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Ultraman Gaia is a Japanese Tokusatsu TV show and is the 14th show in the Ultra Series. It was created by Chiaki J. Konaka and produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS TV). It was aired on Japan News Network TV stations (TBS, CBC, MBS, etc.).
Plot
Gamu Takayama is a 20 year old member of an organization called Alchemy Stars. After a monster known as C.O.V. attacked the Earth, Gamu falls through a portal of light and meets the giant: Ultraman Gaia, who gives him his powers. Later, when Gaia was in trouble in episode three, another Ultraman, Ultraman Agul appeared. Can they save the Earth? Who is Agul, is he friend or foe? Later in the series it is seen that Agul, too, is a being of justice, but only protects the Earth, not humanity. The conflict between the two later leads to a duel, opening a wormhole that allows a giant beast to reach Earth. What will happen then?
Overview
Ultraman Gaia takes place in yet another universe, one that is totally different from the world of the Showa-era Ultras (Ultraman to Ultraman 80), as well as the world of Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna. In a departure from most of the other series, there are two Ultramen as the main characters. They have conflicting philosophies in regards to defending the Earth from a mysterious, malevolent and extremely intelligent cosmic entity.
The first half of the series explores the growing tension between them, and their eventual clash. The second half has them reconcile their differences so they can defeat their common enemy.
The show is also different from past Ultra Series in that the support team, XIG, has more personnel than the defense teams in previous series.
In this series, Ultraman Gaia is the lead, but Ultraman Agul makes many appearances. They are often at odds with each other in the beginning of the series. Their philosophies are as different as their skin colors. Unlike Gaia, Agul is completely blue. Gamu Takayama, the human host of Ultraman Gaia, believes that Gaia is here to save Earth and humanity. On the other hand, Hiroya Fujimiya, the human host of Ultraman Agul, believes Agul to be Earth's natural defense mechanism. He is at first more interested in protecting just the planet itself, even at the expense of humanity (hence the occasional clashes with Gaia). But this was discontinued after Gaia and Agul would work together as one to face more powerful monsters.
Story
The story takes place in the year 2000. Crisis, a supercomputer developed the Alchemy Stars (a global network of young geniuses born during the 1980s), predicts around 1996–1997 that Earth and humanity would be annihilated by something known as the "Entity that Brings Radical Destruction". Technology developed by the Alchemy Stars is used to form an international defence organization known as Globalcentric Universal Alliance against the Radical Destruction (G.U.A.R.D.). This is done secretly, so as to avoid worldwide panic. The eXpanded Interceptive Guards (X.I.G.) is the combat wing of G.U.A.R.D, operating in a floating sky fortress known as the Aerial Base.
20-year-old Gamu Takayama, a scientist and member of the Alchemy Stars briefly encounters Gaia during some virtual reality experiments he performs with the secret purpose of discovering the will of the Earth, later merging with him in order to fight various monsters that threaten the safety of the Earth. During his battles, he encounters Ultraman Agul, whose human form is Hiroya Fujimiya, a former Alchemy Stars member. Both clash because of their ideals regarding the protection of the Earth but eventually resolve their differences to battle their common enemy.
Characters
XIG
- Main article: XIG (eXpanded Interceptive Guardians)
eXpanded Interceptive Guardians (X.I.G.) is an Earth defense unit under the command of G.U.A.R.D. (Geocentric Universal Alliance against the Radical Destruction). X.I.G. is commanded by Commander Akio Ishimuro, and headquartered in the Aerial Base, a floating sky fortress, utilizing the Repulsor Lift technology created by Gamu Takayama. It is formed by:
Operation Crew
- Gamu Takayama : He merges with Ultraman Gaia in episode 1, thus gaining the ability to assume the form of Ultraman Gaia. He joined the XIG as an analyzer in episode 2, and begins flying the planes he designed in episode 4.
- Akio Ishimuro : 45-year-old, Ishimuro is the commander of XIG, becoming aware of Gamu's alter-ego as Ultraman Gaia by episode 7.
- Seiichiro Tsutsumi : 33-year-old. Chief of XIG. Once a member of the Air Guard, he was said to be the strategist of the team's best defense. Tsutsumi calls out the face-to-face attacks to his flight teams from Peace Carry, and his officers trust him for his judgement in difficult situations. However, he tends to be a little overprotective for his subordinates.
- Atsuko Sasaki : 21-year-old, she is the operator of XIG. Initially, she had a crush on Kaijo from Team Lightning but quit after he starts dating her sister. Though Atsuko sometimes cares for Gamu, she never developed a special relationship with him. However, Atsuko broke her pen twice with her hand out of jealousy when sensing Gamu holding hands with another girl. She has a horrible childhood where she was aways isolated, finding solace in arcade games. Though, this surprisingly helps her when Crisis invaded the base.
