Family, parenting, and adorable baby kaiju take center stage in Netflix and Tsuburaya’s Ultraman: Rising.
Overall Score: 8/10
Image: Netflix
Returning home to Tokyo, baseball superstar Ken Sato reluctantly takes on the mantle of Ultraman to fight giant monsters and save the day. However, things get complicated when he’s forced to adopt a baby kaiju, which gives him no choice but to find a way to balance his work, personal life, and parenting.
Look, I’ll be the first to admit that I was not initially sold on this premise. After all, the strength of the Ultraman franchise typically lies in its ability to tell action-packed stories about things like friendship, hope, coexistence, and even love for humanity. An Ultraman story about parenting? That’s practically unheard of!
Or, at least, unheard of until now. The filmmakers behind Ultraman: Rising admittedly might’ve taken some bold swings here, but believe it or not, the parenting aspect of this film’s story is both its biggest selling point and triumph! More on this later.
So, first of all, what immediately sticks out about Ultraman: Rising is its stunning animation. The entire film has this neat and unique 3D comic-book-like feel — a look made even bolder with its marker-like finish. And while, yes, the character design for our titular hero might take some getting used to, it does ultimately grow on you.
But Ultraman: Rising’s real strength comes from its writing. Sure, some moments feel a little incomplete (and that’s the reason I knocked off a whole two points from the film), but it’s surprising just how much the entire story works on a thematic level.
The first theme that comes to mind is responsibility. At first, Ken is an arrogant, carefree bigshot baseball star who views being Ultraman as nothing more than a chore. As the story progresses, however, he’s forced into situations that require him to grow up, care more for others, and recognize that there are things in the world that necessitate his role as a hero.
Next on the list is parenting. The outcome of a battle as Ultraman leaves Ken with no choice but to adopt Emi, a baby kaiju. We watch Ken attempt everyday parenting tasks, including feeding Emi, cleaning after her, dealing with her tantrums, and entertaining her. And though a lot of this is highly amusing to watch, most parents will undoubtedly appreciate and be able to relate to what Ken has to go through.
But the film’s exploration of this theme isn’t just limited to the experience of being a new parent. Surprisingly, it also tackles relationships parents share with their children, particularly ones that have worsened over time. We see this in how Ken initially resents his father — a result of the latter prioritizing his responsibility as Ultraman over time with his family. But as the film progresses, we’re reminded that these broken bonds can also be repaired. In other words, regardless of how angry one is at their parent or child, a little love and understanding can ultimately lead to forgiveness and reconciliation. And to me, this is exactly what makes Ultraman: Rising far better and far more meaningful than the average superhero flick.
The film also touches on tragedy and how it can negatively shape fundamentally good people. This is most well-illustrated through its villain, Dr. Onda. As we get further into the story, we learn that Onda isn’t truly a bad guy. Yes, he’s out to eliminate all kaiju, but his reasons aren’t entirely beyond being understandable. You see, Onda, at his core, is nothing more than a victim. He lost his family during an Ultraman/kaiju conflict and, as a result, developed grudges against both parties. So, though he may believe that his actions are justifiable and serve the overall safety of humanity, I think it’s worth noting that his tragic past experiences have ultimately blinded and driven him to take what would otherwise be considered unnecessarily extreme measures against kaiju.
And lastly, Ultraman: Rising tackles the issue of coexistence between humanity and nature. Many residents of the film’s fictional world would argue that kaiju are dangerous and only bring death and destruction wherever they go. However, many others, such as Ken’s parents, would argue that these creatures are merely trying to survive and navigate a world now largely dominated by humans.
The solution for both sides, we know, lies in our titular hero. Ultraman must act as a medium for balance between humans and kaiju. He protects humanity and deals with kaiju peacefully (preventing them from being subjected to lethal force unless necessary). If you ask me, this feels strikingly reminiscent of a previous franchise installment: Ultraman Cosmos. And like that series, Ultraman: Rising does a pretty decent job of promoting ideas like pacifism and harmony.
In short, I think that Ultraman: Rising is a terrific film. Sure, it isn’t perfect by any means, but there’s no denying that it succeeds in being a fantastic update and reinterpretation of an iconic hero — not to mention it’s far superior to the franchise’s recent mainstream, now arguably toy-selling-focused installments. Hopefully, the film will eventually get a sequel. But even if it doesn’t, I remain thoroughly excited for the future of all things Ultraman.
Comments