Our new TV series, Ultraman Z (Zett), will air Saturday mornings at 9 AM on TV Tokyo and other TXN Network channels starting from June 20^th, 2020. We are now introducing members of the main cast who will appear alongside the star of the show, Kohshu Hirano!

Kohshu Hirano plays the show’s protagonist, Haruki Natsukawa, a new pilot of the Anti-Monster Robot Unit STORAGE. In this article, we will introduce the cast members who play STORAGE’s mechanics leader and the its head scientist.

●The Anti-Monster Robot Unit STORAGE

STORAGE is a robot unit of Global Allied Forces Japan that specializes in combatting monsters. Its official name is “Special Tactical Operations Regimental Airborne and Ground Equipment.” STORAGE fights against monsters and the disasters they create using special anti-monster combat robots, the first of which is Sevenger.

●Kojiro Inaba, leader of STORAGE’s mechanics, will be played by Jun Hashizume!

Jun Hashizume will play Kojiro Inaba, the leader of the mechanics who maintain the robots of STORAGE, including Sevenger, the robot Haruki fights with. Keep an eye out for Jun Hashizume’s excellent performance as Inaba, a quiet, old-fashioned man who the team fondly calls “Mr. Bako.”

●Kojiro Inaba (age 59) / Played by Jun Hashizume (member of Toho Entertainment)

Leader of STORAGE’s mechanics, he oversees the maintenance of Sevenger and the other robots. His nickname is “Mr. Bako,” and the members of the maintenance crew trust him deeply. He’s a quiet man who gives off an old-fashioned, Showa air. Sometimes he displays an unexpected skill, but his past in shrouded in mystery.

●Comment from Jun Hashizume

When I heard from my manager, it really seemed like I’d fall down. In my childhood, I’d clutched a Beta Capsule and dreamed of being Ultraman. That I could appear in my beloved Ultraman! Half a century later, that dream has become reality.

Ultraman has always given me courage. He’s always supported me, saying, “It’s okay! You can do it!” No matter how much time passes, I want children to have hopes, dreams, and courage, to know the bonds of friendship, the value of life, and the limits of time! With that earnest wish in mind, I’ll do my best as Mr. Bako. All of the staff and cast members are fighting to make this “dream” a reality, so please look forward to it! What’s the mystery in Mr. Bako’s past? It’s…

Profile (Japanese): https://www.toho-ent.co.jp/actor/1222

●Hikari Kuroki will play Yuka Ohta of STORAGE, the lead scientist who is obsessed with monsters!

Hikari Kuroki will play Yuka Ohta, who helps Haruki and the others by developing anti-monster robots so that she can be directly involved with kaiju. Look forward to Hikari Kuroki’s performance as the unique Yuka Ohta, who does strange things such as making questionable nutritional juice mixes!

●Yuka Ohta (aged 22) / Played by: Hikari Kuroki (member of 01familia)

The lead scientist of STORAGE. Fascinated by monsters, Yuka is knowledgeable about biology and historic legends, which help with her analysis. She started developing anti-monster combat robots and joined STORAGE so that she could work more closely with monsters. She often makes a questionable juice mix for nutrients and offers it to others, but no one knows what’s in it.

●Comment from Hikari Kuroki

Hey everyone, it’s nice to meet you!!! I’m Hikari Kuroki, and I’ll be playing Yuka Ohta!

When the casting was decided, I was surprised and filled with joy. “I get to be in Ultraman!?” It’s an incredible honor to be involved with Ultraman, a show that my older brother and I watched obsessively as kids.

After the decision, I waited anxiously to start shooting, getting more and more nervous the closer we got to filming. But on the first day of shooting I was able to make friends with the rest of the cast, and we had fun every day of filming.

There are some funny scenes where I kept laughing, so I hope everyone watching can laugh too! I really hope Ultraman Z will be loved by many people. I’ll give the remaining scenes everything I’ve got! Look forward to it!!

Profile (Japanese): https://01familia.co.jp/talent/kurokihikari/

Twitter (Japanese): https://twitter.com/HikariKuroki_

Instagram (Japanese): https://www.instagram.com/kuroki_hikari/

■Ultraman Z Series Overview

Broadcast Start Date: 6/20/2020 (Saturday)

Broadcast Time: Every Saturday from 9:00~9:30AM

Broadcast Channel: TXN Network and others

Production Companies: Tsuburaya Productions, TV Tokyo, and Dentsu

Official Series Webstie: http://ani.tv/ultraman_z/

Official Ultraman Website: https://m-78.jp/z/

Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/ultraman_series/

Actors: Kohshu Hirano, Takaya Aoyagi, Rima Matsuda, Jun Hashizume, Hikari Kuroki, Tatsuomi Hamada, and others

Main Director: Kiyotaka Taguchi

Theme Song: Masaaki Endoh, “GOSHOWA KUDASAI WARE NO NA WO! (Chant My Name!)”

Ending Song: Nami Tamaki, “Connect the Truth”

©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS © ULTRAMAN Z PRODUCTION CONSORTIUM・TV TOKYO