is the main protagonist of the 1973 Ultra Series, Ultraman Taro. In the series, Ultraman Taro merged with Kotaro Higashi the latter loses his life during Astromons' rampage. After that, Kotaro joined the battle as a ZAT member and utilized Taro's power to fight against giant monsters while receiving assistance from either his fellow brothers-in-arms (Ultra Brothers) or his parents. In the final episode, Kotaro severed his connection to Taro and returned the Ultra Badge, as he wanted to continue living his life as a normal human. He is last seen traveling around the world.
Ultraman Taro is the third entry in the Ultra Series' second phase during the Showa Era. Alongside Fireman and Jumborg Ace, the three celebrated the 10th anniversary of Tsuburaya Productions despite airing on different television channels. The presence of his parents (Father and Mother of Ultra) and the Ultra Brothers emphasizes the theme of family in the series as a whole. Despite Taro's current popularity, many long time fans in the Showa era did not acknowledge this work.
In the original series, Ultraman Taro is voiced by Saburō Shinoda, who is also Kotaro Higashi's actor. In subsequent media, Taro is frequently voiced by . Meanwhile, his original suit actor is .
Character conception According to the second DVD volume of Ultraman Taro, the series' production had been conceived since autumn 1972, when Ultraman Ace was airing. The television network Tokyo Broadcasting System originally planned on ending the Ultra Series with Ace.
Design Ultraman Taro was designed by . His figure is based on the body of Ultraseven, with the latter's Beam Lamp, red color, and large projections. The Ultra Horns are an inherited feature from the Father of Ultra. There were also plans to include ears on Taro's helmet as seen in the original design, but they were removed in the finalized version. The prototype of Taro's mask was molded by at the request of . Satake asked the producer, Kumagai, for a 170 cm tall suit actor for Taro due to the Ultra's head design.
Naming Taro's name comes from either a stand-alone masculine Japanese given name/common name suffix, or one of the most typical names of a boy in otogi-banashi/Japanese fairy tales, the latter coinciding with the fairy tale motif in the Ultraman Taro series. However, in-universe, it is said that this was given by the Father of Ultra, as it meant , which is similarly translated in Earth's culture.
In original planning, Taro and his home series were meant to be named as , which was ultimately revised due to the aircraft hijacking incidents at the time. This name was given to the New Ultraman from Return of Ultraman.
History Past Taro's past and his exploits prior to arriving on Earth is explained in his academic journal from the 2003 magazine. Some of these settings were not acknowledged in recent media.
At the time of his birth as a big healthy baby, his cry shocked his parents. As children in the Land of Light grow faster, Taro's growth rate is known to be remarkable. He could walk in two weeks and talk in one month. At one point, he nervously cried when his father played a prank. During childhood, Taro played with his cousin Seven, who was 3,000 years old. Taro was rough and a bit rebellious, but became kinder when his father brought a harmless monster from space. He loved to play and was popular with the children at the park. When he was 8, he demonstrated the ability to lift a rock weighing 12 tons.
Taro entered school when he was 3,000 years old. As his parents helped him in his study, he excelled in gymnastics, helped his classmates in their studies, and won an Olympic Games for children. He excelled in robotics and space monster science. After his graduation, Taro visited various planets to fight evil monsters and hone his fighting skills. At one point, he fought against the 2 million ton monster in LP Nebula and escorted from the Andromeda nebula to the Monster Graveyard. When he entered the Plasma fusion device, he fought against the monster . Zoffy chose Taro as the sixth Ultra Brother after observing his exploits and was sent to Earth.
Ultraman Taro In the original series, Taro was meant to be the Ultraman form of Kotaro Higashi, who was revived with the energy of Ultra Brothers by Ultra's Mother after his death from Astromons, which explained his absence in Ultraman Leo when the rest of the Ultra Brothers appear.
After his first battle, Taro faces monster and alien attacks with the help of ZAT members and the Ultra Brothers' occasional appearances. In one of his battles, Taro is gravely injured and dies from his fight against Birdon. Zoffy carries his body to the Land of Light to recuperate while he fights Birdron; he is ultimately defeated. Taro returns and uses his new weapon, the King Bracelet, to lure the monster back to Okumayama. He seals the volcano's entrance and destroys its eggs.
During Mururoa's assault on Earth, Taro calls for the Ultra Brothers' help to bring the Ultra Bell from their home world to clear the monster's smoke and return sunlight to Earth. He also confronted opponents that his predecessors fought before, such as Alien Mefilas II, Eleking II, Yapool, Bemstar, Verokron and Sabotendar. In a two-parter episode, Taro and the five brothers are hunted by Temperor on Earth, who intended to invade the Land of Light. By hiding in several toy capsules, they ambush the alien. The Temperor was defeated by Taro's Neo Strium Ray while his leader is eliminated by the combined attacks from the Ultra Brothers.
During Tyrant's assassination attempt on the Ultra Brothers, Taro and ZAT members are warned beforehand of its arrival. Taro fights the combined monster and wins the battle by using his opponent's own weapon against itself. In the final episode Taro fights with Samekujira and the invader Alien Valky. When the monster is defeated, Kotaro decides to remain as a human by returning the Ultra Badge back to Mother of Ultra and prove himself by killing Valky with his own wits.
