Kaettekita Urutoraman (Return of Ultraman) ran from April 2, 1971 to March 31, 1972, (51 episodes)
Opening Theme - Dan, Jiro (Goh, Hideki) is first Ultraman series lead actor to sing the series theme song
Created by: Tsuburaya, Hajime
Head writter: Uehara, Shouzou
| Character |
|
Actor/Actress |
| Ultraman Jack (voice) |
|
Yatsu, Isao |
| Ultraman Jack (suit) |
|
Kikuchi, Eiichi |
| Goh, Hideki |
|
Dan, Jiro |
| Kato, Katsushiro (1-22) |
|
Tsukamoto, Nobuo |
| Minami, Takeshi |
|
Ikeda, Shunsuke |
| Uneo, Ippei |
|
Mitsushi, Hatashi |
| Oka, Yuriko |
|
Katauragi, Mika |
| Kishida, Fumo |
|
Uchino, Kentao |
| Sakata, Jiro |
|
Hideki, Kawaguchi |
| Sakata, Aki (1-37) |
|
Sakakibara, Rumi |
| Sakata, Ken (1-37) |
|
Kishida, Shin |
| Ibuki, Ryu (22-51) |
|
Negami, Atsush |
| Maruno, Rumiko |
|
Kazuko, Iwasaki |
| Narrator |
|
Nagoya, Akira |
Kaettekita Urutoraman (Return of Ultraman) was the fourth Ultra series (counting Ultra Q as the first), its the third Ultraman series after Ultraman and Ultra Seven. It was originally intended to be a direct sequel to Ultraman (Ultra Seven being set in its own alternate universe) with the Ultraman being the same one who had previously merged with Shin, Hayata merging with a new human host. This was changed when the original Ultraman appeared in the series. And Ultra Seven was linked to the main Ultraman universe when he appeared in this series. The Ultra of this series has since become known as Urutoraman Jack (Ultraman Jack) although until 1984 he was actually refered to as "Kaettekita Urutoraman" (the Ultraman who returned). Utraman Jack is now said to be Ultraman's younger brother (sons of a scientist and clerk at Space Garrison information center), and Ultra Seven will be a cousin of Ultraman Taro. A magzine article claims Ultraman Jack is married to the Mother of Ultra's sister which makes him Ultra Seven's uncle, by marriage. Ultraman Jack like Ultra Seven can appear human sized, although apparently for only short periods of time, he only does it twice (episode 32 and 35).
The Third Age of Monsters has begun on Earth. When race car driver Goh, Hideki dies trying to save a boy and a dog from the destruction caused by two fighting monsters, Ultraman (Jack) passing by the Earth witnesses his heroism and decided to merge with him to save his life. Goh, Hideki is the first Ultraman host to not have a henshin device, he transforms at will by simply raising both his arms. This makes him the first Ultraman that can't be kept from transforming by the theft of a device. However Ultraman Jack can refuse to appear (as he does in episode 2 and 51). No one ever notices that Ultraman Jack appears whenever Goh, Hideki is about to be killed or asks for an explination of his appearing alive (and usually unharmed) after Ultraman Jack flys away.
When Ultraman Jack returns to the Land of Light in Nebule M78, Goh, Hideki becomes the first Ultraman not seperated from his host and so the first to leave the Earth when the Ultra departs. (Ultra Seven didn't merge with a human he created a human form, Ultraman 80 and Ultraman Mebius will do the same).
The other main characters are Goh, Hideki's closest friends:
Sakata, Ken (rear right) runs an auto repair ship at which Goh, Hideki is employed and where he built a race car which was burnt when the Sakata family believed he had died, when Goh, Hideki is fired from MAT (episode 2) he refuses to rehire him, claiming he's too old to be a race car driver, in reality he was doing the MAT commander a favor by forcing Goh to think about what he really wants to do with his life, whe Goh is reinsteaed in MAC, he's pleased for Goh, Ken is murdered by Alien Nackle (episode 37) trying to rescue his kidnapped sister (on Christmas Eve), Jiro will dream of hearing Ken's voice after Ken is dead (episode 41) wether its really the dead Ken speaking as Jiro believes or Jiro having a fever as Goh believes is never made clear
Sakata, Aki (left rear) is Sakata, Ken's younger sister, takes care of their younger brother Jiro, she has feelings for Goh, Hideki and is mistaken for his girlfriend by Alien Nackle who is after Ultraman Jack, knows its him and abducts and murders her (episode 37)
Sakata, Jiro orphan, left without a family when his older siblings are murdered (episode 37), after Ken's death Jiro has a dream in which Ken speaks to him to warn him about the coming of Alien Baltan Jr (episode 41), Sakata, Jiro will make a guest appearance in Ultraman Ace (episode 10)
Maruno, Rumiko after the death of his siblings Jiro's cousin Maruno, Rumiko (episode 38) appears to help take care of him. Jiro actually lives with Goh in his apartment and spends his nights there but during the day she looks after him (in the few episodes she's actually in), Maruno, Rumiko like her late cousin, has fallen for Goh, Hideki and dreams of marrying him (episode 51).
