VIZ Media: New ‘ULTRAMAN’ Manga Series To Be Released!

How exciting is this? The new Ultraman manga series in Japan has just been acquired by VIZ Media and will be released domestically this August!

From the press release:

VIZ Media is proud to announce the acquisition of the ULTRAMAN manga series, a new story inspired by the original classic TV show that ran in the late 1960’s! The action-filled adventures of one of Japan’s greatest superheroes will debut this August, updated for a whole new generation of fans and continuing the ULTRAMAN legacy!

 

The new ULTRAMAN will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint; the series currently appears in Japan’s Hero’s magazine. In the new series created by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi, the Earth is at peace, having been saved decades ago from terrifying monsters known as Kaiju when a being known as the Giant of Light joined Shin Hayada to combat the menace. But a new threat is growing in the shadows, a danger that can only be faced by a new kind of hero – a new kind of Ultraman! Shinjiro is an ordinary teen, but when he learns his father, Shin, has passed on the “Ultraman Factor” to him, nothing will ever be the same again!

 

The press release is attached for all the details – please let me know if you have any questions about this quintessential superhero from Japan! Thanks much!

I might have to turn in my nerd cred because I haven’t even touched a single manga since high school, but I will totally break that streak for Ultraman. Also: Wasn’t the original Ultraman’s name Shin Hayato, not Hayada? Or am I just being a dick?

This manga is bound to remain a niche product, but I’m still happy to see it come to American shores and elsewhere. I’m legitimately fascinated how Ultraman has remained a Japanese icon and hasn’t had a big-screen adaptation starring, like, Ryan Reynolds or someone.

In any case, Ultraman will be coming to my nearest comic book shelf and I couldn’t be happier. Let’s listen to that earworm of a theme song, shall we?