While Powered was the final foreign production for quite some time (due to it’s failure as well as the decades long lawsuit with Chaiyo), there was one last minor collaboration Tsuburaya did.
In 2014, Tsuburaya would go on to create a brand new Ultraman character for the Malaysian market-Ultraman Ribut. Rather than debuting in a new show, the character showed up in the Malaysian children’s show Upin & Ipin in two different episodes. Ribut eventually would show up to the delight of fans worldwide in 2019’s Ultra Galaxy Fight: New Generation Heroes. As the final stop on our journey through the foreign adventures of the Ultras, let’s take a look at some of Ribut’s old sparring partners.
KILAT
The first monster Ribut battles is Kilat, a Baltan-styled alien invader. Kilat’s a decent design and totally looks like something that I could see show up in one of the live-action entries. I dig the crazy amounts of colors he’s got on him, and that head made up of nozzles and holes. I will say the hands, uh, maybe look a tad questionable…
RAKASA HALLINTAR
The second kaiju we see Ribut right is a more traditional reptilian beast, but he’s pretty solid all things considered. Hallintar really looks like an updated Neronga, almost as if he was some hypothetical Ultimate Hero version of the character. I dig those four antlers he’s got on his head, giving him some bug vibes and making him look tough.
RAKASA BAYANG
The final monster Ribut faces is the colossal Bayang, a monster who is enough of a threat to have his own episode and not share it with any other kaiju, unlike the last two we’ve seen. Bayang is a more supernatural creature, as the monster steals people’s shadows, making them lethargic husks. With each shadow he consumes, Bayang grows larger and larger, making him a pretty decent final boss if you wanna count him as that. I think he’s got a nice design, with the silver, armored components contrast well with the shadowy body he’s got, and I dig the horned head he has, almost if he’s like a metallic demon version of Gomora.
As you can see, the Ultra series has had a varied and interesting history outside of Japan in the past, and as Tsuburaya pushes towards global expansion during this decade, I can imagine we’ll be seeing more foreign adventures of the Ultras. Marvel comics is already preparing a new comic book, Rise of Ultraman for fall 2020 and who knows what surprises that will bring. We live in an age where it’s easier now to connect with people who share our passions around the world. This Ultraman Day, let us remember the past foreign excursions, as well as celebrate what the future holds for fans across the globe. I have a feeling it’ll be a new and exciting era as we look towards the future.
Happy Ultraman Day to all fans across this blue planet.
Easter's Kaiju Kompendium 