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Shin Ultraman (Japanese: シン・ウルトラマン, Hepburn: Shin Urutoraman)[lower-alpha 2] is a 2022 Japanese superhero kaiju film directed by Shinji Higuchi and written, co-produced, and co-edited by Hideaki Anno. A reimagining of Ultraman,[10] the film is a co-production between Toho Studios[lower-alpha 1] and Cine Bazar, and presented by Tsuburaya Productions, Toho Co., Ltd., and Khara, Inc.[11] It is the 37th film in the Ultraman franchise, and the second reboot of a tokusatsu series to be adapted by Anno and Higuchi, after Shin Godzilla, with Shin Kamen Rider to follow in 2023.[12] The film stars Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Daiki Arioka, and Akari Hayami, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman. In the film, an extraterrestrial accidentally kills a man while battling a giant monster and takes on his appearance and place.

Shin Ultraman
Theatrical release poster
Japanese	シン・ウルトラマン
Hepburn	Shin Urutoraman
Directed by	Shinji Higuchi
Written by	Hideaki Anno
Based on	Ultraman by Eiji Tsuburaya
Produced by	Hideaki Anno Kazutoshi Wadakura Takehiko Aoki Tomoya Nishino Masaki Kawashima
Starring	Takumi Saitoh Masami Nagasawa Hidetoshi Nishijima Daiki Arioka Akari Hayami
Cinematography	Osamu Ichikawa Keizō Suzuki
Edited by	Yōhei Kurihara Hideaki Anno
Music by	Shirō Sagisu
Production companies	Toho Studios[lower-alpha 1] Cine Bazar
Distributed by	Toho Co., Ltd.
Release date	May 13, 2022 (2022-05-13) (Japan)
Running time	112 minutes[3]
Country	Japan
Languages	Japanese English Russian
Budget	¥800–900 million (est.)[4]
Box office	$31.2 million[5]

In the summer of 2017, Anno was tasked with writing a proposal for a trilogy of Ultraman productions by Takayuki Tsukagoshi, the future chairman of Tsuburaya Productions. A year after completing the plan for the trilogy on January 17, 2018, Anno wrote the first draft of Shin Ultraman's screenplay on February 5, 2019. However, his participation in the film had to be deferred until the completion of Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. Tsuburaya Productions officially announced the film had begun production on August 1, 2019. Principal photography took place during fall 2019 in Ibaraki Prefecture, Hiratsuka and Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kōfu and Minobu in Yamanashi Prefecture, and Ichihara in Chiba Prefecture, and wrapped in November. Post-production was decelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in editing taking roughly two-and-a-half years.

After being delayed from an early summer 2021 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shin Ultraman was theatrically released in Japan on May 13, 2022, to mixed reviews and grossed ¥4.38 billion ($31.2 million) at the Japanese box office. Upon its release, it became the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film of 2022 until it was overtaken by Kingdom II: Harukanaru Daichi e,[13] as well as the most commercially successful film in the Ultraman franchise, surpassing the 2008 film Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers. Tsuburaya Productions launched Shin Ultra Fight, a spin-off web miniseries featuring stock footage from the film as well as entirely new footage on May 14, 2022. Shin Ultraman premiered in North America at the 26th Fantasia International Film Festival on July 21, 2022, and in the United States two days later at the 21st New York Asian Film Festival. While critics generally praised the film's ambition, visual effects, and action sequences, some felt it was inferior to its predecessor.

Plot

Following the invasion of several giant lifeforms classified as the "S-Class Species", the Japanese Government establish the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol to eliminate further threats. Shortly thereafter, the SSSP address the monster Neronga's attack, when a silver extraterrestrial giant dubbed "Ultraman" appears to defeat the monster and save humanity, however, he inadvertently kills SSSP member Shinji Kaminaga during his battle with the monster. He subsequently takes Shinji's appearance and place, leaving the real Shinji's body in the forest where he died. Ultraman in the form of Shinji then bonds a friendship with SSSP analyst Hiroko Asami, but she is unaware of the original Shinji's fate.

The monster Gabora appears in the Japanese countryside, attacking a nuclear power plant. In order to prevent the monster's radioactivity from causing harm, Ultraman kills it and flies off with its radioactive corpse. Shortly thereafter, Alien Zarab reveals himself, claiming the government has signed a peace contract with him, but the SSSP discovers that he is seeking to conquer the Earth. Zarab kidnaps "Shinji" and impersonates Ultraman to undermine his reputation and ruin his public image. Videos of these events surface online, revealing "Shinji"'s secret identity. "Shinji" unintentionally left his "Beta Capsule" device, which allows him to transform into Ultraman, with Asami, leading her to discover the truth about the actual "Shinji"'s fate. Asami frees "Shinji" from Zarab but is captured by Zarab herself. Shinji transforms into Ultraman, saving Asami, exposing Zarab's disguise, and cutting the alien in two with the "Ultra Slash".

In order to demonstrate to humanity that they can become gigantic like Ultraman, Asami is kidnapped and transformed into a giant by Alien Mefilas. Mefilas turns her back to her original size, to demonstrate good faith, and presents humanity with an object that functions like the Beta Capsule. Mefilas meets Ultraman to discuss symbiosis, but the latter declines after learning that Mefilas' machine can alter humanity's DNA, turning them into monsters; he also reveals to Ultraman that the government signed him up for affiliation, mocking his concern for humanity.

