Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z

**Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z** (ウルトラマントリガー エピソードＺ（ゼット）, *Urutoraman Torigā Episōdo Zetto*) is a Japanese superhero crossover film between Ultraman Trigger and Ultraman Z. It was distributed in both theaters and on TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION simultaneously on March 18, 2022. On the same date, the film was also available to rent on the Ultraman Connection website with English subtitles for international viewers.

## Synopsis

Two years have passed since the final battle and peace has been restored around the globe. However, things don't stay quiet for long when monsters once again begin to appear on Earth. At the same time, a series of mysterious break-ins take place at super ancient ruins around the world. Expert team GUTS-Select, led by a new captain, prepares the squad to launch an investigation. Little do they know, it is the beginning of a fierce battle with the fate of the universe in the balance.

GUTS-Select and Ultraman Z rush into battle with our hero, Kengo Manaka, in the lead. A sinister figure emerges from the shadows: Evil Trigger, a sinister giant that inherits the shadow.

To make everyone smile again, Ultraman Trigger and Haruki, human host of Ultraman Z, join forces with the new members of GUTS-Select as well as Ignis, human host of Trigger Dark, will take part in the ultimate battle between light and shadow!

## Plot

Two years after Kengo/Trigger sacrificing himself to stabilize the Eternity Core, GUTS-Select fights against a new wave of monster attacks led by Ryuichi Tokioka, who is Akito's teacher and Mitsukuni’s right hand man. After a fight against Pagos, GUTS-Select was called by Mitsukuni to tackle the threats of Leyrah, a cult that worships the Ultra Ancient Civilizations who wishes to reshape the world to their favour. The cult’s leader, Leyrah Ibra, is captured and presented to Yuna to relay his message of the Eternity Core and Kengo's impending doom, and that to save them both require the help of Yuzare and the Ancient Sparklence.

GUTS-Select agrees with the temporary alliance to enact the ritual, using the sunlight to separate Kengo from the Eternity Core. The recuperated Kengo is then celebrated by his teammates and has a small discussion with Tokioka regarding his deeds as Trigger, even asking him of what will he do if he were to remain as a human being. Ibra escapes captivity and summons Pagos to target the TPU headquarters as a diversion. The monster is quickly defeated by Ultraman Z, as both him and Haruki are actually trying to pursue Celebro after it escapes from STORAGE’s captivity. In the midst of their intergalactic search, the two and Beliarok were lured to Kengo’s Earth when Ibra uses his monster controller device. Relaying their story to GUTS-Select, both parties concluded that Celebro is hiding amongst the Leyrah cultists, and thus decided to regain Trigger's scattered Hyper Keys first.

During their hunt for the keys, Celebro in Ibra summons a Gazort as a diversion for GUTS-Select. Haruki manages to reclaim the Multi Type key for Kengo to transform while he chases the parasite and gets knocked out after a wild goose chase. Trigger then regains the Sky Type key from Gazort and the Power Type key through Akito and Yuna's hunt in a haunted house. Haruki then joins in the battle as Z and teams up with Trigger to take down Deathdrago and Genegarg for a wrestling match. When the fight is over however, Celebro is revealed to have possessed Haruki, bidding its time when neither parties are suspicious of his presence and proceed to possess Z as well into defeating Trigger, seemingly killing Tokioka while claiming all of Trigger's Hyper Keys. Ignis arrived just in time to bail his friends from GUTS-Select away from the cult.

Tracking Leyrah to the same alter where the gateway to Eternity Core is located, Leyrah's true leader is revealed to be Tokioka, whose true identity is Zabil, Yuzare’s old friend from 30 million years prior as a fellow member of the Terran Protection Team. When Yuzare sacrificed herself to assist the recently defected Trigger in driving out the Giants of Darkness away from Earth, Zabil becomes heartbroken by her loss, feeling that all the sacrifices made by his fellow team members were all for naught, as well as regarding the defected Trigger as unfit to be a savior. Realizing that humans needed to become light on their own, Zabil orchestrated all the events in *Ultraman Trigger* to anticipate the fight against the returned Giants of Darkness, while at the same time taking advantage of Mitsukuni Shizuma's arrival in their world to further his plans by slipping into TPU. Additionally, they reached an alliance with Celebro, who agrees to help them in exchange for restarting his Civilization Self-Destruction Game . With Trigger's Hyper Keys as conduits, Leyrah's cultists transform themselves into light and Zabil uses the Ancient Sparklence to transform into his own Ultraman form, christened as Evil Trigger, who proceeds to fight against Trigger Dark and GUTS-Select's mechas with the help of Celebro-possessed Ultraman Z.

After reclaiming his devices with Akito's help, Kengo transforms into Trigger again while Tatsumi returns to resume command in GUTS-Select, the team now reduced to fight their enemies on foot. Through Kengo's support, Haruki is able to expel the parasite and transforms into Alpha Edge, forcing Celebro to inhabit Ibra and summoning Destrudos. Just as Zabil/Evil Trigger mocks Kengo for not being a human, the members of GUTS-Select defends him while affirming them as his friends. As all these events taking place, Yuna sacrifices both Yuzare's ring and the gateway's entrance to the Eternity Core to restore Glitter Trigger Eternity. Destrudos is defeated by all three Ultras, reducing it to Celebro and Ibra. Evil Trigger harnesses the power of his own inner darkness to become gigantic, but is later destroyed by the three Ultras' combined attack. Zabil survives the destruction, long enough to see his happier past with Yuzare in the GUTS-Select's regroup before disappearing into nothingness. Himari later recaptures Celebro, allowing Haruki to return to his Earth while Ignis resumes his journey. The entire GUTS-Select later celebrates their victory, while Kengo decides to continue living as both human and Ultraman.

## Music

* "**Believer**"
	+ Lyrics: Sayuri Horishita
	+ Artist: Raiga Terasaka, Shunya Kaneko and Runa Toyoda

## Release

* Japan
* International

* Theatrical
* Home Video

* The film premiered in Japanese theaters on March 18, 2022.

PosterTeaser Visual

* The film was released on DVD/Blu-Ray on August 26, 2022. Both will also be available early during the second half of Ultra Heroes EXPO 2022 Summer Festival, starting August 10.

DVDBlu-ray
*to be added*

## Continuity and Placement

* *Ultraman Trigger*: The Film takes place after the finale.

## Forms and Collectibles used

### GUTS Hyper Keys

* **Hyper Keys Used:**
	+ Trigger
		- Multi
		- Power
		- Sky
		- Glitter Trigger Eternity

### Ultra Medals

* **Medals Used:**
	+ Z
		- Zero, Seven, Leo
		- Ultraman, Ace, Taro
		- Tiga, Dyna, Gaia
		- Geed
		- Belial

## Notes

* The letter "Z" in this movie's title is not only referring to Ultraman Z's guest appearance. Given that the letter "Z" is the 26th and final alphabet in Latin script, it also presents the movie as an "unofficial" 26th episode of *Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga*.
* At the end of the film, a teaser for Ultraman Decker was shown, providing a first look at the new Ultra and confirming the series to premiere in July 2022.
* The movie theatrical release date is the same date as Wataru Hyuga'sbirthday. A Japanese actor who portrays Daijiand Kageroin Kamen Rider Revice..

## External Links

1. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6172
2. ↑ https://en.tsuburaya-prod.co.jp/news/3781