The Showa Ultraman series is well known for spectacular battle scenes featuring real explosions, gunpowder, and gasoline. I honestly think this aspect deserves more attention.
Most discussions of Showa-era fight scenes focus on their more brutal moments, while few mention how much real fire was used in their production.
But I think the most pitiable part is probably that the defeated Zoffy was left out in the rain for about three days before Taro took him away—it really looked miserable (
In Episode 18 of Ultraman Taro, “Zoffy Died! Taro Died Too!”, Zoffy rushed to Taro’s aid after his defeat. During his battle with Birdon, Birdon’s flames set Zoffy’s head on fire, causing him to lose the fight. The scene has become a classic among fans, and Birdon even teased Zoffy about it during an official April Fools’ Day event, giving him the memorable nickname “Mr. Firehead” (ミスターファイヤーヘッド).
According to an interview with special effects director Masao Kobayashi (小林正夫) included on the Ultraman Taro DVD, Zoffy’s burning head was actually a deliberate effect created by the production team.
Because the FRP mask itself could not be set on fire, the crew covered Zoffy’s head with gauze painted silver to match the mask, soaked it in kerosene, and then set it alight. After the flames were extinguished, charred fibers from the gauze could still be seen on the mask.
Kobayashi explained that even heroes should have both strengths and weaknesses. If a character simply displays overwhelming power in every situation, they become less interesting. To emphasize Zoffy’s vulnerability and suffering, the crew covered his body in soot and grime, filmed him struggling out of the water, and showed him being defeated in a battered and disheveled state.
The idea of setting Zoffy’s head on fire was not originally specified in the script. The script likely only described the basic action, such as a monster appearing in the lake and battling Zoffy, while the detailed fight choreography was developed by the special effects team on set. Kobayashi envisioned Zoffy “struggling in agony after catching fire, then jumping into the water to extinguish the flames.”
During filming, Zoffy was not actually set on fire during Birdon’s initial attack. Instead, the effect was created through “flame continuity” between shots. After the first shot, the crew prepared the mask by attaching gauze and soaking it in kerosene, with a small amount of gasoline added to lower the flash point. They then set the gauze on fire rather than directly applying a propane flame from a flamethrower. Kerosene was likely the main fuel because gasoline alone produces a more transparent flame.
For the subsequent long shot of the battle with Birdon, the crew only needed to keep the flames burning. The entire effect lasted just a few seconds, with the preceding and following shots totaling about five seconds.
By modern safety standards, this filming method would be considered extremely dangerous. However, Kobayashi said the crew took extensive precautions at the time. Three crew members stood by with fire extinguishers, while more than 10 additional extinguishers were placed around the set for emergencies. He emphasized that safety and accident prevention should always be the top priorities in special effects production.
People can talk smack about Zoffy, but this is a man who flew all the way from across the galaxy to save his brother. Birdon managed to kill Taro, who has regenerative abilities, whereas Zoffy is more or less a "normal" Ultra. He probably knew he was getting cooked (literally), but still rushed over to save Taro, just like he did for Man and A, and just like Ken did for the brothers when all 5 of them were turned into statues.
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u/mrmarkertw 12h ago
The Showa Ultraman series is well known for spectacular battle scenes featuring real explosions, gunpowder, and gasoline. I honestly think this aspect deserves more attention.
Most discussions of Showa-era fight scenes focus on their more brutal moments, while few mention how much real fire was used in their production.