The SSSP assemble underground and decide to take Mefilas' Beta System. Due to Asami's gigantification earlier, the SSSP locate Mefilas' energy signature in an unoccupied factory. Ultraman confronts Mefilas, snatching his Beta System and throwing it into the SSSP's aircraft. An angry Mefilas transforms into his true form to combat Ultraman. Ultraman's superior, Zōffy, then appears, making Mefilas flee Earth out of fear.

Ultraman visits Shinji's body in the forest to reflect. Zōffy tells Ultraman that he must stand trial for sharing his lifeforce with a human because such an act is prohibited under Space Garrison law. Zōffy deploys the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, Zetton, to destroy humanity, believing that they would pose a threat if they could evolve into giants. "Shinji" leaves behind data for the SSSP on how to destroy Zetton in case he doesn't survive.

Zetton's artillery defeats Ultraman, hitting him with a fireball which sends him plummeting to Earth and returning to his human form. Because Zetton used powerful attacks to counter Ultraman, it overheats and must cool down before recharging, giving the SSSP time to study the information left behind by "Shinji". Later, they find "Shinji" unconscious and nursed him back to health. The SSSP determines that the only way for Ultraman to defeat Zetton is for him to activate his Beta Capsule while in a transformed state. Thus, "Shinji" transforms into Ultraman one last time, flying into space as Zetton resumes its attack. Ultraman activates his Beta Capsule, creating a black hole that engulfs both him and Zetton. Zōffy rescues Ultraman, insisting that he must return to the Star of Light with him. Ultraman, on the other hand, wishes to stay on Earth and protect it. Zōffy refuses to compromise, thus Ultraman decides to sacrifice himself to resurrect Shinji. Zōffy questions Ultraman's decision to sacrifice himself to save an inferior race, but after witnessing his teamwork to defeat Zetton, he is forced to admire their tenacity in the face of death. Zōffy then takes Ultraman's corpse back to the Star of Light.

The SSSP watch Shinji as he opens his eyes, having received a second chance at life.

Cast

The film features several cameos and supporting appearances by Yukio Tsukamoto, Masaaki Akahori, Asahi Yoshida, Nobuyoshi Hisamatsu, Shoken Kunimoto, Eiji Yokota, Yasumasa Ōba, Hiroko Yashiki, Kentaro Shimazu, Naoto Kaji, Daisuke Hibi, Seigo Nishihara, Tetsu Hirahara, Junichiro Nakano, Shingo Murakami, Mikiya Sanada, Yoshihiro Kasuya, Yōhei Hosokawa, Ryō Yoshida, Yusaku Mori, Yūta Inoue, Shōta Miyazaki, TERU, Akihisa Muramoto, Yoshinori Miyata, Tatsuya Itō, Satoshi Iwago, Taihei Nishi, Takahiro Araki, Yoshihiro Yamanaka, Naoki Hasegawa, Ryumi Shiga, Atsushi Toyoda, Nana Okazaki, Keiji Inada, Yuki Arisawa, Shōko Hotta, Kota Hosoi, Rento Oyama, Kazuya Shiraishi, and Muneto Yuda. Shūhei Kumamoto, Masayoshi Deguchi, Kohei Matsuoka, Ryōhei Sakai, Makoto Arakawa, Ken Gotō, and Yasuaki Sekita are credited as motion capture actors.[31]

Themes

Noah Oskow of Unseen Japan felt that the film criticizes Japan's weak government bureaucracy like its predecessor, Shin Godzilla, which was a "meditation on ruinous government inaction and gridlock, specifically serving as a harrowing metaphor for the devastating 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant."[43] In his review for Screen Daily, Tim Grierson wrote that the film contains "a little commentary on humanity's place in the universe, and whether we’ve proven ourselves worthy of continuing as a species", adding: "this messaging isn’t always elegantly executed but, like so much of the film, it’s presented with such enthusiastic sincerity that it’s hard to resist. The world may sometimes be a terrible, frightening place, but Shin Ultraman argues that a little decency can still go a long way".[44]

Director Shinji Higuchi stated to Nerdist in 2022 that the film does not include the same "emphasis on the bureaucracy, politics, etc." as its predecessor, because "if we just did the same thing, it's kind of pointless." Rather, Higuchi explained that the crew intended the film to delineate how humanity and the Japanese government would deal with aliens and monsters as depicted in Ultraman.[10]

Production

Crew

Personnel taken from Toho's official website and the film's theater pamphlet.[45][31]

Development

On December 28, 2013, nine years prior to Shin Ultraman's release, Hideaki Anno completed the draft for a reboot of the Ultraman franchise entitled Return of Ultraman Plot Memo (帰ってきたウルトラマンプロットメモ, Kaettekita Urutoraman Purotto Memo) and submitted it to Tsuburaya Productions on March 19 of the following year. Anno later reflected, "I wrote [the script] to some friends and their reactions were positive ... but at the time I was not able to finalize the content of the project in a way that satisfied me, so it was abandoned."[46] A life-long Ultraman fan, Anno had made his directorial debut with his own fan film of Return of Ultraman for Daicon Film when he was a film student.[34] In the summer of 2017,[47] Takayuki Tsukagoshi —who would later be appointed chairman of Tsuburaya Productions on November 16, 2017, after Hidetoshi Yamamoto, the chairman of Fields Corporation, failed to organize production— commissioned Anno to direct an Ultraman production and its two sequels, set to be released in 2020.[48] A few months later, Anno submitted a recreation of Return of Ultraman Plot Memo, to Tsukagoshi.[46] On January 17, 2018, Anno finished the trilogy proposal for Ultraman productions in which he wrote:

