Godzilla R (Japanese: ゴジラR, Hepburn: Gojira R) is a 2007 Japanese sci-fi Kaiju action film directed by Ayata Nagasaki, written by Ryuuki Ishiguro and Itsuki Mikami, and produced by Toho Studios and Anata-kun Productions. It is the 30th film in the Godzilla franchise, and the first and only entry in the Reiwa 1 era. It stars Gaku Ueda, Tatsumi Mizuta, Mayumi Imanishi, Toshiya Fujiki, and Mei Nozaki with Kaiki Nakazawa. It takes place in a new continuity, ignoring everything except the 1954 film, where a modern-day Japan must prevent an obsolete Godzilla from gaining world-ending power, while an artificial kaiju known as Hekai poses as a secondary threat to the world, seeking the death of all life.
In 2005, Toho approached director Ayata Nagasaki to direct Godzilla R, whose screenplay had been finished by both Ishiguro and Mikami and green-lit the previous year. Along with that, Anata-kun Productions joined the project weeks later, creating set designs and casting actors. Special effects and photography expert Hasegawa Cho was recruited as Director of Photography. Motion-capture CGi were used for both Kaiju, although some shots used 30-feet animatronic puppets. Development ended in early May, and post-production finished around mid-September.
Godzilla R was released theatrically in Japan on October 23, 2007, grossing $1.3 billion in its 2 months. The film was given mixed reviews, with critics and audience praising it for its action, concept, music, themes, and plot, but it was criticized for its characters and dialogue. It was followed by Godzilla (2014).
Plot[]
A fleet of cargo ships are attacked by a mysterious under-sea creature. One of the survivors, in a hospital, describes a terrifying, enormous beast before eventually succumbing from his injuries. The survivor's grandson, Haru, decides to investigate, while also regaining his former interest of monsters. In need of help, he visits his girlfriend, Hanako, who invites him to her sister's graduation ceremony. The two continue their studies, but are interrupted by the arrival of Sayuri, Hanako's sister.
Meanwhile, government agents Saiki and Tajima form an investigation on a trail of large footprints located on Tsuya Island. One of their team members, Morioka, finds out that the footprints are from the last survivor of an ancient species called "Gojira." However, his partners are unconvinced by his findings due to the death of the last Gojira in 1954. Suddenly, a loud roar is heard in the distance, leaving the people in panic.