Ultraman Blazar

Ultraman Blazar (ウルトラマンブレーザー, Urutoraman Burēzā) is a Japanese tokusatsu drama series produced by Tsuburaya Productions, released to coincide with the company's 60th anniversary[3]. It is the 35th entry to the Ultraman Series, the fifth installment in the Reiwa era and the first series to lean towards serious hard science fiction since Ultraman Gaia and Ultraman Nexus. The series began airing on TV Tokyo on July 8, 2023[4][5] and on YouTube after the airing.

Ultraman Blazar
GenreTokusatsu
Kaiju
Kyodai Hero
Science fiction
Super Hero
Drama
Created byTsuburaya Productions
Written by
  • Keigo Koyanagi
  • Jun Tsugita
  • Taiki Yamazaki
  • Sumio Uetake
  • Junichiro Ashiki
  • Takao Nakano
  • Toshizo Nemoto
[1][2]
Directed by
  • Kiyotaka Taguchi
  • Takanori Tsujimoto
  • Kazuhiro Nakagawa
  • Tomonobu Koshi
  • Masayoshi Takesue
  • Ryuta Miyazaki
[1][2]
Starring
Opening theme"Bokura no Spectra" by Hiroshi Kitadani
Ending theme
  • "BLACK STAR" by MindaRyn
  • "Brave Blazar" by Technoboys Pulcraft Green-Fund feat. MindaRyn
ComposerTechnoboys Pulcraft Green-Fund[1][2]
Country of originJapan
Original languageJapanese
No. of episodes17 (15 + 2 Specials)
Production
Running time30 minutes
Release
Original networkTXN (TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi)
Original releaseJuly 8, 2023 (2023-07-08) –
 ()
Related

Synopsis
Main article: List of Ultraman Blazar characters

The Global Guardian Force (GGF) was established in 1966 in response to the worldwide outbreak of kaiju attacks. As global warming continues to rise, a GGF special forces unit led by Gento Hiruma finds itself in a dangerous situation when its cleanup operation goes array before an Ultraman appears. Gento is later transferred to lead SKaRD, short for the Special Kaiju Reaction Detachment, a newly formed covert team that utilizes the Earth Garon robot to combat kaiju. Gento revealed to have become the host of Ultraman Blazar, leads SKaRD against the kaiju while figuring out the meaning of visions he has of another galaxy.

