Ultraman: The Adventure Begins (ウルトラマンUSA, Urutoraman Yū Esu Ē; Ultraman USA) is a 1987 animated superhero film jointly produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Tsuburaya Productions and animated by both Studio Sign and Ashi Productions. It is the second foreign Ultra Series production overall, and the second foreign Ultraman film after The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army. Originally intended as a pilot for an animated series, no such series ever emerged and the pilot was made into a full-length film. It was broadcast on television in the United States on October 12, 1987, with a Japanese theatrical release following on April 28, 1989. The costumes based on the three main heroes (the Ultra Team) were made for use in stage shows in Japan.
Contents
Plot
A stunt pilot trio, the "Flying Angels" (Scott Masterson, Chuck Gavin, and Beth O'Brien), is caught in a bizarre flash of light and crashes, only to emerge unharmed. They are later informed by an agent of an interstellar peace-keeping agency (whose secret identity is the groundskeeper at a Pebble Beach golf course) that they have become the hosts to three warriors from the planet Altara in M78 to capture escaped monsters from the destroyed planet Sorkin who have arrived on Earth. They become the Ultra Force, headquartered within Mount Rushmore, and are assisted by a trio of robots (the pint-sized Andy, the strong Samson, and the twitchy Ulysses). Although equipped with futuristic fighter crafts, inevitably one or more of the team is required to transform into an Ultraman, a gigantic red and silver superhuman being, to battle the monsters. After destroying the most powerful Sorkin monster, the constantly growing King Maira, the Ultra Force remains together to combat further threats to Earth.
Characters
Ultra Force
Ultra Force (ウルトラフォース, Urutora Fosu) is an organization formed by a mysterious old man, Walter Freeman. The headquarters is in the basement of the Georgia National Golf Club, and there is a mechanic hangar at Mount Rushmore.
Members
Scott Masterson (スコット・マスターソン, Sokotto Masutāson): The story's young protagonist. Transforms into Ultraman Scott (ウルトラマンスコット, Urutoraman Sukotto). 25 years old. Integrated with Ultraman Scott. A character with no eyes on young women. He is pleased with Susan. He is voiced by Michael Lembeck in English, Kellen Goff in the English 2025 dub and Tōru Furuya (古谷 徹, Furuya Tōru) in Japanese dub.
Chuck Gavin (チャック・ギャビン, Chakku Gyabin): The toughest and oldest of the team and the de facto leader of the Ultra Team. Transforms into Ultraman Chuck (ウルトラマンチャック, Urutoraman Chakku), one of the Ultra warriors who came to the earth with other Ultra team members following the Sorkin Monster. 35 years old. Integrated with Ultraman Chuck. Leader rank at the battle scene. He is voiced by Chad Everett in English, Imari Williams in the English 2025 dub and Shinji Ogawa (小川 真司, Ogawa Shinji) in Japanese dub.
Beth O'Brien (ベス・オブライエン, Besu Oburaien): The cool-headed female of the team. Transforms into Ultrawoman Beth (ウルトラウーマンベス, Urutoraūman Besu). A woman Ultra fighter who came to the earth with another Ultra Team member following the Sorkin Monster. 26 years old. Integrated with Ultra Woman Beth. She attends a dance class on holiday. She is voiced by Adrienne Barbeau in English, Caitlin Glass in the English 2025 dub and Hiromi Tsuru (鶴 ひろみ, Tsuru Hiromi) in Japanese dub.
The Robot Trio (ロボトリオUSA, Robo Torio Yū Esu Ē): A group of support robots built to assist the Ultra Force. Their true names were too long for the team to remember, so they were given nicknames by Scott (who came up with "Ulysses" and "Samson") and Beth (who came up with "Andy"). The initials in their names form the letters "USA".
Ulysses (ユリシーズ, Yurishīzu): The thin and effeminate robot in orange. His true name is Combot Model MF842. He is voiced by William Callaway in English, Ian Sinclair in the English 2025 dub and Isamu Tanonaka (田の中 勇, Tanonaka Isamu) in Japanese dub.
Ultras
The three Ultra warriors are from Planet Altara (惑星アルタラ, Wakusei Arutara) in Nebula M78.
One of the Ultra warriors who came from the M78 Nebula, which came to Earth following the Sorkin Monster. It became a one-sided entity living in Captain Scott Masterson of the American Air Force's acrobat flight team "Flying Angels" (フライング・エンジェルス, Furaingu Enjerusu), initially able to transform himself during a crisis, but also able to transform of his own will in the middle. Having a buckle with a blue star shape in the abdomen, when the solar energy decreases, the beam lamp on the forehead flashes from blue to red and issues a warning sound. He threw Garuballade at power plants, etc., and they are good at the somewhat rough fighting way. He is voiced by Michael Lembeck in English, Kellen Goff in the English 2025 dub and Tōru Furuya in Japanese dub.
Stats
Height: 269 feet
Weight: 64.000 Tons
Flight Speed: Mach 24
Weapons
Granium Light Ray (グラニウム光線, Guraniumu Kōsen): A group of rays that gathers energy from the granite, combines both hands in a cross, and releases it. Although it is a common technique of the 3 warriors, only Scott used it alone. If three people shoot at the same time Ultra Synchro Beam (ウルトラ・シンクロビーム, Urutora Shinkuro Bīmu) will increase its power.
Ultra Energy Ball (ウルトラ・エナジー・ボール, Urutora Enajī Bōru): Condensed energy discharged from the waist buckle and thrown into the light bulb. It damaged the main Im of the Garuballade.
Ultra Slicer (ウルトラ・スライサー, Urutora Suraisā): A technique to make the granular energy into a circular saw and throw it. He threw it in two consecutive angles to the Im damaged by the Ultra Energy Ball, and it split into four. Then he gave out the Granium Rays and extinguished the Im.
