Godzilla Minus Zero's Filmmakers Terrified Bystanders With Their Monster Sounds

Actor Seth Green has experienced Godzilla Minus Zero and enthusiastically describes it as exceptional. During the introduction of the New York Comic Con panel for the 39th installment of the Godzilla franchise, Green emphasized that the filmmakers have succeeded in creating kaiju that appear not only physically real but also profoundly terrifying.

A significant portion of the film's terror can be attributed to the talents of Oscar-winning visual effects artist Tatsuji Nojima; however, the monstrous roars of Godzilla and his three-headed adversary, King Ghidorah, also play a crucial role. These iconic sounds were crafted by sound designer Natsuko Inoue and her team, who utilized speakers placed on top of an outdoor dam, unintentionally alarming local picnickers and dog walkers.

Hisafumi Takeuchi, who contributed to the film's sound design, remarked during the panel, "There were people having a picnic, maybe people just taking a stroll. The person walking their dog, though—they had the worst time because the dog was freaking out and barking back at us."

To establish a believable auditory presence for these fictional creatures, it was imperative to create screams that resonated realistically on screen. Initially, Inoue had reservations about the feasibility of recording at the dam. Those concerns swiftly dissipated once the sound was unleashed.

"The first time we sent that roar out on the speakers, I could see the relief and confidence in everyone's eyes," Inoue explained. "By utilizing speakers and projecting it into the actual world, capturing the reverb, the echo, and the sound reflections through the microphone allows it to manifest in our realm."

In addition to the kaiju roars, Inoue's team employed a traditional foley approach for some sound effects. For instance, to replicate the sound of Ghidorah's wings, they flapped a rubber fisherman's suit and blended that noise with the unique sounds of an accordion-like air duct.

Recreating two of Toho's most iconic monsters represented a formidable challenge, particularly following the success of Zero's predecessor, Godzilla Minus One, which garnered an impressive $114 million globally at the box office. Building on the previous film's gripping narrative, which deftly intertwined post–World War II themes with exhilarating kaiju action, Godzilla Minus Zero promises to deliver a sequel filled with aerial battles and intense confrontations between Godzilla and Ghidorah, as hinted in a new trailer showcased at NYCC.

Continuing in the tradition of its predecessor, Godzilla Minus Zero is helmed by director Takashi Yamazaki and features visual effects from Tatsuji Nojima, who was celebrated by Green as "the first Gen Z Oscar-winner" for his achievements on One.

Nojima embarked on his journey into visual effects as a hobby during his teenage years before joining Shirogumi, an animation studio, as a compositor. Upon observing Nojima's intricate animation of waves, Yamazaki encouraged him to expand on the concept. The budding animator quickly produced a fully rendered scene of ocean water cascading over rocks, which appeared indistinguishable from reality. Following this breakthrough, Nojima recalled Yamazaki's words: "OK, I think you're ready to animate and do VFX for Godzilla now."

During the panel discussion, Nojima detailed the technology behind a shot from the trailer showcasing Godzilla emerging from the ocean while in pursuit of a seaplane. "I simulated 200 million particles to achieve the accurate whitewater effect in Godzilla Minus One," he noted. "For this particular shot in Godzilla Minus Zero, the scale is completely different due to the new IMAX aspect ratio, and because there was no live-action plate, we are working with an extensive amount of CGI. We required 2 billion particles."

Godzilla Minus Zero is scheduled to premiere in US theaters on November 6 and in Japanese theaters on November 3—a date that holds significance as it marks the anniversary of Godzilla's debut in 1954 with Ishirō Honda's original film.