Many people are probably familiar with the character Godzilla, a giant lizard-like mutant monster capable of destroying cities with a destructive ray. As a big fan of this franchise, I’ve watched over twenty of the Godzilla movies.
“Godzilla: Minus One” is a Japanese science fiction and action film released in 2023 remains a standout in the massive franchise. This is the 37th film in the Godzilla franchise, but it feels like something completely new, bringing in complex characters to accompany the action.
The film was shot with a relatively modest budget of about $12 million, but grossed over $115 million worldwide. In addition, the film won the 96th Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
The plot of the film takes place in the last days of the Second World War and in the post-war period. The main character, Koichi Shikishima, is a kamikaze pilot who returns to a devastated Japan, feeling guilty for having survived. In this difficult period for everyone, especially for children, Koichi and a young woman Noriko decide to team up to take care of a little orphan baby, Akiko.
But unfortunately, their gradually rebuilding world is destroyed by the appearance of Godzilla. He becomes not only a threat to the country, but also a symbol of the collective trauma, fear and destruction that Japanese society faces after the war. This film stands out because unlike many other Godzilla films where the emphasis is on entertainment, “Godzilla: Minus One” pays great attention to human emotions, internal conflicts and psychological experiences of the characters.
This is what makes the film especially strong and memorable. Throughout the film, we see how the war affected Koito’s mental state, how much he suffers because of his bad memories and because he did not fulfill his kamikaze duty.
We see that people who may seem cold-blooded and ruthless are not really like that, and can help you in a difficult moment. Most importantly, the film shows that if people unite for a common goal like the destruction of Godzilla, they can succeed. I would recommend watching this film, especially with the sequel “Godzilla: Minus Zero” due to release in 2026.
