Director Takashi Yamazaki, known for crafting crowd-pleasing spectacles, brings his expertise to "Godzilla Minus One." As Toho's 33rd Godzilla film and the 37th in the series, it stands as a blockbuster in every sense of the word.

During its U.S. debut weekend, "Godzilla Minus One" achieved a remarkable milestone, grossing over $11 million. This makes it the highest-opening live-action Japanese movie in U.S. theaters to date. The film has garnered widespread critical acclaim, boasting Rotten Tomatoes scores exceeding 90%. Additionally, its success extends globally, with a total worldwide box office surpassing $34.6 million.

"Godzilla Minus One" serves as a modern take on the 1954 Godzilla, drawing inspiration, especially in its first and third acts, from "Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack." Although the film adopts the basic story structure and certain themes from its predecessors, it introduces a significant amount of original storytelling and characterization. The movie not only pays homage to its inspirations but also enhances and refines those elements for a fresh and improved cinematic experience.

The characters are skillfully portrayed by an outstanding cast, with Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe leading the way in crafting one of the most touching and heartbreaking relationships seen in any film this year. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with notable standouts such as Kuranosuke Sasaki and Sakura Ando. Munetaka Aoki also delivers a wonderful performance in a smaller yet crucial role.

The Ginza attack scene in "Godzilla Minus One" stands out as one of the most memorable Godzilla sequences in the film. It uses similar techniques as "Godzilla (2014)" to make Godzilla appear huge from a human perspective without cutting away or hiding him. This approach is solely aimed at emphasizing his immense size and the level of threat he poses. The scene also includes nods to "Godzilla (2014)," like the glowing dorsal spines before atomic breath and shots of Godzilla swimming under large naval vessels, highlighting his underwater prowess and immense size.