Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga

"Protect the smiles, the light of hope!"

―Series tagline

Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga
Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga is the 31st entry in the Ultraman Series
Series
Episodes
Information
Format/Genre	Tokusatsu Superhero Kaiju Science Fiction Drama
Created by	Tsuburaya Productions
Starring	Raiga Terasaka Runa Toyoda Shunya Kaneko Tadashi Mizuno Meiku Harukawa Katsuya Takagi Kei Hosogai Shin Takuma
Original Air Date	July 10, 2021 - January 22, 2022
Opening Theme	Trigger
Ending Theme	Nanairo no Tane (from episodes 1-13) Asu Miru Mono-tachi (from episodes 14-25)
Number of Episodes	25
Running Time	Approximately 25 minutes
Original Channel	TV Tokyo (Japan)
Continuity
Previous	Ultraman Z
Next	Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z
Production/Release
Previous	Ultraman Chronicle Z: Heroes' Odyssey
Next	Ultraman Chronicle D Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Destined Crossroad

Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga is the 31st entry of the Ultraman Series, created by Tsuburaya Productions in commemoration of Ultraman Tiga's 25th anniversary.

Production

Development

The first promotional image of the series features the silhouettes of Ultraman Trigger and Tiga.

This series celebrates the 55th anniversary of the Ultraman Series and the 25th anniversary of Ultraman Tiga. Directed by Koichi Sakamoto, it features Naoki Hayashi and Junichiro Ashiki as series composers. Hayashi previously collaborated with Sakamoto on the 2019 film BLACKFOX: Age of the Ninja, while his partnership with Ashiki began with Ultra Galaxy Fight: New Generation Heroes.

Production of the series began in 2020. The initial planning focused on creating something tied to Ultraman Tiga, with the central concept being to recreate the impact the original had on audiences. The subtitle "New Generation Tiga" reflected the team’s goal of introducing Tiga's appeal to a new generation of children. At one stage, a direct continuation of World of Neo Frontier Space was considered, but the limitations of the television budget made depicting that universe difficult. Incorporating new elements would also risk overcomplicating the story. Therefore, the team adopted a multiverse concept, setting the story in a 'parallel world' linked to the original timeline.

Concept

The show draws inspiration from Ultraman Tiga in terms of both style and concept. The logo design, Ultraman Trigger's appearance and powers, and the defence team GUTS-Select all reflect Tiga’s influence. However, it is not a remake, reboot or sequel, but rather a reimagining that introduces new ideas while preserving the essence of the original. The antagonists, the Giants of Darkness, were inspired by the 2000 film Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey. As Trigger's mission mirrors Tiga's, the team redesigned the three Giants for this series.

Sakamoto noted that Tiga was already a complete and beloved work, meaning that any additions would be redundant. Recognising that most children today are unfamiliar with Tiga, he opted to rebuild the story with new settings while staying true to its spirit. In interviews, he emphasised that Trigger is not a remake or reboot of Tiga, but rather a new creation that continues the tradition of the 'New Generation Heroes' while capturing the same cultural impact that Tiga once had.

The series' titular hero, is seen as a Reiwa version of Tiga. Sakamoto explained that Trigger's name starting with "T" was chosen to mark Tiga's 25th anniversary.

The ongoing pandemic forced major production adjustments, including limited filming locations and a revised script. These constraints made it difficult to depict a full defence team. However, as 2021 was seen as a significant year for the series, the staff aimed to maintain the sense of scale that fans had come to expect. They designed larger sets, such as the GUTS command centre, and considered two versions of the project: one with and one without a defence team.

In the version without a defence team, the story centres on three Ultramen in human form: a human, an ancient being and an alien. The main character, a TPU member, would transform into an Ultraman using a self-developed device and would later be joined by the other two. The story would have followed their personal growth and mutual connections in a coming-of-age ensemble drama.

However, based on experience from Ultraman Taiga, portraying three Ultramen within 25 episodes was deemed impractical. This idea was dropped and Sakamoto chose 'I want to make everyone smile' as the new central theme. The team wanted the show to uplift viewers during the pandemic and bring positive energy to audiences. Ultimately, they adopted the version featuring a defence team and built a larger command centre set than in any previous New Generation entry. To offset the serious tone of the main narrative, the interactions between the characters were designed to be humorous and heartwarming.

Casting was done through remote auditions. Raiga Terasaka, a member of an idol group, was chosen to play Kengo Manaka, the lead role, while the other cast members were drawn from Sakamoto’s previous collaborations.

Release

The series was announced on April 15, 2021, and, like its predecessor Ultraman Z, was introduced through an online event on June 10, 2021.

Despite production challenges during the pandemic, the series achieved a 92.2% sales increase over the previous year, reaching 12.3 billion yen, continuing the success established by Ultraman Z.

Synopsis

30 million years ago, the world was engulfed in terrifying darkness. But that darkness was sealed deep in space by the Giant of Light. His power spent, the Giant of Light sleeps in the red star, and is forgotten to time...