"Our goal is to create a world of Ultraman that is not for children, but for the generation that watched Ultraman back then, and that they want to watch now that they are adults. We aim to create entertainment for adults that is consistent with the modern age, a coexistence of dreams and reality that can be depicted only with special effects images. To achieve this goal, we will draw an interesting work that emphasizes quality and sensitivity (even in terms of reality), glistening with the theme of invasion rather than a catastrophe. We will depict a realistic and hard-line, worldview depicted on a beautiful screen with a quality and a sense of externalities. The film depicts the current state of the Japanese people, who are vaguely anxious about an invasion that they do not really feel. It also aims to experience a world where Ultraman exists, a world that everyone desires and no one has ever seen before. However, this seems to be a difficult task."[4]

A first draft of the script for the film was completed by Anno on February 5, 2019, however, his involvement in the film was put on hold for another year while he worked on Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time.[49] In Shin Ultraman Design Works, Anno stated that he intended the film to be connected to his previous tokusatsu film, Shin Godzilla, "The overall worldview of the film may be somewhat connected to that of Shin Godzilla. Because of copyright management, it was hard to make a clear connection, so I used the title, Shin, and cast Yutaka Takenouchi as the government man."[6]

The project was unofficially announced by Nikkan Taishu on March 6, 2019,[50] followed by an official announcement by Tsuburaya Productions on August 1, 2019, with Higuchi as the director and Anno as the screenwriter.[1] Masami Nagasawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima and Takumi Saito were named to star in the film.[1] The film would be co-produced between Toho Studios and Cine Bazar and presented by Tsuburaya Productions, Toho and Khara, with an aim for a 2021 release.[1] Higuchi commented, "A baton has been entrusted to me that has been shining ever since I was a small child. I will solemnly strive to fulfill my responsibility to pass on that heavy, radiant baton created by my seniors."[51] The rest of the supporting cast members were announced in September of that same year.[29]

Design

Ultraman, the titular hero of the film, had his design unveiled at the 2019 Tsuburaya Convention.[52] The concept is based on the 1983 oil painting "Incarnation of Truth, Justice, and Beauty" (真実と正義と美の化身, Shinjitsu to Seigi to Bi no Keshin) by the late Tohl Narita.[53] The first concept art was made by Hideaki Anno on October 3, 2018, under the likeness of Bin Furuya, the hero's original suit actor in the 1966 series.[54][55] This redesign of the original hero was based on Anno's desire to revisit Tohl Narita's original design, going as far as to seek permission from Narita's son, Kairi. The design in question has the mask modeled after Akira Sasaki, the body frame of Furuya and eliminating elements such as the Color Timer, and the back fin and peepholes that were part of the actor's costume.[18][56][57][lower-alpha 8] Furuya returned to portray the character with Anno via motion capture. Director Higuchi stated, "Without Furuya's physical features, such as his tall stature, long chin and arms, and large palms, it wouldn't have been possible to reproduce Ultraman's silhouette, appearance, behavior, etc. even with the latest technology available today."[58] Likewise, Anno had experienced playing the titular hero in his own fan film of Return of Ultraman.[34][35]

The crew struggled to reproduce Ultraman's silver skin color virtually. Higuchi explained in an interview, "Ultraman can't be sprayed with silver paint like in the old days. But if you use mirror-like silver and seriously calculate and depict the rays of light, there would be weird streaks on his arms and face... and his arms and face would look like mirrors that would be reflecting in each other."[59] VFX supervisor Atsuki Sato added "when it comes to color, there are things you can't understand until you actually place the object on the stage, such as the reflection of the silver color on the body and its glittering effect. The hardest part was finding the right balance between reality and image."[60]

Since the beginning of production, Anno and Higuchi had intended to utilize the 3DCG model of Godzilla from their 2016 film Shin Godzilla to depict the monster Gomess, who first appeared in episode 1 of Tsuburaya Productions' 1966 TV series Ultra Q. Anno stated that "since Toho was a member of the [Shin Ultraman] production committee we [were allowed to use] the original Godzilla model for Gomess."[6] The concept art for Gomess was also customized from the original concept art for Godzilla's fourth form in Shin Godzilla.[61] Similarly, the digital set for Tokyo Station, where the second giant unidentified lifeform dubbed the "Mamouth Flower" appeared, was reused from Shin Godzilla in order to reduce the film's budget.[6]