Episodes
Main article: List of Ultraman Blazar episodes
No. Title Director Writer Original air date
SP"Ultraman Blazar Preview Special"
Transcription: "Urutoraman Burēzā Chokuzen Supesharu" (Japanese: ウルトラマンブレーザー直前スペシャル)		N/AN/AJuly 1, 2023 (2023-07-01)
1"First Wave"
Transcription: "Fāsuto Weibu" (Japanese: ファースト・ウェイブ)		Kiyotaka TaguchiKeigo KoyanagiJuly 8, 2023 (2023-07-08)
2"The Man Who Created SKaRD"
Transcription: "Sukādo o Tsukutta Otoko" (Japanese: SKaRDを作った男)		Kiyotaka TaguchiKeigo KoyanagiJuly 15, 2023 (2023-07-15)
3"The Name Is Earth Garon"
Transcription: "Sono Na wa Āsu Garon" (Japanese: その名はアースガロン)		Kiyotaka TaguchiKeigo KoyanagiJuly 22, 2023 (2023-07-22)
4"Thus Fought Emi"
Transcription: "Emi, Kaku Tatakeri" (Japanese: エミ、かく戦えり)		Takanori TsujimotoJun TsugitaJuly 29, 2023 (2023-07-29)
5"The Mountain Roars"
Transcription: "Yama ga Hoeru" (Japanese: 山が吠える)		Takanori TsujimotoJun TsugitaAugust 5, 2023 (2023-08-05)
SP"Uncover the True Identity of the Giant Creatures"
Transcription: "Kyodai Seibutsu no Shōtai o Oe" (Japanese: 巨大生物の正体を追え)		N/AN/AAugust 12, 2023 (2023-08-12)
6"The Invading Aurora"
Transcription: "Shinryaku no Ōrora" (Japanese: 侵略のオーロラ)		Takanori TsujimotoJun TsugitaAugust 19, 2023 (2023-08-19)
7"Rainbow Appears: Part 1"
Transcription: "Niji ga Deta Zenpen" (Japanese: 虹が出た 前編)		Kazuhiro NakagawaTaiki YamazakiAugust 26, 2023 (2023-08-26)
8"Rainbow Appears: Part 2"
Transcription: "Niji ga Deta Kōhen" (Japanese: 虹が出た 後編)		Kazuhiro NakagawaTaiki YamazakiSeptember 2, 2023 (2023-09-02)
9"Planet of Music"
Transcription: "Oto no Hoshi" (Japanese: オトノホシ)		Tomonobu KoshiSumio UetakeSeptember 9, 2023 (2023-09-09)
10"Parent and Child"
Transcription: "Oya to Ko" (Japanese: 親と子)		Tomonobu KoshiSumio UetakeSeptember 16, 2023 (2023-09-16)
11"Escape"
Transcription: "Esukēpu" (Japanese: エスケープ)		Masayoshi TakesueJunichiro AshikiSeptember 23, 2023 (2023-09-23)
12"Let's Go, Blazar!"
Transcription: "Iku zo Burēzā!" (Japanese: いくぞブレーザー！)		Masayoshi TakesueJunichiro AshikiSeptember 30, 2023 (2023-09-30)
13"SKaRD Nocturne"
Transcription: "Sukādo Nokutān" (Japanese: スカードノクターン)		Ryuta MiyazakiJunichiro AshikiOctober 7, 2023 (2023-10-07)
14"Moonlit Memories"
Transcription: "Gekka no Kioku" (Japanese: 月下の記憶)		Kiyotaka TaguchiKeigo KoyanagiOctober 14, 2023 (2023-10-14)
15"Betwixt Morn and Dusk"
Transcription: "Asa to Yoru no Aida ni" (Japanese: 朝と夜の間に)		Kiyotaka TaguchiTakao NakanoOctober 21, 2023 (2023-10-21)
16"Terror from the Underground"
Transcription: "Kyōfu wa Chitei yori" (Japanese: 恐怖は地底より)		Takanori TsujimotoJun TsugitaOctober 28, 2023 (2023-10-28)

Appeareances
EP. Tittle Antagonist Protagonist Special Guest Ending Song
Ep.01 "First Wave" Bazanga None. "Black Star" by MindaRyn
Ep.02 "The Man Who Created SkarD" Gedos None.
Ep.03 "The Name Is Earth Garon" Taganular Tomokazu Seki
Ep.04 "Thus Fought Emi" Leviera

Production

"At that moment, I thought it would be 'New Generation Gaia,' but even now, 'Gaia' is an extremely ambitious work. 'Given the current state of TV series production, it's impossible to surpass that work no matter how you think about it.' I always believed that. I didn't want to lose such a battle, and I didn't think I was the right person for it."

Comments by Taguchi.[6]

Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Blazar was first trademarked and registered by the company on December 20, 2022, and published on December 28, 2022.[7] The series was officially announced on April 21, 2023 alongside a sneak peek of both the titular Ultra and its human host Gento Hiruma.[4][5] An official press conference was later held on June 12, 2023 which revealed more information on the main cast as well as the kaiju featured in the series.[8]

Series director Kiyotaka Taguchi stated in an interview in Uchusen that he was once approached by Tsuburaya to produce a series that will follow after Ultraman Decker and it will be based on Ultraman Gaia, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.[6] But he decided that he declined making an anniversary season for Gaia, stating the ambitious attempt to try to replicate a show that is already a good Ultra series. He said that "Around the summer of 2021, President Masayuki Nagatake of Tsuburaya Productions invited me out for a meal and said he wanted to talk to me. At that time, Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga was already in production. 'Do you want to be the main director for the next project?' President Nagatake asked. At that moment, I thought it would be 'New Generation Gaia,' but even now, 'Gaia' is an extremely ambitious work. 'Given the current state of TV series production, it's impossible to surpass that work no matter how you think about it.' I always believed that. I didn't want to lose such a battle, and I didn't think I was the right person for it."[6] Taguchi decided that for the next series, everything will be done from the ground up that totally feels fresh while focusing less on gimmicks such as form changes and more on original Kaiju suits instead of recycling old ones.[6] His concept on Blazar is also different to that of other Ultras, as it is not related to the M78 Nebula but as a character born in a different galaxy.[6] In his interview in Tsuburaya Imagination, he said that he made Blazar to be ideologically similar to Gaia overall and break away from the world view of the previous two works for it to portray "hard science fiction".[9]

