Shin Godzilla story
Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ, Shin Gojira) is a 2016 Japanese kaiju film directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, with a screenplay by Anno and special effects by Higuchi. Produced by Toho Pictures and Cine Bazar and distributed by Toho, it is the 31st installment in the Godzilla franchise, the 29th Godzilla film produced by Toho, Toho's third reboot of the franchise, and the first film in the franchise's Reiwa period. Synopsis: Politicians struggle with bureaucratic red tape in order to deal with the sudden appearance of a giant monster that evolves whenever it is attacked.
10 total · 7 major · 3 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| bureaucracy | major | The story follows a number of high level politicians as they struggle with bureaucratic red tape in order to deal with the crisis of Godzilla being loose in Tokyo. |
| diplomacy | major | The Japanese government was under diplomatic pressure from the international community to abide by a United Nations approved thermonuclear strike on a mostly evacuated Tokyo as a last ditched effort to kill Godzilla. |
| giant monster | major | The titular Godzilla rampaged across Tokyo. |
| human vs. monster | major | The titular Godzilla rampaged across Tokyo. |
| human vs. natural disaster | major | The viewer is shown what it might be like for a government to have to evacuate a large population in the face of a looming natural disaster. In this case, the Japanese government struggled with red tape to evacuate Tokyo as Godzilla rampaged around the city. The viewer is also shown scenes of traumatized citizens in evacuation centers, etc. |
| leadership | major | Prime Minister Okochi's inept and indecisive leadership in the face of Godzilla's attack on Tokyo was pointedly contrasted with the competent and decisive leadership exhibited by his successor Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Rando Yaguchi. |
| nuclear weapons | major | The Japanese government higher ups were put in a tough spot when the United Nations informed them that the international community would use thermonuclear weapons on Godzilla should the Japanese fail to subdue the creature on their own in a few days. |
| decision making in the face of uncertainty | minor | A highly indecisive Prime Minister Okochi was forced into making a number of difficult decisions in the face of Godzilla's attack on Tokyo. For example, should parts of Tokyo be evacuated at the risk of causing a mass panic in the streets? Or should a military attack on Godzilla be called at the risk of civilian casualties? |
| mass hysteria | minor | A government official recommended against making public that Godzilla was radioactive on account that it could "stroke public fear". |
| the dangers of radioactivity | minor | People were warned to stay clear of the radioactive contamination that Godzilla left in its wake. |