Although Ultraseven did not merge with a human, he still required, usually, a mechanism to change. This was accomplished through the use of the Ultra Eyes, also called the Task Mask. These were templeless goggles, which resembled modern eye protectors used when laying out in the sun or tanning booth, which, when applied, would change Dan into Ultraseven. In one episode, however, Dan was able to change into Ultraseven by using a different mechanism on his belt, and another time he was able to change through sheer force of will. When Dan would change to Ultraseven, he would retain a normal human stature. Normally Ultraseven would cause himself to grow to standard monster-bashing proportions, although on one occasion he spent the entire show at human size. Even while in human form, Dan possessed mental and telekinetic powers, used often during the show.

Ultraseven had several energy powers, including a beam similar to the Specium beam, called the Wide Shot. He had several other beam attacks, including one that was a pulsed energy beam that resembled several boomerangs fired in rapid succession. Ultraseven's two main attacks, however, were the Emellium Beam and the Eye Slugger. The Emellium Beam was an energy beam fired from the glowing green jewel on his forehead. The Eye Slugger was actually Ultraseven's fin, which was detachable and throwable like a boomerang. When thrown, it would seem to convert to energy, or be surrounded by an energy nimbus.

Another unique weapon Ultraseven possessed was a cache of "mini monsters." These were small capsules which, when thrown, would turn into monsters that would obey Dan's or Ultraseven's commands like pets. The most commonly used "pet" was the robot named Windom.

Ultraseven is the only Ultra-hero (with the possible exception of Ultraman King) that had no "warning light." That being said, there was one episode where Ultraseven was worn down by aliens and encased in a crystalline cross. During that episode it was revealed that the Emellium Beam emitter would start to blink when Ultraseven was worn down, and eventually go dim. Unlike Ultraman, though, a dim emitter did not mean he would "never rise again;" the Ultra Garrison discovered, through a secret transmission from Ultraseven, that an energy beam created by Emellium, fired at his emitter, would recharge him.

After 49 episodes, even Ultraseven's energy began to dwindle, and he was commanded by his commander (who wasn't Zoffy, curiously enough, but another Ultraseven-like hero we have not seen since) to return home. This happens just as the Goth aliens attack Earth. Dan is injured, and tells Anne (the Garrison's medical technician) who he really is. Anne has fallen in love with Dan, but Dan must soon leave, after he makes one final attempt to stop the Goth's monster, Pandon. Ultraseven finally wins over the Goth, and returns home to Nebula M78, although he, too, would return later.

It should be noted here that US citizens have had two different opportunities to see some variation of Ultraseven. Hawaiians saw a faithfully dubbed version in the late 60's. In 1985, Turner Broadcasting System bought the series, and commissioned a Canadian company to redub the series, although with little instruction on how to do so. The result was a dubbing that was less than faithful to the original dialog, and an editing job that obviously cut out certain scenes. "Ultra 7" (as the TNT titles called it) was first shown to most of the US by TNT in the early 90's; only 1 week's worth of shows were missing. (Curiously, TBS had scheduled a week's worth of Ultra 7, though they were never actually aired.)

There were two Ultraseven specials broadcast in 1994, according to "Mr. X". Here, in his own words (with some personal commentary edited), are his descriptions of those two specials:

4) Ultraseven "Solar Energy Strategy"!! This is NOT A MOVIE!!! It is a TV special broadcast on Japanese TV 94.3.21 (that's the 21st of May, 1994....TWO YEARS AGO!!)
Aliens: Pittians II
Monster: Eleking III

These aliens fought Ultraseven in episode #3 "Secret of the lake" and Eleking was the beast!! [...] We last saw Ultraseven in Ultraman Leo, where Dan Moreboshi just disappears at the end [...]!! The show starts with Ultraseven very injured, his power supply running dry, falling to Earth!! Furohashi (new leader of the Ultra Garrison) stores him in a bunker and believes he is dead!! At the same time, The Ultra Garrison is trying to create a power supply to revive Ultraseven, but they are having problems!! It seems to be draining energy!! Donna's son is kidnapped by the Pittians (Donna....makes a return!!!)!! [Donna is the name used by the Turner translation project. The character's original name is "Anne," though it was usually pronounced "Anna" or "Annu". -- ed.] The Pittians also revive Eleking by (from what it looks like) reformulating a saved computer program of the monster back into Eleking!! The Pittians want to destroy Ultraseven ONCE and for all!! They use the Ultra Garrison relay (a satalite dish) to destroy him, but the kid manages to reverse the system from the Pittians spacecraft!! Furohashi thinks Seven is fully destroyed as Eleking is attacking!! But it saves him!!!

AND THE FEELING OF SEEING ULTRASEVEN RISE AGAIN IS INCREDIBLE!!!!! And the fight between Eliking is better than ever!!! Nice and long!!! Eventually Eleking raps that HUGE tail of his and starts to electrocute Ultraseven!! But remember, the Ultra Garrison relay can now opperate (although wrong) properly and drains Elekings power!! Ultraseven then cuts Elekings tail (again if you saw ep. #3) with the Eye Slugger and nails him with the emilium beam from his forehead!! But that's not all!! The Pittians are TORTURING Donna's son (as if this was Japanamation style violence!!)!!

