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*Ultraman Gaia*
Ultraman Gaia
	Title card
Genre	Superhero; Tokusatsu; Sci-Fi; Kyodai Hero
Created by	Tsuburaya Productions
Developed by	Chiaki J. Konaka; Naoyuki Edo
Directed by	Hirochika Muraishi
Starring	Takeshi Yoshioka; Hassei Takano
Opening theme	Ultraman Gaia! by Masayuki Tanaka & Kazuya Daimon
Ending theme	Lovin' You Lovin' Me by B.B. WAVES; Beat on Dream on by Tomohiko Kikuda
Composer	Toshihiko Sahashi
Country of origin	Japan
No. of episodes	51
Production
Running time	24 minutes (per episode)
Production companies	Tsuburaya Productions; Mainichi Broadcasting System
Original release
Network	JNN (MBS, TBS)
Release	September 5, 1998 –; August 28, 1999
Related
	Ultraman Dyna; Ultraman Nice;

Ultraman Gaia (ウルトラマンガイア, Urutoraman Gaia) is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show and is the 14th show in the Ultra Series. Featuring Chiaki J. Konaka as series composer and 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.

Overview

Ultraman Gaia takes place in yet another universe, one that is different from the world of the Shōwa era Ultramen (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 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 installments in that the support team, XIG, has more personnel than the defence teams in previous installments.

In this series, Ultraman Gaia is the lead, but Ultraman Agul is prominently focused on as well. They are often at odds with each other at 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). However, 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. Chrisis, 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 "Radical Destruction Bringer". Technology developed by the Alchemy Stars is used to form an international defence organization known as Geocentric Universal Alliance against the Radical Destruction (G.U.A.R.D.). This is done secretly, so as to avoid causing a 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.

Gamu Takayama, a 20-year-old 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 host 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.

