Godzilla Minus One: How the Black mark on Noriko's neck could lead to a sequel

Godzilla Minus One, directed by Takashi Yamazaki, was one of the most popular foreign films of 2023. It was a commercial blockbuster as well as a critical darling, a rare feat for any film.

At the end of Godzilla Minus One, it's revealed that Nariko miraculously survived Godzilla's deadly atomic blast. Nariko's survival wasn't just miraculous but mysterious too, as a black mark appears on her neck. Takashi Yamazaki has confirmed that the mark on Nariko's neck is actually Godzilla's G-cells.

Godzilla Minus One is a film of epic proportions and has thrilling moments of Godzilla's terror and destruction. The story is more grounded and real than any other previous kaiju film. The VFX of the film has been universally praised and even won the award for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards.

Godzilla Minus One premiered on October 18, 2023, and released in Japan on November 3 to celebrate the franchise's 70th anniversary. It was later released by Toho International in North America on December 1, 2023.

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How did Noriko get the black mark in Godzilla Minus One?

Noriko, played by Minami Hamabe (Image via GODZILLA OFFICIAL By TOHO)

The monster starts its terror with a small village by killing a small battalion of the Japanese army, around the last leg of World War II. The rampage escalates with every passing minute and ends with Godzilla leveling the city of Tokyo with a deadly atomic blast.

At the end of Godzilla Minus One, Noriko miraculously survives the destruction of Tokyo, but it's revealed that she has a black bruise up her neck as a chunk of Godzilla's flesh begins regenerating while it sinks into the ocean. The director of the film confirmed that the black mark on Nariko's neck is Godzilla's G-Cells.

The concept of G-Cells first appeared in the 1989 film, Godzilla vs Biollante. These cells have the power to turn someone into a sentient being. Its appearance on Noriko's neck has got fans excited for the direction the franchise might take in the future.

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Godzilla Minus One director has some good ideas for a sequel

Takashi Yamazaki has revealed that there isn't an official confirmation of Godzilla Minus One yet, but he's excited about the future potential of the franchise. Speaking to Empire he said,

“I would certainly like to see what the sequel would look like. I know that Shikishima’s war seems over, and we’ve reached this state of peace and calm, but perhaps it’s the calm before the storm, and the characters have not yet been forgiven for what has been imposed upon them.”

Given the success of Hollywood's Monsterverse, there's a strong chance that the makers might take that direction, and pitch Godzilla against another monster. Hinting towards a monster vs monster film, Yamazaki said:

“I don’t know that anyone has pulled off a more serious tone of kaiju-versus-kaiju with human drama, and that challenge is something that I’d like to explore."

In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Yamazaki talked about his vision for the future installment of Godzilla Minus One.

As the films would be set in a post-war period of the rebuilding phase of Japan, it opens up a possibility for an international cast. However, he also said that being a Japanese film with a smaller budget than Hollywood films, the affordability of an international cast might not be possible.

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Final Thoughts

The lore of Godzilla is more than a mindless fun monster flick for Japanese people. It is more than a cheap thrill.

It's a metaphor for the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagashaki. It's the representation of the felling of Japanese population, as after the shocking end of the World War, the proud nation felt small and helpless.

The dark and realistic tone of Godzilla Minus One was perhaps the most suitable creative choice for this modern retelling. The Oscar winning film deserves to have a sequel, for Yamazaki's incredible vision.