TOM

“Ultraman” is loved by children and adults alike.

Did you know that there is a story that this Ultraman has a deep connection with Okinawa? ?

ゆず子

What is the relationship between Ultraman and Okinawa?

Ultraman’s hometown is Okinawa! ? What is the true meaning of Nebula M78?

From Okinawa to Ultraman to Tokyo to Tsuburaya Productions

This story begins when Shozo Uehara relies on Tetsuo Kinjo and goes to Tokyo from Okinawa.

In 1965, 27-year-old Shozo Uehara visited Tsuburaya Tokugi Productions. (Tsuraya Pro: 174 Kinuta-cho, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)

At that time, Okinawa was still under the control of the United States, and when going to the mainland of Japan, you needed a so-called passport of the “Japan travel document Japan Travel Certificate” Ryukyu Archipelago US Civil Government.

Mr. Uehara said, “I will survive in Tokyo, which is crowded with Japanese (Yamatonchu),” and he jumped into Tsuburaya Productions.

Mr. Uehara, who came out of Okinawa with his passport, was determined that he had nowhere to go back to.

Mr. Uehara, who joined Tsuburaya Productions, resumed with Mr. Tetsuo Kinjo (26 years old at the time). Mr. Kinjo was Tsuburaya’s favorite disciple and was entrusted with the literary planning room.

Before Ultraman was born, Shozo Uehara was a fledgling screenwriter. And next to me was Tetsuo Kinjo, a screenwriter who was also from Okinawa.

Is the name of the monster in the Ultra series from Okinawa? !

Uehara and Kinjo enjoy naming monsters in Okinawan words.

The monster Jirasu in Ultraman is Uncle Jiro. (Godzilla ripoff)

名作の襟巻き怪獣できたど～。
さすがファルシオン製は何度作っても飽きません。
モールドもキャスト版のように痛いのでやっぱり凄い！。
限定レジン版の存在しますのでいつか見つけたいですね。
ファルシオン・ソフビ製　襟巻き怪獣ジラース pic.twitter.com/B5fgNDR0oy

— kobata (@tkfactory01) June 16, 2019

“King Joe” that appears in Ultraseven is often called “Kinjo” in Okinawa, and Americans who used to be stationed in Okinawa used to call him “King Joe”. I think there were many.

#私の血沸き肉躍る特撮メカニック選手権#私が選ぶウルトラ怪獣造形ベスト選手権
ウルトラセブンを始めその後の多くのウルトラシリーズに登場するキングジョー
「人が乗って操縦するロボット」、「各メカに分離したり合体する」とロボット作品では当たり前なことが出来たのも彼の功績があったから pic.twitter.com/MPh2Z1Tra2

— AKIRA (@6243Akira) June 19, 2022

There is an alien with a big head called “Chiburu Alien” that appears in “Ultra Seven”.

ビリケン商会さんのチブル星人が着弾。
サクッと組んでみた。成型色カッコイイ！！ pic.twitter.com/tX0Yytz8pV

— ヒカリトイズ@6/26スーフェスB-11 (@hikaritoys) June 16, 2022

Also, there is the “Zampa Alien”, a monster that appears in Ultraseven. Okinawa has an awamori called Zanpa, and there is a cape called Zanpa Cape, so you can see the connection with Okinawa!

ペテロ。ザンパ星人。#ウルトラセブン #怪獣 #星人 #特撮 #イラスト #ペン画 pic.twitter.com/hSF4kSMkV7

— フクロウ (@Blue0822Blue) November 21, 2021

Ultraman’s previous work Ultra Q

At Tsuburaya Pro, everyone is obsessed with monsters like children.

#私が選ぶウルトラ怪獣造形ベスト選手権
ケムール人、バルタン星人、ペスター…。ウルトラＱからウルトラマンの怪獣、シンプルかつ今も色褪せない斬新なデザインに、脱帽(真面目)。 pic.twitter.com/iLE9NY3b3E

— 榎本　有孝 (@yutakaenomoto) June 11, 2022

Eiji Tsuburaya’s eldest son is Hajime Tsuburaya, a TV station director. Screenwriter Kinjou was often scolded by director Hajime Tsuburaya, saying, “The content is not interesting!”

Director Hajime Tsuburaya asks Uehara, “Would you like to write a monster?” and “Please help Kin-chan.”

“Ultra Q” being broadcast at that time became a monster route, and Kinjou was in trouble, so I approached Mr. Uehara.