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"Seize the Light!" Transliteration: "Hikari o Tsukame!" (Japanese: 光をつかめ!)	Hirochika Muraishi	Chiaki J. Konaka	September 5, 1998 (1998-09-05)
2	"A Hero Appears" Transliteration: "Yūsha Tatsu" (Japanese: 勇者立つ)	Hirochika Muraishi	Chiaki J. Konaka	September 12, 1998 (1998-09-12)
3	"His Name is Gaia" Transliteration: "Sono Na wa Gaia" (Japanese: その名はガイア)	Toshiyuki Takano	Chiaki J. Konaka	September 19, 1998 (1998-09-19)
4	"Gamu of the Sky" Transliteration: "Tenkū no Gamu" (Japanese: 天空の我夢)	Toshiyuki Takano	Keiichi Hasegawa	September 26, 1998 (1998-09-26)
5	"Another Giant" Transliteration: "Mō Hitori no Kyojin" (Japanese: もう一人の巨人)	Masaki Harada	Chiaki J. Konaka	October 3, 1998 (1998-10-03)
6	"The Ridiculing Eye" Transliteration: "Azawarau Me" (Japanese: あざ笑う眼)	Masaki Harada	Hideyuki Kawakami	October 10, 1998 (1998-10-10)
7	"Cleansing of the Earth" Transliteration: "Chikyū no Sentaku" (Japanese: 地球の洗濯)	Takashi Kodama	Shin Yoshida	October 17, 1998 (1998-10-17)
8	"The 4 Billion 6 Hundred Million Year-Old Ghost" Transliteration: "Yonjūrokuokunen no Bōrei" (Japanese: 46億年の亡霊)	Takashi Kodama	Junki Takegami	October 24, 1998 (1998-10-24)
9	"Seagull Takes Off" Transliteration: "Shīgaru Tobitatsu" (Japanese: シーガル飛びたつ)	Hirochika Muraishi	Ai Ōta	October 31, 1998 (1998-10-31)
10	"Rock Fight" Transliteration: "Rokku Faito" (Japanese: ロック・ファイト)	Hirochika Muraishi	Chiaki J. Konaka	November 7, 1998 (1998-11-07)
11	"The City Where the Dragon Lies" Transliteration: "Ryū no Miyako" (Japanese: 龍の都)	Masaki Harada	Kenji Konuta	November 14, 1998 (1998-11-14)
12	"Monster Encircling Net" Transliteration: "Yajū Hōimō" (Japanese: 野獣包囲網)	Masaki Harada	Hideyuki Kawakami	November 21, 1998 (1998-11-21)
13	"Night of the Marionettes" Transliteration: "Marionetto no Yoru" (Japanese: マリオネットの夜)	Miki Nemoto	Keiichi Hasegawa	November 28, 1998 (1998-11-28)
14	"Challenge from the Anti-Space" Transliteration: "Han Uchū kara no Chōsen" (Japanese: 反宇宙からの挑戦)	Miki Nemoto	Junki Takegami	December 5, 1998 (1998-12-05)
15	"When the Rain Stops" Transliteration: "Ame ga Yandara" (Japanese: 雨がやんだら)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Masakazu Migita	December 12, 1998 (1998-12-12)
16	"Birth of Agul" Transliteration: "Aguru Tanjō" (Japanese: アグル誕生)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Shin Yoshida	December 19, 1998 (1998-12-19)
17	"Shadow of the Sky, Light of the Earth" Transliteration: "Ten no Kage Chi no Hikari" (Japanese: 天の影地の光)	Hirochika Muraishi	Kenji Konuta	December 26, 1998 (1998-12-26)
18	"Agul vs. Gaia" Transliteration: "Aguru Tai Gaia" (Japanese: アグル対ガイア)	Hirochika Muraishi	Chiaki J. Konaka	January 9, 1999 (1999-01-09)
19	"Lilia's Labyrinth" Transliteration: "Meikyū no Riria" (Japanese: 迷宮のリリア)	Masaki Harada	Keiichi Hasegawa	January 16, 1999 (1999-01-16)
20	"The Fossil of Ruin" Transliteration: "Metsubō no Kaseki" (Japanese: 滅亡の化石)	Masaki Harada	Hideyuki Kawakami	January 23, 1999 (1999-01-23)
21	"The Sea of a Mysterious Light" Transliteration: "Yōkō no Umi" (Japanese: 妖光の海)	Miki Nemoto	Shinsuke Onishi	January 30, 1999 (1999-01-30)
22	"Stone Wings" Transliteration: "Ishii no Tsubasa" (Japanese: 石の翼)	Miki Nemoto	Ai Ōta	February 6, 1999 (1999-02-06)
23	"Gamu Expelled!" Transliteration: "Gamu Tsuihō" (Japanese: 我夢追放!)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Shin Yoshida	February 13, 1999 (1999-02-13)
24	"Determination of Agul" Transliteration: "Aguru no Ketsui" (Japanese: アグルの決意)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Keiichi Hasegawa	February 20, 1999 (1999-02-20)
25	"The Showdown for Tomorrow" Transliteration: "Asu Naki Taiketsu" (Japanese: 明日なき対決)	Hirochika Muraishi	Masakazu Migita	February 27, 1999 (1999-02-27)
26	"The Final Resolution" Transliteration: "Ketchaku no Hi" (Japanese: 決着の日)	Hirochika Muraishi	Chiaki J. Konaka	March 6, 1999 (1999-03-06)
