ZEARTH

    Zearth (pronounced "Zay-ahs") is a "distant relative" of the Ultra-family from a planet in Galaxy Z95. Zearth's mission is to "clean up" the Earth and the universe. Unfortunately, Zearth is still in training ... in fact, according to one source, he "is actually a dropout from [the] Ultra backup warrior team!" The first appearance of Zearth, in fact, proves this; he cannot seem to aim his energy attacks correctly, and he has a major phobia over getting dirty (believe it or not). His baptism by fire is to combat an invasion from the star Benzene. The first indication of this invasion is the disappearance of several items containing gold, including a golden statue of the original Ultraman.

    Like his predecessors, Zearth spends most of his time in a human identity, that of Katsuto Asahi, a trainee at the MYDO gas station. (Katsuto is actually a human form created by Zearth, much as Dan Moroboshe was a form created by Ultraseven.) The gas station, however, is a hidden "front" for the Mysterious Yonder Defense Organization, the "science patrol" of Zearth's time. Their responsibility, like many others before them, is to defend the planet against alien invasion and monsters native to Earth. Like Zearth, though, MYDO tends to be something of a joke. They tend to demolish their vehicles every time they go out, and nearly kill themselves as well.

    Katsuto changes to Ultraman Zearth using an electric toothbrush. In his Ultraman form, he has three main attacks: the Speshusshura Laser Beam (fired much like Ultraman's Specium beam), the Zearth Kick, and the Zearth Chop. According to the afore-mentioned source, Zearth is also in training to use several other attacks, including the Zearth Scan, the Super Zearth Scan, the Ultra-stretch, the Ultra-rewind, and the Ultra-blender; none of these is shown in the first movie.

    The first Ultraman Zearth movie, made to commemorate Ultraman's 30th anniversary, was shocking, if you expect to see serious action. It's a comedy, made as a comedy. Even the name MYDO, I'm told, comes from the phrase "Maido arigatou gozaimasu," used by Japanese gas station attendants as a way of saying, "thank you for patronizing us every time." Keeping that in mind, the movie is quite entertaining.