There is still some question as to what exactly happened to Noriko at the end of Godzilla Minus One. The 2023 kaiju movie was the brainchild of filmmaker Yamazaki Takashi, who wrote, directed, and led the visual effects team for the newest Japanese-language installment in the franchise, which spans 38 movies at the time of writing. The movie became a smash hit, earning $115.8 million worldwide against a scant budget estimated to be between $10 and $12 million, and eventually went on to become the first Godzilla movie to win an Oscar, for Best Visual Effects.

Noriko, who was played by Hamabe Minami, is one of the most important characters in the movie. She was the female lead opposite Kamiki Ryunosuke as Shikishima Kōichi, with whom her character formed a found family by raising the child of a deceased couple without being in a relationship themselves, at least throughout the majority of the run time. However, one thing that the Godzilla Minus One ending leaves slightly unclear is her ultimate fate after Godzilla’s attack on Ginza, where she was seemingly hit by the monster’s atomic blast after saving Shikishima’s life.

Noriko Survived Godzilla’s Atomic Blast At The End Of Godzilla Minus One

Noriko Made It Out Of Ginza Alive

At the end of the movie, it is revealed that Noriko survived the attack on Ginza made by the titular Godzilla Minus One kaiju. One of the film’s final scenes sees the couple reuniting in the hospital, where Noriko has her arm in a sling in addition to wearing a bandage around her head that mirrors the dressing worn by Shikishima for many scenes throughout the movie. Thus, the family at the center of the movie is reunited, and the burgeoning love between the couple has been rekindled.

At first, it is somewhat unclear if the sequence is a fantasy or something that is genuinely happening. The odds of Noriko surviving the Ginza rampage seemed astronomically small, to the point that Shikishima had already written off the prospect and grieved her loss before leading the charge to destroy Godzilla. After making the decision to defeat the monster without sacrificing himself (which he was tempted to do in order to honor his broken contract as a kamikaze pilot), he is seemingly rewarded by fate when he gets a telegram about Noriko’s survival.

What The Black Mark On Noriko’s Neck At The End Of Godzilla Minus One Is

Noriko Has Been Infected During The Ginza Attack

Ultimately, it was indeed unlikely that Godzilla Minus One would end on a happy note. The movie took on a somber tone throughout as it depicted a war-torn Tokyo slowly attempting to rebuild after the devastation of World War II. This is why it is not necessarily a surprise that the happy reunion at the end of the movie is undercut by a twinge of sadness when it is revealed that Noriko has a mottled black mark on the side of her neck that indicates a deeper injury or illness that she has sustained from Godzilla’s atomic blast.

Per IGN, at Godzilla Fest, which took place in Osaka in 2024, Yamazaki confirmed that the dark patch on Noriko’s neck was made up of Godzilla’s cells, known as G-cells. The rapid regeneration of G-cells, which is also seen in the final shot of the movie that implies a small piece of Godzilla’s flesh will eventually reform into the full-sized monster, could be an explanation for Noriko’s unlikely recovery. Both elements of the movie’s finale combined lay the groundwork for a possible Godzilla Minus One sequel, which has not yet been officially greenlit.

How The Black Mark On Noriko’s Neck In Godzilla Minus One Sets Up A Sequel

G-Cells Could Be Very Important To Future Godzilla Movies

The presence of G-cells both in Noriko’s neck and in the remains of Godzilla imply several ways that a possible sequel could play out. Given the franchise’s longevity and the incredible Godzilla Minus One box office run, said sequel seems like a distinct possibility, even though producers are acting out of an abundance of caution and have not put one into pre-production. If the sequel follows up on this tease, the G-cells in Noriko’s neck could be responsible for the birth of any number of kaiju.

G-cells have been behind the creation of multiple monsters in previous installments, particularly in the Heisei era between 1984 and 1995. The most notable of these kaiju would be plant-based monster Biollante, the extraterrestrial clone SpaceGodzilla, and the insectoid Megaguirus. Godzilla Minus One may also choose to follow the lead of the Heisei era in another way, by having Noriko’s G-cells forge a connection between her and the monster similar to that era’s recurring character, psychic Saegusa Miki. It remains to be seen if or how this plays out, but the G-cells could play a big part in a sequel.

Source: IGN

Click here to watch Godzilla Minus One on Netflix