Battle Kaiju Series #1: Ultraman vs. Red King Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		2.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.0

Battle Kaiju Series #1: Ultraman vs. Red King Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 18, 2024

In this first volume of the 'Battle Kaiju' series (see here for the second volume), 'Ultraman' fans will find two discs spanning the spectrum of franchise history, an eclectic blend of live action and animated content, feature length films and TV episodes, 1.78:1 and 4x3 aspect ratios, and 480i, 1080i, and 1080p video. The episodes and films share in common one factor: the Red King. See below for what's included and for coverage of the new video and audio presentations.

Official synopsis: The 'Skull Monster' Red King has been a fan favorite since he was introduced back in 1966. Incredibly strong but none-too-bright, the monster is a classic bully who loves nothing more than pummeling other kaiju and fighting Ultra Heroes. The 'Battle Kaiju Series #1: Ultraman vs. Red King' set collects 16 Red King episodes from across the Ultraman franchise, starting with their first appearance in the original 'Ultraman' series and continuing through to 2019’s 'Ultraman R/B.' Alongside the original, this collection presents multiple versions of the monster, including an animated Red King, a Red King controlled by the mind of a teenage girl, and the powered-up, Popeye-armed EX Red King.

This is a comprehensive themed set, offering a comprehensive exploration of the place of Red King in the entirety of the Ultraman canon, which makes this a well-rounded sampler for newcomers to explore some of the best characters and action the franchise has to offer while also appealing to longtime franchise fans looking for an easy way to once again digest the show, this time as part of a tightly themed collection. However, the question lingers as to when the content that is new to Blu-ray in this set will be available on Blu-ray in its entirety, but as it is this is a fun collection that serves its purpose, and serves it well, at least on the surface. The Blu-ray video presentations, as will be seen in a moment, leave much to be desired -- especially the new-to-Blu-ray content -- but having it as it is here is better than not having it at all.

Below is a list of what is included on each disc and, where applicable, links to where that content previously appeared on Blu-ray. If a link is not provided, the content is new to Blu-ray.

Disc One:

• Ultraman: Episodes include "The Monster Anarchy Zone" and "The Mysterious Comet Tsuifon."
• The Ultraman: Included is the episode "The Island of the Monsters."
• Ultraman 80: Included is the episode "Revival of the Fearsome Red King."
• Ultraman Max: Episodes include "Monster Island Appears," "5 Seconds Before Bombing," and "Alternate Dimension World."
• Ultraman Mebius: Included is the episode "An Old Friend's Visit."
• Bonus: The Birth of Ultraman: Per the included booklet, this was "a pre-premiere special, a live stage show that aired on Japanese television July 10, 1966, one week before the series premiered. This black & white episode gave viewers their first look at the cast and characters of Ultraman, including Red King.

Disc Two:

• Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Included is "The Monster Anarchy Planet."
• Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle Neo: Included are the episodes "A New Battle Horizon," "Grande's Challenge," and "Destruction of a Planet."
• Ultraman Ginga: Included is the episode "The Stolen Ginga Spark."
• Ultrman Ginga S: Included is the episode "The Power to Open Up."
• Ultraman X: Included is the episode "Wataru's Romance."
• Ultraman R/B: Included is the episode "Winning Ball of Light."

Battle Kaiju Series #1: Ultraman vs. Red King Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from the content that is new to this set.

Generally speaking, there is no significant difference in the returning material quality across both Blu-ray discs. It appears the same masters have been used for the returning content, but there is potentially some minor variances in compression. Still, there are no radical transformations to core elements and colors. For reviews of all of the carryover content, please click through the appropriate links above and navigate to the review tab.

Here's a breakdown of how the various content is presented, by resolution:

• 480i: The Ultraman, Ultraman 80, Ultraman Max, Ultraman Mebius, and The Birth of Ultraman. All 480i content is presented in a 4x3 aspect ratio.
• 1080i: Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle, Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle Neo, and Ultraman Ginga S. All 1080i content is presented at the 1.78:1 aspect ratio.
• 1080p: Ultraman, Ultraman X, and Ultraman R/B. Ultraman is presented in the 4x3 aspect ratio while the others are presented at 1.78:1.

As with the second volume in this series (linked above), the new 480i material here struggles along the way and presents the material in a range from awful to acceptable. The animated The Ultraman, along with the live action Ultraman Mebius, are amongst the worst offenders for severe stair stepping, aliasing, image fuzziness, and a general lack of clarity, stability, and source accuracy. On the flip side, even at 480i, Ultraman Max looks very solid. It is clear, lacking exceptional definition but also lacking the myriad of aliasing, jagged edges, and crumbling façades as the others. As noted above, the carryover content largely looks fine, so what is here is an eclectic selection of video presentation qualities and characteristics amongst various shows with the common Red King theme.

Battle Kaiju Series #1: Ultraman vs. Red King Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As with the video, readers can click through to the links for the returning-to-Blu-ray content to read audio reviews. The new to Blu-ray content uniformly offers DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless tracks. Each new episode varies in terms of content clarity and spacing, even in the two-channel configuration. To be sure, the modern content, especially the material on disc two, features superior technical craftsmanship and sound engineering, resulting in more satisfying elemental separation as well as superior clarity. The older content is content to push through the basics with limited range and not much sense for a wider engagement. Dialogue does settle well enough to the middle in all instances.

Battle Kaiju Series #1: Ultraman vs. Red King Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No on-disc supplements are included, but Mill Creek has bundled in a booklet with an introductory essay penned by Keith Aiken. Also included is a Kaiju guide as well as episode and film listings and synopses. No DVD or digital copies are included, but Mill Creek has included an alternate artwork slipcover.

Battle Kaiju Series #1: Ultraman vs. Red King Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kudos to Mill Creek for keeping the Ultraman train steaming ahead, but with so much new content here, and at 480i at that, one must wonder if the full series for this new content will ever be made available to Blu-ray. While it's nice to sit down and explore the world of Red King through the various lenses presented in this collection, I would bet that most fans would rather Mill Creek focus on getting all the various series out first and then moving on to compilations. Regardless, the presentations are fine, but the 480i resolution is disappointing for the new content. Recommended only for hardcore franchise fans.