Ultraman X The Movie

Ultraman X The Movie
Blu-Ray DVD cover of the release, featuring Ultraman Exceed X in Beta Spark Armor.
Japanese	劇場版 ウルトラマンX きたぞ! われらのウルトラマン
Hepburn	Gekijōban Urutoraman Ekkusu Kita zo! Warera no Urutoraman
Directed by	Kiyotaka Taguchi
Written by	Takao Nakano Yuji Kobayashi Hirotoshi Kobayashi
Based on	Ultraman X by Koichi Sakamoto
Starring	Kensuke Takahashi Akane Sakanoue Yoshihiko Hosoda Ukyo Matsumoto Hayato Harada Haruka Momokawa TAKERU Chiaki Seshimo Sarara Tsukifume Yuu Kamio Takami Yoshimoto Serai Takagi Yuka Nakayama Michael Tomioka
Narrated by	Yasunori Matsumoto
Music by	Takao Konishi
Production company	Tsuburaya Productions
Distributed by	Shochiku
Release date	March 12, 2016 (2016-03-12)
Running time	73 mins
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Ultraman X The Movie (劇場版 ウルトラマンX きたぞ! われらのウルトラマン, Gekijōban Urutoraman Ekkusu Kita zo! Warera no Urutoraman, also called "Ultraman X The Movie: Here It Comes! Our Ultraman") is a Japanese superhero, and kaiju film, serving as the film adaptation of the 2015 Ultra Series television series Ultraman X. It was released in March 12, 2016, in celebration to the 50th anniversary of the Ultra Series, as well as 50th anniversary of Ultraman and 20th anniversary of Ultraman Tiga, both appearing in this movie as supporting characters.^[1][2] The film will also be released on January 8, 2017 in the United States along with Ultraman Ginga S The Movie as a double feature.^[3] Actors of the English dub were announced in December 10, 2016 by SciFi Japan.^[4]

The main catchphrase in this movie is "Zaigorg Strikes! Unleash the Beta Spark Armor!" (地獄 (ザイゴーグ)襲来! 解き放て究極の力 (ベータスパークアーマー)!!, Zaigōgu shūrai! Tokihanate Bēta Supāku Āmā!!).

Synopsis

The film begins with several clips from past episodes of Ultraman X, ranging from the Ultra Flare to Xio's final battle with Greeza. Back at the present, Guruman narrated a story about the original Ultraman's fame in the galaxy and presented the Lab Team members a replica of the original Beta Capsule in hopes of calling the Ultra Warrior but instead, it triggered a chain reaction that set the whole lab in explosion. Xio members celebrated Daichi's return from his monster observation in Australia, though the party was interrupted by deputy captain Sayuri, who chastised them for eating during the job. All of a sudden, they received an abnormal radio wave from the Baraji Ruins (芭羅慈 (バラジ)遺跡, Baraji Iseki)^{[lower-alpha 1]} located in Baraji Village, Akita Prefecture, an ancient civilization area where a mysterious pyramid was discovered a long time ago. Arriving at the location, Daichi and Asuna Tsukasa Tamaki and her son Yuuto, as well as Carlos Kurosaki, an adventurous celebrity who gains fame in the internet and tries to enter the pyramid as well. Entering the pyramid through a hole that Carlos busted, they discover a giant statue of Ultraman Tiga and a blue stone. Driven by his own greed, Carlos takes the blue stone by ignoring the warnings that Tsukasa tried to tell and because of this, the pyramid starts to shaken. He and his filming crews flee, leaving the rest to Xio and a monster emerges from the pyramid. Daichi transformed into X and buy the others some time to escape. The monster is too powerful for X to handle, even pummelling Exceed X, the Ultraman's stronger form and forced him to separate with Daichi, damaging the X Devizer before it went underground.

The mother-son pair were brought to the Xio headquarters and Tsukasa quickly revealed the monster's name: Devil Beast Zaigorg. A long time ago, the Earth was transformed into a similar condition to the hell by Zaigorg until the monster was sealed by past Ultra Warriors. But the seal has lifted and Tsukasa blames herself for not being able to stop Carlos. Meanwhile, Daichi is able to restore X using a small volt of electricity but with the X Devizer still damaged, he is unable to transform. After inspecting Tiga's statue, Guruman decided to create Cyber Cards based on the giant and the original Ultraman. Rui takes Yuuto to a tour within the Lab Team's department and meets Dr. Guruman, who presented the boy with the Cyber Cards of past Ultra Warriors that Xio and X met in the past. In exchange, Yuuto revealed several artifacts he collected while on expedition with his mother as Guruman borrowed one of them which captured his attention. Under guidance of her researches, Tsukasa revealed that Zaigorg can only be sealed once more by using the same blue stone and that the monster made its way to destroy it. At Carlos Communications, Carlos Kurosaki celebrated his recent adventure and revealed the blue stone, but his popularity decremented after losing to an animal video. While Asuna and Tsukasa tried to order everyone to evacuate the building, Xio launched the operation "Hell No. 3" (黄泉三号, Yomi San-gō) to stop Zaigorg from advancing towards the tower. Xio members used the Cyber Cards' powers but to no avail as a Zaigorg summoned Gorg Antlar and Gorg Fire Golza as his assists.

