A great find while browsing in a bookstore in Takadanobaba – Japanese magazine Pen Plus’s Ultraman special issue, choked full of of goodness on the country’s most beloved Tokusatsu hero. Like many others I loved Ultraman as a kid but was never a super big fan, but this book is an excellent resource for some great Kaiju (monster) reference material. SHAAA !

(above) A 4 page wide spread listing every Ultraman since its inception. Very informative. ( below ) Discussions on Ultraman’s projectile beams and list of arsenal.

(above and below) Kaiju Galore ! This section I love the most – a list of the 50 most popular Ultraman monsters. That Alien Baltan ie pincer dude ranks at No.1 is no surprise at all I guess.

Some great coverage on the artistic work going on behind the scenes. (below) Concept designs for some of the later Ultraman series. I still love the original one I watched as a kid the most because of its campiness and sense of nostalgia it brings.

At only 780 yen and with such a bonanza of material, what’s not to like ? This is a periodical and might not get a reprint once it is sold out, so act fast if you’re interested.

“Ultraman Special Issue – Pen Plus Magazine” details :

– Dimensions – 28 x 21.6 x 0.6 cm
– Softcover, 106 pages
– Full color, in Japanese language. Comes with a foldout poster featuring cover design.

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