Megumi Iruma is one of the main characters of Ultraman Tiga. She is the captain of GUTS.
Personality
Iruma has a calm and formidable personality. She has a strong sense of responsibility and always trusts her subordinates. She also provides accurate instructions to her team members with her excellent observational skills and calm judgment in emergencies. As a leader, she had a rather motherly relationship with her team.
She is not passionate about it and does not want her team and organization to be tainted with a military color, so she often instills this idea in her team members. Therefore, she sometimes feels dissatisfied with the overly extreme actions of her superiors. As she trusts her team very much, when forced to deceive her team members by investigating rumors, it also makes her feel guilty. The Mirage Monster
History
Pre-Ultraman Tiga
Iruma's past stint at SET
In the past, Iruma had served as a technical officer for the Ministry of Science and as a vice-captain for a special defense force unit. She also saved her subordinate Munakata in an event, which led to Munakata having a strong trust in her.
Afterward, under the recommendation of Souichiro Sawai, she was appointed as the head of SET, but due to her full dedication to the research of SET, she missed the opportunity to spend time with her family. After her husband died in an accident, she was working in Brazil and was unable to handle the funeral arrangements on time, which caused a rift between her and her son Tomoki and her mother-in-law. The Devil's Judgement
After that, she joined GUTS and served as the captain of the team.
Ultraman Tiga
After Ultraman Tiga appeared in the world, as the frequency of monster disasters increased, Iruma began to perform her duties as the captain of GUTS. When monsters appear, she usually stays in the command room and does not participate in the battle directly but instead entrusts the command of the fight to Munakata. However, in times of necessity, she will personally pilot the GUTS Wing to the scene.
At the beginning of the series, she viewed Tiga as a god who guides humanity, but after the Kyrieloid incident, she often pondered the meaning of Tiga's existence and the protection of humanity. However, as she observed Tiga's battles and through a series of clues, she eventually early on discovered the truth that Daigo is Tiga's human form. During this process, her conflicts with her son, Tomoki, and mother-in-law, were also resolved under the influence of the Kyrieloid incident.
One day, rumors of a phantom monster appearing in the streets began to spread. In such circumstances, Iruma was summoned by Tatsumura, a staff member of the TPC European branch, who had been seconded to the Intelligence Bureau. There, Iruma was informed of a shocking truth. The rumors circulating among the public about the phantom monster were actually spread by Tatsumura. Tatsumura believed that during monster disasters, uncontrollable civilians would cause trouble, so he intentionally spread rumors to collect their movement data. Iruma opposed this strategy of instilling fear in people but was ordered to deploy GUTS to investigate and strengthen the credibility of the rumors.
Iruma was ordered by Tatsumura to deploy GUTS and assist him in implementing a strategy to instill fear among the people, which made Iruma feel guilty for deceiving her team members.
Under Iruma's direction, GUTS went to investigate the reported locations of the monster's appearance but found no abnormalities. Iruma felt guilty for deceiving the team members into investigating a non-existent monster. However, on the way back from the investigation, Daigo spotted the figure of the monster.
After Daigo reported seeing the monster, Iruma asked Tatsumura if they were using holographic projections or any other means to display the monster's image, only to be told that there was no budget for such endeavors; they were merely spreading rumors. The next day, GUTS received multiple reports of monster sightings, causing division among the team members: some believed in the existence of the monster while others did not, leading to arguments. Unable to bear it any longer, Iruma revealed to all members that the monster sightings were actually just rumors. However, they received another report of the monster's appearance, this time with accompanying footage. It was indeed the monster Daigo had witnessed: Faldon.
Iruma piloted GUTS Wing 1 to assist Tiga in distinguishing the true and false forms of Faldon.
As GUTS mobilized and headed to the reported locations, they encountered another Faldon. Despite launching attacks, GUTS's beams passed through the monster's body. It turned out to be an illusion created by Faldon. GUTS engaged in combat against the rampaging Faldon in the city. Ultraman Tiga also joined the battle, but Faldon created illusions, causing Tiga to struggle. At this critical moment, Iruma piloted GUTS Wing 1, risking a physical collision with Faldon to assist Tiga in distinguishing reality from illusion.
The real Faldon unleashed a beam attack on GUTS Wing 1, while Tiga swiftly defeated the genuine Faldon, saving the plummeting GUTS Wing 1 from being hit.