- Georgie Leland : The 20-year-old American operator of XIG. She is Atsuko's friend and known for her cheerful yet mischievous personality.
- Ayaka Ukai : The 20-year-old part-time operator of XIG. She takes over when Atsuko or Georgie are not available. Ayaka's uniform however is different compared to Atsuko and Georgie.
Team Lightning
The elite flight team. Staff Officer Chiba said that this team was "Defense Forces' Top Gun".
- Katsumi Kajio : 24 years old. The leader of Team Lightning. He enlisted in XIG be withdrawn from Top Gun was the GUARDS. Has a high pride and absolute confidence in the handling of the jets, but he had a fairly high elitism in his first appearences. Kajio wasn't impressed when Gamu joins XIG due to him being a student, but this changes as the series progresses. Kaijo is surprisingly terrible at socializing. Due to this, he was aloof from everyone, though there were some times where he was able to converse with others on a mission other than the initial orders. He develops a relationship with Atsuko's sister, Ritsuko.
- Yasushi Kitada : 23-year-old. He advises Kajio’s tactics for some cases. He has the highest total for shooting accuracy. He seems to have a strong interest in Gamu.
- Satoshi Ogawara : 25 years old. Though older than Kajio, he has great respect towards him. He also has a faith in Ultraman Gaia for saving him earlier from Mezard, which later becomes a weakness when he confused an imitation of Ultraman Gaia for the real one.
Team Falcon
The veteran flight team. Their teamwork exceeds Team Lightning.
- Tatsuhiko Yoneda : 34 years old. The highly respected leader of Team Falcon. Former of the Defense Corps Top Gun, he has the absolute trust of the pilots, but believes that it his duty to nurture a younger generation, such as Lightning from now on. He went to pick Gamu from University in order to send Gamu to Team Marlin. He develops a relationship with Kei Tadano, a Team Crow pilot.
- Koichi Hayashi : 33-year-old. Kajio's trainer some time ago. He also was once saved by Yoneda.
- Toru Tsukamori : 32-year-old. In the first person's flight tactics experiment, time-of-flight is long and far compared to the pilot of the same age. He is mild at first glance, but there is a moment when he is bound by impulse self-destructive, and strong will to try to overcome it, when there is a conflict is within him.
Team Crow
The female flight team. They like rock music.
- Miho Inagi : 26-year-old. The leader of Team Crow. She is previously known for her skillful flight in F16 jets and has a confident personality.
- Julie Mishima : Age 24, she is known for her Hiroshima dialect. Julie previously assisted in the development of Fighter jets maintenance some time ago, causing her to fall in love with the technologies.
- Kei Tadano : 22-year-old. Kei had once developed a phobia during her first training while also being attracted to Team Falcon leader Yoneda. She was given a Team Falcon pendant by Yoneda as a memento in case he was killed in action near the end of the series.
Team Hercules
A beefy ground-based team. They work out during standby in the gym.
- Satoru Yoshida : 30 years old. The leader of Team Hercules. He also has a thoughtful one side unexpectedly. Helped Gamu by unintentionally being a shield when Gamu ducked attacks in episode two. However, in practice, there is a purpose to recognize equipment in their dreams related to OPERATE. He have a beard from the second half. Contrary to the first impression, he is also a romantic with a great deal of interest to be related to animal extinction. He is called the "drunk-chan" from childhood friend Teruo Shoji that appeared in episode 29.
- Takanobu Kuwabara : 28 years old. He feels that he needs to take care of Gamu often, especially by making him stronger. Cage is just like his cousin, in Episode 34, had emerged as a professional wrestler under the Shinya Hashimoto in the ring name "Mammoth DaiTsuyoshi ".
- Mitsugu Shima : 35 years old. In person he is called "chewing gum" for the first time in a dream in episode 11 in the pla. In fact he is longing to join intelligence secretly.
Team Seagull
Rescue team.
- Atsushi Koyama : 28 years old. The leader of Team Seagull, although he is more regularly seen as the pilot of Peace Carry. In addition, and to participate in the mission of the last round only fighter other than the team, a person of high status within XIG. He wears sunglasses when he flies the Peace Carry. He has participated in rescue activities from 18 years of age. There is also a severity to him, but he was taught the significance of the rescue, which is also joy. In addition, or share someone for the action well with bank chief, for Tabata of KCB critical, I preached the height of the virtue of his bank chief. As mentioned above, participated in the mission, even the last round, I showed the skill which is not inferior to members of XIG Fighter team.
