The Japanese film Godzilla Minus One has won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards. This marks a number of historic milestones for both the franchise and Japanese cinema.
Godzilla Minus One is the first film in the franchise’s 70-year history to win an Oscar. It’s also the first Japanese-made film to take home the Visual Effects trophy. Director Takashi Yamazaki, who also served as the film’s visual effects supervisor, is the first to receive this particular Oscar since Stanley Kubrick for his work on 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1969.
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The movie, set in post-war Japan, overcame strong competition from films such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Creator. With its win, Godzilla Minus One cements its place as both a critical and commercial success.
Yamazaki expressed his delight at the win, calling it a “great day for Godzilla!” In a statement released after the nominations were announced, he said: “For nearly 40 years I have been making films while admiring the artistry of Hollywood Visual Effects, and I feel that I have finally come this far. I had not set my sights on being nominated, but I am very happy to have been brought to this place.”
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The viral video of the crew’s elated reaction to the nomination further highlighted the significance of the award for Yamazaki and the team.
Elsewhere, Hayao Miyazaki has won his second Oscar for his Japanese animated feature film, The Boy and the Heron.
Read more: Hayao Miyazaki Wins Second Oscar With ‘The Boy and the Heron’
The Japanese anime film, which won “Best Animated Feature Film,” also won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA earlier this year. Miyazaki previously won an Oscar for the Studio Ghibli classic Spirited Away in 2003.
