Shin Godzilla Ending Explained, Plot, Cast, Trailer, and More
by Janani | Updated Jul 13, 2023
Shin Godzilla
"Shin Godzilla" is a 2016 Japanese kaiju film directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi. The screenplay was written by Anno, and the visual effects were handled by Higuchi. Produced by Toho Pictures and Cine Bazar, and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd., it is the 31st film in the Godzilla franchise. This film is also the 29th film produced by Toho and serves as their third reboot of the franchise.
It marks the beginning of the Reiwa era for the Godzilla franchise. Additionally, "Shin Godzilla" is the first film in Anno's Shin Japan Heroes Universe, followed by "Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time" (2021), "Shin Ultraman" (2022), and "Shin Kamen Rider" (2023). The main cast includes Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, and Satomi Ishihara.
The story revolves around politicians grappling with bureaucratic obstacles as they try to respond to the sudden appearance of a gigantic monster that undergoes evolutionary changes whenever it is attacked. The film draws inspiration from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
"Shin Godzilla" was released in theaters on July 29, 2016, receiving critical acclaim from Japanese reviewers and mixed reviews from Western critics. It achieved significant box office success, grossing $78 million worldwide.
Shin Godzilla Ending Explained
The conclusion of "Shin Godzilla" leaves the audience with a sense of uncertainty. Although Godzilla has been temporarily immobilized thanks to the heroic efforts of the Japanese people, there is an underlying fear that it could awaken again at any moment.
As the previous generation of politicians has perished, a new wave of leaders emerges to govern Japan. While the United States has called off its planned nuclear strike, they remain prepared to act if Godzilla were to revive.
This precarious situation holds the potential for various disastrous outcomes. Strife between Japan and its neighboring countries is a looming possibility. The resurgence of Godzilla or even the escalation into a global nuclear war are all conceivable risks.
Amidst this uncertainty, the only undeniable reality is that Japan must come to terms with the presence of the creature's lifeless body. Removal or defeat seems impossible for the foreseeable future, leaving Japan with no alternative but to coexist with the remains of the entity that nearly brought them to ruin.
Shin Godzilla Netflix
No, Shin Godzilla is not available on Netflix. You can watch Shin Godzilla on Prime Video, Vudu, or Apple TV on your Roku device. Here are the steps to log in to Prime Video.
Shin Godzilla Cast
Here is the list of cast and character names of the movie Shin Godzilla.
Cast
Character
Hiroki Hasegawa
Rando Yaguchi
Satomi Ishihara
Kayoko Ann Patterson
Yutaka Takenouchi
Hideki Akasaka
Mikako Ichikawa
Hiromi Ogashira
Ren Osugi
Prime Minister Seiji Okochi
Akira Emoto
Ryuta Azuma
Isshin Inudo
Ancient Organism Scholar
Takahiro Miura
Journalist #1
Issei Takahashi
N/A
Takumi Saitoh
Ikeda
Keisuke Koide
Fire Brigade Chief
Suzuki Matsuo
Journalist
Satoru Matsuo
N/A
Akira Ogata
Marine Biologist
Kengo Kora
Yusuke Shimura
Arata Furuta
National Police Agency Commissioner
Ken Mitsuishi
Kozuka
Moro Morooka
Criminal Investigation Bureau
Tarô Suwa
Chief of Disaster Prevention Division
Jun Kunimura
Masao Zaizen
Kimiko Yo
Reiko Hanamori
Kreva
N/A
Tetsu Watanabe
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
Kazuo Hara
Biologist
Ikuji Nakamura
Minister of State for Special Missions
Shingo Tsurumi
Yajima
Yu Kamio
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Atsuko Maeda
Refugee
Shinya Tsukamoto
Biologist #1
Jun Hashimoto
N/A
Tezuka Toru
Minister of Education
Kanji Tsuda
Bureaucrat of Ministry of Health
Sei Hiraizumi
Minister of Agriculture
Pierre Taki
Saigo
Kyusaku Shimada
Katayama
Nomaguchi Toru
Bureaucrat of Ministry of Economy
Kenichi Yajima
Minister of Land
Akira Hamada
Minister
Daisuke Kuroda
Nuclear Regulation Authority
Kosei Kato
National Police Agency Personnel
Mansai Nomura
Godzilla
Takashi Fujiki
Tokyo Lieutenant Governor
Yôta Kawase
N/A
Shota Taniguchi
Taiji Sodehara
Hairi Katagiri
Official Residence Employee
Ren Mori
Refugee
Masayuki Shida
N/A
Charles Glover
Ambassador Lansing
Mafia Kajita
N/A
Kihachi Okamoto
Shin Godzilla Plot
When an abandoned yacht in Tokyo Bay leads to the destruction of a Japan Coast Guard boat and the flooding of the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Rando Yaguchi becomes convinced that a living creature is responsible.
