"Because I was a true weakling. Recklessness is something only those who have been bullied to the point of having nowhere left to run can do. As long as there’s an escape, people will keep running."
- ―Minami's conversation with Go, Leaving My Home Planet Earth.
Takeshi Minami is one of the main characters from Return of Ultraman. He is a vice-captain of MAT and is designated as MAT member No.2.
Unfortunately and bizarrely, Minami is shockingly closed-minded for someone in his position, scoffing at monster reports for arbitrary reasons like assuming they must be jokes or myths in spite of the fantastical monsters and aliens he has to fight.
History
Return of Ultraman
In the past, Minami grew up in a small village in Nagano Prefecture. He was reportedly called a "little rascal" and was a child who was bullied by his peers and looked down upon by others. However, one day, a bear appeared in the village. To prove his courage, Minami took a hunting rifle from a neighbor's house and confronted the bear. However, when he came face-to-face with the bear, he was so frightened that he couldn’t move, and the situation was ultimately resolved by a hunter. Despite this, the incident helped Minami build confidence and a determination that any problem can be solved if you set your mind to it. Those who had bullied him in the past also changed their view of Minami because of this event.
As an adult, he earned a 5th Dan in Judo and became an Olympic gold medalist in shooting. Due to his past experiences, he usually takes the initiative to stop any bullying he witnesses.
After joining MAT, Minami has taken on the role of looking after the team members, especially the new recruit Hideki Go, with whom he maintains a good friendship. In missions, he places great importance on teamwork and strives to balance listening to the opinions of other members before taking action.
One day, Go was in his room working on a model of the MAT Arrow 2. It was a birthday gift for Jiro, whose birthday was the next day. As Minami passed by, he noticed Go's project and offered to help with the final painting, knowing how much effort Go had put into the model.
Shortly after, Captain Kato arrived to inform Go that their planned day off for the next day would be postponed. Go and Minami were to head to the MAT Technical Bureau in New York to retrieve a newly developed monster detector, the Monster Sonar. However, since Minami’s flying hours for the week had already exceeded the limit, he was ordered to stay on ground duty. Disappointed that he might miss Jiro's birthday, Go reluctantly accepted the assignment. The next day, Minami, acting on his own initiative, took the MAT Arrow 2 to New York to collect the Monster Sonar, without informing Captain Kato or Go. When he returned, Captain Kato smiled as he issued Minami a one-month travel restriction but refrained from serious reprimand, recognizing Minami's loyalty to his teammates.
While returning from the mission, Minami’s MAT Arrow 2 encountered a mysterious phenomenon, causing the aircraft to lose control and communication with the base. Captain Kato immediately dispatched the MAT Gyro to search for him. Meanwhile, Go, who had been on leave, returned to assist. With all other aircraft undergoing maintenance, Go worked alongside the repair crew to quickly prepare the MAT Arrow 1 for deployment.
Minami’s damaged MAT Arrow 2 crash-landed on an uninhabited island, where he was aided by a team of young researchers studying underwater resources. They informed Minami about strange sounds resembling monster roars coming from nearby rocky hills. Despite being injured, Minami assured them that investigating monsters was his specialty. With the Monster Sonar in hand, he joined the researchers to locate the source of the sound. They soon discovered that the eerie roar was actually the wind blowing through cracks in a cave. However, an earthquake suddenly collapsed part of the cave, triggering a reaction from the Monster Sonar. Moments later, a slumbering monster awoke, emerging from the rubble before their eyes.
Minami and the researchers returned to their base, where they decided to seal off the cave using dynamite intended for geological surveys. Before the operation could begin, Minami collapsed, having contracted tetanus. The researchers used the damaged MAT Arrow 2’s radio to send an SOS signal to MAT headquarters.
