Post by Spark Doll King on Apr 10, 2023 19:11:00 GMT
My faviorte monsters from the Ultra Q series.
10. The Giant - Transformed Human
Once an entomologist tracking a rare species of butterfly, the insects poisonous powder slowly began to mutate him into a giant human at the cost of his sanity. The Giant makes my list for two reasons. Firstly, compared to the western giant human movies of the 50s & 60s, Ultra Q dose a fare more convincing job for the most part. Using real set to convey the giants size over the super imposing of an actor onto a background. The other is the rather tragic aspect to his story. His fiance spends much of the story denying him, showing that she cares more for her image over the man she loved in his time of need. Yet it's clear that despite his growing savagery, he still cares for her. The real kicker is that after shunning him for much of the plot, once he's back to normal she want to be with him again and we're supposed to be ok with it?
9. Ragon - Undersea Humanoid
Prehistoric fishmen in the same vain as the Silurians and the Sea Devils, Ragon is a bit of an oddity. They are not the primary threat of their episode, even though they are it's primary source of horror. On day the fishermen of a island of the coast of Japan trawl up a strange object and bring it home. Not long afterwards, a Ragon begins stalking the village at night and killing anyone it comes across. Eventually the protagonists are able to slay the creature, only to discover that the theory of a young marine geologist on the island is correct. An underwater Volcano is becoming active and will soon sink the island. As everyone ties to escape, a second Ragon appears. They eventually realise that it is after the object that came from the sea, the identity of which is a Ragon Egg that was brought to the surface by the same volcanic activity. With it's egg returned, the Ragon leaves, allowing everyone to escape. While not the most technically spectacular episode, I ended up really like the story especially becuase it echos similar themes to certain Doctor Who stories.
8. Kemur - Abduction Phantom
One of the first aliens of the Ultra series, Kemur is a pretty spooky customer, especially thanks to it's creepy laugh and independently moving eyes. Hailing from the year 2020, Kemur has travelled back in time to abduct humans in order to revitalise itself. It dose this via a blue goo than can teleport people to alternate dimensions. It also has super speed, is very strong, is able to shape shift and can grow to gigantic proportions. Kemur makes the list as it's a genuinely disturbing alien monster who would set the trend for many ultra aliens after it.
7. Pagos - Underground Monster
Pagos was an ancient monster who had ravaged Beijing in search of uranium to feed upon. Once his consumption of uranium was full from Beijing, Pagos turned his attention to Japan to feed on nuclear energy from a newly created industrial plant with its own nuclear facilities. Pagos later surfaced in the middle of a field where he attacked a small girl and boy who had found a capsule full of uranium. After the capsule was lost in the scuffle between the monster and the children, Pagos resumed his trek to attack the industrial plant. After the monster destroyed the plant, a few missiles were launched that doused Pagos with chemicals that solidified the kaiju into stone. With his body petrified, Pagos died, then fell apart into stone fragments.
I really like Pagos' design and the fact they waited 18 episodes to do an atomic kaiju should be considered lord-able, that and the fact they didn't go for a more Godzilla-like design. It's breath weapon is a Molecular Disintegration Beam, though it functions like most beam attacks do. A fun fact is that Pagos' suit was created from a Godzilla Kaiju, Baragon. Baragon is monster who appeared in several Toho movies and is pretty popular in Japan. The suit would go on to be used to create several monsters throughout the original Ultraman series, which would result in it being unusable when Toho made Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla, resulting in Anguirus filling in for Baragon in the movie.
6. Garamon - Meteorite Monster
Getting onto the list out of pure weirdness, Garamon is a real odd ball even by this series' standards. It's also one of two monsters to get two episodes. The original Garamon arrived on earth inside a giant meteor at the same time a smaller meteor is discovered in Japan that is emitting radio waves. Garamon begins to wander around and eventually destroys a Dam until it is discovered that the smaller meteor is sending singles to the monster. That bit of info, plus the fact Garamon makes metallic clanking sounds as it moves gives away the fact that it's actually a giant robot. Eventually a scientist is able to discover w way to cut off the radio waves to Garamon, causing the giant to shut down. Sadly this wasn't the end of the invasion, as months later multiple Garamon would be sent to earth. As they rapaged through cities, the heroes desperatly searched for a similar control unit such as the first one had. It is eventually found in the possession of a strange man who turned out be an alien, later called a Cicada Human. The humans are eventually able to foil the alien's plans and al the Garamon shit down.
Along with it's weird design, Garamon's actions are not really those of a destroyer of civilisations. It's actions often feel more like a cross between a curious child and a wined up toy, then a robot built to attack earth. That said they do cause quit a bit of damage.
