Fantasia goes beyond a documentary screening, transforming The Origin of Ultraman into a one-night celebration honoring six decades of Japan’s greatest superhero.
July 17 marks the original broadcast date of Ultraman, which first debuted 60 years ago. To celebrate the anniversary, Fantasia hosted the Canadian premiere of The Origin of Ultraman—which had only opened in Japan on July 3—and turned the screening into an unexpectedly special evening for tokusatsu fans.
What made the event so memorable is that it wasn’t even advertised as such. During his introduction, Animation Plus Festival Director Rupert Bottenberg casually revealed that the screening would become a mini celebration of Ultraman’s legacy. As someone who can never pass up the chance to experience anything Ultra with a crowd, I couldn’t have been happier to be there.
You can see the screening intro below:
Produced by Toho NEXT and Tsuburaya Productions, The Origin of Ultraman is part historical retrospective and part love letter to one of Japan’s most enduring pop culture icons. It chronicles the creation of the original 1966 series while weaving in interviews with an impressive lineup of admirers, including Hideo Kojima, Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi, Guillermo del Toro, and Nicolas Winding Refn. Refn was also in attendance to introduce the documentary alongside Ultra director Takeshi Yagi, whose Ultraman résumé includes Ultraman Nexus, Ultraman Gaia: Once Again Gaia, and Ultraseven X.
Being an official Tsuburaya production, the documentary naturally plays things safe and remains firmly family-friendly. That’s hardly a criticism—it’s clearly made for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Rather than chasing controversy, it leans into the nostalgia that has kept Ultraman alive for six decades, inviting these filmmakers and creators to reflect on their first encounters with the giant hero and the values he instilled in them.
I could honestly watch Guillermo del Toro talk about tokusatsu for hours. His infectious enthusiasm is impossible not to smile at as he recalls how Ultraman and the genre fundamentally shaped his imagination, leaving fingerprints on nearly everything he’s created since. His heartfelt appreciation becomes the emotional core of the documentary, and no one wears their love for Ultraman more openly.
Then there’s Hideaki Anno, whose contribution lands at the complete opposite end of the emotional spectrum. The legendary Evangelion creator jokingly laments what he calls “the curse of Ultraman,” arguing that the series influenced him so profoundly that everything he creates feels derivative. At one point he even suggests that Neon Genesis Evangelion is essentially a remake of Ultraman. It’s an amusingly self-critical take—one that’s quintessentially Anno. While I don’t agree with his assessment, his relentless tendency to second-guess himself feels strangely fitting coming from the creator of Shinji Ikari.
For viewers just discovering Ultraman, the documentary offers an excellent primer on the production of the original series, its groundbreaking design work, and the surviving cast and crew who helped bring the Giant of Light to life. But what elevates The Origin of Ultraman beyond a standard making-of documentary are its interviews. They’re not simply celebrity cameos; they’re heartfelt testimonials illustrating how Ultraman became a universal symbol of hope whose influence spans generations and continents. It’s a fascinating reminder that fandom can transcend borders, inspiring artists who would go on to shape global pop culture in their own right.
Informative, nostalgic, and deeply heartfelt, The Origin of Ultraman is essential viewing for both lifelong Ultra fans and anyone curious about why this silver-and-red giant remains one of Japan’s greatest cultural icons.
But the documentary was only half the evening.
After the screening, Takeshi Yagi returned to the stage for a personal presentation reflecting on what Ultraman has meant to him, both as a lifelong fan and as someone fortunate enough to work within the franchise. He spoke passionately about the enduring optimism at the heart of Ultraman and how that message of hope continues to resonate with every new generation of children who discover the series.
You can watch the presentation below:
To cap off the celebration, Fantasia screened the very first episode of Ultraman—”Ultra Operation No. 1″—exactly as audiences would have experienced it when it originally aired on Japanese television 60 years ago.
It was the perfect ending to a wonderful tribute, and I have to applaud Fantasia for going above and beyond. They didn’t just screen a documentary—they created an event, giving Ultraman fans a chance to celebrate six decades of one of tokusatsu’s greatest heroes together in a packed theater. As an Ultra fan, it was an unforgettable evening.
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I’m very glad you enjoyed both the screening and the presentation. Thank you for being part of this special celebration at Fantasia!