Gai Kurenai

"Look, the Earth is round. I'm sure we will run into each other again eventually, See ya."

- Gai Kurenai, The Wanderer from Sunset

Gai Kurenai (クレナイ・ガイ) is the human form of Ultraman Orb. He uses the Orb Ring to transform by combining and using the powers of previous Ultramen.

Etymology

 * Kurenai (クレナイ): Is the Kunyomi for crimson/vermilion.
 * Gai (ガイ): Is the Kan'on for Shore/Horizon

Following these translations, his name literally means vermilion horizon, a possible reference to his disguise as a wanderer.

Ultraman Orb
Gai Kurenai is a human disguise created by Ultraman Orb just after he arrived on Earth. Using this, Gai wandered around the Earth for a long time on a mission to stop Jugglus Juggler from resurrecting the King Demon Beasts. He is noted for having been on Earth for at least a hundred years.

A hundred years before the events of the series. Gai met a woman named Natasha, in Rusaka, Greenland, whom he came to care for deeply. However when the King Demon Beast, Maga-Zetton appeared, Gai transformed and fought. As a result of strength of his opponent, Gai unleashed the full power of his Orb Calibur, but the resulting explosion robbed Natasha of her life. In his grief, he sealed away his true form, and thus had to rely on the power of other Ultra Heros through Fusion Up to fight evil.

During modern times,Gai had saved Naomi and her friends from Maga-Bassar and fought as Sperion Zepillion and defeating Maga-Bassar.He thanked Naomi for returning back his Harmonica and left and stated that they will meet someday.During this times,he transform into Orb to fight against threats from King Demon Beast and had fought directly with Jugglus Juggler,showing the rivalry between each other.He also transformed into Orb fighting monsters sent by the Planet Invasion Union.

After defeating Maga-Pandon,Gai thought that he had stopped Juggler from resurrecting Maga-Orochi as there were only threats from regular monsters and aliens.Gai later fought against Juggler who revealed his plan of resurrecting Maga-Orochi and Gai claimed that no matter who Jugglus summon,he will defeat all of them.Jugglus that taunt Gai for not showing his true power.Later,he transformed and witnessed the death of Jugglus and defeated Black King.

During a date with Naomi and her mother,he was shocked that Jugglus was still alive and took him aside the talk to him but was stopped by Naomi's mother.Gai later saw Jugglus showing him the Kaiju cards of the King Demon Beasts he defeated and was shocked to see Belial's card.After that,Tamayura appeared as a giant astral projection,telling Gai a calamity is approaching and witnessed Tamayura disappears.The next day,Gai when to the forbidden forest and fought with Jugglus one last time and Gaimwitnessed Jugglus released the seal of Maga Orochi and transformed into,Orb to fight it but was defeated by Maga-Orochi.Jugglus later confiscated the Ultra Fusion card holder from Gai and walks away laughing maniacally.

Powers and Weapons

 * Orb Ring : Transformation device.
 * Ultra Fusion Cards : Cards which gave him access to past Ultra Warriors' powers as Orb.
 * Ultra Fusion Card Holder : A casing used to contain the Ultra Fusion Cards.
 * Orbnica (オーブニカ): Though not a weapon, this object is Gai's personal musical instrument, themed after the harmonica. The song he plays on it, seems to bother evil beings.
 * Physical Endurance : Gai can withstand things no normal human can such as being in a freezing environment for long periods of time, or falling thousands of feet in air.
 * Reflexes : Gai has excellent reflexes, he is quick enough to deflect energy bullets.
 * Teleportation : Gai is capable of teleportation, much like his archenemy Jugglus Juggler.
 * Acceleration : He is capable of accelerating to high speeds, even for long distances.
 * Energy Bolts : Gai can fire yellow energy bolts from his hands.
 * Energy Reflector : As shown in episode 11 when fighting with Jugglus Juggler, he can reflect energy blasts fired from others and reflect it back as his own version.

Ultra Fusion Cards
Gai obtains the Ultra Fusion Cards Gai from fighting monsters as Ultraman Orb and uses them to help him in his cause.
 * Ultraman Tiga: Obtained after defeating Maga-Tanothor (off-screen).
 * Ultraman: Obtained after defeating Maga-Zetton.
 * Ultraman Mebius: Obtained after defeating Maga-Basser.
 * Ultraman Taro: Obtaining after defeating Maga-Grand King.
 * Ultraman Jack: Obtained after defeating Maga-Jappa.
 * Ultraman Zero: Obtained after defeating Maga-Pandon.
 * Ultraman Belial: Obtained from Princess Tamayura.
 * Zoffy: Obtained from Princess Tamayura.
 * Ultraman Orb Origin: Gai main cards. He has sealed his true form at episode 1.

Trivia

 * Gai/Ultraman Orb's concept as a traveler is based on Dan Moroboshi/Ultraseven. This is acknowledged by Takao Nakano, one of the writers of Ultraman Orb.
 * Hideo Ishiguro's age at the time he portrayed Gai Kurenai is 27 years old. That is also the same age when Susumu Kurobe portrayed Shin Hayata in the original Ultraman.
 * His given name, and the fact that he is played by Hideo Ishiguro, is one kana away from Ishiguro's previous role as in .
 * Gai shares a few similarities with /Kamen Rider Decade.
 * Both are world travelers.
 * Both use cards to call upon the power of those who came before them.
 * Unlike Tsukasa, he is not an anti-hero.
 * Gai also shares a few similarities with Ken Hayakawa from Kaiketsu Zubat.
 * Both are wanderers.
 * Both lost someone important to them.
 * Both tend to play a musical instrument to announce their presence to their enemies.
 * Gai has a great love of hot spring bathing as shown in the episode Monstrous Waters, where he calls it 'Earth's greatest luxury'. He also takes issue with anyone with poor hot spring etiquette.