5. Larugeus - Ancient Monster Bird
I'm not even going to try and explain the plot to Larugeus' episode because it's more of a tangent then it's worth to tell. The part you need to know is that all the animels from a zoo in Japan disappear overnight, with every cage broken outwards and the only witness to the events died leaving only these cryptic words. "I saw a bird."
The reality of Larugeus is that they are not extinct, but are able to grow from the size of a sparrow to that of kaiju and back again. This can make theme vertually undetectable and able to hide in plain sight.
4. Peguila - Freezing Monster
A giant monster first found in the Arctic, Peguila is the only other monster in the series to get two episodes besides Garamon. The giant monster first terrorised explorers in the arctic wastes but was eventually driven off, only to return months later to attack Tokyo, turning it into a frozen hell. Along with being able to fly and possessing Freezing Beam breath attack, Peguila has one other strange power. The monster can unleash a cold smokescreen from it's body that not only hides it's it from sight, but also grants anti-gravity properties to objects not nailed down. It's weakness is a phemical produced by arctic moss called Pegimin H causes Peguila great pain when exposed to it.
3. Juran - Mammoth Flower
Juran was an ancient plant that had been released after a powerful earthquake rocked Japan. Juran's presence was first felt by the appearance of its roots, splitting up streets, buildings, and even the imperial palace. Soon roots broke through the walls of one of the larger buildings, wrapping around victims and stealing their blood to feed Juran. As the structure was being evacuated, the building split in 2, revealing Juran to the world. As the world watched on stunned, the most brilliant minds tried to find a solution. A powerful toxin was deployed with flamethrowers. As soldiers burned the roots from below, the toxin was dumped on the flower from above. Within minutes the colossal plant began to wither, quickly dying and decaying until nothing was left.
I suppose in this case it's the simplicity of Juran that makes me like it. While it dose suck blood from it's victims, it is still a giant plant play pretty much straight. Something of a rarity in the giant creature genre. The way it looks is very beautiful also.
2. Goga - Shellfish Monster
After destroying the ancient civilization of Aranka, Goga was somehow trapped inside a small statue. Centuries passed and the creature became nothing but a legend, but when the statue was stolen, a six-thousand year old curse came to life. Beams of light fired from the statue’s eyes, engulfing one of the burglars in flame. The statue then fell apart, revealing the snail-like creature. The beast quickly began to grow, becoming larger and larger. Soon it emerged from the building, tearing its way through the streets around it. Jets swooped in to attack, but their rockets did nothing to its mighty shell. In response, Goga fired back, quickly destroying the jet fighters. The monster’s wrath continued unopposed to another attack was launched, this time targeting its head. A powerful explosion engulfed the ancient monster, forcing it deep into the ground. It didn’t take long for it to resurface, but when it did, the self-defense forces were ready. Firebombs detonated all around it, trapping it within a sea of fire. Not even its shell could save it as the temperature charbroiled the snail within. Unable to escape fast enough, Goga the destroyer was finally put to rest, never to plague the world again.
You don't see many giant snail monster, and thats a shame because Goga really impresses. It's not exactyly easy to make such a thing scary yet somehow they pulled it of. What helps sell Goga form is it's back story, that it once laid waste to an entire civilisation and has risen to do so again. Give it some extra credibility.
On a side note, it's possible Goga inspired the design of Demiking, a monster from the movie Demiking (2009)
1. Gomess - Ancient Monster
While mining a train tunnel between Tokyo & Osaka, a construction crew unearths a strange object from within a huge underground cavern. Unable to identify the object, Jun and Yuriko venture into the tunnel to further investigate. In the meantime, Ippei and a reporter, with the help of a young boy named Liro, discover that the object is the egg of the giant bird called Litra. According to ancient legend, when Litra's egg is found, the giant monster Gomess will appear to destroy the Earth and consequently, Litra will rise up to defend against it. Unfortunately, Jun and Yuriko have already encountered Gomess while exploring in the caverns and are pursue, to the surface by the ferocious monster. Jiri and Ippei help to warm the egg, thereby accelerating the hatching process and soon Litra is born. Gomess emerges from the tunnel and the two monsters clash in battle After a vicious struggle, Litra uses its citronella acid ray to kill Gomess and then expires itself, having fulfilled its destiny.
Gomess is the very first Ultra kaiju, and if you couldn't already tell it's created using a reworked Godzilla suit. In spite of that I do love the monsters design and presence on screen. While it would not appear on screen again for a very long time, Gomess would eventually return to the Ultra series in 2008 and continues to pop up every now & again. Given it's nature as a reskinned Godzilla, it's not uncommon to see Gomess performing homages to the King of the Monsters in his apperances, even as recently as lat year in Ultraman Decker. Gomess has even been given the honour of appearing on the big screen in Shin Ultraman, appropriately in the form of a reskinned Shin Godzilla model.