Cast
  • Gento Hiruma (ヒルマ ゲント, Hiruma Gento): Tomoya Warabino (蕨野 友也, Warabino Tomoya)[4][5]
  • Emi Aobe (アオベ エミ, Aobe Emi): Himena Tsukimiya (搗宮 姫奈, Tsukimiya Himena)[10][11]
  • Yasunobu Bando (バンドウ ヤスノブ, Bandō Yasunobu): Hayate Kajihara (梶原 颯, Kajihara Hayate)[12][13]
  • Anri Minami (ミナミ アンリ, Minami Anri): Konomi Naito (内藤 好美, Naitō Konomi)[14][15]
  • Teruaki Nagura (ナグラ テルアキ, Nagura Teruaki): Yuki Ito (伊藤 祐輝, Itō Yūki)[16][17]
  • Retsu Haruno (ハルノ レツ, Haruno Retsu): Masaya Kato (加藤 雅也, Katō Masaya)[18][19]
  • Ultraman Blazar (ウルトラマンブレーザー, Urutoraman Burēzā, Voice): Hideyoshi Iwata (岩田 栄慶, Iwata Hideyoshi)[20][21]
  • Narration: Genki Yoshimoto (吉本 元喜, Yoshimoto Genki)

Guest cast
  • Okawa (大川, Ōkawa, 3): Tomokazu Seki (関 智一, Seki Tomokazu)[22][23]
  • Hoichi Tsukushi (ツクシ ホウイチ, Tsukushi Hōichi, 9): Hideki Togi (東儀 秀樹, Tōgi Hideki)
  • Minoru Genkawa (源川 稔, Genkawa Minoru, 11, 12): Taro Kawano (川野 太郎, Kawano Tarō)
  • Yu Dobashi (ドバシ ユウ, Dobashi Yū, 14): Minori Terada (寺田 農, Terada Minori)
  • Scruffy (ヒゲ, Hige, 15): Taro Suwa (諏訪 太朗, Suwa Tarō)

English dubbing cast

Theme songs
Opening theme
  • "Bokura no Spectra" (僕らのスペクトラ, Bokura no Supekutora, "Our Spectra")[24][25]
    • Lyrics: Shito (シト)[24][25]
    • Composition & Arrangement: Takumi Ozawa (尾澤 拓実, Ozawa Takumi) (from ReReGRAPHICS)[24][25]
    • Artist: Hiroshi Kitadani (きただに ひろし, Kitadani Hiroshi)[24][25]
    • Episodes: 2-
Ending themes
  • "BLACK STAR"[24][25]
  • "Brave Blazar"
    • Lyrics, Composition, & Arrangement: Technoboys Pulcraft Green-Fund
    • Artist: Technoboys Pulcraft Green-Fund feat. MindaRyn
    • Episodes: 14-
  • "Ultra Q Main Theme" (『ウルトラQ』メインテーマ, Urutora Kyū Mein Tēma)
    • Composition: Kunio Miyauchi (宮内 國郎, Miyauchi Kunio)
    • Arrangement: Hideki Togi
    • Episodes: 9

International broadcast

In Malaysia, this series began airing on Astro Ceria on the same date after the broadcast in Japan at 8.30 PM, with Malay language dubs.

In Indonesia, this series began airing on RTV on July 14, 2023, with Indonesian dubs.[26]

In Hong Kong, this series will begin airing on ViuTV on July 15, 2023, with Cantonese dubs.

Internationally outside of Southeast Asia, the series was uploaded on YouTube with a sub, and for the first time in Ultra Series history, the series is airing with an English simuldub, utilizing YouTube's new audio track feature. It stars Johnny Yong Bosch as Gento.

See also
  • Ultra Series - Complete list of official Ultraman-related shows.

