Seven Ultraman

This film (drama)Also known asウルトラセブン，is aJapanProducerAnime AV，At1967Released in year 。The dialogue language isJapanese，Current Douban rating9.2(For reference only)。

The content depicts the active story of the "Super Guard Team" (ウルトラ警备队), which protects the Earth from cosmic invaders, and the hero "Ultraman Seven" who assists Earthlings. This film is planned as the fourth work in the ULTRA series (a fictional special effects series), with the third being Toei's "CAPTAIN ULTRA." Like "Ultraman," it adopts the model of a special team fighting for human peace, supported by a giant superhero. However, the worldview is entirely transformed compared to "The Mystery of Ultra Anomalies" and "Ultraman." Initially, it introduces a worldview where Earth has become a target for many alien attacks due to interstellar invasion wars, leading to the creation of a military organization called the "Earth Defense Force." The storyline also features many descriptions of espionage wars against hostile aliens, presenting a strong military tone in the work, particularly in the deployment of super weapons during the special effects scenes. These settings reflect the background of the Cold War era at that time, especially the Vietnam War. Additionally, the dramatic elements in each episode are significant; for example, the 42nd episode "The Messenger of Nomate" raises the question, "Are Earthlings themselves the descendants of past aggressors who invaded Earth?"—shaking the protagonist's belief in justice. The 26th episode "Super Weapon R1" criticizes the arms race through the tragic story of a cosmic monster becoming a victim during the Earth Defense Force's experimental new weapons. Such themes transcend pure entertainment, making the work thematically heavy. The characteristics of the aliens and monsters are strongly influenced by "the invaders and their biological weapons," which dilutes their individual personality traits, with some even not having names. This contrasts sharply with "Ultraman," which emphasizes the characteristics of monsters and reveals their names in the opening scenes. On the other hand, the protagonist, Ultraman Seven, possesses a more diverse range of superpowers compared to Ultraman, and the combat scenes showcase various styles from hardcore to humorous, together with the refreshing activities of the Super Guard Team, fully pursuing entertainment aimed primarily at child audiences, ensuring that this film stands as a top work within family-friendly superhero series. According to one of the main directors behind the series, Mitsutaka, "The strong SF elements and the audience’s age increase are intentionally highlighted to emphasize differences from 'Ultraman' in various aspects." Regarding the film's production, lessons learned from "Ultraman," which had to end due to deteriorating production progress, led to strict budget management and a strengthened production system. This included rationalizing the filming site, documenting special effects scenes, and creatively using everyday items to make props. However, the entertainment appeal that attracted many viewers diminished, and with declining ratings following the monster craze, "Ultraman Seven" ultimately marked the end of the ULTRA series since "The Mystery of Ultra Anomalies" and "Ultraman." However, with no major changes in direction and a consistent narrative leading to a grand conclusion, the film received high praise. Its numerous reruns created a new fanbase, leading to recognition of this film alongside "Ultraman" as representative popular works of the Ultraman series, significantly contributing to the birth of the second-generation Ultraman series and the reevaluation of Japanese special effects heroes in the late 1970s. To this day, the film remains highly popular within the series (including remarks from the cast and crew, who consider this film the highest masterpiece of the Ultraman series). In the "DIGITAL ULTRA SERIES," which features past Tsuburaya works on DVD, this film became the first highlighted work, surpassing "The Mystery of Ultra Anomalies" and "Ultraman." Even after 40 years since its premiere, it continues to air frequently on satellite and terrestrial channels. Additionally, sequels that inherit its worldview have been produced as OV and TV specials.