Ultraman: Rising delivers important themes, stunning animation, incredible voice cast, great story, and an unforgettable villain.
Ultraman: Rising is a wonderful introduction into the world for those who do not know anything about Ultraman, and a great addition to the franchise for those that do. With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. Early on, he is forced to adopt a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju named Emi, who is adorable and easy to immediately fall in love with.
Parents will heavily relate to Ultraman: Rising as Ken Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while also protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans. Emi encapsulates what it is like to have young children. She is innocent and naïve, and has a near instant connection, which viewers will surely love.
There is theming about wanting to protect your children, but also about letting them leave the nest and discover things on their own. This is going to hit parents right in the gut because there is nothing harder than watching your child go out on their own, and make mistakes that they need to in order to learn and grow. There are some bonding sequences between Kenji and Emi that center around baseball, which he plays for a living. They are a lot of fun to watch, as well as sweet and charming. It is nice to see Emi developing powers and finding her strength.
For those who know nothing about Ultraman, don’t worry, they don’t just drop you in the middle of something and leave you stranded, they do a wonderful job when it comes to the world building and character development. Ultraman: Rising is clearly made so that both fans and newcomers are able to enjoy the movie, the story, and the lessons.
Parents be warned, there are several moments that will make kids sad and could cause a few tears to be shed. Thankfully the movie does a great job of balancing theses out quickly with something happy and exciting, to lessen the impact. The kaiju look really cool and aren’t ever too scarey for little ones. It helps that we know Emi is a baby Kaiju and she is adorable and sweet.
Many parts of the story are predictable, but there are still lots of fun surprises in store, too. The animation is beautiful and well done. It helps tell the story in a visually appealing way, that will have viewers eyes glued to the screen. A movie like this needs a good villain, and Ultraman: Rising has just that. There are real, believable motivations that tie into the overall plot of the movie, making it all make sense.
All of that said, Ultraman: Rising has some issues as well.
There are a couple of relationships that could have been explored deeper. We don’t want to go too much into detail, for fear of spoilers, but it would have added a little more connection to the story. Surely these are being held back so that they can be a central part of a sequel, but it would have been nice to have them now. At the same time, some of the jokes, especially towards the beginning, are clearly put there for the younger audience. Kids will find them hilarious, but most adults will just roll their eyes.
Still, Ultraman: Rising has a lot of humor that works for viewers of all ages. The overall theming is powerful and important, and the animation is stunning. With an unforgettable villain, and an adorable baby kaiju, there is a lot to love about this one. Stay tuned for the stinger during the credits, which will have everyone on the edge of their seats waiting for the next part of the story.
NEXT: Ultraman: Rising Cast & Directors Discuss Pressures & Legacy
About Ultraman: Rising
With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he is forced to adopt a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans.
In partnership with Netflix, Tsuburaya Productions, and Industrial Light & Magic, Ultraman: Rising is written by Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes, directed by Shannon Tindle, and co-directed by John Aoshima.
Ultraman: Rising comes to Netflix on June 14, 2024.
Ultraman: Rising delivers important themes, stunning animation, incredible voice cast, great story, and an unforgettable villain.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.