Kaito Touma is the main protagonist of Ultraman Max. He's the former human host and later human form of the Ultraman Max. He is also the newest member of DASH.
Personality[]
Kaito has a straightforward and strong sense of justice personality. In battles, he shows extreme passion and fearlessness and is even willing to sacrifice himself to protect others. As the story progresses, his attitude becomes more gentle, mature, and responsible, and he becomes a trustworthy person.
Starting from childhood, Kaito went through a mature transformation because his parents died in a disaster, which prompted him to have the desire to protect others. This determination resonated with Ultraman Max, and they formed a spiritually connected relationship. In addition, after joining DASH, he seemed to get closer to Mizuki Koishikawa and had frequent communication and dates with her. They became lifelong partners at the end of the series.
At first, Kaito forcefully proved that Max was an ally of the Earth. However, he later realized that what needed to be protected was not his own honor but the truly important things. He decided that he could not rely on Max all the time and needed to be the key to his own growth. When separated from Max, he promised to grasp the future of the Earth with his own hands.
History[]
Pre-Ultraman Max[]
Since his middle school years, Kaito has had a deep passion for travel, often venturing away from home. However, during a devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of his parents, he was traveling and was unable to return in time to assist them.
In response to this profound loss, Kaito made a resolute decision to dedicate himself to safeguarding others, determined that no one else should experience the grief he endured. To achieve this goal, he initially sought to join the DASH and took part in the recruitment tests. However, after failing an exam, he redirected his efforts toward volunteer work, continuing his commitment to help those in need.
Ultraman Max[]
Kaito's first appearance.
One day, after the eruption of Mount Ryugandake, Kaito participated in volunteer activities to distribute relief supplies. During this time, he encountered a boy who claimed to have seen a kaiju and reported it to the police. While the adults dismissed the boy’s story, a kaiju named Grangon soon appeared as described. As the public began to evacuate, the boy, determined to prove Grangon’s existence, took a camera and headed alone toward Mount Ryugandake.
In response to Grangon’s unprecedented emergence in Japan, the UDF Japan branch dispatched its specialized defense team, DASH, to manage the situation. During the battle, DASH member Mizuki Koishikawa discovered civilians on the ground while searching for the boy. Kaito found the boy and attempted to lead him to safety, but they were attacked by Grangon. Ultimately, with the help of DASH, Grangon was repelled. Back at the evacuation center, Kaito was reprimanded by Mizuki, but he firmly expressed his strong determination to protect others, believing that his feelings were on par with those of any DASH member.
At that moment, a new kaiju named Lagoras emerged off the coast of the Izu Peninsula. Lagoras advanced toward Mount Ryugandake, emitting freezing beams. When fragments of Grangon came into contact with the lava of Mount Ryoyama, it resulted in Grangon’s revival. The two kaijus engaged in a fierce battle, which also affected the nearby DASH aircraft, DASH Bird 1 and 2.
Kaito is given the Max Spark by Ultraman Max.
After witnessing the crash of DASH Bird 1, Kaito rushed to rescue the trapped pilot, Mizuki. Although Kaito had previously failed the DASH recruitment test, he had received relevant training and possessed basic operational skills for combat aircraft. Ultimately, he took Mizuki’s place and boarded DASH Bird 1. Despite Kaito’s courageous efforts to confront Grangon and Lagoras, he was ultimately downed by Lagoras's attacks. At that moment, a red sphere from space descended, enveloping DASH Bird 1. Kaito awoke in a mysterious realm, where he encountered a giant who had been monitoring Earth's civilizations. The giant expressed that Kaito's brave actions resonated with him and presented him with a transformation device known as "Max Spark."
Kaito becomes a new member of DASH.
Ultraman Max then appeared before Grangon and Lagoras. Utilizing his immense strength and swift movements, Max effectively subdued both monsters, ultimately defeating them with his signature move, the "Maxium Cannon." Kaito's bravery was recognized, and he was granted an exception to join DASH.Ultraman Max Arrives!
In the subsequent series, Kaito fought alongside his comrades in DASH. He also transformed into Ultraman Max to help defend against any threats and protect the world. However, initially, the UDF raised concerns about Ultraman Max. Despite his alliance with humanity, they recognized that he was an alien being and required data collection and monitoring. Kaito was furious about this decision. While DASH members trusted Max, they believed it was reasonable to conduct necessary investigations and research to prepare for unexpected situations. However, Kaito strongly opposed this attitude and could not accept any form of doubt regarding Max.
