Ultraman Saga

Ultraman Saga
Directed by	Hideki Oka
Written by	Keiichi Hasegawa
Produced by	Tsuburaya Productions
Starring	DAIGO Takeshi Tsuruno Taiyo Sugiura
Cinematography	Sou Takahashi
Edited by	Akira Matsuki
Music by	Fumio Hara
Distributed by	Shochiku
Release date	March 24, 2012(2012-03-24)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Box office	$6.1 million

Ultraman Saga(ウルトラマンサーガ,Urutoraman Sāga)is a 2012 Japanesetokusatsu,superheroandkaijufilm in theUltra Seriesto commemorate the franchise's 45th anniversary. It serves as a sequel toUltraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial.The catchphrase for the movie is "We Still Have Glittering Hope!!"(Phó らにはまだ, huy く hy vọng がある!!,Bokura ni wa Mada, Kagayaku Kibō ga Aru!!).The film features Ultraman Zero, Ultraman Dyna, and Ultraman Cosmos as well as the five Ultra Brothers facing a new ultimate threat,Hyper Zetton(ハイパーゼットン,Haipā Zetton)and the monster army created by the evil Alien Bat(バット tinh người,Batto Seijin).The film also features a new Ultraman known as Ultraman Saga(ウルトラマンサーガ,Urutoraman Sāga).The movie is set in the world ofUltraman Dyna,taking place 15 years after the series and features much of the supporting cast returning. A selection of members from the idol groupAKB48has been chosen to portray the characters of Team-U, a special monster attack team part of the fictional Earth Defense Force.

In its first week in theaters,Ultraman Sagaopened at the #4 spot in the Japanese box offices, about 166,006 people in 369 screens with a budget of ¥143,747,300.

Plot

Main article:List of Ultraman Cosmos characters

The film opens with a powerful apocalyptic vision of Tokyo, buildings destroyed and the city seemingly devoid of life. We are soon introduced to the Earth Defense Force (EDF), Team U (played by members of the female idol groupAKB48), who go on a shopping raid in a desolate store in the city. During their raid, Team U is attacked by the monster, Arstron. Despite their setup traps and weapons assisting them, they are no match for the monster. As the monster rampages,Ultraman Dynaappears and quickly destroys Arstron.

Meanwhile, in the alternate universe in whichhe defeated Ultraman Belial,Ultraman Zeroreceives a distress call from an unknown voice as he is battling a hoard of Legionoids and proceeds into the multiverse after making quick work of the robots. Upon arriving to the universe where he received the distress signal, he goes towards the Earth in aid, which is revealed to be the same universe in while Ultraman Dynatook place. Shortly before Zero departs, the hosts and Human forms of Ultraman, Seven, Jack, Ace and Leo comment on something unusual taking place in the multiverse, referring to the universe in which Zero is headed for.

Taking place 15 years after Shin Asuka (Ultraman Dyna) disappeared through a black hole at the series's ending, Earth has since then set up a space station on Mars in Asuka's honor and memory. The space station is then attacked by a few Granspheres, only for the invaders to quickly be fended off by a young defense team pilot named Taiga. Shortly after recklessly pursuing the Granspheres, Taiga is trapped (along with a few other Granspheres) inside of a Fortress-like Ship of an invading alien force, that quickly disappears.

Taiga soon finds himself in the apocalyptic version of Tokyo, as Ultraman Zero battles the fleet of spaceships that were released by the Fortress. As Taiga notices a crashing ship heading straight towards a young boy, he pilots his ship directly into its path in an act of self-sacrifice. Witnessing his brave actions, Ultraman Zero rescues Taiga and joins with him. Once Taiga reawakens, he discovers that Ultraman Zero saved him and is not happy to be joined with the Ultra. Trying to dismiss and expel the Ultra from his body, Taiga and the boy are attacked by another monster named Gubila. As Taiga tries to keep the boy and himself from getting harmed, Gubila is confronted by another Ultraman, Ultraman Cosmos. After a relatively short fight, Cosmos manages to calm down Gubila and the monster leaves the deserted city peacefully.

