THE ORIGIN OF ULTRAMAN - New Feature Length Documentary Celebrates Ultraman's 60th Anniversary

Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions.©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

Source: Tsuburaya Productions
Official Site: https://60th.m-78.jp/ (Japan)
Special Thanks to Fin Yan

THE ORIGIN OF ULTRAMAN poster, courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. have provided SciFi Japan with information and poster artwork for their upcoming feature length documentary THE ORIGIN OF ULTRAMAN (オリジンオブウルトラマン, Orijin Obu Urutoraman) commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Ultraman Series. The movie will open in Japan on Friday, July 3rd via distribitor TOHO NEXT, with a list of theaters now available at https://eigakan.org/. Tsuburaya is looking into giving the film an international rollout — including North America — so check back here for updates once those plans are officially confirmed.

■ Overview

The original ULTRAMAN (ウルトラマン空想特撮シリーズ, Urutoraman: Kūsō Tokusatsu Shirīzu), a landmark in Japanese tokusatsu television series, became a social phenomenon when it aired in 1966, recording a peak viewership rating of 42.8%. Even now, 60 years after its initial broadcast, Tsuburaya Productions continues to release new Ultraman series, and its cross-generational universe continues to expand globally.

Conceived by filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda — known for works such as SHOPLIFTERS (万引き家族, Manbiki Kazoku, 2018) — THE ORIGIN OF ULTRAMAN delves into the fundamental question: "What is Ultraman?" This production features creators representing a diverse array of fields—including cinema, special effects, and design. A colorful cast of contributors from both Japan and abroad has assembled for this documentary, including Guillermo del Toro (film director), Hideo Kojima (game creator), Hideaki Anno (director/producer), Shinji Higuchi (film director), and Nicolas Winding Refn (film director), among others. As their individual perspectives and insights intertwine, the true contours of the entity known as Ultraman gradually come into focus.

The film delves into a truly unique worldview—one in which, despite the protagonist being a hero, the backstories of the monsters are portrayed with meticulous care—and explores the powerful allure inherent in the visual designs of both Ultraman and his monstrous adversaries. Furthermore, by shedding light on the creative vision and craftsmanship of Eiji Tsuburaya and his original production team, the documentary traces the journey of how Ultraman transcended borders to captivate audiences across the globe.

■ Witnesses to the Origins

Guillermo del Toro (Film Director / PACIFIC RIM, THE SHAPE OF WATER)
Hirokazu Kore-eda (Film Director / NOBODY KNOWS, SHOPLIFTERS, MONSTER)
Hideo Kojima (Game Creator / METAL GEAR series, DEATH STRANDING series)
Hideaki Anno (Director & Producer / EVANGELION series, SHIN GODZILLA, Planning & Screenplay / SHIN ULTRAMAN)
Shinji Higuchi (Film Director / SHIN GODZILLA, SHIN ULTRAMAN, BULLET TRAIN EXPLOSION)
Nicolas Winding Refn (Film Director / DRIVE, THE NEON DEMON)
Shannon Tindle (Film Director / ULTRAMAN: RISING)
John Aoshima (Film Director / ULTRAMAN: RISING)
Kairi Narita (Eldest son of Toru 'Tohl' Narita, Art Director for ULTRAMAN)
Pat Cadigan (Sci-Fi Author / Synners, Fools, ULTRAMAN: The Official Novel of the Series [English Edition])

Setsu Shimizu (Film Critic & Creative Director)
Noi Sawaragi (Art Critic)
Hidenori Okada (Chief Researcher, National Film Archive)
Susumu Kurobe (Actor / ULTRAMAN Role: Science Patrol Member Hayata)
Hiroko Sakurai (Actor / ULTRAMAN Role: Science Patrol Member Fuji)
Sandayū Dokumamushi (Actor / ULTRAMAN Role: Science Patrol Member Arashi)
Toshihiro Iijima (Screenwriter & Director / ULTRAMAN)
Kazuo Sagawa (Cinematographer / ULTRAMAN)
Kiyoshi Suzuki (Cinematographer / ULTRAMAN)
Sadao Iizuka (Optical Cinematographer / ULTRAMAN)
Noriko Shishikura (Script Supervisor / ULTRAMAN)

■ Details

Release Date (Japan): Friday, July 3, 2026
Running Time: 104 Minutes

Staff
Supervision: Takayuki Tsukagoshi
Planning: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Planning & Production: Kei Minamitani, Takuya Tashiro
Planning Support & Research: Setsu Shimizu
Directors: Yutaka Nakamura, Kazuki Yoshida
Producers: Masahiro Onda, Tomoko Izuta (SlowHand)

Production: SlowHand Corporation
Produced by & Copyright: Tsuburaya Productions
Distribution: TOHO NEXT (Japan), Tsuburaya Productions

About Tsuburaya Productions

Tsuburaya Productions, creator and copyrights owner of the superhero ULTRAMAN series was founded in 1963 by Eiji Tsuburaya, world-renowned special effects wizard also known for his special effects work on the Godzilla series. With more than fifty years’ experience, it is one of Japan’s oldest and most respected independent film and television production houses. Its popular Ultraman TV and film series which premiered in 1966 has been seen in over 100 territories worldwide and has spawned over 3,000 licensed products. In addition to production, the company also handles character licensing and program distribution and staging live stage shows both domestically and internationally.