Was it just a coincidence that rumors of monster sightings and the appearance of the illusionary Faldon occurred simultaneously? Iruma began to ponder whether it was due to the fragile human psyche that monsters emerged. Meanwhile, Tatsumura was found conducting intelligence manipulation experiments and was sent back to their original department by the staff headquarters. Iruma deeply regretted losing the trust of her team members, but their warm welcome upon her return filled her with warmth. The Mirage Monster
Before Gatanothor's resurrection and the destruction of the world, She learned of the signs that the darkness is about to revive through the appearance of Yuzare.
Before the final struggle with the dark forces, Iruma expresses her views on Ultraman to Daigo.
When dark forces begin to sabotage the Dive Hangar, she expresses to Daigo that she understands the meaning of "Ultraman is both light and human" and wishes for him to win against the darkness as a human. However, she, along with the senior staff of GUTS and TPC, witnesses Tiga's defeat. So, they put all their efforts into a rescue plan, trying to revive Tiga, who turned into a statue.Master of Darkness
In the final episode of the series, she witnesses all the children of the world turn into light and witness the birth of Glitter Tiga and the process of Tiga defeating Gatanothor. In the end, she posed for a photo with the members of GUTS on the Artdessei.To the Shining Ones
Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey
Iruma trapped on R'lyeh
Two years later, she and an exploration team went to R'lyeh to investigate local ancient civilization ruins. However, due to the unsealing of the Giants of Darkness, she fell into a coma when the giants destroyed the facility, but she survived thanks to the protection of Yuzare's spirit and became trapped in a boundary and the only survivor of the exploration team. It is stated by Camearra that Iruma is the descendant of Yuzare and her reincarnation, as shown when the spirit of her ancestor emerged from her unconscious body to seal the Giants of Darkness on R'lyeh.
When she was rescued by Munakata, she returned to GUTS to support the frontline operations, and in the end, she and everyone witnessed the return of Glitter Tiga and the submergence of R'lyeh.
A year later, she and the other members bid farewell to Daigo and Rena, who were heading to Mars. Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey
Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light
Iruma as a staff officer of the TPC Intelligence Bureau
Six years after the threat of the Giants of Darkness, after GUTS disbanded, Iruma became a staff officer of the TPC Intelligence Bureau and Saeko Shiina's subordinate. Shin Asuka went to visit her to learn more about Tiga. Asuka admires that GUTS was a good team and asks her if she still sees them, but she doesn't. Asuka wanted to know if he could meet Tiga, but Iruma said he couldn’t because he left after the battle with Gatanothor.
She told Asuka that Tiga has a light that can lighten everyone, including Asuka, and Tiga can always win against darkness with his existing light. After Asuka as Dyna got killed by Queen Monera, a young boy with an Ultraman Tiga figure was able to get everyone to believe in the light, and everyone lends their 'light' to bring back Ultraman Tiga with Iruma happy to see him once again.
After the battle, Iruma meets a little girl who is revealed to be the daughter of Rena and Daigo. She even reunites with Rena, Shinjoh, Munakata, and Horii. Munakata gave her flowers. Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light
Ultraman Dyna
Iruma and Sawai at the Grandome
After the Queen Monera incident, she continues to carry out her work as an intelligence bureau advisor and completely hides files related to Ultraman so that TPC, which supports the use of force, will not find out. She had previously told TPC's senior officials that monster disasters are also a problem that humanity needs to face and overcome and that relying too much on powerful forces may lead to the extinction of contemporary humanity like the ancient civilization. The Smile of Destruction: Part 2
She also assisted Super GUTS when Asuka and Ryo got captured by the Black Buster Corps for the creation of a new weapon. Final Chapter I: A New Shadow
On the eve of Gran-Sphere's battle with Dyna, she appears with Sawai to encourage the TPC members not to give up hope.Final Chapter III: Toward Tomorrow...
Gallery
Ultraman Tiga
Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey
Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light
Ultraman Dyna
Miscellaneous
Trivia
- Megumi is the first permanent female captain of the Ultraman Series.
- Her actress Mio Takaki previously portrayed Wadatuzin's human form.
- While stated that Iruma is a reincarnation of Yuzara and possibly Daigo's distant cousin, she does not inherit the Ultra DNA, due to being a victim of Gijera's influences.
- Megumi is the first GUTS member to suspect Daigo's identity as Ultraman Tiga.