The Terrestrial Peaceable Union hurries to gather the expert team GUTS-Select, while Kengo Manaka lives peacefully on now-colonized Mars as a botanist. However, his peaceful life suddenly comes to an end one fateful day. The darkness that the ancient civilization sealed away breathes once more! As a monster bears down on the Martian settlement, Kengo's fate leads him to a chance encounter.

A chance encounter with none-other than the sleeping Giant of Light. How will Kengo's meeting with the Giant of Light influence his destiny and the destiny of Earth? The Giant of Light is reborn after an eternity. His name: Ultraman Trigger!

Characters

Protagonist

• Kengo Manaka

TPU

• Mitsukuni Shizuma
• Reina Manaka

GUTS-Select

• Seiya Tatsumi
• Yuna Shizuma
• Akito Hijiri
• Tesshin Sakuma
• Himari Nanase
• Alien Metron Marluru

Others

• Ignis
• Yuzare
• Haruki Natsukawa
• Yurika Shizuma
• Ribut

Ultras

• Ultraman Trigger
• Ultraman Tiga
• Ultraman Z
• Ultraman Ribut
• Giants of Darkness
  • Carmeara
  • Darrgon
  • Hudram
  • Trigger Dark

Kaiju

• Golba
• Gymaira
• Lishurian
• Gazort
• Oka-Gubila
• Deban
• Deathdrago
• Satandelos
• Alien Barossa IV
• King Joe STORAGE Custom
• Space Sevenger
• Bullton
• Baby Zandrias Kedamya
• The Other's sea bream
• Okorin Ball Parasite
• Small Desimonia
• Dada PDO-3
• Gargorgon
• Zaragas
• Absolute Diavolo
• Absolute Tartarus
• Darebolic
• Nurse
• Metsu-Orga
• Metsu-Orochi
• Segmeger
• Golba II
• Kyrieloid
• Barriguiler
• Aboras
• Banila
• Mecha Musashin
• Megalothor
• Gomora
• Telesdon
• Pagos
• Arstron

Cast

• Kengo Manaka : Raiga Terasaka
• Seiya Tatsumi : Katsuya Takagi
• Yuna Shizuma , Yuzare : Runa Toyoda
• Akito Hijiri : Shunya Kaneko
• Tesshin Sakuma : Tadashi Mizuno
• Himari Nanase : Meiku Harukawa
• Ignis : Kei Hosogai
• Mitsukuni Shizuma : Shin Takuma
• Carmeara : Sumire Uesaka
• Reina Manaka : Megumi Yokoyama
• Haruki Natsukawa : Kohshu Hirano
• Ribut : Shimba Tsuchiya

Voice Actors

• Darrgon : Shunichi Maki
• Hudram : Ryosuke Takahashi
• Alien Metron Marluru : Mao Ichimichi
• Ultraman Z : Tasuku Hatanaka
• Ultraman Ribut : Wataru Komada
• Absolute Tartarus : Junichi Suwabe
• Absolute Diavolo : Teruaki Ogawa

Suit Actors

• Ultraman Trigger: Hideyoshi Iwata
• Alien Metron Marluru, Deban: Ayari Takeda
• Carmeara: Momoka Yasukawa
• Darrgon, Metsu-Orochi: Yoshiki Kuwabara
• Hudram, Dada PDO-A/B/C, Telesdon: Yuto Nagachi
• Golba, Deathdrago, Space Sevenger, Golba II, Banila, Megalothor: Kenji Kajikawa
• Gymaira, Ultraman Z, Ultraman Tiga, Mecha Musashin: Satoru Okabe
• Gazort, Satandelos, Alien Barossa IV, King Joe STORAGE Custom, Trigger Dark, Ultraman Ribut, Kyrieloid: Shinnosuke Ishikawa
• Oka-Gubila, Zaragas, Metsu-Orga, Segmeger, Aboras, Pagos: Hiroyuki Arai
• Hitomi Adachi
• Absolute Tartarus: Hirokazu Iwakami
• Absolute Diavolo: Masahiro Omura
• Darebolic, Barriguiler: Shun Takahashi

