Dada (Ultra Monster)

Dada (ダダ) is a monster appearing in several of the Ultraman series. These creatures travelled to Earth extra-dimensionally, after intercepting a transmission from Earth. The Dada have large barrel-shaped heavily-armored heads, black except for their white grinning faces freckled with black spots, and bodies that are striped in black and white.

Subtitle: Three Faces Monster (三面怪人).

Abilities
When heavily injured, the normally large yellow eyes of the Dada can disappear temporarily, revealing shallow white cavities, while the Dada regenerates. Milder injury results in the eyes appearing smaller, in either blue or yellow. If the regeneration process is interrupted, it may completely fail until reattempted. The Dada have several other unusual powers, including possession of other sentient beings, the ability to appear as human or giant size, the ability to teleport short distances and/or phase through solid materials, and the ability to focus upon, locate and then phase or teleport others whom they have come in contact with to a Dada's current location. The Dada also have the ability to fly, and to become invisible, at least temporarily. In addition, they may carry a weapon known as a micronizer gun, which can reduce the size of the target creature to about one twelfth normal size. The Dada are highly intelligent, but much like Ultraman, have an extremely limited vocal capacity; they emit a low roar of their own name ("Da-da!"). There were several Dada shown in both its original appearance and its reappearance in Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero.

History
Dada was originally sent to capture six human specimens for testing on his home planet. As a result he had abducted a nearby science laboratory and has caused several outside "freak-accidents" (such as crashing vehicles, and jamming frequencies) in order to avoid detection, which eventually called the attention of the Science Patrol. Upon abducting the lab, One of the Dadas possessed one of the scientists and had shrunken four other scientists with a micronizer gun and was planning on shrinking a woman whom had survived a bus crash (from a Dada's detection avoidance) after she had found out about the Dada's plans. The Captain of the Science Patrol came to her rescue and soon a giant game of Cat and mouse occurred between the Dada and the humans.

After receiving a jumbled radio transmission, Hayata transformed into Ultraman and flew to the source. Dada notices Ultraman's appearance and grows into a gigantic form, then the two get into a long, and unusual fight. After Ultraman strikes Dada in the forehead with the Specium Ray, Dada tries to resume his chase after the humans only to be knocked off the side of the building. Ultraman notices Dada's location and tries to fight back (even being briefly being shrunk himself!) Finally, after Dada tries to flew to his own safety, Ultraman fires another Specium Ray at Dada, killing him and ending his hunt for humans.

Trivia
There has always been some question about whether the micronizer beam really affected Ultraman. He was hit three times with the beam, but was shown gesturing and shrugging the beam off him. He then appeared to jump into the air to land in human size on the roof the building even as Dada teleported away to reappear in giant size. As to why Ultraman would shrink himself deliberately instead of crushing DaDa like an insect, he had just rescued Captain Mura and the woman and set them down by the building, and they likely were too close to avoid any debris that would have fallen toward them. Given the ease with which he powered back to giant size despite the fact that his color timer was blinking already, it is more likely that he was immune to the beam.

This history was eerily similar to the Ultraman Cosmos episode "The Other Dimensional Trap," where the SRC scientists were shrunken by Dada-like creatures called the Gigis. They also had three faces and weird energy beams.

Ultraman Powered
This alien reappeared in the series Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero.

Unlike the original Dada's appearance, This version of Dada appeared to have been a Computer Virus come alive as it absorbs human essence as his own and originally was discovered and existed inside of a computer inside an apartment. As WINR investigates, they are all paralyzed by a swarm of sentient Dadas that electrocute them. Kai transforms into Ultraman Powered as the Dadas merge into a giant form. At first it seems Dada has the advatange with his electrically based powers and his telekinetic powers at his side, but Powered eventually wins by overloading Dada's power source (a nearby Power Plant) causing Dada to explode. However, the ending of the episode still hints that there still lurks more Dada's inside the computer system.

This Dada was slightly larger than Ultraman Powered, his head was larger than his body, and the hands and feet were large too. Due to this, they stuck out in front of the Dada through out most of the fight and he hardly walked. He was also the only Dada who could attack with natural beams, and he even possessed the power of telekinesis. He also had some electrically-based powers as well, something his original counterpart lacked altogether.

Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey
This alien reappeared in Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey.

After Alien Mephilas had transformed into Armored Mephilas he ran into a Dada that mocked him for the destruction of his Battle Nizer. Without a word, Mephilas cleaved into Dada’s stomach and killed him in short order.

Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movie
This alien reappeared in the movie Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movie.

Dada is one of Ultraman Belial's 100 Monster Army. He was seen teaming up with Alien Balbalu, Alien Magma, and Alien Nackle to kill Rei while the Ultras and Rei's monsters fought Ultraman Belial's other monsters, but Rei transformed into Reimon and killed his attackers in short order.

ダダ (ウルトラ怪獣)