There has been a worldwide outbreak of kaiju disasters, and now a 50-meter-class space kaiju has appeared. Gento Hiruma leads a special unit to stop the advance of the kaiju, but they get stuck in a desperate situation.
Gento rushes to save his men, but that's when the Blazar Brace appears on his left arm. Led by the light, Gento transforms into Ultraman!
This episode is set entirely at night and was filmed exclusively in Ikebukuro.[4][5][6]
Director Kiyotaka Taguchi had long wanted a strong opening scene for an Ultraman Series: "a kaiju-ravaged battlefield in Ikebukuro with the defense team arriving by air." This idea was proposed early during Ultraman Blazar's development. Tsuburaya Productions agreed, feeling the need to take a new direction, and both sides reached a consensus.[7][8]
Ikebukuro was chosen because, unlike Shinjuku or Shibuya—which are often shown and destroyed in media—Ikebukuro is less featured. The area also hosts Ultraman events and is considered a sacred spot for fans. Taguchi hoped to highlight Ikebukuro’s special status for the series.
In the first episode, Gento and the 1st SMB team follow the same route visitors take to the "UlSummer" event after landing. Taguchi said he walks this route every year during “UlSummer.” While other landing spots might be more strategic, the rooftop of the Cultural Hall was chosen intentionally, so fans can recognize familiar tunnels—a detail Taguchi felt would resonate.[9][10]
Most scenes were filmed on location at Sunshine City, from 11 PM to 6 AM. Though mostly shot at night, daytime scenes added to the production’s complexity.[11]
The episode was released on the late Eiji Tsuburaya's 122nd birthday.
