Ultraman: The Adventure Begins

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Ultraman: The Adventure Begins
(Ultraman USA)
225px
Directed by Mitsuo Kusakabe
Written by John Eric Seward
Starring Voices of:
Michael Lembeck
Chad Everett
Adrienne Barbeau
Music by Shinsuke Kazato
Distributed by Hanna-Barbera Productions
Tsuburaya Productions
Release dates
 October 12, 1987
Running time
 80 minutes
Country United States
Japan
Language English

Ultraman: The Adventure Begins is a 1987 American-Japanese animated film joint produced by Hanna-Barbera and Tsuburaya Productions. The film was titled Ultraman USA (ウルトラマンUSA Urutoraman Yū Esu Ē?) for its Japanese release in 1989. It 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 M78 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.

Characters

The Ultra Force

  • Scott Masterson (voiced by Michael Lembeck; Tōru Furuya 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 Everett; Shinji Ogawa 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 Barbeau; Hiromi Tsuru 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.; Kōhei Miyauchi 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 Patterson; Rihoko Yoshida in Japan) - A young scientist from the Federation for Extraterrestrial Research (or F.E.R. Labs). She has sympathy towards the Sorkin monsters fought by the Ultra Force. She gets romantically connected with Scott.

The Sorkin Monsters

  • Green Shocks - The vegetation monster. Has accelerated regeneration, and powerful vines.
    • Height: Varies
    • Weight: Varies
  • 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 (pronounced "eem").
    • Height: 91,44 Meters
    • Weight: 91.000 Tons
  • 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: ?
    • Weight: ?
  • King Myra - The most powerful of the Sorkin beasts. A "super transformation" monster who can double his size every 90 minutes without 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

Cast

English

Crew

Music

Theme Songs

Opening theme
Ending theme
  • Race Against Time (時の中を走りぬけて Toki no Naka wo Hashirinukete?)

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Shinsuke Kazato and released by Nippon Columbia. The soundtrack was released as a Limited Edition printing of 5,000 copies.

Home Media releases

It is unknown when Warner Archive will plan a DVD release of the film.

Other appearances

  • Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movie (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.

External links

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