Godzilla Minus One director, writer, and visual effects lead Takashi Yamazaki weighs in on the American branch of the franchise. The new Japanese-language movie follows Godzilla interrupting the rebuilding attempts of a shattered post-World War II Japan. It is not in continuity with the Hollywood branch of the franchise, an interconnected universe known as the Monsterverse that includes Godzilla (2014), Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
Empire Magazine recently conducted an interview with Yamazaki amid the ongoing Godzilla Minus One release in domestic theaters. The director shared his opinion of the American Monsterverse movies, saying that they are “a very interesting use of the IP.” He called them “a more fun version of what Godzilla can be” that hearkens back to an older era of Toho’s long-running franchise. He also praised how their human stories are well-balanced with the monstrous mayhem. Read his full quote below:
The Hollywood interpretation of Godzilla is a very interesting use of the IP. It can endure and survive many different interpretations. To me, it’s a more fun version of what Godzilla can be – the classic Toho version did explore something like that at one point in its history. Within that genre, I think they do a good job of [balancing] what the humans do, versus what the kaiju are doing.
The Godzilla Franchise’s Tonal Shifts Explained
As Yamazaki notes, the original Japanese Godzilla franchise had a similar tone to the Monsterverse once upon a time. However, the darker tone of Godzilla Minus One more closely mimics how the franchise began. 1954’s Godzilla was a pure horror movie, exploring the fears and anxieties of a nation that was still recovering from the atomic bomb. Its first sequel, 1955’s Godzilla Raids Again, took on that same tone, pumping its story with creeping dread and wartime atmosphere.
However, the franchise eventually evolved to embrace the action-oriented blockbuster approach that now defines the Monsterverse. Over the 1960s and 1970s, the tone of the Godzilla movies changed drastically, ranging from sci-fi adventure blockbusters like 1965’s Invasion of Astro-Monster to matinee fare more oriented toward children like 1967’s Son of Godzilla. It wasn’t until 1984’s The Return of Godzilla that the tone was reset, leading into a new Godzilla movie timeline with more serious themes and stronger continuity.
The gargantuan Godzilla Minus One box office likely means that the Japanese branch of the franchise will continue exploring stories with a more serious tone. However, the Hollywood outings have their place in the franchise as well, given the precedent set by that original run. The fact that both franchises are now running simultaneously offers a unique opportunity for viewers to compare and contrast the two tones.
Godzilla Minus One
Godzilla Minus One is the first Godzilla film released by Toho since 2016’s Shin Godzilla. Minus One is a reimagining of the original 1954 Godzilla and takes the franchise back to its roots by exploring the harsh life of post-war Japan. The story follows Koichi Shikishima, a failed kamikaze pilot, who struggles with survivor guilt as a giant monster attacks the city.
- Release Date
- December 1, 2023
- Director
- Takashi Yamazaki
- Cast
- Ryûnosuke Kamiki , Minami Hamabe , Yûki Yamada , Munetaka Aoki , Hidetaka Yoshioka , Sakura Andō , Kuranosuke Sasaki
- Runtime
- 125 Minutes
- Writers
- Takashi Yamazaki
- Studio(s)
- Toho Studios , Robot
- Distributor(s)
- Toho Studios
- Franchise(s)
- Godzilla
