Summary
Ultraman: Rising, Netflix’s animated movie about the iconic superhero, needs a sequel after a major cliffhanger ending. There have been dozens ofUltramanfilms and shows in the past 58 years, from theUltra Qseries in 1966 toNetflix’sUltramanmovie.Ultraman: Risingtook place in its own universeand introduced thenew Ultraman Ken Satoalongside his father, a previous Ultraman now referred to as Ultradad. While nothing has been said about a sequel, I believeUltraman: Rising’s endingis the perfect setup for a second movie.
It is uncommon forTokusatsufranchises to get the animation treatment, so I was very excited about getting an animatedUltramanmovie. Netflix had already released an animatedUltramanseries based on a manga, butUltraman: Risingwas going to be an original story with all-new characters. Although Ken and his family save the day at the end,the movie’s final scene makes it clear that the story is not over yet and could continue in a potentialUltraman: Rising2.
Ultraman: Rising’s Post-Credits Scene Is A Massive Cliffhanger
Ken Sato’s mother is sending a message from Nebula M78.
Ultraman: Rising’s post-credits scene sees Ken Sato receiving a transmission from Nebula M78, a very important location in theUltramanuniverse. This transmission turned out to be a recorded message from Ken’s mother, Emiko Sato, who disappeared a few years ago and was thought to be dead. AlthoughUltraman: Rising’s ending itself is very self-contained and gives everyone a happy ending, the post-credits make it difficult not to imagine what a sequel would look like. I would love forUltraman: Risingto get a sequel in which Ken would have to go to Nebula M78.
Ultraman: Rising’s Nebula M78 cliffhanger was a massive sequel hook, but that is not the only reason why I want a sequel.
Nebula M78 is the homeworld of several Ultras in the World of the Land of Light, the main universe of the Ultraman franchise. It includes several planets, including the Land of Light of Ultra Star. Although most Ultraman movies and TV shows take place in their own continuity, visiting Nebula M78 would allowUltraman: Rising2 to bring in more characters and dive deeper into the franchise’s lore. Additionally,I want to find out what happened to Ultraman’s motherand why she is on another planet.Ultraman: Risingwas all about family after all.
Ultraman: Rising’s Cliffhanger Is Not The Only Reason Why I Want A Sequel
Ultraman: Rising is a great take on Ultraman.
Ultraman: Rising’s Nebula M78 cliffhanger was a massive sequel hook, but that is not the only reason why I want a sequel.Ultraman: Risingwas a pleasant surprise and delivered a heartwarmingUltramanadventure that talked about legacy and family. AlthoughGodzilla x Kong: The New Empirehad raised the bar high forgiant monster moviesin 2024,Ultraman: Risingwas just as fun.This animation style worked surprisingly well forUltramanand allowed for some great action sequences, including but not limited to the final battle against Mecha Gigantron and Dr. Onda’s mecha.
Sorry Godzilla x Kong, But Netflix’s New Film Is Now My Favorite 2024 Kaiju Movie
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was great, but Netflix’s newest kaiju film may have dethroned it as my favorite giant monster movie of 2024.
Considering I had mixed feelings about the 2019CG-animatedUltramanseries from Netflix, I was cautiously optimistic aboutUltraman: Rising, even though they were not connected. I believeUltraman: Risingsucceeds at combining essential Ultraman story beats and tropes with an original story about sons, fathers, and mothers. The dynamic between Ken and Emi was hilarious, not to mention how every fight was better than the previous one. Ultraman thrives from different interpretations, but I would love to revisit this version of the character in a potentialUltraman: Risingsequel.
Ultraman: Rising
Cast
Ultraman: Rising is an action-adventure film and is a new entry in the Ultraman franchise. Directed by Shinji Higuchi, this film returns to the series roots and centers on a new hero, Ken Sato, who takes on the mantle of Ultraman to protect Earth from monstrous threats.
