Another new Ultra series in the works! Author: James Ballard Source: Terebi-Kun, Hyper Hobby With Tsuburaya Productions` first late-night Ultra hero series ULTRASEVEN X (Urutorasebun Ekkusu) premiering on October 5th for a 12-week run, the company has already announced the next Ultra show. ULTRASEVEN X will be followed with a new TV series, ULTRA GALAXY: GIANT MONSTER BATTLE (Urutora Gyarakushii Daikaiju Batoru), a spin-off of the popular video game GIANT MONSTER BATTLE. The announcement in Terebi-Kun reads:

GIANT MONSTER BATTLE will become a TV series of great power! Using the Battle-nizer, with the ability to freely manipulate the giant monsters, a grand adventure unfolds for the man of mystery Rei and the companions of the space survey team ZAP SPACY!

Leading character Rei is played by 25-year-old Minami Shota. He has been a regular stage actor in the last few years, and also appeared in the TV drama series PRINCESS PRINCESS D (Purinsesu Purinsesu D, 2006) for TV Asahi, the live-action adaptation of the manga Princess Princess (Purinsesu Purinsesu) by author Mikiyo Tsuda. Rei`s fellow ZAP SPACY companions are Captain Hyuuga, Kumano, Haruna and Oki. Kumano is being portrayed Mitsutoshi Shundo, popular among fans for his role as the human alter-ego of Dark Mephisto, Shinya Mizorogi, in the TV series ULTRAMAN NEXUS (Urutoraman Nekusasu, 2004). He also appeared in several episodes of Tsuburaya`s HD mini-series series BIO PLANET WOO (Seibutsu Suisei Wuu, 2006) for NHK. Another Ultra series veteran, Hiroyuki Konishi, appears as Captain Hyuuga. Konishi previously appeared in the movie ULTRAMAN TIGA: THE FINAL ODYSSEY (Urutoraman Tiga Za Fainaru Odessei, 2000) as Nagumo. The latest Ultra-starlet Saki Kamiryo, playing the part of Haruna, also appeared in episode #17 of ULTRAMAN MAX (Urutoraman Makkusu, 2005). Finally, 23-year-old Tooru Hachinohe plays ZAP member Oki. Acting as a representitive for McDonald`s in Japan in 2006, he went on to appear in the movie PLEASE GIVE ME A WONDERFUL NIGHT (Sutekinayoru Boku-ni kudasai, 2007) earlier this year. The staff for ULTRA GALAXY: GIANT MONSTER BATTLE includes ULTRAMAN NEXUS writer Kenichi Araki who will be serving as both main writer and series organizer, GODZILLA MOTHRA & KING GHIDORAH (aka. GMK, Gojira Mosura Kingugidora Daikaiju Sokougeki, 2001) writer Keiichi Hasegawa, and making his directorial debut is Yuuichi Kikuchi, previously the special effects director for GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA (Gojira tai Mekagojira, 2002) and ULTRAMAN: THE NEXT (Ultraman, 2004). The series is expected to air from December, although exact details are yet to be confirmed.