Ultraman Zero


Ultraman Zero is a fictional character from the Ultra Series. He first appeared in ' before starring in his own film '. Lacking a TV series of his own, he became the main navigator of Ultraman Retsuden/Shin Ultraman Retsuden and made guest appearances in subsequent Ultra Series media.
Introduced as an energetic, boastful, and stubborn warrior, Zero was sent into banishment by Ultraseven after his failed attempt to steal the Plasma Spark. Zero was trained under Ultraman Leo and was forced to wear the Techtor Gear. When Ultraman Belial returned to the Land of Light and steal the Plasma Spark, Zero redeemed himself by defeating Belial and retrieving the Plasma Spark, at the same time learned of his origin as the. Although he retained his hotheaded traits, Zero slowly went through character development and matured as his roles in the Ultra Series progressed. After helping to defeat Belial's invasion attempt in another dimension, he founded Ultimate Force Zero to protect the universe from evil threats and wiping out remnants of Belial's former army.
Ultraman Zero is voiced by Mamoru Miyano, whose known for his role as Setsuna F. Seiei in Mobile Suit Gundam 00. In tribute to his voice actor, Ultraman Zero utters his pre-battle catchphrase,, which is based on Setsuna's infamous line, "I am Gundam!". In the English dub movies, he is voiced by Daniel Van Thomas.

Character conception

Movie producer Junya Okabe stated that Zero's involvement in Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy was to invoke the elements of a parent-child relationship. Ultraman Zero's title as "the son of Seven" laid a huge impact on the audience. The setting of Zero as Leo's pupil was made under suggestion of director Koichi Sakamoto incorporating elements of his favorite Kung fu films. His youthful and hot-blooded outlook is based on Joe Yabuki from Ashita no Joe while his fighting skills revolves around the combination of Ultraseven and Leo.
In Ultraman Saga, a comical plot was suggested to the character as a new element and Zero's 5 meter-transformation is based on proposal made by VFX producer as part of an Ultra Warrior's relationship with humanity.
Series main writer Otsuichi was dubious of Zero's involvement as part of the cast of Ultraman Geed, believing that he is a poor character but director Sakamoto managed to expand him by forming a senior-junior pair with the titular Ultra. Realizing that he is a powerful character, the director decided to include the destruction of Ultimate Bracelet as a handicap to Zero, which makes him all the more similar to Dan Moroboshi's situation in Ultraman Leo. His transformation style from Leito Igaguri was consciously modeled after Ultraseven's use of Ultra Eye.

Design

Ultraman Zero was designed by Masayuki Gotoh under the initial draft name. The original design was based on a modernized variation of Ultraseven, being all-red in color and lacked a Color Timer. Due to how common the red color is among Ultra Warriors, blue was added as well to make him more attractive to new viewers. His mouth design is similar to Seven, but the whole face is composed of diagonal lines, and it has become possible to show different expressions according to the angle.
Zero's suit was simultaneously made with Ultraman Belial, based on wetsuits with the materials shaped in a three-dimensional appearance. It was originally structured to fit the suit actor tightly in hopes of preventing wrinkles but was loosen a bit to increase mobility in Zero's actions.
Although the mask was originally molded integrally with the head, Zero and Belial were structured out of plane. Because of the finalized design of Zero's head turned out to be different, his Zero Sluggers were forced to be redesigned after the first filming of Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy, thus making it bigger than the intended size. The LED emitters were placed at the center of his eyes, appearing in a similar manner to pupil.
According to Ultra's Common Sense - Ultraseven, Ultraman Zero ver., the appearance of Zero's younger self is "suggested" to be identical to from episode 29 of Ultraman Leo.
Designs of other forms were as follows:
Yuji Kobayashi revealed that the reason he named the character as "Zero" is to symbolize the "restart of Ultraman story from scratch".

History

Galaxy Crisis Era

''Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy''

