What Is Ultraman? Everything You Need to Know Ahead of Ultraman: Rising

Ultraman: Rising is just around the corner, with the film set to be released this week. This fantastic-looking CGI film from Netflix has been highly anticipated by fans for weeks, and if the recent Ultraman: Rising trailers are anything to go by, it looks like it’s very much going to deliver.

The Ultraman franchise has had a long and storied history going back almost 60 years, and the character has been beloved by those in Japan for decades. It hasn’t quite been a smash hit here in the west, though, but that looks like it could be changing when Ultraman: Rising is released worldwide on Netflix.

Ahead of the film’s release, we thought we’d go over the history of the Ultraman franchise, explaining who and what Ultraman is, what the franchise is all about, and what to expect from Ultraman: Rising.

What is Ultraman?

Ultraman is a kaiju franchise – think big monsters like Godzilla – created by Eiji Tsuburaya, a legendary special effects director, filmmaker, and cinematographer. Tsuburaya helped create Godzilla, too, and he was absolutely instrumental in developing the special effects industry in Japan.

Tsuburaya created Ultraman for the children of Japan, setting out to create a hero who stood for hope, courage, and kindness. The franchise started in 1966 with the release of Ultra Q, but Ultraman himself didn’t show up until the eponymous Ultraman, which started up a couple of weeks after Ultra Q ended.

Ultraman was immediately a smash hit in Japan, and the rest is history. Since then, there have been 34 television series, 45 films, 17 miniseries, and 97 video games. We’re not kidding when we say that it’s wildly popular — it’s hard to walk for five minutes through the streets of Tokyo without seeing Ultraman.

Who is Ultraman?

Ultraman is an agent for good in the world, but he’s also all about balance. He only fights aliens as a last resort, if it’s likely to upset the balance in the world, but he always illustrates those core values of hope, courage, and kindness. The character acts as a foil to other kaiju like Godzilla — Godzilla and other monsters of the kind represent and warn about the past, Ultraman looks toward the future, showing us the best version of ourselves and encouraging us to get there.

As for the man behind the mask, it’s actually kind of two people. One is usually a human, while the other is an alien called an Ultra, from the M78 Nebula. Ultras come to Earth to help restore the balance, where they bond with a human. Together, they become a giant, powerful being capable of fighting off any monster.

In Ultraman: Rising, the human host is Ken Sato, described as a famous but egotistical baseball player.

When can I watch Ultraman: Rising?

Ultraman: Rising will launch on Netflix on June 14, 2024 worldwide.

Related: The First Ultraman: Rising Trailer Looks Incredible