Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Return of Ultraman Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 15, 2020

Note: some of what appears below are summations from the booklet included with this Blu-ray release, written by Keith Aiken.

Special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya was at one point best known for his work on some of Japan's most popular Kaiju films -- Toho's Godzilla and Mothra -- but it may be for the Ultra franchise for which he will ultimately be remembered. In 1963 Tsuburaya founded Tsuburaya Productions, a then small house with the goal of crafting small screen entertainment with big screen quality. Tsuburaya's first production, Ultra Q, was a monster success (in more ways than one). A follow-up was quickly ordered. That follow-up: Ultraman, another massive hit for Tsuburaya and the first of numerous television and cinema Ultra Q spin-offs that has since gained the franchise recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records for its sprawling longevity.

Ultraman was followed by Ultraseven, a show that Tsuburaya envisioned as the close for the Ultra series. But even as new programming was not airing on television, demand for Ultra content continued to rise. Merchandise moved freely from store shelves and Tsuburaya began work on the franchise's fourth installment, The Return of Ultraman, which featured a brand new Ultraman -- better for sales -- rather than making a sequel to Ultraman. Money is king, of course, and more money means more innovation. But production was upset when Eiji Tsuburaya passed in 1970, more than a year before Return's debut on TBS on April 2, 1971. The 51 episode series ran for a year to, again, extraordinarily high ratings. The story centers on a new Ultraman merging with a deceased hero named Hideki Go, a racer who lost his life to save others.

Return follows the same essential structure as before but does depart dramatically in some key areas, particularly in the relationship between this Ultraman, who would more than a decade later come to be known as "Jack," and Go. The connection runs deeper with this fusion. Jack is at first drawn to Go through the human's selfless act of sacrifice that leaves him dead minutes into episode one. Back to life, Go summons Jack not by physical items but through sheer will, though Jack is not fully slave to Go's demands. The relationship's and the transformation's unique characteristics separate the show from it predecessors, but Return's focus is, indeed and unsurprisingly, on action, leaving the more dramatically interesting human-Ultra relationship to play behind the franchise's meat-and-potatoes: Ultraman versus monsters. The word "monster" (or "monsters") appears in nearly half of the series' episode titles, the majority of which hail from the first half. The series knows its fans and what they want and isn't gun shy about delivering it in spades.

From the groovy psychedelic opening titles, it’s obvious that Ultraman has evolved well beyond UltraQ and the original Ultraman, though certainly the mainstay core components remain largely unaltered from that core focus on Kaiju battles, supported by the extensive use of unconvincing models and miniatures. Here, there are a number of memorable monsters wreaking havoc and some of tight, well choreographed battles along the way that feel tougher, more authentic, and more physically demanding than anything to come before. This is certainly Ultraman upping its game while remaining true to its fundamentals, a progression seen still today in some of the newest franchise iterations (Orb, Geed). But even as the show revels in the same-old, same-old, it proves forward thinking in a way that would forever redefine the franchise's future, introducing, for the first time, Ultra team-ups, bringing back Ultraman and Ultraseven, a universe mix-and-match tradition that remains a key component even today, almost five decades later.

Return of Ultraman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Return of Ultraman arrives on Blu-ray with a good, not great, 1080p transfer presented at a 4x3 aspect ratio, preserving the original broadcast parameters. The image largely impresses, with a fair bit of grain retention and a generally satisfying filmic appearance across the entire series run. There are certainly some unappealing, but rarely unruly, compression issues at work, too, some spotty clarity here and there and macroblocking getting in the way of an otherwise steady, satisfying image. For the most part, details are sharp, showcasing essential textures, such as faces, but also betraying the cheap suits and miniature limitations, but in a way the higher resolution and greater illusory disconnect only adds to the charm. Colors are stable, far from vibrant but finding enough depth and contrast to satisfy base requirements. Red is one of the more prominent tones, and it finds good stable push and life without overbearing the screen. Black levels are not perfect but never appear overly light. Flesh tones are likewise not fully precise but never push towards unnatural shading either. The image looks fine in total. Given age, disc space, and budget friendly pricing, it's hard to complain too loudly about the obvious, but never mood-breaking, flaws.

Return of Ultraman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Japanese language DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack is the only audio option available; English subtitles default to "on" and are the only subtitles present on the disc. The track can be a bit messy. The opening battle that depicts Monster Attack Team fighters shooting at a couple of Kaiju is incredibly unkempt and crunchy, lacking both distinctive clarity and balance between the elements. The absence of low end response sonically hurts a number of scenes, leaving crashes and booms and other action effects severely wanting, struggling to offer even basic clarity, never mind anything of notable depth or detail. Most action scenes struggle for clarity and accuracy, but like the rough-around-the-edges production details the somewhat muffled, dated sound design only adds to the vintage authenticity and charm. Music suffers from the same drawbacks and limitations. Dialogue is, at least, clear enough and images nicely towards the front-center area.

Return of Ultraman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Return of Ultraman contains no supplements across any of the six discs. The main menu screens on each disc only offer the opportunity to toggle subtitles on and off in addition to selecting any of the disc's episodes, which are vertically oriented. The set does ship with an impressively assembled booklet that includes glossy pages, numerous color photographs, and plenty of text. It begins with introductory commentary on the show's history and production and also features a character breakdown, detailed episode synopses, key monster explorations, and a technology guide. Mill Creek has put together a comprehensive series breakdown in a relatively small space. While it's disappointing that there are no video-based extras, this compact handbook will prove to be a treasure for veterans and a necessity for newcomers just getting their feet wet in the universe. A MovieSpree digital copy code is also included with purchase.

Return of Ultraman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Return of Ultraman holds tight to the franchise's core while also pushing forward with some great monsters, awesome action, and some novel concepts that have shaped the franchise since this series' debut in 1971. It's one of the best in a long string of excellent Ultraman content. The six disc Blu-ray set is devoid of video-based supplemental content, but the booklet is well worth perusing. Video and audio qualities show their limits but suit the material well enough. Highly recommended to both longtime franchise fans and those who are just getting their feet wet with Mill Creek's extensive Blu-ray releases. Note that the studio is also offering Return of Ultraman in attractive SteelBook packaging which is aesthetically impressive, matches the previously released main series packages, and is priced to sell. For this reviewer's money, it's the version to own.