Hello everyone. I'm Nono, in charge of Ultraman toy development.

Well, if you are reading this blog, I think you have already checked it out.
"NARIKIRI WORLD 2023" will be open from today, Friday, October 20th to Sunday, October 22nd at AKIBA_SQUARE on the 2nd floor of Akihabara UDX in Tokyo!


NARIKIRI WORLD 2023 (NARIKIRI WORLD 2023) | BANDAI Official Website (bandai.co.jp)

This event was held at the same time last year, but this year it has been scaled up even further, with an incredible number of items on display overall!
(I was one of the people sending gifts, but when I entered the venue yesterday, I was a little surprised to see that it was three times more exciting than I had imagined.)

Admission is free! We hope you'll come to Akihabara this weekend!


Well, here are the new items announced by Ultraman to coincide with the event!



The transformation item from "Ultraman Geed" has finally joined the replica series.
Needless to say, the extremely popular "Geed" series is packed with many features,
I think there are some parts that are not fully conveyed due to the limited amount of information on the order page,
I hope to be able to communicate this in stages through my blog and X (old Twitter/The "X" in Ultraman gets confusing, lol).

As this is the first time, we would like to introduce some highlights, including the basic concept.


■ Contents
The following items are included with the item:



It has a relatively basic configuration, including the Z Riser main unit, a loading knuckle equipped with new functions described below, and an Ultra Capsule that can transform into Z's three basic forms.

I think the appeal of the Z-Riser is that it is a transformation item for Z himself, and
It is the transformation item used by Kei Fukuide (Belial Fusion Beast) and Reito Igarashi (Ultraman Zero).

So, initially I was thinking of making it into a complete set that would include the monster capsules and Zero Eye NEO that appear in the movie, but
Given the recent trend of rapid price increases and a weak yen, I thought that an all-inclusive set would be quite expensive, which would actually make it more difficult for people to purchase.

Therefore, we will first release the "Z-Riser," which is the hardware for the entire game, at a low price, and then commercialize capsules and related items as expansion items.

■ Product Features/Design
In terms of design, our focus this time is on improving the detailing of the exterior of the main body, focusing on the Z-Riser.

The "DX Z-Riser" that was released at the time of the broadcast was also a very high-spec product with a lot of fun to play with.
As a result, the internal parts are packed tightly into the limited body size, and some of the appearance is affected in small ways, such as the battery cover being on the outside and round marks necessary for mold forming remaining.

 

For this replica version, we have once again collected prop data from that time and made every effort to eliminate as many of the design differences as possible between the DX version and the prop version.

For example, the screw holes in the gold part on the front have been removed.



The structure around the power switch has been revised and a cover part has been added.

 

Etc.
The product is currently in the design stage, so the samples currently on display at the event are still in the early stages.
Similar design modifications have been made to the back side as well, and even now it looks very close to the prop.

 

▲The DX version does away with the cutouts that were previously on the back of the Switch, and the engravings on the grip have also been completely removed.

Furthermore, since we are treating the prop as the original source, we plan to leave any holes in the prop.


■Product Features/Audio Gimmick

Another point that symbolizes the evolution of the "ULTRA REPLICA Replica Z-Riser" is the sound gimmick.
As mentioned at the beginning, the focus is on the fact that Riku is not the only one to use the Z-Riser in this work.
We focused on developing it so that you can become the three users: Riku, Kei, and Reito.


 
The loading knuckle is a perfect symbol of this appeal.
In the DX version, it served as a case to make it easier to scan the capsule, but in this ULTRA REPLICA, an electrical unit has been installed in the loading knuckle so that it makes a sound.

 

The reason is that the transformation sequence of Geed and Belial fusion beasts begins with the operation of the capsule and loading knuckle.
If all the audio was put into the Z-Riser, it would not be possible to complete NARIKIRI as seen in the movie (there would not be enough hands).

To address this issue, sound has been added to the loading knuckle, and by pressing this button, you can play the ``sound when entering the transformation sequence,'' ``sound when activating the Ultra Capsule,'' ``the roars of Ultraman and the monster,'' and ``the user's call (Fusion! Aigo!, etc.).''

