FAQ

The film would earn around 80 million dollars in Japan, making over five times it's original budget. It also surpassed the Japanese box-office of every single American Godzilla film combined. It was the highest grossing live-action Japanese film and second highest overall that year. When adjusting for inflation it is the fifth most successful film of the franchise. It is the most successful Godzilla film since the golden age of the 1960s.

The Godzilla series had been dormant for the past decade and was losing cultural relevance in Japan. When this film was released it became a box office hit and received near unanimous praise from Japanese critics. Japan's oldest and most prestigious film magazine, Kinema Junpo, placed it on their top 10 best films of the year, the first time a Godzilla film made it onto the list. It also received ten nominations for the Japanese Academy Prize, winning best picture. This was the first time a Godzilla film was recognized for anything other than a technical award. It also won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Film as well as the Blue Ribbon Award for best picture. The script, director, and actors were also nominated. Cultural differences meant that the film did not receive the same praise by western critics, but the consensus was mostly positive. It was viewed as a revitalization of the franchise that restored the series to its allegorical origins.

Most fans are probably aware that Anno was greatly inspired by the original Godzilla film, both in tone and approach. However, another film which had enormous influence was Kihachi Okamoto's "Japan's Longest Day". Both Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi cited this film as influence. Okamoto's film makes heavy use of text as well as rapid pacing. Anno has cited Okamoto as his favorite film director who's work has influenced him the most.

The character of Goro Maki was portrayed by film director Kihachi Okamoto, who is also Hideaki Anno's favorite film director.