Ultraman Gaia
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| Ultraman Gaia | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Genre | Superhero action/adventure |
| Creator(s) | Tsuburaya Productions |
| Starring | Yoshioka Takeshi, Takano Hassei |
| Opening theme | Ultraman Gaia! by Tanaka Masayuki & Daimon Kazuya |
| Ending theme | Lovin' You Lovin' Me by B.B.WAVES Beat on Dream on by Kikuda Tomohiko |
| Country of origin | Japan/Hong Kong |
| No. of episodes | 51 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 24 minutes (per episode) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | TBS |
| Original run | September 5, 1998 – August 28, 1999 |
Ultraman Gaia (ウルトラマンガイア Urutoraman Gaia?) is a Japanese/Hong Kong tokusatsu TV show and is the 14th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions and Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS TV), Ultraman Gaia was aired on JNN TV stations (TBS, CBC, MBS, etc.) from September 5, 1998 until August 28, 1999, with a total of 51 episodes.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Ultraman Gaia takes place in yet another universe, one that is totally different from the world of the original Ultramen, as well as world of Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna. There are two Ultramen with conflicting philosophies towards 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 in that the support team is larger than previous variations of the Science Patrol. The series has several categories of monsters. In addition to those invading from space, there are monsters that originate on Earth, as well as a few mysterious weather-controlling monster robots of unknown origin.
In this series, 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. Gaia is clearly here to save Earth and humanity. Agul is born of Earth and is at first more interested in protecting just the planet itself, even at the expense of humanity (hence the occasional clashes with Gaia).
The story is set in 2000. Crisis, a supercomputer of the Alchemy Stars (a global network of young geniuses born during the 1980s), predicts in 1997 that Earth and humanity would be annihilated by something known as "KONGENTEKI HAMETSU SHOHRAI TAI" (KHST). Roughly, it means "Entity that Brings Radical Destruction" and it sounds impressive in Japanese, although based on the characters used, it's likely they use the word "radical" to mean "fundamental". Technology developed by the Alchemy Stars is used to form an international defense organization known as GUARD (Globalcentric Universal Alliance against the Radical Destruction). This is done secretly, so as to avoid worldwide panic. XIG (eXpanded Interceptive Guards) is the combat wing of GUARD, headquartered in a floating sky fortress known as the Aerial Base.
Gamu is a 20-year old member of the Alchemy Stars who invented a lot of the technology used by XIG (including the repulsor lifts that allow Aerial Base and the XIG fighters to defy gravity). During some virtual reality experiments he performs with the secret purpose of discovering the will of the Earth, he briefly encounters the mysterious glowing red giant, Ultraman Gaia, at the end of a tunnel of light. When KHST begins its first wave of attacks on Earth, XIG is too new to be effective. Time stops and he falls through another light tunnel, where he encounters Gaia again. Because Gamu is so passionately concerned with the fate of Earth and humanity, Gaia's light becomes a part of him, and he is thus able to transform into the Ultraman when necessary. The first monster, Cosmic Organism Vanguard, is destroyed. Subsequently, more KHST attack, and Earth monsters are also awakened mysteriously, so Gaia is kept pretty busy. Gamu joins XIG as a technical advisor, and later creates the Esplender to store the light that is the essence of Gaia.
At XIG, there are multiple three-person teams with specialized roles. In addition, there are the three commanders and three communications women (Akko and Georgie, plus a support recruit). XIG has more women than some Ultra support teams have both men AND women.
The show also features many non-Japanese actors who speak Japanese fluently. The one most often shown is Georgie Leland, the communcations officer (played by Maria Theresa Gow). Catherine Stewart (Cat) is an American woman who likes weapons and dresses like Sarah Connor (from Terminator 2: Judgment Day) and in one episode goes on an impromptu date with Gamu, much to the chagrin of Akko. There's also Michael Simmons, the only visible black member of XIG who is a part of Team Seagull, as well as a few other Alchemy Star members.
Finally, there is the mysterious Hiroya Fujimiya, the dark, angsty youth who transforms into Ultraman Agul. He is responsible for CRISIS and its dire predictions. After many recalculations, what he learns is that the only way to save the Earth from KHST is to eliminate humans from the equation. He quits the Alchemy Stars and goes off by himself and Professor Kyohko Inamori to find the will of the Earth, only to discover Agul.
Agul and Gaia fight against KHST and occasionally help each other out, although Agul makes it clear their alliances are based on his duty to the Earth and his own ambitions, not out of friendship or gratitude. However, as the series progresses, Fujimiya grows more agitated and reckless, and has less and less regard for his fellow humans in his desperate mission to save the Earth. He endangers his own health. When bullied in a bar, he declares that humans need to be purged from Earth. But as Reiko the TV reporter points out, how can he take care of the Earth when he can't even take care of himself?
Gaia and Agul have a major clash in Episode 25 and both were injured considerably. Incredible energy is released during the fight, which opens up a giant wormhole. An immense serpent named Zoalim partially emerges to invade Earth. It turns out that Zoalim was anticipating this clash, and was able to influence CRISIS's computations. Gamu explains to Fujimiya that Crisis was sabotaged all along, and its analysis is fundamentally flawed. Fujimiya realizes that everything he believes in is based on this flaw, and became dejected. He gives the injured Gamu the light that is the essence of Agul so that he can use it to defeat Zoalim. Fujimiya disappears.