Long ago, Zero was a young and powerful warrior, similar to Belial, and like him attempted to steal energy from the Plasma Spark. However, Zero was caught red handed by Ultraseven and the Ultra Brothers and was exiled, sent to be trained under the Leo Brothers in Planet K76. His training took place during Belial's second and successful attempted theft of Plasma Spark. Survivors of Belial's attack, Shin Hayata and Mirai Hibino, considered recruiting Zero but Dan Moroboshi was against it, believing he wasn't ready. During his time training under Ultraman Leo, Zero was forced to wear the Techtor Gear armor that limited his movements and strength and befriended a Pigmon.
After saving the Pigmon's life during a training session, Zero's actions proved to Leo and Ultraman King that he had matured and revealed to him his true origins as the son of Ultraseven, and when Seven stopped Zero from touching the Plasma Spark, he had saved Zero from following Belial's fallen path. Seven's Eye Slugger then landed at the training ground, Leo realized that Seven was calling for Zero's help against Belial at the Monster Graveyard, and King removed the locks on Zero's Techtor Gear. Redeemed and now freed from his armor, Ultraman Zero took off to the Monster Graveyard to confront Ultraman Belial, with his father's Eye Slugger. However Zero was too late too save his father, and Seven died from the exhaustion and injuries from his battle. Angered by the passing of his father, Zero proceeded to kill the remaining monsters of Belial's army in a mad fury before facing Belial and defeating him, however Belial quickly re-emerged as Belyudra. Zero tapped into the Plasma Spark's power, creating the Zero Twin Sword and decimated Belial with it. In aftermath of the battle, Zero returned the Plasma Spark to its position and reunited with his revived father.

''Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial''

During the events of The Revenge of Belial, an attack from a trio of Darklops prompted Zero to volunteer himself in an inter-dimensional exploration to track the source. He was given the Ultra Zero Bracelet by Ultraseven, which allowed him to transform three times in an alternate dimension and received help from residents of the Land of Light during the travel. Upon arrival, he fought against Legionoid armies on the Planet Anu and bonded with a local police miner named Run in order to save his life. However, Zero discovered that the man's consciousness was in comatose state, leaving the former in control of Run's body and took care of Nao, his younger brother. The two stowed away in the Jean-bird but was spared by Princess Emerana when they decided to help her search for the Shield of Baraj. Along the way, they met and allied with several factions that guide them towards the Shield of Baraj and helped out holding off Belial Galactic Empire's army.
Upon arrival at Ultraman Noa's statue, Nao tried to install a shard piece he had to the shield but crumbled. With Belial's army approaching and the Planet of Mirrors shattering, Run saved Nao and Emerana at the cost of being captured and had his Ultra Zero Eye separated. The resistances arrived and Mirror Knight saved Run from Belial, allowing him to regain his Ultra Zero Eye and transformed into Zero. Both sworn enemies fought once more but Belial used all of the emeralds he stolen to transform into Arch Belial. Despite the resistant forces helping out as well, Zero died from the depletion of his energy while trying to shield Planet Esmeralda from Arch Belial until the hopes of the resistances of Belial Galactic Empire brought forth the spirit of Ultraman Noa, allowing him to revive Zero and grant him the true form of the Shield of Baraj: the Ultimate Aegis. Zero assumed Ultimate Zero form with it and destroyed Belial with the Final Ultimate Zero technique. In aftermath of the battle, he healed Run's injuries and left to form Ultimate Force Zero with the giant heroes he came across earlier.

''[Ultraman Saga]''

Zero still continued with his mission to wipe out the remnants of Belial's army and at that time, he was called into another Planet Earth by Shin Asuka/Ultraman Dyna, sensing a new threat in a form of Alien Bat. In that world, he discovered that the Earth's populations had mysteriously vanished and also fused with a dimensional-displaced Super GUTS member named Nozomu Taiga. Taiga himself had a hatred for Ultramen due to his past, which explained his reluctance to use Zero's power. Zero tend to act as the straight man to Taiga's antics and because of their lack of cooperation, Zero was incapable of summoning his full power, only appearing as a 5 m tall version of himself during their first transformation. Upon learning of Taiga's past and the latter deciding to overcome it, the two eventually settled their differences and finally being able to perform a successful transformation, joining forces with Ultraman Cosmos in facing Gigant Hyper Zetton and rescuing Ultraman Dyna.
Although the three Ultra Warriors managed to destroy Gigant Zetton, Alien Bat made his final move by assimilating his ship into Zetton's corpse and form Imago Hyper Zetton. The monster was too much for the Ultra Warriors to handle and the monster quickly defeated them. While Dyna and Cosmos were forced to revert to their human hosts, Zero instead died once more but the three Ultra hosts managed to unite into Ultraman Saga and destroy the monster. In aftermath, Zero separated from Taiga and departed to space.
In Ultraman Saga Super Complete Works magazine, Zero was mentioned to have visited the alternate Earth once more, with Anna of Team U wrote his arrival in her diary. Ultraman Ginga S Super Complete Works acknowledged that Zero's arrival on Team U's Earth is partly under orders from Zoffy due to the increasing negative energy of a Zetton in that dimension.