At this juncture, a creature named Reguila emerged from ancient Central American ruins. DASH was deployed for an emergency operation, and as they engaged Reguila at sea, Kaito had his own plan. He intended to deliberately put himself in danger to prompt Max to come to his rescue, thereby proving that Max was a trustworthy hero. This led him to disrupt the battle formation. However, when he attempted to transform, the Max Spark did not respond. As a result, Kaito had to make an emergency dive in his aircraft to narrowly evade an attack. Despite multiple attempts to transform, he was unsuccessful. Ultimately, DASH Bird 1 suffered severe damage and plunged into the ocean.
Kaito miraculously survived the incident with only minor scratches. During a visit, Mizuki confronted him, expressing disappointment over Kaito's complete reliance on Max. Meanwhile, Captain Shigeru Hijikata posed a critical question to Kaito: “Do DASH and Max really need ‘evidence’ for everything they do to protect Earth and humanity's peace?” He then took Kaito's DASH ID card and left the room.
After being discharged from the hospital, Kaito reflected on his first fusion with Max while sitting in a park. He realized that he had been trying to gain recognition by embodying Max, yearning for the approval of others. Feeling ashamed of his pride, Kaito's mood darkened. At that moment, a little girl approached him and offered him some candy in an attempt to comfort him. As Kaito looked around, he noticed the people and wildlife in the park living in harmony, which helped him rediscover the meaning of his fight.
When Reguila reemerged, Kaito drove the DASH specialized vehicle, DASH Alfa, to support his team. Determined to attempt transformation once more, he took out the Max Spark. This time, Max responded to his call. Kaito successfully transformed into Ultraman Max and ultimately defeated Regira using the "Maxium Sword." This victory restored the trust of his DASH teammates in both Kaito and Max.Proof of a Brave Man
Recently, electromagnetic waves at the Eleking common frequency were detected in multiple locations throughout Tokyo. Members of DASH were dispatched to search for the young Eleking. Among them, Kaito and Mizuki discovered Eleking's response and infiltrated the area, where they found a young Eleking with a rotating antenna. Mizuki attempted to capture it but soon became entranced and lost consciousness.
At this moment, two women appeared, revealing that they were aware of Kaito's secret of merging with Ultraman Max. They disclosed that they were actually Alien Pitt and demanded that Ultraman Max leave Earth. Kaito refused their request, and ultimately, the Alien Pitt subdued him and stole the Max Spark before disappearing.
Afterward, Kaito managed to bring the unconscious Mizuki back to the base, where they confirmed that Eleking could absorb human brainwaves. Meanwhile, Mizuki, under manipulation, had stolen the young Eleking and escaped the base. When Eleking reappeared in the city and began rampaging, Kaito found Mizuki amidst the chaos. To save her, he attempted to separate her from the young Eleking but was attacked in the process, with Eleking trying to absorb his brainwaves. Mizuki regained consciousness and attempted to assist Kaito, but he urged her to return to the front lines.
Kaito regains Max Spark from Alien Pitt.
After sending Mizuki away to ensure her safety, Kaito successfully drove off the young Eleking by reversing the brainwave manipulation that had controlled it. Just then, a hidden spaceship suddenly appeared above Tokyo. Kaito quickly activated the DASH Alfa, soaring through the sky with determination. With a daring leap, he boarded the ship, where he confronted the Alien Pitt in a fierce battle. In the end, Kaito managed to repel the Alien Pitt and regained the Max Spark, transforming into Ultraman Max. he saved Mizuki from the imminent crash of the spaceship. Subsequently, Ultraman Max confronted Eleking in a battle, ultimately hurling it into space, thus achieving victory. Finally, Kaito was reunited with Mizuki.The Taken Max Spark
One day, Kaito had a dream in which he wandered through a forest and ran across a wilderness. Suddenly, Ultraman Max appeared before him, but instead of facing Kaito, Max turned his back and gradually vanished. This triggered Kaito to recall their first encounter and envision an alternate outcome: if Max had not saved him at that moment, would he still be alive today? He imagined himself lying on a hospital bed, surrounded by somber DASH members gazing at him with heavy hearts. Faced with the sight of his own lifeless body, Kaito fell into despair. Upon waking from this nightmare, he couldn't help but ask himself, "Max, why did you choose me?"
Meanwhile, at Mount Ryugandake, the body of Grangon was discovered, seemingly devoured by another kaiju. It was suspected that this was the work of another individual of Lagoras that had fought Grangon. DASH quickly mobilized to the scene, but an alarm from Elly indicated a terrain anomaly. A monster was about to emerge, prompting all team members to enter combat readiness.
As Kaito was about to board the DASH Alfa, he suddenly recalled the moment of his first encounter with Ultraman Max. He wondered what the outcome would have been had he not met Max. This reflection caused him to hesitate when Lagoras Evo emerged from underground, as he pondered whether to use the Max Spark to transform into Max. Ultimately, Kaito recognized that he had been overly reliant on Max's power. He resolved to retract the Max Spark and instead piloted the DASH Alfa to draw Lagoras Evo's attention. This strategy proved effective, and Kenjiro Koba's attack successfully hit its target. However, Lagoras Evo quickly burrowed underground, successfully evading capture.
