Updated: May 10, 2023
Ultraman Toy Blog vol.55 The Secret of Blazar Brace 24 / Part 2 Why this Versalighter is so great
Hello everyone.
My name is Nno, and I'm in charge of planning and development Ultraman Blazar toys.
In this article, we bring you the second installment of "24 Secrets of the DX Blazar Brace"!
Mainly focusing on topics related to the main gimmick of Blazar Brace, "Versalight"
I would like to review this while also including some behind-the-scenes stories about its development.
The Secret of Blazar Brace 24 <5/24: Versa Writer>
First, let's briefly review "How does the Versalight work?"
The internal mechanism that makes the Versalight gimmick possible is as follows:
To briefly illustrate it, the structure is as follows:
The rod-shaped base in the center is equipped with seven colored LEDs.
This base rotates at high speed due to the power of the motor.
At that time, the LED flashes in time with the rotation of the board, and the human eye sees an afterimage that appears as a picture.
This alone might give you a sense of high specs, but
As long-time BANDAI fans know, the mechanism of the "Versalight" itself has also been used in toys released in the past.
So, what makes the "DX Blazar Brace" so great compared to previous Versalight toys?
Versarayta's animation has evolved tremendously in that it is now thoroughly "video."
Even though the system itself is the same, the content has improved dramatically.
Because the cost of the gimmick for the Versalighter is so high, previous toys had single-colour LEDs and mainly still images were displayed to reduce the capacity of the IC installed, etc., which gives the impression that the overall product specifications were balanced.
The "DX Blazar Brace" takes advantage of this point and focuses the product's emphasis on the Versalight gimmick.
All seven of the LEDs are full color, and the internal IC also achieves extraordinary specifications, using approximately three times the capacity of conventional transformation items.
And it was only thanks to these specifications that we were able to implement "animation that is completely focused on video."
The images displayed on the Versalight can be expressed with a great degree of freedom depending on how they are made.
When trying to create "smooth-moving animation," a certain amount of drawing is required, for the same reasons as with regular TV animation.
For example, in the "Z Stone" animation we introduced last time, if you just wanted to display the "Z" mark as shown above, you would only need one still image.
In order to express the animation with "movement" that is included in this Blazar Brace (the process in which the letter "Z" gradually forms from a dazzling light),
Transformation Melody In about 15 secondsThe number of images required is 120. It will swell up!
It's frustrating because product packaging and promotional photos can only show one image at a time, but just looking at the letter "Z" there is literally a 120-fold calorie difference.
From the perspective of turning it into a toy, the most important thing was the specifications of the IC to "record" that overwhelming amount of drawing while "programming control" it, and by overcoming this challenge, Blazar Brace was able to achieve the dramatic, dynamic animation.
The secret of Blazar Brace 24 <6/24: Number of light emission patterns>
The DX Blazar Brace comes equipped with up to 30 such fascinating animation patterns.
I will refrain from revealing too much about the 30 types of items, as it would be a spoiler.
These animations can be brought out in conjunction with the upcoming Blazar Stone.
Not only the main character Blazer, but most of the New Generation Ultraman Stones have their own unique animations.
Each animation is designed to match the transformation melody of each Ultraman and express their individuality, so please look forward to the types that have not yet been announced. (It's quite a sight to behold!)
The New Generation Ultraman Stones, which will have their own unique animations, will be available in the toy section as part of the lineup, centered around the "DX Blazar Stone "!
We hope to be able to provide an environment in which it will be relatively easy to collect the figures throughout the broadcast period of the program, so we hope you will keep an eye on future release schedules.
*This is intended to show that the DX version is the quickest way to cover all the animation patterns.
Don't worry, the animation still works with the candy toy version of "SG Blazar Stone"!
The Secret of Blazar Brace 24 <7/24: Legend Animation>
Now, let's take a look at some patterns of "the animations of each Ultraman" with some concrete visuals!
I would like to explain in depth about the animation of "Blazer" itself, but since the program itself is still in the teaser stage, I will postpone that for now.
This time, we will be introducing three Ultraman who are the ancestors of the Showa, Heisei, and New Generation eras from the "DX Blazar Stone 01 Glorious Ultraman Set."
First up, our "Ultraman"!
Personally, out of all the light patterns, this "Ultraman Stone" is in my top 5 favorites.
