The follow-up to an Oscar winner is almost here. On Sunday, November 1, the cast of “Godzilla Minus Zero” appeared at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, just two days before Takashi Yamazaki’s sequel to “Godzilla Minus One” opens in Japanese cinemas.
They arrived with a story to tell. Stars Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe had flown home only two days earlier from the film’s premiere at Los Angeles’ TCL Chinese Theatre, where, by their account, the crowd went wild.
Here is what we learned, based on reporting from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
‘TAKASHI! HEY, TAKASHI!’
According to Variety, applause in the 900-seat Los Angeles theatre reportedly ran on without a break. “The energy was simply extraordinary,” Kamiki said. “Feeling that raw enthusiasm firsthand made me realize all over again just how deeply Godzilla is loved around the world.”
The red carpet was open to passers-by, and fans held up large posters and asked for autographs. Kamiki recalled chants of the director’s first name breaking out. “It wasn’t just a polite ‘Takashi,'” he said. “It was like: ‘TAKASHI! HEY, TAKASHI!’ It was roaring.”
Hamabe said many premiere-goers came up to the cast at the after-party to share their reactions, some wearing Godzilla-themed outfits or badges.
The family is back
Kamiki returns as Koichi Shikishima, the lead of “Minus One,” and Hamabe reprises her role as his wife, Noriko. According to Kamiki, the new film picks up about two years after the first. “I hope viewers can imagine what those two years were like for them, and see how the family stands together against what comes next,” he said.
Hamabe described a family that has settled into everyday life together before Godzilla resurfaces to threaten it.
The Tokyo event also marked the first stage appearance of child actor Sae Nagatani, who returns as Akiko. In “Minus One,” her part consisted mostly of crying or single words. This time she has full dialogue, and her co-stars said she had all her lines memorised and delivered them flawlessly.
Why Godzilla still matters
Asked why the franchise has endured for so long, Kamiki said each Godzilla film mirrors the era in which it is made, and that the monster and its theme music have simply always been part of people’s lives.
Hamabe offered a different angle. From a human standpoint, she said, Godzilla is overwhelming and impossible to defeat. “Yet, when Godzilla appears, humans unite and stand together to face it,” she said. “I think seeing that human resolve is the first thing that moves people’s hearts.”
The bar set by ‘Minus One’
The sequel has a lot to live up to. According to Variety:
- “Godzilla Minus One,” the 30th Japanese live-action Godzilla film, grossed more than 7.65 billion yen (about $50 million) at the Japanese box office.
- It became the first Asian production to win the Oscar for visual effects, at the 96th Academy Awards.
- It went on to collect more than 50 honours at home and abroad.
“Minus Zero” also has a technical first of its own: it is the first Japanese film to be certified as Filmed for IMAX. It was named the centrepiece of this year’s Tokyo festival.
When can you see it?
The film opens in Japan on November 3. If the reaction in Los Angeles is any guide, international audiences are just as hungry for it, so keep an eye out for release dates in your country.
The wrap-up
“Godzilla Minus Zero” is arriving on a wave of goodwill, from roaring premiere crowds in Hollywood to a centrepiece spotlight at the Tokyo festival. The real test begins this week, when Japanese audiences finally see whether Yamazaki has caught lightning twice.
Image: Roppongi at night seen from Shibuya Stream by Syced via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
