This holiday season, we’ve been getting cozy with the Ultraman Yuletide Collection from Alliance Home Entertainment. Just in time for a winter binge, Alliance has given us the gift of nine Ultraman holiday episodes wrapped up in one all-encompassing Blu-ray!
The Blu-Ray set also comes with a special stocking stuffer: An Ultraman Card Game promo! A special promo has been produced for this — Ultraman Mebius, who is himself featured in the collection!
Complete with English subtitles, The Ultraman Yuletide Collection features nearly four hours of festive stories from seven different Ultraman series, each with their own iconic moments.
We start off with more of the chill of winter than the magic of the season with Episode 37 from Return of Ultraman, ‘Ultraman Dies at Sunset’. The episode takes no prisoners, boldly depicting unexpected deaths and Ultraman Jack’s brutal defeat by Alien Nackle. Not quite the typical hot-cocoa-mistletoe-moment, but it is the first ever Ultraman Christmas episode- And what are the holidays without the reminder of sacrifice anyways?
The Ultraman Ace selection, ‘Resurrection! Father of Ultra,’ strikes more of a traditional beat for the season, though no less intense. When the Namahage, an oni famous in folklore for punishing naughty children during the New Year season, becomes enraged by the popularity of Christmas in Japan, its loathing for the foreign holiday leads to using the Terrible-Beast Snowgiran to cause chaos and blind the people of Tokyo. This episode, however, maintains the bright holiday spirit throughout and even ends with a visit from the jolly red saint himself… That is, Father of Ultra!
Revenge is a dish best served cold in ‘The Ultra Christmas Tree’, Ultraman Taro Episode 28. Kotaro, Taro’s host, is faced with the reality of his battles’ collateral damage when he witnesses a young struggle with the aftermath of her parents’ death. Alien Miracle had bestowed a crystal ball upon the girl, allowing her to see her family in glimpses, but an evil alien whose name has to be seen to be believed has taken even the friendly alien from her as well. Kotaro must vindicate her, and remind us of the importance of gratitude, and fighting to protect the honor of our loved ones.
Sometimes, however, looking out for your family can lead to battling your allies. The holidays can be a time of tension and in Ultraman Leo episodes 38 and 39, we see that in full force. The Ultra Key, one of the mightiest weapons of the Land of Light, has been stolen, throwing the home of the Ultras off its orbit and sending it on a collision course with Earth.
The Ultra Brothers accuse Leo’s long-lost brother Astra of the crime, pitting the newest protector of Earth against his forebears. Is there anything more traditionally holiday-coded than having to defend loved ones from big accusations in front of everyone? (Or is that more of a Thanksgiving thing…?)
With even more entries from these series, as well as episodes from Ultraman 80, Ultraman Max, and Ultraman Mebius, the Ultraman Yuletide Collection from Alliance Home Entertainment is the perfect holiday package to turn into an annual tradition. Be the best gift-giver to your fellow Tokusatsu-appreciator or simply treat yourself to the first ever Blu-Ray anthology of Ultraman’s most seasonal adventures. Buy it here! And happy holidays from Ultraman Connection!
