Why hasn't Saburo Shinoda (Kotro Higashi/Ultraman Taro) made any guest appearences?

[Black Fang]

From what I read a few years ago, Shinoda didn't appear in Moebius because he was attending someone's funeral at the time. But apparently he hasn't even done the voice of Taro in any of the later Moebius side stories or Ultra Galaxy stuff. Does anyone know the reason? Or am I mistaken?

(Also about Moebius: why didn't Taro, Leo and 80 appear in the first Moebius movie? Aren't they Ultra Brothers too?)

 

[Shynilyte]

I think it's been mentioned on this forum that there is a story reason for Kotaro's actor never returning. The last episode of Taro had Kotaro returning his Ultra Badge to the Ultra Mother before defeating Balkie-seijin. Supposedly, this meant that Kotaro had split himself off from Ultraman Taro.

I'm not sure if this is really true, though.

edit: what I'm not sure of is whether the scene really meant that Taro and Kotaro had become separated or that returning the badge only prevents him from transforming.

 

[Black Fang]

^ But then what about the Superior 8 movie? That took place in an alternate universe where Tiga, Dyna, Gaia and four of the Ultra Brothers' alter egos co-existed and had "forgotten" who they really were.

Granted I think they could have had Cosmos, Nexus and Max in there rather than the Brothers again, but with it being another universe why couldn't Taro have an alter-ego there? And Susumu Kurobe voices Ultraman in the Ultra Galaxy movies even though (I believe) he is no longer bonded with Hayata.

 

[Aoi Kurenai]

(Also about Moebius: why didn't Taro, Leo and 80 appear in the first Moebius movie? Aren't they Ultra Brothers too?)

Taro was there in the final battle. And no, Leo and 80 aren't considered Ultra Brothers for some reason. Leo mostly likely because he's not from the same planet as the others and 80 because...I dunno.

What I've heard is that the actor for Taro just became too busy to return to Ultraman, though he supposedly regrets not being able to make an appearance in the Mebius movie.

 

[Shynilyte]

^ But then what about the Superior 8 movie? That took place in an alternate universe where Tiga, Dyna, Gaia and four of the Ultra Brothers' alter egos co-existed and had "forgotten" who they really were.

Granted I think they could have had Cosmos, Nexus and Max in there rather than the Brothers again, but with it being another universe why couldn't Taro have an alter-ego there? And Susumu Kurobe voices Ultraman in the Ultra Galaxy movies even though (I believe) he is no longer bonded with Hayata.

Hmm, I'm not really sure why the Super 8 movie didn't have more Heisie Ultras, but I'm guessing it's because the Showa Ultras could have acted as mentors or something. And anyway, since the movie was centered on their human identities, putting Nexus would've been tricky considering that they'd first have to decide who would actually be Nexus.

And regarding Hayata in the Ultra Galaxy movie: there was a film titled Revive Ultraman (or something like that) set after the original Ultraman which had Ultraman return to earth and bond with Hayata again. If said film is canon, then maybe Hayata and Ultraman have been bonded ever since? Although that's an uncomfortable implication, given that the end of Ultraman's final episode showed that Hayata wasn't even aware of what happened during the series, which meant that for most of the show anything
"Hayata" did or said was really Ultraman. And if they bonded again up until the Ultra Galaxy era, this means that Hayata has had his body hijacked by a giant alien for like, centuries now.

 

[Kamen Rider IXA]

Saburo Shinoda is part of Ultraman Foundation and he left a message to children after recent Japan's earthquake as Kotaro/Taro.

So It's not like he doesn't willing to return. I guess his random return in recent movies just don't make a sense, unlike other UltraBrothers.

 

[Black Fang]

What I've heard is that the actor for Taro just became too busy to return to Ultraman, though he supposedly regrets not being able to make an appearance in the Mebius movie.

Didn't he appear at one of the cast parties? I remember seeing clips of a tuxedo party in the Moebius and Ultra Brothers movie's end credits and I thought he made an entrance.

Hmm, I'm not really sure why the Super 8 movie didn't have more Heisie Ultras, but I'm guessing it's because the Showa Ultras could have acted as mentors or something. And anyway, since the movie was centered on their human identities, putting Nexus would've been tricky considering that they'd first have to decide who would actually be Nexus

I would've guessed it to be Komon, since a lot of the show was told from his viewpoint. And Riko would be the female lead along with Rena and the others from their respective shows. The movie could have been Moebius, the seven Heisei Ultras, and Hayata (who played Rena's father anyway) could have been the eighth.

Funny how I would be asking for less alumni in Ultraman, when many of us ask for more alumni in Kamen Rider. I guess that shows how much better Ultraman is at doing these specials.

And regarding Hayata in the Ultra Galaxy movie: there was a film titled Revive Ultraman (or something like that) set after the original Ultraman which had Ultraman return to earth and bond with Hayata again. If said film is canon, then maybe Hayata and Ultraman have been bonded ever since? Although that's an uncomfortable implication, given that the end of Ultraman's final episode showed that Hayata wasn't even aware of what happened during the series, which meant that for most of the show anything
"Hayata" did or said was really Ultraman. And if they bonded again up until the Ultra Galaxy era, this means that Hayata has had his body hijacked by a giant alien for like, centuries now.

I just figured that since Superior 8 is in another universe that Taro could have a human alter ego and make an appearance.