Yuma Hize

Yuma Hize
Data
Ultra	Ultraman Arc
Transformation Item	Arc Ariser
Type	Protagonist
Age	23 year old
Gender	Male
Home World	Planet Earth
Family	Masumi Hize (grandmother) Tetsuya Hize (father, deceased) Takako Hize (mother, deceased)
Affiliation	SKIP
First Appearance	Ultraman Arc episode 1 "Arc to the Future"
Portrayed by	Yuki Totsuka Paul Castro Jr. (English dub) Rihito Tachibana (child) Allen Wehkamp (child, English dub)

Yuma Hize is the main protagonist of Ultraman Arc. He is a rookie investigator of the Hoshimoto City Branch of SKIP, who gained the ability to transform into Ultraman Arc.

History

Pre-Ultraman Arc

Yuma in the past.

Sixteen years ago, seven-year-old Yuma Hize lived with his parents. However, one day, while camping at Mt. Shishio, they encountered the "K-DAY" event, where kaiju appeared simultaneously worldwide. They witnessed the emergence of the kaiju Monogelos and the arrival of a giant of light. During their escape, Monogelos's attack reached them, and while Yuma miraculously avoided being injured by a boulder, his parents were trapped and severely injured. Encouraged by his parents, Yuma left the scene and was saved by the giant of light just as Monogelos's massive horn was about to crush him.

Three days later, Yuma was found by rescue workers in the ruins, but his parents unfortunately perished in the disaster. Subsequently, Yuma was raised by his grandmother. During this time, he drew a picture titled "The Ultimate Hero," which became his ideal.

The painful past did not make Yuma lose his dreams; instead, it prompted him to pursue the study of kaiju biology. He is dedicated to protecting people in danger from kaiju disasters. With his kind and straightforward personality, whenever he thinks of doing something for others, he acts without considering the consequences, which often worries those around him.

Three months ago, Yuma was selected as a rookie investigator and assigned to the Hoshimoto City branch of SKIP. On his first day on the job, he accompanied Hiroshi Ban and Rin Natsume on a mission to investigate a mysterious glowing object in the city's sky. During a break in the mission, Yuma shared his past with Rin, expressing that because he wasn't the only one suffering, it was necessary to keep moving forward to protect everyone's future.

Yuma was given Arc Ariser by Rution.

However, at that moment, Hoshimoto City was struck by a massive kaiju disaster. A kaiju named "Digelos," as designated by the GDF, emerged from a wormhole in the sky and began wreaking havoc across the city. The sight of Digelos triggered Yuma's trauma from sixteen years ago, causing him to panic. With Rin's encouragement, he continued the evacuation efforts. But when he saw Digelos heading toward the kindergarten where his grandmother worked, Yuma rushed to the location. Along the way, he encountered an unknown power and was transported to a mirror-like world. There, he met a Rution and received the Arc Ariser, enabling him to transform into the giant of light. After a fierce battle, he successfully defeated Digelos.

Afterward, Yuma continued to work diligently as an investigator for SKIP while secretly preventing multiple kaiju disasters as the giant of light.^{Unleash Your Imagination!}

Ultraman Arc

Yuma's first appearance.

Three months later, SKIP is still investigating the "Monohorn," the horn of Monogelos that caused the "K-DAY" event. As a new investigator for SKIP, Yuma uses his extensive knowledge of kaiju and a specialized monster detector for the investigation. The detector picks up a biological response, leading them to discover a mysterious multi-legged creature inside the Monohorn—"Oo-ze." Ooze attempts to attack Yuma, but Yuma successfully repels it using a Sonitter. However, Ooze burrows underground and attaches itself to the armored kaiju Shagong.

During this investigation, Yuma receives assistance from Shu Ishido, a GDF investigator aiding SKIP in the Monohorn investigation. However, due to the parasitic influence of Oo-ze, Shagong is forced to consume Oo-ze's nutrient source, calcium carbonate, and mutates into a nearly 50-meter-tall giant kaiju. Shagong then begins moving towards Hayama Chemical Industries in Hoshimoto City, posing a threat to the city's safety.

Yuma transforms into Ultraman Arc again.

SKIP arrived on the scene to assist with the evacuation of citizens. While rescuing a factory worker, Yuma was nearly attacked by Oo-ze, but Ishido risked his life to save him and was buried under rubble, losing consciousness. In a moment of desperation, Yuma saw a vision of Rution. Then, a glowing Rution appeared before him, granting him power. Surrounded by light, Yuma transformed into a "mysterious giant." During the three-minute battle, the giant realized Shagong's weak point was the glowing area on its chest. He broke through the super barrier used to fend off Shagong's attacks and used it as a weapon to gradually subdue the opponent. Eventually, Shagong exploded and dissipated under the giant's assault.

