Ultraman Blazar

Synopsis

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 awry 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.

Characters

SKaRD

Special Kaiju Reaction Detachment (特殊怪獣対応分遣隊, Tokushu Kaijū Taiō Bunken-tai), abbreviated as SKaRD (スカード, Sukādo), is a special forces unit established within the GGFJ.

Gento Hiruma (ヒルマ ゲント, Hiruma Gento): The 30-year-old captain of SKaRD, born on November 3, 1992. He transforms into Ultraman Blazar with the Blazar Brace (ブレーザーブレス, Burēzā Buresu) and the Blazar Stone (ブレーザーストーン, Burēzā Sutōn) crystal. He is portrayed by Tomoya Warabino (蕨野 友也, Warabino Tomoya).

Emi Aobe (アオベ エミ, Aobe Emi): A 23-year-old intelligence specialist, born on October 11, 1999. She is portrayed by Himena Tsukimiya (搗宮 姫奈, Tsukimiya Himena). As a baby, Emi is portrayed by Honoka Koshi (越 萌乃佳, Koshi Honoka).

Anri Minami (ミナミ アンリ, Minami Anri): A 26-year-old pilot for Earth Garon, born on May 8, 1997. She is portrayed by Konomi Naito (内藤 好美, Naitō Konomi). As a child, Anri is portrayed by Chieri Fujiyama (藤山 千恵梨, Fujiyama Chieri).

Yasunobu Bando (バンドウ ヤスノブ, Bandō Yasunobu): A 25-year-old skilled mechanic and pilot for Earth Garon, born on April 22, 1998. He is portrayed by Hayate Kajihara (梶原 颯, Kajihara Hayate)

Teruaki Nagura (ナグラ テルアキ, Nagura Teruaki): The 29-year-old vice-captain and operations strategist of SKaRD, born on October 21, 1993. He is portrayed by Yuki Ito (伊藤 祐輝, Itō Yūki).

Special Tactical Armored Kaiju Earth Garon (特戦獣 アースガロン, Tokusenjū Āsu Garon): SKaRD's giant kaiju-type robot nicknamed Earthy (アーくん, Ā-kun). It is equipped with the Earth Fire (アースファイア, Āsu Faia) charged particle cannon in its mouth, the Earth Gun (アースガン, Āsu Gan) autocannons on each hand, and the five-cell Tail VLS (テイルVLS, Teiru Bui Eru Esu) on its tail. The voice interactive AI system, EGOISS (イーゴイス, Īgoisu), is later installed on Earth Garon. During the events of the manga spin-off, Earth Garon is equipped with the pressure diving suit, AO-PDS, and the underground excavation unit, AO-UEU. It is voiced by Akira Ishida (石田 彰, Ishida Akira).

Earth Garon Mod.2 (アースガロンMod.2, Āsu Garon Moddo Tsū): Equipped with the Mod.2 Unit (Mod.2ユニット, Moddo Tsū Yunitto) on its back, which grants the Rail Cannon (レールキャノン, Rēru Kyanon) and the Multipurpose Laser (多目的レーザー, Tamokuteki Rēzā) cannon.

GGFJ

The Global Guardian Force Japan (地球防衛隊日本支部, Chikyū Bōei-tai Nihon Shibu; GGFJ) is the Japanese branch of the Global Guardian Force, an organization authorized to deal against kaiju and headquartered in North America.

Retsu Haruno (ハルノ レツ, Haruno Retsu): The 56-year-old Chief of Staff of GGFJ Command and founder of SKaRD who is Gento's superior. He later took full responsibility for SKaRD's disruption of the GGFJ's operation and was relieved of duty. In Ultraman Blazar the Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown, he has been promoted to the Commander of GGFJ Command to replace Genkawa. He is portrayed by Masaya Kato (加藤 雅也, Katō Masaya).