Notes

    References
    1. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』全監督・全脚本家を発表！物語を彩る劇伴音楽作家も決定！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
    2. "ULTRAMAN BLAZAR Directors, Screenwriters, and Music Composer Announced!". Tsuburaya Productions. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
    3. https://tsuburaya-prod.com/news/5978
    4. "新テレビシリーズ『ウルトラマンブレーザー』テレビ東京系 2023年7月8日(土)あさ9時放送スタート！ウルトラマンシリーズ初、変身する主人公は隊長！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
    5. "New TV Series ULTRAMAN BLAZAR Starts from July 8th Worldwide!". Tsuburaya Productions. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
    6. Uchusen Vol. 181. Hobby Japan. July 3, 2023. ISBN 978-4798632223.
    7. "商標ウォッチ" (in Japanese). Chizai Watch. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
    8. "田口清隆監督『ウルトラマンブレーザー』は「いい意味で当たり前のウルトラマンに」 ゲントと蕨野友也の一致っぷりに驚き" (in Japanese). Oricon. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
    9. "『ウルトラマンブレーザー』放送開始記念スペシャルクロストーク第２弾 / 田口清隆[メイン監督]＆岩田栄慶（ウルトラマンブレーザー・スーツアクター＆キャラクターボイス）対談　中編" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Imagination. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
    10. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』ヒロイン発表！搗宮姫奈さん演じるSKaRDの諜報員「アオベ エミ隊員」を公開！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
    11. "New TV Series ULTRAMAN BLAZAR Heroine Announced! Himena Tsukimiya as SKaRD Agent, Emi Aobe!". Tsuburaya Productions. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
    12. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』メインキャスト発表！梶原颯さん演じる敏腕メカニック「バンドウ ヤスノブ隊員」を公開！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
    13. "New TV Series ULTRAMAN BLAZAR SKaRD's Skilled Mechanic Announced! Hayate Kajihara as Yasunobu Bando!". Tsuburaya Productions. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
    14. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』メインキャスト発表！内藤好美さん演じるアースガロン操縦士「ミナミ アンリ隊員」を公開！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
    15. "New TV Series ULTRAMAN BLAZAR's Main Cast is Announced! Konomi Naito as Earth Garon's pilot, Anri Minami!". Tsuburaya Productions. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
    16. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』メインキャスト発表！伊藤祐輝さん演じる頭脳明晰な作戦参謀「ナグラ テルアキ副隊長」を公開！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
    17. "New TV Series ULTRAMAN BLAZAR's Main Cast is Announced! Yuki Ito as the brilliant operation strategist, Teruaki Nagura!". Tsuburaya Productions. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
    18. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』メインキャスト発表！加藤雅也さん演じる地球防衛隊・司令部「ハルノ レツ参謀長」を公開！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
    19. "ULTRAMAN BLAZAR Main Cast Announced! Masaya Kato as Retsu Haruno, Chief of Staff for the Command of Global Guardian Force". Tsuburaya Productions. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
    20. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』メイン監督・田口清隆 × スーツアクター・岩田栄慶 対談独占インタビュー TSUBURAYA IMAGINATIONにて公開！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
    21. "Hideyoshi Iwata will Play Ultraman Blazar in the Coming Series! Exclusive Talk Interview between Main Director Kiyotaka Taguchi x Hideyoshi Iwata Coming Soon!". Tsuburaya Productions. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
    22. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』に関智一さんがゲスト出演！7月22日(土)放送・第3話「その名はアースガロン」にて！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
    23. "Tomokazu Seki makes a Guest Appearance in ULTRAMAN BLAZAR Episode 3!". Tsuburaya Productions. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
    24. "新番組『ウルトラマンブレーザー』アーティスト発表！オープニング主題歌はアニソン界の実力派シンガー・きただにひろしが担当！エンディングテーマはタイ出身のアニソンシンガー・MindaRyn！" (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Station. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
    25. "ULTRAMAN BLAZAR's Theme Song Artists Revealed to be Hiroshi Kitadani & MindaRyn!". Tsuburaya Productions. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
    26. "Tayang 14 Juli 2023, Ini Jam Tayang Ultraman Blazar di RTV!!" (in Indonesian). Kaori Nusantara. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
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