Ultraman Orb The Movie

Lore & Background

The story begins when a strange object, the X Devizer, appears at the SSP office. Ultraman X has been separated from his host Daichi Ozora due to an enemy attack and seeks help from the SSP and Gai to find Daichi. The main villain is the space witch Murnau, who possesses a Dark Ring and desires to transform beautiful things into her jewelry collection; she has already captured the Ultra Warriors Ginga and Victory. Jugglus Juggler also returns, scheming from behind the scenes. With Murnau's alien army, X is captured and added to her collection, forcing Orb to rescue the new generation Ultra Warriors and master the power of bonds.

Reader's Guide

Ultraman Orb The Movie is significant as the seventh chapter in director Kiyotaka Taguchi's envisioned 10-chapter arc encompassing the Ultraman Orb series and its spin-offs. The film brought together multiple new generation Ultra heroes—Ginga, Victory, X, and Zero—alongside Orb, marking a major crossover event for the franchise's 50th anniversary. Its production included voice cameos by comedian trio Jungle Pocket and members of the band Da-ice, who also performed the ending theme 'TWO AS ONE.' The film ranked seventh at the Japanese box office on its premiere date. It was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on 28 July 2017.

Did You Know?

• The film was first glimpsed after the 2016 Ultraman Festival and officially announced on 23 November 2016 at a shopping mall in Sagamihara, Japan.
• Voice actor Kōichi Yamadera and members of the comedian trio Jungle Pocket participated as voice casts.
• The ending theme 'TWO AS ONE' was performed by Da-iCE and included in their album NEXT PHASE.
• Director Kiyotaka Taguchi summed up the Ultraman Orb series and spin-offs into 10 chapters, with this movie as chapter 7.

Story & Plot

The film's narrative is set in motion when a mysterious object, the X Devizer, materializes at the SSP headquarters. This transformation device, home to Ultraman X, has been forcibly separated from its human host Daichi Ozora following an enemy attack. X enlists the aid of SSP and Gai, who has returned from his wandering, to locate his host. However, this search draws the attention of a formidable new threat. The antagonist, Murnau, presents herself as a space witch wielding a Dark Ring that amplifies her power. Her sinister goal is to transform beautiful things into a personal jewelry collection, and she has already captured Ultraman Ginga and Ultraman Victory. With Earth as her next target and Jugglus Juggler scheming from the shadows, Murnau's alien army ultimately captures X as well. The story culminates in Orb's mission to rescue the new generation Ultra Warriors and harness the power of bonds to defend Earth.

Production & Anniversary Context

The film was conceived as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of Ultra Seven, featuring both the titular character and his son Ultraman Zero. It was first glimpsed after the 2016 Ultraman Festival and formally announced on November 23, 2016, at a special event in the Ario Hashimoto shopping mall in Sagamihara. Hideo Ishiguro, who portrays Gai Kurenai, emphasized that Daichi, Ultraman X, and Murnau would be central to the plot, while also teasing a comedic moment for Shibukawa. On December 9, Tsuburaya Productions revealed additional details: voice actor Kōichi Yamadera and the comedian trio Jungle Pocket would join the voice cast, and original voice actors would reprise their Ultra roles. The ending theme "TWO AS ONE" was performed by Da-ice, whose members Kudo and Hanamura also made their voice acting debuts in the film. Director Kiyotaka Taguchi encouraged the cast to improvise freely, adding spontaneity to the performances.

Cast & Ensemble

The film assembles a broad ensemble spanning live-action and voice work. Hideo Ishiguro returns as Gai Kurenai/Ultraman Orb, joined by Miyabi Matsuura as Naomi Yumeno, Naoto Takahashi as Jetta Hayami, and Hiroaki Nerio as Shin Matsudo. Takaya Aoyagi reprises Jugglus Juggler/Zeppandon, while Shingo Yanagisawa plays the comedic Ittetsu Shibukawa. Oniyakko Tsubaki voices the villain Murnau, and Kensuke Takahashi returns as Daichi Ozora. A notable highlight is the participation of Kohji Moritsugu, reprising Dan Moroboshi/Ultraseven for the anniversary. The voice cast includes Mamoru Miyano as Zero, Yuichi Nakamura as X, Takuya Negishi as Ginga, and Kiyotaka Uji as Victory. Comedian trio Jungle Pocket voices three alien characters, and Da-ice members Taiki Kudō and Sōta Hanamura provide voices for additional aliens, marking their major voice acting debuts. The X Devizer speaks through Hibiku Yamamura, while the Orb Ring is voiced by Takahiro Sakurai.

Legacy & Future Plans

Released in theaters on March 11, 2017, the film ranked seventh at the Japanese box office on its premiere date according to Eiga.com. Home video releases followed on July 28, 2017, in both Blu-ray and DVD formats. The movie's catchphrase, "Great Gathering! New Generation Heroes," encapsulated its spirit of uniting multiple Ultra heroes under one roof. Beyond the screen, the release generated merchandise tie-ins, including a pre-order of Gai's leather jacket through Bandai Fashion, with early buyers receiving complimentary parent-child movie tickets. At the premiere, attendees could shake hands with Ultraman Orb in all his forms. Most significantly, director Kiyotaka Taguchi outlined a ten-chapter framework for the Orb franchise: The Origin Saga as chapter one, the original series as chapter six, and this film as chapter seven. He confirmed that future projects would fill chapters two through five, set between the Origin Saga and the main series, and chapters eight through ten, following the movie, signaling the franchise's continued expansion.