Toho Steps Out Into the World With New Confidence

Above, Toho Studios in the Setagaya section of Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two years ago, Godzilla Minus One won an Academy Award for Special Effects, the first Japanese movie to accomplish this.

Toho Co., Ltd. is hoping that lightning will strike twice as they are pushing for another Academy Award. They are doing so with new confidence this time. 

According to Nikkei Asia:

TOKYO -- The COVID pandemic may be long over but Americans have yet to resume going to the movies nearly as often as they used to. Could a three-hour, subtitled, behind-the-scenes drama about the careers of two Kabuki actors turn things around?

Hiroyasu Matsuoka thinks it is worth a shot. Toho, the Japanese entertainment and real estate company he heads, put on a week of showings of "Kokuho," Japan's most popular local live-action movie in decades, in Los Angeles and New York in November ahead of a planned general release next month that is to reach at least 100 screens across North America.

Virtually every one of the November screenings sold out. Actor Tom Cruise kicked off one Los Angeles showing by telling the audience, "This is a very, very special movie, and one that you must see on the big screen."

Next week, Matsuoka and Toho will learn whether "Kokuho," Japan's official nominee, has been shortlisted for the Academy Award for best international feature film. Two years ago, he and the company celebrated "Godzilla Minus One" becoming the first Japanese movie to win the Oscar for best visual effects.

To read more, go here. 

"Godzilla Minus One" Nearly Missed Its Shot At An Oscar

Above, the Godzilla statue at the main entrance to Toho Studios outside of Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Here's something interesting.

Toho Co., Ltd. President Hiroyasu Matsuoka did not want to submit Godzilla Minus One for Academy Awards consideration for special effects at first.

He later changed his mind when he learned about something of the nomination process. He's now glad he changed his mind.

Comicbook.com posted an article about this tidbit.

It begins with:

It may have taken 70 years, but at last, Godzilla has taken on the Academy Awards and won. Over the weekend, fans watched as Godzilla Minus One took home a well-deserved Oscar for Best Visual Effects. The award marks a first for the Godzilla IP as the kaiju has never been honored by The Academy Awards before. And in a recent interview, the president of Toho Company admits he almost kept Godzilla Minus One from the awards entirely.

The confession comes from Nikkei as Hiroyasu Matsuoka sat down to chat about Godzilla Minus One. It was there the president of Toho Company admitted he did not want to even submit the movie for nomination to the Oscars.

"Let's not enter a nomination application for Best Visual Effects, it's just not possible. The cost of visual effects for Godzilla Minus One is an order of magnitude different from that of a Hollywood blockbuster. I didn't think it was even possible," he shared.

To read the full article, go here.