Line #47 Main/UltramanCopy


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5	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ultramanctype_9.png]]
6	[[caption-width-right:350: From the Land of Light for the sake of the Earth, here they come, our expied Ultramen! [[labelnote:Clockwise from top left]] Series/ZoneFighter, [[Series/DenkouChoujinGridman Gridman]][[Series/SuperhumanSamuraiSyberSquad /Servo]], [[VideoGame/DawnOfTheMonsters Aegis Prime]], [[WesternAnimation/Ben10 Way Big]] and (Center) Series/UltraMan.[[/labelnote]]]]
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8
9	The ''Franchise/UltraSeries'' is one of the oldest and most influential {{Toku}} franchises of all time, being the creator of the Kyodai Hero subgenre (with "Kyodai" literally meaning "giant" in Japanese). As FirstInstallmentWins, the [[Series/{{Ultraman}} original series]] has become very iconic and commonly homaged in pop culture, as has the titular Ultraman himself.
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11	As a result, there have been no shortage of many Ultraman-like heroes both from Creator/TsuburayaProductions themselves (the producers of the ''Ultra Series'') and other studios, mainly in the 1970's thanks to the popularity of the ''Ultra Series'' leading to multiple [[FollowTheLeader shows with a similar formula]] in an attempt to capitalize on its success, later on after the initial craze of the series died, homages began to take the place of these competitors.
12
13	To identify them, there's a collective of characteristics that are iconic to Ultraman and a dead-ringer for a deliberate homage that the character should have:
14
15	* Is an alien capable of [[SymbioticPossession possessing and bonding]] with other living beings.
16	* Has the ability to [[{{Sizeshifter}} change size]].
17	* Performs a "rise" sequence after transforming where they appear to fly towards the camera.
18	* Has a predominantly [[RedIsHeroic red]] and silver/white color scheme (pairing silver with [[BlueIsHeroic blue]] or [[PrimaryColorChampion both red and blue]] is also acceptable).
19	* General physical characteristics may include large, glowing eyes and a mohawk-like head fin, with a face/mouth that doesn't change expression or move when speaking, which in live action is usually due to practical limitations, though other mediums may homage this too.
20	* [[HourOfPower Can only maintain their powers for short periods of time]], with a Color Timer-like object on their chest which [[CriticalAnnoyance starts blinking red when their energy runs dangerously low]].
21	* Fights giant [[{{Kaiju}} monsters]], robots or aliens, often assisted by a [[CreatureHunterOrganization "monster-buster" taskforce]] with [[FunWithAcronyms a funny acronym for a name]].
22	* Uses a baton-like TransformationTrinket similar to the [[https://ultra.fandom.com/wiki/Beta_Capsule Beta Capsule.]]
23	* Uses some of the Ultras' more distinctive {{Finishing Move}}s, such as firing [[EnergyWeapon beams]] or [[DeadlyDisc energy disks]] from their crossed arms, or [[DetachmentCombat detaching their head fin and throwing it]].
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25	Not all these criteria have to be met at once - even within the Franchise/UltraSeries itself, there are some divergences from the pattern.
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27	SubTrope to FountainOfExpies and StockParodies. See also MechVsBeast, with which this trope sometimes overlaps. Compare {{Mons}}, an archetype influenced by the Capsule Kaiju of ''Series/{{Ultraseven}}''.
28
29	----
30
31
32	!!Examples
33
34	[[foldercontrol]]
35
36	[[folder:Advertising]]
37	* Garmin's [[https://youtu.be/tluUD1700PI 2007 Super Bowl commercial]] featured a man using his Garmin GPS to transform into an unnamed Ultraman clone to fight the evil Mapasaurus, accompanied by an absolutely kicking heavy metal song. '''[[https://youtu.be/7L8_XaI__Cs GRAB YOUR GARMIN, TAKE ON THE WORLD!]]'''
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
41	* ''Manga/{{Kinnikuman}}'': The series [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness started off]] as an AffectionateParody of Ultraman, with the protagonist being an alien SuperHero with a head fin and the power to grow to giant size by eating garlic. Though it's better known for its subsequent GenreShift to a semi-serious pastiche of ProfessionalWrestling.
