The Dream Bird

The Dream Bird
Ultraman Arc, episode 21
Information
Airdate	December 7, 2024
Directed by	Yusuke Akitake
Written by	Takao Nakano
Special Effects Directed by	Naoyuki Uchida
Continuity
Previous	What is Passed Down
Next	Ultraman Arc The Movie: The Clash of Light and Evil

The Dream Bird is the twenty-first episode of Ultraman Arc.

Synopsis

Aoi Shiba, Rin's former classmate and aspiring writer, works as a magazine editor. While she tried to follow her dreams, her busy work schedule made that difficult and she led an unfulfilled life.

Then, a red sphere appears in front of her!? That same mysterious grants Aoi all the wishes she has.

However, once something gets in the way of her perfect life, Aoi makes a terrifying wish in front of everyone...!

Shu Ishido's Diary

Expand to read Shu Ishido's diary entry.

The unexplained signal observed in Hoshimoto City’s Kitagawa town. We have yet to receive an official report, but Rin’s friend works at a publisher in the area and was able to inform us about the situation over the phone. According to her, there is nothing abnormal happening around her and the surrounding areas. However, Rin told us that she sensed something unnatural in her tone over the phone, as if she might be hiding something.

Rin did add that it was just a gut feeling, and it may not have anything to do with the signal, but the intuition of someone close shouldn’t be underestimated. I already sent a request to the GDF to analyze the signal, but we must take the first step and head towards the scene ourselves, to investigate and hear the details as soon as possible. So I informed the HQ and headed to the scene. Speaking of gut feelings, ever since the Supekkio incident I have been feeling uneasy. I can’t shake the feeling that something bad is coming towards Hoshimoto City.

It might be an unwanted legacy left behind by the Onyx. Or it could be an entirely new threat altogether. It might even be both… No, I need to calm down.

While it’s important to imagine all possibilities and stay alert, excessive worrying like this can amplify stress and pent-up anger, leading to a mental breakdown. Instead, imagination should be harnessed as a tool to shape a better future. Addressing foreseeable crises proactively and maintaining composure in the face of unforeseen ones—this mindset is essential for those entrusted with the duty of protecting others.

A rich imagination is indispensable for such preparedness, and keeping this in mind is the hallmark of those in such roles. Isn’t all this pretty similar to the Chief's daughter's words, that gave me strength just the other day? Speaking of which, it seems Rin’s aforementioned friend wants to be a sci-fi writer. This woman, Aoi, as she’s called, has been friends with Rin since high school. It was during a break that I happened to catch a glimpse of her in the lobby of the office. Aoi seemed to be trying to extract some story ideas from Rin. I see. Now that our daily lives have become something straight out of a science fiction novel, it must be difficult creating stories based solely on personal imagination. It’s no wonder she came to interview her friend, who directly faces kaiju and aliens in the field. But it seems that Rin was at a loss for how to respond, as all of us from the GDF and SKIP are bound by confidentiality. I must admit that after hearing their conversation, as someone who enjoys novels, it sparked my own curiosity (even though my preferred genre is mystery and not sci-fi).

If it weren’t for the confidentiality agreement, I honestly would have wanted to offer some story ideas myself. My experiences would be unleashed onto paper, becoming a part of the story’s world, reaching unknown people— That would surely be an amazing experience. Of course, it's easy for me to say such irresponsible and optimistic things from the perspective of a mere reader, without considering the struggles of the author.

In truth, I have always thought about writing my own mystery novel. I would like to make the setting quite intricate. Following the principle of utilizing one's strengths in writing, I suppose I should actively incorporate kaiju and alien phenomena into the story. I also have a lot of inspiration for the characters. Everyone at SKIP, my colleagues at the GDF, and even my superiors come to mind.

The main detective character would of course be based on myself. As for the assistant, perhaps it could be Yuma. No, on second thought, it might be better if the character based on myself were a less prominent one. So, Yuma would be the main character and I would be the supporting character. When thinking about it like this, “Detective Bon Hebon” is also written from his partner, Wally’s point of view.

Honestly, you really lose track of time when you’re having fun. Let’s finish this entry here. While I may write a sci-fi mystery masterpiece in the future, for now, I’ll put my pen down.

Ask TsuPi

This week's "Ask TsuPi" is about Arc Eye Sword!