News reports confirm the creature's existence as its tail emerges from the ocean. It proceeds to move inland, causing widespread death and destruction during an insufficient evacuation. The creature evolves into a bipedal form but eventually overheats and returns to the sea.
Government officials focus on military strategy and civilian safety, appointing Yaguchi to lead a task force studying the creature. High radiation readings along its path indicate that the creature is energized by nuclear fission.
The United States sends a special envoy, Kayoco Anne Patterson, who reveals that Goro Maki, a discredited anti-nuclear zoology professor, had predicted the creature's appearance based on his research on mutations caused by radioactive contamination.
Maki's conclusions were dismissed by American and Japanese scientific communities, and the U.S. prevented him from publicizing his findings. The abandoned yacht in Tokyo Bay belonged to Maki, who left behind his research notes in a coded form.
The creature, later named "Godzilla" after Maki's research, reemerges in a larger, fourth form near Kamakura. Despite the efforts of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Godzilla breaches its defenses and reaches Tokyo. The U.S. intervenes with a devastating air strike plan, leading to the evacuation of civilians and government officials.
Godzilla sustains injuries from MOP "bunker-buster" bombs but retaliates with destructive atomic rays, destroying a helicopter carrying the prime minister and other top officials and causing extensive damage in Tokyo. As Godzilla's energy depletes, it enters a dormant state, becoming immobile.
Yaguchi's team discovers that Godzilla's plates and blood act as a cooling system, leading them to theorize that a coagulating agent could freeze the creature. Through the analysis of tissue samples, they learn that Godzilla is an ever-evolving creature capable of asexual reproduction.
The United Nations informs Japan that thermonuclear weapons will be deployed against Godzilla if the country fails to subdue it within a few days, resulting in evacuations in multiple prefectures. Determined to avoid another nuclear catastrophe, Patterson leverages her political connections to buy time for Yaguchi's team, which the interim government doubts.
With the help of international support, Yaguchi's team deciphers Maki's encoded research using origami and adjusts their plan accordingly. They obtain the necessary resources to enact a deep freeze plan. Just hours before the scheduled nuclear attack, Japan implements the deep freeze strategy.
Godzilla is provoked to expend its atomic breath and energy on drones, allowing the team to detonate nearby buildings and direct trains toward the creature's feet. This subdues Godzilla, enabling tankers filled with a coagulant to be injected into its mouth. Many lives are lost, but Godzilla is ultimately frozen solid.
In the aftermath, it is discovered that the fallout from Godzilla has a short half-life, and Tokyo can soon begin reconstruction. The international community agrees to cancel the planned nuclear attack on the condition that an immediate thermonuclear strike will be executed if Godzilla reawakens. Notably, humanoid creatures frozen in the process of emerging are observed on Godzilla's tail.
Shin Godzilla Trailer
Shin Godzilla Ending Explained - FAQ
The perception of the climax of a movie from the audience's point of view differs, so it depends on them, whether the ending explained was satisfactory.
The film "Shin Godzilla" was directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi.
The screenplay for "Shin Godzilla" was written by Hideaki Anno.
"Shin Godzilla" is the 31st film in the Godzilla franchise.
"Shin Godzilla" marks the beginning of the Reiwa era for the Godzilla franchise.