42	* Manatsu Tomosato of ''Manga/KaijuGirlCaramelise'' is a SpoiledSweet girl who uses her money to fund her obsession with Kaiju and other Tokusatsu media. One way this manifests is that she makes all her family's male servants sport buzz-cut mohawks and sunglasses that give them a strong resemblance to Ultraman.
43	* ''Manga/BirdyTheMighty'': The basic story is very similar to Ultraman, with an intergalactic police officer accidentally mortally wounding a human and merging with him, and the two now fighting against evil aliens that arrive on Earth. Birdy even has red and white bicoloured hair and the last part of the remake manga's sequel series ''Evolution'' even sees Birdy in a pink and white outfit.
44	* ''Anime/PatlaborTheTVSeries'' has a dream episode where Noa homages Ultraman and transforms into a giant hero with a similar color scheme, to fight a [[Characters/UltramanTVSeries Zetton]]-like monster as a recreation of the famous final episode of the original series.
45	* From ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'', Aguri Madoka is a {{downplayed}} example, mixing elements of Ultraman and [[Series/JAKQDengekitai Big One]]. While not a giant, she [[OlderAlterEgo transforms from her 9-year-old human form to the 16-year-old Cure Ace]], and is more powerful than the rest of the team but can only stay transformed for a short time (complete with the jewel on her chest flashing like a Color Timer). She's also not from Earth, has a red-and-white colour scheme, and transforms using a TransformationTrinket.
46	* Although not a full blown member of this trope, Angol Mois of ''Manga/SgtFrog'' follows the example of Series/{{Ultraseven}} (the succeeding series of ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''), being portrayed as an alien who took on a human form based on a human that caught her interest.
47	* The 2005 fanservice anime ''Ultimate Girls'' feature Silk Koharu becoming an Ultraman-like giant hero, actually her as a costumed giant. The CriticalAnnoyance played here that instead of a Color Timer-like lamp, her costume slowly torn to reveal bits of her skin, hence the necessity to finish the fight [[NakedPeopleAreFunny quickly]].
48	* ''Anime/ConcreteRevolutioChoujinGensou'': The first episode has the Superhuman Bureau hunting down a man named Akira Shirota, who fused with a dying alien named Grosse Augen and gained the ability to transform into his form to fight giant monsters. In a twist, it turns out that their ability to fuse together was actually ''Akira'''s power rather than Augen's. With Jiro's help, Akira [[FakingTheDead fakes his death]] by expelling Grosse Augen and switching to a comatose S Planeterian (an alien {{expy}} of [[Series/UltramanTiga Kyrieloid]]) as his new host, which has the side effect of giving it a new red/silver colour scheme similar to Ultraman.
49	* ''Manga/GekikouKamen'': Nebula Buddi is a giant fictional superhero who exists as the star of an in-universe superhero show from 1966. With the exception of his origins (originally being a sentient gaseous entity before gaining a humanoid form), Buddi's general appearance, abilities and rogues gallery all reference the original Ultraman, making him and his show the manga universe's counterpart of [[Series/{{Ultraman}} the first Ultraman show]]. This extends to his show's successors, with Buddi Torou and Zero being portrayed as expies of Series/UltramanTiga and Franchise/UltramanZero respectively.
50	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': The Eva units are a particularly warped example. Initially they're presented as HumongousMecha which the [[CreatureHunterOrganization taskforce]] NERV (and [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness their backers]] SEELE) built to fight alien {{Kaiju}}, and which have a limited operational time due to running on batteries. In truth they're actually lobotomised alien giants which NERV created through cloning, and controls by fusing them with the souls of their pilots' mothers. They're also strangely lean and athletic in design, with WordOfGod saying they were intentionally animated to resemble the movements of Ultramen. Even the show's famous Christian FauxSymbolism has been suggested to be a reference to the Ultra Series -- Eiji Tsuburaya was a devout Catholic and often included similar imagery in his productions.