''[Ultra Zero Fight]''

Following his separation from Ultraman Saga, Zero gained the abilities of Ultraman Dyna and Cosmos, allowing him to transform into Strong-Corona Zero and Luna-Miracle Zero. Zero went to the Monster Graveyard to train and wonder about the purpose of obtaining such power. At that time, he faced of against Alien Bat Glacier and his army of revived monsters. Zero used his new powers to eliminate the monsters before facing the alien himself, now having absorbed the defeated monsters' souls. In the ensuing battle, Glacier used his life link to Pigmon as an advantage, forcing Zero to surrender until Pigmon's reassurance gave him the will to continue fighting, splitting himself into two bodies. Using Strong-Corona Zero he defeated Glacier and with Luna-Miracle Zero was able to purify the restless monsters' spirit and save Pigmon's life. In the end, Zero finally found the purpose of his powers before returning to his comrades.
In the second part, Zero faced off against the Darkness Five led by a mysterious benefactor. The Ultimate Force Zero held off the majority of their members their own while Zero faced against the Alien Mefilas Sly to rescue Pigmon. Later on, he faced the Armored Darkness, who was revealed to be his supposedly deceased enemy, Ultraman Belial. The two fought in a heated match but once Zero stabbed Belial with his sword, Belial quickly possessed Zero into, using his powers to assassinate the rest of the Ultimate Force Zero. The real Ultraman Zero was left powerless inside his own body, leaving Belial in control his body to lead the Darkness Five in their conquest. Pigmon tried to stop them despite its size but before Belial could kill it, his attacked mysteriously stopped. It was revealed that Zero's spirit had halted Belial from attacking or progress further. Within Zero's mind, fought Belial, bringing forth his strongest form, Shining Zero. With Belial expelled, Shining Zero regained control over his body and reverse the flow of time in the immediate area to undo the damages done by Belial and revive the Ultimate Force Zero. The act greatly exhausted him and was unable to recall earlier incidents but in the end joined his comrades in returning home as they tried to pick a new name for Pigmon.
In the epilogue, it was revealed that Zero unknowingly resurrect Belial and Jathar from their deaths, the latter being his first kill in the second part of series in hopes of restoring the Ultimate Force Zero from their bronze petrifaction.

Subsequent history in Galaxy Crisis Era

Ultraman Zero's statistics below were never mentioned in his movie appearances, but were brought up in magazines and official websites.
As the official website of Tsuburaya Productions stated: " His father being Ultraseven, taught by the Ultraman Leo/Astra siblings, chased the evil Belial into another space, receiving the Ultimate Bracelet and finally thwarted the Belial Galactic Empire. Alongside Glen Fire, Mirror Knight, Jean-bot and Jean-nine, they form the Ultimate Force Zero."

Transformation

Zero's hosts transform through the use of, which is based on Ultraseven's Ultra Eye. During the transformation scene, once they don it, the ribbons of light and the Zero Sluggers appear with Zero's body materializing on the human host's before the Zero Sluggers attach and appeared in the human world. When not in use, the Ultra Zero Eye is stored within the Ultra Zero Bracelet and can also be utilized in a similar manner to a handgun by his hosts when needed. The left part of the google emblazoned Zero's signature.
Being trained by Ultraman Leo, Zero utilizes Judo and in combat. He is also capable of adapting his opponent's fighting skills to his own such as copying Glen Fire's piledriver attack into. His finisher is the, which is performed in his master's pre-fighting stance before shifting to the "L"-style beam attack used by Ultraseven. His flying kick attack, is learned from his master 's Leo Kick and alongside the latter, both are capable of performing combination attacks such as and, replacing Astra's position in both attacks.
He can also access these forms:
The list below refers to later Ultras who possess a replica of or inherited their powers from Ultraman Zero.

Run

is one of the main protagonists of .
Alongside his brother Nao, both were orphaned and lived with their grandmother, working as police in a mining site of their home planet Anu. One day, when Belial's Darklops attacked the mining site, Zero bonded with Run to save the young man's life, but learns that he is in control of Run's body, as the original one is rendered comatose. After the events of the movie, a fully healed Run was separated from Zero, and has no recollection of the moments when Zero possessed him, much to Nao's dismay.
Run was portrayed by, while his childhood was portrayed by.

