Fans in Japan can now write to Ultraman -- and get a reply. Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS
Entrants Will Receive Reply From Ultraman on July 10th!
Source: Tsuburaya Productions press release
Official Site: https://m78-sukagawa.jp/ (Japan)
On Friday, April 28, Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Chairman and CEO: Takayuki Tsukagoshi) began accepting applications for "Letters to Ultraman" (ウルトラマンへの手紙, Urutoraman e no Tegami), a joint project with Sukagawa City in Fukushima Prefecture, the birthplace of director Eiji Tsuburaya. This announcement comes on the heels of the recent extension of the "Sukagawa City M78 Land of Light" (すかがわ市M78光の町, Sukagawa Ichi M78 Hikari no Machi) program that named Sukagawa as the sister city to Ultraman's homeland, the Land of Light in Nebula M78. Sukagawa City is known for its monuments of Ultraman heroes and monsters, the Eiji Tsuburaya Museum, and other Tsuburaya-themed attractions.
Open to subscribers of Tsuburaya's Japanese streaming service TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION , the "Letters" campaign gives fans an opportunity to send a(n online) letter to Ultraman, sharing the feelings and memories of the characters, causes they want to support, and so on. Entrants will receive an email reply from Ultraman on Monday, July 10, known as Ultraman Day.*
The submitted letters will be displayed in a future "Letters to Ultraman" exhibition. Details to be announced at a later date.
■ "Letters to Ultraman" Application Page (Active Friday, April 28 - Monday, June 5, 2023)：https://imagination.m-78.jp/contents/d2ViL05ld3NfMDAzMjQ%3D
■ Sukagawa City Official Website: https://www.city.sukagawa.fukushima.jp/
■ Sukagawa City M78 Town of Light Official Website: https://m78-sukagawa.jp/
The Meteor Box at the Sukagawa Civil Exchange Center. Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS
Tsuburaya and Sukagawa City have also set up the "Meteor Box" (流星ボックス, Ryūsei Bokkusu), a device that connects the Land of Light and Sukagawa City. Fans who post a letter or other item in the box will see a brightly colored light shine and hear Ultraman's voice as their item is delivered to Nebula M78, 3 million light years away.
This year's "Meteor Box" project invites visitors to send an "Imagination Letter" to themselves five years from now. They can make a pledge to Ultraman to encourage themselves and others, drop their letter in the box and, five years later, they will receive a letter with a message from Ultraman. The special "Imagination Letter" forms are available at the "Meteor Box" mailing location. Addiitional details can be found at https://m78-sukagawa.jp/present/quiz/2023_meteorbox.php (Japanese language only).
■ "Meteor Box" Mailing Location
Sukagawa Civil Exchange Center TETTE
Hikari no Machi Hiroba
4-1 Naka-machi, Sukagawa City, Fukushima Prefecture
須賀川市民交流センターtette
ひかりのまちひろば
福島県須賀川市中町4-1
* ■ What is "Ultraman Day" on July 10?
In 1966, on July 10, one week before the first episode of ULTRAMAN - ULTRA OPERATION NO. 1 (ウルトラ作戦第一号, Urutora Dakusen Dai Ichigō) -- was broadcast on July 17, a program called THE BIRTH OF ULTRAMAN — ULTRAMAN Pre-Premiere Special (ウルトラマン前夜祭ウルトラマン誕生, Urutoraman Zenyasai Urutoraman Tanjō) aired, featuring Ultraman, Ultra Kaiju, the members of the Science Special Search Party, and Eiji Tsuburaya, the creator of Ultraman, on stage before a live studio audience.
Now known as "Ultraman Day," July 10 marks the memorable day when Ultraman first appeared on TV for the first time.
©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS
About Tsuburaya Productions
Tsuburaya Productions, creator and copyrights owner of the superhero ULTRAMAN series was founded in 1963 by Eiji Tsuburaya, world-renowned special effects wizard also known for his special effects work on the Godzilla series. With more than fifty years’ experience, it is one of Japan’s oldest and most respected independent film and television production houses. Its popular Ultraman TV and film series which premiered in 1966 has been seen in over 100 territories worldwide and has spawned over 3,000 licensed products. In addition to production, the company also handles character licensing and program distribution and staging live stage shows both domestically and internationally.