Ultraman Story While Zoffy, Ultraman, and Seven were fighting elsewhere, a young Taro trained himself in order to join the Ultra Brothers. After fighting a Dokkun, Mother of Ultra comes and has them reconcile while Father of Ultra lectures him of the existence of friendly monsters.
As Taro grew into a young adult, his overconfidence gets the best of him until he is lectured by his father. He matures by learning and watching the Ultra Brothers' battles. At one point, he is sent to deal with both Alien Mefilas and his Eleking on Earth after the two escaped from Ultraman and Seven. After receiving a precognitive dream of an incoming threat, Taro endured the final phase of his training: using his Ultra Horns to Father of Ultra's energies to fight against Juda, an old foe whom his father fought 50,000 years ago. With Father of Ultra injured in fighting Alien Hipporit, Taro deals with another of Juda's accomplice, Enmargo, on Earth while the rest of Ultra Brothers confront Grand King. Taro joins the Brothers on Planet Feralt and fuses with them to defeat Grand King. They return to the Land of Light as Father and Mother of Ultra await.
The movie is the first time Taro is voiced by Hiroya Ishimaru. His younger self is voiced by .
Subsequent history in the Showa era The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army (1974 (Thailand)/1979 (Japan)): Ultraman Zoffy: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster Army (1984): Taro is voiced by .
Heisei era Ultraman Mebius & Ultraman Brothers (2006): Taro and Zoffy appear in the movie's climax to aid their fellow Ultra Brothers and Mebius recharge their energies. With the Ultra Brothers united, they combine with Mebius to form Mebius Infinity to defeat Yapool and freed Kobe. Taro and Zoffy are last seen accompanying Mirai Hibino's Gun Winger before departing Earth. Ultraman Mebius (2006): Taro is originally one of the few Ultras that witnessed Mebius gaining the Mebius Brace from the Father of Ultra. In episodes 29 and 30, Taro goes to Earth to replace Mebius when the Inpelaizer starts its attack on Earth. As Crew GUYS prepare a trap for the robot, Taro joins the battle when their plan fails and attempts to use his sealed technique Ultra Dynamite. Initially dismayed with Mebius' participation, Taro allows him to join the battle and the latter proves victorious with his new form, Burning Brave. Under Crew GUYS' persuasion, Taro allows Mebius to remain on Earth. In the final three episodes, Taro joins his brothers in cleansing the Solar System's sun from Alien Empera's sunspot. Ultraman Mebius Side Story: Ghost Reverse (2009): After being lured to the Monster Graveyard by Hikari's Ultra Sign, Taro and Ace fall into a trap orchestrated by the Dark Four Heavenly Kings, who are assisted by a traitorous Hikari. As Mebius is forced to bring the Giga Battlenizer as a leverage, Hikari drops the facade as he frees both captives and all four Ultras fight against the revived heralds of Alien Empera. Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy (2009): In the opening of the movie, Taro instructs a group of students who practiced their finishing beams. Following Ultraman Belial's escape, Taro leads a squadron of Ultras to hold the renegade Ultra in place; he fails and falls into the surface of the Land of Light. As Belial escapes with the Plasma Spark, Taro sacrifices himself to contain the last light while affirming his belief that his home world will return. This piece of light is given to Ultraman, Seven and Mebius to transform as they bring Rei along with them towards the Monster Graveyard and fight Belial's army of 100 monsters. As Ultraman Zero returns the Plasma Spark to its rightful place, Taro and his parents are unfrozen and go to hear Ultraman King's speech. In the English dub of the movie, Taro is voiced by William Winckler. Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial (2010): Taro is among the Space Garrison members that studies the Darklop's remains and donates his light to Zero's travel sphere so that the youth can travel to an alternate universe. William Winckler reprises his voice role as Taro in the film's English dub. Ultraman Ginga (2013): Alongside the Ultra Brothers, Taro is among the combatants of Dark Spark War but is cursed into a Spark Doll by Dark Lugiel. Taro retains his sentience due to his fellow brothers-in-arms and parents shielding him, and feels guilty for being "selfish" at that time. Taro becomes a teacher to Hikaru during his time on Earth and encourages Tomoya when he listens to the latter's personal problems. Due to his diminutive size as a Spark Doll, he can only use , fly and mass teleport at the cost of draining his energy. When Ultraman Ginga falls at the hands of Dark Lugiel, Furuboshi Town residents use their Ginga Light Sparks to restore Taro to his original state long enough to fend off Lugiel to revive Ginga. After Lugiel's destruction, he regains his original form and bids farewell to Hikaru and his friends. Hiroya Ishimaru reprised his voice role as Taro and Ultra's younger self is voiced by . In 2013, Taro was among the Ultramen who were present in an award ceremony when the Ultra Series was nominated as the series with most spin-offs and sequels, while the original Ultraman held the certificate given by Guinness World Records with Takuya Negishi, Hikaru Raido's actor in Ultraman Ginga. Ultraman Ginga Theater Special (2013): In the middle of the Ultraman Ginga season break, Taro accompanies Hikaru and his friends to salvage monster Spark Dolls in the Furuboshi mountainside and gives additional detail about the monsters. Despite Taro's efforts to attack Alien Icarus with Ultra Psychokinesis, Alien Icarus claims all the Spark Dolls and merges into Tyrant, leading to a fight between Tiga and Jean-nine, and Ginga against Dark Zagi. At the end of the day, Taro remarks that their mission is not finished as he is still trapped in the Spark Doll state.