movie review - Ultraman: Rising
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
Kokubunji, 2024.08.05
This is a story in which the mantle of Japan's Ultraman super-protector is passed on to a new generation. The new blood comes in the form of the famous baseball-playing son of the previous Ultraman. So on top of the stress of fighting off the monstrous kaiju, our hero has a major career to manage and a secret identity to maintain. The he discovers the baby kaiju, and his world such as it is falls apart.
It's quite a hectic story, and while there are attempts to weave in various elements such as the young Ultraman's relationship with his father they don't entirely land. Still, we enjoyed the central story, the animation, the voice work and what they do with the baby kaiju throughout.
Recommended.