51	* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': The depiction of Staryu (a starfish-like Pokémon) homages Ultraman, giving it similar grunts and making its core flash red when it's low on energy. There are in-universe theories that Staryu and its evolution Starmie are alien in origin and[=/=]or can communicate with space.
52	* ''Anime/SSSSGridman'': As a reboot of the original show, this series' Gridman and [[spoiler:other heroes like Gridknight]] take on similar traits to the Ultras design-wise and power-wise, [[spoiler:moreso in the finale when Gridman recovers his original form.]]
53	* In ''Anime/{{Symphogear}} AXZ'', Hibiki Tachibana becomes a vessel for the "Power of God" into an incomplete rampaging giant of light due to possessing Gungnir the God Killer. This form, called Destructor God Hibiki, resembles an Ultraman and even has a blinking Color Timer-like organ on her chest.
54	* ''Franchise/MyHeroAcademia'': Yui Kodai has shades of this: her quirk, Size, allows her to change the size of non-living objects she touches and her hero costume resembles a red-and-white body suit with a baseball cap adorned with a metal fin.
55	* One episode of ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' features Spacewoman, an alien superhero who is essentially a female Ultra in appearance and abilities, down to the exact same height and weight as the original Ultraman. Personality-wise, she's portrayed as a depressed salarywoman who regrets having put off her personal life in favor of defending the universe.
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder:Comic Books]]
59	* While ''[[ComicBook/AntMan Giant-Man]]'' was not directly based on Ultraman, his similarities to the character (being a red hero with {{Sizeshifter}} powers and sometimes a silver helmet) mean that when he appears in Japanese media he's almost always either compared to Ultraman or given traits that make him more similar to Ultraman. This is probably why, for instance, his ''Anime/MarvelDiskWarsTheAvengers'' incarnation risks dying if he stays enlarged for more than a few minutes.
60	* ''ComicBook/{{Kaijumax}}'': The guards of the titular facility are designed after the Ultras. Being giant humanoid aliens who combat Kaiju and bond with other species in SymbioticPossession, though they are [[CorruptedCharacterCopy not really heroic]] in nature.
61	* In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisisAftermath: Dance'', Ultimon, the leader of Japan's old superhero team, is a notable Ultraman expy, complete with a funky helmet and a jewel on the chest of his costume.
62	* ''ComicBook/{{Ultramega}}'' features the titular Ultramegas, giant alien warriors that fuse with humans and use martial arts and energy attacks to defend the Earth from kaiju. Unlike the Ultras, whose biological nature is never portrayed as completely human-like, the Ultramegas are flesh-and-blood titans, a fact they frequently show off in [[BloodierAndGorier extremely bloody battles]].
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
66	* The Super Justice Team (a whole family of expies) in ''Film/BigManJapan'', PlayedForLaughs.
67	* Jet Jaguar from ''Film/GodzillaVsMegalon'' is a very notable Ultraman copy, being a silver/red (with some yellow and blue added to make him more distinct) hero that can grow to size and fights the Kaiju Megalon and Gigan alongside Godzilla.
68	* The titular hero of ''Film/TheSuperInframan'' is a pastiche between ''Ultraman'' and ''Kamen Rider''. He can even super-size himself and launch energy blasts by crossing his hands together; at one point, he enlarges himself to {{Kaiju}} size to defeat a similarly supersized monster.
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
72	* ''Creator/TsuburayaProductions'': As the original producers of the ''Ultra Series'', they've made many Ultraman-like heroes following the success of the original shows. Chief among them stand:
73	** ''Series/DenkouChoujinGridman'': The titular hero is a digital expy of Ultraman, being a red/silver giant that fights against Kaiju and can change his size to match his opponents, other heroes in the franchise follow a similar pattern to him. The series also had a ''Franchise/PowerRangers''-like adaptation in the West known as ''Series/SuperhumanSamuraiSyberSquad''.
74	** ''Series/{{Fireman}}'': Like the aforementioned Gridman, Fireman takes a lot after Ultraman, being red/silver colored and fighting Kaiju, as well as being an alien from outer space.
