Ultraman Continues Global Expansion
For nearly 60 years, the iconic Japanese superhero Ultraman has been fighting giant Kaiju and gathering a massive audience across the globe. With decades-worth of TV series spin-offs, films, comics, video games, licensed products, and more already part of the beloved franchise, Tsuburaya Productions, the company that has brought Ultraman to life, has announced it has continued to accelerate its global presence in order to further its legacy while generating new audiences.
At the 2025 Licensing Expo, Tsuburaya Productions will have a presence on the show floor at booth M204, highlighting new product lines, entertainment projects, and more at a time of significant growth and increased brand awareness of the Ultraman franchise as they look to kick off its 60th anniversary year. Here’s a brief rundown of what Tsuburaya Productions will be showcasing at this year’s Licensing Expo:
Announcing Hot New Licensees
Tsuburaya Productions is excited to announce a raft of hot new licensees and licensing renewals in tandem with the Expo, joining such established licensees as BNTCA, Marvel Entertainment, Mezco Toys and Bioworld. New licensees include:
- Funko: The grandmaster of all things pop culture is back! After last year’s awesome Funko Pop Jumbo Chan Ultraman, Funko is developing new Ultraman Classic products for the 60th anniversary.
- Mondo: Working with incredible artists who share their passion for creating posters, soundtracks, toys, and more – products that share a rare, unexpectedly vivid and timeless quality — Mondo is proud to produce an all-new line of Ultraman collectibles.
- Basic Fun!: A dynamic and renowned global designer and marketer of classic and innovative entertainment products, Basic Fun! Will produce a line of plush and novelty products globally.
- Funmaker: Funko founder Mike Becker is leading up Funmaker under the Golden Sombrero umbrella, and we are thrilled that Ultraman will be one of the next wave brands in his already hugely popular Rokimoto line. Products include entirely charming collectible ramen noodle cups, complete with slurpable noodles and adorable miniature figures. Ultraman will be accompanied by some Kaiju friends!
Brand Momentum
- Media Footprint Expansion: In the past six months the ULTRAMAN franchise has expanded its North American AVOD footprint to include seven new platforms including, Amazon Prime, Fawesome, Happy Kids, Plex, Pluto TV, Roku and Tubi encompassing nearly sixty series and close to 500 hours of programming on Tubi alone. Total potential viewership reach is now in excess of 150M.
- FAST Ultraman Channels: In partnership with Mill Creek Entertainment, a division of Alliance Entertainment Holdings Corp, Tsuburaya Productions recently debuted the expansion of its content offerings with the launch of a FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) ULTRAMAN Channel, now available on Prime Video. Bringing nearly 210 hours of curated content spanning the renowned international character’s extensive catalog to audiences. This new channel is the latest milestone as Tsuburaya Productions stays laser-focused on broadening the reach of Ultraman’s presence to new and legacy audiences in English and original versions.
- New TV Series Ultraman Omega: As the latest addition to the beloved Ultraman franchise, this new tokusatsu adventure titled Ultraman Omega will be broadcast in Japan and simultaneously streamed and distributed worldwide in July 2025, just before the series’ 60th anniversary. Reflecting the franchise’s global strategy, the new series requires no previous knowledge of Ultraman to be enjoyed and aims to attract both existing fans and new audiences, becoming a staple of weekend family entertainment through its cross-generational appeal and high-quality action.
Expansion of Overall Merchandising Program
Tsuburaya Productions plans to grow licensing programs through exciting deals and partnerships across categories like Toys and Hardlines, Food & Beverage, and Digital and Gaming.
