Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun.
January 10, 2020 at 13:10 JST
Screenwriter Shozo Uehara, whose death was reported on Jan. 9, wrote for live-action special-effects superhero TV series such as “Ultra Seven” and “The Return of Ultraman.”
An episode titled “Kaijutsukai to Shonen” (The monster handler and the boy) is well-known for its unusual storyline.
A boy, rumored to be an alien from outer space, becomes the target of ruthless bullying by spooked townspeople who eventually turn into a violent mob, attacking not only the boy, but also the protagonist who tries to protect him.
The plot clearly deviates from what audiences would normally expect from a superhero TV series.
It was inspired by the massacre of Korean residents in the immediate aftermath of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 due to rumors that they were plotting to harm their Japanese neighbors.
“There is something unpredictable about how and when people change,” Uehara noted in explaining why he wrote the story, according to a book by critic Risaku Kiridoshi.
An Okinawan native who made up his mind to live in mainland Japan as a “foreigner,” Uehara must have scrutinized discrimination in his works.
Okinawan Tetsuo Kinjo (1938-1976) was another screenwriter for the Ultraman series. He also authored episodes reminiscent of the abuse his native land was forced to take.
As a youngster, I used to devour the series. I recall sensing a certain distinctive “darkness,” rendering it somehow different from other TV shows for children.
In retrospect, that difference probably came from the intensity of the outrage the creators must have projected into their works.
Uehara remained a veritable creator right up to his death at age 82. “Kijimuna Kids,” a novel he published late in life, portrays Okinawa during and after World War II as seen through the eyes of a local youth.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 10
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
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Shozo Uehara with figurines of characters from the Ultraman series (The Asahi Shimbun)
