Ultraman: Rising
By Jennifer Green,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Beloved animated character learns life lessons; some peril.
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Ultraman: Rising
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Based on 4 parent reviews
What's the Story?
In ULTRAMAN: RISING, Ken Sato (Christopher Sean) has returned from the US to his parents' native Japan to play professional baseball and take up his elderly father's mantle as Tokyo's giant, protective superhero. Ken loves his status as a celebrity athlete but is a reluctant Ultraman. He feels put upon every time he's called to save the day. When one particularly fierce battle ends with him in possession of a newly born creature (Tamlyn Tamita), Ken must learn to care for the giant infant. To do so, he will need the help of his estranged father (Gedde Watanabe), his caretaker AI (also Tamita), and new friend Ami (Julia Harriman).
Is It Any Good?
For kids with longer attention spans and the capacity to draw parallels to their own lives, this film has some lovely life lessons built in. But Ultraman: Rising also offers a visually evocative good time. It follows on many prior iterations of the classic Japanese character, although it's not necessary to have seen any to appreciate this film. Its creators hit just the right tone for a story that's ultimately about finding your place and caring for others, putting male characters in the unusual role of caregivers. Ken also represents a bicultural character, raised between the US and Japan. The crew passed details of their animated CG Tokyo through cultural consultants for accuracy.
The relationships are exceptionally sweet, showing a reluctant superhero his own essential role not only because he must care for his traditional enemy's baby, but also because to do so well, he must rely on a support network of family and friends. He discovers that his ego-driven status as baseball superstar is much less important than his role as father, son, and friend, and he becomes a better team player as a result. All these narrative layers are complemented by memorable, jewel-toned visuals. Battle scenes, sometimes set to pumping music, may appease viewers accustomed to fast-paced violence in their animated films, but the movie wouldn't have suffered at all and could even have slimmed down its two-hour run time by editing the fight scenes. After all, they're neither the highlights nor the main point of Ultraman: Rising.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their reactions to the parent-child relationships in Ultraman: Rising. What does Ken learn in the film? In what ways does their story relate to your own life?
Created in the 1960s, Ultraman is said to be bigger in Asia than Spider-Man. Were you familiar with the character before this film? If so, how does this one compare? If not, where could you find more information?
What dual role does Ami play for Ken as journalist and single-parent adviser? Do you see any parallels between her character and that of Lois Lane, Superman's journalist-friend?
How would you describe the look of this movie?
Ken learns humility and teamwork in caring for a baby. How do these character strengths impact him in other areas of his life?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 14, 2024
- Cast: Christopher Sean , Gedde Watanabe , Tamlyn Tomita
- Directors: Shannon Tindle , John Aoshima
- Inclusion Information: Asian actors, Female actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: STEM , Magic and Fantasy , Superheroes , Great Boy Role Models , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Gratitude , Humility , Teamwork
- Run time: 120 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: sequences of violence/action, some language, rude humor and thematic elements
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: July 6, 2024
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