Afterwards, Ishido named the mysterious giant "Ultraman Arc." Yuma, having reverted to human form, heard the name and showed a thoughtful expression. The next day, SKIP's members welcomed Ishido as the newest member of the team.^{Arc to the Future}

As August arrived, Japan experienced an ongoing heatwave, with extreme temperatures sweeping across the country. In Hoshimoto City, the temperature soared to an astonishing 45 degrees Celsius, far exceeding the average. On the 24th, SKIP's kaiju hotline received a call reporting strange occurrences in a residential area of the city. This prompted Yuma and his companions to rush to the scene. Upon arriving at the residential area near a natural gas storage facility, they found cracks forming on the asphalt road, with scalding hot water gushing out from them. Moreover, the area was filled with a foul stench, reminiscent of rotting eggs, similar to what one might find in a volcanic region.

As Yuma continued his investigation, he suddenly heard a voice from behind. "Leave this place immediately." Turning around, he saw a mysterious girl standing before him. However, after saying this one sentence, the girl vanished without a trace. At that moment, a loud rumble echoed around them, and the ground began to shake. Yuma's previously unresponsive kaiju detector suddenly started blaring alarms. With a tremendous impact, a kaiju appeared near the natural gas storage facility.

This kaiju emitted intense heat from its body, igniting fires and causing explosions, with flames rapidly spreading. The kaiju then grabbed hold of a large natural gas tank and began inhaling the gas, converting it into energy. Sensing the danger, Yuma immediately transformed into Ultraman Arc, attempting to pull the kaiju away from the gas tank. However, the enraged kaiju rampaged violently, refusing to budge. Not only that, but the kaiju also fiercely lunged at Arc with its sharp teeth, draining his energy. Arc’s energy timer began to blink. Arc tried to use his finishing move, "Arc Finalize," but the mysterious girl suddenly reappeared, positioning herself in front of the kaiju, preventing him from acting. Ultimately, due to his energy being depleted, Arc reverted to his human form, and Yuma returned to normal. However, the kaiju also ceased its movements, though the temperature continued to rise.

Afterward, Yuma and SKIP discussed the situation and concluded that the kaiju was nocturnal, becoming inactive during the day to conserve energy. However, the surrounding temperature continued to rise. When the You-bot scanned in flight mode, it detected two areas resembling hearts that were particularly hot. If this continued, Hoshimoto City could be obliterated by an explosion. Yuma recalled the name "Homger" mentioned by the young girl and realized that the kaiju was likely the legendary kaiju "Homger," known worldwide for causing volcanic eruption-like phenomena whenever it appeared on a full moon night. Tonight was indeed a full moon, and according to the legend, Homger could explode at any moment. The entire Hoshimoto City had already been ordered to evacuate, and the GDF launched an all-out attack on Homger.

Anju hoped that Yuma can stop humans from attacking Holger so that she could give birth to her child.

At night, the GDF initiated a full-scale assault on Homger, which only made the kaiju even more ferocious. Yuma observed the events unfold when the girl named "Anju" appeared before him again, pleading with him to stop the GDF from attacking Homger. Hearing Anju's plea, Yuma realized that Homger might be a mother carrying a child. The heat source, initially believed to be a second heart, was actually her unborn child. Since Homger’s ecological characteristic was to transfer her explosive energy to her offspring to ensure life continues, this particular Homger had surfaced to give birth, sacrificing herself in the process. Yuma transformed into Ultraman Arc once more to try and protect Homger.

However, Homger absorbed the energy of the barrier, causing her internal temperature to spike rapidly. Eventually, her body began to glow, signaling the start of the countdown to the explosion. Arc gazed up at the moon, his heart filled with prayers. At that moment, Yuma recalled his late mother's words: "Be someone like the moon, who can protect everyone." Just then, the gem on his forehead began to shine, and the Luna Cube appeared. Empowered by the moon’s energy, Arc gained a new form, the "Luna Armor." This allowed Arc to move at high speed around Homger, creating a wind barrier. Homger, in a final act to give life to her offspring, triggered a massive explosion, but the shockwave and flames were contained by the barrier, leaving the city unharmed.

Under Arc's protection, Homger's child and Anju slowly retreated into the depths of the earth. Afterward, Yuma reflected on the distant future when the next generation of Homger would be born. SKIP's role was to record these events for future reference. With thoughts of Homger's legend on his mind, Yuma dozed off in his office. ^{The Full Moon's Answer}

One day, while Yuma, transformed as Ultraman Arc, was battling Oka-Gubila, a giant robot suddenly descended from space, speaking an unknown language. Arc tried to stop it, but the robot severely injured him, forcing Yuma to revert to his human form. At dusk, Yuma saw siblings Yumi and Dai caught between the robot and Oka-Gubila. Surprisingly, the robot protected them by halting the kaiju's advance and then entered a low-power sleep mode. The GDF later identified the robot as "Givas," based on melodies it emitted.

Believing Givas has a will of its own, Yuma seeks ways to communicate with it. However, his personal convictions lead him to say hurtful words to Shu.

