is a 2022 Japanese superhero film directed by Shinji Higuchi and written, co-produced, and co-edited by Hideaki Anno. A reimagining of the 1966 television series Ultraman, the film is a co-production between Toho Studios and Cine Bazar, and presented by Tsuburaya Productions, Toho Co., Ltd., and Khara, Inc. It is the 37th film in the Ultraman franchise, and Anno and Higuchi's second reimagining of a tokusatsu series, following Shin Godzilla (2016) and preceding Shin Kamen Rider (2023). The ensemble cast includes Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, and Hidetoshi Nishijima, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman. In the film, an extraterrestrial accidentally kills a man while battling a kaiju and takes on his appearance and place at the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol to protect Earth from further threats.
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 Ultramans 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 (2021). Tsuburaya officially announced the film had begun production on August 1, 2019. Principal photography took place during late 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 a summer 2021 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shin Ultraman premiered in Japan on May 13, 2022. The film grossed worldwide, becoming the sixth-highest-grossing Japanese film of 2022 and the most commercially successful Ultraman film. Critics praised its direction, characters, editing, cinematography, visual effects, musical score, and action sequences, but some criticized the screenplay's structure and perceived lack of themes. It received eight nominations at the 46th Japan Academy Film Prize, including Picture of the Year, and won three.
Plot
Following the invasion of several kaiju in Japan, the government establish the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol (SSSP) to eliminate further threats. When the SSSP respond to an attack by an S-Class kaiju dubbed "Neronga", a silver giant extraterrestrial emerges from the sky and defeats Neronga. However, the incident leaves SSSP member Shinji Kaminaga injured while trying to save a lost child. Analyst Hiroko Asami is transferred from the Public Security Intelligence Agency to the SSSP and partnered with Kaminaga, who seemingly recovered from his injuries, but also acts unfamiliar with social norms; Asami submits a report on the silver giant, dubbing it "Ultraman". The SSSP respond to another S-Class Species attack by a kaiju dubbed "Gabora". Unbeknownst to the SSSP, Kaminaga transforms into Ultraman, now adorning red and silver colors; he defeats Gabora before it could attack a nuclear waste storage facility.
Another alien, named Zarab, makes contact with the SSSP, with the intention of establishing an accord with Japan's government. After Kaminaga learns of Zarab's true intentions to influence countries to destroy each other by triggering conflict, he is neutralized and kidnapped by Zarab. To discredit Ultraman, Zarab attacks parts of Japan disguised as Ultraman and leaks footage of Kaminaga's transformation; resulting in an international manhunt. Asami receives Kaminaga's transforming device, the Beta Capsule, for safekeeping from Zarab. Asami finds and frees Kaminaga but is captured by Zarab herself. Kaminaga retrieves the Beta Capsule and transforms into Ultraman, saves Asami, and exposes Zarab's disguise before defeating him.
While Kaminaga goes into hiding, Asami is kidnapped and transformed into a mind-controlled giant by another alien, named Mefilas. Demonstrating good faith, he reverts Asami back to normal size using the Beta Box, a large variant of the Beta Capsule. Mefilas strikes a deal with the government to supply them with the Beta Box for deterrent purposes in return for unconditional obedience. Kaminaga disagrees with Mefilas' plan and conspires with the SSSP to stop the exchange. They successfully hijack the Box and Ultraman engages Mefilas in combat. Mefilas rescinds his plans after noticing Ultraman's superior Zōffy observing their battle and warns Ultraman of a coming threat before departing Earth with the Box.
The SSSP are briefly detained for aiding Ultraman but are soon released after their Chief convinces his superior that Ultraman coerced them. Kaminaga converses with Zōffy in the forest where Kaminaga was injured. It is revealed that Kaminaga was not injured but killed by debris when Ultraman landed. Inspired by Kaminaga's sacrifice, Ultraman had assumed his identity to better understand him. Zōffy informs Ultraman that he is to face punishment for breaking their planet's code of merging with a human. Believing that humanity would pose a threat if they could evolve into giants, Zōffy employs the ultimate weapon Zetton to eradicate them.
Kaminaga warns the SSSP of this, leaves them a flash drive, and flies to Earth's orbit as Ultraman to stop Zetton. Defeated, Kaminaga is hospitalized while the government decides not to disclose humanity's fate to the world as a final act of mercy. SSSP physicist Akihisa Taki opens Kaminaga's flash drive and uncovers the basic principles and theorems of the Beta Capsule and higher dimensional domains. After Kaminaga regains consciousness, Taki reveals to him the method that he and international scientists had devised to defeat Zetton. Kaminaga transforms into Ultraman and opens a black hole by igniting the Beta Capsule one millisecond before Zetton fires its heatwave. The black hole swallows Zetton and Ultraman but Zōffy rescues Ultraman.
