Ken Sato

"No, no, no. What I said was I am the greatest “living” player."

―Ken proudly accepted the press conference interview.

Ken Sato
Data
Ultra	Ultraman
Transformation Item	Willpower
Type	Protagonist
Age	26 years old
Gender	Male
Home World	Planet Earth
Family	Professor Sato (Father) Emiko Sato (Mother)
First Appearance	Ultraman: Rising
Portrayed by	Christopher Sean (English dub) Yuki Yamada (Japanese dub) Hiro Nakamura (Kenji, English dub)

Ken Sato is the protagonist of Ultraman: Rising. He is a star player in American baseball and is the human host of Ultraman. His real name is Kenji Sato .

Conception

Design

The concept art for Made in Japan by Tindle was drawn in 2015.

Ken Sato was designed as an ambitious, self-assured Japanese-American who inherited the secret ability to transform into Ultraman. He fights monsters while grappling with deep-seated estrangement from his father, from whom he was separated as a child. Ken soon faces an unexpected "parenting" situation when he is forced to raise the offspring of his greatest foe, a newborn Kaiju.

Struggling to balance the roles of a teammate and a new father, Ken must confront his own ego, reconcile with his estranged father, and navigate the challenges posed by the conniving Kaiju Defense Force. Through these trials, Ken discovers what it truly means to be Ultraman.

In the early stages of the 2001 animation project Made in Japan, the protagonist was initially envisioned as a Japanese superhero named "Gamma Man." Originally, Gamma Man's appearance was more akin to a Super Sentai character, but later evolved into a design inspired by the original Ultraman.

Early Ken from the Gamma Man period was designed by Tony Siruno in 2017.

During the pre-production of Sony Pictures Animation film Gamma Man from 2015 to 2017, the story's setting shifted to Los Angeles. This change led to the reimagining of the protagonist as a Japanese-American. In that version, Ken was depicted as a player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a detail that became part of Ken's backstory before he travels to Japan in the final film version. In earlier concepts, the character was portrayed as a typical immigrant, often feeling out of place in both America and Japan. Shannon Tindle remarked, "It justified something that had already existed in the character, his swagger, but [also] the chip on the shoulder of being defensive because of how he didn’t feel [like he was] a part of either world sometimes."

After formally entering the production of Ultraman: Rising, Ken's character design was officially established by Keiko Murayama, drawing inspiration from Toshiro Mifune, particularly in the film Snow Trail. The character's personality was inspired by Takashi Shimura, played by Takashi Shimura, in Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film Seven Samurai. Due to budget constraints, Ken was allowed only three hairstyles: a dry look, a wet look, and a messy look.

In crafting Ken's complex Japanese-American background, the team drew on personal experiences of those born in Japan and later immigrated to the United States, including co-director John Aoshima. With the help of production team member Makiko Wakita, an in-depth exploration of Ken's character traits was conducted, aiding the team in their research on Japanese-American characteristics.

For Ken's baseball background, the production team looked to the experiences of baseball player Hideo Nomo for inspiration. This thorough character research helped create a more three-dimensional and convincing character for the audience. Shannon mentioned that the background story of Captain Megumi Iruma from Ultraman Tiga also influenced Ken's character development.

History

Pre-Ultraman: Rising

Kenji as a child with his parents.

Kenji Sato is the son of Hayao Sato and Emiko Sato, born in Tokyo, Japan. He spent his childhood in an apartment building in Odaiba, where, influenced by his parents, he developed a strong interest in baseball from a young age and harbored great admiration and longing for the figure of Ultraman.

Kenji's father, Hayao, hoped that his son would become the next Ultraman, following in his heroic footsteps. However, his mother, Emiko, insisted that Kenji become an outstanding baseball player. One night, Gigantron's attack ultimately changed the fate of this family. Due to the frequent Kaiju attacks in Japan, Kenji's parents decided to separate. Kenji moved to Los Angeles, United States, with his mother, while his father, Hayao, stayed in Tokyo.

Due to his father's role as Ultraman, Ken lacked his father's companionship during his childhood, leading to a distant relationship between them.

This upheaval left young Kenji feeling confused and pained, unable to comprehend the reasons behind his parents' separation. He began to believe that his father had abandoned him and his mother to pursue a career as a kaiju researcher and as Ultraman. This belief left a deep mark on his adult psyche, causing him to grow weary of the prospect of becoming Ultraman and instead focus on his baseball career, all while becoming distant from his father. Despite everything, Kenji still inherited his father's Ultraman abilities.

Twenty years later, Kenji finally realized his dream of becoming a baseball player. As the star player for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball, he was active in the baseball world under the name "Ken Sato." With his outstanding performance, he earned numerous honors, including the Gold Glove Award and the Silver Slugger Award. Throughout his baseball career, Ken achieved remarkable results, boasting a batting average of 420 and 624 successful stolen bases. However, he never managed to win a championship.

