Series REVIEW: Ultraman Ace

With Return of Ultraman proving to be a success, in late 1971 Tsuburaya Productions and TBS began work on a follow-up Ultraman series. When coming up with an initial concept for the series, three screenwriters were tapped to offer their own individual proposals. Shinichi Ichikawa's "Ultra Hunter" would see a man and woman join together to become an Ultraman born beyond gender boundaries, fighting against the invasion of the Andromeda Space Corps. Shozo Uehera's "Ultra Fighter" saw a defence team member inherit the powers of an Ultraman from Nebula M78 battling against monsters created by a mad scientist. Finally Shigemitsu Taguchi's "Ultra V" featured monsters manufactured by an alien force targeting the Earth. Rather that pick just one proposal, all three were amalgamated into what would become the fifth entry in the Ultra Series - Ultraman Ace. Premiering on April 7th 1972, Ultraman Ace ran for a total of 52 episodes and reflected the next evolution in the Ultraman franchise.

The Earth is under siege from Yapool, a race of inter-dimensional beings who prey upon humanity's weaknesses and attack using a special breed of kaiju known as "Terrible-Monsters". Defending the planet are TAC (Terrible-Monster Attacking Crew), an international defence organisation with teams stationed across the world.

During the rampage of the Terrible-Monster Verokron, delivery driver Seiji Hokuto and nurse Yuko Minami bravely sacrifice their lives whilst trying to help orphans to safety. Watching their heroism from afar, the pair are revived by Ultraman Ace - the fifth Ultra Brother. As TAC's newest recruits, Seiji and Yuko join the fight against Yapool and their evil schemes. However unbeknownst to the rest of TAC, the pair also fight together as Ultraman Ace - calling upon his powers in times of need by bringing their Ultra Rings together and calling out "Ultra Touch"!

From its very beginning Ultraman Ace is a series that stands out from the rest of the franchise because of its concepts. Although recurring villains have become more common in the decades since, at the time it was a bold departure from the wholly monster-of-the-week format that had been in place since Ultra Q. But far more noteworthy is the two person host system the show employs, with Seiji and Yuko equally carrying the powers of Ultraman Ace. Even more significant is having both a man and woman in this role, with Yuko not only being the first female Ultra host but also the first woman to be elevated beyond that of a supporting role. The idea is that Seiji and Yuko are equals, and while the show is never the best at conveying that the notion of an Ultraman "that transcends gender" to symbolise all aspects of humanity is a powerful message that would still work just as well today. Even ideas like the pair needing the same desire to transform add a different sense of urgency that hasn't been repeated since. This notion also translates to the design of Ultraman Ace, who sports a far more androgynous design compared to that of his brothers. One aspect that wasn't quite so well thought out though is their means of transformation. The idea of the "Ultra Touch" itself is sound, but with Seiji and Yuko rarely in the direct vicinity of one another it feels like the show is often competing with itself to find the most ridiculous ways to bring them together. TAC may have the budget of a global organisation, but Ace appears from an awful lot of plane crashes.

Continuity has played a huge part in the Ultraman franchise for decades and although the Return of Ultraman was the first to propose the idea that they exist within a shared universe, Ultraman Ace is the first to truly run with it. Ultraman, Zoffy, Ultraseven and Ultraman Jack (simply known back then as "Ultraman 2") make frequent appearances throughout the series, as well as the debut of Father of Ultra - a figure who would have a much more significant role in future series. Although it would have been easy for the show to wholly rely on the appearance of these legacy characters, much like Return of Ultraman it is careful to use them sparingly outside of its most notable episodes. Sometimes even frustratingly so, with episodes billed as featuring team ups with individual Ultra Brothers only for them to show up for two minutes or less. "Duel! Ultraman Ace vs. Hideaki Go" deals with legacy material in a particularly clever way, with Jiro Dan reprising his role as Go (as well as Jiro and Rumiko also returning) in a more unconventional way that doesn't result in the usual team-up between the two Ultra hosts that one would expect from such episodes.