Shortly after encountering Ultraman Cosmos's human host, Musashi Haruno, both Ultras and the boy namedTakeruare picked by Team U and taken to their base, which is revealed to be a warehouse full of children. Taiga and Musashi learn that Team U and the children are the last survivors on planet Earth after the world was invaded by an evil alien known as Alien Bat, who was revealed to have abducted all life on Earth, including nearly the entire human population. Shortly after the introductions, Alien Bat reveals himself to the survivors and unleashed Gubila and the monster, Gomess to attack them. With the help of Ultraman Cosmos and Ultraman Zero (the latter being only 5 meters tall due to Taiga's stubborn participation), the monsters are turned gentle once again, only to be murdered in cold blood by Alien Bat for failing him. Alien Bat then announces to the survivors that they will all be killed by his greatest weapon: Zetton.

As Taiga and Musashi bond with Team U and the children, it is revealed that the reason for Taiga's general dislike towards Ultraman is due to his parents being killed by accident during one of Ultraman Dyna's fights against a monster, thus forcing him to live a very lonely lifestyle growing up. It is also revealed by Team U that Ultraman Dyna and his human host Asuka had once stayed with the team and protected them, but was lost in battle against Alien Bat's Zetton. The next day Alien Bat reveals his customized Zetton and what remains of Ultraman Dyna, who has been turned to stone. With his creation complete, Alien Bat unleashes Zetton onto Team U and the survivors, destroying their shelter and leaving them all in despair. In their depression, Team U is exposed as being frauds, not associated with Earth's Defense Force but instead are a group of amateur mechanics who took it upon themselves to protect the surviving children by lying to them. Touched by Team U's bravery, and now realizing the seriousness of the situation this Earth is in, Taiga sets aside his differences with Ultraman and transforms into Ultraman Zero, where he and Cosmos head off to destroy Zetton.

Arriving at the Zetton's birthplace, Zero and Cosmos manage to hold off against the monster, but Alien Bat's Zetton is too big in size and strength for the combined Ultras to stop him. During the crossfire Cosmos is knocked out of commission, leaving Zero to face the Zetton by himself. With the Ultra fighting Zetton, Team U and Takeru arrive to help him when Takeru digs up the object that can revive Ultraman Dyna, Dyna's Reflasher. Despite some interference by Zetton, the Reflasher reunites with the statue of Dyna and Ultraman Dyna is revived to assist Zero and Cosmos, (whom had been revived by Dyna and Zero) in destroying Alien Bat's Zetton. However just as it seems the Zetton has been defeated, Alien Bat merges both his fortress and himself with the remains of the Zetton to reveal his creation's true form:Hyper Zetton.

Now with enhanced speed and power, Hyper Zetton easily defeats the three Ultras, leaving the group of heroes hopeless in stopping the crazed alien and his weapon. Unwilling to give up their home and the lives of their friends, Taiga, Musashi, and Asuka merge to form a new Ultraman known as "Ultraman Saga".Ultraman Saga confronts Hyper Zetton, but both Ultra and Monster's abilities are evenly matched with both combatants unable to best each other. Motivated by the Ultra, Team U assists Saga when the battle is taken to the deserted city. Leading Hyper Zetton to a trap that was set for Arstron, Ultraman Saga takes advantage of the distraction by slicing off Hyper Zetton's wings, the source of Hyper Zetton's abilities. With Hyper Zetton crippled, Ultraman Saga takes the monster into the Earth's Atmosphere and finally destroys it and Alien Bat with an energy-powered punch.

With Alien Bat and his Zetton destroyed, all those abducted by the alien return to Earth to live their lives in peace. The children reunite with their parents, Musashi returns to his home planet on Juran, Asuka returns to his home dimension briefly to inform his old teammates on Taiga's status and says that he will wait for them catch up to him before resuming his journey through space, and Taiga remains on Earth to live with Team U. Feeling confident that Taiga is ready to protect the Earth with Team U, Ultraman Zero separates from him and returns to his own universe.