Kinjo thinks of a monster called Garamon. “Garamon” refers to the region with meteorites as Garadama. “Garamon” because it appears from the meteorite.

空想特撮ジオラマ(最終弾)
主役が乗りました！
ひとまず最終って事で気合入ってます。
ウルトラQ 第13話「ガラダマ」よりガラモンのダム破壊シーン
実際のドラマのセットとはかなり違います。
このジオラマは大小合わせて３作目になります。 pic.twitter.com/XGNpnBw9nm

— junichi (@jun1163) June 16, 2022

Ultra Q Episode 13 “Garadama” Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo Director: Hajime Tsuburaya

The audience rating of Ultra Q exceeded 30%, and it was very popular with children. The source of this was Kinjo’s sci-fi idea, which was created out of the wild. Mr. Uehara will think about “monsters” while being influenced by Mr. Kinjo.

Kinjo then suggests to Uehara that he should write a script for Ultra Q. However, Uehara refuses again. “I want to write something about Okinawa”…

Birth of Ultraman

＼今夜 #ウルトラマン ハイビジョンリマスター版を放送／
第1話「ウルトラ作戦第一号」
第30話「まぼろしの雪山」

科学特捜隊のハヤタ隊員はパトロール中に、宇宙怪獣ベムラーを追うM78星雲から来た宇宙人と激突。
ハヤタは瀕死の重傷を負い…

総合 18(土)25:54
見逃し配信▶https://t.co/b8QHJ5Hteg pic.twitter.com/6rJGlT1cNV

— NHKアニメ (@nhk_animeworld) June 17, 2022

Hajime Tsuburaya is beginning to formulate ideas for a new program. A hero will appear in this program. A superhero surpassing Superman. A superhero who defeats monsters from space from the depths of the earth with a single shot.

Director Hajime Tsuburaya asks Kaneshiro to come up with a script in which a superhero and a monster fight on a color TV in the living room.

Uehara decided to write one episode of the script for “Ultra Q,” which he had refused.

“Space Command M774” Episode 21

Supervision: Eiji Tsuburaya Director: Kazuho Mitsuda Screenplay: Shozo Uehara

ウルトラQ#21｢宇宙指令M774｣
初めて行った江ノ島水族館､水槽の中のエイを見て私は叫んだそうです｡｢ボスタングがいる!｣スダール同様現実の生物からアレンジを加えていない､故にリアリティのある怪獣でした｡夏になるたびあの妙なサンダルを履いたルパーク星人を探す習性もそろそろ改めないと｡ pic.twitter.com/9sjJidydUU

— 阿乱隅氏 (@yoiinago417) August 19, 2021

Eiji Tsuburaya raves at the audition! “It was a very good script! Please continue to write works that children can enjoy with dreams!”

And Eiji Tsuburaya says.

“A new program, Ultraman, will begin. Things that sell dirty things, disgusting things, and bloody things are no good. Another realism movie will deal with social problems that shouldn’t be overlooked. What kind of monster will appear? But please make it so that children can have dreams that they can’t usually see!

said to the staff.

In addition, Eiji Tsuburaya tells Kinjo, “Please write a script as soon as possible. I want to make it a Japanese SF that can compete with Hollywood.”

Ultraman staff gathering

Director Hajime Tsuburaya brought in director Toshihiro Iijima from a television station. Akio Jisoji, the director who took Hibari Misora’s pores, joins us. Both were writing scripts.

Around Kinjou and Uehara, people with different quirks gather.

The new program “Ultraman” is a hero who came from outer space and comes to save the earth. 40m giant. He is not a monster killer, but a “love” alien, but he falls in love with the earth.

Why did Ultraman come to Earth? Reason?

The script for the first episode of Ultraman was commissioned to another person, but the content was so bad that Kinjo completely rewrote it.

Hajime Tsuburaya, Uehara, and Kinjo think about the theme song right before the first episode…Where is Ultraman’s hometown? 　Beyond the universe, the path of light… Hajime Tsuburaya thinks of the lyrics.

“The mark on my chest is a meteor, and I shoot enemies with my proud jet…” I gave many children a dream.