As Sean White faced a series of setbacks in the development of the new weapon, the AZ Laser, Kaito opened up to him with heartfelt sincerity. He told Sean, "We still have a chance to save others. You have talent; you need to keep pushing forward. If we don’t give it our all, Max won’t come to help us." During the subsequent mission to counter Lagoras Evo, the situation bore a striking resemblance to their first encounter with Grangon. In that moment of crisis, Kaito called out to Max, "Max, tell me what to do!" Max responded, explaining that his duty was to observe the progress of civilizations in the universe and their harmonious coexistence, without intervening. However, he also added, "Kaito, your desire to protect everyone has moved me. Please trust your own judgment."
After hearing these words, Kaito no longer hesitated. At the moment Mizuki's fighter was about to crash, he transformed into Ultraman Max to save her. Simultaneously, Sean successfully completed the AZ Laser and transmitted the data to the combat aircraft. With DASH's support, Ultraman Max defeated Lagoras Evo.
Kaito realized that while humans still rely on Ultraman Max's power, they must also strive to meet his expectations.
Following this event, Kaito reflected on the situation and recognized that while humanity still needed to rely on Max's power, it was essential to do their utmost to meet his expectations. He made a silent vow that one day, he too would venture into the cosmos like Ultraman and protect even more lives.Courage Is from the Heart
As night descended upon the city, the "Scout Berserke" emerged, prompting DASH to initiate an attack. Kaito attempted to transform into Ultraman Max but received a message indicating that Max was about to return to Nebula M78. After Ultraman Max defeated the Scout Berserke, Kaito felt a sense of concern about Max's earlier words. The following morning, a mysterious machine broadcast a message throughout the city, demanding that humanity cease pollution and economic activities. The machine threatened to destroy all DASH bases globally within 30 hours. With the automatons already installed around the world, people everywhere heard the ominous warning.
Professor Yukari Yoshinaga analyzed the automaton and discovered that it was constructed from a material that only exists 8,000 meters underground. She speculated that the enemy was not in space, but rather deep within the Earth. In response, Captain Hijikata decided to negotiate with Delos People. He dispatched Kaito and Mizuki aboard the modified drill-tank version of Dash Bird 3 to venture underground.
During their journey, Kaito encouraged Mizuki, affirming that even if Max was about to leave Earth, they had to change the future with their own strength. However, they unexpectedly fell into a massive pit. The modified Dash Bird 3, unable to fly in its drill form, caused Mizuki to attempt to stabilize the craft by firing the thrusters. Unfortunately, the aircraft spun violently, resulting in both of them losing consciousness.
After Kaito awoke, he discovered that Mizuki was unconscious. With time running short, he decided to negotiate with Delos. Meanwhile, the underground world launched a barrage of rockets. Kaito interpreted this as the start of an attack and prepared to transform into Ultraman Max; however, Max refused to participate in the conflict between civilizations. Subsequently, a robot named "Satellite Berserke" appeared, identifying itself as the guardian of Delos. It accused humanity of destroying the ozone layer through economic activities, which had pushed Delos to the brink of extinction. In the aftermath, the UDF bases across various countries were destroyed by the rockets, which transformed into towers in an attempt to restore Earth’s atmosphere to its ancient state. The Berserke system, activated to protect Delos, could no longer be stopped. Kaito was then attacked by Satellite Berserke. Just as it was about to kill him, Mizuki threatened to destroy the area with DASH Bird 3, but she was too weak and near death.Prelude to Ground Annihilation
When Kaito realized that Mizuki had stopped breathing, he performed artificial respiration and CPR. After relentless efforts, Mizuki miraculously revived. At that moment, Delos communicated its intentions to the world through multiple Auto Matons, which gathered before Kaito and Mizuki. Kaito pleaded, “I understand the pain Delos is experiencing; please give us time to resolve this.” One of the Auto Matons then projected an image of a woman, who stated that witnessing Kaito’s desperate attempts to save Mizuki had changed her perception of humanity.
Kaito shows the Max Spark in front of Mizuki.
However, she also made it clear that the activated Berserk could not be halted. In a bid to save Mizuki, Kaito presented the Max Spark before her. Although Max initially declined to assist, stating that “this is a dispute among Earthlings,” he eventually agreed to allow Kaito to transform again as the conflict between humanity and Delos began to de-escalate. At this moment, Mizuki learned of Kaito’s true identity and informed him that she had sensed for a long time that he was indeed Max.
