Godzilla Minus One Director Reveals How Radiation Created the Kaiju

Godzilla Minus One has exceeded all expectations following its release. In the wake of its premiere last fall, all eyes are on the surprise blockbuster. The movie has become a tour de force with movie lovers, and Godzilla Minus One even earned an Oscar nomination for good measure. We have director Takashi Yamazaki to thank for Godzilla's glow up, and now, the exec is breaking down a little-known fact about the young beast.

The information comes courtesy of HJ Web as the site spoke with Yamazaki recently. It was there the publication asked about Godzilla's personal history. When Godzilla Minus One begins, we meet the monster as a juvenile on Odo Island, and they are nothing short of scary. Still, the kaiju's second appearance shows Godzilla as a hulking threat. When asked about this physical change, Yamazaki admitted radiation caused the kaiju to grow rather than biology.

"Godzilla has been affected by radiation since Operation Crossroads in Bikini Atoll, but before that, Godzilla was unaffected by radiation and his regenerative ability was unrelated to radiation," Yamazaki explained.

"They [Godzilla's race] are ordinary creatures, or rather monsters, that have nothing to do with radiation, and have extremely strong regenerative abilities. However, during Operation Crossroads, his skin was burnt by nuclear weapons and turned into a mess, but when he was regenerating it, he went out of control and became gigantic."

So there you have it. Prior to radiation, Godzilla was a terrifying threat, but he was not the absolute behemoth we know him to be. It was mankind's use of nuclear energy that ended up turning Godzilla into a force of nature. This unnatural intervention speaks to many of the core themes Godzilla has championed since day one. So of course, Godzilla fans are already committing this trivia to memory.

If you have not seen Godzilla Minus One yet, you have a few more days to check out the movie in theaters. The film made its stateside debut late last year, and it has already grossed over $100 million globally. Godzilla Minus One is already being hailed as the kaiju's best outing in decades. So for those on the fence, we suggest you check out Yamazaki's film ASAP.

What do you think about this latest Godzilla update? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!