All spoilers for Ultraman Gaia and Ultraman Saga are unmarked. Also, since this is a prequel series to Ultraman Orb, expect major Late Arrival Spoilers for that series as well, as Ultraman Orb: The Origin Saga ends with a Foregone Conclusion. You Have Been Warned!
Ultraman Orb: The Origin Saga is an Amazon Prime-exclusive spinoff of the main Ultraman Orb entry in the long-running Ultra Series.
The series tells of Gai Kurenai and Jugglus Juggler's adventures as young warriors hailing from Planet O-50 battling the evil wizard Psychi and his army of Bezelb monsters.
Tropes found in this series include:
- Alternate Universe: The events of Origin Saga involve Gai and Juggler assisting the denizens of one, including an alternate Earth. The very first episode sees the two warping to this other realm with the Orbcalibur.
- Bash Brothers:
- Gai and Juggler
- Orb and Dyna
- Book Ends: The show begins and ends with Gai receiving a mission as Ultraman Orb.
- Bloodier and Gorier: Not to the point of Amazons, or some series like Ace, Leo or Neo Ultra Q, but definitely more so than the main series or the average Ultra series. For example, there's the Bezelb kaiju stabbing Planet Kanon's residents directly.
- Canon Welding: Shin Asuka/Ultraman Dyna and Musashi Haruno/Ultraman Cosmos both show up to aid Gai/Orb. Gamu Takayama/Gaia and Hiroya Fujimiya/Agul also appear as well during the second part of story.
- The Corruptible: Juggler. Due to his jealousy toward Gai's ability to become Ultraman Orb, he embraces the darkness after Micott's death.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Juggler wears black clothing and is generally rather aloof, but he's still in the side of good, nonetheless. For now, at least...
- Darker and Edgier: Than the main series and the average Ultra series, even comparable to Ultraseven X. The tone is generally more serious and lacks the humor of the main series, and since it's an Amazon Prime show, it is more tailored towards adults. The plot is also more complex than usual and the characters often faces moral dilemmas regarding what action they should take. The main villain is also not your regular mustache-twirling villain, having a complex motivation and personality.
- Deuteragonist: Juggler's development and personal turmoil is just as important as Gai's. There's also a tritagonist in the form of Amate, who's story is also put at the forefront of the series.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Well, Juggler isn't quite evil yet, but he does not understand Gai's compassion for the people of Kanon.
- The Evils of Free Will: Dr. Psychi's philosophy. He's seen so much conflict in the galaxy that he wants to spread Kugutsu throughout the galaxy, allowing him to control the minds of all beings and by proxy put an end to war itself.
- Foregone Conclusion: Those who watched the main series should know that Juggler eventually turns evil and become the mortal enemy of Gai.
- Fragile Flyer: The insectoid Bezelb are among the few flying enemies Ultraman Orb faces. They're also Glass Cannons that Orb destroys in large numbers.
- Genre Deconstruction: Most Ultra series have the new hero knowing how to use his abilities right off the bat. You'd think Gai would know how to use Orb's abilities because the Orbcalibur made him into an Ultra, right? Wrong. Gai comes off as a Failure Hero the first few eps because of this.
- Hate Plague: What Kugutsu essentially is. It heightens the abilities of the host, but make them hostile to anything Queen or Psychi wants them to attack. Psychi wants to turn the entire universe into a host for Kugutsu so that he can outright erase all conflict.
- Heel–Face Door-Slam: Twice. Amate's attempts to negotiate with Queen Bezelb for a non-violent end to the vendetta forced upon them by Psychi nearly succeed, only for the Queen to turn on her and infect her with Kugutsu, one of which nearly succeeds if not for Shohei making a Life Tree Seed ripen.
- Heel–Face Turn: Implied with Dr. Psychi at the end of the show.
- How Do I Shot Web?: Gai as Orb has trouble using his abilities at first and Juggler has to aid him in battle by telling him when to attack.
- Hypocrite: Psychi himself is a pacifist who tries to sent his Bezelbs and infect people so no more bloodsheds can happen. Ironically, he only considered the deaths of others as senseless sacrifice and at the same time broke from the death of one small Bezelb that became Orb's first kill. He even outright attacked the residents of Kanon itself despite giving Amate the intended time for her to surrender.
- In Medias Res: The series begins with the flashback originally shown in the main series of Gai gaining the Orbcalibur.
- Late-Arrival Spoiler: If you missed the second half of Orb, this series gives away right away the twist of the second half: Juggler and Gai were once friends and part of the same galactic garrison.
- Missed the Call: Juggler, because the light chose Gai Kurenai instead.
- Psychic Link:
- Upon touching the Seed of the Tree Of Life, Amate and Shohei gain this. Amate and Queen Bezelb also appear to share one.
- Zigzagged with Amate and Queen. They only have a Psychic Link because of Queen Bezelb reflecting Amate's true feelings back at her, essentially simulating one.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni:
- Gai is Red, Juggler is Blue. Gai is more emotional, compassionate and a bit more reckless than the aloof, cold and careful Juggler.
- Micott is the Blue to Ricca's Red. Then it's just Ricca.
- The Resenter: Juggler. Driven by Envy toward Gai for being able to become Orb instead of him. It gets worse.
- Samurai: Gai and Juggler are basically Space Samurai or Space Ronin mixed with Knight Errant, as Katana-wielding elite warriors who travels the universe and help the people they encountered. Gai fits more though, thanks to his more compassionate nature compare to Juggler's more aloof personality.
- Super-Power Meltdown: Psychi and Queen's plan involves infecting Amate with so much Kugutsu that she spontaneously combusts, releasing a shock-wave of infection so strong that it infects the entire universe at once.
- Start of Darkness: Since it's a prequel to the main series, The Origin Saga shows how Jugglus Juggler eventually fell into darkness, stemming from his jealousy towards Gai for getting Orb's powers.
- Student–Master Team: Micott attempts this with her and Juggler. Juggler refuses.
- Transformation Sequence: Villainous version. Upon Micott's death, Juggler has a drawn-out scene of inner turmoil that results in the creation of his Majin form.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Dr. Psychi. See The Evils of Free Will above.
- World of Silence: The end-result of Psychi's goal. If Kugutsu infects all things in the universe, then he can literally Mind Control people into never fighting each other again by removing The Evils of Free Will. The Queen make it worse by having all organisms fading from the lack of free will.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The Queen Bezelb is the actual villain, who fools Psychi into joining her by spreading the Kugutsu to the entire universe. While Psychi wanted to control the enslaved victims, the Queen outright wanted them to perish from this effect. Even with the Queen had did so, Psychi didn't even broke and went to the Queen's aid, eventually fusing into a One-Winged Angel.
