Shin Godzilla - The General Discussion Thread

[CamtheGodzillafan]

I just realized, I'm Kamen Rider Wizard, I can just use my portal ring and grab Anno from there, and then go in to get the animatronic.

Added in 31 seconds:
Or we can have fun and spill some blood

Don't worry, I'll hold off Shin while you guys get inside

Seems he came back from getting kicked into the sun, damn this guy doesn't die.

[EarthNeronga]

Im Neronga so ill sap anyone who gets in our way; just dont hope there arent any humanoid Silver Giants

[JVM]

I'd like to say for the record that I didn't personally enjoy Shin Godzilla and that opinion has not changed. I don't really think it's a bad film or that anything is actively incorrect about it, but it hasn't been my personal taste. I have mostly stayed away from the thread out of respect but there was a discussion in another thread where someone speculated I was defending the film based on a generalization, so I feel like I need to say it publicly to clarify.

[king_ghidorah]

I just rewatched this film again last night. Is it me, or is Yaguchi pretty unlikable?

[Gojira18]

I just rewatched this film again last night. Is it me, or is Yaguchi pretty unlikable?

I thought Yaguchi was pretty good. Given everything is literally crashing down around him, I'm surprised he managed to bounce back and show what a true leader looks like

[king_ghidorah]

I don’t know. He’s constantly talking down to people and he’s just flat wrong at times. “I like politics because of how simple it makes things” ….said no one ever.

Maybe I was just in a bad mood when I watched it last night.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Yaguchi would be very unlikeable if not in the specific setting/political climate he is in. Having someone come in and change things, to assume they know everything, can be incredibly arrogant and off putting. I think in the context of the events of the film, and what the film is poratraying, it works. Worth noting that Japanese politicians of the LDP (main political party in Japan that has been in power for a lonnng time), is just interested in maintaining the status quo as much as possible and is primarily dominated by old people/voters who cling to nostalgia and things remaining the same. While we're starting to see a shift, due to recent world events, and the rise of younger politicans, I think Yaguchi's sentiments and beliefs are admirable in the context they were created in. His entire character is an antithesis to the mainstream Japanese polticial position (a generalization on my part) of ,"Just do what is tried and true, the safest way possible.", which doesn't always work and assumes that things are not always the same. We see this in how early on, everyone assumes what Godzilla is/can do, and are pretty quickly wrong. Yaguchi is one of the few catalysts of people trying to think ahead, and assume the worst thing will happen. It might also be subtle, but the majority of people Yaguchi is interacting with in his inner group, skew much younger, and are much more coordinated for Japanese politics.

Another thing worth noting is that I never got the impression that Yaguchi was specifically in it for power and or his own ego. I think he was genuinely concerned with Godzilla and protecting Japan. We see this visually when he looks over the devestation caused by the 2nd form, and reflects that its not over, despite the opinions and beliefs of everything around him. He's a pretty consistent character whose beliefs are continually questioned, and does his best when he needs to. Shin Godzilla is also an ensemble film. While Yaguchi is the defacto focus for the majority of the film, a good part of it is based on working on and interacting with others around him. It's clear that amongst his group and peers, Yaguchi is a respectful person who is honest and doesn't look down on others.

This also gets into the topic of having an unlikeable protagonist doesn't mean the film is bad. I might not want to meet/be around Yaguchi.

[Gojira18]

Yaguchi would be very unlikeable if not in the specific setting/political climate he is in. Having someone come in and change things, to assume they know everything, can be incredibly arrogant and off putting. I think in the context of the events of the film, and what the film is poratraying, it works. Worth noting that Japanese politicians of the LDP (main political party in Japan that has been in power for a lonnng time), is just interested in maintaining the status quo as much as possible and is primarily dominated by old people/voters who cling to nostalgia and things remaining the same. While we're starting to see a shift, due to recent world events, and the rise of younger politicans, I think Yaguchi's sentiments and beliefs are admirable in the context they were created in. His entire character is an antithesis to the mainstream Japanese polticial position (a generalization on my part) of ,"Just do what is tried and true, the safest way possible.", which doesn't always work and assumes that things are not always the same. We see this in how early on, everyone assumes what Godzilla is/can do, and are pretty quickly wrong. Yaguchi is one of the few catalysts of people trying to think ahead, and assume the worst thing will happen. It might also be subtle, but the majority of people Yaguchi is interacting with in his inner group, skew much younger, and are much more coordinated for Japanese politics.

