Ultraman is home to many favourite iconic monsters and aliens from its early series. Some of these appeared in Shin Ultraman, but one was absent, one that for many is the most iconic of all the original series aliens. So today before our October season starts, let us look to the first appearance of the Baltans!
Shoot the Invader is the second episode of the original series (Sgathaich: Ultraman, Ultra Operation No.1 ) and opens up with a bit of 4th wall breaking as Ide starts telling the viewers how he got his black eye. Flashing back we eventually get to Arashi investigating a building after a UFO was sighted. It’s quite a sinister moment. A silent building discovering people frozen and coloured green. No sound but his footsteps as he goes up the stairs. Then suddenly as he’s part ways up a strange noise and a strange alien with yellow eyes and pincer claw like arms suddenly appears at the bottom of it looking at him. These are the Baltans, the first human sized aliens to appear in an Ultraman series (not the first aliens in an Ultra series as some did appear in Ultra Q). As Arashi turns to point his gun it vanishes from sight, only to appear in front of him above the stairs firing a red beam freezing him in green like the rest. Then after some strange unearthly movements comes the signature Baltan laugh.
With an introduction like that you can see how they became an iconic part of the series. Essentially they are viewed to Ultraman as we would view the Daleks to Dr Who. Only they did eventually stop using them and since Ultraman Max have not had a spotlight episode, only appearing in live stage appearances and group shots with multiple monsters. One day I would like them to reappear but I understand the reasons they haven’t had a major appearance for a while.
Anyway it’s up to Hayata aka Ultraman (he’s confusing on who’s who, this is one of those series that is kind of vague on the status between Ultra and host). To try and find out what the Baltans are here for and potentially stop them. The ending is quite controversial in that regard as people analyse what happens, and I don’t mean the explanation of Ide’s black eye.
Still the Baltans would end up reappearing more times in the original series, which no other alien did, and would appear other times in the Showa Era and later Heisei but as mentioned before have had no major appearances in over a decade.
Fun detail in retellings and reimaginings of the original series, Baltans would end up being recast as the main antagonist, not Shin though so this episode has quite a bit of importance to the franchise, being up there with, in my continued parallels between Dr Who and Ultraman, the Daleks. Popular Alien race looking clearly not human, first appeared in the second story and then appeared again later with that same lead. Even down to them more being a race rather than an individual character.
Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