The latest Ultraman movie on Netflix continues to receive praise from fans due to its compelling plot and quality animation, but the question remains: is the Ultraman Rising film canon?
The Ultraman Rising film is the most recent entry in the Ultraman film franchise. It introduces a new protagonist named Ken Sato, who becomes the latest Ultraman fighting alien kaijus in Japan.
Netflix’s Ultraman Rising Has an Original Storyline
Ultraman Rising has a completely original storyline that began with an idea conceived by director Shannon Tindle.
But just because it has an original storyline doesn’t mean it has distanced itself from the illustrious legacy of the Ultraman franchise.
Instead, Ultraman Rising brings the story to Japan, where the original Ultraman came from.
Penned by director Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes, Ultraman Rising tells the story of superstar baseball player Ken Sato.
Following Ken’s return to Japan, he suddenly received a huge responsibility, not because he took on the role of Ultraman but because he had to raise the offspring of his greatest adversary as his child.
As Ken deals with alien kaijus, his relationship with his father, and the Kaiju Defense Force’s schemes, he also has to look after a cute baby kaiju!
So, Is Ultraman Rising Canon? Predictions Explored
As of writing, Shannon Tindle and Tsuburaya Productions have not confirmed whether Ultraman Rising is canon or not.
According to past conversations, many fans contend that practically all of the Ultraman films are canon based on this ultraverse map, which was released years ago but is now outdated.
There's also a Reddit post that attempts to set out the intricate Ultraman timeline so that fans may grasp what's deemed canon, as time moves differently across the various universes where Ultraman appears.
In the case of Ultraman Rising, Shannon Tindle and his team worked closely with the original creators of the Ultraman franchise to preserve the legacy of the beloved hero, who has become a cornerstone of Japanese tokusatsu.
This makes it seem that Ultraman Rising is canon already.
In the Ultraman series, it is implied that the primary canon revolves around the main television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions, which follows a loosely connected timeline with recurring themes, characters, and mythology.
The Ultraman universe also features numerous parallel Earths or realities, spin-offs, and reboots. Each of these adds to the franchise's overall tapestry, but they may not be included in the canon timeline.
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