In the final episode Goh, Hideki appears to have been killed (again) and he allows MAC to believe its true, revealing himself to be alive only to Sakata, Jiro and Maruno, Rumik, who's joy is shot lived as he transforms into Ultraman Jack in front of them and flys away heading home to the Land of Light in Nebuula M78, becoming the first Ultraman not to be seberated from his human host when departing the Earth (Seven, Leo, 80 and Mebius created their own human forms instead of merging with a human.) Sakata, Jiro and Maruno, Rumiko will make a guest appearance in Ultraman Ace (episode 10) along with a man who appears to be Goh, Hideki, but isnt. As far as I know this is the first time supporting characters from one Ultraman series have made guest starred in another.
Monster Attack Team (MAT)
It has been five years since Ulraman left Earth and the Science Special Search-Party (SSSP) has been disbanned, four years since Ultra Seven left and the Ultra Guard (UG) has disbanned. The new defense group Monster Attack Team (MAT) is still seaking members, when a potental recruit Goh, Hideki dies resucing a boy and a dog.
Captain Kato, Katsuhiro - commander of MAT, after Goh, Hideki. mysteriously comes back to life (he doen't know Ultraman Jack has merged with him) he recruits Goh, Hideki. Captain Kato, Katsuhiro is very protective of his small team and will disreguard orders from his superiors if he believes the situation warrents it. Never the less he will be promoted to command MAT's Space Division and be replaced by Captain Ibuki, Ryu (episode 22). I hope he wasn't in Space Station V1 because Alien Nackle space ships blew it up (episode 38) as part of their invasion plan
Minami, Takeshi - raised on a farm. very protective of the other members particularly the new guy.
Uneo, Ippei - superstisuous and comical, very supportive of Goh, Hideki, both he and Goh are orphans and so he fells a kinship with him
Oka, Yuriko - MAT communications officer and pilot only female member of MAT, wears her hair short in later episodes, doesn't even look like the same person
Kishida, Fumio - from a military family (his uncle is a general in the Earth Defense Organization), rather arrogant (and always wrong in his arrogance), does not approve of the newest recruit Goh, Hideki, gets better as the series progresses but still tends to doubt Goh, unknowingly dates an alien disguesd as a woman (episode 44).
Goh, Hideki - he and Ultraman Jack have one of the strongests bounds between a host and Ultra, during his first training session he surpasses all the other MAT members in martial arts including target shooting, he realizes that he has gained the experiences and skills of the Ultraman within him, this realization makes him over confident and he disobeys instructions which results in the monster escaping and Minami, Takeshi being wounded, when he tries to become Ullraman nothing happens, Captain Kato, Katsuhiro suspends him for going against the plan and being too cocky, but he is reinstated when he shows up at an oil processing plant and risks his life to save trapped civilains. Just as Goh gained skills from Ultraman Jack, if Goh trains himself to learn new skills than Ultraman Jack will have those skills as well. This strong bound between Goh and Jack does however mean that Goh will suff from any wounds Jack receives in combat and Ultraman Jack will suffer from any wounds Goh recevies before trasnforming. This bound between Goh and Ultraman Jack will strengthen as the series progresses, in the early episode Goh transforms into Ultraman Jack when Jack signals him too (usualy as Goh is about to be killed), in later episode Goh can will himself to become Ultraman Jack (as long as Jack agrees, in episode 51 Ultraman Jack intially refuses to allow the transformation).