The third giant unidentified lifeform to appear in the film, Peguila, who served as the antagonist of episodes 5 and 14 in Tsuburaya Productions' Ultra Q, was based upon an illustration by Yūji Kaida, which depicted "cold air flowing from the surface of its body".[6] The fifth giant unidentified lifeform to appear in the film, Kaigel, who debuted in episode 24 of Ultra Q,[lower-alpha 9] was also based on an illustration by Kaida, as well as the monster's original concept art by Narita.[6] Anno drew the CG model of the fourth giant monster to make an appearance in the film, Larugeus, who debuted in episode 12 of Ultra Q. In Shin Ultraman Design Works, Anno stated that he "tried to make it look like a real bird".[6] The monsters Pagos,[6] Neronga,[63] Gabora[63] were modified from the same computer-generated model to reduce the film's budget. The same method was also used for their first appearance in 1966, when they were adapted from the suit of Baragon featured in Toho's 1965 film Frankenstein Conquers the World.[64][65]

Tohl Narita's original concept art for episode 18 of Ultraman inspired Alien Zarab's design. Anno stated that Zarab's expressions could not be achieved in a costume, but only with 3DCG, with the body part being transparent.[66] A model of Zarab's head was created but it did not appear in the final cut and was used instead to design his CG depiction.[67] The crew considered altering the body surface of the CG model for Ultraman to recreate Zarab's impersonation of the titular hero, however, only the eye shape was changed, inspired by Narita's hexagonal-eyed Ultraman illustration.[66]

A 3D scan of Ultraman Jack's mask worn by Eiichi Kikuchi in Return of Ultraman was used to design the face of Ultraman's superior, Zōffy.[68][lower-alpha 10] The character's design was heavily inspired by Narita's 1989 concept art for Ultraman in Ultraman: Towards the Future, entitled "Ultraman Divine" (ウルトラマン神変, Urutoraman Shinpen).[66] As part of the design process, the crew examined Zōffy's design in episode 39 of Ultraman, specifically the black line in the center of his head and a pattern near the surface line of his body.[68] Zōffy's ultimate biological weapon, Zetton, was based upon Narita's original concept art created for its first appearance in episode 39 of Ultraman. However, the geometric features were emphasized in the final design.[70]

Filming

On August 20, 2019, it was announced that Higuchi was looking for extras to take part in filming in Autumn 2019.[71] On November 23, 2019, Higuchi made a surprise appearance at the 2nd Atami Monster Film Festival to announce that principal photography had wrapped.[72] Location shooting took place at the Prefectural Assembly Building in Ibaraki Prefecture,[73] Hiratsuka[74] and Yokohama[75] in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kōfu and Minobu in Yamanashi Prefecture,[76] and Ichihara in Chiba Prefecture.[77]

Ultraman and Mefilas' first conversation in their human disguises was filmed at Asakusa Ichimon, an Izakaya restaurant in the Asakusa district of Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. After the film's release, the restaurant was inundated with reservations.[78] Anno cut a scene filmed by Higuchi, in which, Asami kisses Ultraman farewell in his human disguise, Shinji, before he departed Earth to defeat Zetton, in consideration of the overall balance of the moment.[6]

Several scenes were filmed in 4K using the cast and crew's personal iPhones and iPads.[59][79][80]

Visual effects

Visual effects for the film were created by Shirogumi.[81] The visual effects crew used previsualization to create the storyboards for the computer-generated imagery (CGI). Post-production supervisor Michito Ueda explained that "This time we also used it [previsualization] to verify the angel that people would stare at a giant object when it was in front of them."[82] According to Ueda, the crew also used photogrammetry to scan locations that would be used as computer-generated backdrops in the film's fight scenes, stating that "we [the visual effects crew] visited power plants in the provinces, walked around Tokyo, and went with the director [Shinji Higuchi] and film crew on location scouting trips to find image sources for the background."[82] VFX supervisor Atsuki Sato added that "we took a lot of photographs from numerous angles using a drone and constructed 3DCG based on the differentiation in the data we captured to create the background."[60]

Numerous visual effects sequences in the film are combined with original tokusatsu practical effects, such as extensive miniature effect shots.[83] Ultraman's iconic Spacium Beam was created by optical artist Sadao Iizuka using the same technique he used for the original 1966 series, where he would draw a series of rays on paper and change their length and position slightly each time.[84]

Editing

Yōhei Kurihara edited the film primarily using Adobe Premiere Pro. Director Higuchi edited a battle scene between Ultraman and one of the monsters. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, post-production was decelerated, resulting in a roughly two-and-a-half-year editing process.[85][86]

Music

Shin Ultraman Music Collection
Soundtrack album by Shirō Sagisu and Kunio Miyauchi (stock)[87]
Released	June 22, 2022[87]
Genre	Soundtrack, film score
Length	80:44
Language	Japanese
Label	King Records[88]

Shirō Sagisu scored the film.[45][89] The score features several of Sagisu's unused songs which he composed for Shin Godzilla and Neon Genesis Evangelion,[46] as well as several recycled tracks by Kunio Miyauchi.[87] King Records released the film's soundtrack album entitled Shin Ultraman Music Collection (シン・ウルトラマン音楽集, Shin Urutoraman Ongaku Shū) in Japan on June 22, 2022.[87]

On April 8, 2022, it was announced that Kenshi Yonezu would sing the film's theme song "M87".[90] According to Anno, Yonezu originally titled the song "M78" after Ultraman's fictional home galaxy in the original 1966 series,[lower-alpha 11] but Anno requested that the title be changed to M87 because he felt it was "more appealing in terms of setting."[46] On May 25, 2022, Oricon News reported that the single had sold approximately 228,881 physical copies.[91] On May 31, 2022, "M87" became No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.[92] However, it was surpassed by Hey! Say! JUMP's "a r e a" on June 2, 2022.[93]