Isozaki (磯崎), Komatsubara (小松原), Moriguchi (守口), Murota (室田), and Kisaragi (如月): Members of the First Special Mobile Team (第1特殊機動団, Dai Ichi Tokushu Kidō-dan), to which Gento belonged before his transfer to SKaRD. They are portrayed by Takashi Nishina (仁科 貴, Nishina Takashi), Kenji Shio (塩 顕治, Shio Kenji), Hideki Kitano (北野 秀気, Kitano Hideki), Kazuhiro Yoda (養田 和裕, Yōda Kazuhiro), and Taihei Nishi (西 泰平, Nishi Taihei), respectively.

Hirano (ヒラノ): A head of weapons development. He is portrayed by Keitoku Ito (伊藤 慶徳, Itō Keitoku).

Minoru Genkawa (源川 稔, Genkawa Minoru): Commander of GGFJ Command. He is portrayed by Taro Kawano (川野 太郎, Kawano Tarō).

Tatsuki Aobe (アオベ タツキ, Aobe Tatsuki): Emi Aobe's father and a scientist, who died three years ago. He is portrayed by Ryosuke Watabe (渡部 遼介, Watabe Ryōsuke).

Goda (ゴウダ, Gōda): A captain of the Facilities Security Forces. He is portrayed by Tetsu Hijikata (土方 鉄, Hijikata Tetsu).

Ultraman Blazar

Ultraman Blazar (ウルトラマンブレーザー, Urutoraman Burēzā) is the titular Ultra of the series who came from Blazar M421. His finishing move is Spiral Burrade (スパイラルバレード, Supairaru Barēdo), a spear made of energy that he can manipulate in various ways. During the battle against Varallon, Blazar is able to fire a Blazar Beam (ンブレーザー光線, Burēzā Kōsen) from his left hand using Gento's wedding ring and a bracelet his son gifted him as a catalyst. He can harness the power of monsters through the use of their Stones, such as a Rainbow Slash (レインボー光輪, Reinbō Kōrin) energy buzzsaw through the power of Nijikagachi, the Tilsonite Sword (チルソナイトソード, Chirusonaito Sōdo) through the power of Garamon, and the Firdran Armor (ファードランアーマー, Fādoran Āmā) through the power of Firdran, which can change the Tilsonite Sword into the Tilsofird Lancer (チルソファードランサー, Chirusofādo Ransā) double-bladed sword. He is voiced by Hideyoshi Iwata (岩田 栄慶, Iwata Hideyoshi), who also plays the Ultra.

Minor characters

Reiko Kiyoshimadaira (キヨシマダイラ レイコ, Kiyoshimadaira Reiko): A reporter of television station TKB. She is portrayed by Maasa Kitamura (北村 まあさ, Kitamura Maasa).

Okawa (大川, Ōkawa): A physicist at the Teaterium Energy Fusion Institute (ティーテリウムエネルギー融合研究所, Tīteriumu Enerugī Yūgō Kenkyū-jo). He is portrayed by Tomokazu Seki (関 智一, Seki Tomokazu).

Satoko Hiruma (ヒルマ サトコ, Hiruma Satoko): Gento Hiruma's wife of his age. In Ultraman Blazar the Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown, she is pregnant with her second child. She is portrayed by Maya Okano (岡野 真也, Okano Maya).

Jun Hiruma (ヒルマ ジュン, Hiruma Jun): Gento's 7-year-old son. He is portrayed by Haru Iwakawa (岩川 晴, Iwakawa Haru).

Hiroshi Sonezaki (曽根崎 浩, Sonezaki Hiroshi): The CEO of the major chemical company Novaio (ノヴァイオ) who used to be in GGF Chemical Department until 18 years ago. He is portrayed by Kazuki Tsujimoto (辻本 一樹, Tsujimoto Kazuki).

Mizuho (ミズホ): Anri Minami's childhood friend who lives in her hometown. She is portrayed by Asaka Yamada (山田 朝華, Yamada Asaka). As a child, she is portrayed by Seira Takatori (高取 青依良, Takatori Seira).

Saburota Terashimazu (テラシマヅ サブロウタ, Terashimazu Saburōta) and Takuma Nihonmatsu (ニホンマツ タクマ, Nihonmatsu Takuma): Directors of TKB. They are portrayed by Hachizo Hino (火野 蜂三, Hino Hachizō) and Yuta (優太, Yūta), respectively.