The order page mainly contains information about Contents, so there are many introductions to the audio related to the request,
It's not just Riku's transformation sequence that gets into the loading knuckle;
Sound effects and lines related to Kei's Belial Fusion Beast transformation sequence are also included, as well as Reito-related sound effects and lines.

I believe this Z-Riser will be the first to be able to recreate the exact same transformation sequence as in the movie, in full scale.
I think this is the biggest attraction of this audio game.


The specific program development itself has yet to begin, but the most important thing is that the players themselves can become the characters and play the game.
We are also planning to make it possible to turn off the voices of each character and play the game with only sound effects and heavenly voices playing.


■ The biggest character voice in the Replica series
Speaking of "G," one of its features is that it has the most regular cast members, making it one of the new generation shows.
As an item that symbolizes the world of Geed, we felt that we had to include this element as well, so this item will include lines from a total of eight characters.

 

The lines to be recorded will be picked from the entire worldview, including all episodes of the TV series and the movie version.
In particular, I would like to select symbolic lines for each character that will allow you to specifically evoke the scene just by listening to them.

Speaking of which, starting yesterday, "X (formerly Twitter)" has been running a posting campaign involving this "dialogue audio."​

 

This project was conceived with the idea that we would like everyone who loves "Geed" to participate in product development.
We are looking for scenes or lines from the movie that you would be happy to see included in "ULTRA REPLICA Z-Riser."

The steps to participate are outlined below!
・Post the audio you want to record on X with the tag #Z-Riser
・Application period is until 23:59 on Sunday, October 22nd
-One person will be randomly selected from those who apply to receive a 10,000 yen coupon that can be used to purchase an ULTRA REPLICA Z-Riser!
This means it's very easy to participate, so please do submit your entries!

The details are summarized in the link below, so please check it out and we would appreciate it if you could submit your entry by the end of this week.
https://toy.bandai.co.jp/series/ultraman/topics/detail/3333/



■Other small supplementary notes
<Reservation period and delivery time>
This time, the reservation period for this product has been set for a longer period than usual, with delivery scheduled for one year later, in October 2024.
The reason for this is that there are development and production factors, such as the balance of parts used inside the Z-Riser.
The reason it is larger is because we wanted the Z-Riser to be available for pre-order even when Related products are released in the future.
However, the quantity of the first production run (delivered in October 2024) is not unlimited, so
If you want to get your hands on it as soon as possible, we recommend that you make your reservation as early as possible.


<Future commercialization>
As mentioned at the beginning, Contents will allow you to transform into "the three Fusion Rise forms of Geed," but we plan to announce information about other things such as the Magnificent and capsules for the Belial fusion beast in the near future.

Come to think of it, to perfectly recreate Geed's transformation sequence, this item is also needed...

 

*The image is of the design stage.

Therefore, in the near future we plan to develop sets that include capsules and optional items such as capsule holders.
We will also be exhibiting the products that have been decided to be commercialized at the "NARIKIRI WORLD 2023" venue,
This is just a sneak peek, so please wait until more details are announced.


<About lighting and volume>
We will also be developing the lighting patterns, volume, and sound quality to update them from the DX version.
In particular, the volume can change significantly depending on factors such as the placement of the speaker holes, so we would like to improve this aspect as well, while also considering the balance between appearance and playability until the final product.


So that's it for today's update for now.
Since the "ULTRA REPLICA Z-Riser" is still some time away from being shipped, there are many product specifications that can be included from here on out.
For that reason, we on the development team will continue to study Geed and strive to make it as good as possible!

We will be updating this blog with updates on the progress of development, so please stay tuned.

For more details and to purchase the product, please see below!
ULTRA REPLICA Z-Riser | Ultraman Z-Toys and Character Toys | BANDAI Namco Group Official Online Store (p-bandai.jp)


Thank you for reading to the end! Please come to the "NARIKIRI WORLD 2023" venue!