Ultraman Nexus

History

Ultraman Nexus was the television series that capped off Tsuburaya Productions' Ultra N Project, a 2004 initiative to refresh the Ultraman franchise for a newer audience. The groundwork for this project began in late 2003 with Ultra Collaboration 2, which produced a radio adaptation of Ultra Q called The Ultra Q Club. This radio show also planned for a TV series titled Ultraman Noa, which likely developed into Ultraman Nexus. After the radio program succeeded, Tsuburaya launched Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy on April 6, 2004, a series that drew respected directors like Shusuke Kaneko.

The Ultra N Project itself unfolded in three stages. The first, Noa: Nostalgia, introduced the mascot Ultraman Noa, a striking all-silver design with wings on its back, used mainly for stage shows and merchandise. The second stage, Next: Evolution, produced the theatrical film ULTRAMAN. The final stage, Nexus: Trinity, was the project's unifying piece.

Unlike the child-focused Ultraman Cosmos, Ultraman Nexus was the first Ultraman TV series made for adults. It dropped the usual monster-of-the-week format for longer, character-driven story arcs. Tsuburaya intended the show for prime time, but the CBC network scheduled it at 7:30 AM on Saturdays, right after Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon ended its 49-episode run. The series earned weak ratings, blamed on its mature style and the early morning slot missing its target audience, leading to a cut from roughly 50 episodes to 37.

Three months after its first run, the show aired again at 2:30 AM on Tuesdays, and this time the ratings met the Ultra N Project's expectations. Following the ULTRAMAN movie, Tsuburaya released a teaser for a sequel, Ultraman 2 Requiem. Because of Ultraman Nexus's performance, that film was scrapped, and Tsuburaya instead made a theatrical version of its current TV series, Ultraman Mebius.

Story

Taking place four years after the events of Ultraman: The Next (2008, the series progresses into 2009 before the finale), Nexus focuses on the viewpoint of Night Raider rookie Kazuki Komon in the fight against Space Beast threats. During their mission, Komon frequently comes in contact with the titular Ultraman and the relationship he established with the latter's hosts. At the start of the series, Ultraman Nexus bonds with ex-cameraman Jun Himeya, who was traumatized by his inability to save a young 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, Night Raider deserter Shinya Mizorogi returned as the host of Dark Mephisto and captured a weakened Nexus in the Land of the Dead, aiming to strengthen himself with the Ultraman's power, but Himeya's renewed courage and the Night Raider's help resurrected the hero back to life.

The battle between two giants resulted in a massive explosion that seemingly claimed their lives, but Himeya reassures Komon that the batton of light shall be passed to someone else. Not long after, the light of Nexus was inherited by Ren Senjyu, a Promethean child with a short life expectancy who escaped from America to spend the remainder of his life in happiness. 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.

After redeeming himself, a dying Mizorogi exposed the traitor to be a Night Raider member. Ren eventually outlived his original life expectancy due to the Raphael drug's intervention, but the light of Nexus left him for another candidate.

Did You Know?

• The show's first opening theme, 'Eiyū' by doa, was also used as the ending theme of episode 37.
• In July 2020, Shout! Factory announced a deal to stream Ultraman Nexus in the United States and Canada through Shout! Factory TV and Tokushoutsu.