Ultraman: The Next

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2004 Japanese film

Ultraman: The Next

Directed by| Kazuya Konaka
Written by| Keiichi Hasegawa
Produced by| Kiyoshi Suzuki
Starring| Tetsuya Bessho
Kyoko Toyama
Nae Yuuki
Cinematography| Shinichi Ooka
Music by| Tak Matsumoto

Production
company

Tsuburaya Productions

Distributed by| Shochiku

Release date

* December 18, 2004 (2004-12-18)

Running time

| 97 minutes
Country| Japan
Language| Japanese
Budget| $6.3 million[1]

Ultraman: The Next, released in Japan simply as Ultraman (ウルトラマン, Urutoraman) is a 2004 Japanese superhero film directed by Kazuya Konaka and produced by Tsuburaya Productions. It is a reimagining of the Ultraman character and franchise, and is part of the "Ultra N Project", a three-phase experiment aimed to reinvent the franchise for an older audience.[1] Ultraman: The Next was released in Japan on December 18, 2004 and had its American premiere at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood on June 25, 2005.[2]

## Plot

[edit]

This section needs an improved plot summary. (June 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

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First Lieutenant Shunichi Maki of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force is a prestigious F-15 Eagle jet pilot. A lifelong fan of flying since he was a child, being a pilot is his ultimate dream. Unfortunately, his duties distance him from his wife, Yoko, who feels neglected, and his son, Tsugumu, who has a possibly terminal congenital blood disease.

Maki decides to quit the Air Force to devote more time to his family and to spend whatever time is left with his son. He takes a part-time job as a commercial tour guide for a kindly group of people who allow him time to take care of his family.

Before quitting, Maki and his flight partner Yamashima are alerted to a strange red light streaking towards Japan, and Maki's plane passes through the red light seemingly without any damage. He suffers no ill effects other than strange images briefly playing out in his mind. He later discovers that the images are telepathic messages from a strange being that exists in the red light.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2018)

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## Production

[edit]

### Design

[edit]

Veteran Ultraman designer Hiroshi Maruyama stressed the difficulty of reinventing the Ultraman design, stating, "Ultraman is a very simple design. This, unfortunately, removes some of the simplicity which is a big part of the design’s charm. But it really can’t be helped. If you tried to remove anything frorm that design what would you have? It would look like Pepsi Man!" Maruyama originally wanted to give Ultraman "transparent skin" with "glowing streams of red energy" but stated that the executives found the idea "a bit too shocking".[2]

## Cast

[edit]

### Main characters

[edit]

* Shunichi Maki (真木 舜一) / Ultraman the Next (ウルトラマン・ザ・ネクスト): Played by Tetsuya Bessho.
* Ayumi Hamakawa as a young Shunichi Maki
* Sara Mizuhara (水原 沙羅): Played by Kyoko Toyama (遠山 景織子).
* Takafumi Udou (有働 貴文) / Beast the One (ビースト・ザ・ワン): Played by Kenya Oosumi (大澄 賢也).

### Supporting

[edit]

* Nae Yuuki as Yoko Maki
* Ryouhei Hirota as Tsugumu Maki
* Toshiya Nagasawa as Tsuyoshi Kurashima
* Eisuke Kakuta as Ippei
* Yumiko Sato as Yuriko
* Ed Yamaguchi as JASDF Operator Base Commander
* Kazuya Shimizu as Yashiro
* Yoichi Okamura as Restaurant Owner
* Mikiko Amuro as Store Wife Yukie
* Mahiro Endo as Miku
* Hijimi Ono as Miku's Mother
* Kazuya Konaka as Miku's Father
* Naoki Ichimura as JGSDF Signalman
* Kengo Komada as an Announcer
* Keizo Yabe as a Special Forces Member
* Hiroaki Nakamura as a Special Forces Member
* Ryo Kinomoto as a Gourmet Reporter
* Daisuke Ryu
* Masao Kusakari as President Manjime

## Theme songs

[edit]

* OP: "Theme from ULTRAMAN" by Tak Matsumoto
* ED: "Never Good-bye" by TMG

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Ballard, James. "Tsuburaya Productions, 2004: A Year In Retrospect". Scifi Japan. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
2. ^ a b "Ultraman: The Next Press Notes". Scifi Japan. May 15, 2010. Retrieved May 18, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* ULTRAMAN THE MOVIE - Official Website
* Ultraman at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Ultra Series

