite in growth
Starring
- Michael LembeckMichael LembeckMichael Lembeck is an actor, television and film director.Lembeck was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Caroline and Harvey Lembeck, an actor and comedian. He began acting in the late-1960s and directing in the 1970s. His most notable acting role was as Julie Cooper's husband, Max Horvath, on...
- Scott Masterson - Chad EverettChad EverettChad Everett is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and television series but is probably best known for his role as Dr. Joe Gannon in the 1970s television drama Medical Center.-Early life:...
- Chuck Gavin - Adrienne BarbeauAdrienne BarbeauAdrienne Jo Barbeau is an American actress and the author of three books. Barbeau came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical Grease, and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Maude Findlay in the sitcom Maude...
- Lt. Beth O'Brien - Stacy Keach, Sr.Stacy Keach, Sr.Stacy Keach, Sr. was the stage name of Walter Stacy Keach , an American actor whose screen career spanned six decades. He and his wife, Mary Cain , were members of the Peninsula Players summer theater program during the 1930s. He may be best known for his role as Carlson in the television show Get...
- Walter
Additional Cast
- Charlie Adler -
- Adrienne Alexander -
- William Callaway -
- Al Fann -
- Ed Gilbert -
- David Hall -
- Allan LurieAllan LurieAllan Lurie is a voice actor. He is also known as Alan Lurie and Bert Stewart.-Career:Lurie is best known for his voice-over for Mezmaron in the 1982 cartoon Pac-Man and as Uglor the Alien in Space Stars...
- - Lorna PattersonLorna PattersonLorna Patterson is an American film, stage and television actress.Patterson was born in Whittier, California, where she attended Rio Hondo College for a single semester. She is a founding member of the Musical Theatre Guild and has appeared in many stage musicals...
- - Peter RenadayPeter RenadayPeter Renaday is an American voice actor.-Film:*The Aristocats as the truck driver*Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost as Mr.McKnight-TV series:*Angel as The Beast's Master...
- - Ronald Schell -
- Mark L. TaylorMark L. TaylorMark L. Taylor is an American actor. He was born in Syracuse, New York.Taylor has appeared in various shows such as Seinfeld, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, Chicago Hope, Ally McBeal and Boston Legal...
- - Vince Trankina - Aide, Doctor #2, Photographer
- Les TremayneLes TremayneLes Tremayne was a radio, film, and television actor. Born Lester Tremayne in England, he moved with his family at the age four to Chicago, where he began in community theatre. He danced as a vaudeville performer and worked as amusement park barker...
-
Crew
- Gordon HuntGordon Hunt (director)Gordon E. Hunt is an American actor, voice actor, director of stage, film, and voiceover and casting director.-Life and career:...
- Voice Director - Andrea RomanoAndrea RomanoAndrea Romano is an American casting director, voice director, and voice actor, whose work includes casting, and voice directing Batman: The Animated Series, Tiny Toon Adventures, "Animaniacs", "Pinky and the Brain", Teen Titans, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and multiple Warner Bros...
- Animation Casting Director - Kris ZimmermanKris ZimmermanKris Zimmerman is a voice director, casting director, talent coordinator, and voice actor. She is also sometimes credited as Kris Zimmerman Salter.-History:Zimmerman is most known for directing the English voices for the Metal Gear Solid series...
- Talent Coordinator
Soundtrack
The music was composed by Shinsuke Kazato and released by Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd (COCC-72075). The soundtrack was released as a Limited Edition printing of 5,000 copies.Cameo
- Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The MovieMega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movieis a Japanese film in Tsuburaya Productions' 43 year old Ultra Series franchise, known for its star Ultraman. The film premiered in theaters on December 12, 2009, distributed by Warner Bros. Entertainment Japan. The catchphrase for the movie is . The film is also referred to as Large Monster: The...
(2009), Ultraman USA along with other M78 Ultra Warriors fight against the evil Ultraman Belial. This marks their second ever live appearances onscreen, after the Shinseiki Ultraman Densetsu featurette.