Wondered how Noriko survived Godzilla's Ginza-levelling atomic breath? Here's how
Last Updated: 08.45 PM, Jun 13, 2024
When Godzilla Minus One had a limited theatrical release late last year, there was a hotly discussed fan theory that has gained traction yet again following the film’s OTT release on Netflix earlier this month. Back then, director Takashi Yamazaki had suggested that the fan theory was in line with what he’s considering as a plot point in an upcoming sequel.
(Spoilers ahead) In Godzilla Minus One, Noriko Oishi is believed to have perished in the aftermath of Godzilla’s nuclear blast that levelled Ginza. Her death propels Koichi Shikishima to volunteer for the potentially sui cidal mission to destroy Godzilla. Moments before his plan to ram his plane and its warheads into Godzilla’s mouth is set in motion, he is made aware that Noriko had survived. Luckily for him, his former kamikaze plane has seat ejection facility and he is able to make good on his promise to end Godzilla, and return safely to his family.
In the subsequent shot of Shikishima and Noriko’s reunion, with the latter barely even having a scratch from the incident, viewers had noted a black mark on her neck. This they said were Godzilla’s regenerative cells that had embedded themselves under her skin, which would mean that the showrunners could be toying with the idea of introducing popular Godzilla foe, Biollante. Director Yamazaki has confirmed that the mark on the neck are Godzilla’s cells, giving credence to the Biollante plotline. The filmmaker is said to be averse to monster vs monster tales and prefers human drama at the forefront, but a sequel is unlikely to be about the giant reptile levelling Japan yet again.
Biolante, meanwhile, is a hybrid kaiju that was created by a scientist who spliced together G-cells with a rosebud and cells from his deceased daughter. The resultant flower monster had the daughter’s consciousness. Noriko, say fans, will likely become Biollante, making it the monster’s second onscreen outing only