Ken chose to stay away from the media spotlight, avoiding multiple interviews and keeping a certain distance from his teammates. The deep pain and misunderstanding regarding his father, along with the difficulties he faced in adjusting to the new environment after moving to the United States, made it hard for him to fully open up. Despite the increasing attention from the public, Ken insisted on maintaining his unique style, wrapping himself in a persona of pride while silently enduring his inner struggles.

Ultraman: Rising

Ken reluctantly took on the responsibility of Ultraman.

A few months later, when Hayao was injured and could no longer fulfill his duties as Ultraman, he contacted Ken and Emiko, hoping that Ken could take on his identity to protect Japan. This meant that Ken would have to assume the role of Ultraman, destined to shoulder the responsibility of saving the world. Emiko endorsed this plan and wished for Ken to adjust well to his new life in Tokyo. However, one day, Emiko went missing in an accident and was not heard from for a long time, plunging Ken into immense grief. He sought help from Mina, asking him to track his mother’s last known GPS location, but to no avail. His mother’s disappearance became an unhealed wound in his heart.

Amid complex emotions, Ken reluctantly abandoned his life in the United States and returned to Japan. He took up residence in a base near Tokyo Bay named "Ultra Base" and, under the guise of playing for the team, joined the Yomiuri Giants. This sudden move garnered significant attention from major sports media outlets in Japan. At the press conference, Ken displayed an extremely arrogant and boastful attitude, constantly bragging about his athletic abilities and promising to lead the struggling Yomiuri Giants back to the top. Nevertheless, a sports journalist named Ami Wakita noticed his actions. When Ami inquired if Ken had come back to Japan because of the "emotional strain of losing a family member," Ken avoided the question and promptly departed.

Following his inheritance of his father's powers, Ken became the new Ultraman and began to fight Kaiju attacks in his role as the current Ultraman. However, initially as a novice, he lacked the determination, maturity, and sense of responsibility needed to effectively repel the Kaiju. Consequently, he frequently faced counterattacks from the Kaiju during several battles and was even disregarded by the quasi-military organization KDF, whose primary goal was to eradicate Kaiju threats.

After the battle with Neronga concluded, Ken went to meet journalist Ami for an interview as scheduled. They had a deep conversation at a soba shop, during which Ami's questions gradually caused Kenji to start questioning his own choices. He realized he hadn't been aware of the harm caused to the surrounding environment and innocent civilians during his battles. Moreover, Japanese people traditionally expect Ultraman to engage Kaiju with minimal collateral damage, a concept Ken struggled to grasp. He remained more interested in his baseball career and viewed "becoming Ultraman" as an unnecessary source of pressure that he wanted to avoid. During the baseball competition, Ken's American-style attitude and demeanor clashed with the atmosphere of Japanese baseball. Furthermore, his aloofness from other team members and his abilities made him a target for taunting by opposing players.

Ken's first baseball game in Japan was interrupted due to the appearance of Gigantron.

One day, Ken headed to New Tokyo Dome for his first game of the season as the star player. However, halfway through the game, Gigantron suddenly crashed into the stadium, attempting to seize an object closely monitored by KDF. Ken had no choice but to abandon the game, transform into Ultraman to pursue Gigantron, and attempt to prevent KDF's aerial forces from attacking Gigantron. Ultimately, both he and Gigantron were struck by missiles and fell into Tokyo Bay.

Ultraman/Ken witnesses the birth of Emi.

When Ken regained consciousness, he found himself lying next to the unconscious Gigantron and saw the object that KDF had been pursuing. As the steel casing of the object peeled away, it revealed a Gigantron egg. As he carefully observed it, the egg unexpectedly hatched into a "baby." With KDF still actively searching for the egg, Ken's protective instincts were triggered. He decided to protect this Kaiju baby and brought it back to his own base. Ken had not considered the consequences of bringing the Kaiju baby home beforehand. Soon, he found himself having to care for the baby because it began to see Ken as its "mother." Despite watching over this dependent life, Ken resisted the role of being a "Kaiju caregiver." He wished to send the baby to the legendary "Kaiju Island," though no one knew its whereabouts. With no other choice, Ken could only keep the baby confined in his underground base.

During this time, Hayao witnessed the moment Gigantron was shot down and urgently contacted Ken, heading to his home. However, due to long-standing distance and misunderstandings, Ken vehemently refused his father's help, eventually watching his desolate father drive away.

Under the mental stress of caring for Emi, Ken's baseball performance began to decline. He realized he couldn't handle both responsibilities at once.

