Reviewed By Jason LockardLike many people, I have been a fan of the Japanese Kaiju films. Like Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera, Rodan, and others. I remember the first time I witnessed the unforgettable roar of Godzilla and the mammoth monster stomping Tokyo! I was instantly hooked on the kaiju films.
In July 2019, Mill Creek Entertainment announced they have acquired the right to the Ultraman library from Tsuburaya Productions through Indigo Entertainment, including 1,100 episodes and 20 films. And they have released Ultra Q the first series that started the phenomenon that is Ultraman on Blu-ray and special edition steelbook.
The original plan for a series by Executive Producer Eiji Tsuburaya for a series that featuring all kinds of strange and unusual stories like TheTwilight Zone or The Outer Limits. But addthe kaiju monsters that's a winning combination. And so thus Ultraman franchise was born.
Ultra Q follows a team consisting of Mainichi Shimpo photojournalist Yuriko Edogawa, Hoshikawa Airlines pilot/SF writer Jun Manjome and his co-pilot Ippei Togawa that investigates strange phenomena ranging from supernatural threats to giant monsters.
This series consisted of 28 half-hour episodes and were produced in black and white. At the time this was the most expensive Japanese TV production. The series was such a huge ratings success that it spawned the next series Ultraman.
Mill Creek Entertainment has put together one amazing Blu-ray set here. All 28 episodes are spread across 4 blu-ray discs. This is they way they layout.
Disc One: Defeat Gomess! / Goro and Goroh / The Gift From Space / Mammoth Flower / Peguila Is Here! / Grow Up! Little Turtle / S.O.S. Mount Fuji
Disc Two: Terror of the Sweet Honey / Baron Spider / The Underground Super Express Goes West / Balloonga / I Saw a Bird / Garadama / Tokyo Ice Age
Disc Three: Kanegon's Cocoon / Garamon Strikes Back / The 1/8 Project / The Rainbow's Egg / Challenge from the Year 2020 / The Undersea Humanoid Ragon / Space Directive M774
Disc Four: Metamorphosis / Fury of the South Sea / The Idol of Goga / The Devil Child / Blazing Glory / The Disappearance of Flight 206 / Open Up!
Now for the Blu-ray transfers. The episodes are transferred in 1080p High Definition and is in their original full screen format, 1.33:1 aspect ratio. There is no stretching of the picture here, thank goodness. The episodes are presented in the original Japanese TV edits and come with English subtitles. The Audio is DTS-HD master audio 2.0.
First off many people would complain that there is no English dub track! And I wish there was too. But those would be licensed from another company and might have been hard or very expensive to get a hold of. But for TV purists this is the only way to watch this show.
These episodes on Blu-ray look and sound nearly flawless. The picture looks crisp and clean and the audio us cleat. Which is amazing when you realize this series is over 60 years old.
The packaging of this Blu-ray set is something special. all four Blu-ray disc come in there own hub in a hard shell Blu-ray case. There is no stacking of discs on this one, which many people hate. There is a high quality collector's booklet, that features an in-depth synopsis of each episode and information about the series, the monsters and characters in this series. Finally it comes in a sturdy cardboard protective sleeve.
I have to say I am highly impressed with this Blu-ray set. For fans of Kiaju this is defiantly the best set for your money! It episodes looks stunning and the packaging is top notch. So if you want your copy of the series that started the Ultraman phenomenon. Head over to Amazon.com and get your copy today. Note this series is also available on special edition Steebook.
Moral Rating: Monster Violence
Audience: Parental Guidance
Genre: Sci-Fi
Length: Almost 12 Hours
Blu-ray Rating: A
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