27	"A New Battle: Version-up Fight!" Transliteration: "Aratanaru Tatakai ~Vājon'appu Faito!~" (Japanese: 新たなる戦い～ヴァージョンアップ・ファイト!～)	Takashi Kodama	Kenji Konuta	March 13, 1999 (1999-03-13)
28	"The Advent of the Heatwave" Transliteration: "Neppa Shūrai" (Japanese: 熱波襲来)	Takashi Kodama	Hideyuki Kawakami	March 20, 1999 (1999-03-20)
29	"Distant City, Uqbar" Transliteration: "Tōi Machi Ukubāru" (Japanese: 遠い町･ウクバール)	Masaki Harada	Ai Ōta	March 27, 1999 (1999-03-27)
30	"The Demon’s Cocoon" Transliteration: "Akuma no Mayu" (Japanese: 悪魔のマユ)	Masaki Harada	Takahiko Masuda	April 3, 1999 (1999-04-03)
31	"The Accursed Eye" Transliteration: "Noroi no Me" (Japanese: 呪いの眼)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Hideyuki Kawakami	April 10, 1999 (1999-04-10)
32	"The Future Seen Before" Transliteration: "Itsuka Mita Mirai" (Japanese: いつか見た未来)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Junki Takegami	April 17, 1999 (1999-04-17)
33	"Battling the Legend" Transliteration: "Densetsu to no Tatakai" (Japanese: 伝説との闘い)	Hirochika Muraishi	Keiichi Hasegawa	April 24, 1999 (1999-04-24)
34	"Crash of Souls!" Transliteration: "Tamashii no Gekitotsu!" (Japanese: 魂の激突!)	Hirochika Muraishi	Hideyuki Kawakami	May 1, 1999 (1999-05-01)
35	"Ransom for a Monster" Transliteration: "Kaijū no Minoshirokin" (Japanese: 怪獣の身代金)	Ryuichi Ichino	Ai Ōta	May 8, 1999 (1999-05-08)
36	"The Sky of Reunion" Transliteration: "Saikai no Sora" (Japanese: 再会の空)	Ryuichi Ichino	Shin Yoshida	May 15, 1999 (1999-05-15)
37	"Fourth Symphony of a Nightmare" Transliteration: "Akumu no Daiyon Gakushō" (Japanese: 悪夢の第四楽章)	Masaki Harada	Keiichi Hasegawa	May 22, 1999 (1999-05-22)
38	"Ground-Breaking Tusks!" Transliteration: "Daichi Saku Kiba" (Japanese: 大地裂く牙)	Masaki Harada	Kenji Konuta	May 29, 1999 (1999-05-29)
39	"The Lake of Sadness" Transliteration: "Kanashimi no Numa" (Japanese: 悲しみの沼)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Hideyuki Kawakami	June 5, 1999 (1999-06-05)
40	"I Want to Meet Gaia!" Transliteration: "Gaia ni Aitai!" (Japanese: ガイアに会いたい!)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Chiaki J. Konaka	June 12, 1999 (1999-06-12)
41	"Resurrection of Agul" Transliteration: "Aguru Fukkatsu" (Japanese: アグル復活)	Sei Ishikawa & Hirochika Muraishi	Shin Yoshida	June 19, 1999 (1999-06-19)
42	"Gamu vs. Gamu" Transliteration: "Gamu Tai Gamu" (Japanese: 我夢VS我夢)	Hirochika Muraishi	Chiaki J. Konaka	June 27, 1999 (1999-06-27)
43	"The Silver Eyes of Izak" Transliteration: "Gin'iro no Me no Izaku" (Japanese: 銀色の眼のイザク)	Miki Nemoto	Ai Ōta	July 3, 1999 (1999-07-03)
44	"The Attack of the Space Monsters" Transliteration: "Uchū Kaijū Daishingeki" (Japanese: 宇宙怪獣大進撃)	Miki Nemoto	Junki Takegami	July 10, 1999 (1999-07-10)
45	"The Living Planet" Transliteration: "Inochi Sumu Hoshi" (Japanese: 命すむ星)	Masaki Harada	Kenji Konuta	July 17, 1999 (1999-07-17)
46	"The Attack of the Forest" Transliteration: "Shūgeki no Mori" (Japanese: 襲撃の森)	Masaki Harada	Keiichi Hasegawa	July 24, 1999 (1999-07-24)
47	"XIG Destroyed!?" Transliteration: "Shigu Kaimetsu!?" (Japanese: XIG壊滅!?)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Masakazu Migita	July 31, 1999 (1999-07-31)
48	"The Revenge of the Death God" Transliteration: "Shinigami no Gyakushū" (Japanese: 死神の逆襲)	Tsugumi Kitaura	Hideyuki Kawakami	August 7, 1999 (1999-08-07)
49	"An Angel Descends" Transliteration: "Tenshi Kōrin" (Japanese: 天使降臨)	Takeshi Yagi & Hirochika Muraishi	Shin Yoshida	August 14, 1999 (1999-08-14)
50	"Cry of the Earth" Transliteration: "Chikyū no Sakebi" (Japanese: 地球の叫び)	Hirochika Muraishi	Chiaki J. Konaka & Keiichi Hasegawa	August 21, 1999 (1999-08-21)
51	"Earth is the Star of Ultraman" Transliteration: "Chikyū wa Urutoraman no Hoshi" (Japanese: 地球はウルトラマンの星)	Hirochika Muraishi	Chiaki J. Konaka	August 28, 1999 (1999-08-28)

