With all the chaos and confusion of 2020, some great shows got overlooked, while others found themselves with a whole new audience who wouldn't normally watch them. One of these shows was Ultraman Z, the latest in the long-running Ultraman tokusatsu franchise that dates back to 1966. While Ultraman has been a Japanese pop culture staple for decades, it has been hard for American fans to watch the show.
However, recently, deals with Marvel comics and DVD releases by Shout! Factory have made the franchise more accessible than ever. Continuing this trend, Tsuburaya Productions broke new ground by releasing Ultraman Z on both regular TV Networks and its YouTube channel, complete with English subtitles. Now, it's tie-in sequel, Ultraman Chronicle Z is set to follow suit.
Ultraman's newfound accessibility has led many people to dive into the franchise for the first time. Those that made the leap last year with Ultraman Z were treated to a fantastic story packed full of heart and hope, memorable characters and all of the giant monster fights that the Ultraman franchise is known for. The show received praise from many viewers and critics, even those who normally wouldn't watch a tokusatsu show like Ultraman Z.
The series follows STORAGE, an anti-monster taskforce. STORAGE uses giant robots to fight kaiju that threaten Earth. One of STORAGE's members, Haruki Natsukawa, has an encounter with Ultraman Z and becomes the Ultraman's host. Together, the pair have to protect Earth and the Land Of Light, the home planet of all Ultra heroes.
It seems that Tsuburaya Productions is happy with how the show performed on YouTube, as Tsuburaya Productions' new show Ultraman Chronicle Z: Heroes’ Odyssey will be airing on the Ultraman Official YouTube channel, again with English subtitles. This series serves an important purpose. Most Ultraman shows take place in their own universe. While these timelines sometimes intersect via intertwined series or crossover movies, many remain in their own universe until a later show revisits that setting. Ultraman Chronicle Z: Heroes’ Odyssey will act as a bridge between the world of Ultraman Z and the world of 1996's Ultraman Tiga.
According to Tsuburaya Productions, the show will follow Ultraman Z's mentor and series regular, Ultraman Zero, an Ultraman with the power to jump between parallel universes. Ultraman Zero will be voiced by Mamoru Miyano, who many anime fans will know as the voice of Haru Katō from last year's The Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited. Throughout this series, Ultraman Zero will give viewers a new perspective on Ultraman Z's adventures and reintroduce viewers to the world of Ultraman Tiga using footage from both of the shows.
Ultraman Tiga remains a fan-favorite series, and it will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next year. Tsuburaya Productions notes that the series forms the cornerstone of modern Ultraman. When Ultraman Tiga launched in 1996, it was the first Ultraman series since 1980's Ultraman 80 and the first full Ultraman series of the Heisei era, so it is only fitting that the series will be revisited after the first Ultraman series of the Reiwa era.
If you're a fan of Ultraman or want to dip your toes into this legendary franchise, Ultraman Chronicle Z: Heroes’ Odyssey will be a great way to immerse yourself in the Ultraman mythos as well as giving you a taste of what you missed in Ultraman Z.
The first episode of Ultraman Chronicle Z: Heroes’ Odyssey, "Connect to TIGA," will premiere on the Ultraman Official YouTube channel on Friday, January 8 at 7:30 pm EST.