Ultraman Episode 1 “Ultra Creation First Issue”

Screenplay: Shinichi Sekizawa, Tetsuo Kinjo Director: Hajime Tsuburaya

Kaiju: Space Monster Bemular

声優として､「ウルトラシリーズ」に参加｡

例・「宇宙怪獣ベムラー（ウルトラマン）」 pic.twitter.com/k5ZcSBE9qs

— シン・フジストロン (@F6aTr7) June 18, 2022

Ultraman Episode 30 “Phantom Snow Mountain”

Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo Directed by: Yuzo Higuchi

Monster: Woo

伝説怪獣ウー。4歳のとき、これが登場して以降ウルトラマンが怖くなってしまった。あれから30年。昨日のNHK「ふたりのウルトラマン」からの第30話「まぼろしの雪山」で、たまらなくこの怪獣が愛おしくなった。ウーよぉぉぉ。 pic.twitter.com/uIhqS1ORfU

— 雨宮萌果 (@amemoe630) June 19, 2022

Kinjo writes the script with the feeling of a monster, monsters appear to protect girls, and Ultraman doesn’t kill monsters. Kinjo’s kindness was here.

Ultraman final episode “Farewell Ultraman” Script: Tetsuo Kinjo Director: Hajime Tsuburaya

Ultraman is defeated by the space monster Zetton. And here comes Sophie…

Ultraman: “I want to give my life to Hayata and leave Earth.”

Sophie: “Can you die?”

Ultraman: “Earthlings’ lives are very short” “And Hayata is still young” “I can’t sacrifice him”

Sophie: “Ultraman, has he come to like earthlings so much!”

And I will return to the hometown of Nebula M78. Ultraman hit 40% audience rating.

This is a hero item to give to children who have grown up!

初代ウルトラマン変身アイテム ウルトラレプリカ ベーターカプセル(ボーイズトイパークショップ限定)

created by Rinker

• Amazon
• 楽天市場
• Yahooショッピング

ウルトラマン　セブンの実物大　ウルトラアイ

created by Rinker

• Amazon
• 楽天市場
• Yahooショッピング

And it will be handed over to Ultra Seven.

Ultra Seven Era Return of Okinawa

1967 Prime Minister Sato announced the Japan-US agreement for the reversion of Okinawa.

明けの明星が輝く頃、一つの光が宇宙へ飛んで行く。
それが僕なんだ。#森次晃嗣#ウルトラセブン pic.twitter.com/zCS9OSvIU0

— ☠️トモちん。☠️ (@EsSs1pzXUWpTZWj) June 20, 2022

Ultra Seven Episode 1 “The Invisible Challenger” Screenplay: Tetsuo Kinjo Director: Hajime Tsuburaya

Tsuburaya and Kinjo start worrying. “We are killing monsters every week”…

“Isn’t there something called human rights or supernatural powers…?” “Even monsters want to cry.”

Jissoji asks Kinjou. Where did Ultraman come from?

Kaneshiro: “Beyond the universe, the land of light…”

Jissoji says: “No, it’s Okinawa because Kin-chan thought of it. Ultraman’s hometown is Okinawa.”

Ultraseven Episode 8 “Targeted Town”

Script: Tetsuo Kinjo Director: Akio Jissoji

Ultraseven, which incorporated social issue themes, did not do well.

I put in a SF Mighty Jack that doesn’t have monsters, but it sank on the contrary.

マイティK
マイティQ

…マイティ・ジャックからですかね？
(未視聴) pic.twitter.com/7YgEeHcYvN

— パグオルフェノク🌹異形の花 (@sgs_akita72) June 12, 2021

After that, Tsuburaya Productions faces a financial crisis. Monsters don’t appear. Monsters change the atmosphere of the place. Mighty Jack has no monsters.

Kinjou comes up with a new plan for redemption. He starts writing the script. At that time, Uehara was writing a script for a monster-free strategy.

Kinjo prepared a letter of resignation without telling anyone and was planning to return to Okinawa. In 1969, Kinjo returned to Okinawa from Takeshiba Pier in Tokyo. And seven years later, Kinjo suddenly left this world.

And the creator of Ultraman, Eiji Tsuburaya passed away on January 25, 1970 at the age of 68.

His eldest son Hajime Tsuburaya quit the TV station and revived in order to rebuild Tsuburaya Productions, and launched “The Return of Ultraman”. Former TV station producer Yoji Hashimoto changed the setting from the fictional world to the real world in “The Return of Ultraman”.

帰ってきたウルトラマン(飛行タイプ)(M1号製) pic.twitter.com/OY6oH29r2T

— キヌタぬき (@kinutakun1971) June 20, 2022

February 9, 1973 Hajime Tsuburaya passed away at the age of 41. Hajime Tsuburaya has been waiting for Kinjo to return. Kinjo was also saddened…Kinjo passed away on February 26, 1976 at the age of 37 due to an accident.

Postscript