Ultraman is the new star of Kaohsiung Winter Wonderland

2026-02-05

Kaohsiuing Winter Wonderland is back and running from Feb. 7 to March 1, just in time for the Lunar New Year. Last year’s stars were the cute critters from Japanese comic Chiikawa. The anime go-getter spirit continues this year with Ultraman. On Wednesday night, a 15m-tall inflatable that will be the main piece was installed at the pier. Meanwhile, as many as 30 smaller Ultraman and other characters will also pop up all over the city’s main attractions.

Ultraman slowly emerges from a puddle of plastic. It regains shape and is ready to save the world! The inflatable is not just impressively large at 15m tall. True to the original anime series, the eyes and chest glows brightly, too. Many Ultraman fans have gathered to witness his resurrection.

Member of public
Ultraman fan
It’s cool. I wanted to try my luck, and indeed I was lucky to witness the moment of his birth.

Technician
Installing Ultraman inflatable
The production process this time differs from rubber ducks or Chiikawa that we had before, because there are lots of facial and torso details and shapes, which risk getting distorted in the production process, but we still managed to surpass all the challenges.

The details in this year’s centerpiece makes production more challenging than in previous years, but the commissioned team still managed to produce a true-to-scale Ultraman inflatable. Ultraman is the star of the 2026 Kaohsiung Winter Wonderland, which will kick off on Feb. 7. It’s also the 60th anniversary of Ultraman. Two massive Ultraman inflatables, the original and Ultraman Tiga will take center stage on the waterside, while smaller Ultraman elements will also be everywhere.

There will be 30, to be exact, all over main attractions of the city, including the Kaohsiung Port Cruise Terminal and the martyrs’ shrine. Meanwhile, a 5m-tall inflatable is also being set up in front of the old Kaohsiung Station building, complete with a Japanese logo on the ground. Even though the project isn’t completed yet, locals are rushing to snap a photo.

Member of public
Ultraman fan
I happened to drive past. I rushed home to get my merch for photos.

Chuang Shu-ting
FTV reporter
Here at Kaohsiung station, a chibi Ultraman stands with hands on hips. It’s really so adorable, and turns Kaohsiung into a city of superheroes.

There’s also an installation depicting a battle between Ultraman and Gomora. Suspended by cables, Ultraman appears to by flying in the air. This Lunar New Year, the whole city will liven up with the presence of these superheroes everywhere.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#anime #animefans #ultraman #chiikawa #kaohsiung

高雄焦點! 15公尺超人力霸王充氣測試 5米Q版就定位

2026-02-05

高雄冬日遊樂園，即將有超人力霸王降臨，週三晚間高達15公尺的超人力霸王氣模在17號碼頭進行充氣測試，巨大的身形吸引不少民眾提前搶先看。在高雄車站，也有五公尺高的Q版超人力霸王就定位，甚至還有多達30隻公仔，分布在活動會場跟各大景點，瞬間讓整個高雄變成超人城市。

原本扁扁的超人力霸王氣模，隨著空氣不斷進入內部，懶洋洋的模樣漸漸甦醒了，輪廓一一浮現，超人力霸王緩緩抬起頭來，與大家見面，高達15公尺的他，巨大的身形超醒目，雙眼和胸口還會發光，吸引不少民眾搶先朝聖。

[[民眾]]
“很酷，想要先來碰碰運氣，結果就很幸運剛好看到他誕生的一瞬間。”

[[現場工作人員]]
“跟以往的圓形的黃色小鴨，或吉伊卡哇的製作方式是截然不同的，因為這次多了很多面部的細節跟胸線的形狀，其實在製作的過程中很怕他有去扭曲的問題，但我們這次都有把他給克服掉。”

超人氣模線條多，雕琢相對困難，製作團隊盡最大的努力還原超人樣貌。2026高雄冬日遊樂園，即將在2月7號登場，特別邀請到60周年的日本知名英雄IP，超人力霸王降臨港都，到時候兩隻超巨大的超人力霸王初代和迪卡，將會在水上登場，而陸地上，也到處都能看到。