Ultra Push Beam (ウルトラ・プッシュビーム, Urutora Pusshu Bīmu): After assembling the arms in the opposite shape to the Granium Ray, it is a yellow ray that shoots like a strip from the left hand he stood. It emanates from the Zoon wrapped in Ultraman Chuck's "Ultra Bubble Beam" and pushes it towards the Andromeda Nebula's planet M11.
The Sorkin Monsters
The Sorkin Monsters (ソーキン・モンスター, Sōkin Monsutā) are from Planet Sorkin (惑星ソーキン, Wakusei Sōkin) in Nebula M78.
Plant Monster Green Shocks (植物怪獣 グリンショックス, Shokubutsu Kaijū Gurin Shokkusu) is a vegetation monster. Has accelerated regeneration and powerful vines.
Stats
Height: 328 feet (initial, can vary)
Weight: 30,000 tons (initial, can vary)
Electromagnetic Monster Garuballade (電磁怪獣 ガルバレード, Denji Kaijū Garubarēdo) is an electronic machinery monster. Superficially resembles a crystal ball (with a creature face in the center) and uses scrap metal from machinery to construct itself a monster body. The ball phase, standing on its long spinal tail, is called Electromagnetic Ball Beast Im (電磁球獣 イーム, Denji Kyū-jū Īmu) (pronounced "eem").
Stats
Height: 300 feet (Im: 500 feet)
Weight: 91,000 tons (Im: 27,000 tons)
Comical Child Monster Zoon (ひょうきん子怪獣 ズーン, Hyōkin Ko Kaijū Zūn) is a friendly, dragon-like monster of stout stature. Zoon landed in Utah, where his presence at a ski resort caused the US Military to confront him. Fortunately, Ultraman Chuck intervened and guided him back to space, sending him on his way to a new home.
Stats
Height: 114 feet
Weight: 35,000 tons
Super Transforming Monster King Myra (超変身怪獣 キングマイラ, Chō Henshin Kaijū Kingu Maira) is the most powerful of the Sorkin Monsters. He can double his size every 90 minutes without limit. He can also become invisible. His initial infant form Wylon (ウィロン, Wiron) is actually small and adorable. The Ultra Force had the most difficult time with him as his increased growth spurts resulted in deadlier abilities used against them.
Crew
Director: Mitsuo Kusakabe
Screenplay: John Eric Seward
Character design: Kazuo Iimura
Hero design: Hitoshi Yoshida
Mechanic design: Tomohiko Sato
Monster design: Keita Amemiya, Hirotoshi Murayama, Chisato Sugiura
Art director: Akira Furuya
Color: Koji Wakai, Yuko Koshiba
Drawing directors: Kazuo Iimura, Osamu Tsuruyama, Yuuki Kudo, Nobuyoshi Habara
Storyboards: Seiji Okuda, Satoshi Nagao, Mitsuo Kusakabe, Toshio Ohba
Cinematographer: Toshiaki Morita
Editor: Naoki Masaki
Sound director: Noriyoshi Matsuura
Japanese version directed by: Riku Matsukawa
Sound effects: Swara Productions
Development: Tokyo Development Office
Music: Shingo Futo
Music producer: Hidetoshi Kimura
Creative producers: Jeff Segal, Kelly Ward
Supervising director: Ray Patterson
Production supervisor: Ken Mimura
Production
Ultraman: The Adventure Begins was a co-production between Hanna-Barbera and Tsuburaya Productions who hoped the film would not only introduce the Ultraman media franchise to American audiences but also serve as a pilot for a potential series. The animation for the film was provided by Ashi Productions and Studio Sign.
Music
Songs
Main theme
"Toki no Naka o Hashirinukete" (時の中を走りぬけて; "Race Against Time")
Lyrics: Yū Aku
Composition: Shunichi Tokura
Arrangement: Shinsuke Kazato
Artist: Shinichi Ishihara, Koorogi '73
Image theme
"Sky High Hero" (スカイ・ハイ・ヒーロー, Sukai Hai Hīrō)
Lyrics: Yū Aku
Composition: Shunichi Tokura
Arrangement: Shinsuke Kazato
Artist: Shinichi Ishihara, Koorogi '73
Soundtrack
The music was composed by Shinsuke Kazato and released by Nippon Columbia. The soundtrack was released as a limited edition printing of 5,000 copies.
Reception
While the film was intended to serve as a pilot for a series it was unsuccessful in the United States.
Home media
Ultraman USA was released in Japan by Bandai Home Video on VHS (Japanese dub only) on September 29, 1989 and on LaserDisc (bilingual) on July 25, 1991. In North America, a VHS was released by Ultra Action Video and L.A. Hero Inc. on June 2, 1993.
Tsubaraya announced that Bandai Visual will release a remastered version of the film on Blu-ray in Japan on September 26, 2018.
On July 2, 2025, Mill Creek released the film on Blu-ray. This version includes a new English cast and the original Japanese dub.
Due to rights issues, the original English audio is not included in this set. In addition, the Japanese dub does not come with English subtitles.
Other appearances
Ultraman Legend, This cast gets new live-action footage in this short, which features fight scenes of each of the 28 Ultras from the original Ultraman to Ultraman Cosmos.
Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movie (2009), Ultraman USA, along with other M78 Ultra Warriors, fights against the evil Ultraman Belial. This marks their second-ever live appearances onscreen, after the "Shinseiki Ultraman Densetsu" featurette.
Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Destined Crossroad (2022), the 3 main Ultras appeared in the fourth episode of the web series in which they confront Absolute Titan at Planet Babel.