Suburban Senshi Chat #1733 - “Sailor Q's Ultra World #6: The Secret of Miroganda”
#1733 “Sailor Q's Ultra World #6: The Secret of Miroganda”
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Hello everyone! Sailor Q here (and hopefully not late again... I'M LOOKING AT YOU X!!!!) once more your guide to the fabulous world of Ultra! Today's episode is episode number 5 ala "The Secret of Miroganda", originally shown on August 14th, 1966! Let's get to it!!!!!!
We open up our story with...CAR!!!!! CAAAAR! Err...I mean someone driving a car in the middle of the night. After it crashes, we learn it isn't because of a late evening's party but because of apparently the big green rubber thing that attacks and eats him soon after. Ah...only in Japan, am I right? After green slime is apparently poured on the camera lens, we cut to a scientist working late in his lab. This guy is also attacked by the thing that looks a heck of a lot like something I'd find in my mother's fridge and cue death and green slime camera! Meanwhile, at the Science Patrol HQ, our heroes are investigating these mysterious deaths. Arashi and Ide are sent out to check out the lab of the first man killed. The captain and Hayata in the meantime check out the car of the not-drunk guy and find green slime everywhere.
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| "One too many tequilas I'd say..." |
Arashi and Ide soon arrive at the home of the dead scientist who apparently was famous for doing something to vegetables. What things you might ask? Why, he's growing giant carrots to feed the rabbits from Night of the Lupus...I mean he's doing it to solve world hunger. How is he accomplishing this? With RADIATION!!! As we all know, radiation can do anything. The professor apparently went with a group to an island, bringing back a beautiful flower. Guess what? The flower is missing! Back to the captain and Hayata, they bring a sample of the green slime to one Professor Iwamoto (canned applause), who determines the green stuff is animal mucus. Ewwwwww....However, its green which means that it's from a plant. Hm...I wonder if that has anything to do the professor who puts Gregor Mandel to shame. They then get a call saying another member of the island team has been attacked and one green slime camera later....we're back to Professor Iwamoto (canned applause) telling them that it has both animal and veggie stuff in it as well as radiation! Hey...do you think that one guy irradiated the flower turning into mister green thing? This gets Arashi so excited that he injuries Ide....again. After a monologue by Ide about how carrots should stay small and tiny, he comes to the conclusion that the killer is one of the remaining members of the island group...even though all the evidence points to some sort of monster. They go to meet the last member, a photographer, who explains everything that happened on the island in sepia tone. While on the island, the photographer spotted the beautiful flower and as soon as she went to take a picture, was attacked by the green thing. The other members managed to kill the creature who they realized was just protecting the watering hole. The Science Patrol comes to the conclusion that the green thing is a younger version of the flower and that the radiation somehow devolved the flower back into the monster....wow...that's just...wow. Anyway! They decide to stay and protect photographer from inevitable death.
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| When brussel sprouts attack! |
This is a good thing cause the monster attacks soon after this but Arashi is there and after wrestling with it a bit, the team shoots it down! That was quick. Unfortunately, Professor Iwamoto (canned applause) tells the group that the shot might actually have made it grow bigger! Good work guys! As you can guess, the plant monster shows up again, this time huge and attacking Tokyo. Arashi as usual jumps into the fray and is completely useless. The others soon join in with the shooting, which again doesn't really work. Finally Hayata transforms into Ultraman, which should surprise the Science Patrol more than it does since in the last episode they saw him apparently blow up!
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| The Creeping Terror attacks Japan |
Ultraman fights against the monster for a bit, buildings getting destroyed in the process including a church or a clock...or a church clock...of all things! The monster tries to get Ultraman with its spray attack but Ultraman manages to hit the creature with his Specium Ray which burns the thing up real good! We end our story with the sight of the ashes of the creature blowing away in the wind. HAPPY ENDING!
Sailor Q's Thoughts
For all the weird science going on in the story, "The Secret of Miroganda" is actually a pretty solid episode. The entire thing is shot in a way that gives much of the story (at least early on) an eerie feeling to it. This is accomplished through night shots as well the creepy music courtesy of Kunio Miyauchi. The episode is also helped by the presence of two major guest stars. Professor Iwamoto, who would become a reoccurring character for the series, was portrayed in the episode by well known actor Akihiko Hirata, who might be better known as the eye patch wearing Doctor Serizawa in the original Godzilla film as well as numerous appearances in other movies in that franchise. In the role of the photographer is Mie Hama, an actress who appeared in films such as King Kong vs. Godzilla, Key of Keys (also known in the US as What's up, Tiger Lily?) as well as the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Overall the episode is one that has a strong atmospheric beginning and end with a solid cast to carry it through.
What you learn from Ultraman
Radiation can do anything! ANYTHING!!
Shooting plant monsters will make them grow unless you are a giant alien superhero then they just burn.
Next Week! We follow Hoshino and his friends on a magical journey on the docks involving giant floating cocoa bean eating lizard monsters, diamond smugglers and crusty old sailors. Next time! Episode 6 "Coast Guard Orders"! Seeya then!
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