Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Godzilla Minus Onewas the proud winner of the Best Visual Effects award at this year’s Academy Awards. The win was a fitting tribute to a franchise that has lasted over 70 years in cinema. Takashi Yamazaki, the film’s director, also served as the VFX supervisor and led the team at his VFX company Shirogumi to this historical win.
In an era where the use of CGI is being widely hated, Yamazaki’s attitude towards the visual effects was one factor that stood out for the film. Marvel and other CGI-dependent franchises should take notes on how Yamazaki and his team achieved 610 shots with a 35-member team and a frugal $15 million budget.
Godzilla Minus OneDirector’s One Approach Made It Different From Other CGI Films
Godzilla Minus One, the 37th installment in the franchise and the fifth in its Reiwa era, received a 98%Rotten Tomatoesscore and grossed $116 million at the box office (via The Japan Times). The film explores the Kaiju monster wreaking havoc on post-World War 2 Japan, having gained devastating power from the atomic bomb.
The credit for the film’s great visuals goes to directorTakashi Yamazaki, who also served as the visual effects supervisor. His company, Shirogumi, handled the visual effects using the 3D animation software Houdini and Maya, along with the compositing software Nuke. Some of the bigger American franchises would dream to achievesuch a high-quality product at such a low cost.
However, Hollywood needs to change their attitude towards CGI in films. There’s ahatred for the art in the industry, with some renowned filmmakers openly denouncing it and preferring practical effects over it. However, Yamazaki, coming from a VFX background, understood that the visual effects were part of his creative.
“That’s lame, keep Godzilla as a genocidal monster”: Toho Reveals Strict Rules for Future Movies After Godzilla Minus One Success and Fans Might be Overreacting
He shared that he was present the entire time during the laborious work of VFX on the film. He approached it in a ’90s way when the technology was still new and filmmakers used to show some passion towards it. Yamazaki also added that he had a clear goal when approaching the film’s effects. He shared withIGN:
I was right there the whole time, on site, on the same floor, I could just go to someone’s monitor, approve things, give them direction, and get another feedback loop in the time that perhaps people have to send dailies or wait for notes to show up… I had a clear goal, more perhaps than other directors, because of my VFX background.
The vision of the director clearly reflected in the film. For Yamazaki, the visual effects in the film were not some burden that he would offload onto more cheap labor. Sadly,Hollywood might be following such a trendfor most of its VFX-heavy big-budget franchises.
Godzilla Minus OneVFX Team Explained The Struggle Behind Their Oscar-Winning Project
Takashi Yamazaki and the team behindGodzilla Minus Oneexplained the struggles behind their process in an official video posted on Godzilla Official by TOHO. Yamazakai shared that the team of 35 worked on 610 shots over a span of 8 months. He mentioned that it was a small team for such a large project.
Godzilla Minus One VFX Budget Was Just $15 Million: How VFX Artist’s Home-Made Water Simulation Videos Gave us Those Oscar-Winning Ocean CGI Scenes
He further shared that the effects in the film were a result of innovation and effort. He shared that the team used both traditional and digital techniques to bring the monster to the screen. Yamazaki shared in thevideo:
We created the VFX you see in Godzilla Minus One through both innovation and effort. Traditional and digital techniques expand the possibilities of visual expression, and in the case of Godzilla Minus One, creating a hand-crafted feel unique to the film.
In an interview with the Japanese websiteHJ Web, Yamazaki expressed hisinterest in making a sequel film. However, Toho may not be on board with this plan.
Godzilla Minus Oneis now available for streaming on Netflix.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
More from Hashim Asraff
Madison Beer’s Boyfriend: Who Is She Dating?
Brad Pitt Hits Maximum Paranoia: Real Reason He Wants to Turn $12 Million Home Into a “Fortress” (Report)
Peacemaker Season 2: Frank Grillo Reveals John Cena’s Secret That He Never Saw Coming
Recommended
Madison Beer’s Boyfriend: Who Is She Dating?
Helldivers 2 X Halo ODST Legendary Warbond Crossover: Complete Rundown
Good Boy Director Explains How He Made His Dog Act in 2025’s Most Inventive Horror Movie
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf: Luke Hemsworth Reveals Marvel Link That Sneaks Into His Dark Wolf Role
The Batman 2: Is Zoë Kravitz Not In the Robert Pattinson Starring Sequel? Reports
17 Years Later, This Iron Man Scene Was the Darkest MCU Moment No One Realized
Godzilla Minus OneTakashi Yamazaki
