At the "96th Academy Awards," considered the pinnacle of global film achievement, the Japanese movie "Godzilla-1.0" (directed by Takashi Yamazaki) has been nominated for the "Academy Award for Visual Effects," a first for a Japanese film. The behind-the-scenes "making-of video" that reveals the globally acclaimed VFX production has been released.

The VFX production, led by the production company Shirogumi, was crafted by the team themselves, with narration provided by director Yamazaki. The video delves into how, with a limited budget, the team managed to create VFX that rival those of Hollywood blockbusters. Combining the latest digital technologies with traditional techniques, the video encapsulates the various innovations and efforts that went into the production.

The Academy Award for Visual Effects honors the most outstanding use of visual effects (VFX) in films released that year and is one of the most closely watched categories at the Oscars. Previous winners include cinematic masterpieces such as "Star Wars," "Titanic," and "Avatar."

"Godzilla-1.0" was announced as one of the five nominees for the "Visual Effects Award" on January 23rd. In the long history of the Academy Awards, Stanley Kubrick for "2001: A Space Odyssey" is the only director who has won the "Visual Effects Award." If Yamazaki wins, he will be the second director to do so in 55 years. The director and Shirogumi staff are scheduled to attend the awards ceremony. There is no precedent for a Japanese or Asian film winning the "Visual Effects Award," raising expectations for a historic win.

"Godzilla-1.0" premiered on November 3, 2023, and a monochrome version, "Godzilla-1.0/C" (Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color), was released on January 12th, two months after the original. Over 102 days, it attracted 3.81 million viewers and grossed 5.85 billion yen. Even after 100 days since its release, it continues to draw crowds to theaters nationwide.

In North America, the film was released on December 1st local time and ended its run on February 1st. Over 63 days, it grossed over 56 million dollars, setting a new record for the box office earnings of a live-action Japanese film in North America and ranking first among them. It also ranked third among the highest-grossing foreign-language live-action films in North America. Additionally, "Godzilla" has sparked a sensation worldwide, with the total global box office, including Japan's, exceeding 15.5 billion yen (converted at the current exchange rate).