SKIP theorized that Givas originated from a civilization without a star, which led to its unique language structure. They discovered "Givas" meant "that which obstructs a path," or "enemy." After witnessing Givas save humans, Yuma no longer saw the robot as an enemy. However, the information Shu received pointed toward the possibility of Givas being an invader. Frustrated by Givas' unknown actions and Shu's judgment, Yuma publicly argued with Shu, accusing him by saying, "You really are just a GDF guy." This disagreement created a rift in their once strong bond of trust. Realizing his own mistake, Yuma eventually left the office in frustration and disappointment. ^Message

After his conversation with Numata, a self-doubting Yuma begins to reevaluate his perspective.

After being struck on his left shoulder by Givas' halo, Yuma took a rest as arranged by Ban. Confused and wandering through the city, he eventually found himself in a bathhouse in the old town. It was there that Numata, the human form of Alien Croco, appeared. During their conversation, Yuma expressed his regret for the hurtful words he had said to Shu, admitting he didn't know how to protect Givas. Numata enlightened him, reminding Yuma that his intent to "trust" others was a good thing, and he offered his help. Together, they returned to the SKIP office, where they began to reveal information about Givas. They learned that Givas was a machine created on the Planet Meguma, which is located in the same Champieme Galaxy as Alien Croco. The Alien Meguma had once piloted a massive spaceship and traveled through space.

At that moment, Yuma also apologized to Shu, receiving his forgiveness in return. Just then, Rin successfully deciphered the previously unclear parts of Givas' transmissions: "Planet Meguma is heading toward ruin. The Giving Moon is gone… we require a new moon." Furthermore, through Youpi's analysis, it was discovered that the information transmission circuits were concentrated at the base of Givas' neck, with the cockpit located there. Yuma was determined to take action, but Ban informed him that the GDF headquarters planned to commence a mission to eliminate Givas at 6:00 PM. Time was running short.

In an effort to establish contact with the Alien Meguma, Yuma decided to breach the perimeter set up to monitor Givas and began to climb the giant machine. However, Givas sensed Yuma’s presence and attempted to drive him away. A strong wind began to blow, and despite nearly falling, Yuma refused to give up. Eventually, he succeeded in reaching the cockpit and opened the hatch. Unfortunately, the Alien Meguma had perished during its long journey through space. Nevertheless, even without its master, Givas continued to act in accordance with the master’s will.

Yuma sitting in the cockpit of Givas.

Oka-Gubila emerged from the ground, causing Yuma to be thrown into the cockpit of Givas. At that moment, a helmet device automatically fitted itself onto his head, and the voice of the Alien Meguma echoed in Yuma's mind. The Alien Meguma revealed the truth about the destruction of its home planet and explained how it and Givas had drifted through the cosmos in search of a way to leave a trace of their civilization. Faced with death, it chose to conceal its demise to allow Givas to continue its journey. Meanwhile, Rin continued to analyze the language and finally uncovered the true meaning of "Givas"—it can mean "enemy," but when the moon rises, its meaning completely transforms to "friend."

Upon learning the truth, Yuma attempted to stop Givas, but the machine remained unresponsive. He transforming once again into Ultraman Arc, he positioned himself between Givas and Oka-Gubila to prevent their fierce battle. To avoid unnecessary conflict, Arc resolutely stood in front of Oka-Gubila to protect it and then canceled his transformation.

Yuma watched Givas fly to the moon.

Yuma addressed Givas, stating that he was its friend and that he had come to be its ally. "I am your Givas!" Givas halted its attack and decided to engage in dialogue. Yuma informed Givas that the moon of the Solar System floated in the sky and advised it to leave Earth, as the GDF would soon launch an attack. Ultimately, Givas complied with his request and, under Yuma's watchful gaze, flew off alone toward the moon.^{You Are Givas}

Transformation

Yuma activates the Arc Cube and crosses his arms. He unleashes the power of imagination, willing forth the Arc Ariser, his image of the "Transformation Item", before inserting the Arc Cube into it. Yuma then spins the top and sides of the Ariser and aligns it into a uniform design, before thrusting the Ariser with both hands in front of him to transform into Ultraman Arc.

Gallery

Ultraman Arc

Miscellaneous

Trivia

• He is the protagonist who could already transform into Ultraman before the time of the first episode, marking the first time in eight years since Gai Kurenai in Ultraman Orb.
• Unlike the typically intense and passionate protagonists of the Ultraman series, Yuma's character is set as an ordinary young man. This reflects director Takanori Tsujimoto's clear intention. Tsujimoto has stated that this setting makes it easier for the audience to relate, as an ordinary person approaching things with a normal perspective feels more genuine.
  • Adhering to this concept of an ordinary young man led the production team to cast Yuki Totsuka, who had no prior acting experience, as Yuma. Tsujimoto emphasized that he wanted the actor to perform naturally, without being constrained by a fixed model. He believes this approach preserves more possibilities and makes the character more vivid.
• Based on Shu's diary, when he asked Yuma about his hobbies and interests, Yuma replied that he "didn't really have any." Yuma typically does not read books outside of his professional field, nor does he listen to music or engage in sports. His only interest is riding his bicycle, and he mentioned that the time spent working with everyone at SKIP is when he feels the happiest.