THE GENESIS OF ULTRAMAN 1966-1980! A Temporary Ultra Exhibit in Yokosuka!

Signage outside the Yokosuka Museum of Art, advertising its special Ultraman exhibit. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 is a special exhibit hosted by the Yokosuka Museum of Art, which runs between June 27 and August 30, 2015. This exhibit has been touring around different parts of Japan for the past few years, but it has recently come to the Tokyo area (though it's technically taking place in Kanagawa Prefecture) earlier this summer.

Ultramen assemble! One of the (very) few parts of the exhibit in which photography is allowed. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was very impressed by the exhibit. I have seen other Ultraman-related exhibits in Tokyo, but this was by far the best. I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of original props on display (everything from original Science Patrol uniforms to masks of the various Ultra Brothers), as well as the various creature designs that patrons could view.

Kanegon stands on guard, ready to confiscate your camera if you sneak any photos! Photo by Brett Homenick.

As the name of the exhibit would suggest, it covers the years 1966 through 1980, so everything from Ultra Q (1966) through Ultraman 80 (1980-81) is covered. At the end of the exhibit, there is some memorabilia, highlighting Ultraman's iconic status, but since my interest is limited to the production of the shows (and not the merchandise that gets pumped out), I just briefly glanced at what was on display.

Overall, I highly recommend The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 to any Ultra-fan lucky enough to be in the Tokyo area this summer. The artifacts and history on display was awe-inspiring, and it is by far the best array of props and memorabilia from the Ultra-series I have ever seen.

Gettin' in on the action! Could there be room for another Ultra Brother?

For more information, follow this link. A word of advice: The Yokosuka Museum of Art is very far from Yokosuka Station. Be prepared for a very expensive taxi ride to the museum and/or to stand in the blistering summer heat of Japan for a long time while you wait for the bus. (I speak from painful experience on both counts.) In any case, definitely check it out while you can.