Summary SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Godzilla Minus One is jam-packed with unique details, small nods, and callbacks to other Godzilla movies that are easy to miss on a cursory watch. Something of a re-imagining of the original 1954 Godzilla, Godzilla Minus One is the latest original Japanese production in a long line of Godzilla films as of 2024.
13 Godzilla's Rampage In Tokyo Is Similar To His First Appearance Godzilla Minus One clearly holds reverence for its predecessor The sound profile of Godzilla's biology in Godzilla Minus One was far from the only thing to take inspiration from the original 1954 film. When the irradiated Godzilla makes landfall in Tokyo's Ginza district, he wreaks utter havoc on the already battle-torn city, crushing fleeing bystanders and concrete buildings alike underfoot.
11 The Appearance Of Odo Island Calls Back To Godzilla Minus One isn't the fictional location's first appearance Godzilla Minus One opens with its protagonist, the kamikaze pilot Koichi, landing his plane on a tropical island after a supposed malfunction of his aircraft. Koichi's excuse for turning around and landing on the island turns out to be fictional, just like the island itself.
9 Koichi's First And Last Name Are Both Subtle Homages Godzilla Minus One's protagonist references history and filmmaking The level of the detail that went into writing Godzilla Minus One can be appreciated down to the very naming conventions of its characters. The film's protagonist, Koichi Shikishima, references both real-world history and the making of previous Godzilla films.
7 The Deep Sea Fish Heralding Godzilla's Arrival Reference The Oxygen Destroyer While also being accurate to real-world science In Godzilla Minus One, one of the most chilling sights was the sudden appearance of dead deep-sea fish floating along the surface of the ocean. Signaling that a Godzilla attack was imminent, the sight of belly-up sea life can be attributed to the massive changes in oceanic pressure Godzilla's movements cause, instantly killing entire schools of deep sea fish.
5 Noriko Is Infected With Godzilla Cells The black mark on her neck isn't a simple burn The reveal that Noriko is alive is a breath of relief for protagonist Koichi, who never gets the chance to tell her how he feels. Unfortunately, her the joy of her survival is undercut by the appearance of a mysterious black mark on her neck, which Koichi notices. Godzilla Minus One's director, Takashi Yamazaki, has since confirmed the black mark on Noriko as Godzilla's cells.