With the three monsters approaching Carlos Communication, an evacuation is finally held. Yuuto sees this scenario from the lab and tries to run off to help his mother, resulting his emotion to resonate with the blue stone, the mysterious relic and the X Devizer. Rui brought X, Yuuto and the relic under Guruman's orders before joining Xio members in against Zaigorg as well. Kurosaki finally reclaim the blue stone after a short scuffle and quickly shift his focus to rescue Tsukasa after being trapped by a steel beam with Saeko (his assistant), Daichi, Asuna and Yuuto join in. As Zaigorg approaches, she orders them to leave her but Yuuto's desire to save his mother allows his relic to give him the strength needed to lift the steel beam. The relic's crust peels off and reveal its true form, resonating with the blue stone and the X Devizer. As Yuuto and Tsukasa were about to be trampled by a wall, the boy quickly rises the relic and transforms into Ultraman Tiga, saving his mother and pushes Zaigorg far from the building. The X Devizer repairs itself and Daichi quickly uses this opportunity to transform. The blue stone reacts, summoned the original Ultraman and all three giants and Xio members join forces against Zaigorg and its monsters.

Both Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman received support from Xio's Cyber Card-powered weapons that assisted them in defeating Gorg Antlar and Gorg Fire Golza. As Ultraman X seemingly defeated Zaigorg, the monster appeared unharmed and strangled Ultraman and Tiga with its tentacles to absorb their light energies, converting them into five missiles which launched towards X before arriving on different countries of the world, summoning five Tsurugi Demaaga. Guruman finished creating the Cyber Cards of Ultraman and Tiga and had Rui and Mamoru sent them to Daichi, who used it and equipped Ultraman X with the Beta Spark Armor. Using the Beta Spark Sword, he freed Tiga and Ultraman and fights against Zaigorg. The Cyber Cards of past Ultra Warriors resonated and summoned all of them to fight Tsurugi Demaaga in different portions of the world. X merged with Tiga and Ultraman, creating a huge data wing that charged the worldwide Ultra Warriors with the energy needed to finish off Tsurugi Demaaga. Returning to Earth, he quickly killed Zaigorg and ended his reign of terror.

The others celebrates the X's victory and the Ultra Warriors regroup for a moment before leaving. Tiga reverted to Yuuto and X separated with Daichi. Because of humanity's bonds, he finally regained the true body that was lost 15 years ago and Ultraman leaves the Earth. X thanked Xio for their cooperation since the first time they met and reassured to Daichi that they will always stay united and will return should the Earth is in danger once more before leaving. Yuuto awakened, nearly having no recollection of his time as Tiga but was praised by his mother, something that he had yearned for. At the headquarters, Xio members celebrates their victory but X returned to them explains that the Earth will be under attack by Desastro, a monster from Centaurus Constellation. Xio's satellite picks up the monster's sighting and the team rolls out once more.

Production

The project was first announced by Tsuburaya Productions in July 23, 2015 and in Ultraman Festival 2015.^[5] In November 28, 2015, the title and the movie poster was released in Tsuburaya Productions' blog.^[6]

Among of its supporting casts were Takami Yoshimoto, previously known for Rena Yanase in Ultraman Tiga. Takami herself is the daughter of Susumu Kurobe (the actor of the original Ultraman's protagonist, Shin Hayata), who also the guest attendant of the movie's press conference as he latter expresses his congratulations. Michael Tomioka, Carlos Kurosaki's actor was a guest actor in episode 44 of Ultraman Dyna and stated that he felt honored for being a part of the movie, having watched the Ultra Series since his childhood.^[2]

Ever since the movie's screening, several stage greetings were held. The final stage greeting was in May 11, 2016, which was held as a sign of departure for the casts of Ultraman X to the spectators, as Daichi Ozora (Kensuke) passes the baton to Ultraman Orb, the Ultra Warrior of his upcoming titular series.^[7]

English Dub Production

In December 2016, Japanese studio Tsuburaya Productions Company Ltd., and their U.S. distributor William Winckler Productions, Inc. announced that select U.S. theaters across all major U.S. cities will debut the English dubbed, 50th Anniversary feature film of Ultraman, titled Ultraman X: The Movie. This was the first North American theatrical release of an Ultraman feature film in its entire 50 year history. It premiered in a Double Feature along with their new English dubbed film Ultraman Ginga S the Movie on January 8, 2017.^[8]

Cast

Theme song

• Unite ~Kimi to Tsunagaru Tame ni~ (Unite ～君とつながるために～, "Unite ~To Unite With You~")
  • Lyrics: TAKERU, Chiaki Seshimo
  • Composition & Arrangement: Takao Konishi
  • Artist: Voyager feat. Project DMM

Notes

References

External links

• Ultraman X the Movie on IMDb
• Ultraman X The Movie at Tsuburaya Productions (in Japanese)