Gamu accepted Agul's light into his Esplender, and afterwards could transform into Gaia Version 2, a hybrid of both Gaia and Agul. He resembles the original Gaia, except for a black stripe on his chest plate. Gaia Version 2 can further transform into Gaia Supreme Version, who looks like a chunkier Gaia V2 with blue colors in his costume.
Later in the series, G.U.A.R.D. tries to be more proactive about defeating the monsters that are attacking the Earth. They try to destroy dormant monster Tigris in episode 38 by sending a bomb into the ground (a plan that backfires horribly.) Later, in episode 44, they create an artificial wormhole to destroy the home planet of monsters C.O.V. and Pazuzu, also with disastrous consequences. The K.H.S.T. uses this opportunity to send C.O.V. and a Pazuzu through the wormhole, and they become more powerful as a result. What becomes evident to Gamu is that monsters like Tigris, MIZUNOENORYUH, Shazack, and Izaku, are creatures of the Earth like humans are, and perhaps it is not so fair to eradicate them when their only instinct is to survive. As for creatures sent by the K.H.S.T., they are not inherently evil. When they are sent to Earth their first instinct is simply to survive in an alien environment. Thus, Gamu / Gaia questions his morals and human motives.
There is an environmental spin in episodes involving "Nature Control Machine" monsters. TENKAI is the wind machine of episode 7, ENZAN the heat machine of episode 28, and SHINRYOKU, the forest machine of episode 46. It is later revealed that they would be used to reconstruct the Earth after humans are exterminated. It is still not clear when they were put on Earth.
Agul eventually returns and he and Gaia set their differences aside to fight the common enemy. When Gamu's life is threatened, he pleads with the Earth itself 'to fight one more time' and he is granted the power of Agul again, as Version 2. Version 2 appears to have a slightly boosted power level as he was able to withstand Sigma Zuigul's attack with little difficulty. Gaia and Agul finally join forces in episode 44 to defeat Super C.O.V. and Super Pazuzu.
The final assault on Earth forces begins with the arrival of BlitzBlotz, a black and white avian monster who has the ability to absorb and fire back Ultra energy weapons with the red object on his chest. He systematically starts destroying G.U.A.R.D. bases, and roughs up Agul V2 in the process. BlitzBlotz destroys a base that resembles the original Science Patrol headquarters. Tigris II emerges to fight BlitzBlotz and XIG, G.U.A.R.D., monster, and Gaia must fight side by side to defeat BlitzBlotz. Part of this hodgepodge alliance, in a moment of irony, includes the G.U.A.R.D. commander who killed the original Tigris back in Episode 38, as part of an anti-monster vendetta.
Later, giant creature Mokian is sent to Earth in episode 47. He is a living monopole, a monster with enough magnetic power to pull apart the Earth's crust and end civilization. It is revealed by the Death God that the KHST feels humans are a threat to the universe and must be eradicated. This is a fabulous, must-see episode in which the Aerial Base joins the action, and in the process it suffers extreme damage. It is determined that the only way to destroy Mokian is to sacrifice what is left of the Aerial Base by ramming it into the giant monster, and this is done, although miraculously, no one dies in the process.
The last three episodes involve the arrival of an army of bug-like monsters called Dobishi that cover the earth and darken the skies. XIG is in tatters, humanity is losing hope, and the Dobishi just keep coming. They combine to form the giant Kizer Dobishi, and the two Ultramen can't defeat them all.
The KHST finally reveals herself in the form of Zogu, a giant, white angel. She kills the Kizer Dobishis that the Ultramen are fighting, and replenishes Gaia and Agul's power, only to completely overpower the two and make their Life Gauges expire. The two Ultramen turn back into Gamu and Fujimiya, which is telecast by the two KCB cameramen. This is broadcast to the entire world. They survive, but can no longer transform into Gaia and Agul.
As an aside, Episode 50's ending credits feature monsters from the entire series in order of appearance.
At this point that all of Earth's monsters start emerging again all around the world to protect Earth from the Dobishis and Kizer Dobishis. It's like a great big Destroy All Monsters kind of thing. Gamu hatches a final scheme, in which the Alchemy Stars network is used to assist the last of the XIG fighters (some are flying normal military planes) to channel energy from the Earth monsters to give Gamu and Fujimiya the ability to transform back into Gaia and Agul. No match for all of this firepower, Zogu morphs from the angel into a colossal dragon monster.Gaia and Agul then work togather as a team and they destroyed the Zogus with their strongest attack. It's a pretty neat way to tie up the series. Everyone is brought back and united to participate together in the final battle against Zogu. Gaia, Agul, XIG, the Earth monsters, the Alchemy Stars, the KCB TV crew, and even Gamu's parents.
This monumental finale closes the book on Gaia, as well as the three series that comprise what is known as the so-called Heisei Ultramen (Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna and Gaia).
