On the 19th, actors Yuki Totsuka and Kaho Mizutani attended the opening ceremony of the "Ultraman Heroes EXPO 2024 Summer Festival in Ikebukuro Sunshine City" (running from July 20 to August 26), also known as 'Ultraman Summer Festival,' at Ikebukuro's Sunshine City.

Totsuka plays Yuma Hize, the protagonist of the latest TV series "ULTRAMAN ARC," which began airing on July 6, and Mizutani plays the heroine, Rin Natsume. Before the stage event, they took photos with ULTRAMAN ARC and Ultraman Zero against the backdrop of a recreated “Ultra Hug” scene from the show, where Yuma transforms into ULTRAMAN ARC, a highlight of this year's exhibit. They also interacted with the children who had gathered.

At the opening ceremony, Totsuka and Mizutani, welcomed by the children and specially invited Ultraman fans filling the venue, appeared again as Yuma and Rin. Amidst applause, Totsuka greeted with a cheerful "Hello, everyone!" and smiled at the loud "Hello!" response from the children. Mizutani also started the event energetically, saying, "Let's have fun today! Thank you!"

When asked about their favorite scenes from "ULTRAMAN ARC" so far, Totsuka mentioned, "I love the warmth of the 'Ultra Hug.' Please look forward to the various ways of transformation in the future!" Mizutani, reflecting on ARC’s battle in episode 2, noted, "The scene where ARC tickles the monster Riod’s nose was cute and characteristic of ARC," highlighting the imaginative battle scenes unique to "ULTRAMAN ARC."

During the talk, Totsuka and Mizutani extensively discussed the attractions of 'Ultraman Summer Festival,' which will run for about a month. Holding the exclusive promotional card of the "ULTRAMAN ARC" for the "Ultraman Card Game," distributed as an admission perk, Totsuka, who had played the game just before, remarked, "The rules are easy to understand even for small children. And the card designs are cool!"

The exhibit area also features a recreation of the Kaiju Disaster Prevention Science Research Institute SKIP's Hoshimoto City Branch Office, where Yuma and Rin work in the series. Totsuka was impressed by the details, saying, "The limiter we use in the series is properly charged, and every detail is recreated so well!" Mizutani added, "There were plush toys on Rin’s desk, exactly like in the series!" expressing her amazement at the high level of reproduction.

Regarding "NEW GENERATION THE LIVE," where they will also appear during the festival, Totsuka shared his enthusiasm, "The energy we receive from everyone is immense, and we want to give back a lot too!" Mizutani added, "It will be a wonderful stage to give everyone courage and energy. The stage and the audience are close, making it an immersive experience!" inviting attention to the heroic performances.

Totsuka then demonstrated the iconic transformation pose. With a loud shout of "Run, Yuma!" from the audience, he struck the pose with the line "Release your imagination at Ultraman Summer Festival!" ULTRAMAN ARC appeared from the back of the stage to thunderous applause. On this day, the special form "ULTRAMAN ARC Sature Armor," which won't appear in the TV series and will only be shown on the post-August 7 stage, was unveiled, thrilling the audience with ARC's impressive look. During the photo session, Ultraman Zero, celebrating its 15th anniversary, and other New Generation Ultramen like Ultraman Z Alpha Edge, Ultraman Geed, and Ultraman Orb, also appeared, heightening the excitement to its peak.

Finally, Totsuka encouraged the audience, "As summer approaches in full swing with the start of Ultraman Summer Festival, take care of your health. Enjoy this summer with Ultraman and ULTRAMAN ARC to the fullest!" Mizutani also expressed her gratitude, saying, "I received a lot of energy from everyone today! Let's make this the best summer together!" The ceremony concluded with the children’s cheers and smiles.

Source : ORICON NEWS