10. The Giant - Transformed Human
Once an entomologist tracking a rare species of butterfly, the insects poisonous powder slowly began to mutate him into a giant human at the cost of his sanity. The Giant makes my list for two reasons. Firstly, compared to the western giant human movies of the 50s & 60s, Ultra Q dose a fare more convincing job for the most part. Using real set to convey the giants size over the super imposing of an actor onto a background. The other is the rather tragic aspect to his story. His fiance spends much of the story denying him, showing that she cares more for her image over the man she loved in his time of need. Yet it's clear that despite his growing savagery, he still cares for her. The real kicker is that after shunning him for much of the plot, once he's back to normal she want to be with him again and we're supposed to be ok with it?
9. Ragon - Undersea Humanoid
Prehistoric fishmen in the same vain as the Silurians and the Sea Devils, Ragon is a bit of an oddity. They are not the primary threat of their episode, even though they are it's primary source of horror. On day the fishermen of a island of the coast of Japan trawl up a strange object and bring it home. Not long afterwards, a Ragon begins stalking the village at night and killing anyone it comes across. Eventually the protagonists are able to slay the creature, only to discover that the theory of a young marine geologist on the island is correct. An underwater Volcano is becoming active and will soon sink the island. As everyone ties to escape, a second Ragon appears. They eventually realise that it is after the object that came from the sea, the identity of which is a Ragon Egg that was brought to the surface by the same volcanic activity. With it's egg returned, the Ragon leaves, allowing everyone to escape. While not the most technically spectacular episode, I ended up really like the story especially becuase it echos similar themes to certain Doctor Who stories.
8. Kemur - Abduction Phantom
One of the first aliens of the Ultra series, Kemur is a pretty spooky customer, especially thanks to it's creepy laugh and independently moving eyes. Hailing from the year 2020, Kemur has travelled back in time to abduct humans in order to revitalise itself. It dose this via a blue goo than can teleport people to alternate dimensions. It also has super speed, is very strong, is able to shape shift and can grow to gigantic proportions. Kemur makes the list as it's a genuinely disturbing alien monster who would set the trend for many ultra aliens after it.
7. Pagos - Underground Monster
Pagos was an ancient monster who had ravaged Beijing in search of uranium to feed upon. Once his consumption of uranium was full from Beijing, Pagos turned his attention to Japan to feed on nuclear energy from a newly created industrial plant with its own nuclear facilities. Pagos later surfaced in the middle of a field where he attacked a small girl and boy who had found a capsule full of uranium. After the capsule was lost in the scuffle between the monster and the children, Pagos resumed his trek to attack the industrial plant. After the monster destroyed the plant, a few missiles were launched that doused Pagos with chemicals that solidified the kaiju into stone. With his body petrified, Pagos died, then fell apart into stone fragments.
I really like Pagos' design and the fact they waited 18 episodes to do an atomic kaiju should be considered lord-able, that and the fact they didn't go for a more Godzilla-like design. It's breath weapon is a Molecular Disintegration Beam, though it functions like most beam attacks do. A fun fact is that Pagos' suit was created from a Godzilla Kaiju, Baragon. Baragon is monster who appeared in several Toho movies and is pretty popular in Japan. The suit would go on to be used to create several monsters throughout the original Ultraman series, which would result in it being unusable when Toho made Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla, resulting in Anguirus filling in for Baragon in the movie.
6. Garamon - Meteorite Monster
Getting onto the list out of pure weirdness, Garamon is a real odd ball even by this series' standards. It's also one of two monsters to get two episodes. The original Garamon arrived on earth inside a giant meteor at the same time a smaller meteor is discovered in Japan that is emitting radio waves. Garamon begins to wander around and eventually destroys a Dam until it is discovered that the smaller meteor is sending singles to the monster. That bit of info, plus the fact Garamon makes metallic clanking sounds as it moves gives away the fact that it's actually a giant robot. Eventually a scientist is able to discover w way to cut off the radio waves to Garamon, causing the giant to shut down. Sadly this wasn't the end of the invasion, as months later multiple Garamon would be sent to earth. As they rapaged through cities, the heroes desperatly searched for a similar control unit such as the first one had. It is eventually found in the possession of a strange man who turned out be an alien, later called a Cicada Human. The humans are eventually able to foil the alien's plans and al the Garamon shit down.
Along with it's weird design, Garamon's actions are not really those of a destroyer of civilisations. It's actions often feel more like a cross between a curious child and a wined up toy, then a robot built to attack earth. That said they do cause quit a bit of damage.