Release

Marketing

The project was first officially publicized on August 1, 2019, by Tsuburaya Productions[1] and Khara,[49] with the directors of Shin Godzilla proclaimed to be in charge of the film. On December 14, 2019, Tsuburaya Productions unveiled a miniature model of Ultraman's new design as well as a new logo for the film, during the opening ceremony of the 2019 Tsuburaya Convention.[52] On November 2, 2020, a human-sized Ultraman statue was unveiled outside the Tokusatsu Archive Center in Sukagawa, the home of Ultraman creator Eiji Tsuburaya, and a summer 2021 release date was announced.[96] The Ultraman statue was later displayed alongside a statue of the 2016 incarnation of Godzilla and a statue of the 2023 incarnation of Kamen Rider as part of the Hideaki Anno Exhibition at the Abeno Harukas Art Museum, located in Abeno-ku, Osaka.[97] Its first teaser trailer was released on January 29, 2021,[98] and received high praise from filmmakers Guillermo del Toro,[99] Jordan Vogt-Roberts,[99] and James Gunn.[100] Two days later, Bandai's official website confirmed that the two monsters that appear in the trailer were Neronga and Gabora of Ultraman.[101] During the 2021 Tsuburaya Convention, Tsuburaya Productions announced the new release date in Japan to be May 13, 2022, along with a new teaser trailer and a new poster.[33][102]

On February 13, 2022, Toho, Khara, Toei, and Tsuburaya Productions announced a collaborative project titled "Shin Japan Heroes Universe" for merchandise, special events and tie-ins. The project will unite properties that Anno had worked on bearing the title "Shin", such as Shin Godzilla, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,[lower-alpha 13] Shin Ultraman and Shin Kamen Rider.[104][105] On March 17, 2022, the final theatrical release poster and a new theatrical banner for the film were released.[106] As part of the Hideaki Anno Exhibition at the Abeno Harukas Art Museum in Abeno-ku, Osaka, a longer trailer was shown exclusively in theaters and a third teaser trailer was released on April 15.[107] On April 18, 2022, an 82-second trailer for the film was released.[108] To promote the film in Japan, McDonald's released a new version of their Chicken tatsuta fried chicken burger called the "Shin Tatsuta Miyazaki Specialty Chicken Nanban Tartar" on April 20, 2022.[109]

The film was marketed in Japan under the tagline "Have you become so fond of humans, Ultraman?" (そんなに人間が好きになったのか、ウルトラマン。, Son'nani ningen ga suki ni natta no ka, Urutoraman.), which was a question Zōffy asked Ultraman in the series finale of Ultraman.[110]

Theatrical

Shin Ultraman was previously scheduled for an early 2021 summer release, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[111][112] On May 2, 2022, the Film Classification and Rating Organization gave the film a rating of "G" (suitable for all ages) for its Japanese release.[113] It had its red carpet premiere on May 9, 2022.[114] The premiere took place in Kabukichō, Shinjuku, Tokyo along Godzilla Street, and the red carpet dubbed the "Shin Ultra Red Carpet", was 60 meters in length the fictitious height of Ultraman in the film.[114] The film was released in Japan by Toho on May 13, 2022, and later to MX4D, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema theaters on June 10, 2022.[115] Due to the film's success Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Koji Yamamoto, and Shinji Higuchi made a "thank you stage greeting" at a theater in Tokyo on May 25.[116] From July 8 to 21, 2022, the film was screened alongside episode 33 of Ultraman, "The Forbidden Words", and was screened alongside episode 39, "Farewell, Ultraman", from July 22 to August 4, 2022.[117]

The film made its festival premiere at the 2022 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Neuchâtel, Switzerland on July 2, 2022.[118] It had its North America premiere at the 26th Fantasia International Film Festival on July 21, 2022,[119] where it was packed to the 700-seat capacity,[120] and in the United States two days later at the 21st New York Asian Film Festival,[121] where it was also very successful.[120] Higuchi attending both screenings.[122] On July 27, 2022, it was announced that Golden Screen Cinemas would distribute the film in Malaysian theaters on October 6.[123] On August 5, 2022, Tsuburaya Productions announced that the film would be released in 37 territories worldwide (including Asia, the Middle East, and Africa).[120] As part of the Odex Film Festival, the film was screened in Singapore at Cathay Cineplex Downtown East from September 3–4 and in Malaysia at GSC Paradigm on September 3.[124] On September 12, Variety exclusively announced that The Exchange had obtained the sales rights for North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and other remaining countries and was introducing the film to buyers at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.[125] The film was theatrically released in the United Arab Emirates on September 15, 2022, opening in several cities, including Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Fujairah.[126] In Thailand, the film was screened at the Paragon Cineplex in Siam Paragon, Bangkok on September 22.[127] PVR Pictures distributed the film theatrically in India on September 23.[128] During the 2022 Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, the film was screened on September 23 and 26.[129] The film will be released in Vietnam on September 30, 2022.[130] In Hong Kong, it will be theatrically released on October 13, with Traditional Chinese subtitles.[131]

