Netflix Animation’s next film, Ultraman: Rising, is a tale that lends itself to spectacle and substance, with some of the year’s most innovative animation.
This review was made possible by a screener of Ultraman: Rising, courtesy of Netflix.
Ultraman: Rising, the feature directorial debut from character-designer Shannon Tindle, is nothing short of beautiful. The film hammers the nail on its head with a unique animation style and some cinematic backgrounds.
The film follows the story of Ken Sato (Christopher Sean), an egotistical baseball player who lives a double life of fame, with the other being the hero Ultraman. He’s forced to reconcile with his career, duties as a hero, and his past when he takes a baby Kaiju under his wing.
It’s a pretty typical story on paper, but I think the film’s writers, Tindle and Marc Haimes, incorporated it in a way that felt fresh and realistic, while also embracing its fantastical elements. Characters and the world feel real and lived in, making for a relatable, awe-inspiring experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters and the performances attached to them. Although Christopher Sean rarely plays roles in feature films, he did great with this one, displaying an aptitude for emotion. His performance when interacting with Ultraman’s father (Gedde Watanabe) and mother Emiko (Tamlyn Tomita) sold the film for me. After all, a spectacle with no substance rarely works.
This great emotive backing secures my position on this movie for me, especially the main plot of looking after an infant and orphaned baby Kaiju, who also happens to be 35ft tall. It’s a fun twist on the Gremlins-esque story of a protagonist looking after a cute creature. The issues that arise from such a predicament are exhilarating and hilarious, and they are also a great set-up for the maturing of our lead.
Finally, the visuals in this movie are indescribably beautiful. With a unique art style, combined with some amazing lighting and shading, makes every frame look like it should be in an art gallery. The entire third act of the film will have you on the edge of your seat, transfixed by the mesmerizing beauty of the animation. And that’s without the added insanity of the plot.
The film is truthfully a tale that needs to be seen to be believed, having combined a fresh plot with a futuristic cyberpunk art style. Shannon Tindle is definitely someone to keep an eye on going forward, having proved himself with this film. He continues this ethic in his other works, including Kubo and the Two Strings and Curious George.
Ultraman: Rising begins streaming on Netflix on June 14th. It stars Christopher Sean as Ken Sato/Ultraman, Gedde Watanabe as Professor Sato, Tamlyn Tomita as Emiko, Keone Young as Dr Onda, and Julia Harriman as Ami.
Thanks for reading this review! For more reviews of Netflix content, find our articles on the service here.