到時候會有30隻超可愛公仔，分布在活動現場和高雄各大景點，像是旅運中心、忠烈祠等地，而高雄火車站，工作人員則忙著安裝5公尺高的氣模，地面上也貼上日文字樣，施工期間就吸引民眾搶先拍。

[[民眾]]
“開車剛好有經過，我就趕快回家拿東西過來要拍照。”

[[民視記者莊舒婷]]
“來到高雄火車站，Q版的超人力霸王手插著腰，已經就定位，模樣相當的可愛，也讓整個高雄市彷彿變成了超人城市。”

活動現場還有超人力霸王跟哥摩拉對戰的巨大模型。超人力霸王充氣後，在繩索的控制下，漂浮在半空中，這一波超人力霸王風潮，將橫跨海陸空，讓整座城市，隨處可見他的身影。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

TSMC confirms plans to upgrade second plant in Kumamoto to 3nm

Chip giant TSMC on Thursday confirmed that it is evaluating plans to upgrade one of its plants in Japan. Speculation had simmered in recent weeks about whether the company would upgrade its second plant in Kumamoto to 3-nanometer manufacturing, amid strong AI demand. TSMC CEO C.C. Wei on Thursday paid a visit to Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. Besides his big business present, he also showed her that he had been a devoted fan of hers for some time. He showed the politician a book she had published five years ago, surprising Takaichi so much that her jaw hit the floor.

C.C. Wei
TSMC CEO
I would like to thank you for making time today with your busy schedule. By the way… I’m a strong supporter of Takaichi-san.

Takaichi Sanae
Japanese Prime Minister
This upgrade will help promote crisis-management investment and growth investment in Japan. AI and semiconductors are key strategic fields. Our cooperation with TSMC will become a new benchmark.

Liu Pei-chen
TIER
TSMC’s second plant in Kumamoto was originally planned to produce 6-nanometer and 7-nanometer chips. But even after capacity goes online, the plant would face a dilemma of not being able to utilize its capacity fully. So introducing a 3-nanometer process would help TSMC alleviate the issue promptly.

TSMC has confirmed that it is evaluating the upgrade for its second plant in Kumamoto, under its joint venture, JASM. The plant is expected to shift to more advanced 3-nanometer processes. During his meeting with Japan’s PM, Wei thanked the government of Japan, the government of Kumamoto Prefecture, and the local community for their support for the company. Japanese media reports say that TSMC originally planned to invest US$12.2 billion in the second plant, which would employ processes of 12 to 6 nanometers. With the upgrade, the total amount invested is expected to shoot up to US$17 billion.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#japan #semiconductors #chips #tsmc #kumamoto

2026-02-05

HK pro-democracy activist’s Muay Thai studio vandalized

2026-02-05

Lai responds to phonecall between Xi and Trump

On Wednesday evening, the leaders of the US and China spoke on a phone call in which Taiwan was a key focus. Xi Jinping told Donald Trump to be “prudent” when it comes to supplying arms to Taiwan. Trump responded that he valued China’s concerns on the Taiwan issue, adding that he would maintain stable US-China relations during his term. On Friday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te responded to the call between the two countries, reiterating that the ties between Taiwan and the US are rock solid. Let’s hear more from the president.

Lai Ching-te
President
We have good channels of communication between Taiwan and the US. This conversation between China and the US maintains four constants in the trilateral Taiwan-US-China relations. The first is that the ROC and the PRC are not subordinate to each other. The second is that the US’ commitments to Taiwan remain unchanged as stated in the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. The third is that the US’ approach to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region alongside its allies and partners based on its national security and defense strategies and alliances remains unchanged. The fourth is that Taiwan-US relations are rock solid.

President Lai also responded to recent comments by KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun after a series of exchanges between the KMT and the CCP. Cheng said that mainland China was family to Taiwan, and voiced support for the so-called “1992 Consensus,” which she says is not that scary. The original core idea in the “1992 Consensus” between the then-ruling KMT and China is that the two sides belonged to one China, with differing interpretations on what China means. But according to Lai, the consensus has now been taken by Xi Jinping to be an assertion of the CCP’s sovereignty over Taiwan. Lai says that supporters of the consensus must therefore consider themselves Chinese and are pushing for cross-strait unification.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#crossstrait #taiwan #china #us #xijinping #trump

2026-02-05