‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ director sees the monster as a mirror

Director Takashi Yamazaki gained a newfound understanding of the undercurrent of anxiety in postwar Japan through making “Godzilla Minus One” and “Godzilla Minus Zero.” | NAOKO TAKAKI

Nov 10, 2026

Takashi Yamazaki had made plenty of movies before “Godzilla Minus One,” but nothing could have prepared him for what happened when the monster lumbered into North American theaters in late 2023. 

“I never imagined while we were making ‘Minus One’ that it would ever play overseas,” he says. Instead, the film became an international phenomenon, winning over critics, earning more than ¥7.65 billion ($48 million) in Japan and collecting dozens of awards worldwide. Its biggest triumph came at the 96th Academy Awards, where it became the first Asian production to win the Oscar for visual effects. 

Now, three years later, Yamazaki is back with “Godzilla Minus Zero,” which opened in Japan on Nov. 3 — Godzilla Day, the anniversary of the original film’s 1954 premiere. The sequel’s North American release followed just three days later, marking the closest the franchise has come to a simultaneous global debut. It has already set a new box-office record in Japan, taking in ¥910 million ($5.75 million) on its opening day.

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