Ultraman R/B The Movie

Lore & Background

A year after the Reugosite incident, Katsumi Minato is conflicted about what he wants to do with his life, while his brother Isami and sister Asahi pursue their own dreams. The mysterious wish-granting Ultraman Tregear appears in Ayaka City, causing Katsumi to consider seeking his own dream. When monsters reappear due to Tregear's wish granting, Katsumi and Isami are joined by Asahi and Riku Asakura to fight Tregear. The Minato family's strong bonds result in the creation of Ultraman Gruebe.

Reader's Guide

The movie was announced at Tokyo Comic-Con on November 30, 2018. During the press conference, actors Yuya Hirata and Ryosuke Koike were joined by Takeshi Tsuruno, the actor of Shin Asuka in Ultraman Dyna, who would sing the ending theme with DAIGO, the actor of Nozomu Taiga in Ultraman Saga. The theme song 'Hikari no Kizuna' was written by Takeshi Tsuruno, composed by DAIGO, arranged by Sho from My First Story, and performed by Takeshi Tsuruno × DAIGO. The film continues the story of the Minato siblings and introduces Ultraman Tregear as a new antagonist, emphasizing the power of family bonds.

Did You Know?

• The movie was announced at Tokyo Comic-Con on November 30, 2018.
• The ending theme 'Hikari no Kizuna' was performed by DAIGO alone.
• The theme song 'Hikari no Kizuna' was not arranged by Sho from My First Story; Sho was involved in the TV series opening theme, not the movie's theme.
• The film features the debut of Ultraman Gruebe, created from the Minato family's bonds.

Narrative Arc & Emotional Core

Set one year after the events of the Reugosite incident, the film opens with Katsumi Minato wrestling with uncertainty about his future while his siblings Isami and Asahi have already moved on to pursue their individual dreams. This emotional limbo becomes the catalyst for the story's central conflict when an enigmatic Ultraman called Tregear materializes in Ayaka City, offering to grant wishes. Tempted by the promise of discovering "his own dream," Katsumi finds himself drawn into Tregear's orbit, but the consequences are catastrophic: monsters flood back into the city as a direct result of the being's wish-granting power. What follows is a desperate struggle in which Katsumi and Isami are reinforced by the return of their sister Asahi and the ally Riku Asakura. The narrative's emotional core rests on the Minato family's unbreakable bonds, which ultimately fuse into the creation of a new Ultraman form, Gruebe. The film's signature tagline, "The Minato siblings' final battle―," frames the entire conflict as a culminating test of familial loyalty rather than a simple hero-versus-villain confrontation.

Production & Public Announcement

The project first saw public light at Tokyo Comic-Con on November 30, 2018, when it was formally announced as a theatrical sequel and film adaptation of the 2018 Ultra Series television program. The press conference carried particular fanfare because it brought together the two lead actors, Yuya Hirata and Ryosuke Koike, alongside a surprise musical collaboration: Takeshi Tsuruno, best known for portraying Shin Asuka in Ultraman Dyna, and DAIGO, who played Nozomu Taiga in Ultraman Saga, were revealed as the duo behind the film's ending theme. This pairing of two veteran Ultra Series talents signaled a deliberate effort to bridge generations of the franchise's audience. The finished product, a Japanese superhero kaiju film, hit Japanese theaters on March 8, 2019, roughly four months after its public unveiling. The production's marketing leaned heavily on the Minato siblings' catchphrase, "The Minato siblings' final battle―," positioning the movie as a definitive chapter in the R/B saga rather than a standalone spectacle.

Cast & Character Ensemble

The ensemble centers on the Minato family, with Yuya Hirata returning as the introspective Katsumi and Ryosuke Koike as his brother Isami, while Arisa Sonohara voices the sister Asahi. The family unit is extended by Kaori Manabe as Mio Minato and Ginnojo Yamazaki as Ushio Minato, grounding the siblings within a broader household. Riku Asakura, played by Tatsuomi Hamada, serves as the external ally who joins the Minato siblings in their climactic fight. The supporting cast includes Yukito Nishii as Yukio Toi, Ayane Kinoshita as Saki Mitsurugi, Kanoko Sudo as Yuha Ninomiya, and Yua Shiraishi as Erina, among others. On the voice-acting side, Kaede Yuasa lends her voice to D.R.L.N., Megumi Han voices the Alien Pegassa known as "Pega," and Yuuma Uchida provides the voice for the antagonist Ultraman Tregear. The breadth of the cast underscores the film's ambition to weave together multiple character threads into a single, family-driven narrative.

Musical Identity & Theme Song

The film's musical identity is anchored by "Hikari no Kizuna," a title that translates to "Bonds of Light" and directly echoes the movie's thematic preoccupation with familial connection. The song is a collaborative effort spanning three distinct creative roles: Takeshi Tsuruno penned the lyrics, DAIGO composed the melody, and Sho from the band My First Story handled the arrangement. The performing credit lists both Tsuruno and DAIGO as artists, making the track a genuine duet rather than a solo performance. This division of labor is notable because it pairs two actors with deep roots in the Ultra franchise—Tsuruno as Shin Asuka in Ultraman Dyna and DAIGO as Nozomu Taiga in Ultraman Saga—with a musician from the broader Japanese pop-rock scene. The song was unveiled alongside the film's announcement at Tokyo Comic-Con in late 2018, giving audiences a sonic preview of the movie's emotional tone months before the March 2019 theatrical release. Its title and lyrical focus reinforce the narrative's insistence that the Minato siblings' bond is the true source of their power.