5. Larugeus - Ancient Monster Bird
I'm not even going to try and explain the plot to Larugeus' episode because it's more of a tangent then it's worth to tell. The part you need to know is that all the animels from a zoo in Japan disappear overnight, with every cage broken outwards and the only witness to the events died leaving only these cryptic words. "I saw a bird."
The reality of Larugeus is that they are not extinct, but are able to grow from the size of a sparrow to that of kaiju and back again. This can make theme vertually undetectable and able to hide in plain sight.
4. Peguila - Freezing Monster
A giant monster first found in the Arctic, Peguila is the only other monster in the series to get two episodes besides Garamon. The giant monster first terrorised explorers in the arctic wastes but was eventually driven off, only to return months later to attack Tokyo, turning it into a frozen hell. Along with being able to fly and possessing Freezing Beam breath attack, Peguila has one other strange power. The monster can unleash a cold smokescreen from it's body that not only hides it's it from sight, but also grants anti-gravity properties to objects not nailed down. It's weakness is a phemical produced by arctic moss called Pegimin H causes Peguila great pain when exposed to it.
3. Juran - Mammoth Flower
Juran was an ancient plant that had been released after a powerful earthquake rocked Japan. Juran's presence was first felt by the appearance of its roots, splitting up streets, buildings, and even the imperial palace. Soon roots broke through the walls of one of the larger buildings, wrapping around victims and stealing their blood to feed Juran. As the structure was being evacuated, the building split in 2, revealing Juran to the world. As the world watched on stunned, the most brilliant minds tried to find a solution. A powerful toxin was deployed with flamethrowers. As soldiers burned the roots from below, the toxin was dumped on the flower from above. Within minutes the colossal plant began to wither, quickly dying and decaying until nothing was left.
I suppose in this case it's the simplicity of Juran that makes me like it. While it dose suck blood from it's victims, it is still a giant plant play pretty much straight. Something of a rarity in the giant creature genre. The way it looks is very beautiful also.
2. Goga - Shellfish Monster
After destroying the ancient civilization of Aranka, Goga was somehow trapped inside a small statue. Centuries passed and the creature became nothing but a legend, but when the statue was stolen, a six-thousand year old curse came to life. Beams of light fired from the statue’s eyes, engulfing one of the burglars in flame. The statue then fell apart, revealing the snail-like creature. The beast quickly began to grow, becoming larger and larger. Soon it emerged from the building, tearing its way through the streets around it. Jets swooped in to attack, but their rockets did nothing to its mighty shell. In response, Goga fired back, quickly destroying the jet fighters. The monster’s wrath continued unopposed to another attack was launched, this time targeting its head. A powerful explosion engulfed the ancient monster, forcing it deep into the ground. It didn’t take long for it to resurface, but when it did, the self-defense forces were ready. Firebombs detonated all around it, trapping it within a sea of fire. Not even its shell could save it as the temperature charbroiled the snail within. Unable to escape fast enough, Goga the destroyer was finally put to rest, never to plague the world again.
You don't see many giant snail monster, and thats a shame because Goga really impresses. It's not exactyly easy to make such a thing scary yet somehow they pulled it of. What helps sell Goga form is it's back story, that it once laid waste to an entire civilisation and has risen to do so again. Give it some extra credibility.
On a side note, it's possible Goga inspired the design of Demiking, a monster from the movie Demiking (2009)
1. Gomess - Ancient Monster
While mining a train tunnel between Tokyo & Osaka, a construction crew unearths a strange object from within a huge underground cavern. Unable to identify the object, Jun and Yuriko venture into the tunnel to further investigate. In the meantime, Ippei and a reporter, with the help of a young boy named Liro, discover that the object is the egg of the giant bird called Litra. According to ancient legend, when Litra's egg is found, the giant monster Gomess will appear to destroy the Earth and consequently, Litra will rise up to defend against it. Unfortunately, Jun and Yuriko have already encountered Gomess while exploring in the caverns and are pursue, to the surface by the ferocious monster. Jiri and Ippei help to warm the egg, thereby accelerating the hatching process and soon Litra is born. Gomess emerges from the tunnel and the two monsters clash in battle After a vicious struggle, Litra uses its citronella acid ray to kill Gomess and then expires itself, having fulfilled its destiny.
Gomess is the very first Ultra kaiju, and if you couldn't already tell it's created using a reworked Godzilla suit. In spite of that I do love the monsters design and presence on screen. While it would not appear on screen again for a very long time, Gomess would eventually return to the Ultra series in 2008 and continues to pop up every now & again. Given it's nature as a reskinned Godzilla, it's not uncommon to see Gomess performing homages to the King of the Monsters in his apperances, even as recently as lat year in Ultraman Decker. Gomess has even been given the honour of appearing on the big screen in Shin Ultraman, appropriately in the form of a reskinned Shin Godzilla model.