The surprise of the pattern on Ultraman 's chest appearing from an effect reminiscent of the flash of the Beta Capsule explodes during the short sound of the transformation. (The key point is that the circular axis resembles a color timer!)
I also like how the painting doesn't end there, but turns into a swirl of light and dissipates at the end.
Another point worth noting is that by deliberately limiting the advantages of full-color LEDs and limiting the color palette to three colors - red, white, and light blue -it is possible to experience an "exquisite Showa-era feel."
Next up is "Ultraman Tiga"!
The transformation sounds for Ultraman and Tiga are quite short, so the elements that can be expressed are quite limited.
The key point for Tiga is that we explored a different variation that is unique to Tiga, and it is a different expression from the pattern of "expressing a pattern on the chest" used in the previous Ultraman.
The animation shows the gimmick of Tiga's transformation item, the Spark Lens.
The key point is that after it is opened, the spark lens "looks like Tiga's chest."
As a Tiga fan, the scene at the end, where the spark lenses turn into particles of light and rise high into the sky, reminded me of "Take Me Higher" and was extremely emotional.
Last but not least, the leader of the new generation, Ultraman Ginga!
This can be said about the entire animation direction of this project,
When drawing the animation for each Ultraman, we make no attempt to reproduce the "appearance scene effects (gun-gun cuts)" exactly as they appear.
While incorporating the element of "Gun Gun Cut" as an easy-to-understand motif, some parts have been abstracted and other elements have been added to create an expression that evokes Ultraman throughout the animation.
In the production of Ginga Stone,
The effect of the scene where Hikaru grabs the Spark Dolls has been changed to a "seven-colored shooting star."
The "live sign that appears when you scan Spark Dolls" will be a "hexagonal light",
The "Ginga appearance scene" is reinterpreted as an "∞-shaped light emission",
These three are seamlessly connected as a video expression.
Also, while easy-to-understand motifs such as "∞-shaped light" are displayed,
Another point we want you to see is how we paid particular attention to creating a "video"-like expression, with seven colors of light constantly scattering in all directions behind us!
Blazar Brace 24 Secrets <8/24: Creator>
Now, the performance expression of Versalight, centered on these legendary animations,
It was created by Deco Vocal, a creative unit that specializes in animation.
Decovocal -decovocal-
He is an artist who creates many unique and warm illustrations and animations.
In this project as well, he has fully demonstrated his talent, carefully crafting each transformation animation to faithfully reflect the elements and characteristics of Ultraman, the motif.
It is quite unusual to have an artist help with toy development,
This time, we had the participation of creators who are well versed in the know-how of animation production, which is why I believe we were able to create an expressive Versatile expression like never before.
What did you think?
You can check out the promotional video below to see a video of the actual Versalight gimmick introduced today.
■ "DX Blazar Brace" product PV
Even if you've already seen it, if you take the information above into account and look at Blazar Brace in motion again, you might get a different impression! Be sure to check it out again.
Well, even after reviewing this far, the secret of Blazar Brace is only 1/3 of the whole story!
There are still many topics we would like to cover, so please stay tuned for future updates.
That's all for today. Thank you for reading to the end!!
<Development Blog Back Issues>
■The Secret of DX Blazar Brace 24
・First
Ultraman Toy Blog vol.52 Blazar Brace 24 Secrets / Part 1 Unveiled! This is Blazar Brace! | Ultraman TOY WEB | BANDAI Official Site (bandai.co.jp)
■ The story behind the development of DX Earth Garon
Ultraman Toy Blog vol.53 DX Earth Garon Development Story①/Overwhelming "movable" body with 20 points of articulation! | Ultraman TOY WEB | BANDAI Official Site (bandai.co.jp)
< Ultraman Blazar toy information>
■ Ultraman TOY WEB
Ultraman TOY WEB | BANDAI Official Site (bandai.co.jp)
■ Ultraman TOY WEB Official Twitter
https://twitter.com/bandai_ultratoy
■ "DX Blazar Brace" product PV
[Ultraman Blazar] Lightning Transformation DX Blazar Brace Product PV - YouTube
■Banmani! "DX Blazar Brace" Special
[Ultraman Blazar] [BANDAI Official] Fastest!! Introducing all the transformation items for Ultraman Blazar!! Introducing the "DX Blazar Brace" and "DX Blazar Stone"!! [Banmani!] - YouTube
My name is Nno, and I'm in charge of planning and development Ultraman Blazar toys.