Kazunori Yokomine (横峯 万象, Yokomine Kazunori): A leading kaiju researcher, a former GGF Academy professor, and Gento's former teacher from school. He is portrayed by Kozo Sato (佐藤 貢三, Satō Kōzō). As a child, he is portrayed by Ken Fujii (藤井 健, Fujii Ken).

Yu Dobashi (ドバシ ユウ, Dobashi Yū): The former director of GGFJ and the former manager of Test Facility 66 of the Space Systems Research Center (宇宙装備研究所第66実験施設, Uchū Sōbi Kenkyū-jo Dai Rokujū-roku Jikken Shisetsu) who is revealed to be the orchestrator of the V99 conspiracy that occurred in 1999. He is portrayed by Minori Terada (寺田 農, Terada Minori).

Monsters and aliens

Space Crustacean Monster Bazanga (宇宙甲殻怪獣 バザンガ, Uchū Kōkaku Kaijū Bazanga): An alien monster sent by an alien race codenamed the V99.

Abyssal Monster Gedos (深海怪獣 ゲードス, Shinkai Kaijū Gēdosu):

Coleopteran Monster Taganular (甲虫怪獣 タガヌラー, Kōchū Kaijū Taganurā):

Molluscan Monster Leviera (軟体怪獣 レヴィーラ, Nantai Kaijū Revīra):

Mountain Monster Dorgo (山怪獣 ドルゴ, Yama Kaijū Dorugo):

Aurora Phantom Alien Cannan "Herbie" and "Robie" (オーロラ怪人 カナン星人 ハービー ロビー, Ōrora Kaijin Cannan Seijin Hābī Robī): Herbie is voiced by Ayako Takeuchi (竹内 絢子, Takeuchi Ayako), and their race first appeared in episode 24 of Ultraseven.

Iridescent Monster Nijikagachi (天弓怪獣 ニジカガチ, Tenkyū Kaijū Nijikagachi): An very powerful monster that was revered as a deity in ancient times. In the present it was used to reset the humanity.

Robot Monster Garamon (ロボット怪獣 ガラモン, Robotto Kaijū Garamon): First appeared in episode 13 of Ultra Q.

Space Phantom Cicadaman (宇宙怪人 セミ人間, Uchū Kaijin Semi Ningen): Aliens who assume the human identities of Hoichi Tsukushi (ツクシ ホウイチ, Tsukushi Hōichi), Chicchi Kuroiwa (クロイワ チッチ, Kuroiwa Chitchi), Michi Niize (ニイゼ ミチ, Niize Michi), and Kanade Higurashi (ヒグラシ カナデ, Higurashi Kanade). They are portrayed by Hideki Togi (東儀 秀樹, Tōgi Hideki), Norichika Togi (東儀 典親, Tōgi Norichika), Kon Shirasu (白須 今, Shirasu Kon), and Hiroaki Tsutsumi (堤 博明, Tsutsumi Hiroaki), respectively, and their race first appeared in episode 16 of Ultra Q.

Molten Iron Monster Demaaga (熔鉄怪獣 デマーガ, Yōtetsu Kaijū Demāga): First appeared in episode 1 of Ultraman X.

Molten Iron Monster Baby Demaaga (熔鉄怪獣 ベビーデマーガ, Yōtetsu Kaijū Bebī Demāga):

Film

Ultraman Blazar The Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown (ウルトラマンブレーザー THE MOVIE 大怪獣首都激突, Urutoraman Burēzā Za Mūbī Dai Kaijū Shuto Gekitotsu) is a film released in Japanese theaters on February 23, 2024.

Spin-offs

Ultraman Blazar: A manga spin-off with the same title as the series that has been serialized on Tsuburaya Imagination and Shogakukan's online manga websites Televi-Kun Super Hero Comics and Weekly CoroCoro Comic. A special episode is titled Showdown!! The King Monster Army (大決戦!!キング怪獣軍団, Dai Kessen!! Kingu Kaijū Gundan).

