Hellnarak

Hellnarak (ヘルナラク, Herunaraku)^[1][2][3] is a ghostly extradimensional Kaiju who first appeared in the sixteenth episode of Ultraman Arc.

Subtitle: Infernal Dark Shogun Beast (冥府闇将軍獣, Meifu Yami Shōgun Jū)^[1][2][3]

Conception

Etymology

Hellnarak's name is a combination of two words that are the names of the Underworld: Hell and Naraka.

Design

Hellnarak's entire left side seems to be made of the features of several Kaiju from Ultraman Blazar. It has the skin of Bazanga, the arm of Leviera, the hooks of Taganular, the head of Gedos, and the tail of Mogusion. Its eyes may be derived from Gebalga, while the scaled skin of its right arm may be derived from Nijikagachi.

Hellnarak was designed by Sakura Mizukami. According to Mizukami, the concept for this kaiju was developed based on a directive provided by director Masayoshi Takesue. The initial idea was that the creature could generate ghost-like monsters and would possess a ring-shaped structure with a sense of overwhelming presence—conveying the dignity of a race's executive officer or elite soldier. Director Takeuchi even cited Miclas as a reference, specifically mentioning a chest design that could open and close. Hellnarak was positioned as a kind of “mid-tier executive” character.^[4]

In the early design, there was a concept that Hellnarak's chest would split open to release something. Mizukami drafted several concept sketches, one of which particularly caught the director's attention: it featured a right side with a mechanical texture and a left side resembling a muddy organic creature. This composition became the foundation for the final design—an asymmetrical fusion of metallic armor on one side and organic matter on the other. The right side retained a design element from the initial armored concept.^[4]

The left half of Hellnarak was conceptualized as being "formed from the remains of dead monsters." It was originally colored in gray-purple tones, but Takesue later requested it be changed to red. As for the monsters attached to its body, Mizukami initially created original kaiju designs. However, he was later instructed to replace them with monsters that had appeared in previous episodes of Ultraman Blazar.^[4]

Mizukami admitted that Hellnarak was an extremely difficult suit to produce. Not only were the left and right sides completely different in design, but the suit also had to incorporate features from multiple different monsters. While the design looked feasible on paper, translating it into a three-dimensional costume posed a challenge in terms of integration and structural balance. To ease the burden on the suit actor, the tail was deliberately positioned higher than usual. This avoided the traditional low-dragging tail that could hinder movement during performance.^[4]

History

Ultraman Arc

An evil beast from the shadow world, Hellnarak ruled over the lost monster souls that made their way there. After his death, Zangill's spirit encountered Hellnarak and refused to submit to his dark influence, unlike many other monsters under the infernal shogun's command. It somehow made its way to the Earth and fought against the forces of the GGF for two days.

When Ultraman Arc defeated Zadime, the monster's tail was blown away and cut a rift between dimensions before it disappeared completely. ^{The Wandering Future} It had apparently cut a hole into the dimension where Hellnarak was. The monster noticed this rift and began plotting to take over the world on the other side to establish its Kaiju Shogunate by sending eggs containing the ghosts of monsters to wreak havoc on humanity. However, its efforts were opposed by Zangill, who came into contact with SKIP and warned them of Hellnarak's attack.

Hellnarak sent many spectral Kaiju to attack Hoshimoto City including Mogusion as well as Gedos and Taganular. Its efforts were thwarted by the combined efforts of Zangill and Arc, who learned the former's Demon Slicing Meteor Sword to be able to cut through the ghost Kaiju directly. ^{The Light of Fear Demon Slicing Meteor Sword} SKIP also acquired the data of the special sound waves that Zangill's sword made to corporealize the Kaiju, sharing it with the GDF to use and weaponize, allowing them to contribute to the fight against the ghost Kaiju as well.

Adapting to this, Hellnarak began to send constant waves of Taganulars over the next few days as humanity and Arc continued to fight a battle of attrition against them, wearing down their forces and resources. When SKIP and the GDF made a plan to use Arc's help to seal the dimensional rift using the Onyxium particles on the Galaxy Armor, Hellnarak sent Bazanga to stop them, but it failed. Just after the Onyxium particles were shot at the dimensional rift to close, Hellnarak attempted to go through itself and invade the Earth, but Arc pushed the monster back into the rift and got lost in it himself. ^{Arc Cooperation Request}

Hellnarak was pushed back to its original dimension where it came under fire from the GGF and Earth Garon, but neither was successful in repelling the monster. Ultraman Blazar then appeared and challenged Hellnarak, but was also overwhelmed until Arc joined the battle. With their two finishers combined, Hellnarak's armor was penetrated for the first time, making it retreat through the dimensional rift to escape. on the other side, it attacked Hoshimoto City for four days and laid waste to the city, forcing a mass evacuation. Though Yuma Hize hesitated at first, he decided to transform into Arc and challenge Hellnarak once again. With the remnant energy from Blazar left over, Arc created the Blazar Cube, using it in conjunction with the Arc Eye Sword to activate the Arc Spiral Burrade. Shooting his Arc Finalize through it, the attack tore through Hellnarak and burst through its core, ending the monster's path of destruction once and for all. ^{The Transcending Wish}

Trivia

• Suit actor: Yoshiki Kuwabara

Data

Stats

• Height: 67 m^[1][2][3]
• Weight: Immeasurable^[1][2][3]
• Origin: Shadow world between dimensions
• Weakness: The egg-generating organ inside its chest is its only weak point.^[1]

Powers and Weapons

• Ghost Kaiju Spawning: Hellnarak can split itself in half and fire out eggs that hatch after some time, spawning ghostly Kaiju with the remnant feelings they had before their deaths.
• Infernal Dark Eye Beam (冥府闇眼光, Meifu Yami Gankō)^[1]: Powerful rays of light are fired from Hellnarak's eyes.^[3]
• Durability: Hellnarak's external hide is extremely tough and can even withstand the finishing attacks of Ultras effortlessly.
• Regeneration: Hellnarak can quickly recover the injuries it sustains in a matter of seconds unless the core inside it is destroyed.
• Flight: Hellnarak is capable of anti-gravity flight.
• Blade Hand: Hellnarak's left hand has a bladed weapon in it, which it uses to slash its enemies.
• Intelligence: Being a Kaiju shogun, Hellnarak is apparently capable of employing warfare tactics in its invasions such as when it sent multiple waves of monsters over several days to wear down the GDF and Ultraman Arc.

Merchandise

Ultra Monster Series

• Hellnarak (2024)
  • Release Date: November 23, 2024
  • Price: 800 yen
  • JAN/ISBN: 4570118242525
  • Materials: PVC

Ultra Monster Series (2016) Hellnarak is a small soft vinyl figure that has 2 points of articulation at its arms.

Gallery

Ultraman Arc

Miscellaneous

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} https://m-78.jp/character/arc-19-1/
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} https://cocreco.kodansha.co.jp/telemaga%2Fnews%2Ffeature/arc/2skao
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} https://tsuburaya-prod.com/encyclopedia/hellnarak
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Figure King No.325, pg 59