Ultraman: Rising is the hero’s most highly anticipated release outside of Japan in its nearly 60 years of existence, with nearly one third of that time dedicated to developing the movie.
During an interview, co-directors Shannon Tindle and John Aoshima revealed that the anime movie on Netflix is a representation of decades of development in various aspects.
To them, Ultraman: Rising was a project that demanded immense dedication and a stroke of luck to become a reality. Tindle first conceived the idea in the early 2000s.
After spending years in various animation disciplines, they finally had the chance to pursue directing and their Ultraman reflects their expertise. The character is full of color, energy, and self-assurance, making it an ideal introduction for those unfamiliar with the Ultra universe.
Going ultra!
The latest film features our Ultraman, also known as Ken Sato, taking on the role of an adoptive parent to a lovable baby kaiju. This unexpected relationship teaches him valuable lessons and ultimately proves to be crucial for the development of the superhero anime movie.
Starting from the early days of ideation, Rising was not initially intended to be an Ultraman film. Considering the franchise’s long-established history, creating something within that property would have been a riskier option compared to making a movie that paid tribute to the beloved character. By beginning from this standpoint, strong thematic foundations were able to firmly take hold.
Tindle wanted to share a powerful story that he believed would resonate with everyone. It follows the journey of someone who had once adored their father, but couldn’t comprehend why he was always absent. This led to bitterness, separation, and eventually blaming their parents. However, as they matured, they began to comprehend their parents’ actions and sacrifices. And when they became parents themselves, they gained an even deeper understanding of the sacrifices that parents must make.
After considering the possibility of Rising being an Ultraman action movie, it became clear that these ideas were a perfect fit. According to Aoshima, the film follows Ken, a hesitant father who must rise to the occasion and become a hero. This experience helps him understand the high stakes and difficulties of the world, which aligns perfectly with the theology of Ultraman.
Evolving Ultraman
Ken’s background underwent several changes in different versions. In Ultraman: Rising, he is portrayed as a Japanese-American who spent his childhood in Tokyo before moving to LA for his sports career. He returns to Tokyo at the beginning of the film to join the Tokyo Giants.
The initial script for the superhero movie was set in Tokyo, but due to a change in production studios, the location was shifted to Los Angeles. As a result, it was decided that Ken would have a dual background from both countries. This idea was further solidified when Netflix joined the project, as it allowed for another representation of Ken’s duality.
“According to Aoshima, developing this symbiotic character helped to solidify the core ideology of Ultraman. By embracing the cultural contrasts and exploring Ken’s personal journey towards understanding his own identity as an Ultraman, the character was able to truly come to life.”
Before fully embodying the role of Ultraman, Ken was a talented and charismatic baseball player. At first, he was portrayed as having the same level of confidence as Michael Jordan, but Tindle discovered that Japanese baseball players have a different demeanor. As a result, a compromise was made to enhance the overall story.
According to Tindle, Makiko Wakata, a member of our production team, shared her insight that Japanese baseball players do not exhibit the same level of confidence and swagger as American players. Wakata, who was born in Japan and later moved to the United States, along with John, suggested the possibility of making the character bicultural. They both felt that this would add more depth and authenticity to the character, particularly in the context of an animated or family film. Tindle saw this as an opportunity to bring a unique and non-stereotypical perspective to the character.
Familiar Faces
Throughout this entire experience, valuable lessons were applied, which were acquired through collaborations with numerous well-known figures in the television and film industry, including Craig McCracken, Alex Hirsch, Travis Knight, and others. Aoshima was responsible for directing several episodes of Gravity Falls and he reflects on how the show’s production process equipped him with the skills needed to successfully bring a movie to completion.
“While working on Gravity Falls, I observed Alex Hirsch and Mike Rianda constantly refining the episode scripts during production,”he explains. “They were not constrained by the set TV production timeline; their main focus was ensuring that the story was perfect. Their dedication to continuously iterating and improving resulted in a process similar to that of feature film production.”
Tindle has comparable experiences from his time working on shows such as Static Shock, The Fairly OddParents, and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Children. These experiences on the production line gave him a greater understanding of the value of time in film-making and taught him the importance of making timely decisions.
“Being decisive is important. As I often tell people, ‘I reserve the right to change my mind.’ That way, if we try something now and it doesn’t work, we can quickly move on and try again. This skill of thinking on a condensed timeline, developed through my experience in various TV productions, has been beneficial to me in my transition to working on feature films. It allows me to iterate and think more about my decisions, ultimately leading to better outcomes.”
In 2022, director Hideaki Anno continued the revival of the hero with Shin Ultraman, a spiritual sequel to his Shin Godzilla that reimagined the character. Ultraman: Rising and Shin Ultraman serve as complementary gateways for fans of all generations, providing both live-action and animated content as well as diverse cultural perspectives.
According to Tindle, while they may have distinct characteristics, there are shared elements between the two. These include the concepts of family, comedy, and entertainment, as well as the serious impact of kaiju on the Japanese society. In this regard, Ultraman: Rising and Shin Ultraman continue to uphold this long-standing tradition.
Aoshima further explains that the Ultraman franchise is all about introducing new heroes, characters, and messages.
While not revealing too much, Ultraman: Rising subtly implies a potential sequel. If the film performs well, a trilogy may be in the works. According to Aoshima, there are plans for two more movies that will delve deeper into the traditional Ultraman mythology while also introducing new elements that have never been seen before. As a fan, Aoshima is excited to explore these possibilities and deliver a unique take on the beloved series.
Ultraman: Rising will be available on Netflix on Friday, June 14, 2024.
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