Staff

• Directors: Koichi Sakamoto (main director), Masayoshi Takesue, Kiyotaka Taguchi, Takanori Tsujimoto, Naoyuki Uchida, Tomonobu Koshi, Yusuke Murakami
• Series compositors: Naoki Hayashi, Junichiro Ashiki
• Screenwriters: Naoki Hayashi, Toshizo Nemoto, Keigo Koyanagi, Sotaro Hayashi, Junichiro Ashiki, Sumio Uetake, Jun Tsugita
• Supervisor: Takayuki Tsukagoshi
• Production supervisor: Masayuki Nagatake
• Executive producer: Masahiro Onda
• Planning: Kei Kurosawa, Keisuke Furusawa, Yukio Haruyama, Kai Tanaka, Kenji Hamada
• Chief producer: Tsugumi Kitaura
• Producers: Kazuyuki Murayama, Junko Oishi (TV Tokyo), Hayato Saga
• Co-producer: Yusuke Okamoto
• Associate producer: Kazuyuki Murayama
• Music composer: Go Sakabe, Hijiri Anze (ep. 7 and 8), Takao Konishi (ep. 9, 16 and 17), Tatsumi Yano (ep. 19)
• Music producer: Yoichi Sekine
• Cinematographers: Satoshi Murakawa, Shinsuke Oshiro
• Art: Taro Kiba
• Practical effects: Izumi Negishi
• Editor: Yosuke Yafune
• Assistant director: Tomonobu Koshi
• Assistant special effects director: Naoyuki Uchida
• Action coordinator: Daisuke Terai
• Character and kaiju designers: Masayuki Gotoh, Daisuke Inomoto, Shoma Muto, K-SuKe, Takahiko Waki
• Geoscience supervision: Akihiko Shibahara
• Settting supervision: Hiroyasu Shibuya
• Production: Tsuburaya Productions, TV Tokyo, Dentsu

Music

Opening Theme

• Trigger
  • Lyrics, Composition, and Arrangement: R-O-N
  • Artist: Takao Sakuma

Ending Themes

• Nanairo no Tane
  • Lyrics/Composition: ChouCho
  • Arrangement: Jun☆Murayama
  • Artist: ChouCho

• Asu Miru Mono-tachi
  • Lyrics: Shio Watanabe
  • Composition/Arrangement: Go Sakabe
  • Guitar: Takahiro Misawa
  • Violin, Viola: Ayasa
  • Artists: Raiga Terasaka, Shunya Kaneko and Runa Toyoda

• Ultra BOOT CAMP!
  • Lyrics: Yohei Matsui
  • Composition/Arrangement: AstroNoteS
  • Artist: Shimba Tsuchiya

Character Songs

• Dear SMILE
  • Artist: Raiga Terasaka (Kengo Manaka)
• STEP UP TOMORROW
  • Artist: Runa Toyoda (Yuna Shizuma)
• REALIZE
  • Artist: Shunya Kaneko (Akito Hijiri)
• Hunt In The DARK
  • Artist: Kei Hosogai (Ignis)
• Metron Sunset
  • Artist: Mao Ichimichi (Marluru)
• The End of LIGHT
  • Artist: Sumire Uesaka, Shunichi Maki and Ryosuke Takahashi (Carmeara, Darrgon and Hudram)

Home Media

The series was released on DVD across six volumes and on Blu-ray across two volumes. The first three DVDs and first Blu-ray were released on December 24, 2021, while the latter three DVDs and second Blu-ray were released on March 29, 2022. The first Blu-ray additionally contains trailers, previews and audio commentaries, and the second contains behind-the-scenes videos, Marlu-Dex, Secret Origins of the Nursedessei – The Struggle of Special Section 3 and more audio commentaries. Those who pre-ordered both Blu-rays at Tsuburaya Store ONLINE received a sleeve to contain both Blu-ray cases with art drawn by Masayuki Gotoh, or a different sleeve if pre-ordered at Amazon.

On May 6, 2025, Mill Creek released the series and Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z on Blu-ray and digital with the Japanese audio.

Volume 1 (episodes 1-4)

Volume 2 (episodes 5-8)

Volume 3 (episodes 9-12)

Volume 4 (episodes 13-17)

Volume 5 (episodes 18-21)

Volume 6 (episodes 22-25)

Blu-ray BOX VOL.1 (episodes 1-13, SP1, SP2)

Blu-ray BOX VOL.2 (episodes 14-25, SP3)

Blu-ray release by Mill Creek (episodes 1-25, Episode Z)

Spin-offs

• Marlu-Dex : Marluru provides detailed information, background and mythology on the Ultra Heroes, Kaiju, and mysterious celestial items appearing in Ultraman Trigger. Available on TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION.
• Secret Origins of the Nursedessei – The Struggle of Special Section 3 : The origins of the invention of the Nursedessei, before Maluru enlisted in GUTS-Select. Available on TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION.
• Galaxy Rescue Force Voice Drama : Available on YouTube, it will coincide with the premier of Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga and focuses on the Galaxy Rescue Force members in their exploits. Ultraman Ribut and Sora are the voice drama's protagonists and their voice actors from Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Absolute Conspiracy reprise their roles.

Gallery

Images

Japanese logo

English logo

Videos

新TVシリーズ『ウルトラマントリガー NEW GENERATION TIGA』PV公開! あの超古代の光の巨人伝説が令和の世に蘇る! 7月10日放送スタート！

【新番組】『ウルトラマントリガー』本篇映像ダイジェストPVを公開!!《2021年7月10日「ウルトラマンの日」放送スタート》

【見逃し配信】メインキャスト集結！新番組『ウルトラマントリガー』オンライン発表会：編集版

Trivia

• This is the first series since Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey to run its story into the new year.
  • This is also the first series since Neo Ultra Q to not end its main story around December 25.

External Links

• Official website