In this article, we bring you the second installment of "24 Secrets of the DX Blazar Brace"!
Mainly focusing on topics related to the main gimmick of Blazar Brace, "Versalight"
I would like to review this while also including some behind-the-scenes stories about its development.
The Secret of Blazar Brace 24 <5/24: Versa Writer>
First, let's briefly review "How does the Versalight work?"
The internal mechanism that makes the Versalight gimmick possible is as follows:
To briefly illustrate it, the structure is as follows:
The rod-shaped base in the center is equipped with seven colored LEDs.
This base rotates at high speed due to the power of the motor.
At that time, the LED flashes in time with the rotation of the board, and the human eye sees an afterimage that appears as a picture.
This alone might give you a sense of high specs, but
As long-time BANDAI fans know, the mechanism of the "Versalight" itself has also been used in toys released in the past.
So, what makes the "DX Blazar Brace" so great compared to previous Versalight toys?
Versarayta's animation has evolved tremendously in that it is now thoroughly "video."
Even though the system itself is the same, the content has improved dramatically.
Because the cost of the gimmick for the Versalighter is so high, previous toys had single-colour LEDs and mainly still images were displayed to reduce the capacity of the IC installed, etc., which gives the impression that the overall product specifications were balanced.
The "DX Blazar Brace" takes advantage of this point and focuses the product's emphasis on the Versalight gimmick.
All seven of the LEDs are full color, and the internal IC also achieves extraordinary specifications, using approximately three times the capacity of conventional transformation items.
And it was only thanks to these specifications that we were able to implement "animation that is completely focused on video."
The images displayed on the Versalight can be expressed with a great degree of freedom depending on how they are made.
When trying to create "smooth-moving animation," a certain amount of drawing is required, for the same reasons as with regular TV animation.
For example, in the "Z Stone" animation we introduced last time, if you just wanted to display the "Z" mark as shown above, you would only need one still image.
In order to express the animation with "movement" that is included in this Blazar Brace (the process in which the letter "Z" gradually forms from a dazzling light),
Transformation Melody In about 15 secondsThe number of images required is 120. It will swell up!
It's frustrating because product packaging and promotional photos can only show one image at a time, but just looking at the letter "Z" there is literally a 120-fold calorie difference.
From the perspective of turning it into a toy, the most important thing was the specifications of the IC to "record" that overwhelming amount of drawing while "programming control" it, and by overcoming this challenge, Blazar Brace was able to achieve the dramatic, dynamic animation.
The secret of Blazar Brace 24 <6/24: Number of light emission patterns>
The DX Blazar Brace comes equipped with up to 30 such fascinating animation patterns.
I will refrain from revealing too much about the 30 types of items, as it would be a spoiler.
These animations can be brought out in conjunction with the upcoming Blazar Stone.
Not only the main character Blazer, but most of the New Generation Ultraman Stones have their own unique animations.
Each animation is designed to match the transformation melody of each Ultraman and express their individuality, so please look forward to the types that have not yet been announced. (It's quite a sight to behold!)
The New Generation Ultraman Stones, which will have their own unique animations, will be available in the toy section as part of the lineup, centered around the "DX Blazar Stone "!
We hope to be able to provide an environment in which it will be relatively easy to collect the figures throughout the broadcast period of the program, so we hope you will keep an eye on future release schedules.
*This is intended to show that the DX version is the quickest way to cover all the animation patterns.
Don't worry, the animation still works with the candy toy version of "SG Blazar Stone"!
The Secret of Blazar Brace 24 <7/24: Legend Animation>
Now, let's take a look at some patterns of "the animations of each Ultraman" with some concrete visuals!
I would like to explain in depth about the animation of "Blazer" itself, but since the program itself is still in the teaser stage, I will postpone that for now.
This time, we will be introducing three Ultraman who are the ancestors of the Showa, Heisei, and New Generation eras from the "DX Blazar Stone 01 Glorious Ultraman Set."
First up, our "Ultraman"!
Personally, out of all the light patterns, this "Ultraman Stone" is in my top 5 favorites.
