Ultraman Nexus


Ultraman Nexus was produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting, and Dentsu. It was the 18th entry in the Ultra Series. The series aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System, including TBS, CBC, MBS, etc. The show ran from October 2, 2004 until June 25, 2005, with a total of 37 broadcast episodes. Subsequent DVD releases from Bandai Visual saw a brand new 45-minute Episode EX and an extended 45-minute Director's Cut of Episode 29.
On April 24, 2017, Toku announced that the series would be broadcast in the United States on its channel beginning May 9, 2017 until June 2, 2017.

History

Ultraman Nexus was part of Tsuburaya Productions' Ultra N Project, an experiment in 2004 to re-invent Ultraman for a new generation of fans. Prior to this, however, Tsuburaya had begun a project called Ultra Collaboration 2 at the end of 2003, which involved a brand-new radio adaptation of Ultra Q called The Ultra Q Club. The project was also due to include a new TV series called Ultraman Noa in early 2004, which is presumably what Ultraman Nexus evolved into. Following the success of the new radio show, Tsuburaya forged a brand-new season, on April 6, 2004, a show which attracted top-rung directors such as Shusuke Kaneko.
The first stage of the Ultra N Project was entitled Noa: Nostalgia. The project mascot, Ultraman Noa, was a rather radical change design - an all-silver Ultraman with protruding wings on its back. Ultraman Noa was mainly used for live stage shows and merchandising. The second stage of the project was Next: Evolution. This saw the creation of a new theatrical film, ULTRAMAN. The final stage was Nexus: Trinity - the piece that ties the entire project together. Unlike the previous series Ultraman Cosmos, which was strictly aimed at young children, Ultraman Nexus was the first Ultraman TV series specifically aimed at adults. The show abandons the traditional monster-of-the-week stories in order to be replaced with longer character-based story arcs. Tsuburaya Productions had intended the show to be run during prime time, but the CBC network gave the show a 7:30 AM Saturday morning slot once Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon ended its 49-episode run. The TV series received weak ratings which were attributed to the change in style and not being able to have the target demographic tune in, resulting in the series being cut short from around 50 episodes down to 37.
Three months after its initial run, it was re-run in a new time slot. This time the show aired at 2:30 AM on Tuesday mornings and the ratings met the expectations that were set for the Ultra N Project. Following the ULTRAMAN movie, Tsuburaya ran a teaser trailer for Ultraman 2 Requiem. Due to the performance of Ultraman Nexus, the film was canceled, and Tsuburaya moved ahead with a theatrical version of the then-current television series, Ultraman Mebius.