Other media

Films and team ups

Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna & Ultraman Gaia: Battle in Hyperspace (1999), Gaia is one of the main Ultramen to appear in this movie, alongside Tiga and Dyna.
Ultraman Gaia: Gaia Again (2001), A 45-minute (or a 60-minute extended/alternate edition) Original Video Tokusatsu release (or OVT) set 1 year after the end of the series. Ultraman Gaia and Ultraman Agul return to fight a new enemy, along with help from mysterious undersea creatures.
Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers (2008), Gaia teams up with Tiga, Dyna and Mebius in this movie, alongside Showa-era Ultra Heroes.
Ultraman Ginga S: Showdown! Ultra 10 Warriors!! (2015), Ultraman Gaia is one of the Heisei-era Ultra Heroes 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. The planet Earth in this show is not the one from Ultraman Gaia, as there are no mention of Gaia and Agul's names by its residents.

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 (高山我夢, Takayama Gamu): Takeshi Yoshioka (吉岡毅志, Yoshioka Takeshi)
Hiroya Fujimiya (藤宮博也, Fujimiya Hiroya): Hassei Takano (高野八誠, Takano Hassei)
Akio Ishimuro (石室章雄, Ishimuro Akio): Hiroyuki Watanabe (渡辺裕之, Watanabe Hiroyuki)
Tatsumi Chiba (千葉辰巳, Chiba Tatsumi): Sei Hiraizumi (平泉成, Hiraizumi Sei)
Seiichiro Tsutsumi (堤誠一郎, Tsutsumi Seiichirō): Takashi Ukaji (宇梶剛士, Ukaji Takashi)
Atsuko Sasaki (佐々木敦子, Sasaki Atsuko): Ai Hashimoto (橋本愛, Hashimoto Ai)
Georgie Leland (ジョジー・リーランド, Jojī Rīrando): Maria Theresa Gow (マリア・テレサ・ガウ, Maria Teresa Gau)
Saika Ukai (鵜飼彩香, Ukai Saika): Saika Tanaka (田中彩佳, Tanaka Saika)
Katsumi Kajio (梶尾克美, Kajio Katsumi): Masami Nakagami (中上雅巳, Nakagami Masami)
Yasushi Kitada (北田靖, Kitada Yasushi): Katsuhiko Hasegawa (長谷川勝彦, Hasegawa Katsuhiko)
Satoshi Ohgawara (大河原聡志, Ōgawara Satoshi): Yusuke Sawaki (沢木祐介, Sawaki Yūsuke)
Tatsuhiko Yoneda (米田達彦, Yoneda Tatsuhiko): Kuronosuke Kagawa (賀川黒之助, Kagawa Kuronosuke)
Koichi Hayashi (林幸市, Hayashi Kōichi): Shogo Shiotani (塩谷庄吾, Shiotani Shōgo)
Toru Tsukamoto (塚守亨, Tsukamoto Tōru): Shin Ishikawa (石川真, Ishikawa Shin)
Miho Inagi (稲城美穂, Inagi Miho): Tomoko Kawashima (川嶋朋子, Kawashima Tomoko)
Julie Mishima (三島樹莉, Mishima Juri): Izumi Matsuda (松田いずみ, Matsuda Izumi) (Played by Izumiko Matsuda (松田泉子, Matsuda Izumiko))
Kei Tadano (多田野彗, Tadano Kei): Kei Ishibashi (石橋けい, Ishibashi Kei)
Satoru Yoshida (吉田悟, Yoshida Satoru): Masaru Matsuda (松田優, Matsuda Masaru)
Mitsugu Shima (志摩貢, Shima Mitsugu): Kei Kagaya (加賀谷圭, Kagaya Kei)
Takanobu Kuwabara (桑原孝信, Kuwabara Takanobu): Koji Nakamura (中村浩二, Nakamura Kōji)
Atsushi Koyama (神山篤志, Kōyama Atsushi): Shunsuke Gondo (権藤俊輔, Gondō Shunsuke)
Renji Matsuo (松尾蓮二, Matsuo Renji): Tomu Saeba (冴場都夢, Saeba Tomu)
Michael Simmons (マイクル・シモンズ, Maikuru Shimonzu): Samuel Pop Aning (サムエル・ポップ・エニング, Samueru Poppu Eningu)
Ryuichi Senuma (瀬沼龍一, Senuma Ryūichi): Hiroshi Ishii (石井浩, Ishii Hiroshi)
Higuchi (樋口): Ryōsuke Kaizu (海津亮介, Kaizu Ryōsuke)
Kōsuke Ranbashi (乱橋巧介, Ranbashi Kōsuke): Mitsuo Hamada (浜田光夫, Hamada Mitsuo)
Catherine Ryan (キャサリン・ライアン, Kyasarin Raian): Debbie Regier (デビー・リギアー, Debī Rigiā)
Daniel McPhee (ダニエル・マクフィー, Danieru Makufī): John O'Connor (ジョン・オコーナー, Jon O Kōnā)
Ritsuko Sasaki (佐々木律子, Sasaki Ritsuko): Azusa Sawamura (沢村亜津佐, Sawamura Azusa)
Kyoko Inamori (稲森京子, Inamori Kyōko): Makiko Kuno (クノ真季子, Kuno Makiko) (Played by 久野真紀子)
Megumi Kuroda (黒田恵, Kuroda Megumi): Tomoko Ōtakara (大寶智子, Ōtakara Tomoko)
Yuki (ユキ): Ai Hasunuma (蓮沼藍, Hasunuma Ai)
Shimizu (清水): Kazuya Shimizu (清水一哉, Shimizu Kazuya) (Played by Kazuhiko Shimizu (清水一彦, Shimizu Kazuhiko))
Kenji Tabata (田端健二, Tabata Kenji): Hiroshi Tsuburaya (円谷浩, Tsuburaya Hiroshi)
Reiko Yoshii (吉井玲子, Yoshii Reiko): Yukari Ishida (石田裕加里, Ishida Yukari)
Michifumi Inoue (井上倫文, Inoue Michifumi): Eisuke Tsunoda (角田英介, Tsunoda Eisuke)
Sato (サトウ, Satō): Togo Okumoto (奥本東五, Okumoto Tōgo)
Makoto (マコト): Hiroaki Nishijima (西嶋大明, Nishijima Hiroaki)
Nakaji (ナカジ): Masashi Kagami (加々美正史, Kagami Masashi)
Shigemi Takayama (高山重美, Takayama Shigemi): Aki Mizusawa (水沢アキ, Mizusawa Aki)
Yuiichi Takayama (高山唯一, Takayama Yuiichi): Sen Yamamoto (山本亘, Yamamoto Sen)
Narration: Hiroshi Isobe (磯部弘, Isobe Hiroshi)