Another thing worth noting is that I never got the impression that Yaguchi was specifically in it for power and or his own ego. I think he was genuinely concerned with Godzilla and protecting Japan. We see this visually when he looks over the devestation caused by the 2nd form, and reflects that its not over, despite the opinions and beliefs of everything around him. He's a pretty consistent character whose beliefs are continually questioned, and does his best when he needs to. Shin Godzilla is also an ensemble film. While Yaguchi is the defacto focus for the majority of the film, a good part of it is based on working on and interacting with others around him. It's clear that amongst his group and peers, Yaguchi is a respectful person who is honest and doesn't look down on others.

This also gets into the topic of having an unlikeable protagonist doesn't mean the film is bad. I might not want to meet/be around Yaguchi.

....Yeah, what he said.
Also, in regard of having an "unlikeable protagonist", I feel like Yaguchi represents the right way to do so compared to someone like Haruo Sakaki.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Yeah, I thought Yaguchi was a pretty strong leader by the end. I think he said something about getting into politics after his father was a politician, and Yaguchi seemed to be the kind of leader that values the people around him and the skills they bring to the table. He also shows anger and frustration when the cabinet is obliterated by Godzilla, so he wasn't the kind of new generation politician that like, wants the old guard to die so he can work his way up. The parts of Yaguchi that may seem cold-ish or unlikeable might just be a result of Anno's way of writing his protagonists.

[king_ghidorah]

Well stated all.

He’s not the type of protagonist that is want to grab a beer with necessarily but I like and agree with everything you guys have written.

He’s the hero Japan needs right now. And that means cutting through BS and red tape and generations of dogmatic thinking.

Edit* I still wish his line about politics being simple, friend or for made more sense. It’s something I get hung up on. It’s decidedly not true and it shows him as naive or foolish to state that. Unless it’s some sort of arc. Or maybe it’s wishful thinking. I’m not sure. As someone who works in politics, it’s 99% gray….compromise. Never strictly friend or foe.

[LegendZilla]

Yeah, I thought Yaguchi was a pretty strong leader by the end. I think he said something about getting into politics after his father was a politician, and Yaguchi seemed to be the kind of leader that values the people around him and the skills they bring to the table. He also shows anger and frustration when the cabinet is obliterated by Godzilla, so he wasn't the kind of new generation politician that like, wants the old guard to die so he can work his way up. The parts of Yaguchi that may seem cold-ish or unlikeable might just be a result of Anno's way of writing his protagonists.

I think Anno never saw himself as the type of person who fits in with others.

[Jetty_Jags]

What part of evangelion makes you think that?

[LSD Jellyfish]

What part of evangelion makes you think that?

I think it's time to implenment upvotes and reactions on this site.

[ShinGojira14]

Something I noticed when looking at discussions amongst G-fans about this film:

I find it odd that some people think the Godzilla-humanoids were dead and stillborn by the time they emerged from Godzilla's tail. As far as I'm concerned, it didn't look or feel anything like that being the case. If anything, I always read it as an unknown amount of time has passed, but now the humanoids are starting to emerge to do Blundergosh-knows-what to the rest of the world, and said world ain't prepared.

[CyberZilla]

Something I noticed when looking at discussions amongst G-fans about this film:

I find it odd that some people think the Godzilla-humanoids were dead and stillborn by the time they emerged from Godzilla's tail. As far as I'm concerned, it didn't look or feel anything like that being the case. If anything, I always read it as an unknown amount of time has passed, but now the humanoids are starting to emerge to do Blundergosh-knows-what to the rest of the world, and said world ain't prepared.

Valid interpretation tbh. A lot of the ending iirc is about “what if this happens again? Are we able to stop it?” They get a chance to breathe and reflect on what happened to bring about such a calamitous creature. Playing with the same sentiments of the end of Gojira, where Yamane muses about how another Godzilla could easily happen considering the course humanity and their weapons have taken.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Something I noticed when looking at discussions amongst G-fans about this film:

I find it odd that some people think the Godzilla-humanoids were dead and stillborn by the time they emerged from Godzilla's tail. As far as I'm concerned, it didn't look or feel anything like that being the case. If anything, I always read it as an unknown amount of time has passed, but now the humanoids are starting to emerge to do Blundergosh-knows-what to the rest of the world, and said world ain't prepared.

