#type c

some BULLSHIT under the cut

THE THREE FACES OF ULTRAMAN

ULTRAMAN TYPE A

This was the original suit, used for episodes 1 through 13. Suit actor Bin Furuya stated that the suit fitted him poorly and caused him to hunch over.

The mask was made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) with a latex covering. The latex coating is what caused the wrinkled appearance. The mask had a mouth-opening mechanism to make Ultraman appear as if he were speaking. This was attempted a few times, but the latex kept the mechanism for working correctly.

Due to all the roughhousing that went on while filming the fight scenes, the suit rapidly deteriorated. The suit was decommissioned (although reused for Imitation Ultraman in episode #18), and a new Ultraman suit was constructed.

ULTRAMAN TYPE B

This is the suit seen the most in the original series, used for episodes 14 through 29.

The new suit was bigger, allowing Furuya-san to stand-up straight. It had padding in the chest and shoulders, making Ultraman appear more muscular.

The mask was also bigger and much better fitting. The latex coating and mouth mechanism were abandoned, giving the face a smoother appearance.

This suit also suffered a great deal of wear-and tear, and due to the material it was made of repairs - other than a quick application of paint to cover over the worst of the scuffs - were not practical. The suit was retired and stored in Tsuburaya Productions warehouse. It was stolen in the 1970s and never recovered. Its whereabouts are unknown, but given how badly those suits deteriorate it's doubtful anything, other than perhaps a few scraps, still survives after 50 years.

ULTRAMAN TYPE C

This is the final design used for the original series, from episode 30 to the series finale in episode 39.

Furuya-san said that this suit was an improvement over the B Type. The facial features on the mask were changed slightly, resulting in repositioned - and larger - eyes, as well as a larger mouth.