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The Lawless Monster Zone (怪獣無法地帯, - Kaijū Muhō Chitai) is the 8th episode of the series, Ultraman. This episode aired on September 4th, 1966. This episode is also notable for featuring the debut of the monster, Red King.
Synopsis
Contact has been lost with a meteorological station on a distant Pacific island. When the Science Patrol investigates, they encounter a lone survivor, and an Island filled with Monsters.
Plot
Tatara Island, an island that has remained closed for 2 and 1/2 years due to Volcanic Eruptions all over the Island, re-opens its observatory for Scientific Research. Four Observers are sent to the Observatory to further re-open Tatara Island, but after 10 days pass without any contact from the observers with no explanation, the Science Patrol is sent to explore Tatara Island and find the Observers, fearing that an accident has occurred on the Island. Shortly before arriving, two monsters are seen in battle: A Greenish Monster named "Red King" and a Bat-Like Monster named "Chandrah." The two monsters were fighting fiercely, but while Chandrah was able to draw blood from biting Red King's shoulder, Red King was the more superior opponent, and he demonstrated by tearing off one of Chandrah's wings, forcing the mortally injured Chandrah to flee the scene, unable to continue fighting. Red King further mocked his opponent by sadistically hurling both Chandrah's own wing and a boulder at the poor monster, and even frightened away and tiny and weaker 3rd monster known as "Magular." As Red King gloats in victory, the Science Patrol arrives on Tatara Island and nearly engaged Red King in battle. But because their primary objective is to rescue the Observers, they leave Red King alone so as to not provoke the Monster.
Arriving at their location, the Science Patrol discovers that the Observatory is in ruins and no one is found. Believing that the Observers must have dispersed all over the island, the team splits up into groups. Arashi, Ide, and Fuji explore the Island's jungle to look for any signs of life, but they are unsuccessful. Suddenly as they are searching, they are all attacked by enormous Green Vines that ensnare Fuji and Ide! Luckily, Arashi manages to burn down the vines with the Spider Shot, freeing Ide and Fuji and allowing them to escape before more of them could attack. Meanwhile as Hayata and Captain Mura explore the Island's valley to look for signs of life, they too are attacked, this time by the returning appearance of Magular! Luckily Hayata and the Captain were able to fend for themselves too, and the two Science Patrol members attacked Magular by hurling some Napalm Bombs at the Monster's head, mortally wounding the Monster. Before dying however, Magular struck Hayata with his tail just as he was throwing his Napalm Bomb, which knocked him off a cliff and into a gorge, knocking Hayata unconscious!
Meanwhile as Arashi, Ide, and Fuji continue searching, Fuji stops to rest for walking for too long. As she stops to drink though, the 3 of them witness the appearance of a tiny red Monster that's watching them. As the group prepares to attack though, the red Monster drops some belongings and takes off. Learning that the belongings come from Mr. Matsui, one of the Observers, the group decides to follow after the red Monster instead of attack it. The Red Monster leads the group to a small cave near a valley, where the 3 of them discover Mr. Matsui himself, hurt but still alive! As Mr. Matsui awakens, he recounts his experience on Tatara Island. When the Observers arrived on the Island to conduct research, their Observatory was quickly ravaged by the abundant Monsters all over the Island. Eventually, all of the Observers were killed, while Mr. Matsui himself was rescued and taken care of by the tiny red Monster, named "Pigmon."
Suddenly just as Arashi goes to congratulate Pigmon for taking care of Mr. Matsui, Red King suddenly returns and attacks the Science Patrol as well! Arashi and Ide try their best of fend off the Monster with their weapons, but Red King's brutish nature and tough hide makes their efforts futile. Even Pigmon tried to distract Red King to help the Science Patrol, but the heroic Monster's efforts were in vain, and in a cruel twist, Red King attacked Pigmon by hurling some boulders at him, causing a landslide than struck and tragically killed Pigmon. Alerting Captain Mura of Red King's attack, Mura leaves Hayata so that he can join his fellow members in fighting off the Monster, while Hayata himself is left to retrieve his Beta Capsule, which is caught behind too large boulders. Luckily, Hayata manages to retrieve his device, and using it, he transforms into Ultraman! Rejuvenated, Ultraman flies off to fight Red King. Unlike his previous foes, Red King was no match for Ultraman's power as the hero swung Red King around multiple times by the Monster's neck until finally, Ultraman threw Red King one last time, this time over his shoulder by his neck, snapping it and killing the Monster both at the same time.
Later that day, a memorial is held by Mr. Matsui and the Science Patrol for the Observers who's lives were lost on Tatara Island: Sasaki, Kawada, and Fujita.
Cast
- Kōji Ishizaka as the Narrator
- Susumu Kurobe as Shin Hayata
- Akiji Kobayashi as Captain Toshio Muramatsu
- Sandayū Dokumamushi as Daisuke Arashi
- Masanari Nihei as Mitsuhiro Ide
- Hiroko Sakurai as Akiko Fuji
Special Guests
- Asao Matsumoto as Mr. Matsui
- Masaaki Umemoto as Tatara Weather Service Employee
- Shinya Kashima as a Central Meteorological Observatory Staff (voice-over)
Suit Actors
- Bin "Satoshi" Furuya as Ultraman
- Teruo Aragaki as Red King
- Seino Yukihiro as Chandrah
- Izumi Umenosuke as Magular
- Fujita Shuji as Pigmon
Notes
- Despite being the 8th episode of the series, this was the 6th episode to be made during production.
- This episode features the debut of the monster, Red King.
- With the exception of Pigmon, none of the Monsters' names are ever mentioned at all in the episode.
- Red King is the only monster in this episode whose costume was newly made (with the exception of Suflan.) Chandrah was disguised from the Peguila suit, Magular was disguised from the Neronga suit, and Pigmon was disguised from the Garamon suit.
Errors
- When Pigmon is killed by Red King, Ide shouts out the Monster's name, even though Pigmon's name was never mentioned at all throughout the episode.
- Depending on how well the picture quality or aspect ratio of the episode is available or being viewed in, if one looks closely in the top left corner of the screen right when Ultraman slams Red King for the last time. A piece of the background set is seen going off set for a very brief moment.