Godzilla Minus Oneis arguably the best addition to the historic monster franchise in recent years, punctuated by one of the most fearsome versions of Godzilla put on screen. But what makes this film, out of dozens of other installments, feel so perfectly evocative of the terror that is Godzilla?This iteration of the kaiju is notably smallerthan its contemporaries, dwarfed by its titanic counterparts in Legendary Pictures’MonsterVerse. It also has a simpler design, far more traditional than the eldritch horror introduced inShin Godzilla.And yet, the tension feels higher than it’s ever been, the stakes so infinitely more personal.
The keystone ofGodzilla Minus One’s success is rooted in its historical setting;by bringing modern audiences back to post-war Japan, the film creates an atmosphere wholly distinct from other modern Godzilla films, while more cohesively illustrating the overarching themes the kaiju represents. Nostalgically drawing elements from the original film,Takashi Yamakazi’saddition to the expansive Godzilla lore returns to the original framing of the monster, painting it as a consequence of human violence and hubris in the years following World War II’s enormous devastation. Despite factual inaccuracies, the historical lens through whichGodzilla Minus Onetells its story only heightens the fear caused by Godzilla, and the importance of human resilience in the face of insurmountable adversity.
Godzilla Minus One
Post war Japan is at its lowest point when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster, baptized in the horrific power of the atomic bomb.
‘Godzilla Minus One’ Is a Period Piece Set in Post-WWII Japan
Unlike other modern Godzilla movies,Godzilla Minus Oneis a full-on period piece set in Japan during the final days of World War II and the tenuous years that followed. It follows Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a kamikaze pilot who deserts his post and, after returning to a service station on Oto Island, becomes one of two survivors of an attack by Godzilla. Wracked with PTSD and survivor’s guilt, further exacerbated by his haunting decision not to fire upon the beast, Shikishima returns home a broken man. But the home he returns to is likewise broken, andthis is whereGodzilla Minus Oneestablishes its distinct toneand atmosphere. The Tokyo that Shikishima returns to is one that has nearly been reduced to rubble. His neighborhood consists of makeshift homes, ramshackle abodes set in a verifiable wasteland of debris and destruction.
Despite the bleakness of his own inner emotions, Shikishima unexpectedly forms a new family with Noriko Ōishi (Minami Hamabe), a woman whose parents were killed during the war, and an orphaned baby named Akiko — despite his repeated attempts to shun their closeness. Shikishima continues to form strong bonds with other survivors of the war, working on a fishing boat tasked with cleaning explosives left behind in the Pacific. These charactersembody both the struggles of the Japanese people reeling from the war and the spark of hopeillustrated by their resilience and hard work.
But the overarching consequences of political and military neglect exist as further obstacles for the general population. Despite the U.S. military presence in the country, Japan is ultimately left to fend for itself against Godzilla’s attacks. Even further, the weakened Japanese military proves too passive and insufficient for containing Godzilla’s threat, forcing Shikishima and his motley crew to spearhead their home’s defense. The ragtag team responsible for fending off Godzillaemphasize the heightened stakes and tension of Godzilla’s destruction.They have neitherthe technology nor resources that Monarch possesses, but are instead an assortment of survivors relying on what little they have in order to protect what little they have left.
Godzilla Was Created as an Allegory for Nuclear Destruction
While it’s fresh and exciting to see Godzilla as a benevolent protector of humanity against other invading kaiju in other recent films,Godzilla Minus Onereturns to the creature’s more sinister roots. At its core,Godzilla represents the destruction of nuclear warfare; a personified deity of destruction illustrating the dangers of extreme warfare and the retaliation of nature against humanity’s hubris.Initially created as an allegorical response to the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki,the firstGodzilla (1954)was so relevant to the Japanese populace, entrenching itself into their cultural zeitgeist because of how audaciously it dared to address the recent destruction wrought upon the country. The Japanese perception of nuclear weaponry was distinctly negative, connecting it to a very real, very dangerous consequence of war. That’s why, in the U.S., superheroes gain power from radiation, but in Japan, Godzilla personifies its devastating abilities.
Did ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Just School Hollywood on Movie Making?
Let’s not get carried away, there’s a middle ground to be found here.
Not only doesGodzilla Minus Onereturn to the franchise’s roots through its thematic elements, but through visual references that allude back to the original. Godzilla first appears on Odo Island, the same setting as the first movie. Even some of its first moments of destruction with its attack on Tokyo draw parallels to some ofGodzilla’s earliest momentson the silver screen.Godzilla’s design feels nostalgic yet updated, reminiscent of a man in a suit while also capturing the essence of a dangerous beast, simultaneously an unstoppable force of nature and a wild animal.
While the period piece setting of the film is its greatest strength, it’s also important to note thatGodzilla Minus One’shistorical context is still a fictionalized retelling.Though it captures many important aspects of post-war Japan,the film excludes critical details of that period in history. The heightened American presence in the country is barely addressed, nor does the film engage with the consequences of the nation’s imperialist endeavors that served its fair share of bloody destruction in the Pacific Theater. Shikishima’s role as a former kamikaze pilot also draws questions about Japan’s former military practices, delving into ideas of duty and sacrifice set in contention with the desire to live and survive. Ultimately,Godzilla Minus Oneshouldn’t be seen as a comprehensive exploration into post-war Japan because it focuses on illustrating the emotional consequences of the war to a modern audience,rather than a factual retelling of history. It’s a modern retelling of the themes first shared in the original, impossible to compare with the real-time reflection ofIshirō Honda’spioneering film introduced to the Japanese people.
The Historical Setting Makes ‘Godzilla Minus One’ More Realistic and Emotional
It seems absurd to describe a kaiju movie as realistic and emotionally driven, yetGodzilla Minus Oneachieves this oxymoronic description.NPR aptly describesthe film as a “post-war melodrama about a shame-ridden soldier trying to make his life in a country that is economically depressed.” The film tells its story through the eyes of the survivors of war, already suffering from one conflict only to immediately be thrust into further violence.The framing of its human characters is one of themost effective in the entire history of the franchise,making audiences truly connect with the characters despite their historical differences. The found family Shikishima forms is ultimately a timeless story that anyone can relate to, making the imposing threat of their destruction all the more terrifying and motivating, all the same time.
WhileGodzilla Minus Onehas an overarching atmosphere of defeat and destruction, it also affirms the necessity of human resilience and connection. Shikishima’s redemption isn’t just achieved through his military victory against Godzilla,but through his reconciliation with himself and the people around him.He humbly seeks the help of Sōsaku Tachibana (Munetaka Aoki), a service technician who was the only other survivor of the initial Godzilla attack, and it’s only through their collaborative effort that human resilience triumphs over the imposing kaiju.
Godzilla Minus Onespeaks to thislasting consequence of WWIIby having Godzilla strike the islands in the immediate years following the conflict, when the nation was at its weakest in infrastructure, resources, and military ability. By having the main character be a former kamikaze pilot, his survivor’s guilt and desire to redeem himself represent all facets of Japanese life during those years, providing both a criticism of their unsavory practices while still being hopeful about the resilience of their people. While other recent Godzilla films take a more abstract approach to the creature’s historical background,Godzilla Minus Oneis a strikingly poignant period piece which, in this era of kaiju films, feels unique and exponentially more impactful.
Godzilla Minus Oneis available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.
