Esplender

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"This is Gaia's light, I guess."

―Gamu Takayama, "His Name is Gaia"

"Gaia!"

―Gamu's transformation call

Esplender
Data
User(s)	Gamu Takayama
First Appearance	Ultraman Gaia episode 3 "His Name is Gaia"
Status	Active

Esplender is Gamu Takayama's transformation item. With it, he can transform into Ultraman Gaia and fight the monsters.

History

After Ultraman Gaia defeated C.O.V., he turned back into Gamu. Gamu found a strange light on the battle which he sensed was important, using a photoelectron tube he had on him, he took it. Later on, he used it to transform into Gaia a second time. Gamu later built the Esplender to properly house the Gaia's force as a more suitable device. In Ultraman Gaia episode 26, Hiroya Fujimiya gave the Esplender Agul's light, transforming Gaia into Version 2. The Esplender was later drained of its power by Zog, rendering it useless. Later in the Ultraman Gaia direct-to-video special Ultraman Gaia: Gaia Again, a race of advanced undersea beings restored Gaia's force.

Transformation

To transform, Gamu thrusts the Esplender forward and usually shouts "GAIA!". Before the device's construction, Gamu would use a photoelectron tube with the Gaia force to transform.

Gamu using the photoelectron tube

Gamu using the Esplender

Gaia (V2) rises

Gallery

Gaia's light in a photoelectron tube (technically the Esplender's first form)

Gamu constructing the Esplender

Gamu finishing the Esplender

The Esplender with both the Gaia & Agul forces

The Esplender made inactive by Σ-Zuigul

An inactive Esplender

Esplender damaged

Esplender being recharged

DX Esplender toy

Trivia

• Before the usage of Esplender, Gamu first stored Gaia's essence in a photoelectron tube while raising it to the air to transform mirroring Shin Hayata's transformation of Ultraman via the Beta Capsule.
  • This photoelectron tube was the Photomultiplier tube R374 manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. in real life.
• The Esplender is the first transformation device shown to be created by human hands.
  • It is also the first to demonstrate the principle(s) of Transformation Devices. That being the storing and unleashing of the Ultra's essence for the purpose of transforming.
• In concept art, the Esplender was originally meant to become Gaia's Life Gauge, and rather than blinking, the lit-up area in it would get narrower as it turned red. This was changed for unknown reasons, possibly due to it being too complex to integrate into a suit.
• The DX version of the Esplender has five yellow-green lights housed in the center of the main body, and when one presses the button on the side, the lights flash and light up in the order one, three, five, in time with the transformation sound. The circuit board is placed in the center as it is, so when light hits, it becomes visible, which makes it seem plausible that it is an item created by Gamu, albeit by chance.