Reception

Box office

Prior to the film's release Tsuburaya Productions predicted that the film would gross about ¥10 billion.[132] On its opening day in Japan (May 13, 2022) Shin Ultraman was 32nd at the box office in Japan having sold 191,302 tickets and earned ¥290,102,400.[133] By its third day the film had been screened in 401 buildings nationwide, sold 641,802 tickets and grossed ¥993,410,050[133] ($7.68 million),[134] becoming the most commercially successful film in the Ultraman franchise, surpassing the 2008 film Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers,[135][136] and breaking the record that Shinji Higuchi's previous kaiju film, Shin Godzilla had on its third day.[133] In IMAX theaters, the film grossed $1.13 million, making it the highest IMAX live-action film opening in Japan.[137] On May 21, 2022, it was reported that the film had sold 1.032 million tickets and grossed ¥1.54 billion[138][139] ($12.04 million).[134] On May 23, 2022, it was reported that the film had sold 1.34 million tickets[140] and grossed ¥2,034,681,150 ($15.94 million).[141] The film was #1 at the Japanese box office,[142][143][144] until it was overtaken by Top Gun: Maverick during its third weekend.[116][145] During its fifth weekend, the film dropped to #3, behind Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and Top Gun: Maverick,[146] and during its third weekend, had dropped to #4 with a gross of ¥3,839,710,000 ($28.4 million).[147] By its 45th day the film had sold 2.69 million tickets and exceeded ¥4 billion ($30.95 million).[148] By July 3, the film had earned an accumulative total of ¥4,165,925,800 ($30.58 million).[128] Crunchyroll reported that the film had grossed ¥4.38 billion by the end of its theatrical run,[13] with Variety reporting it grossed a total of US$31.2 million in Japan.[125]

As of September 21, 2022, Shin Ultraman has earned a total of $1,598 in the United Arab Emirates. Overall, the film has grossed $31,201,550 worldwide.[5]

Critical response in Japan

Shin Ultraman received mixed reviews in Japan.[135] On May 16, 2022, the online magazine FILMAGA ranked it fourth out of all Japanese films currently being screened in Japan, with an average rating of 3.81/5 based upon 11,244 reviews from review aggregator Filmarks.[149] The film has a score of 3.5/5 on Eiga.com, based on 1136 reviews, with 45% of reviewers giving it a 4/5.[3]

Tsunehira Furuya of Newsweek said "fans with a great deal of background knowledge on Ultraman naturally tend to praise Shin Ultraman. However, when seen by an unscrupulous audience, that is, when it is viewed as a pure film, the flaws in this cinematic production would not be defined as a masterpiece, thus it may have fatally been caught by some audiences as a lump. In conclusion, I have to describe Shin Ultraman as an endeavoring and motivated work. Unfortunately, I cannot call it a masterpiece. Unlike Shin Godzilla, I don't want to watch it while screaming over and over again."[150] Matt Schley of The Japan Times gave the film three and a half stars out of five, writing that it was "fun but lacks the punch and gravitas of its predecessor [Shin Godzilla]", adding: "[the film] is less interested in using a beloved character to probe modern Japan than it is in playing around with old toys."[151]

Yukihiro Udagawa of The Nikkei wrote "as it was a fairly complicated story, it was also developed quickly, and although it was impressive, I was a little tired after watching it. Like Shin Godzilla, it was overloaded with information, but the depiction of the monster [in Shin Godzilla] was overwhelmingly wonderful, and even that led to catharsis. This time the dialogue came first. I found Masami Nagasawa's gigantification and the confrontation with Fake Ultraman were the most interesting parts of the film."[7] An uncredited writer from Animate Times called the film a "masterpiece", saying that "[the film] is loved by generations of Ultraman fans including fans in the same generation as me, who saw it when they were kids."[152] Takashi Shimizu of The Asahi Shimbun wrote that the film is "probably the best Ultraman update that adds a new interpretation and a unique perspective to the mysteries and contradictions that were not depicted [in Ultraman]."[153]

Ultraman's original suit actor, Bin Furuya, praised the film at a 4K screening of 4 episodes from the 1966 series on June 3, 2022, stating: "I really felt the love for Ultraman from the [film's] creators." Furthermore, Furuya expressed interest in making a cameo appearance in a proposed sequel to the film, tentatively titled Shin Ultraseven, which would serve as a remake of the 1967 television series, Ultraseven, in which he played Ultra Guard member Amagi.[154]

Critical response internationally

Shin Ultraman received generally positive reviews from critics internationally.[155] On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of 8.10/10.[155]

Richard Eisenbeis of Anime News Network gave the film a B-, calling it a "perfectly watchable film—though far from a great one", adding: "It's clear that the exceptional amount of creative freedom was given to the creators which brings the film to its highest highs and lowest lows."[156] Alicia Haddick of Crunchyroll called the film a "welcoming creative spectacle showing Hollywood how it's done when it comes to rebooting a classic character for a new generation."[157] Noah Oskow of Unseen Japan called it "a gloriously fun modern take on Ultraman", stating, "The giant monster battles are impactful, but unlike Shin Godzilla, we don't feel any of the existential threat they pose. That's true of the whole movie; some commentary on weak government bureaucracy aside, Shin Ultraman is basically about having a nostalgically goofy, enjoyable time."[43]

