Finally, we have a wealth of information straight from the source. In a press release, linked below, Tsuburaya Productions have revealed the synopsis for the plot of Ultraman R/B (Ruebe), as well as a release date. The series will feature two brothers as Ultraman hosts. The brothers, Katsumi and Isami Minato, live with their sister and father, and seemingly stumble upon the R/B Gyro and R/B Crystal accidentally. Katsumi, played by 24-year old actor Yuya Hirata will become Ultraman Rosso, with a base form using Fire, and Isami, played by 22-year old Ryosuke Koike will become Ultraman Blu, whose base form is Water. These will be the Rosso Flame and Blu Aqua states we have seen in magazine scans previously.
Also seen in the older scans, and now confirmed, is the R/B Gyro and R/B Crystal system used by the brothers to transform. High-resolution images were included in the article, showing the device and the base R/B crystal for each brother. The PV included with the press release also showed more details, and each suit in action, so check that out for more visuals!
The story’s themes will be “bond” and “love,” according to Tsuburaya, and seems to indicate an underlying theme of maturity, of growing up and realising what is important in life. This seems to indicate that the brothers will need to overcome conflicts not only with enemies, but with each other, and that they will meet new allies along the way. The release includes high-resolution photos of both new Ultraman suits, as well as their human “hosts” as seen below, and thoughts from the new actors on entering the franchise.
A quote from Yuya Hirata in the press release states that the show will have “ ‘non Ultraman-like features’ in a good sense while following the good aspects of the historical Ultraman series.”
Personally, I am very excited to see how this aspect of the new series plays out. To date, we have already had three new Ultramen revealed. Is it possible more could be coming? With the various colours already seen, it’s possible we could be looking at the Ultraman version of a Super Sentai series, with multiple coloured heroes each having a different power set. To support this, Hirata also goes on to state that he is “Excited to make ‘Ultraman R/B’ into ‘our colour’.”
Also included in the press release is a statement from Ryosuke Koike in which he reveals that “Ultraman series have long been my aspiration since I was little.” He acknowledges that the bar is set very high by what came before, but adds that he will strive to live up to it. Koike goes on to add that he understands the influence heroes like Ultraman can have on children and that he wants to play the role in a positive way.
Personally, I am very excited to see what a team who appears this passionate about a project can do with a world and lore as deep as Ultraman. It seems, based on the initial information here, the Tsuburaya definitely picked the right team for this series. On top of the two very enthusiastic leads, the series will be directed by Masayoshi Takesue, whose previous credits include Ultraman X, Ultraman Orb, and Ultraman Geed.
Ultraman R/B premieres July 7th on TXN in Japan, and will run for 25 episodes. Worldwide release and simuldub through Crunchyroll is likely to follow.
What are your thoughts on the new Ultraman series? Leave a comment and let’s discuss!
Article Source: Tsuburaya Productions, Co. Ltd.
PV Source: Tsuburaya Productions, Co. Ltd. Via YouTube
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