Zōffy insists that Ultraman returns to their planet, but Ultraman wishes to stay and protect Earth. Zōffy refuses to compromise, thus Ultraman decides to sacrifice himself to resurrect Kaminaga. Zōffy questions Ultraman's decision to sacrifice himself to save an inferior race, but after witnessing their teamwork to defeat Zetton, he is forced to admire their tenacity in the face of death. The SSSP then greets Kaminaga as he opens his eyes, having received a second chance at life.
Cast
Takumi Saitoh as Shinji Kaminaga, an executive strategy officer who worked for the National Police Agency Security Bureau before he was designated to the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol (SSSP). He is unintentionally killed by Ultraman during his fight with Neronga. Ultraman took his appearance and place. Saitoh has a fond memory of playing with Ultraman figures and his father worked on the 1973 TV series Ultraman Taro. Saitoh had previously played a JSDF tank squadron commander named Ikeda in Shin Godzilla. Masami Nagasawa as Hiroko Asami, an analyst who worked for the Public Security Intelligence Agency before she was appointed to the SSSP. Hidetoshi Nishijima as Kimio Tamura, the leader of the SSSP who formerly worked at the Ministry of Defense. The day before the film's release, Nishijima appeared as Tamura in two 24-second web-exclusive commercials for Procter & Gamble's dishwashing liquid Joy. Daiki Arioka as Akihisa Taki, an unparticle physicist who graduated from the Johoku University of Science. Taki is an otaku and has models of USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) from Star Trek: The Original Series, and Thunderbirds 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 from Thunderbirds on his desk. Akari Hayami as Yumi Funaberi, a universal biologist who worked at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology before she was appointed to the SSSP. Tetsushi Tanaka as Tatsuhiko Munakata, Chief of the SSSP Kyusaku Shimada as Taishi Okuma, the Prime Minister of Japan as Hajime Komuro, the as Kunihiko Kariba, the Minister of Defense as Hayasaka, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Cmdr. as Seiichi Nakanishi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Masami Horiuchi as the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan Gō Rijū as the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister as Kagami, member of the National Police Agency Security Bureau Yutaka Takenouchi as a government official. In Shin Ultraman Design Works, screenwriter Hideaki Anno indicated Takenouchi's character to be a reprisal of his role as Hideki Akasaka from Shin Godzilla. Bin Furuya and Hideaki Anno as Ultraman/Lipiah (motion capture), an extraterrestrial from the Star of Light who came to Earth to protect humanity from kaiju and was dubbed "Ultraman" by Asami. Furuya and Anno have both portrayed Ultraman before; Furuya portrayed the titular hero in the original 1966 series, and Anno unofficially portrayed the character in his 1983 fan film Daicon Film's Return of Ultraman. Issey Takahashi as the voice of Ultraman. Despite his name being listed in the film's credits, Takahashi's role was not officially disclosed until one month after its release. During an interview, Takahashi said it was "like a dream come true" to portray the character. Koichi Yamadera as the voice of Zōffy, Ultraman's superior who tries to eradicate humanity with the weapon of mass destruction, Zetton, believing that they would pose a threat if they were able to evolve into giants. To reference misinformation about his first appearance in Ultraman's series finale, the character's Japanese name is deliberately spelled incorrectly in the film. Koji Yamamoto as Alien Mefilas, an extraterrestrial who tries to prove to humanity that they can also become giants. He asks Ultraman to become his ally but is turned down by him and later fights him due to their differing opinions regarding humanity. Kenjiro Tsuda as the voice of Alien Zarab, an extraterrestrial who kidnaps Kaminaga and impersonates Ultraman, only to be defeated by Ultraman himself.
English dub
Chris Hackney as Shinji Kaminaga Dawn M. Bennett as Hiroko Asami John Burgmeier as Kimio Tamura Brandon McInnis as Akihisa Taki Emily Frongillo as Yumi Funaberi Brook Chalmers as Tatsuhiko Munakata Charlie Campbell as Taishi Okuma Matt Shipman as Kagami Frank Todaro as a Foreign Affairs officer Jim Foronda as a government official Steven Kelly as Ultraman Theo Devaney as Zōffy Jordan Woollen as Mefilas Kellen Goff as Zarab Christopher Sabat as Misc. characters Christian Thorsen as Misc. characters
The cast of the English dub are taken from Anime News Network and Ultraman Connection.
Production Crew
Shinji Higuchi – director, storyboard artist, and cinematographer Hideaki Anno – various positions Katsuro Onoue – associate director and cinematographer Masayuki – assistant director and cinematographer Ikki Todoroki – deputy director, teaser poster designer, and cinematographer Hisashi Usui – executive producer Katsura Kurosawa – executive producer Akihiro Yamauchi – co-producer Kensei Mori – line producer Tohl Narita – original kaiju and extraterrestrial designs (posthumous) Satoru Sasaki – VFX director Atsuki Satō – VFX supervisor Hiromasa Inoue – VFX producer Masayo Ohno – VFX producer
Personnel are taken from Toho's official website, the film's theater pamphlet, and Anime News Network.
Development