How does Japan's biggest superhero follow up his biggest cinematic makeover ever? How about a Netflix movie? Ultraman: Rising is neither his first animated-film, his first American-produced film, or even his first Netflix adventure. It is, however, a good film for next Father's Day. Don't ask me why I'm two days late for this year. Let's just go.
Kenji Sato (Christopher Sean) has the biggest ego in all of baseball. He is also Ultraman, the reluctant successor to his father, Professor Hayao (Gedde Watanabe). Kenji returns to Japan, not just to play for the Yomiuri Giants, but to fight Kaiju as an actual giant. His showboating gets him into trouble with civilians and the Kaiju Defense Force headed by Dr. Onda (Keone Young). One night, Kenji's game is disrupted by Gigantron, the dragon Kaiju that sidelined his father. He knocks it out cold and retrieves a package the KDF were carrying.
That package is Gigantron's egg, which hatches into a giant chick. Emi, as she is eventually called, imprints on Ultraman. Kenji and his AI, Mina (Tamlyn Tomita), now have to raise a baby several times bigger than them. Hilarity ensues. But after Kenji starts striking out, he reaches out to his father, as well as sportswriter and single mom Ami Wakita (Julia Harriman), for some help. He's going to need a lot of help when the KDF close in.
Maybe I should get some gripes out of the way. Actually, they can all be traced to imperfect worldbuilding. How did Hayao, and then Kenji, get their Ultraman powers? The film doesn't bother answering that question. A major subplot involves the disappearance of Kenji's mom, Emiko (also Tomita). The film doesn't explain how she vanished, but the mid-credits sequel bait hints at an answer. Hayao later calls Gigantron "the most magnificent creature on Earth," when the most we see of them together is their one fight. I'd like to have known a bit more about that aspect of his Ultra career. These gripes, at most, knock half-a-star from this overall impressive film.
Early on, Kenji's coach tells him "It takes more than attitude to become a Giant." It's hilariously ironic given his secret identity, and thus, the film's most memorable line. It also defines Kenji as we soon see, beneath his towering ego, an insecure guy beneath it. That insecurity makes it a bit understandable when he ditches his first fight without subduing the Kaiju first. He quickly improves once he becomes Emi's new dad, and the film gets plenty of laughs and sweetness as he cares for his big baby. His relationships with his father, Mina and Ami also help improve his audience appeal. You'll certainly feel something when Ultraman and Ultradad team-up to use their signature Spacium Beam against Dr. Onda's giant robot.
Kenji is also given a great villain in Dr. Onda. Onda is quite sympathetic given he lost his family in a Kaiju attack. He's a well-intentioned extremist, emphasis on extreme, but he does have some decency. When his plans go awry in the climax, he has his subordinates abandon ship, leaving himself to face the consequences alone. But a nasty surprise for Ultraman certainly tests that audience appeal. Still, that moral complexity makes him one of the most memorable animated villains in years.
It's no surprise that the animation is spectacular, given that it was done by no-less than Industrial Light and Magic. We get a great rendition of futuristic Tokyo - as vibrant as the present city but with forcefields for Kaiju attacks - and stunning starlit skies when Ultraman bonds with Emi. Emi is the cuddliest "little" Kaiju you'll ever see, while Ultraman's new design is certainly interesting. The visual effects emphasizing major blows and Kenji's rising emotions are as impressive as Ultraman's various powers. On an aural level, the sound effects pop as bullets fly, monsters roar and laser beams fire. Scot Stafford's score gives us a great heroic theme for the opening, while Gigantron's theme perfectly sells us on its perceived menace. Overall, its technical prowess is beyond Ultra.
I sure hope that it gets the sequel it wants. Ultraman: Rising isn't a perfect starting point for the Ultra series - Shin Ultraman does that better - but it has an appealing central story. You don't need to have kids to be moved by its unconventional family tale. If that doesn't appeal to you, then its heroic battle scenes might do it for you. It's ready for you to shuwatch on Netflix right now in either English or Japanese. Either option is just Ultra for this film. Next time, another animated film.
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