CRUNCHYROLL HAS PREMIERED "ULTRAMAN ORB" 50th Anniversary Ultra Series Is Now Streaming!

新シリーズ『ウルトラマンオーブ』が日本と米国に放送スタート！


Here's the main English image art for the all-new ULTRAMAN ORB.

Crunchyroll, the mighty anime streaming service, which announced its aim to expand into more live action titles (or tokusatsu, the term for special effects productions), has already unleashed a plethora of Ultraman upon the US, Europe, and Latin America over the last two years. And on July 8th at 7:00 pm PDT, will begin simulcasting the latest series, ULTRAMAN ORB, in a tandem with the series' premiere on Japanese television for the 50th Anniversary of the franchise.


Orb's Spacium-Zephyrion form combines Ultraman & Ultraman Tiga.

Bowing on July 9th in Japan, ULTRAMAN ORB, produced by Tsuburaya Productions and broadcast on TV Tokyo, will be the first of the recent "Ultra Series" to not produced under the "Ultraman Retsuden" banner. Returning is director Kiyotaka Taguchi (Ultraman X), who promised in an Uchusen magazine interview, that the new series would return the franchise's roots and the themes of traveling a noble path, while still being a fun story. ORB is slated to run 25 episodes.


The Hurricane-Slash form combines Ultraman Jack & Ultraman Zero.

Once upon a time, the Earth was saved from total destruction when Ultraman and Ultraman Tiga sealed away a horde of demonic beasts. Since childhood, Naomi Yumeno, has sensed these terrible monsters, and as a young woman launches the SSP investigation site. When she is threatened by one of the kaiju, and is saved by Gai Kurenai, who is in reality the warrior known as Ultraman Orb! But, a mysterious, evil figure is lurking in the shadows to challenge Orb...


The Burn-Mite form combines Ultraman Taro & Ultraman Mebius.

Be sure start watching ULTRAMAN ORB tonight on Crunchyroll at 7:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time, and then join them each and every week for this special simulcast presentation of the latest in the Ultraman franchise — available worldwide (excluding Asia) — same Ultra Time, same Ultra Channel!

Check out the official Ultraman Orb wesbite (Japanese only), here.

"ULTRAMAN GAIA" UNLEASHED UPON EARTH! Full Series Now Streaming from Crunchyroll

後に『ウルトラマンガイア』は世界中のストリーミング！


Finally, ULTRAMAN GAIA is now available streaming worldwide!

Yesterday, when I broke the news about Crunchyroll's latest addition to their streaming service of on-going "Ultra Series" titles, ULTRAMAN NEXUS (2004), I stated a wish that there would be more coming soon, including one of my all-time favorites in the 1990s run, ULTRAMAN GAIA (1998). Today, the folks at Crunchyroll, gave me the heads up that the complete series of ULTRAMAN GAIA begins streaming today at 5:00 pm (Pacific) — and it's about damned time!


Star Takeshi Yoshioka, visiting the US in 2011 (photo: David Chapple).

Premiering on September 5, 1998, ULTRAMAN GAIA followed the success of ULTRAMAN TIGA (1996) and ULTRAMAN DYNA (1997), but broke from its predecessors' continuity to exist in a universe all its own, and a far more complex storyline, with multiple character and plot arcs that intersect beautifully, dovetailing into an incredible climax. The series is also a bit extra special for me, because I spent a lot of time on the set over the course of a month during the fall of 1998. But, even though I'm biased, it's still a great series.


With actors Maria Theresa Gow (left) and Ai Hashimoto (right).

At the end of the 20th Century, a network of young geniuses known as the Alchemy Stars, develop a supercomputer, CRISIS, predicting that mankind will be annihilated by an "entity of radical destruction". An international concern employs these young men to create cutting edge technology and weaponry for G.U.A.R.D. (Geocentric Universal Alliance against Radical Destruction), a secret worldwide defense network, and their tactical response organization, X.I.G. (eXpanded Interceptive Guardians).


With Brad Warner (right), Tsuburaya's International Sales director.

Several years later, during a quantum physics experiment, Gamu Takayama, a former member of the Alchemy Stars, bonds with the mysterious light of "Ultraman Gaia" in order to stop the oncoming threat to all life on our planet. But, not long after this momentous battle begins, he encounters another mysterious giant, "Ultraman Agul", who believes that protecting the Earth doesn't necessarily mean protecting mankind...

ULTRAMAN GAIA also features fantastic monster designs by Hiroshi Maruyama, a great score by Toshihiko Sahashi, and solid writing by Chiaki Konaka. So, what are you waiting for? You've got 51 episodes to catch up with — get a move on!

"ULTRAMAN NEXUS" DEBUTS 'ROUND THE GLOBE Crunchyroll Streams a Different Ultraman Show

今『ウルトラマンネクサス』は世界中のストリーミング！


Prepare for a completely different kind of Ultraman series!

Back in December, the anime streaming service, Crunchyroll, stated that their simulcast of Tsuburaya Productions' ULTRAMAN X (2015) was so successful, that they would be adding the 2004 series, ULTRAMAN NEXUS to their on-going Ultra Series line-up (Ultraman Leo, Ultraman 80, Ultraman Max, and Ultraman Mebius) — all licensed directly from Tsuburaya and available worldwide, excluding Asia. These are all presented in the original Japanese with Subtitles available in several languages, including English.

Debuting over the Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting network on October 2, 2004, ULTRAMAN NEXUS was conceived and produced as a darker, adult-oriented science fiction drama, opposed to previous entires, which were more positive or child-oriented. Unfortunately, NEXUS was placed in an early morning timeslot, instead of prime time, and on account of poor ratings, was cut to 37 episodes from the original plan of 50. Home Video releases boasted an all-new "Episode EX" as well as an Director's Cut of Episode 29, each running 45 minutes.

From Crunchyroll's press release: Kazuki Komon, a failed Rescue Squad member, gets recruited by the Terrestrial Liberation Trust (TLT) to join the Night Raiders, a top classified special task force assembled by the TLT to protect Earth from space monsters. After undergoing stringent training, Kazuki gets paired with the cool Night Raider sub-captain Nagi Saijo for active duty — just in time for an insidious invasion of Earth, and the appearance of a "giant of light", whose mission is to protect humanity.

So, if you're looking for something truly different in the Ultra Series, or just like sci-fi series such as Dark Matter, you just might dig the story-and-character-arc-driven plot of ULTRAMAN NEXUS. And let's hope that Crunchyroll continues to bring us more Ultraman goodness in the near future, because there's still some really great stuff to be shared with the world, such as ULTRAMAN GAIA!

All 37 episodes of ULTRAMAN NEXUS launches via Crunchyroll on February 10, 2016 at 5:00 pm (Pacific Standard Time)!