Ultraman Mebius & Ultraman Brothers

Lore & Background

The film begins 20 years ago on the moon, with four Ultra brothers—Ultraman, Ultraseven, Ultraman Jack, and Ultraman Ace—battling the kaiju U-Killersaurus, created by Yapool. They injure the beast and send it to Earth, where it sinks in the sea of Kobe. Yapool appears in astral form and vows to recover. The Ultra brothers seal Yapool and U-Killersaurus in the ocean, depleting their energy and stranding them in human hosts, who take jobs near Kobe.

Reader's Guide

The film is significant as a fortieth-anniversary celebration of the Ultraman franchise, bringing together multiple generations of Ultra heroes. It earned $3,612,844 at the Japanese box office and peaked at 3rd place. The story introduces the Alien Union—Alien Zarab, Alien Guts, Alien Nackle, and Alien Temperor—who work to release Yapool and U-Killersaurus. The film features the debut of Mebius Infinity, formed when other Ultramen fuse with Ultraman Mebius. Its legacy includes reuniting original actors from earlier Ultraman series and reinforcing themes of faith and teamwork.

Did You Know?

• The film peaked at 3rd in the Japanese box offices.
• The ending theme is '未来 (Mirai; The future)' by KIYOSHI, read as '未来 (あす (明日), Asu; The tomorrow)'.
• Alien Zarab impersonates Ultraman Mebius and rampages across Kobe.
• U-Killersaurus is revived in a form called U-Killersaurus Neo.

The Ultras and the Land of Light

At the heart of the franchise lies the collective known as the Ultras, a term encompassing fictional extraterrestrial races scattered across a shared multiverse. These warriors converge on a planet nestled within the M78 nebula—a name deliberately distinct from the real Messier 78—also referred to as the Land of Light. Among the 18 billion beings who call this world home, one million serve in the Inter Galactic Defence Force, tasked with preserving cosmic peace against alien invaders and monstrous threats. When an Ultra is dispatched to another world, it carries a Color Timer, essentially a warning light that accelerates its blinking as stored energy wanes. This mechanism caps an Ultra's active engagement to a limited span of minutes before replenishment becomes necessary. The protagonists of each installment ultimately find themselves on Earth, where they either form bonds with human beings or manifest through a human incarnation, whose host wields a device to channel that Ultra's signature power.

Three Generations of Ultra Heroes

The franchise has cycled through clearly defined creative eras. The Shōwa period yielded a string of successors: Ultraseven in 1967, Return of Ultraman in 1971, Ultraman Ace in 1972, Ultraman Taro in 1973, Ultraman Leo in 1974, an animated television series in 1979, and Ultraman 80 in 1980. A second generation ignited in 1996 with Ultraman Tiga during the Heisei era, carrying the torch on and off until the third generation arrived with Ultraman Ginga in 2013. English-language ventures broadened the audience considerably, including Hanna-Barbera's 1987 animated feature, a 1990 series shot in Australia, a 1993 series filmed in the United States, and Netflix's 2024 animated film. A 1993 direct-to-video crossover paired Ultraman with Toei's Kamen Rider. As of 2025, Tsuburaya recognizes 51 official Ultras, and the series holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for the most spin-off shows.

A Billion-Dollar Legacy Across Borders

The commercial reach of the brand is remarkable. Between 1966 and 1987, Ultraman merchandise generated $7.4 billion in revenue—exceeding $21 billion when adjusted for inflation—placing it among the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. During the 1980s, the character ranked as the world's third top-selling licensed property, a feat attributed largely to sweeping popularity across Asia. By March 2018, Ultraman content and products had been distributed in more than 100 countries. Tsuburaya's YouTube channel, which simulcasts several series with English subtitles, has amassed over 2 million subscribers. In China alone, an Ultraman television series racked up 1.8 billion views on over-the-top platforms between July 2017 and March 2018. The manga, which debuted in 2011, surpassed 2.8 million copies sold by 2018 before a Netflix anime adaptation followed. Bandai Namco has moved 101.87 million soft figures since 1983 and 8.48 million home video units from 1988 through 2021. In November 2019, Marvel Comics announced a partnership with Tsuburaya to publish Ultraman comic books beginning in 2020.

The Licensing Rights Dispute

Outside Japanese borders, Ultraman's licensing has been entangled in a protracted legal confrontation between Tsuburaya Productions and Thailand-based Chaiyo Productions. The dispute's origins trace back to 1974, when the two companies co-produced two films: The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army and Jumborg Ace & Giant, the latter featuring another Tsuburaya superhero. Chaiyo's founder and president, Sompote Saengduenchai, asserted that in 1976 Noboru Tsuburaya—son of the late Eiji Tsuburaya—had handed him and his company a contract granting rights to all Ultraman properties outside Japanese territory. Critically, the document did not clearly specify what consideration was provided in exchange for those rights. Nevertheless, courts in both Japan and Thailand upheld the contract as authentic and binding, relying on the supposed hanko seal of Noboru Tsuburaya, who passed away in 1995. Tsuburaya Productions consistently contested the claim and maintained its position throughout the proceedings.