75	** ''Series/{{Mirrorman}}'': The titular hero was a downplayed example at first, lacking a Color Timer and having no red/silver color scheme instead having the red replaced by green. Later on he does gain a Color Timer of his own after the series had a {{Retool}}.
76	** ''Series/{{Redman}}'': The titular hero is also a big Ultraman homage, but lacks a color timer, doesn't appear to change in size and fights ''much'' more aggressively than his inspiration. [[AllThereInTheManual Supplementary material]] also states that Redman was born when an alien who was the LastOfHisKind [[SymbioticPossession merged]] with a human officer to combat Kaiju.
77	** ''Series/JumborgAce'': Created for Tsuburaya's 10th anniversary, the titular hero was also an homage to Ultraman as a silver/red hero who fights Kaiju. Though in this case, the hero is a HumongousMecha rather than a giant alien.
78	*** The Emerald Alien, who gives the human pilot his vehicles, looks like a Color Timer-less green-eyed Ultraman. Something which comes full circle when the Ultra Series proper would homage the Alien Emeralds in the form of [[RedShirtArmy Background Ultras]] starting with ''Film/MegaMonsterBattleUltraGalaxyLegends''.
79	* ''Series/IronKing'': The hero of the show is a red and silver giant who transforms from a human to fight Kaiju, and has his gems serving as a CriticalAnnoyance when he's running low on energy.
80	* ''Franchise/SuperSentai''
81	** ''Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger'': The series features a ShowWithinAShow of a notable Ultraman expy in Igrec, the Galaxian, whose titular hero is used as the basis for Giganoid #2: Eroica by Voffa in a scheme to trick the children of Japan and drive them to despair to gather that energy. It is always giant sized due to being a Giganoid furthening the parallel.
82	** ''Series/HikoninSentaiAkibaranger'': Unofficial Giant God Prism Ace is an {{Expy}} and CorruptedCharacterCopy of Ultraman, but he also serves as a living TakeThat to Chaiyo Productions, a Thai company infamous for trying to steal the rights to the ''Ultra Series'' after a collaboration with Tsuburaya Studios.
83	* ''Series/{{Spectreman}}'': The titular character acts and resembles a cross between Ultraman (complete with a shiny pointed helmet and {{Sizeshifter}} ability) and Franchise/{{Superman}}, being an interplanetary agent who protects the Earth against evil monsters and alien invaders, while also maintaining a SecretIdentity as an ordinary human.
84	* ''Series/ThunderMask'': The titular hero is a HumanAlien from outer space who transforms into a humanoid figure, mostly green but with silver and red as well, who can then grow in size to fight naturally giant monsters which threaten the Earth, specializing in beam attacks. Whilst in human form, our hero also interacts with a Science Team dedicated to opposing the monsters, much like the Defense Teams of ''Ultraman''.
85	* ''Series/ZoneFighter'': As one of the more notable FollowTheLeader attempts to emulate the ''Ultra Series''' success, the titular hero is very much an Ultraman in everything but name. The series even drives the point more by having {{Expies}} of famous ''Ultra Series'' Kaiju fight the hero.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
89	* ''TabletopGame/CardfightVanguard'' has the Enigman archetype, a group of mostly-silver giant aliens who strongly resemble Ultramen.
90	* ''Franchise/YuGiOh'': There are many homages to the Ultras in various cards, stand-outs are:
91	** From the ''GX'' era there's [[https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8b/34/27/8b3427308efb0297fab04a522e38ffd9.jpg Elemental Hero Neos]], a monster resembling a cross between Ultraman (name's the same to Series/UltramanNeos as well) and Manga/{{Guyver}}, with a white/red (as well as blue) color scheme, and which coined the "Contact Fusion" mechanic for [[FusionDance merging with its allies]] without the aid of a Spell Card. The rest of the "Neo-Spacian" archetype is similarly inspired by the Ultras.
92	** From the ''ARC-V'' era there's [[https://i.pinimg.com/474x/b0/ce/79/b0ce79616b0baec790682ead05e85b9e.jpg Radian, the Multidimensional Kaiju]], who is heavily inspired on two famous villains from the series that are also Ultras themselves: [[Franchise/UltramanZero Ultraman Belial]] and [[Series/UltramanGinga Dark Lugiel]].