Cast

• Nozomu Taiga(タイガ・ノゾム,Taiga Nozomu):DAIGO
• Shin Asuka(アスカ・シン,Asuka Shin):Takeshi Tsuruno(つる の mới vừa sĩ,Tsuruno Takeshi)
• Musashi Haruno(Xuân dã ムサシ,Haruno Musashi):Taiyo Sugiura(Sam phổ thái dương,Sugiura Taiyō)
• Team U:AKB48
  • Anna Ozaki(Đuôi kỳ hạnh nại,Ozaki Anna):Sayaka Akimoto(Thu nguyên mới thêm,Akimoto Sayaka)
  • Misato Houshou(Phóng sinh ミサト,Hosho Misato):Ayaka Umeda(Mai điền màu giai,Umeda Ayaka)
  • Sawa Takayama(Núi cao tiếu cùng tử,Takayama Sawa):Sae Miyazawa(Cung trạch tá giang,Miyazawa Sae)
  • Nonko(ノンコ):Yuka Masuda(Tăng điền có hoa,Masuda Yuka)
  • Lisa Ozaki(Đuôi kỳ リーサ,Ozaki Rīsa):Sumire Sato(Tá đằng すみれ,Satō Sumire)
  • Maomi(マオミ):Kana Kobayashi(Tiểu lâm rau thơm,Kobayashi Kana)
  • Hina(ヒナ):Haruka Shimada(Đảo điền tình hương,Shimada Haruka)
• Takeru(タケル):Ryoma Takamura(Cao thôn long mã,Takamura Ryōma)
• Saaya(サーヤ,Sāya):Sayaka Ikeda(Trì điền sa di hoa,Ikeda Sayaka)
• Ritsu(リツ):Ritsu Ohashi(Đại kiều luật,Ōhashi Ritsu)
• Miko(ミコ):Sorami Watanabe(Độ biên không mỹ,Watanabe Sorami)
• Ren(レン):Karen Ueno(Thượng dã phong luyến,Ueno Karen)
• Ken(ケン):Kengo Ando(An đằng kiện ngộ,Andō Kengo)
• Hiro(ヒロ):Hiromu Satomura(Thôn dương,Satomura Hiromu)
• Kuu(クー,Kū):Kurea Mori(Sâm くれあ,Mori Kurea)
• Kanata(カナタ):Kanau Tanaka(Điền trung tấu sinh,Tanaka Kanau)
• Takeru's mother: Shion Nakamaru(Trung hoàn シオン,Nakamaru Shion)
• Young Nozomu Taiga: Mitsumasa Sato(Tá đằng quang đem,Satō Mitsumasa)
• Toshiyuki Kohda(コウダ・トシユキ,Kōda Toshiyuki):Toshikazu Fukawa(Bố xuyên mẫn cùng,Fukawa Toshikazu)
• Ryo Yumimura(ユミムラ・リョウ,Yumimura Ryō):Risa Saito(斉 đằng りさ,Saitō Risa)
• Kouhei Kariya(カリヤ・コウヘイ,Kariya Kōhei):Takao Kase(Thêm lại tôn lãng,Kase Takao)
• Tsutomu Nakajima(ナカジマ・ツトム,Nakajima Tsutomu):Joe Onodera(Tiểu dã chùa trượng,Onodera Jō)
• Gousuke Hibiki(ヒビキ・ゴウスケ,Hibiki Gōsuke):Ryo Kinomoto(Mộc chi nguyên lượng,Kinomoto Ryō)
• Ayano Haruno(Xuân dã lăng nãi,Haruno Ayano):Mayuka Suzuki(Linh mộc kén quả,Suzuki Mayuka)
• Sora Haruno(Xuân dã ソラ,Haruno Sora):Ryu Hashizume(Kiều trảo long,Hashizume Ryū)
• Shin Hayata(ハヤタ・シン,Hayata Shin):Susumu Kurobe(Hắc bộ tiến,Kurobe Susumu)
• Dan Moroboshi(モロボシ・ダン,Moroboshi Dan):Kohji Moritsugu(Sâm thứ hoảng tự,Moritsugu Kōji)
• Hideki Go(Hương tú thụ,Gō Hideki):Jiro Dan(Đoàn khi lang,Dan Jirō)
• Seiji Hokuto(Bắc Đẩu tinh tư,Hokuto Seiji):Keiji Takamine(Cao phong khuê nhị,Takamine Keiji)
• Gen Otori(おおとり ゲン,Ōtori Gen):Ryu Manatsu(Thật hạ long,Manatsu Ryū)
• Ultraman Zero(ウルトラマンゼロ,Urutoraman Zero,Voice):Mamoru Miyano(Cung dã thật thủ,Miyano Mamoru)
• Ultraman Cosmos(ウルトラマンコスモス,Urutoraman Kosumosu,Voice):Yūki Satō(Tá đằng ゆうき,Satō Yūki)
• Alien Bat(バット tinh người,Batto Seijin,Voice):Hideo Higashikokubaru(Đông quốc nguyên anh phu,Higashikokubaru Hideo)

