Vanished Time is the fifth episode of Ultraseven.
Synopsis
A supersonic jet leaves the Ultra Guard Science Center in Antarctica with renowned scientist, Dr. Yushima. aboard. Heading for Japan to the Ultra Guard command center, the jet inexplicably freezes in the air; momentarily caught in some bizarre beam. Upon his arrival, agent Furuhashi is assigned as Dr. Yushima's bodyguard. What's unknown to the Ultra Guard is that Dr. Yushima is being used as a vessel for the Alien Villa, a race of beings with the intent of conquering the entire universe.
Cast
- Dan Moroboshi/Ultraseven : Kohji Moritsugu
- Anne Yuri : Yuriko Hishimi
- Shigeru Furuhashi : Sandayu Dokumamushi
- Kaoru Kiriyama : Shoji Nakayama
- Soga : Shinsuke Achiha
- Amagi : Bin Furuya
- Yamaoka : Susumu Fujita
- Ueno : Yoshio Katsube
Guest Actors
- Dr. Yushima : Koichi Yamamoto
- SST Pilot : Rinsaku Ogata
- SST Crew Member :
- Shigeo Kato
- Kenichiro Maruyama
Voice Actors
- Alien Villa : Mahito Tsujimura
- Narrator : Hikaru Urano
Suit Actors
- Ultraseven : Koji Uenishi
Appearances
Ultras
Kaiju
Home Media
- Ultraseven Volume 2 features episode 5-8.
1999 release
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2009 version
Trivia
- This episode was actually the sixth produced after the official start of the series' filming.
- This episode had three scripts, including an early draft and two final drafts, with some differences in the storyline compared to the final version:
- In the first script, additional background was given for Dr. Yushima, describing him as a "remarkable genius." At 29, he had earned five doctoral degrees. He was also an all-around athlete, an amateur featherweight boxing champion, a sprinter with a 10-second 100-meter time, and a skilled rifle shooter. The script even included a scene where Dr. Yushima escapes at high speed, and when Dan catches up to him, Dr. Yushima adopts a boxing stance to fight back.
- In the same version, three men wearing strange space suits surround Dr. Yushima, placing a "mechanical device" resembling a metal helmet on his head. Another scene showed Dan and Anne patrolling, with Anne saying, "The alien invasion is just the chief being overly cautious, right?" Dan responds, "Well, we can't be sure yet." Anne then replies, "Dan, take a break. Look at the moon; it's so beautiful and romantic..."
- In the final draft and final draft 2, one segment involved a conversation between Dan and Dr. Yushima while Dr. Yushima was on the Pointer. When Dan and Anne greet Dr. Yushima, Anne asks, "Did you sleep well last night, Doctor?" Dan remarks, "I wonder what kind of dreams a brilliant scientist like you has?" Dr. Yushima replies, "Oh, just the usual boring dreams. Actually, last night I dreamt of aliens. One alien had infiltrated TDF and was interfering with my work." Dan is shocked by this revelation, his expression changing instantly.[2][3]
- This dialogue was cut in the final edit, but Dan's monologue in the car, "Why would he say something like that?" remained unchanged from the original script, causing a narrative inconsistency.
- According to an interview with Koichi Yamamoto who played Dr. Yushima by Yoichi Iwasa:[4]
- Yamamoto recalled his role in Ultraseven but mentioned that since it had been over 20 years (the interview took place in the 1980s), he didn't remember the filming process clearly. He did, however, remember a scene where he spoke with an alien resembling a shrimp (Alien Villa). The alien would issue orders via a TV screen, but since the alien was added in post-production, Yamamoto had to speak his lines in front of a blank TV screen. He described the experience as quite surreal.
References