TV/Web series

| Shōwa era|

* Ultra Q (1966)
* Ultraman (1966–1967)
* Ultraseven (1967–1968)
* Jack (1971–1972)
* Ace (1972–1973)
* Taro (1973–1974)
* Leo (1974–1975)
* 80 (1980–1981)

|

Heisei era|

* Great (1992)
* Tiga (1996–1997)
* Dyna (1997–1998)
* Gaia (1998–1999)
* Neos (2000–2001)
* Cosmos (2001–2002)
* Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy (2004)
* Nexus (2004–2005)
* Max (2005–2006)
* Mebius (2006–2007)
* Ultraseven X (2007)
* Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle (2007–2008)
* Never Ending Odyssey (2008–2009)
* Neo Ultra Q (2013)
* Ginga (2013)
* Ginga S (2014)
* X (2015)
* Orb (2016)
* Orb: The Origin Saga (2016–2017)
* Geed (2017)
* R/B (2018)

Reiwa era|

* Taiga (2019)
* Z (2020)
* Trigger (2021–2022)
* Decker (2022–2023)
* Blazar (2023–2024)
* Arc (2024–2025)
* Omega (2025)

Ultra Fight|

* Ultra Zero Fight (2012)
* Ultra Fight Victory (2015)
* Ultra Fight Orb (2017)
* Ultra Galaxy Fight (2019)
* Sevenger Fight (2021)
* Shin Ultra Fight (2022)

Anime series|

* The Ultraman (1979–1980)
* Ultraman (2019–2023)

Biography series|

* Retsuden (2011–2016)
* Zero: The Chronicle (2017)
* The Prime (2017)
* episodes
* Orb: The Chronicle (2018)
* New Generation Chronicle (2019)
* Chronicle Zero & Geed (2020)
* Chronicle Z: Heroes' Odyssey (2021)
* Chronicle D (2022)
* New Generation Stars (2023-2025)

Other|

* Andro Melos (1983)
* Nice (1999–2000)

Films

| Shōwa era|

* Monster Movie Feature (1967)
* The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army (1974)
* Great Monster Decisive Battle (1979)
* Zoffy: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster Army (1984)
* Story (1984)

|

Heisei era|

* Ultra Q: Legend of the Stars (1990)
* Revive! (1996)
* Zearth (1996)
* Zearth 2: Superman Big Battle - Light & Shadow (1997)
* Tiga & Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light (1998)
* Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace (1999)
* Tiga: The Final Odyssey (2000)
* Cosmos: The First Contact (2001)
* Cosmos 2: The Blue Planet (2002)
* Cosmos vs. Justice: The Final Battle (2003)
* The Next (2004)
* Mebius and Brothers (2006)
* Superior 8 Ultra Brothers (2008)
* Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend (2009)
* Zero: The Revenge of Belial (2010)
* Saga (2012)
* Ginga (2013)
* Ginga: Ultra Monster Hero Battle Royal! (2014)
* Ginga S (2015)
* X (2016)
* Orb (2017)
* Geed (2018)
* R/B (2019)

Reiwa era|

* Taiga (2020)
* Trigger: Episode Z (2022)
* Shin Ultraman (2022)
* Decker Finale: Journey to Beyond (2023)
* Blazar (2024)
* Arc (2025)

Animation|

* The Adventure Begins (1987)
* Rising (2024)

Original Video Tokusatsu (OVT)

* Heisei Ultraseven (1994–2002)
* Mebius Side Story: Hikari Saga (2006)
* Mebius Side Story: Armored Darkness (2008)
* Mebius Side Story: Ghost Reverse (2009)
* Ultra Galaxy Legend Side Story: Ultraman Zero vs. Darklops Zero (2010)
* Zero Side Story: Killer the Beatstar (2011)

Video games

* Ultraman: Towards the Future
* Compati Hero series
* SD the Great Battle
* Battle Soccer: Field no Hasha
* Battle Racers
* Super Hero Operations: Diedal's Ambition
* Charinko Hero
* Great Battle Fullblast
* Super Hero Generation
* Ultraman Powered
* Ultra League
* Kyoei Toshi

Characters

| Individuals|

* Ultraman
* Ultraseven
* Jack
* Taro
* Tiga
* Nexus
* Mebius
* Zero

|

Lists|

* Return of Ultraman
* Leo
* The Ultraman
* 80
* Towards the Future
* Heisei Ultraseven
* Neos
* Tiga
* Gaia
* Cosmos
* Ultra N Project
* Max
* Mega Monster Battle
* Manga
* Ginga
* X
* Orb
* Geed
* R/B
* Taiga
* Z
* Trigger: New Generation Tiga
* Arc

Miscellaneous

* Kaiju Girls
* Kaiju Club
* Mighty Jack
* Mirrorman
* Redman
* Fireman
* Jumborg Ace
* Dinosaur War Izenborg
* Gridman the Hyper Agent
* Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad
* Gridman Universe
* SSSS.Gridman
* SSSS.Dynazenon
* WoO
* Upin & Ipin
* Daicon Film's Return of Ultraman
* The Flying Monster
* Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider
* Manga
* "Hoshi no Yō ni..."
* Animetal Marathon III
* Dragon Force: So Long, Ultraman

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