English dub actors

• Justin Andrews as Nozomu Taiga
• Bryan Forrest as Shin Asuka/Ultraman Dyna
• Paul Stanko as Musashi Haruno/Ultraman Cosmos
• Daniel Van Thomas as Ultraman Zero
• Linnea Sage as Anna
• Sarah Jenks as Misato
• Lexi Eiserman as Sawa
• Theresa Croft as Nonko
• Elyse Bertani as Lisa
• Annie Knudsen as Maomi
• Adam Sartain as Alien Bat
• Willaim Knight as Ultraman
• G. Larry Butler as Ultraseven
• Brad Potts as Ultraman Jack
• Frank Gerrish as Ultraman Ace
• Phil Mileras Ultraman Leo
• Kent Shocknekas Captain Hibiki
• Lisle Wilkerson as Captain Yumimura
• William Winckleras Lieutenant Kariya
• Linda Weinrib as Mother

Ultraman Zero Gaiden

To promote the film, two special DVDs have been released to lead up to the storyline of the film titledUltraman Zero Gaiden: Killer the Beatstar(ウルトラマンゼロ ngoại vân キラー ザ ビートスター,Urutoraman Zero Gaiden: Kirā za Bītosutā).Shota Minami,Hiroyuki Konishi,Mitsutoshi Shundo, andTao Tsuchiyareprise their roles fromUltra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle,Never Ending Odyssey,Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy,andUltraman Zero: The Revenge of Belialin these DVDs. The film also features Jean-Killer(ジャンキラー,Jan Kirā,voiced byMiyu Irino),who turns to good and becomes renamed Jean-Nine(ジャンナイン,Jan Nain),created based on Jean-Bot by the evil Beatstar(ビートスター,Bītosutā,voiced byUnshō Ishizuka),the primary antagonist.

Stages

1. Universe of Steel(Cương thiết の vũ trụ,Kōtetsu no Uchū)- November 25, 2011
2. Pledge of the Meteor(Sao băng の thề い,Ryūsei no Chikai)- December 22, 2011

Reception

Ultraman Sagaearned $6.1 million at the Japanese box office.

Songs

Main theme

• "Lost the way"
  • Lyrics:Yasushi Akimoto(Thu nguyên khang,Akimoto Yasushi)
  • Composition: Yoshifumi Kouchi(Tiểu nội hỉ văn,Kouchi Yoshifumi)
  • Arrangement: D.L.M.
  • Artist:DiVA

Insert theme

• "Kimi dake o Mamoritai ~Asuka no Uta~"(Quân だけを thủ りたい ～アスカ の ca ～,"You Alone I Want to Protect ~Asuka's Song~" )
  • Lyrics, Composition & Arrangement:Toshihiko Takamizawa(Cao kiến trạch tuấn ngạn,Takamizawa Toshihiko)
  • Artist:Takeshi Tsuruno

External links

• Official website
• Ultraman SagaatIMDb