Pacific Rim Meets Godzilla In Netflix's 10/10 Sci-Fi Movie
Monster-filled kaiju movies have captivated audiences ever since Godzilla first stomped into theaters in 1954. What began as a metaphor for nuclear war soon grew into one of sci-fi's defining subgenres, with towering monsters, heroic defenders, and spectacular city-leveling battles becoming pop-culture staples. Across more than seven decades, the King of the Monsters has remained the genre's undisputed icon, inspiring countless imitators, successors, and reinventions both inside and outside Japan.
However, the kaiju fandom has long been divided over the endless debate between modern movies and the genre’s classics. Many fans still hold Toho's 20th-century movies as the gold standard of giant monster storytelling, valuing the charm of the era’s practical effects and narrative simplicity above all else. The other side leans into the fast-paced action and cutting-edge visual effects of modern cinema. Few franchises embody that divide more clearly than Pacific Rim, whose battles thrilled fans of modern kaiju action while leaving longtime devotees of the Toho classics unsatisfied.
That debate is unlikely to disappear, but there is a movie that at least bridges the gap. Released in 2024, Ultraman: Rising demonstrates that modern kaiju films don’t need to choose between nostalgia and innovation. The animated Netflix movie reimagines one of Japan's most beloved superheroes through the story of baseball star Ken Sato (Christopher Sean), who unexpectedly becomes the guardian of a baby kaiju. The result is a heartfelt monster-filled adventure that celebrates the history of Ultraman and classic kaiju cinema while reinventing the legendary hero for a new generation.
Ultraman: Rising Is A Fresh But Nostalgic Take On The Character
While Ultraman lacks the mainstream recognition in the US enjoyed by Godzilla, he has been one of Japan's defining sci-fi heroes for decades, with Ultraman: Rising simply being the latest incarnation. Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, Ultraman made his debut in 1966’s Ultra Q before starring in the landmark television series Ultraman later the same year. Since then, the franchise has expanded through dozens of TV shows and movies with each era introducing a new Ultra hero or reinventing familiar mythology.
That constant reinvention has become one of Ultraman's greatest strengths as a franchise. Unlike many legacy superheroes, every generation of Ultraman has more-or-less completely reinterpreted the concept while preserving its core themes of courage and sacrifice in the face of enormous cosmic threats. The result is a franchise that continually evolves without abandoning the spirit that made it successful in the first place.
Ultraman: Rising continues that tradition brilliantly. Rather than retelling the familiar origin story, it brings the Ultraman identity to Ken Sato, a baseball player and reluctant father figure who finds himself having to raise a baby kaiju instead of defeating it. The emotional relationship between Ken and Emi, the kaiju, gives Ultraman: Rising genuine heart, while its dazzling monster battles deliver everything fans expect from kaiju movies.
What’s more, like Pacific Rim, it visually embraces modernized action (though this time through vibrant animation rather than live-action and CGI). However, its deep affection for Ultraman's history and the wider kaiju subgenre ensures it never loses sight of the franchise's roots. This even extends to cinematography, with Ultraman: Rising deliberately picking camera angles that mimic the practical sets of both 1966’s Ultraman series and the classic Toho kaiju movies.
Why Ultraman: Rising 2 Never Happened
Despite outstanding reviews and enthusiastic audience reactions, as evidenced by its 85% critical and 91% audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, Ultraman: Rising never received the sequel many viewers expected. Director Shannon Tindle had reportedly outlined plans for a follow-up titled Ultraman: Fallen, which would have explored Ken's relationship with his long-missing mother and expanded the franchise's wider mythology as teased in the Rising post-credits scene.
Unfortunately, Tindle’s plans for multiple Ultraman movies following on from Ultraman: Rising never materialized. In March 2025, Tindle confirmed that although he would love to move forward with a sequel, Netflix had chosen not to green-light a follow-up to the 2024 hit (via comicbook.com). While no official reason was given, Ultraman: Rising appears to have struggled to generate enough momentum on the platform despite its acclaim and devoted fanbase.
It’s a genuine shame, because Ultraman: Rising proved there is enormous potential in thoughtful kaiju movies. It combines the emotional sincerity that made classic Japanese monster movies endure with the breathtaking visuals audiences expect from modern blockbusters like Pacific Rim. Fans looking for something that captures the humanity of classic Godzilla while embracing contemporary spectacle will find Ultraman: Rising to be one of Netflix's finest animated sci-fi movies, even if its story sadly ends after just one film.