The Berserke System had successfully acquired battle data from Ultraman Max during the previous encounter with Scout Berserke, using this information to create a formidable new entity known as Giga Berserke. In a critical moment, Ultraman Max lifted Mizuki and soared from the depths of the earth, preparing to engage Giga Berserke in fierce combat after safely delivering Mizuki to the surface. However, during the intense battle with Giga Berserke, Ultraman Max ultimately exhausted his energy. In a selfless act to protect Kaito, Max sent him to the Max Galaxy, forcibly ending their fusion.
Meanwhile, the influence of the Berserke System spread across the globe, leading to the shutdown of power plants around cities and crippling transportation systems, plunging humanity into despair. Despite this dire situation, DASH refused to give up. After analyzing the Max Galaxy, they discovered it had the capability to convert solar energy into power for Max. Thus, they devised a plan, dubbed "Operation Max," to supply energy to Max via the Max Galaxy. The UPG satellite Guardian was tasked with transmitting solar energy to the Max Galaxy. Kaito boarded Dash Bird 1 while Koba took Dash Bird 2, attempting to tow the energy-filled Max Galaxy toward Max.
Kaito bids farewell to Ultraman Max as he leaves Earth.
However, Giga Berserke launched an attack to thwart this operation. In a bold move, Kaito jumped from Dash Bird 1 and merged with the Max Galaxy, propelling himself directly toward Max. This led to their re-fusion, reviving Max and enabling him to counterattack. Ultimately, he used the Galaxy Sword to defeat Giga Berserke. After the battle concluded, Ultraman Max separated from Kaito and alongside Ultraman Xenon left Earth. Kaito and the members of DASH bid them farewell.
Seventy years later, humanity fulfilled its promise to Delos and embarked on a journey to explore the galaxy. Among the travelers were Kaito and Mizuki’s grandson. As Kaito and Mizuki gazed into the distant sky, they hoped their grandson would one day meet Ultraman Max.Hold On To! Future
Ultraman X[]
Max reveals his human form and that he borrowed Kaito's appearance
Ultraman Max disguised himself as Kaito to help Daichi Oozora, Ultraman X's human host. Surprisingly enough, the villain of the week, Alien Sran Quila also used Kaito's image when infiltrating Xio. In the end, Max (as Kaito) lends a portion of his power in a form of a Cyber Card in order to help Daichi and X in the future before leaving.X in Peril
Transformation[]
Max Spark: A gold and silver trinket presented to Kaito by Ultraman Max himself. When needing to transform, Kaito pulled out the Max Spark, which glistens with legs and places the Max Spark on his left forearm. Afterwards, the crest and color timer of Max's would appear and the transformation into Max proceeds.
Powers and Weapons[]
- Combat Training: As a member of DASH, Kaito is trained in the use of arms and physical combat.
- Pilot Training: As a member of DASH, Kaito is trained in the use of all of their machines.
- Max Spark: From their merger to their separation, with the use of the Max Spark Kaito could transform into Ultraman Max at will.
Merchandise[]
- Ultraman Max Deformed Pattern Acrylic Charm (2020)
- Release Date(s):August 2020 (Premium Bandai)
- Price: 550 yen for each piece
- Materials: Acrylic, metal (chain)
- Released as part of the Max-themed Deformed Pattern Acrylic Charm series to commemorate the show's 15th anniversary, Kaito (which is drawn in an Anime-fied style) is one of the items to be produced as hanging acrylic keychain.
- Kaito (and the rest of the characters) is available as a later the Premium Bandai site in August 2020.
Gallery[]
Ultraman Max[]
Ultraman X[]
![[1]](/wiki/File:1013d72f02bf925d28b5829c7831e6ef.jpg "1013d72f02bf925d28b5829c7831e6ef.jpg (391 KB)")
Miscellaneous[]
![[2]](/wiki/File:Kaito_Touma_2005.jpg "Kaito Touma 2005.jpg (36 KB)")
![[3]](/wiki/File:Sota_Aoyama_2022.jpeg "Sota Aoyama 2022.jpeg (507 KB)")
Trivia[]
- His birthday is August 30.
- In the original plan, Kaito was originally named Soma Hayate .
- According to a joint interview with Sota Aoyama and Hitomi Hasebe in 2021, Aoyama spoke about his experience playing Kaito. Initially, Aoyama was chosen for the role after director Shusuke Kaneko recommended him to Takeshi Yagi. After being approached and asked about his interest, Aoyama agreed to take on the role. He admitted that as a newcomer, there was indeed pressure in playing the protagonist.[4]
- Aoyama first met Hasebe during her audition. On the day the Toho building received the commission for the performance, Yagi and Kaneko suggested, "We want to see how the lead actors interact to see if they have good chemistry." This surprised Aoyama, and among the many actresses, he noticed Hasebe. After several auditions, it was determined that Aoyama and Hasebe had a good balance, leading the reviewers to confirm Hasebe's role.[4]
References[]