Life-Size Ultraman Promotional Display Figure 150cm | 1996 Bandai × Tsuburaya Official Tokusatsu Exhibition Artifact

ULTRAMAN
A Life-Size Promotional Display Figure
Bandai Co., Ltd., Japan, 1996
Under license from Tsuburaya Productions

This rare life-size Ultraman promotional figure was manufactured by Bandai in 1996 for licensed display use, likely commissioned for retail showrooms, department store campaigns, or exhibition installations rather than for consumer ownership. Produced under the supervision of Tsuburaya Productions, the figure adheres closely to the original Ultraman suit design introduced in the 1960s, preserving the character’s iconic silver-and-red visual language at human scale.

Unlike fiberglass statuary produced for permanent outdoor display, this example appears to have been constructed from a softer composite or cushioned material, a common choice for indoor promotional figures intended to balance durability with reduced injury risk in public commercial spaces. Such construction aligns with Bandai’s established display manufacturing practices during the 1990s.

Surviving examples of life-size Ultraman displays are exceptionally scarce. Promotional figures of this scale were typically used for limited campaign periods and subsequently destroyed or discarded. The present example shows surface wear and patina consistent with authentic period use, lending credibility to its exhibition history.

As an object, the figure occupies a unique intersection between sculpture, commercial design, and television history. It represents not only Ultraman as a cultural icon, but also the industrial systems that transformed tokusatsu heroes into immersive, physical presences within Japan’s retail landscape.

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Object Type: Life-Size Tokusatsu Promotional Display
Character: Ultraman (Classic Showa Design)
Manufacturer: Bandai
Licensor: Tsuburaya Productions
Year: 1996 (30th Anniversary era)
Origin: Japan
Material: Soft vinyl / urethane composite (industrial display grade)
Height: Approx. 150 cm
Use Context: Retail flagship display, trade show, licensed exhibition, cinema lobby, toy department anchor
Status: Decommissioned original display artifact
Condition: Authentic surface wear consistent with commercial display life

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🏛️ HISTORICAL CONTEXT & PROVENANCE

During the mid-1990s, Ultraman entered a strategic revival phase driven by anniversary programming, renewed toy lines, and experiential retail marketing. Bandai, as the primary merchandising arm, commissioned large-format, non-consumer display figures to anchor physical retail spaces and exhibitions.

These figures were never sold to the public, never catalogued in consumer toy lines, and produced in extremely limited quantities, typically one per location. Once campaigns ended, most were:

• Destroyed

• Discarded

• Damaged beyond repair

Surviving examples almost never re-enter the market.

This piece bears official Bandai manufacturing marks, Tsuburaya copyright, and the 30th Anniversary hologram, placing it squarely within sanctioned production.

This is not cosplay fiberglass.
This is not theme-park prop foam.
This is licensed Japanese tokusatsu commercial sculpture.

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🧱 MATERIAL & CONSTRUCTION ANALYSIS

Unlike FRP statues, this figure was produced using soft vinyl / urethane molding, chosen for:

• Impact tolerance in retail environments

• Reduced injury risk

• Lighter transport weight

• Lower catastrophic failure rate

Construction traits visible in your images:

• Mold seam continuity along spine and limbs

• Compression wear at feet and ankles

• Pigment abrasion consistent with vinyl, not resin

• Flexible deformation at extremities

This confirms industrial display fabrication, not collector sculpture.

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🎭 ICONOGRAPHY & DESIGN SIGNIFICANCE

The pose is a neutral heroic stance, intentionally designed to:

• Be approachable to children

• Photogenic from front elevation

• Stable under repeated public interaction

This is Showa-faithful Ultraman, not stylized, not Heisei-modernized. The proportions align with classic television suit references, making this a rare three-dimensional archival translation of broadcast canon.

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🧠 COLLECTOR & INSTITUTIONAL VALUE

This category sits above toys and below film props, the most elusive zone of Japanese pop-culture artifacts.

Ideal for:

• Museums of pop culture

• High-end collectors

• Flagship retail installations

• Private tokusatsu archives

• Design studios and exhibition spaces

Once placed, it redefines the room. This is not décor. This is presence.

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🧩 COMPARATIVE CONTEXT

Comparable only to:

• Bullmark store displays

• Marusan shop mannequins

• Early Godzilla storefront figures

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🧠 COLLECTOR RELEVANCE

This object is for:

• Advanced tokusatsu collectors

• Museum-grade private archives

• Brand historians

• Pop-culture institutions

• High-end interior installations with narrative intent

It is not decor.
It is infrastructure of memory.

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SUMMARY — WHY THIS PIECE MATTERS

This Ultraman is not nostalgia.
It is evidence.

A surviving witness to Japan’s physical media spectacle era, where heroes stood among people, not screens. Objects like this no longer get made, and fewer still remain.

Once placed, they do not re-enter circulation.

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🔒 CONFIDENCE & VERIFICATION NOTES

• Maker attribution aligns with known Popy display production

• Size and construction consistent with authenticated storefront examples

• Condition reflects authentic public-use wear, not later reproduction

• No modern reproduction matches this scale or vinyl formulation

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Cargo Shipping & Handling Notice

Due to the final packaged weight and/or dimensional requirements of this piece, standard parcel services such as Japan Post EMS, DHL, FedEx, or UPS are not applicable. This item will be shipped via cargo or freight-based shipping methods.