- Renji Matsuo : 25 years old. With experience of rescue of the missing, he studied with Koyama. The brittle to information. When a man named Hirakawa you rescue missions in pairs Rezaito warfare were interviewed to be "? Did helped to whom" to Reiko Yoshii in the news, and said, "team Seagull Matsuo-san" is not able to speak well because of injury was, but it was shouting "I'm Matsuo team Seagull" informs him that his "It is more of Italy" because I could hear the wind of "Chimushigaru-Mattsuo" for Reiko.
- Michael Simmons : 27 years old. Black member with a bright personality, he dosen't play in scenes devoted to logistic support such other than handling of Seagull Floater mainly, and helping with rescue at the forefront, but he was prominent he found and reported to XIG the survival of Yoneda who had crashed in episode 48.
Team Marlin
Sea-based team.
- Katsutoshi Yokotani : 28 years old. The leader of Team Marlin. Personality is honest and calm, he was involved in the design of Siren 7500. His crew in the sub seems to be a finicky place, it was very unfriendly for Gamu to ride in the OAV, but there is a scene to talk with colleagues of the team in the ending.
- Gentaro Imai : 25 years old. In the good-natured personality with glasses, he analyzed mainly. He is an oceanographer, is also a geologist. Offered a variety of explanations to our dream that you ride in OV.
- Kingo Iwao : 32-year-old. Some things in the school body, you've tightened too much Imai celebrates the first dispatch. Very noisy, but usually quiet during missions.
G.U.A.R.D.
The Globalcentric Universal Alliance against the Radical Destruction is formed by:
- Tatsumi Chiba : The standing staff officer of XIG.
- Hiroyuki Hiiragi : The Pacific rim unit's commodore.
- Kosuke Ranbashi : The development officer of XIG Fighters.
- Ryuichi Senuma : The captain of a special investigation team, the Lizard, who belongs to Geo Base. He investigates Fujimiya when he is being sought as Agul.
- Chief Higuchi : The chief of the chemical department of Geo Base.
- Doctor Hoshiyama : The doctor of the quantum mechanics department of the scientific inquiry section of Geo Base.
- Alf Mckay : The command team captain of G.U.A.R.D. U.S.
- Jeremy Spinoza : The executive of G.U.A.R.D. U.S.
Alchemy Stars
- Main article: Alchemy Stars
A network of scientists formed by child prodigies born in the 1980s. Gamu and Fujimiya are members.
- Hiroya Fujimiya : He transforms into Ultraman Agul. Ex-Alchemy Stars.
- Daniel Macffy : The chairman of Alchemy Stars.
- Miku Asano : A specialist whose work involves ancient monsters. Gamu is his acquaintance.
- Catherine Ryan : The development officer of a natural environment protection system.
- Klaus Eckart : A founding member who is one of the designers of the CRISIS integrated-circuit.
- Alan : One of members with a supercomputer.
- Al : One of members with a supercomputer.
- Natalie : One of members with a supercomputer.
- Michel : A French member
- Melinda : The girl who cooperated in the Mission Gaia.
- Azif : The Pakistan member who cooperated in the Mission Gaia.
KCB
- Main article: KCB
The KANTOH COMMUNITY BROADCASTING STATION,LTD . The central broadcasting station of media.
- Kenji Tabata : A director. He has a skeptical viewpoint regarding G.U.A.R.D..*Reiko Yoshi : A popular announcer. She became a supporter of Hiroya Fujimiya.
- Michifumi Inoue : A cameraman.
- Umezawa : He is a director of a branch office and he is Tabata's senior.
Others
- Sato : One of Gamu's friends at Jonan University. Something of a playboy.
- Makoto : One of Gamu's friends at Jonan University. An excellent student who becomes Gamu's right-hand man at the laboratory in Jonan University.
- Nakaji : One of Gamu's friends at Jonan University. A realist.
- Shigemi Takayama : Gamu's mother. She is principle of laissez-faire to Gamu.
- Yuiichi Takayama : Gamu's father. He is working as a caseworker in the city office, and regularly goes to check on rural residents.
- Kyoko Inamori : A scientist who helped develop CRISIS with Fujimiya; also a romantic interest of his who dies in episode 23.
- Ritsuko Sasaki : Atsuko's elder sister. Her husband was a pilot who died fighting the C.O.V. in episode 1.
- Megumi Kuroda : The feng shui master who can sense Mizunoenoryuh's intentions in episode 11. Tabata's friend.
