Super Mario Meets Ultraman in Bizarre Toy Mash-Up

After nearly 40 years since his debut in the original Donkey Kong arcade game, Mario has done just [...]

By Marc Deschamps

After nearly 40 years since his debut in the original Donkey Kong arcade game, Mario has done just about everything. From plumbing, to kart racing, to practicing medicine, Nintendo's mustachioed mascot has kept himself pretty busy. In his latest role, Mario has apparently merged with the Ultra Warrior Ultraman! At least, that seems to be the story behind MA-NULTRA, an upcoming action figure from Japanese company Bid Toys. Of course, where Mario goes, his nemesis Bowser is rarely far behind. Bid Toys is also offering a kaiju take on Bowser named KOOBALA. For fans of Mario, and Ultraman, this definitely looks like a unique offering!

It's interesting to see how Bid Toys has managed to capture the essence of both Mario and Ultraman in the MA-NULTRA figure. Ultraman's iconic visage is still recognizable, while taking on an appearance that immediately evokes Mario. KOOBALA, on the other hand, looks less like one of Ultraman's alien opponents and more reminiscent of Godzilla. Mario has quite a bit of merchandise on the way this year, but the Ultraman mash-up just might be one of the stranger concepts out there.

For the uninitiated, Ultraman is a Japanese superhero that has existed since 1966. In the original television series, Ultraman was an alien that combined with the SSSP Officer Shin Hayata. When aliens threatened the planet, Hayata would transform into Ultraman, although the change could only last for three minutes. Since the character's original series, Ultraman has inspired countless characters and parodies. According to Ant-Man director Peyton Reed, Ant-Man's costume in the Marvel Studios film was inspired by Ultraman.

A release date and price point for the two figures has not been announced as of this writing. While Ultraman is set to receive a push from Marvel Comics in the near future, the character has never really found a large level of fame in North America. As such, fans of Mario and Ultraman will likely have to import this one, if they want to add it to their collection!

Do you plan on picking up MA-NULTRA? Are you a fan of Bid Toys' designs? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts (and creations) directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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