Actor Seth Green, introducing a New York Comic Con panel for “Godzilla Minus Zero,” praised the upcoming installment as the 39th entry in the franchise. Green emphasized that the creative team behind the film has crafted kaiju that feel both physically tangible and emotionally frightening.
While much of the creature’s visual impact is attributed to Oscar-winning visual effects artist Tatsuji Nojima, the terrifying audio profiles belong to sound designer Natsuko Inoue and her crew. To achieve authentic vocalizations for Godzilla and his three-headed adversary King Ghidorah, the team transported speakers to the summit of an outdoor dam, a method that inadvertently scared local bystanders.
“There were people having a picnic, maybe people just taking a stroll,” Hisafumi Takeuchi, who also contributed to the film’s sound design, recounted during the panel. He noted that individuals walking their dogs experienced the most distress, as the canines barked back at the noise.
Inoue admitted she was initially uncertain if recording at such a location would yield results. However, the experiment proved successful. “The first time we sent that roar out on the speakers, I could see the relief and confidence in everyone’s eyes,” Inoue said. “By using speakers and projecting it into the real world, capturing the reverb, the echo, the reflection of the sound back with the mic, it manifests it in our world.”
For other sonic elements, the production opted for analog foley techniques. To mimic the flapping of Ghidorah’s dragon-like wings, the team flapped a rubber fisherman’s suit and layered the audio with the sounds of an accordion-style air duct.
Accurately portraying two of Toho’s most iconic monsters presents a significant challenge, particularly following the global success of “Godzilla Minus One.” That 2023 predecessor earned $114 million worldwide, blending post-World War II bleakness with intense kaiju destruction.
A new trailer debuted at the NYCC panel suggests the sequel will feature aerial dogfights and a climactic battle between Godzilla and Ghidorah, raising the stakes for the next chapter in the franchise.
Thirty-ninth entry and they still managed to make something fresh? Impressive. Can’t wait to hear the final mix.
This sounds far more grounded than recent CGI-heavy entries. I love that they’re focusing on tangible, physical sound design for the monsters.
Using outdoor reverb is brilliant, but scaring locals into a panic sounds like a PR nightmare for the studio, doesn’t it?
The idea of flapping a rubber fisherman’s suit to create Ghidorah’s wings is hilarious yet strangely genius. Analog Foley never disappoints.
I can’t imagine my dog barking at a dam. That poor animal must have been terrified by those monstrous roars echoing around!