The movie is ends on an ambiguous note, but a victorious one. While not as obvious, it’s sort of like Gamera 3 in that way.

It’s a detail that I myself am unclear on, so forgive me if I’m wrong and spreading misinformation, but I believe that the film implies that the victory is very temporary. Godzilla will eventually unfreeze(?).

I have always interpreted as “they are stillborn/dead, we beat Godzilla in the nick of time”. But, perhaps it could get worse/continue.

[Follinollante]

I haven't seen the movie, but regarding the tail:
A friend of mine told me that he had heard of a theory(?) that Godzilla (in most incarnations) is a fusion of a reptile, the atomic bomb, and the souls of those who were killed by the two atomic bombs. This is why Godzilla is constantly showing up in Japan: to get revenge on those who plunged Japan into war, which eventually led to the bombing.
I don't know that the bodies in the tail are another form or anything like that; to me it's more the movie showing that Godzilla is, in fact, made up of the souls of the dead.

[LSD Jellyfish]

I haven't seen the movie, but regarding the tail:
A friend of mine told me that he had heard of a theory(?) that Godzilla (in most incarnations) is a fusion of a reptile, the atomic bomb, and the souls of those who were killed by the two atomic bombs. This is why Godzilla is constantly showing up in Japan: to get revenge on those who plunged Japan into war, which eventually led to the bombing.
I don't know that the bodies in the tail are another form or anything like that; to me it's more the movie showing that Godzilla is, in fact, made up of the souls of the dead.

That’s…interesting, although I feel it applies less to specifically Shin, but maybe I’m wrong. I like the idea, and I don’t think it’s far fetched for specific incarnations. It works allegorically but not so much literally.

[Major sssspielberg!]

Man, last night I watched Shin Godzilla and thought about the 7(!) years since this came out.
For me, the kaiju revival didn't really begin until Shin Godzilla. The movie being announced with this Anno fella at the helm made me check out Evangelion before I saw the film, which sorta changed my life. Since the film came out, we've had multiple Godzilla/Eva crossover stuff, 3.0+1.0 finally came out, then Shin Ultraman (which helped inspire me to really dig into the Ultra series) and finally, it's all come to an end with Shin Kamen Rider.
Even though 7 years feels waaaaay too long (I'm getting old) this era of tokusatsu has been amazing, and a lot of it has been the stuff from Anno and Higuchi. Now that era is winding down and it's gonna be new people guiding the torch from here on in. Exciting, but bittersweet.
This all came to me last night watching Shin Godzilla, and remembering watching the trailer endlessly, listening to the soundtrack, talking about it endlessly with friends, and finally seeing the movie and being blown away by how perfect it was for me. I'm glad Shin Godzilla exists, and so grateful to Anno and Higuchi for bringing it to life, as well as everything it's brought forth.

[ShinGojira14]

Man, last night I watched Shin Godzilla and thought about the 7(!) years since this came out.
For me, the kaiju revival didn't really begin until Shin Godzilla. The movie being announced with this Anno fella at the helm made me check out Evangelion before I saw the film, which sorta changed my life. Since the film came out, we've had multiple Godzilla/Eva crossover stuff, 3.0+1.0 finally came out, then Shin Ultraman (which helped inspire me to really dig into the Ultra series) and finally, it's all come to an end with Shin Kamen Rider.
Even though 7 years feels waaaaay too long (I'm getting old) this era of tokusatsu has been amazing, and a lot of it has been the stuff from Anno and Higuchi. Now that era is winding down and it's gonna be new people guiding the torch from here on in. Exciting, but bittersweet.
This all came to me last night watching Shin Godzilla, and remembering watching the trailer endlessly, listening to the soundtrack, talking about it endlessly with friends, and finally seeing the movie and being blown away by how perfect it was for me. I'm glad Shin Godzilla exists, and so grateful to Anno and Higuchi for bringing it to life, as well as everything it's brought forth.

From what I remember, I don’t think it’s coming to an end yet. I believe they’re gonna make Shin Evangelion next.