Ultraman Blazar The Movie Special Voice Drama (ウルトラマンブレーザー THE MOVIE スペシャルボイスドラマ, Urutoraman Burēzā Za Mūbī Supesharu Boisu Dorama): A two-episode audio drama distributed through a QR code for Tsuburaya Imagination members who attended movie screenings. It serves as a direct sequel to Ultraman Blazar The Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown.

Tokyo Kaiju Extermination Operation (首都直下撃滅作戦, Shuto Chokka Gekimetsu Sakusen)

SKaRD's Smoldering Night (SKaRDの燻される夜, Sukādo no Ibusareru Yoru)

SKaRD Break Room (SKaRD休憩室, Sukādo Kyūkeishitsu): A spin-off included as part of the second Blu-ray release of Ultraman Blazar. It focuses on Anri Minami, Yasunobu Bando, and Teruaki Nagura.

I'll Do This Exercise (この体操は俺がやる, Kono Taisō wa Ore ga Yaru)

Incompletion SOS (中途半端SOS, Chūtohanpa Esu Ō Esu)

Mother of SKaRD Is Like the Sun (スカードの母は太陽のように, Sukādo no Haha wa Taiyō no Yō ni)

Breach Your Stage Fright! (舞台恐怖症 突破せよ！, Butai Kyōfushō Toppa Seyo!)

Operation Surprise Zero (サプライズ0指令, Sapuraizu Zero Shirei)

Production

Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman Blazar was first trademarked and registered by the company on December 20, 2022, and published on December 28, 2022. The series was officially announced on April 21, 2023, alongside a sneak peek of both the titular Ultra and its human host Gento Hiruma. 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.

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. 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." 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. 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. 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".

Cast

Gento Hiruma: Tomoya Warabino

Emi Aobe: Himena Tsukimiya

Anri Minami: Konomi Naito

Yasunobu Bando: Hayate Kajihara

Teruaki Nagura: Yuki Ito

Retsu Haruno: Masaya Kato

Voice cast

Ultraman Blazar: Hideyoshi Iwata

Earthy: Akira Ishida

Narrator: Genki Yoshimoto (吉本 元喜, Yoshimoto Genki)

Guest cast

Okawa (3): Tomokazu Seki

Hoichi Tsukushi (9): Hideki Togi

Minoru Genkawa (11–12, 23–25): Taro Kawano

Yu Dobashi (14, 18–19, 24–25): Minori Terada

Scruffy (ヒゲ, Hige; 15): Taro Suwa (諏訪 太朗, Suwa Tarō)

Zangill (17): Mitsuru Karahashi

Tetsuo Suzuki (スズキ テツオ, Suzuki Tetsuo; 22): Yuta Kanai (金井 勇太, Kanai Yūta).

Michiko Tanaka (タナカ ミチコ, Tanaka Michiko; 22): Karin Yamaguchi (山口 果林, Yamaguchi Karin).

English dubbing cast

Johnny Yong Bosch as Gento Hiruma

Madeline Dorroh as Emi Aobe

Ricco Fajardo as Yasunobu Bando

Madeleine Morris as Anri Minami

Nicholas Andrew Louie as Teruaki Nagura

Keith Silverstein as Retsu Haruno

Clifford Chapin as Earthy

Theme songs

Opening theme

"Bokura no Spectra" (僕らのスペクトラ, Bokura no Supekutora; "Our Spectra")

Lyrics: Shito (シト)

Composition & Arrangement: Takumi Ozawa (尾澤 拓実, Ozawa Takumi) (from ReReGRAPHICS)

Artist: Hiroshi Kitadani (きただに ひろし, Kitadani Hiroshi)

Episodes: 2–24

Ending themes

"BLACK STAR"

Lyrics: SACHIKO

Composition & Arrangement: Hisashi Koyama (小山 寿, Koyama Hisashi)

Artist: MindaRyn

Episodes: 2–13

"Brave Blazar"

Lyrics, Composition, & Arrangement: Technoboys Pulcraft Green-Fund

Artist: Technoboys Pulcraft Green-Fund feat. MindaRyn

Episodes: 14–25

"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.

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

In Philippines, this series will be air on TV5 in 2025 with Filipino dubbed.

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.