- Yuki : A girl who Fujimiya rescues during a monster attack in episode 20; she runs into him frequently after the rescue.
Others media
Films and crossovers
- Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, & Ultraman Gaia: The Decisive Battle in Hyperspace (1999): Gaia is one of the main Ultramen to appear in this movie, alongside with Tiga and Dyna.
- Ultraman Gaia: Once Again Gaia (2001): A 45-minute OV set several years after the end of the series. Ultraman Gaia and Ultraman Agul return to fight a new enemy, along with help from mysterious undersea creatures.
- Great Decisive Battle! The Super 8 Ultra Brothers (2008): Gaia teams up with Tiga, Dyna and Mebius in this movie, alongside Showa-era Ultra Heroes.
- Ultraman Ginga S The Movie: Showdown! The 10 Ultra Warriors! (2015): Ultraman Gaia is one of the Heisei-era Ultra hero to fight along with other 9 Heisei-era Ultra Heroes.
- Ultraman Orb THE ORIGIN SAGA (2016-2017): Ultraman Gaia and Ultraman Agul return to fight the Bezelbs where it approaches the Earth, along with help from Ultraman Orb, Dyna and Cosmos starting on the eighth episode.
Video games
Although not technically an Ultraman game, Ultraman Gaia serves as both the main character and main plot in Banpresto's Super Hero Operations: Diedal's Ambition for the PlayStation.
Cast
- Gamu Takayama : Takeshi Yoshioka
- Hiroya Fujimiya : Hassei Takano
- Akio Ishimuro : Hiroyuki Watanabe
- Tatsumi Chiba : Sei Hiraizumi
- Seiichiro Tsutsumi : Takashi Ukaji
- Atsuko Sasaki : Ai Hashimoto
- Georgie Leland : Maria Theresa Gow
- Ayaka Ukai : Ayaka Tanaka
- Katsumi Kajio : Masami Nakagami
- Yasushi Kitada : Katsuhiko Hasegawa
- Satoshi Ogawara : Yusuke Sawaki
- Tatsuhiko Yoneda : Kuronosuke Kagawa
- Koichi Hayashi : Shogo Shiotani
- Toru Tsukamori : Shin Ishikawa
- Miho Inagi : Tomoko Kawashima
- Julie Mishima : Izumi Matsuda (Played by Izumiko Matsuda )
- Kei Tadano : Kei Ishibashi
- Satoru Yoshida : Masaru Matsuda
- Mitsugu Shima : Kei Kagaya
- Takanobu Kuwabara : Koji Nakamura
- Atsushi Koyama : Shunsuke Gondo
- Renji Matsuo : Tomu Saeba
- Michael Simmons : Samuel Pop Aning
- Katsutoshi Yokotani : Tsukiya Kageura (Played by Tetsuro Shoji )
- Gentaro Imai : Hiroaki Irisawa
- Kingo Iwao : Naoyuki Yokoyama
- Ryuichi Senuma : Hiroshi Ishii
- Catherine Ryan : Debbie Regier
- Reiko Yoshi : Yukari Ishida
- Michifumi Inoue : Eisuke Tsunoda
- Kenji Tabata : Hiroshi Tsuburaya
- Sato : Togo Okumoto
- Makoto : Hiroaki Nishijima
- Nakaji : Masashi Kagami
- Narration : Hiroshi Isobe
Suit Actors
- Ultraman Gaia: Shunsuke Gondo (V1 & V2), Koji Nakamura (Supreme Version)
- Ultraman Agul: Kazuya Shimizu (Played by Kazuhiko Shimizu )
Music
- Opening Themes
- Ultraman Gaia!
- Lyrics: Yasushi Chinka
- Composition: Miki Matsubara
- Arrangement: Kazuya Daimon
- Song: Masayuki Tanaka & Kazuya Daimon
- Insert Themes
- LOVE IS ALIVE (Episode 10)
- Song: Hitomi Sudou
- Power of Gaia (Episode 1, 27, 30, 34 & 35)
- Lyrics: Kumiko Aoki
- Composer: Yasuo Kosugi
- Arrangement: Kazuya Daimon
- Song: Masayuki Tanaka & Kazuya Daimon
- Ending Themes
- Lovin' You Lovin' Me (Episode 1-26)
- Lyrics: Watanabe Natsumi
- Composer and arranger: P.KAWAI
- Song: B.B.WAVES
- Beat on Dream on (Episode 27-51 & Gaia Again)
- Lyrics: Komuro Mitsuko
- Composer: Daisuke Inoue
- Arranger: Sudou Kenichi
- Song: Kikuta Tomohiko
DVD
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