Following the success of his film Godzilla Minus One and his Oscar win for Best Visual Effects, Takashi Yamazaki has reportedly found his next project. Godzilla Minus One was a triumphant return to form for the iconic Kaiju franchise as the rampaging monster returned to its origins in post-World War II Japan. Undeniably considered the best Godzilla film of the year, it solidified Yamazaki’s status in the industry. Besides directing the film, he also served as a writer and visual artist. The news of Yamazaki’s new project is worth the anticipation, as it will be a chance for the fans to once again enjoy the filmmaker’s artistry on screen.`
What can Godzilla Minus One Director Takashi Yamazaki’s next film be about?
The news about Takashi Yamazaki’s new project came from industry veteran Toshio Okada, an anime producer and film lecturer. He posted a video on his YouTube channel, believing he knew Yamazaki’s next movie. While discussing the impact and legacy of Godzilla Minus One, the anime veteran and founder of Gainax Studios estimated that Yamazaki’s next film will be an adaptation of the harrowing manga series Barefoot Gen.
Yamazaki himself has previously teased about his next project. Speaking to Collider earlier this year, the filmmaker shared that his next film is currently in development and that it won’t be a sequel to Godzilla Minus One, although he kept tight-lipped about what the project will be. So far, Yamazaki has not commented on Okada’s statement, so the news remains in the realm of speculation.
Takashi Yamazaki, considered a leading figure in the Japanese film industry, has no official directorial projects following Godzilla Minus One. However, considering Minus One’s captivating portrait of post-war Japan, Barefoot Gen feels like a natural fit for the VFX artist turned director.
Barefoot Gen is a Japanese historical manga series by Keiji Nakazawa, loosely based on cartoonist Keiji Nakazawa’s experiences as a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. The series begins in 1945 in and around Hiroshima, Japan, where six-year-old Gen Nakaoka lives with his family. After Hiroshima is destroyed by the bombing, Gen and other survivors deal with the aftermath. The official synopsis reads:
“This harrowing story of Hiroshima was one of the original Japanese manga series. New and unabridged, this is an all-new translation of the author’s first-person experiences of Hiroshima and its aftermath, is a reminder of the suffering war brings to innocent people. Its emotions and experiences speak to children and adults everywhere. Volume one of this ten-part series details the events leading up to and immediately following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.”
Yamazaki seems a perfect fit to helm this adaptation because the premise shares obvious thematic, cultural, and historical parallels with Yamazaki’s work on Godzilla, which represents post-war nuclear fear.