Captain Ibuki, Ryu - sent to MAT Japan from MAT's New York headquarters to replace Captain Kato, Katsuhiro as commander of MAT in Japan, (end of episode 22), much more stern, married and has a daughter, Minako (episode 31), he does not want his daughter to marry a MAT member, which is fine by her as having a hubsnad in MAT would keep her from being able to join (of course by the time she is old enough MAT won' exist it will be some other group). Captain Ibuki, may have figured out that Goh, Hideki is Ultraman Jack (and least his behaivor in episode 33 leads me to think so)
MAT operatives wear pistols on their sides, in the field they made add a rifle or a bazooka. The pistols and rifles can either fire white laser beams or explosive charges, the bazookas just explosive charges. They also have the occasionaly speciality weapon used only once or twice. Most of the giant monsters just seem to be annoyed by all this shooting and not actually hurt by it. The aircraft are about the same, sometimes they can fire laser beams, sometimes explosve charges and sometimes actuall missiles, In the second half of the series MAT suddenly gains yellow uniformed tehnicians who run their communications system instead of Oka, Yuriko, but then in later episodes they are gone and she is back to running communications.
Monster Attack Team (MAT) is supervised by the Earth Defense Organization (EDO), which has replaced the Terrestrial Defense Force (TDF). The EDO commanding officer is Kishida, Fumio's uncle and he's as arrogant as his nephew. Other EDO officers are not any better. Despite MAC's successes every time there is a temporary set back they threaten to disband MAC. (Although the characters have different names and and are not nearly as supportive as the TDF officers I think they are the same actors playing the parts.)
MAT's primary combat aircraft are the jet fighter MAT Arrow (3 seater but can be flown by 1 person) and MAT Gyro (2 seater). At first they only have MAT Arrow 1, but later they gain MAT Arrow 2 and MAT Arrow 3, most of the time only 1 or 2 are used.There are also two MAT Gyros, MAT Gyro A and MAT Gyro B.
MAT's primary land vehicle is MAT Car. Twof them are seen on camera, licensed "MAT I" and "Mat 2". They also use jeeps and trucks with the MAT Logo attached to them,
Oddly dispite the fact that they regularlly fight giant monsters the members of MAT seem reluctant to actually believe in their existance when some civilian tries to tell them about a monster they saw. This happens occasionaly in every Ultraman series but on a regular basis in this one. Makes no sense to me. Civilians who haven't ever seen a monster are even more reluctant to believe they exist and tend to mock MAT.
This series features very short guest apperances by Ultraman and Ultra Seven, linking Ultra Seven to the Ultraman universe after all.. Zoffy does not appear (and the others haven't appeared on TV yet). Ultra Seven's first appearance is just to give Ultraman Jack the "Ultra Bracelet" (episode 18). Ultraman (Jack's older brother) and Ultra Seven (Jack's nephew) appear together to rescue a defeated Ultraman Jack but otherwise leave him to deal with the hostile aliens alone (episode 38).
Hayata, Shin and Moroboshi, Dan meet briefly in episode 38, to shake hands before transforming. Go, Hideki does not get to meet them.
Episode Titles
During the final episode (51) Goh, Hideki appears to have been killed (again) and he allows MAT to belief this is the case, only revealing that he has surived to Jiro and Rumiko. After transforming into Ultraman Jack he flies away to the Land of Light in Nebula M78. This is the first time a human host is not seperated from the Ultraman before he leaves the Earth. Upon his return to the Land of Light, Ultraman Jack becomes a teacher at the Space Garrison's Earth Division (he must inspire Ultraman 80 to come to Earth)..
Ultraman Jack will make guest appearances in Ultraman Ace [1972] (an alien will impersonate Goh, Hideki, the real one appearing in a vision to Sakat, Jiro [episode 10] , Ultraman Taro [1973] (Goh, Hideki in episodes 33 & 34), Ultraman Leo [1974] (Goh, Hideki in episode 34) and Ultraman Mebius [2006] (a much older Goh, Hideki in episode 45). In all of these series except Ultraman Mebius the character is called "Returned Ultraman", not having been renamed "Ultraman Jack" until 1984. Neither Ultraman Jack nor Goh, Hideki appear in Ultraman 80 [1980].
On February 25, 2020 Return of Ultraman and was released on Blu-ray
by Mill Creek Entertainment,n Japanese with English subtitles
Return of Ultraman) was proceeded by Ultra Seven and followed by Ultraman Ace
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Kaettekita Urutoraman © 1971 Tsuburaya Productions