Music

Opening theme

"Ultraman Gaia!" by Masayuki Tanaka (田中昌之, Tanaka Masayuki) & Kazuya Daimon (大門一也, Daimon Kazuya)

Ending themes

"Lovin' You Lovin' Me" by B.B. WAVES
"Beat on Dream on" by Tomohiko Kikuta (菊田知彦, Kikuta Tomohiko)

Insertion songs

"LOVE IS ALIVE" by Hitomi Sudo
"Gaia No Chikara" by Masayuki Tanaka & Kazuya Daimon
"Blue rose" by Tomohiko Kikuta

Home media

In 2016, the series was released on Crunchyroll and later released on the streaming service Toku in 2018.^[1]^[2]

In July 2020, Shout! Factory announced to have struck a multi-year deal with Alliance Entertainment and Mill Creek, with the blessings of Tsuburaya and Indigo, that granted them the exclusive SVOD and AVOD digital rights to the Ultra series and films (1,100 TV episodes and 20 films) acquired by Mill Creek the previous year. Ultraman Gaia, amongst other titles, will stream in the United States and Canada through Shout! Factory TV and Tokushoutsu.^[3]

References

^ Nicholas J. Bush (February 11, 2016). "Ultraman Gaia Now on Crunchyroll". The Tokusatsu Network. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
^ "Toku Premieres Ultra Series Titles in USA". SciFi Japan. January 22, 2018. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
^ Patrick Frater (July 10, 2020). "Shout! Factory Strikes 'Ultraman' Digital Distribution Deal With Mill Creek". Variety. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.