The Best Kaiju Movie of 2024 Wasn't Godzilla vs. Kong and It Desperately Needs a Sequel

There have been two excellent but very different kaiju films released in 2024, and although Godzilla vs. Kong may have attracted more attention, Netflix Ultraman: Ascension It was definitely even better. The film is a complement Ultraman franchise, which focuses on aliens called "ultras". Ultraman: Ascension focuses on Ken Sato, a professional baseball player who inherited his father's Ultraman powersand would rather play sports than be a superhero. While Ultraman: Ascension is a giant monster movie that has nothing to do with Godzillacontains a lot of kaiju action.

The Netflix film sometimes has a similar tone to Son of Godzillawhile the reluctant Ken Sato, aka Ultraman, finds himself in charge of a mischievous baby kaiju. THE Ultraman franchise has fans of all ages and Ultraman: Ascension is a great choice for younger fans. That being said, Ultraman: Ascension is still the kind of film that people of all ages can watch and enjoy, with some rave reviews even stating that Ultraman: Ascension fares better than Monsterverse in terms of human characters. Although the animated film references the extensive Ultraman franchise, also works as a standalone film for new viewers.

Netflix's Ultraman: Rising was a really fun movie, not just for Ultraman fans

Ultraman: Rising works for everyone

Ultraman: Ascension puts a modern superhero twist on a familiar story which has been popular for decades, in which a reluctant person becomes responsible for a baby or animal. In this case, Ken Sato becomes the accidental father of a cute and mischievous bird-like kaiju who goes on a few mini-raids around Tokyo. This story may appeal to audiences of all types, including people unfamiliar with the Ultraman franchise. The film's fun scenes, comedic moments, and happy ending make it perfect for a sequel, and a mid-credits scene suggests that's in the cards.

One of the great mysteries Ultraman: Ascension That's what happened to Ken Sato's mother, Emiko, who recently disappeared. Ken was struggling with his mixed feelings about being Ultraman and his concern for Emiko, but while he accepted his role as Ultraman at the end of the film, Emiko did not reappear. However, a mid-credits scene solved the mystery, showing Emiko calling Ken from Ultraman's home planetwhere she is trapped. That Ultraman: Ascension the mid-credits cliffhanger perfectly sets up a sequel, with a potential trip to the famous Ultraman location Nebula M78.

Ultraman: Rising not getting a sequel would be a shame because of how good it was

The director of Ultraman: Rising has already plotted a sequel

Ultraman: Ascension it has attracted excellent reviews and has a 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoeswith an 86% critic rating. The film dealt with themes of legacy, family, and responsibility, while also being extremely fun to watch. It seems Ultraman: Ascension needs a sequel after the mid-credits cliffhanger scene. Ultraman: Rise 2 it could have Emiko playing a bigger role, Ken taking on his role as Ultraman, and even a new kaiju to wreak havoc and mischief. A sequel could also continue to explore the themes in Ultraman: Ascension in an exciting new setting.

One of Ultraman: Ascension directors Shannon Tindle revealed that a sequel had already been planned. To Comics, Tindle revealed that he gave the sequel the working title "Ultraman: Fallen." He also indicated that he would focus on Emiko and tackle some difficult topics. While he didn't confirm what the difficult themes could be, it's possible the film could contain a theme of independence and fear if Ken goes on a rescue mission alone. Ultraman: Fallen has not yet been confirmed, but Ultraman: Ascension deserves a continuation.

Source: Comics