After watching the film at the 2022 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, Peter Martin of Screen Anarchy wrote that the film is "a lot of fun", adding: "what keeps it all bouncy good fun is the continual forward momentum propelled by director Higuchi Shinji [sic] and the likability of the characters, both leading and supporting."[158] Kyle Anderson of Nerdist gave the film four stars out of five, describing the film as a "handsome, effective, and certainly loving riff on the original Ultraman series.", adding: "It references everything you would hope it does, and throws in a few surprises too. While I don't think it redefines the form like Shin Godzilla, I think it marries the hopefulness of the source material with our dour reality in a great way."[159] Jennie Kermode of Eye For Film gave the film a score of four and a half stars out of five, writing: "It puts Western blockbusters to shame with its unabashed enthusiasm, its spectacular scenes of destruction and its larger than life characters."[160] Lee Jutton of Film Inquiry wrote: "As good as the action scenes may be, the best thing about [the film] is the way it gives us reasons to care about the characters at the center of the story instead of just the spectacle."[161] Dhaval Roy of The Times of India gave the film 3/5 stars, writing: "The film's crisp editing, Shinji Higuchi's masterful direction, and artistic cinematography make the movie a treat to watch. Characters assuming giant forms, the camera placement to capture the battles between Ultraman and kaiju (especially the destruction and Neronga eating electricity), and the low angles of wildflowers make it a visual delight. It's a fast-paced movie with adequate scientific references, so the audience must pay keen attention to every scene."[162] Rayan Sayyed of IGN India gave the film 7.5/10 stars, writing: "[The film] is not trying to be your favourite action movie of the year or the movie with the most impressive VFX. What it will be though, is a great introduction to one of the most iconic characters from the East, all with its charm and essence preserved that generations of people have come to love."[163]

Conversely, some critics found fault with the film. Ricardo Gallegos of La Estatuilla criticized the screenplay, writing that its configuration makes the film's themes "develop with little effectiveness", adding: "It seems that [the film] is divided into three parts, each with its own focus and not enough time to generate a full exploration." Nevertheless, he thought the film "meets the goal of returning to the character's roots and expressing an optimistic vision of the future by emphasizing the strengths of the human race".[164] Christopher Stewardson of Our Culture Mag gave the film four stars out of five, describing it as being "like several episodes of the show expanded and strung together", adding: "While on paper that may seem impenetrable to the uninitiated, I actually think it has the potential for wider appeal." Stewardson praised the film's effects, calling them "more visually arresting than the CGI used in Hollywood efforts" but criticized its human characters, asserting that the SSSP members "leave something to be desired".[165] Varun HK of Deccan Herald gave the film a score of 2/5 stars, writing: "The laser-focused plot and bullet train-like pacing does little to humanise Ultraman as a character as he quickly goes from detached to self-sacrificing, and the supporting cast also bears the brunt."[166] Spencer Perry of ComicBook.com gave the film 3.5/5 stars, writing: "The trouble for [the film] is that Shin Godzilla was such a massive homerun that it's hard to compare, even with their similarities. Die-hard fans will find a lot to like about it and newcomers will even notice its charms, but it sadly doesn't achieve the same heights that its predecessor was able to produce despite still being a fun, modern monster movie."[167]

Other media

Collaborative projects

Nagoya Railroad hosted a collaborative event from April 22, 2022, to June 26, 2022, that allowed participants to collect "Ultra admission tickets" at 8 stations with the word "Shin" in their titles.[168][169] There were also collaboration events from April 29 to June 30, 2022, at the Yokohama Landmark Tower with a 10-meter balloon depicting Ultraman on display and merchandise on the 1st floor of Landmark Plaza, as well as novelties at shops and restaurants inside the building.[170] On June 30, 2022, Toho added Neronga and the titular hero of the film to their mobile game Godzilla Battle Line as part of the "Shin Japan Heroes Universe" collaborative project.[171][172] In addition, Zetton and Alien Mefilas were introduced to the game on August 31, 2022, and will be available as level-enhancing battle pieces until September 30, 2022.[173] From July 7 to August 21, 2022, the Bandai Namco Cross Store at Yokohama World Porters in Naka-ku, Yokohama, hosted another "Shin Japan Heroes Universe" collaboration event called the "Shin Japan Heroes Amusement World".[174] As part of a limited-time collaboration with Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman franchise, GungHo Online Entertainment added the film's incarnations of Ultraman, Neronga, Gabora, Zarab, Mefilas, and Zetton to their mobile puzzle video game Puzzle & Dragons on July 18, 2022.[175]

Books

The art book, Shin Ultraman Design Works (シン・ウルトラマン デザインワークス, Shin Urutoraman Dezain Wākusu), became available to purchase at theaters in Japan on May 13, 2022, distributed by Khara and was released to bookstores by Ground Works on June 24, 2022.[176] Hideaki Anno authored the book, which contains over 500 artworks, including concept art, CG models, and 3D objects.[176] In June 2022, Poplar Publishing released Shin Ultraman Millennials Book (シン・ウルトラマン MILLENNIALS BOOK（ミレニアルズ ブック）, Shin Urutoraman Mireniaruzu Bukku), a 32-page book celebrating the film's release and the 55th anniversary of the Ultraman franchise.[177] On June 28, 2022, Kodansha released ULTRAMAN HISTORICA: From Ultra Q to Shin Ultraman (ULTRAMAN HISTORICA ウルトラQからシン・ウルトラマンまで, Urutoraman HISTORICA Urutora Kyū kara Shin Urutoraman), a mook detailing every entry in the Ultraman series for adult fans of the franchise.[178]