The surprise of the pattern on Ultraman 's chest appearing from an effect reminiscent of the flash of the Beta Capsule explodes during the short sound of the transformation. (The key point is that the circular axis resembles a color timer!)
I also like how the painting doesn't end there, but turns into a swirl of light and dissipates at the end.
Another point worth noting is that by deliberately limiting the advantages of full-color LEDs and limiting the color palette to three colors - red, white, and light blue -it is possible to experience an "exquisite Showa-era feel."
Next up is "Ultraman Tiga"!
The transformation sounds for Ultraman and Tiga are quite short, so the elements that can be expressed are quite limited.
The key point for Tiga is that we explored a different variation that is unique to Tiga, and it is a different expression from the pattern of "expressing a pattern on the chest" used in the previous Ultraman.
The animation shows the gimmick of Tiga's transformation item, the Spark Lens.
The key point is that after it is opened, the spark lens "looks like Tiga's chest."
As a Tiga fan, the scene at the end, where the spark lenses turn into particles of light and rise high into the sky, reminded me of "Take Me Higher" and was extremely emotional.
Last but not least, the leader of the new generation, Ultraman Ginga!
This can be said about the entire animation direction of this project,
When drawing the animation for each Ultraman, we make no attempt to reproduce the "appearance scene effects (gun-gun cuts)" exactly as they appear.
While incorporating the element of "Gun Gun Cut" as an easy-to-understand motif, some parts have been abstracted and other elements have been added to create an expression that evokes Ultraman throughout the animation.
In the production of Ginga Stone,
The effect of the scene where Hikaru grabs the Spark Dolls has been changed to a "seven-colored shooting star."
The "live sign that appears when you scan Spark Dolls" will be a "hexagonal light",
The "Ginga appearance scene" is reinterpreted as an "∞-shaped light emission",
These three are seamlessly connected as a video expression.
Also, while easy-to-understand motifs such as "∞-shaped light" are displayed,
Another point we want you to see is how we paid particular attention to creating a "video"-like expression, with seven colors of light constantly scattering in all directions behind us!
Blazar Brace 24 Secrets <8/24: Creator>
Now, the performance expression of Versalight, centered on these legendary animations,
It was created by Deco Vocal, a creative unit that specializes in animation.
Decovocal -decovocal-
He is an artist who creates many unique and warm illustrations and animations.
In this project as well, he has fully demonstrated his talent, carefully crafting each transformation animation to faithfully reflect the elements and characteristics of Ultraman, the motif.
It is quite unusual to have an artist help with toy development,
This time, we had the participation of creators who are well versed in the know-how of animation production, which is why I believe we were able to create an expressive Versatile expression like never before.
What did you think?
You can check out the promotional video below to see a video of the actual Versalight gimmick introduced today.
■ "DX Blazar Brace" product PV
Even if you've already seen it, if you take the information above into account and look at Blazar Brace in motion again, you might get a different impression! Be sure to check it out again.
Well, even after reviewing this far, the secret of Blazar Brace is only 1/3 of the whole story!
There are still many topics we would like to cover, so please stay tuned for future updates.
That's all for today. Thank you for reading to the end!!
<Development Blog Back Issues>
■The Secret of DX Blazar Brace 24
・First
Ultraman Toy Blog vol.52 Blazar Brace 24 Secrets / Part 1 Unveiled! This is Blazar Brace! | Ultraman TOY WEB | BANDAI Official Site (bandai.co.jp)
■ The story behind the development of DX Earth Garon
Ultraman Toy Blog vol.53 DX Earth Garon Development Story①/Overwhelming "movable" body with 20 points of articulation! | Ultraman TOY WEB | BANDAI Official Site (bandai.co.jp)
< Ultraman Blazar toy information>
■ Ultraman TOY WEB
Ultraman TOY WEB | BANDAI Official Site (bandai.co.jp)
■ Ultraman TOY WEB Official Twitter
https://twitter.com/bandai_ultratoy
■ "DX Blazar Brace" product PV
[Ultraman Blazar] Lightning Transformation DX Blazar Brace Product PV - YouTube
■Banmani! "DX Blazar Brace" Special
[Ultraman Blazar] [BANDAI Official] Fastest!! Introducing all the transformation items for Ultraman Blazar!! Introducing the "DX Blazar Brace" and "DX Blazar Stone"!! [Banmani!] - YouTube
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