Yuma's Ultraman Arc Navi

Yuma's Ultraman Arc Navi #23

Today, Yuma introduces Red Sphere and introduces the mysterious man in the following episode, The Man in the White Mask.

Cast

• Yuma Hize : Yuki Totsuka
• Shu Ishido : Sho Kaneta
• Rin Natsume : Kaho Mizutani
• Hiroshi Ban : Koichiro Nishi

Voice Actors

• YouPi : Yuya Hirose

Guest Actors

• Aoi Shiba : Nagiko Tsuji
• President Sajo : Chance Oshiro
• Designer : Taketo Wagai
• GDF Member : Tomohiro Ikeda
• Girl Who Was Late To Escape : Yuna Chinen

English Dub

• Yuma Hize : Paul Castro Jr.
• Shu Ishido : Micah Solusod
• Rin Natsume : Dani Chambers
• Hiroshi Ban : Tony Oliver
• YouPi : Brandon McInnis
• Aoi Shiba : Amber May
• President Sajo : TBA

Suit Actors

• Ultraman Arc : Hideyoshi Iwata
• Givas : Satoru Okabe
• YouPi : Daiki Yazaki
• King of Mons : Shun Takahashi
• Zandrias : Hiroyuki Arai

Appearances

Ultras

• Ultraman Arc

Kaiju

• Red Sphere
  • Zandrias
  • King of Mons
• Givas

Trivia

• This episode draws on elements from the 1999 film Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Dyna, & Ultraman Gaia: The Decisive Battle in Hyperspace, with a focus on the appearance of the Red Sphere and King of Mons.
  • Mai Saito, who portrayed Lisa Nanase, and Keiichi Hasegawa, the screenwriter of the film, both reacted to the preview of this episode on X.
  • Hiroshi Maruyama, the designer responsible for King of Mons, shared his thoughts on this episode via X on the day it aired. Additionally, Keiichi Hasegawa, in his own reflections on the episode, mentioned that it carries a subtle homage to Return of Ultraman episode 33, "The Monster User and the Boy," as well as showcasing a level of creativity reminiscent of the young creators behind SSSS.GRIDMAN.
  • Takanori Tsujimoto, the main director of this series, shared that shortly after the series was completed, he had the opportunity to meet Gaku Hamada, the actor who played Tsutomu Shinsei in the film. During their encounter, Tsujimoto bravely revealed his identity and told him, "King of Mons will appear in this new series." Hamada was overjoyed upon hearing the news. Tsujimoto also expressed his hope that the heartfelt message of this episode would reach the Tsutomu of 25 years later.
• According to this episode's screenwriter Takao Nakano:
  • Aoi's job in the workplace involves transcribing interviews for underground idol groups. Since about five people often speak simultaneously, it’s hard to distinguish who is saying what. Nakano described the task as "utterly maddening."
  • The reason President Sajo frequently goes out in the series, as well as his line, "How about we hit Ginza for some sushi later?" are actually part of his business dealings, not for leisure. As the head of a subcontracted editorial company, Sajo is also facing many challenges, but few people understand this.
• In this episode, Aoi’s notebook contains records of events that have occurred throughout the series.
  • Among them is a newspaper article about the Monogelos incident that occurred 16 years ago on K-DAY. The article mentions a total of three victims, including both the deceased and the injured. It also emphasizes the unresolved issues left behind by the Monohorn after K-DAY and how these lingering problems will be handled, including the disagreements between the GDF and the citizens of Hoshimoto City.
  • The report on the events in episode 4 provides a detailed account of Nezutron's attack on the Kawami Heavy Industries factory.
  • The reports from episodes 11 and 12 describe a series of events, including the fierce battle between Givas and Oka-Gubila in Hoshimoto City.
  • Aoi's notes mention a Halloween party that took place in Hoshimoto City, where some attendees cosplayed as Ultraman characters at this year's event.
• Some of the background music in this episode features Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune and Rêverie.

• In this episode, the way Ultraman Arc and Givas stand side by side and adopt their stances closely resembles the iconic poses of Ultraman Gaia and Ultraman Agul.
  • Additionally, the scene where Givas, in grapple mode, uses a cable to capture the King of Mons is reminiscent of the sequence from the XIG Adventure during their battle against King of Mons.
• The publishing company where Aoi works is located in Kitagawa Town, a place that serves as the backdrop for episode 8 of Ultraseven.
• In the scene where Dori transforms into the King of Mons, the background features the roars of Basiliss and Sculla.

References