Shin Moroboshi

is a stage-show exclusive character that appeared in. He is the human disguise of Ultraman Zero and was portrayed by three different actors in each region:
is the main protagonist of Ultraman Saga and is the second host of Ultraman Zero. Originated from the same universe where Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna took place, Taiga is the rookie member of Super GUTS after Asuka's disappearances. Taiga bears a lot of similarities to young Asuka but however lacks respect in his predecessors, especially Ultramen after his parents were killed in an alien invasion while he shouted for Ultraman's help but to no avail. He appears to have hatred for carrots and in an aforementioned similarity, tends to act childish with Zero acting up as the straight man.
During the 15 year anniversary of Asuka's sacrifice, Taiga participated in an aerial combat against a troop of leftover Sphires whom tried to attack the Mars Colony. During the fight, he was brought to another world by accident and forcefully bonded with Zero after his near-death experiences in saving a boy. While butt heads with Zero due to his hatred for Ultraman, but after learning the truth of Team U 's origin, he decided to adopt the mantle of Ultraman and puts aside his differences. After the event, he decided to stay on the alternate Earth than returning to his home world, wanting to observe the planet's future.
Nozomu Taiga was portrayed by DAIGO. As a child, Taiga was portrayed by.

Leito Igaguri

is one of the protagonists of Ultraman Geed, a mukoyōshi of the Igaguri family. Age 30 years old, Leito is a weak-willed but serious family man with who works as a salaried worker from the Business Affairs of. Despite the hardships he faced in his life, Leito sees his family as a motivation to work harder.
During one of Geed's fights, Leito died getting hit by a truck while attempting to save a Little Star holder named Toru Honda from being crushed by debris. Zero, touched by the human's bravery and needing a host to recuperate in, merged into Leito's body to restore him to life. While originally preferring to watch Geed's battles from afar, his body occasionally taken by the impatient Zero and is forced to participate and assist the young warrior. During Zero's death at the hands of Galactron, Leito harbors a huge remorse for being helpless during that time until his new resolve allowed Zero to be revived and obtain the Riser to utilize Ultraman Zero Beyond. While fighting against Belial Atrocious, the injuries sustained from Zero was carried on towards Leito, forcing him to be hospitalized as Geed took over and emerged victorious. Leito and his family approached Zero for the last time before he return to his home world.
Leito Igaguri was portrayed by and is named after the novelist Greg Egan. Yuta mentions that as a child, he always wanted to become Father of Ultra, yet his character transforms into Ultraman Zero. Leito being the father of a family is made under suggestion by writer Otsuichi as a contrast to Riku Asakura/Ultraman Geed's relation to Belial. Otsuichi was very cautious if his idea of Leito being a salaried worker would be reject, but the staff accepted it without any problems. Ozawa was taught by suit actor Hideyoshi Iwata of Zero's fighting skills to portray Zero when Leito was under his possession, and thus his performance was commended by director Sakamoto.

In other media

Anime

According to an interview with Famitsu, Mamoru stated that "I was honestly surprised! At last I have become an Ultraman ". He reminisces his days as a child watching the Ultra Series during summer breaks but unfortunately wasn't able to watch the entire series. His favorite Ultra Series is Ultra Seven and Ultraman Taro, as well as finding the chibi characters of Ultra Series quite interesting. He is also impressed by how Zero's design armed with two Eye Sluggers and that the Ultra Warrior's fighting skill involves speed and space martial arts movements. In a 2013 interview with Susumu Kurobe, he nominated Ultraman Zero as his favorite Ultra Warrior.

Popularity

Ultraman Zero himself has his own official Twitter account, which started in 2010 and ended in March 2012. On March 1, 2011, he tweeted the readers to be careful of "strangers" that offered them the chance to become a "magical girl". The post itself is a joke to a popular anime series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica which featured the main antagonist Kyubey manipulating girls into a magical girl and had become viral in the Japanese fandom ever since, creating a strings of internet meme that featured Zero facing Kyubey.
In the Ultra Series' 45th anniversary, Ultraman Zero scored the first place in an Ultra Hero popularity ranking, but in another Ultra Hero poll in 2013, he scored the second place after losing to Ultraman Tiga.
In 2009, in conjunction to the promotion of , Ultraseven and Ultraman Zero were among the promoters of the newly introduced Windows 7. Seven's participation into the press conference is due to his name. Another guest of honors/promoter of the press conference is voice actress/singer Nana Mizuki, whom also had her name being revolved around the aforementioned number. He was among the Ultra Warriors that present in a 2013 award ceremony when the Ultra Series was nominated by Guinness World Records as the series with most spin-offs and sequels.
Ultraman Zero and Ultraseven were the guest of honors in the 2016 Oyako Day, which was held on July 24. Two days prior, the two won the "Oyako Grand Prize" by Bruce Osborn.