93	* ''TabletopGame/{{Monsterpocalypse}}'': One of the factions, the Shadow Sun Syndicate, is a criminal organization that has developed a procedure that turns selected soldiers into size-shifting bio-mechanical ninja named "Zors" (and although the name recalls the ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', their model design is significantly Ultraman-esque).
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:Video Game]]
97	* Astro Guy of ''VideoGame/KingOfTheMonsters'' is a human(oid) character with a red-and-blue costume, a helmet crest, and yellow goggles that evoke Ultraman's appearance. He even parodies the Specium Ray pose when firing off his charged beam attack. Fitting, as many of the other playable characters that he can fight are expies of famous Kaiju.
98	* Didarion, one of the OriginalGeneration units from ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsDD''. Appropriately enough, he can also be purchased as DLC in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars30'', which features the SRW debut of both ''Anime/SSSSGridman'' and the recent ''Manga/{{Ultraman}}'' anime.
99	* ''VideoGame/TechRomancer'': In the CastOfExpies of various HumongousMecha franchises, Pulsion is the Ultraman stand-in, being a HumanAlien who transforms into a red-and-silver giant and can fire Ultraman-style beams and energy disks. Pulsion's moveset also includes weapons and a berserker mode which reference ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', a series with action scenes heavily styled after Ultraman.
100	* ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIII'' [[BumblingHenchmenDuo Sunder and Balio]]'s [[FusionDance fused form]], Stallion, was more or less Ultraman as a humanoid horse. He even had his own Ultra Beam with Utmost Attack. It seems the homage was deemed too close to comfort and the PSP port changed Stallion's color scheme to brown and modified Utmost Attack's animation.
101	* Eiji Murasame/Aegis Prime in ''VideoGame/DawnOfTheMonsters'' is a giant superhero highly reminiscent of Ultraman, with a very similar design (basically Ultraman with a different color scheme (though the original red-and-grey can be unlocked) and a little more armor) and a fly-towards-the-camera TransformationSequence. All he's missing is the head crest and forearm beam.
102	* Gigaman of ''VideoGame/GigaBash'' is a blue spandex-clad giant superhero with a similar outfit and powers as Ultraman, although [[FormerlyFit a bit out of shape]].
103	* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'': Kochamara is a giant, multi-colored superhero who supposedly protects the city of Lungfishopolis using the powers of flight and shooting a beam similar to Ultraman's Specium Beam. Key emphasis on the word "supposedly" - [[CorruptedCharacterCopy he's really just a big bully who'll gladly stomp on the city's civilians if they don't throw big enough parades in his honor]].
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Western Animation]]
107	* ''Franchise/Ben10'':
108	** The title character received his powers by bonding with the Omnitrix, a SuperWristGadget which contains the DNA of different alien species and [[TransformationTrinket can transform him into one of them]]. All of his transformations have the green Omnitrix symbol somewhere on their bodies, which after a random period of time will begin flashing red and return him to human form.
109	** One of Ben's strongest alien forms, "Way Big", is a blatant Ultraman stand-in, being a red-and-white giant with its Omnitrix symbol on its chest, and a head fin similar to the original Ultraman. Its powers include {{Flight}} and firing a "cosmic ray" from its arms similar to Ultraman's signature Specium Ray, while its species "Toku'star" is a blatant corruption of "{{Tokusatsu}}". In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'', Way Big's [[SuperMode Ultimate Form]] has a red-white-blue colour scheme similar to ''Series/UltramanTiga'', adds more Ultraman attacks to its arsenal, and even performs a "Rise" to further drive the point.
110	* {{Downplayed}} with Capital G from ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory''. As a size-changing black hero who is a member of the Justice Friends, he more closely resembles Marvel Comics character Bill Foster/Black Goliath. However, his red/blue/white color scheme and goggles, coupled with him turning giant during the episode "Last But Not Beast" to fight the giant monster Badaxtra during the latter's rampage in Japan, give him a faint resemblance to Ultraman.
111	[[/folder]]

Context Main / UltramanCopy