Back at MAT, Go completed repairs on the MAT Arrow 1 and received the urgent call. With a tetanus serum prepared, Go volunteered for the rescue mission, knowing he had enough fuel for only a one-way trip. On the island, the researchers attempted to seal the cave, but the monster, Dangar, burst through the rock layers and surfaced. Go arrived just in time to engage the monster in battle, but his fuel ran out, forcing the MAT Arrow 1 to crash-land. As Dangar closed in, Go was immobilized while trying to deliver the serum. In a desperate move, he transformed into Ultraman Jack, engaging Dangar in a fierce battle and ultimately defeating the monster.
After the fight, Go successfully administered the tetanus serum to Minami. However, the island began to fissure and emit thick smoke, creating a perilous situation. Captain Kato and the rest of the MAT team arrived in the MAT Gyro just in time, rescuing Minami, Go, and the researchers. Though the mission was fraught with danger, it showcased the team’s unyielding determination to protect one another.[1]Monster Island S.O.S
During another mission, MAT received reports of underground disturbances in Aino Village, Gunma Prefecture, a region known for its sand and gravel production. The unusual phenomenon of sand and concrete materials suddenly flying into space prompted Minami and Go to investigate. Upon arriving, Minami was reminded of similar scenes from his own hometown.
Aino Village had been displaced due to tectonic movements, causing the terrain to shift dramatically and previously unseen rocks to emerge. Suddenly, an earthquake struck, and the monster "Zagoras" appeared, attacking the village elementary school before vanishing. Minami and his team collected samples of the newly surfaced rocks for analysis and discovered they were meteorites originating from the legendary Planet Zagoras.
MAT quickly established a command center in the village and briefed local representatives. They revealed that Aino Village was situated on a massive meteorite from Planet Zagoras, approximately 3 kilometers in diameter. As Planet Zagoras drew closer to Earth, the meteorite was being pulled toward it. Without intervention, the entire village would be dragged into space. MAT began evacuating the villagers. However, a boy named Rokuzo stole a MAT weapon, the MAT Gun, from the command center, determined to fight Zagoras on his own. Minami and Go searched for Rokuzo and discovered that he was a lonely child who had lost his father and whose mother worked far away. He was often bullied by classmates and neglected by teachers, earning him the nickname "little rascal."
Moved by Rokuzo's courage and reminded of his own past struggles, Minami decided to take the boy with him to confront Zagoras. When Zagoras reappeared, Minami and Go split into two teams, with Rokuzo joining Minami in the fight. However, the enraged Zagoras caused the ground to collapse, trapping Minami and Rokuzo. Ultraman Jack engaged Zagoras in battle, but as the conflict escalated, the meteorite beneath the village began to rise into space, with Minami and Rokuzo still on it. Clinging to a tree for safety, the two were eventually thrown into the air when the tree snapped. Acting swiftly, Ultraman Jack created a protective barrier to save them and managed to knock Zagoras into the meteorite, ultimately defeating the monster. Afterwards, through his encounter with Minami, Rokuzo found new hope and regained his smile.[2]Leaving My Home Planet Earth
During the final battle, he and the other members resisted Zetton II's attacks. At that moment, Alien Bat, realizing that MAT was not at the base, attacked the MAT headquarters, destroying all the core nuclear reactors of the facility. While Go piloted the MAT Arrow 1 to attack Zetton II, MAT split into two groups, with Minami and other members providing support from the ground.
With the help of MAT, Ultraman launched a counterattack. After an intense battle, he successfully defeated Alien Bat and Zetton II. Although MAT triumphed over their formidable foes, Go disappeared. All the MAT members mourned for Go at the shore before leaving the scene.The Five Oaths of Ultra
Gallery
Return of Ultraman
Miscellaneous
Trivia
- Shunsuke Ikeda initially confirmed his role as Minami through discussions with the manager and Hajime Tsuburaya. He was originally one of the candidates for the role of Hideki Go.
- The original MAT helmet worn by Minami during the series' filming has been preserved and was displayed at the Tokusatsu DNA: ULTRAMAN Genealogy Exhibition in 2020.[3][4]
References