Cargo shipments require additional preparation time to ensure proper handling, which may include custom crating, reinforced packing, coordination with domestic logistics providers, and scheduling with international freight consolidators and export brokers. As a result, estimated delivery timelines typically range from 6 to 10 weeks, depending on routing, carrier availability, and customs clearance procedures in the destination country.

Please note that actual shipping costs may differ from automated shipping calculator estimates. By default, a portion of the expected shipping cost may be reflected in the listing price. Any difference or discrepancy will be quoted separately once destination, delivery method, and handling requirements are confirmed.

We kindly ask that collectors contact us prior to purchase to request an exact, customized shipping quotation for their destination. This ensures full transparency and allows us to arrange the most appropriate, secure, and efficient shipping solution for this piece.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we take the necessary care to deliver this work safely.

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🚚 CARGO-GRADE SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE

This item cannot be treated as standard parcel shipping.

Estimated Physical Profile

• Height: 123 cm

• Estimated packed height: 135–145 cm

• Estimated girth: Oversize

• Estimated weight (packed): 20–30 kg (soft vinyl + crate)

🚚 LOGISTICS & CARGO SHIPPING (LARGE FORMAT)

Estimated packed dimensions:
• Approx. 170 × 70 × 60 cm (crated)
• Volumetric weight: ~120–150 kg

Domestic Japan (crate + freight):
• ¥40,000–70,000

International Cargo Estimates:
• Asia: $1700 ~
• US West Coast: $2800~
• EU: $$3,000~

(Sea freight preferred; air freight impractical)

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✅ Cargo Shipping

Recommended for international collectors

• Custom crating

• Door-to-airport / door-to-door * please ask for direct door to door rates

• Ideal for fragile oversized art objects
  Est. Cost: $2,800~

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✅ Seino Transportation (Domestic Heavy Freight)

• Best for Japan-to-Japan museum or warehouse transfers

• Palletized delivery
  Est. Cost (Domestic): $300~$550

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⚠️ Yamato / Sagawa

• Often reject over-size soft vinyl

• Possible only with custom negotiation and surcharge

• Risk of refusal

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⚠️ DHL / FedEx Freight

• Possible only with crate

• High volumetric cost

• Customs scrutiny due to size
  Est. Cost: $2,800~

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Shipping Recommendation Summary

✔ Cargo shipping + Seino domestic leg
✔ Ocean freight or consolidated air freight depending on destination
✔ Professional crating mandatory
✔ Insurance strongly advised

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Authenticity & Stewardship

Evaluated under the Japonista Monumental Works Authentication Framework™:

• Origin, maker, production context, and intended display environment verification

• Material analysis across fiberglass, composite, resin, metals, soft vinyl, wood, and mixed industrial media

• Structural engineering, internal support, and load-bearing assessment

• Surface condition, finish integrity, and long-term display stability evaluation

Guaranteed 100% Authentic.
Every work is curated under the Japonista Lifetime Authenticity Warranty™, with standards aligned to museum, gallery, and institutional display requirements.

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A Note on Scale, Presence, and Institutional Intent

Life-size and monumental display objects are not collectibles in the conventional sense; they are spatial actors. Designed to command rooms, storefronts, exhibitions, or architectural settings, these works alter how space is perceived and navigated.

At Japonista, we approach monumental figures and display objects as display architecture rather than oversized artifacts. Attention is given to posture, proportion, internal structure, and the relationship between object and environment. Wear, surface aging, and minor imperfections are interpreted in the context of prior exhibition life, transport, and handling rather than judged by small-object standards.

These works are evaluated for presence, safety, and continuity, not novelty.

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Provenance, Display History & Contextual Integrity

Where available, we assess and preserve information relating to:

• Original use as store display, exhibition figure, promotional object, or institutional prop

• Manufacturer or studio production intent

• Period-specific materials and fabrication methods

• Evidence of professional handling or display history

This contextual layer is critical for monumental works, where function and placement history often matter as much as age.

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Inquiries, Availability, and Private Consideration

Most monumental works are held firmly due to scale, rarity, or logistical complexity. All inquiries are reviewed personally and discreetly, with clear communication regarding dimensions, weight, disassembly requirements, and handling expectations.

These works are best suited for collectors, institutions, designers, and organizations prepared to engage with their physical and spatial demands.

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Concierge Support & Collector Guidance

Japonista Concierge™ provides specialized support for monumental works, including:

• Crating, palletization, and custom packing strategies

• Freight, cargo, and white-glove transport coordination

• Installation considerations and site-readiness assessment

• Long-term display, storage, or rotation planning

We treat logistics as an extension of stewardship, not a separate afterthought.

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Before Proceeding

We kindly encourage collectors to review our shop policies and house guidelines, available through the links in our website footer, which outline shipping, handling, and conditions specific to vintage, sacred, and collectible works.

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A Closing Note

Thank you for exploring Japonista’s archive of life-size and exhibition-grade display figures and objects. These works exist beyond the shelf or case—they occupy space, command attention, and shape environments. We are honored to steward them with the seriousness, planning, and respect they require.

If you have questions or wish to explore related works, please feel free to contact Japonista Concierge™ at any time.