Ultraman Z

"'I ask that you chant my name! Ultraman Z!"

Ultraman Z is the 32nd entry of the Ultra Series, created by Tsuburaya Productions, set to premier in the year 2020 as the second entry of the Reiwa era, succeeding Ultraman Taiga.

In the past, a devil’s splinters were scattered across space. Today, the splinters is still causing chaos throughout the universe. While the Ultra Heroes fight to restore peace to the galaxy, a mysterious being uses these items in its despicable schemes to destroy planets one by one. And now, that evil being approaches the “Land of Light.” In its way stands the gallant Ultraman Zero and his disciple, Ultraman Z. At the end of a fierce battle, Z chases a monster alone, making his way towards Earth. Meanwhile on Earth, a defense force to combat routine monster appearances, the anti-monster robot force STORAGE, is formed and joined by the hot-blooded youth Haruki Natsukawa. When a monster from space invades Earth, Z and Haruki have their fateful encounter.

Ultraman Z provides examples of the following tropes:

• Adaptational Badass: Seven's Capsule Kaijus Windom and Sevengar have been redesigned as STORAGE's Humongous Mechas, even Haruki is piloting Sevengar, with Windom and Z appearing together as seen on the trailer.
• Arrogant Kung Fu Guy: Captain Shota Hebikura, full stop. The guy is able to make short work of Haruki during their sparring all while being confidently unfazed at everything Haruki threw at him.
• Badass Cape: Zero's Ultra Zero Mantle, in the same way as the Ultra Brothers. It was given to him by Leo and served its purpose in protection.
• Badass Crew: Anti-Monster Robot Force STORAGE, which Haruki Natsukawa (Z's host) is part of.
• Badass Finger-Snap: Z Gamma Future does one during the series' trailer.
• Badass Teacher: Zero becomes one in this series, mentoring Z.
• Batman Cold Open: Episode 3 scores a victory for Sevenger, using its new rocket punch attack against Gigass. Though it wasn't exactly a moral victory since Haruki knocks Gigass through the observatory they were supposed to protect.
• Char Clone: Following The Reveal in episode 5 with Hebikura being Jugglus Juggler the whole time, he has the hallmarks of a Quattro Bajeena archetype. Let's see, The Captain of an anti-monster force and The Mentor to the protagonist under a pseudonym? Check. Hell, even Zeppandon and his Dark Z Riser have red coloration. That's a check. Lastly, he was The Rival to the protagonist (of his own series; in this case Gai Kurenai) with a self-serving agenda, that also counts.
• Demoted to Extra: Riku Asakura returns to this series with a new form for Geed, Galaxy Rising, but he is reduced to more of a side character and/or The Lancer for Z.
• Kung Fu Wizard: Z's Gamma Future qualifies due to usage of Psychic Powers.
• Large Ham: Director Kuriyama. Also, Haruki.
• Lightning Bruiser: Z's Alpha Edge. The fact that the components that make up the Ultra Fusion are hand-to-hand combat experts.
• Multiform Balance: Z inherited the fusion gimmick used by Ultraman Orb and Ultraman Geed. Unlike the two however, he has access to his non-fusion original form since the start of the series and on top of it, he has a finisher (Zestium Ray) which can be used in all forms altogether.
  • Related to Demoted to Extra above, Geed now obtains Galaxy Rising as his new form.
• Mythology Gag:
  • From both Ultraman Orb and Ultraman Geed
    • This is not the first time a fusion form has used the powers of Ultraseven, Ultraman Leo, and Ultraman Zero with either one of them. Seven and Zero's powers grants Orb the Emerium Slugger form, while Seven and Leo's powers gives Geed his Solid Burning form.
    • Geed Galaxy Rising's components consist of Ultraman Ginga, Ultraman X, and Ultraman Orb brings to mind to the three being used as three of the four components for Zero's Super Mode, Ultraman Zero Beyond.
  • Z's Gamma Future using Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, and Ultraman Gaia as its components makes a lot of sense since they are the first three Heisei Ultras in that they popularized the concept of the human hosts are in control of their Ultraman alter-egos.
• Recurring Character: Riku Asakura/Ultraman Geed returns in this series in a guest appearance capacity, matters also help that he acquires his own form: Galaxy Rising.
• Spiritual Antithesis: To Ultraman Leo and Ultraman Geed
  • For the former, both series featured a Ultraseven-based Ultra as a mentor to the hero and a robotic being called Sevenger. The only main difference is that in Leo while unable to transform into Seven, Dan Moroboshi spends the entire series putting Gen Ohtori into a gruesome training regimen each time the latter is facing powerful monsters. Whereas Zero reluctantly took Z as his disciple as the latter somewhat agitates him. However, Zero in this series, got Put on a Bus in another world for the remainder of the show, which leaves Z to his own devices by having bonded with a human host and discover what it means to be an Ultraman. On top of that, Z lacks the serious storytelling of Leo.
  • Riku's appearance in this season is an inversion of Zero's role in the former's home series. Given the fact that both of them receive new power-ups that uses the powers of the New Generation Ultras. Though, Geed himself is a New Generation Hero, using his predecessors' Medals, not unlike Zero Beyond which uses not only Ginga, X, and Orb, but also Victory.
  • While there is a looming alien big bad and the aggressive Genegarg the bulk of Z's early episodes are strongly avoiding random aggressive alien conquerors along with Orb and Geed's 'summon a kaiju' gimmick but playing up that the Earth kaiju are animals and are disturbed. Neronga was hungry for the new power plant, Gomora was being re-located so construction could continue and Telsdon was driven angry by the noise of an underground city being built. Z is empathizing that humans and kaiju living together is tricky.
• Spiritual Successor: To Ultraman Max. On top of having their respective titular Ultras being based on the design of Ultraseven, both series have broke a trend from a previous season. Max served as the Ultra Series's Revisiting the Roots following the gritty and mature elements of Ultraman Nexus. While Z for now is currently not categorized as part of the New Generation Heroes, despite the trend continuing on from the previous season. Both series featured the use of Boss Subtitles to introduce the Kaiju of the Week. Matters also help that Max is currently streaming on YouTube as Z is concurrently airing, where it commemorates the series' 15th anniversary.