This Is 40

It was in the grown-man anthem "30 Something" that Jay-Z declared that age 30 was the new 20. That presumably made 40 the new 30. Regardless of the fuzzy math, Japanese superhero Ultraman Taro is celebrated for his big four-oh on Friday, June 14.The Five Ultra Brothers, the red-and-silver-clad protectors...

By Jose Gonzalez

June 13, 2013

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It was in the grown-man anthem "30 Something" that Jay-Z declared that age 30 was the new 20. That presumably made 40 the new 30. Regardless of the fuzzy math, Japanese superhero Ultraman Taro is celebrated for his big four-oh on Friday, June 14.

The Five Ultra Brothers, the red-and-silver-clad protectors of Earth, saved aspiring boxer Kotaro Higashi from mortal doom at the hands of the villainous Astromons creature. Then they chose Kotaro as the host human for their sibling, Ultraman Taro. With mega martial arts skills and an array of battle-ready beams, the 17-story-high hero takes on all sorts of kaiju. Even after four decades, the galactic asskicking of rubber-suited monsters across scale-model metropolises is cheesy good fun.

The Tokusatsu Theater presents the Ultraman Taro 40th Anniversary at FilmBar, 815 North 2nd Street in Phoenix. The festivities kick off at 10 p.m. and admission is $8. Visit www.thefilmbarphx.com or call 602-595-9187 for more info.

Fri., June 14, 10 p.m., 2013

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