Bullmark Ultraman Ace Soft Vinyl Figure with Original Illustrated Backing Card, Early–Mid 1970s, 32.5 cm

Paper backing cards from Showa toy shops were almost always thrown away, which makes this pairing exceptional. The 32.5 cm Bullmark Ultraman Ace survives with its original illustrated card, an object that preserves how Japan once visualized heroism, childhood and mass culture in vinyl, ink and paper.

The Piece

Manufactured by Bullmark, the most historically significant soft vinyl maker of the period, this Ultraman Ace belongs to the narrow window when Japanese television, toy manufacturing and childhood imagination merged into a single national language. It marks the moment hero and kaiju figures moved from tinplate mechanics to expressive vinyl sculpture, and it sits between toy, mascot and folk artifact.

Ultraman Ace's design is more aggressive and angular than earlier Ultramen, with sharper facial geometry, an emphasized chest emblem and an assertive stance. Bullmark's sculpt captures this through simplified planes rather than realism, putting silhouette recognition ahead of anatomical accuracy, a hallmark of early soft vinyl. The card artwork reinforces the 超獣 (Choju, super beast) narrative, framing Ace as an active combatant within a chaotic kaiju ecosystem, a pairing of heroic icon and existential threat central to 1970s tokusatsu.

The soft vinyl (PVC) is flexible and resilient and was ideal for hand painting. The paint was hand-sprayed, leaving minor tonal variations that belong to the making, and early Bullmark molds favor volume over detail, giving the figure a tactile, almost totemic presence. These choices reflect post-war manufacturing pragmatism, where durability, speed and recognizability outweighed precision.

Most Bullmark soft vinyl figures were played with heavily, faded in sunlight and discarded once damaged, and paper cards were often thrown away immediately after purchase. The survival of figure and card together suggests early adult ownership or conscious preservation before the modern soft vinyl boom, turning a nostalgic relic into a primary reference specimen. It speaks to Showa-era Ultraman specialists, institutional toy archives, pop-culture historians and soft vinyl collectors focused on maker lineage and contextual completeness.

Details

• Maker: Bullmark (styled BULLMARK)
• Character: Ultraman Ace
• Series: Ultraman Ace / Ultra Kaiju lineage
• Era: Early–mid 1970s (Showa era)
• Origin: Japan
• Material: Soft vinyl (PVC), hand-painted (hand-sprayed)
• Measurements: Height approx. 32.5 cm
• Movement: Static figure (non-wind-up)
• Included: Original illustrated paper backing card

Condition

Japonista grade B · Good, with visible wear consistent with use; fully functional.

• Condition grade B by market standard; loose figure accompanied by its original paper backing card.
• Hand-sprayed paint shows minor tonal inconsistencies inherent to production.

Authenticity & Care

Bullmark soft vinyl Ultraman Ace with its original illustrated backing card carrying 超獣 (Choju) artwork, a highly uncommon surviving pairing. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

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