Much like Go, Seiji and Yuko join TAC at the very beginning of the series, and so we see their journey from rookies to fully-fledged team members across the show's run. This does play an important part in shaping the pair during the show's early episodes as they get to grips with the way TAC works and the having to follow commands. Conceptually Seiji and Yuko are treated as equals and as siblings rather than there ever being any romantic interest between them. It makes for a much better dynamic, with the pair having to rely and trust in one another both in their TAC responsibilities and dual-identity as Ultraman. Seiji definitely comes across as the more impulsive and headstrong of the two, but this isn't necessarily because Yuko has a more reserved personality. Instead the problem lies in the fact that Seiji simply has a lot more screen time to develop a personality beyond the standard traits you attribute to a tokusatsu hero. Ultraman Ace may have the best of intentions when it comes to its heroes' dynamic, but onscreen it almost always plays out as Yuko acting as support to Seiji. This even carries over to when they "merge" into Ace, with one particular set of episodes featuring a powerful attack which specifically leaves Yuko weakened afterwards. As time goes by, Yuko becomes less and less prominent to the point where outside of being needed to transform she's just another supporting character.

This mishandling of Yuko comes to a head in the 28th episode of the series, where she is completely written out of the series following a dramatic reveal that makes very little sense and is dropped without any semblance of foreshadowing. Without getting too far into the specifics, the show considers "I have to go now, my planet needs me" as a legitimate reason to write out its female lead. Naturally there were also things going on behind the scenes as well, with the difficulty for children to recreate a two-person transformation scheme on the playground to good old fashioned sexism cited among the reasons for the decision to axe her from the series. But whatever the reason may be, "Goodbye Yuko, Sister of the Moon" is not only possibly the worst episode of Ultraman Ace but a real low-point for the franchise as a whole - a reminder of how just even the best of concepts can be stifled by corporate mandates and general audience reception.

Yuko's unceremonious departure leaves a huge hole in Ultraman Ace, and unfortunately it's one that the show is never fully able to recover from. With Seiji now taking up solo duties as Ace that initial hook that made the series stand out is gone, even if Yuko's underuse means very little has actually changed in that respect. That isn't the only thing that changes though, with the show's retooling having a massive effect on its tone as well. Released during the height of Japan's tokusatsu boom as well as the original Kamen Rider series, it's no coincidence that Ultraman Ace is where the franchise saw a notable shift into not only becoming more superhero-orientated but kid-friendly as well. In Yuko's place came Dan Umezu – a new child sidekick dubbed the "Sixth Ultra Brother" thanks to his ability to see the Ultra Star and predict the appearance of Terrible-Monsters. Dan becomes the focus of several episodes during this second half, both through his interactions with Seiji and the supporting cast which itself also becomes more child-focused. The episodes themselves also revolve around much sillier plots – one such example sees a mother defend a mind-controlling violin kaiju because with it her son can become a famous musician. Though it would be unfair to call this entire second half bad, it is a significant step down that turns Ultraman Ace into something far more generic. What highlights this half does have, such as the Christmas-themed "Resurrection! Father of Ultra") show that it isn't necessarily the lighter tone that's solely to blame either. While Dan does not last until the end of the series and some of its final episodes see it beginning to get back on track (especially the particularly powerful finale "You Are the Ace of Tomorrow"), by then the damage is done.

One constant that does remain throughout the series however is TAC, or more specifically the supporting cast of Captain Goro Ryu, vice-captain Ichiro Manaka, communications officer Noriko Mikawa, engineer Tsutomo Konno, cosmo-biologist Kozo Yoshimura and chief scientist Yoji Kaji. With the exception of Kaji, each character appeared right up until the end of the show and played a significant part in storylines even if specific character-focus episodes aren't commonplace. Those the show does have however certainly don't go unnoticed, lightly exploring their personalities, backstories or lives outside of TAC. Captain Ryu particularly stands out thanks to his kind but stern personality, often standing as the calm and collected voice of reason amongst the team. Such qualities are clearly required in their captain, because immediately one of the biggest takeaways with TAC is just how dysfunctional they can act at times. Seiji may be hot-headed at times and frequently disobeys orders (albeit usually with good reason), but the constant scolding from his teammates and outright disbelief when presented strange occurrences without proof does wear a bit thin at times. It's especially frustrating because when all of TAC are on the same page they really are a force to be reckoned with. Two-parter "Execution! Five Ultra Brothers" and "Five Stars Scattered in the Galaxy" are two of the most highly acclaimed episodes of Ultraman Ace, renowned for the appearance of fan-favourite Ace Killer as well as the imagery of the Ultra Brothers strung up on crosses following their capture. But while the legacy these visuals and the influence it's had shouldn't be understated, it's TAC themselves that are the highlight of these episodes - boldly defying their superiors' direct orders in order to protect one of their own.

