My biggest regret was not going to a Godzilla store in Osaka, Kyoto, or Tokyo when I went to Japan over the summer. In August of 2023, I went to Japan for a week, then to South Korea for two more weeks on vacation with my family. My flight to Vancouver, Canada from Newark, New Jersey was about 5 hours, to then double that and go on a 10-hour flight to Osaka, Japan.
That was an unforgettable experience for a few reasons.
One was the fact that it was my longest flight in more than a decade. I have been to South Korea before but that was in middle school. But aside from that, what made those flights memorable were the times I watched Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). Those movies involved the Monsterverse, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. That piqued my interest in everything Godzilla. It was fitting that I was already on my way to Japan, where it all started.
Things of Interest, Other than Godzilla, Growing Up
![Japan, the land where the cinematic Godzilla came from](https://totalapexentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/image-min-1-300x171.png)
Speaking of the true king of monsters, before that trip, I never really got into this massive franchise. I have always been into the Jurassic Park franchise as a kid, including the books. But growing up, horror movies were the only films I even wanted to see in theatres, so something like Godzilla should’ve been on my radar years ago.
Anime wasn’t foreign to me at the time and most things Japanese I was already into, so the topic of one of the biggest monsters to ever take screen avoiding me till this past year is surprising looking back. This doesn’t even consider the film classes in college I took a few months earlier before that trip. Still, I had avoided this big fire-breathing phenomenon till last August.
I remember briefly watching Godzilla 1998 growing up, but that never stuck. The same can be said with 2014’s Godzilla when I was in high school, so I only watched the film seriously on that flight to Japan.
After learning about the lore and the Monsterverse, I was hooked on just the idea of Godzilla.
Shin Godzilla– Ties to Neon Genesis Evangelion
That interest spread into looking up 2016’s Shin Godzilla, something that I surprisingly related to. The director for this movie was Hideaki Ano, the same director of an anime that is still talked about to this day—1995’s Neon Genesis Evangelion. I saw many things from that anime series in Shin Godzilla, but seeing a Japanese live-action movie was a first for me. The callbacks and references made me appreciate Ano’s past work, but a Godzilla movie so different from any Multiverse Godzilla film was a culture shock.
The basic plot is like most monster flicks. Something emerges from Tokyo Bay. The city of Tokyo has to deal with the chaos and destruction in this monster’s wake. But how it evolves in its story is a take for any monster movie. The ambition of where it is going, or even where it could’ve taken it, is seen here. I commend Ano for committing to this vision when directing this film.
While it takes some time to adjust—one must read subtitles and keep up with the character’s actions—anyone into movies can appreciate the techniques used and thought behind the camera shots. It is rapid and chaotic, but at the same time, it uses its quicker pace with its dialogue to mellow in the quieter and peaceful, yet haunting moments in this film.
Shin Godzilla has mixed reviews among critics, but I think this type of movie is a breath of fresh air. It won numerous film awards in Japan, and while that is an accomplishment in its own right, this was just the start of its impact on the movie industry overseas.
Godzilla Minus One– A Cultural Phenomenon
Then this past December, Godzilla Minus One made itself known in theatres internationally, with the public sentiment being very positive—in the United States especially. Separate from Shin Godzilla, Godzilla Minus One, directed by Takashi Yamazaki, broke new barriers to what international films can do with their cultural impact.
More of the original Godzilla beginning story, with a new cast of characters, this film set the highest of standards moving forward.
Coming off World War II, this movie focuses on mostly one main character. We see what he goes through, and what happens when a familiar monster emerges again to attack Tokyo. It is more of a character story but in a good way. Compare it to Shin Godzilla, where it is more about what the government plans when dealing with to prevent this catastrophe from happening.
Doing what no Godzilla movie has ever done, Minus One won Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards. It was the first ever to be nominated, let alone win as the first non-English movie.
Can this success be repeated? I think so. However, the need to rush for more should take the slower approach to making cinematic classics.
Godzilla Minus One and future films could be the start of something memorable. It is reminiscent of its past eras of dominance as a decades-long film series with origins in black and white.
If you liked this, check out more great content by Andrew Kim here: Review: Godzilla X Kong. A Powerhouse of Entertainment. Also, check out all our Movies and Television content here.
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