Godzilla Minus One brings back the monstrous Kaiju, who unleashes his usual brand of hell and destruction on unsuspecting and sometimes deserving victims. So, why, after fairly simple titles like Godzilla vs Mothra, Godzilla: The Planet Eater, etc, does the 37th film in the franchise have a seemingly complicated title? Well, it is not that much of a head-scratcher.
Unlike the past films in the franchise, Godzilla Minus One’s story isn’t exactly a part of the overarching storyline — it isn’t technically a prequel either — despite starring its prime antagonist. The second Japanese-produced Godzilla flick after 2016’s Shin Godzilla, the film’s plot begins during the end of World War II in 1945, where Kōichi Shikishima, a military pilot, ends up inadvertently facing Godzilla after attempting to avoid the last stages of the war. He somehow makes it out alive, only for the monster to attack Japan two years later.
At this point, historically, the country was barely on its feet post the devastating war. As per the film’s plot, the looming threat of Godzilla’s impending arrival and the death he would bring with him does nothing to move the U.S. forces who refuse to come to Japan’s aid, leaving them to fend for themselves.
This is where the title comes from — Japan was already at zero after the Second World War, unable to make a speedy recovery. The raging attack of Godzilla when the country was already crumbling only set it back further, to “minus one” as it gears up its almost non-existent resources to fight back. Koji Ueda, President of Toho International, explained in a chat with Forbes that the title signifies how it is “a new threat with Godzilla, bringing the country into the ‘minus.’”
After debuting in Japan on Nov. 3, 2023, Godzilla Minus One has finally been released in the U.S. but is only available in limited theaters.