Ultraman Rising” is a 2024 film written and directed by Shannon Tindle and John Aoshima. It features a talented cast, including Tamlyn Tomita as Mina, Hiro Nakamura as Kenji, Christopher Sean as Ken Sato, Gedde Watanabe as Professor Sato, Keone Young as Dr Onda, Julia Harriman as Emi Wakita, Artt Butler as Shimura, and more. The story revolves around Ken Sato, an egoistic and not-so-humble baseball player who returns to his homeland to carry on his family’s legacy of becoming Ultraman and protecting the city from Kaiju attacks. However, Sato’s already complicated life takes a turn when he reluctantly becomes a babysitter for an infant, Kaiju.
Ultraman Rising (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
In this Netflix film, the torch is handed down to a new hero, Ken Sato, who isn’t exactly thrilled about taking on this legacy. But Ken wasn’t always this way. He used to be an energetic kid obsessed with two things: baseball and Ultraman. For those unfamiliar, Ken’s father, Hayao, was once an Ultraman. However, his heroic days ended after a brutal battle with a kaiju named Gigantron left him injured. That day, Hayao felt like he had almost lost his wife and beloved son. After the epic battle that flattened Tokyo, Ken and his mother moved to Los Angeles, where Ken grew up to be a successful but not-so-humble baseball player.
Why did Sato and His Mother Move to LA?
However, Sato’s egoistic behavior stems mainly from his father’s decision to stay in Tokyo and continue his role as Ultraman instead of moving to LA with his family. This choice created a rift between Sato and his father. It only grew wider after Sato’s mother, Emi, went missing. Things take a turn when Sato has to return to Japan and reluctantly assumes his role as Ultraman. Sato transfers to a new team, hoping to blend in without the need of having any friends or getting close to anyone.
What is Dr. Onda’s Plan?
Tokyo is still grappling with the aftermath of the devastating Kaiju attack that claimed hundreds of lives. Dr. Onda, now the chief of the Kaiju Defense Force (KDF), also lost his wife and daughter in the disaster. This tragedy broke Onda on a deeper level, driving him to vow that he would eradicate the Kaiju from Earth. The only catch is that no one knows where these Kaiju come from. They just appear out of nowhere. There’s some talk about these beasts being native to a secret place known as Kaiju Island, so Onda is hell-bent on uncovering its location. Meanwhile, Sato is struggling with his stint as Ultraman, mainly because he has zero interest in following in his father’s footsteps.
Thanks to a fortune’s worth of surveillance tech, Onda and the KDF capture a highly coveted package. But before the KDF can secure it, Gigantron arrives and takes off with the goods. The KDF isn’t having any of it and immediately gives chase, orders in hand to use deadly force on anyone in their way. Sato, as Ultraman, joins the fray, and he tries to convince the KDF to back off, explaining that Gigantron is no threat to them.
Unfortunately, Sato’s pleas fall on deaf ears. Ignoring his warnings, the KDF opens fire on both Gigantron and Ultraman. A barrage of high-caliber bullets tears through Gigantron, bringing him crashing down with the package. To our shock, the package turns out to be a baby Gigantron. Sato quickly realizes that Gigantron wasn’t trying to hurt anyone; she was just trying to save her child. To keep the infant out of KDF’s hands and harm’s way, Sato has no option but to take her in while he figures out the next steps.
How Does the Infant Kaiju (Emi) Help Sato?
As everyone has suspected, Sato has zero interest in playing babysitter to a giant kaiju infant and is desperate to get rid of her. However, Sato can’t because the baby thinks Sato is her mom. Also, without proper care, she wouldn’t survive. With no other options, Sato reluctantly agrees to take care of the kaiju baby. In the days that follow, Sato’s professional life takes a nosedive. The giant kaiju keeps him up all night, leaving him with barely any sleep and a ton of stress. His performance tanks to a point where he can’t even manage a single strike. On top of that, his coach threatens to transfer him to a lesser team if he doesn’t get his form back on track.
Feeling overwhelmed, Sato reaches out to Ami, a known sports critic from before and a mother, for advice on balancing work and parenthood. Ami’s words hit home for Sato. She explains that kids aren’t chaotic; they’re curious little blessings, and the best way to handle them is to entertain their curiosity and energy. Realizing his mistake, Sato frees the baby kaiju from the containment unit, allowing her to explore and be herself. Sato names her Emi and even starts teaching her how to play baseball, finding a way to bond and manage his new responsibilities.
Emi also brings Sato and his father, Hayao, together, and Sato realizes he’s been angry at his father for all the wrong reasons. Hayao was just fulfilling his duties as Ultraman, and staying behind in Tokyo while the family moved to the USA was a tough decision for him, too. In an unexpected way, Sato learns more from Emi than he ever taught her. Emi helps him become a mature man who thinks of others instead of just himself. His game improves dramatically, and he leads the Giants from the bottom of the standings to the top.
Ultraman Rising (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Was Onda Successful in His Plans?
Even though KDF lost the infant, Onda isn’t too worried. He knows the baby can echolocate and will eventually get homesick, trying to return. KDF just needs to follow her. Once they find the island, Onda plans to destroy it and avenge the loss of his wife and daughter. Onda eventually tracks Emi to Sato’s house and lures her out using a metallic Gigantron. He orders his men to attack Sato and Hayao with heat-seeking missiles. Sato survives, but sadly, Hayao doesn’t make it through the attack.
Sato has lost his father, and he’s not about to lose Emi too. Thanks to a tracker planted on Emi, Sato tracks her to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where she’s unintentionally leading Onda and the KDF to Kaiju Island. Sato intervenes and discovers that Gigantron isn’t dead but alive and under Dr. Onda’s control. After an intense battle, Gigantron breaks free from the mechanical hypnosis and sides with Sato. To Sato’s surprise and relief, Hayao, who was presumed dead, joins the battle in his Ultraman form.
Onda orders everyone to abandon the ship and then transforms the vessel into a giant robot, ready to take on Sato and Hayao. However, he is soon defeated. In a final move, Onda decides to blow up the robot’s power core, a blast that would annihilate everyone nearby. To save everyone, Sato throws himself on the bomb, ensuring no one else gets hurt. Though the explosion is catastrophic, Sato’s powers save him and everyone around him. As the film nears its end, we see Sato sitting down for an interview with Wakita, and the former praises his team and the valuable lessons they taught him. In the next scene, Sato, Hayao, and Emi are seen heading towards what appears to be the elusive “Kaiju Island.”
Ultraman Rising (2024) Post Credit Scene Explained:
Who is the Woman on the Call?
The movie’s post-credit scene reveals Sato receiving a mysterious transmission from a woman claiming to be Emi, his mother. In case you missed it, Emi has been missing for years. Despite Hayao’s best efforts, he never managed to find her. Judging by the transmission, there’s a strong possibility that Emi discovered Kaiju Island and has been stranded there all this time. This sets the stage perfectly for the next installment to continue Sato’s Ultraman adventures.
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