In 2001, a 45-minute OVA was released, entitled Ultraman Gaia Returns, and follows the lives of Gamu and Fujimiya after the events of the original series. In this story, the entire world now knows that Gamu was Ultraman Gaia and Fujimiya was Ultraman Agul. A new menace appears to unite Gaia and Agul in battle once again, and they receive help from unexpected quarters, a pacifist race of undersea creatures.
[edit] Ultraman Gaia Stats
- Height: 50 meters
- Weight: 42,000 tons
- Flight Speed: mach 20
- Running Speed: mach 5
- Aquatic Speed: mach 1
- Tunnelling Speed: mach 1.2
- Home Planet: Earth (alternate universe)
- Human Form: Gamu Takayama
- Transformation Item: Esplender
- Power: i am cooler
[edit] Gaia Forms
[edit] Version 1
- Weapons:
- Photon Edge: A tail of energy that sprouts from the golden indentations on his head, which he can then whip at an opponent.
- Quantum Stream: L-style weapon, with fist in the crook of his elbow.
- Gaia Slash
- Gaia Blizzard
- A massive force field at the beginning of episode 18 used to protect an entire metropolitan area from a massive upper-atmosphere explosion.
- Others: Gaia Whip, Gaia Headlock, Gaia Kick, Gaia Knee Kick, Gaia Lifting, Rear Roundhouse Kick, Gaia Elbow, Horse-riding Strategy, Gaia Back Drop, Gaia Punch, gaia Chop, Gaia Charge Tactic
[edit] Version 2
- Flight Speed: mach 20
- Running Speed: mach 5.5
- Aquatic Speed: mach 1.2
- Tunneling Speed: mach 1.5
- Weapons:
- Can use all of the same weapons as Gaia V1 and Ultraman Agul. These include the Agul Blade, Photon Edge, and Photon Crusher.
[edit] Supreme Version
- Flight Speed: mach 25
- Running Speed: mach 7
- Aquatic Speed: mach 1.5
- Tunnelling Speed: mach 2
- Weapons:
- Photon Stream: a very powerful beam he blasts from his vertically aligned hands. The height of the beam increases as he slides his hands apart. It shoots a laser that is like the photon edge and Quantum Stream
- Shining Blade.
[edit] Ultraman Agul
- Height: 52 meters
- Weight: 46,000 tons
- Home planet: Earth (alternate universe)
- Transformer: Agulator
- Human Form: Fujimiya Hiroya
[edit] Agul Forms
[edit] Version 1
- Weapons:
- Agul Blade
- Photon Edge: A tail of energy that’s similar to Gaia’s Photon Edge but the left arm is bended with fist.
- Photon Crusher: A blue energy ball.
- Agul Slash
[edit] Version 2
- Weapons:
- Can use all of the same weapons as Agul V1.
[edit] XIG
The eXpanded Interceptive Guards (a branch of G.U.A.R.D.) is formed by:
- Team Lightning: The elite team.
- Team Falcon: The veteran team.
- Team Crow : All-female team. Lightning, Falcon and Crow are air-based teams.
- Team Hercules: A beefy team, ground-based.
- Team Marlin: Sea-based team.
- Team Seagull: Rescue team.
- Alchemy Stars
[edit] Trivia
- Ultraman Gaia appropriately gets his name from the Gaia Theory, which states that the Earth functions like a giant, living creature.
- Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, and Ultraman Gaia are collectively known as "TDG". They are also known as the Heisei Ultramen.
- Unlike other Ultramen, Gaia and Agul's Color Timer is known as a "Life Gauge." The Life Gauges blink red when energy is running out, but there isn't an explicitly stated time restriction.
- There are no seijin (aliens) in Gaia at all, unless you count Furuhta-seijin, who was a fake alien that the employees of Furuta Steel factory concocted for extortion purposes in the outrageously comical episode 35.
- The only cameos from past Ultra series in Gaia is Hiroshi Tsuburaya.
- Castmates Hassei Takano (Hiroya Fujimiya/Agul) and Yukari Ishida (Reiko Yoshi) recently got married in real life. Yukari is 4 years oldest. The marriage is realized in 11 February 2006, the same day of Yukari's 32nd birthday. They are parents of a baby girl.
- Like most other Ultramen, Ultraman Gaia made cameo appearances in Japanese commercials, once for a vacuum cleaner.
- Ultraman Gaia is a playable character in the Japan-only Playstation game Super Hero Sakusen: Diedal's Ambition.
[edit] Crossovers
| Showa era series: | Ultraman • Seven • Return of/Jack • Ace • Taro • Leo • 80 |
|---|---|
| Heisei era series: | Tiga • Dyna • Gaia • Cosmos • Nexus • Max • Mebius |
| Ultra Q: | Ultra Q • Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy |
| Specials: | The Ultraman/Jonias (anime) • Ultraman Neos (Direct-to-DVD) |
| Movies: | Zearth • ULTRAMAN |
| Co-productions: | The Adventure Begins  • Towards the Future  • Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider (with Toei) • The Ultimate Hero |
| Related: | Redman • Bio Planet WoO |
