No matter the iteration of Ultraman, the red-and-grey alien has always stood by humanity, so it’s time to return the favour. To honour the 60th anniversary of the tokusatsu series, Tsuburaya Productions announced that a new documentary film, named The Origin of Ultraman, will be released in Japan on 3 July. Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, who won the Palme d’Or for Shoplifters in 2018, is responsible for planning the project, with Yutaka Nakamura and Kazuki Yoshida directing.

Original cast members, such as Susumu Kurobe (Shin Hayata, the first Ultraman in the titular TV series), Hiroko Sakurai (Akiko Fuji in 1968’s Ultraman), and Sandayu Dokumamushi (Daisuke Arashi), as well as the crew, are also set to appear, alongside perspectives from Japanese and international filmmakers and creators. “This work is a documentary in which film director Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for films such as Shoplifters, serves as the planner, while renowned filmmakers and creators active on the front lines both in Japan and abroad—including Guillermo del Toro, Hideo Kojima, Hideaki Anno, and Shinji Higuchi—share their insights from unique perspectives, delving deeply into the question of “What is Ultraman?” Please look forward to further updates,” reads its Twitter/X post (via machine translation).

Per the official website, the list of guests includes: Guillermo del Toro, film director (Pacific Rim, The Shape of Water) Hirokazu Kore-eda, film director (Shoplifters, Monster) Hideo Kojima, game creator (Metal Gear and Death Stranding series) Hideaki Anno, director and producer (Evangelion Neon Genesis, Shin Godzilla) Shinji Higuchi, film director (Shin Godzilla, Shin Ultraman) Nicholas Winding Refn, film director (Drive, The Neon Demon) Shannon Tindall, film director (Ultraman: Rising) John Aoshima, film director (Ultraman: Rising) Pat Cadigan, sci-fi writer (“Mindplayers”, “The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for Sushi”) The Origin of Ultraman is part of a larger 60th-anniversary project that began last July, featuring a new TV series, live shows, digital content, special exhibitions, collaborations, pop-up stores, and more. The franchise started in 1966 and centres on the titular alien race of superheroes who often combat kaiju or other aliens, with different origins given for them.