On the other side of the coin are Yapool, an entity that's gone on to become one of Ultraman's most enduring villains. There's a sense of mystery to Ace's sworn enemy that the show is never all that keen to let up, and it remains unclear throughout just exactly what Yapool is. Presented as psychedelic visuals of mysterious alien figures, this inter-dimensional entity is both one and many. The only thing that is crystal clear about them is their hatred for both humanity and the Ultra Brothers, and there isn't lengths they won't go to destroy them. Yapool turns humanity's flaws against them, more often than not possessing or manipulating people into carrying out their schemes for them. The very worst of what they're capable of rears its head pretty early on in the series too, with Yapool impersonating a child to then murder their grandparents and burn their house down. In many cases Yapool supply to tools for destruction, but it is the dark thoughts of their pawns that put their plans into motion. Such underhanded tactics give the early episodes of Ultraman Ace a really sinister edge, so much so that it almost isn't surprising that part of the retool stemmed from parents complaining that the show was too dark.

As a result of that Yuko isn't the only key element to be jettisoned halfway through the series, as shortly prior to her departure the Yapool are also seemingly defeated – remaining an undercurrent throughout the rest of the series as their Terrible-Monsters continue to run wild but never quite having that same level of menace. This proves to be something of a double-edged sword as although it takes away one of the defining elements of Ultraman Ace, it does open the doors for other aliens to try their hand at conquering the Earth. "Annihilation! The Five Ultra Brothers" and "Miracle! Father of Ultra" are a particularly strong pair of episodes in this regard, with Alien Hipporit arguably coming far closer to victory than both Yapool and Ace-Killer ever did. Villains like Hipporit are sadly a rarity though, as the focus largely remains on the Terrible-Monsters rather than aliens that can also battle our heroes on a cerebral level. However even in defeat Yapool's Terrible-Monsters are still able to prey upon humanity, with the corruption and exploitation of human emotion one of the few themes that isn't completely eroded over the course of the series.

The focus on Yapool's Terrible-Monsters means that Ultraman Ace features a roster almost entirely made up of brand new creations, which comes as a bit of a surprise given that its opening credits features a montage of the most popular foes from the previous three series. With many of the Terrible-Monsters incorporating mechanical or man-made elements into their designs there is an interesting range of creatures on show, though altogether they are something of a mixed bag. The sillier tone of the second half also leads to some sillier monster designs, such as the traffic light-themed Alien Steal or the aforementioned violin kaiju Geegon. Had this been the tone throughout Ace these might have worked better, but comparatively they just don't measure up to favourites like Verokron, Vakshim, Giant Yapool or Ace Killer (who have since gone on to appear in subsequent series). There are a few surprises thrown in though, with Woo (Ultraman), Alien Metron (Ultraseven) and Muruchi (Return of Ultraman) also making reappearances. 

Although the monster designs feel like step down from earlier shows for the most part, visually Ultraman Ace certainly still has that distinct Ultraman charm. In addition to the impressive set design and miniature work fans were used to by now, one of the things immediately apparent about Ace is just how violent it can get at times. Monsters are decapitated and sliced apart regularly in particularly gory fashion, with exploding monster props also part of the show's repertoire. Structurally it tends to play with more experimental visuals in the Seiji/TAC parts of the episode, before launching into more standard superhero fare in the climax with the Ace segments. The Yapool dimension stands out as a particularly trippy visual. Scale is one thing Ultraman Ace handles particularly well, with some absolutely fantastic vehicle miniatures and aerial choreography when it comes to TAC taking on the Terrible-Monsters themselves. Outside of the violence however Ace's battles can sometimes be quite varied, with fast-paced close up shots adding to the freneticism of a fight but also obscuring the visuals at times. That said, the swelling march of Toru Fuyuki's battle theme "Fight! Ultraman Ace!" consistently adds a real energy to the fights, the kind of theme that leaves no doubt that Ultraman Ace is a superhero show first and foremost.

Ultraman Ace is a series decades ahead of its time. Had it been made today, both the execution and reception to its core premise would have almost certainly fared a lot better. But as a series made in 1972, it stands as one with great ideas but lacking the ability to fully realise them. Elements such as the dual protagonists, recurring villain and creation of a fully-fledged shared Ultraman universe are fondly remembered, but its abysmal handling of Yuko and retooled second half make it a show that's more often a difficult watch than not. When it's at its best that same Ultraman magic that made the previous shows so special is there, but those moments are fleeting - and overall Ace is left as a far weaker show than its predecessors.