Donna (who knows Dan is Ultraseven and was in love with him) looks at him as says "You must help me, Ultraseven" in Japanese!! Seven nods and resumes human size in the Pittian spacecraft!! He has a small, but cool martial art fight and saves Donna's son!! The Pittian craft tries to escape, but Seven uses the Specium beam from the forearm and destroys the craft!!! Yetta!!! [Although Mr. X mentions the Specium Beam, it's possible he is referring to Ultraseven's Specium-like "wide shot." It's also possible that the writers decided to give Seven his own Specium Beam. -- ed.]

5) Ultraseven: "Solid Earth of Ours" (also called "Land of the Terrans") Japanese broadcast date: TV special, 94.10.10......That's October, 10, 1994)!!
Aliens: Metronians III
Monster: Unnamed (?) dinosaur

These aliens were in episode #8 "The Targeted Town" also not broadcast on TNT!! Please note some Ultraseven episodes are quite violent and may not have been shown for that reason (i.e. episode #4, "Answer Max").

We begin this one hour episode [...] with Ultraseven in battle with a Metronian!! The fight is awesome (parts in retrospect with a Kung Fu movie)!!! As the Metronian tries to escape, Ultraseven destroys him with the Specium beam from the forearm (THE LAST FOREARM SPECIUM BEAM to date!!!)!!

Next a reporter is dicussing the issue of garbage dumping and this gigantic "Gorasaurus" clone appears out of no where!! Under the constant assumpion that Ultraseven is not about to return, the Ultra Garrison (led my Furohashi) uses a new weapon and freezes the beast!! As they try to secure the area later on, Furohashi notices Dan Moreboshi in the crowd, but isn't sure!! There are Metronians in the form of humans and are interacting with the Ultra Garrison scientists!! Dan roams in search of them!! The beast suddenly evaporates, but that WASN'T supposed to happen!!! At one point he encounters one which has a HUGE hand gun and tries to blast him away!! Dan escapes, but first is seen by one of the newer members of the Ultra Garrison!! Eventually at the Ultra Garrison lab parking lot, Dan is recognized by the new member (and his female side kick) and the restrain him for questioning (Dan's reaction at looking at the Ultra Garrison I.D. is hilarious!!)!! He says to release him and talk to Furohashi!! They respnd "Furohashi??", Dan disappears!!! At this point Dan Moreboshi (Ultraseven) is a fugitive resisting the authorities!! Remember, he disappeared from MAC in Leo!!

Eventually in the story, Dan is confronted by the aliens as they seem to want him more than he wants them!! An AWESOME karate fight ensues with one scene where they throw Dan from a bridge landing in front of a camera....The actor's head pops up holding his shoulder!!! COMPLETELY COOL!!! In the meantime, these aliens brainwash the U Garrison scientist that their research is good!! The Metronians have a bunker/missle silo under the ground with the garbage dump as a cover!! Eventually the reporter stumbles on a camoflaged transmaterial transporter and informs the Ultra Garrison!! In the bunker, the Metronians (still in human form), threaten to kill the scientist becuase he refuses their philosphy and scientific reseach as they want to take over the Earth!! The Ultra Garrison arrive inside, but the aliens hold them at gunpoint!! At this time, the head Metronian (still a human) sticks up his BIG GUN with the scientist in his arm!! It's about over, but the scientist takes a chance and points the gun away which fires across the room!! It pisses off the other alien who shoots the scientists in the shoulder!!

Dan Moreboshi enters and uses Martial Arts to push them aside!! He gets the guns!! BUT IS DAN A FUGITIVE STILL??? He throws the guns to the Ultra Garrison and (I believe) identifies himself formerly from Ultra Garrison and MAC! Therefore, he still holds his rank and orders the new members to leave!! WELL NOW!! The "human" Metronians transform into their original form and Dan turns into ULTRASEVEN in the BEST TRANSFORMATION scene to date!!! AWESOME!!! They fight in the bunker (at human size) and Ultraseven manages to kill one of them!! The other one grows to monster height, so does Ultraseven!! The Metronian releases his Dinosaur and the action begins!!! A HUGE LONG FIGHT ENSUES!!! Furohashi flies the same Ultra Garrison's ship and attacks the Metronian!!!

As they fight, the pounding of the size of the fight starts to blow up the missles!!! At one point the Dinoasaur is engulfed as the ground explodes beneath him and is destroyed!!! All that's left is Ultraseven and the Metronian!! The alien somehow darkens the sky!!! Ultraseven needs solar energy to continue and is considerable weakened!! At one point Seban releases his Eye Slugger, but holds on to it and uses it like a knife, but misses!! The Metronian knocks it out of Seven's hand and that looks like it is it!! Furohashi fires a missle into the sky whihc disperses the clouds!!! AWESOME SPECIAL EFFECTS!!! Ultraseven gets bashed around (still in the dark) until he lands next to the Eye Slugger!! He puts it on and the sky clears!! Ultraseven then recharges!!!

The Metronian tries to get him with missles out of his hands, but Ultraseven puts up the rectangle force field, then the emilium beam which injures the Metronian!! Gathering more solar energy, Ultraseven uses a DOUBLE ENERGY PUNCH from his arms and drestoys the Metronian!! The force of power was so great that the missles below Ultraseven starts to explode and engulfs him!! THERE IS NOTHING LEFT!!!

We don't know if Ultraseven is dead of alive, but Furohashi refuses to believe there isn't hope!! There was no sign of him!!! The show ends!

[end]

For more information, check out Marc Miyake's Ultraseven text.