A superhero raises a baby monster in this animated film called “Ultraman: Rising.” The lead character resembles Japan’s famous red and silver superhero, Ultraman, but with a cute twist. Directed by Shannon Tindle and John Aoshima, the movie takes a unique approach by having Ultraman become a father to a giant infant monster named Baby Gigantron.
In this version of Ultraman, he takes on the identity of a Japanese American baseball player named Ken Sato, voiced by Christopher Sean. Ken Sato transitions from playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants while also inheriting the Ultraman mantle from his estranged father, Professor Sato, played by Gedde Watanabe.
The film explores themes of parental responsibility as Ultraman navigates raising Baby Gigantron, who is too big for diapers and causes chaos with her gas emissions. While the action-packed scenes of bat-swinging and fist-fighting are exciting, the movie tends to focus more on dialogue-heavy moments about sacrifice and exhaustion.
The character of Ami, a sportswriter similar to Lois Lane, adds a lively element to the story as she interacts with Ultraman. However, the film’s pacing suffers from the shift between energetic scenes and slower, more melodramatic conversations about family dynamics.
With over 130 film and TV spinoffs, Ultraman has a rich history, and “Ultraman: Rising” attempts to appeal to a global audience with its cross-cultural approach. While the movie has the appearance of a children’s film, it falls short in delivering a consistently engaging experience, leaving viewers wanting more excitement and less talk.
“Ultraman: Rising” is rated PG and has a runtime of 1 hour and 57 minutes. It is available for streaming on Netflix for those interested in watching a new take on the classic superhero tale.