Story

Taking place four years after the events of , Nexus focuses on the viewpoint of Kazuki Komon, the rookie of Night Raider in the fight against Space Beast threats. During the mission, Komon comes in contact with the titular Ultraman and the relationship he established with the latter's hosts.
In the first half of the series, Nexus bonds with Jun Himeya, a former cameraman who's traumatized by his inability to save a girl from his past. Despite Komon's good relationship with Himeya, TLT views him as a threat regardless of Ultraman's constant attempts in rescuing them. The reveal of Komon's girlfriend, Riko Saida as Dark Faust and her immediate sacrifice nearly sent him into despair until Himeya and Nagi managed to bring him to his senses. Sometime later, former Night Raider member Shinya Mizorogi returned as he was revealed to be Dark Mephisto and attempted to persuade his former lover Nagi to his side. After exhausting himself from killing Golgolem, Himeya was captured by TLT, who proceed to dissect him in hopes of learning the secret of Ultraman's power. His brief death allows him to escape the facility but the Illustrator warned him that another transformation would result in his death. Not long after, Mizorogi utilized the help of Space Beast Kutuura to capture Nexus and imprison him in the Land of the Dead by using his former comrade Sakuta as a hostage. The Night Raider pursue the same dimension, only to discover the deceased Ultraman tied and his energies absorbed for Mizorogi to harvest it. As a result of Himeya's renewed courage, Nexus was partially revived during the fight while the Night Raiders used the last bit of Ultimate Vanisher in replenishing his energy. The battle between two giants resulted in a massive explosion that seemingly claimed their lives. Himeya confronts Komon for the last time to convey his message; the light shall be passed to someone else.
Starting on episode 26, the light of Nexus was inherited by Ren Senjyu, the child of Prometheus Project who runs from the facility and started his life as a worker in the carnival. Despite his near inhuman feat, Ren has a very short life expectancy and wished to spend his final days surrounded by smiles. In the same way as his predecessor Himeya, Ren becomes fast friends with Komon and develops a relationship with Mizuo, a Memory Police who was sent to spy on him. Shinya Mizorogi was revealed to have survived his battle with Nexus and quickly captured by TLT to investigate his abilities as Dark Mephisto. While attempting to escape, Memory Police officer Hiroyuki Misawa was revealed to be the next victim and becomes Dark Mephisto Zwei, intending to replace Mizorogi. During his fight with Nexus, Mizorogi managed to becomes Mephisto once more and rescue his former adversary by claiming his own life in the process. With his dying breath, Mizorogi reveals that the Night Raiders had a traitor within their rank. As stronger Space Beasts keep emerging one after another, Ren's body took a huge toll with his life running short. The fight against Ezmael was his last as Ren survived due to the Raphael drug's intervention but the light of Nexus left him for another candidate.
In the final episode, Nagi was chosen as the new holder of light. Mizorogi's words came true as the Unknown Hand, the perpetrator behind all Space Beast attacks reveals himself among the Night Raider members as he assaulted them and gloats of how the past events were all for the sake of having Nagi inherit Nexus' light and revive himself. By tricking Nagi into transforming, the Unknown absorbed her into Lethe as he resurrected in the form of Dark Zagi to attack the city. Komon managed to save Nagi from the darkness as his actions allow him to inherit the light. Transforming into Nexus, Komon used up the forms of his predecessors and their memories until encouragement by the public allows him to evolve into Nexus' long lost form; Ultraman Noa. With his full power, the silver giant expels Zagi to space and put an end to his doppelganger. A year later, the Space Beast threat has become public knowledge, and TLT has expended their forces even further.

Episodes

  1. Episode.01: Night Raid
  2. Episode.02: Space Beast
  3. Episode.03: Ultraman
  4. Episode.04: Meta Field
  5. Episode.05: Dunamist
  6. Episode.06: Relic
  7. Episode.07: Faust
  8. Episode.08: Memory Police
  9. Episode.09: Warning
  10. Episode.10: Strike Formation
  11. Episode.11: Marionette
  12. Episode.12: Lost Soul
  13. Episode.13: Illustrator
  14. Episode.14: Mephisto
  15. Episode.15: Nightmare
  16. Episode.16: Labyrinth
  17. Episode.17: Darkness
  18. Episode.18: Apocalypse
  19. Episode.19: Cross Phase Trap
  20. Episode.20: Chrome Chester δ
  21. Episode.21: Sacrifice
  22. Episode.22: Cure
  23. Episode.23: Satisfaction
  24. Episode.24: Hero
  25. Episode.25: Prophecy
  26. Episode.26: The Third
  27. Episode.27: Prayer
  28. Episode.28: Reunion
  29. Episode.29: Calling
  30. *Episode.29: Calling - Director's Cut
  31. Episode.30: Watcher
  32. Episode.31: Bird
  33. *Episode.EX: Lost Memories
  34. Episode.32: Unknown Hand
  35. Episode.33: AD 2004
  36. Episode.34: AD 2009
  37. Episode.35: Revolt
  38. Episode.36: Farewell
  39. Episode.37: Nexus

    Cast

;Opening themes
;Ending themes
;Image Songs
A video game based on the series was produced by Bandai for the PlayStation 2, under the name Ultraman Nexus.

Other appearances