Shin Ultra Fight

A spin-off miniseries entitled Shin Ultra Fight (シン・ウルトラファイト, Shin Urutora Faito), was streamed on Tsuburaya Productions' streaming service Tsuburaya Imagination from May 14 to July 4, 2022.[179][180] Shin Ultraman director Shinji Higuchi partially directed and supervised the series while Hideaki Anno, the film's screenwriter, organizer, and producer, was in charge of planning.[180] Cine Bazar, Tsuburaya Productions, Toho, and Khara co-produced the series, which consists of 3 episodes repurposing footage from Shin Ultraman and 7 episodes featuring 3D computer graphics by Studio Bros, Modeling Bros, and Shirogumi.[180][181] Inspired by the 1970 TV series Ultra Fight, the series attempted to duplicate the low production values of the original program by filming unscripted episodes, using motion capture performances without correction, and setting the fights in computer-generated environments situated in regular filming locations.[181]

No.	Title	Directed by	Narrator	Original air date
1	"Neronga Comes and Goes" Transcription: "Neronga Detari Kietari" (Japanese: ネロンガ 出たり消えたり)	Shinji Higuchi[182]	Koichi Yamadera[182]	May 14, 2022 (2022-05-14)[179]
2	"A Death Blow to Gabora" Transcription: "Gabora Shi no Seiken Zuki" (Japanese: ガボラ　死の正拳突き)	Shinji Higuchi[183]	Koichi Yamadera[183]	May 14, 2022 (2022-05-14)[179]
3	"Beware! Mefilas' Trap" Transcription: "Ki o Tsukero! Mefirasu no Wana" (Japanese: 気をつけろ！　メフィラスの罠)	Shinji Higuchi[184]	Koichi Yamadera[184]	May 19, 2022 (2022-05-19)[180]
4	"Gather! Duelists of the Canyon" Transcription: "Atsumare! Daikyōkoku no Duerisuto" (Japanese: 集まれ！　大峡谷の決斗者)	Kazuhiro Nakagawa[185]	Koichi Yamadera[185]	May 30, 2022 (2022-05-30)[179]
5	"The Flashing Match Behind Closed Doors" Transcription: "Senkō no Mukankyaku Jiai" (Japanese: 閃光の無観客試合)	Kensei Nakayama[186]	Koichi Yamadera[186]	June 6, 2022 (2022-06-06)[180]
6	"Is the Planet Burning?" Transcription: "Yūsei wa Moeteiru ka" (Japanese: 遊星は燃えてゐるか)	Michito Ueda[187]	Koichi Yamadera[187]	July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)[180]
7	"The 6-Dimensional Scoundrel" Transcription: "Roku Jigen Burai" (Japanese: 6次元無頼)	Ryōtarō Kogushi[188]	Koichi Yamadera[188]	July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)[180]
0	"Fi-Fi-Fight of White Sand and Green Pines" Transcription: "Hakusaseishō Shura Shushushu" (Japanese: 白砂青松　修羅シュシュシュ)	Norichika Ōba[189]	Koichi Yamadera[189]	July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)[180]
8	"Zetton the Chariot of Fire" Transcription: "Zetton Hi no Kuruma" (Japanese: ゼットン　火の車)	Shinji Higuchi[189]	Koichi Yamadera[189]	July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)[180]
9	"Requiem of the Roaring Waves" Transcription: "Shiosai no Rekuiemu" (Japanese: 潮騒の鎮魂歌)	Norichika Ōba[189]	Koichi Yamadera[189]	July 4, 2022 (2022-07-04)

Future

In Shin Ultraman Design Works, Hideaki Anno revealed that he initially wrote a proposal for Tsuburaya Productions on January 17, 2018, proposing a trilogy of films, starting with Shin Ultraman and continuing with an untitled sequel and a remake of Ultraseven from 1967, titled Shin Ultraseven (シン・ウルトラセブン, Shin Urutorasebun).[4] Ultraman's motion capture actor, Bin Furuya commented: "If the public watch [the film] 5 or 6 times, there will likely be a story like Shin Ultraseven."[154]

See also

• Shin Japan Heroes Universe
  • Shin Godzilla (2016)
  • Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (2021)
  • Shin Kamen Rider (2023)

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Official web page at Toho (in Japanese)
• Official web page at Tsuburaya Productions
• Shin Ultraman on Twitter (in Japanese)
• Shin Ultraman at IMDb
• Shin Ultraman at Rotten Tomatoes
• Shin Ultraman (film) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Shin Ultraman at Box Office Mojo

На других языках

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- [en] Shin Ultraman

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[ru] Новый Ультрамен

«Новый Ультрамен» (яп. シン・ウルトラマン Син Урутораман)  — предстоящий японский художественный фильм, рассказывающий о супергерое Ультрамене. Его премьера была намечена на лето 2021 года, но перенесена на 13 мая 2022 года[2].

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