Yet, the problems were far from over. Despite Mina's assistance, Ken struggled to maintain balance while caring for the baby. He had to juggle daily concerns for the baby's well-being with the demands of team training and games. Under the dual pressures, both physical and mental, his performance began to decline, drawing criticism from the public and even stern warnings from Coach Shimura. After three months of struggling, Ken finally broke down, realizing he couldn't juggle both roles simultaneously and cried uncontrollably.

After taking care of Emi, Ken gradually understood his responsibilities as a parent.

In despair, Ken called Ami, the only person he could confide in, and in a five-minute conversation, asked her how she balanced work and childcare. Watching the baby mimic him playing baseball, Ken found inspiration from Ami's experience and decided to approach caring for the baby from a new perspective. This experience gradually helped him understand the joys and responsibilities of parenthood. The next evening, Ken headed to the restaurant "Tonkatsu Tonki" in Meguro for an in-depth interview with Ami. During their meeting, Ami asked Ken why he had hesitated to contact his father for so long. She also proposed, based on her observations, that Ken secretly wished his father had been there to accompany him throughout his upbringing. In truth, Ken cared more about companionship than bonuses or wealth. After carefully considering Ami's advice, Ken began to reevaluate his own thoughts.

Ken drives a motorcycle to find Emi who has fled to the city.

Midway through Ken and Ami's conversation, Ken was horrified to learn that the Kaiju baby had escaped from the Ultrabase. He immediately rode his motorcycle frantically to Daikanyama, where the baby had appeared. Restless due to acid reflux, the baby wandered through the city, making it challenging for Ken, as Ultraman, to catch. When the baby began scaling Tokyo Tower, Ken hastily climbed up to prevent its risky behavior. Yet, just as Ken reached the top, KDF forces fired tranquilizers to subdue the baby, causing it to lose balance and fall from the tower. Ken tried to catch the baby, but inadvertently, his actions resulted in it suffering a fracture upon impact.

Seeing the baby Kaiju in excruciating pain, Ken felt profound guilt. He immediately flew back to the secret base, evading KDF's tracking. At that moment, the only person Ken could turn to for help was his father. When Hayao arrived at the base, Ken pleaded with him to treat the baby. Hayao used Ken's childhood "Ollie" plush toy and sang songs to gradually soothe the baby's emotions.

To assist in the rehabilitation and wilderness survival training of the Kaiju baby, Hayao decided to stay at the secret base as Ken's assistant. Initially, Ken was reluctant to reconcile with his father. However, as they both cared for the baby, Ken gradually chose to cooperate with his father. Hayao named the baby Emi after his wife. As the rehabilitation training progressed, Ken's relationship with his father improved gradually, and Ken himself became more approachable. He started coaching the Yomiuri Giants players in baseball, achieving excellent results in games, and his life gradually began to improve.

Ken reconciled with his father.

Shortly thereafter, Ken, Hayao, and Mina piloted the Ultra Jet, taking Emi to a cabin where Ken's family had lived during his childhood. There, Ken finally understood his father's dedication to finding his missing mother. He asked his father about the responsibilities that came with being Ultraman and understood the weight of that duty. Ken realized that being Ultraman wasn't just about combat but also about using his powers to restore balance, leading to a long-awaited reconciliation between father and son. However, the tranquility was shattered when KDF forces located Emi and launched drone attacks against Ken and his family. Hayao was injured and fell into a coma on the spot. Meanwhile, amidst the chaos, Emi underwent a metamorphosis, further complicating the situation. Despite Ken's strong objections, Emi, after completing her metamorphosis, was guided by the echolocation of Mecha Gigantron as she flew into the sky, searching for the way back to Kaiju Island.

KDF deployed Mecha Gigantron, which attacked Ultrabase with missiles, causing widespread devastation. Ken survived the explosions but couldn't find any trace of his father. Even Mina was affected by the blast, with her systems severely damaged and ceasing to function. In sorrow, Ken decided to transform into Ultraman once again, determined to rescue Emi and avenge his father.

At night, Ken intervened just in time to stop Mecha Gigantron from reaching Kaiju Island. However, during the intense battle, he was shocked to discover that Mecha Gigantron's true identity was none other than the manipulated Gigantron. Dr. Onda commanded Mecha Gigantron to exploit this vulnerable moment and defeat Ultraman. Fortunately, Ultradad intervened just in time, giving Gigantron the chance to break free from KDF's control and regain her senses. Knowing his father was safe, Ken regained his morale and transformed into Ultraman once again to engage in a final showdown with the Destroyer.

Ken/Ultraman and Hayao/Ultradad launch the Spacium Beam together.

