Society

‘Ultraman’ animated feature in the works at Netflix

May 15 (outlookindia.com) - A CG-animated feature film based on Japan''s popular fictional superhero Ultraman is being developed by Netflix.

Ultraman was the first tokusatsu (live-action) hero launched by the Ultra Series and extension, Tsuburaya Productions.

The character, who defends the planet from alien kaiju, made its maiden appearance alongside his human host Shin Hayata in the 1966–1967 Japanese television series, "Ultraman" which ran for 39 episodes.

Ultraman has since inspired many superheros of of global pop culture, including “Power Rangers” and Paul Rudd’s "Ant-Man" suit.

According to a press release shared by the streaming platform, the project is being developed in partnership with Tsuburaya Productions.

Shannon Tindle is directing the movie, with John Aoshima on board as co-director.

Marc Haimes has penned the movie along with Tindle.

It centres on baseball superstar Ken Sato, who returns to his home country of Japan to pick up the mantle of Earth-defending superhero Ultraman, but quickly finds more than he bargained for when he''s forced to raise the offspring of his greatest foe, a newborn Kaiju.

"Struggling to balance the roles of teammate and new father, Ken must confront his own ego, his estranged father, and the conniving Kaiju Defense Force to rise up and discover what it truly means to be Ultraman," the plotline reads.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

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A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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