Oscars 2024: ‘Godzilla: Minus One’ makes history with first Oscar win for beloved kaiju

‘Godzilla: Minus One’ has etched its name into the annals of history by winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima pose with the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for Godzilla Minus One | Photo Credit: Carlos Barria

In a monstrous victory, Godzilla: Minus One roared its way to an Oscar triumph, nabbing the award for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards.

Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, this gripping cinematic masterpiece stunned audiences worldwide with its spellbinding portrayal of post-war Japan grappling with the emergence of Godzilla.

Godzilla: Minus One surpassed stiff competition from Hollywood juggernauts like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One to secure its place as a trailblazer in the realm of visual effects.

Its victory not only marks a significant milestone for the Godzilla franchise, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, but also represents a watershed moment for Japanese cinema as the first-ever Japanese-made film to win the Visual Effects trophy.

The film’s groundbreaking visual effects not only dazzled viewers but also shattered the long-standing tradition of Western dominance in the category, marking a seismic shift in the cinematic landscape.

The TOHO blockbuster shattered box office records, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film in the U.S. Most recently, the film also swept the Japanese Academy Awards, winning in eight categories including Best Picture.