Has Godzilla Minus One's Director Found Their Next Movie?

Takashi Yamazaki, the director of Godzilla Minus One, may tackle Barefoot Gen soon.

By Megan Peters

Godzilla is in his comeback era, and we have directors like Takashi Yamazaki to thank. Recently, Hollywood put the kaiju on blast with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and then there is Godzilla Minus One. The movie marks a new era for Toho's Godzilla films, and Yamazaki managed to earn a historic Academy Award for his work. And now, a new video suggests the director has landed on their next movie.

The speculation comes from Japan as anime producer and film lecturer Toshio Okada posted a video for followers. It was there the industry veteran, who founded Gainax Studios, spoke about the impact of Godzilla Minus One. It was there Okada touched upon Yamazaki's career, and the producer said the director's next film will likely act as an adaptation of Barefoot Gen.

Of course, Takashi has not said anything definitive about his next film. Godzilla Minus One marked the director's last feature film release, and in 2024, he oversaw a web short titled Foodlossla. Given the director's success with Godzilla, all eyes are on Yamazaki to see what he does next. And if Barefoot Gen is his next project, well – there will not be a dry eye in theater.

Created in 1973, Barefoot Gen is a considered a seminal manga depicting the impact of World War II. The manga begins in 1945 in Hiroshima where its creator Kenji Nakazawa was born. Barefoot Gen is loosely based on Nakazawa's experience as a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, and as you can imagine, it is difficult to take in. The manga shows how World War II and the bombing of Hiroshima changes live for a six-year-old named Gen Nakaoka. To this day, Barefoot Gen is widely praised for its jarring art and complex themes. Both of these things Yamazaki excels with, and after seeing Godzilla Minus One, the world knows the director could handle a story as nuanced as Barefoot Gen.

Until official word comes from Yamazaki on his future, his Barefoot Gen adaptation is only rumor, but Okada is confident the movie is in the works. If you are not familiar with Nakazawa's manga at all, you can find English editions of the series in print. So for more info on the series, you can read the official synopsis for Barefoot Gen below:

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"This harrowing story of Hiroshima was one of the original Japanese manga series. New and unabridged, this is an all-new translation of the author's first-person experiences of Hiroshima and its aftermath, is a reminder of the suffering war brings to innocent people. Its emotions and experiences speak to children and adults everywhere. Volume one of this ten-part series details the events leading up to and immediately following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima."

What do you make of this latest report regarding Yamazaki's future? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

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