The Ultraman: Rising filmmakers respond to the internet’s immediate thirst for Ken Sato (Christopher Sean), also revealing that there is a sexy calendar.
Thirsting for animated characters is not a new thing. In fact, it happens more often than you might think. That said, when Ultraman: Rising was released on Netflix this past summer, the internet immediately fell in love with Ken Sato (voiced by Christopher Sean), and for good reason.
He is a handsome man, sure, but when his fatherly instincts kick in and he does everything in his power to protect Emi, that is when he really becomes attractive. During a press day at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the Ultraman: Rising filmmakers discuss their reactions to the internet’s thirst for Ken Sato, and reveal that there just might be a sexy Ken calendar made available soon.
Ultraman: Rising Filmmakers On Ken Sato Thirst
Ultraman: Rising VFX Supervisor Hayden Jones claims that the filmmakers were expecting the internet’s immediate thirst for Ken Sato because “obviously we’d seen Ken for probably two and a half years at that point.” He adds, “There was a lot of thirsting internally in the ILM team for Ken. Everyone loved Ken.”
Jones reveals that there is a Ken calendar that production made when they wrapped, calling it “brilliant” and says it ‘shows off Ken’s beauty in twelve monthly episodes.”
If you are thinking you wish you were a member of the Ultraman: Rising team so that you could own one of those calendars, have no fear, writer/director Shannon Tindle claims that the sexy Ken calendar may actually be available to the broader public soon. He says that from the beginning he knew they needed to make one, especially after looking at the shot of him in the ice bath.
On bringing Ken to life, Jones explains “Obviously he has this amazing style of physique and a great amount of costume design. We had so many different costumes for Ken. He’s always incredibly well-dressed.” He claims to have known they might slightly blow up the internet with either Ken or Emi, and thankfully it was both.
Tindle admits to not knowing that the thirst was going to be as big as it has been. “We intentionally try to make him as sexy as we could, but I never expected it to be as big as it is. My daughter overheard friends talking about Ken who didn’t know that I made the movie, so that was pretty crazy.”
Ultraman: Rising Co-Director John Aoshima adds in that he loved the banter happening at the studio against other films made there. Claiming the animators were playfully arguing who has the thirstiest character. I don’t know about you, but I think Ken Sato wins that title all day, every day.
Watch our full interviews with the filmmakers of Ultraman: Rising where they break down one of the most iconic shots of the film and discuss inspirations that were brought in from the Ultraman legacy.
Ultraman: Rising is now streaming on Netflix. Now is the perfect time to check it out if you have not already – or to revisit it if you have already watched it.
NEXT: Ultraman: Rising Delivers Stunning Animation & Important Themes
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 is now streaming on Netflix.
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.