Ultraman: Rising, Netflix’s animated movie about the iconic superhero, needs a sequel after a major cliffhanger ending. There have been dozens of Ultraman films and shows in the past 58 years, from the Ultra Q series in 1966 to Netflix’s Ultraman movie. Ultraman: Rising took place in its own universe and introduced the new Ultraman Ken Sato alongside his father, a previous Ultraman now referred to as Ultradad. While nothing has been said about a sequel, I believe Ultraman: Rising’s ending is the perfect setup for a second movie.

It is uncommon for Tokusatsu franchises to get the animation treatment, so I was very excited about getting an animated Ultraman movie. Netflix had already released an animated Ultraman series based on a manga, but Ultraman: Rising was going to be an original story with all-new characters. Although Ken and his family save the day at the end, the movie’s final scene makes it clear that the story is not over yet and could continue in a potential Ultraman: Rising 2.

Ultraman: Rising’s Post-Credits Scene Is A Massive Cliffhanger

Ken Sato’s mother is sending a message from Nebula M78.

Ultraman: Rising’s post-credits scene sees Ken Sato receiving a transmission from Nebula M78, a very important location in the Ultraman universe. This transmission turned out to be a recorded message from Ken’s mother, Emiko Sato, who disappeared a few years ago and was thought to be dead. Although Ultraman: Rising’s ending itself is very self-contained and gives everyone a happy ending, the post-credits make it difficult not to imagine what a sequel would look like. I would love for Ultraman: Rising to get a sequel in which Ken would have to go to Nebula M78.

Nebula M78 is the homeworld of several Ultras in the World of the Land of Light, the main universe of the Ultraman franchise. It includes several planets, including the Land of Light of Ultra Star. Although most Ultraman movies and TV shows take place in their own continuity, visiting Nebula M78 would allow Ultraman: Rising 2 to bring in more characters and dive deeper into the franchise’s lore. Additionally, I want to find out what happened to Ultraman’s mother and why she is on another planet. Ultraman: Rising was all about family after all.

Ultraman: Rising’s Cliffhanger Is Not The Only Reason Why I Want A Sequel

Ultraman: Rising is a great take on Ultraman.

Ultraman: Rising’s Nebula M78 cliffhanger was a massive sequel hook, but that is not the only reason why I want a sequel. Ultraman: Rising was a pleasant surprise and delivered a heartwarming Ultraman adventure that talked about legacy and family. Although Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire had raised the bar high for giant monster movies in 2024, Ultraman: Rising was just as fun. This animation style worked surprisingly well for Ultraman and allowed for some great action sequences, including but not limited to the final battle against Mecha Gigantron and Dr. Onda’s mecha.

Considering I had mixed feelings about the 2019 CG-animated Ultraman series from Netflix, I was cautiously optimistic about Ultraman: Rising, even though they were not connected. I believe Ultraman: Rising succeeds at combining essential Ultraman story beats and tropes with an original story about sons, fathers, and mothers. The dynamic between Ken and Emi was hilarious, not to mention how every fight was better than the previous one. Ultraman thrives from different interpretations, but I would love to revisit this version of the character in a potential Ultraman: Rising sequel.