The essential episodes of Ultra Q
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Ultra Q — each pick states its reason.
- 01
While mining a train tunnel between Tokyo & Osaka, a construction crew unearths a strange object from within a huge underground cavern. Unable to identify the object, Jun and Yuriko venture into the tunnel to further investigate. In the meantime, Ippei and a reporter, with the help of a young boy named Liro, discover that the object is the egg of the giant bird called Litra. According to ancient legend, when Litra's egg is found, the giant monster Gomess will appear to destroy the Earth and consequently, Litra will rise up to defend against it.
- 02
When Jun and Yuriko sight a UFO, it is discovered to be a lost space capsule that has returned to Earth after a trip to Mars. The unmanned capsule is found to contain two small gold spheres. Before the objects can be scientifically identified, however, they are stolen by a thief who mistakes them for real gold.
- 03
Acting as a special correspondent for the Daily News, Jun travels to Japan's base at the South Pole. Once there, he learns about the mysterious disappearance of staff member Nomura three years ago, an incident that is made more intriguing by a passage in Nomura's journal which refers to the unknown entity, "Peguila". Yoko Kuhara, staff physician and Nomura's fiance, is also stationed at the base and remains optimistic that they will find the missing Nomura. Soon, strange disturbances begin to take place, as well as a dramatic drop in the region's temperature.
- 04
A young boy named Taro develops a curious preoccupation with his pet turtle named Gameron, to whom he constantly encourages to grow. After getting into trouble for bringing his turtle to school and neglecting his studies, Taro winds up in the company of two bumbling gangsters as they flee from the authorities. While hiding out in the sewer, Taro is delighted to find that his turtle has suddenly grown to 99 cm in length. The sight of the giant turtle, however, frightens the gangsters into the welcoming arms of the police. Assuming that Taro had been kidnapped by the two thieves, the authorities return to collect the boy, who is nowhere to be found.
- 05
When Yuriko investigates increased volcanic activity in the Mt. Fuji area, she learns the story of a modern-day Tarzan named Takeru, who is rumored to live in the region's dense woods since becoming lost within them 15 years ago. Meanwhile underground volcanic energy creates boiling temperatures in a lake at the foot of the mountain and a huge boulder erupts from the waters. Because the rock obstructs a main travel route, it is blasted apart with dynamite and the pieces are transported back into the forest. At one night, the pieces collect around a strange luminescent rock, creating an enormous rock monster called Gorgos that lives and breathes like an animal.
- 06
The Underground Super Express Goes West
Yuriko and Ippei are passangers on the inaugural voyage of the Inazuma; a futuristic bullet train leaving New Tokyo Station for North Kyushu. Mistaking it for Yuriko's case, Ippei accidently brings along the high-pressure container which houses Dr. Aikawa's artifical lifeforrn, M1.
- 07
A mysterious lifeform adheres to the rocketship Saturn I on its return trip following the exploration of Saturn. The alien creature absorbs the rocket's energy, causing it to crash into the sea upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.
- 08
A strange occurrence at the zoo has caused the animals to disappear and has left the zoo keeper near death. Gasping his last breath, the dying man murmurs, "I saw a bird".
- 09
When several boys discover a mysterious, lightweight meteorite, their teacher delivers the strange rock to Dr. Ichinotani in Tokyo. Under analysis, the meteorite which the children call garadama, is identified as being comprised of Tilsonite and is found to be emanating powerful radiowaves.
- 10
At a Tokyo airport, a sudden, mysterious cold wave causes an aircraft to crash and grounds the other planes. A strange black cloud descends on Tokyo and from within it, emerges the monster Peguila.
- 11
One day at a construction site, a group of children were finding valuables in the dirt when a man on a bulldozer ran over their bikes. When the children went to recover them, one of them named Kaneo Kaneda (in Japanese, kane means money) found a small object that had a jingle sound much like money in it.
- 12
Under the cover of night, a mysterious man steals the Tilsonite rock from Tokyo's Astrophysics Research Institute. When a group of meteors is detected approaching the Earth, Jun and the others fear that an invasion from outer space is once again imminent.
- 13
After being trampled beneath the maddening rush of a crowded Tokyo train station, Yuriko discovers crowds of people volunteering to participate in a new experiment called the 1/8 Project. When Yuriko enquires into the nature of the project, she is accidently reduced to 1/8 her normal size.
- 14
Following the sighting of a UFO and the destruction of two J.S.D.F jets sent to investigate, a series of strange disappearances plagues Tokyo. When Yuriko witnesses a woman vanish before her eyes, she begins her own investigation.
- 15
While driving home one evening, Jun and Yuriko come upon a man lying unconscious in the road. They help him into their car and drive off. When they stop at a railroad crossing, the sound of the oncoming train startles the man awake, sending him into a fit of hysteria.
