Ultraman, Japan's original TV superhero, first appeared 35 years ago, and since then there has been a string of Ultramen who adhere to the same cosmic rules (he can only remain on Earth for three minutes maximum) but who have embodied different values in line with the changing times.
The latest incarnation, "Ultraman Cosmos," starts a new series on Saturday at 6 p.m. on TBS. UM Cosmos represents a return to the original values of "goodness and strength" that characterized the original Ultraman, but with a twist: UM Cosmos can change his mode of action according to the task at hand. He changes into "lunar mode" (blue color scheme) when his job is to defend monsters, and reverts to "corona mode" (red color scheme) when his job is to fight monsters, most of which resemble dinosaurs.
Ultraman Cosmos' secret human identity is Musashi, a young man working for the six-member Team Eyes, whose mission is to preserve world peace and help monsters, tasks that some people will find contradictory, but that's the 21st century for you. As a boy, Musashi met Ultraman Cosmos, who made him promise to remain "pure and brave" and gave him the "Cosmos Plaque." When he holds the plaque in the air, he is transformed into UM Cosmos.