During the conflict, Ken/Ultraman was injured in the shoulder by an attack from Destroyer. In this critical moment, with the help of his father, Ultradad, Ken's vertical right arm was supported by his father's horizontal left arm. Together, they fired the Spacium Beam at Destroyer, and with the assistance of Mecha Gigantron and Emi, they managed to disable Destroyer. However, inside Destroyer, Dr. Onda activated the self-destruct button, putting the cities surrounding Tokyo Bay at risk of destruction. In the end, Ken decided to sacrifice himself by deploying the Force Shield towards the area where Destroyer was located, mitigating the damage to the surrounding regions.

Following the battle, Ken was confirmed to have survived but sustained severe injuries. During his recovery, he participated in an interview with Ami, reflecting on how he had grown to offer guidance to his team. Ultimately, he led the Yomiuri Giants to their first championship in many years, earning praise from all quarters. By this time, Ken had shed his earlier arrogance, attributing the victory wholeheartedly to teamwork and expressing his joy at being a part of it.

In the final moments of the interview, Ken played a message from his mother and expressed that his memories with her were the most cherished thing to him at that moment. In the film's final scene, Ken, accompanied by his father, Emi, and Gigantron, successfully located "Kaiju Island."

In the post-credits scene, Ken received a message from his mother, indicating her current location to be in "Nebula M78."

Transformation

Like some other human form characters in the series, Ken does not possess any special powers in his human form.

Willpower: Unlike most Human Hosts, Ken does not need a transformation device to transform into Ultraman. All he has to do is focus his willpower to transform.

Transformation

Rise

Gallery

Ultraman: Rising

Concept Art

Made in Japan/Gamma Man

Concept art in 2001, by Shannon Tindle

Concept art in 2001, by Shannon Tindle

Ken in a Dodgers uniform, by Ovi Nedelcu

Concept art, by Ovi Nedelcu

Ultraman: Rising

Early sketches by Shannon Tindle

Early sketches by Shannon Tindle

Concept art by Andrew Chesworth

Concept art by Sunmin Inn

Concept art by Sunmin Inn

Character model, by Mark Anthony Austin

Early visual testing, by Sunmin Inn

Concept art by Keiko Murayama

Expression sheets, by Sandro Cleuzo

Concept art by Gabriel Gomez

Ken's room, by Minako Tomigahara

Concept art by Sunmin Inn

Art by Shannon Tindle

art by Shannon Tindle

A more stylized Ken, by Shannon Tindle

"Healthy choices. Healthy body"

Unused Footage

Ken's unused montage shots, by Madison Dunn

Miscellaneous

"Ultra ken" magazine, by Marlon Banks

Trivia

• According to Shannon Tindle's AMA held on X (formerly Twitter), the reason Ken did not use a transformation item is because it did not align with the story the film wanted to tell.
  • Ken is approximately 6 feet tall.
• Ken's favorite baseball player is Hideki Matsui, and he also mentioned Shohei Ohtani during the initial press conference.
• Two toys resembling the AbarenOh/Thundersaurus Megazord from Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger / Power Rangers Dino Thunder can be found in Ken's room. It is believed that these designs were proposed by Ryo Yambe.

Ken’s racing collection, by Jason Scheier.

• Ken has amassed a collection of race cars for his personal collection, including the Porsche 917, Jaguar D-Type, BMW M1, Chevrolet Camaro, Ferrari 275, Nissan Skyline GT-R, and MAT Vehicle. However, in his daily life, he typically uses a motorcycle named "Ultrabike" as his primary mode of transportation.
• Ken's jacket features the number 7 on the back, which is a clear homage to Ultraseven, Additionally, Ken Sato's baseball shoes are adorned with the UG logo.
  • Ken's baseball shoes were designed by Ovi Nedelcu, who applied some design principles he had learned from Tinker Hatfield a few years earlier.

• According to Japanese voice actor Yuki Yamada, when working on dubbing, he first paid attention to matching the emotional expressions of the English version actor. Then he began searching for words and tones that are easy to convey in Japanese. In portraying the character, he was helped by his friend Subaru Kimura.

Yuki Yamada wearing a Ken jersey.

• As part of the film's promotional campaign, on June 28th, Yamada attended the first pitch ceremony at Tokyo Dome for the Yomiuri Giants vs. Hiroshima Toyo Carp game. When he batted, he wore a Yomiuri Giants jersey with the name "Ken" and number 7 printed on it.
• In the Ultraman series, he is the third Human Host associated with baseball, following Shin Asuka from Ultraman Dyna and Katsumi Minato from Ultraman R/B.
  • He is the second Japanese-American character to appear in the series, following Kenichi Kai from Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero.
• Coincidentally, Ken shares the same name as the Father of Ultra's real name, "Ultraman Ken."