Salutations, readers! Happy Godzilla Day!
Well, we finally made it. Even as we speak, Godzilla is ringing in his 70th birthday in style, and fans around the world are joining the festivities with movie marathons, merch purchases, and nostalgic remembrances of their favorite moments from the Big G’s career. Every November 3rd is a special day for G-Fans, but it’s always extra special when a big, satisfying round number is involved. And make no mistake: 70 is a big number and a big deal! I hope you get the chance to celebrate this awesome day in whatever way makes you the happiest, and that you’re reminded of just how important this incredible character is to you and your life.
For the past seven weeks, the GNP has been celebrating with new chapter drops, which (as of today) now cover seven books, each of them an anniversary celebration in their own right! We continued the story of the classic 1954 original, kicked off the novelization of 1964’s Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, gave 1974’s Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla a long-overdue update, started 1984’s The Return of Godzilla, added to 1994’s Godzilla vs, Spacegodzilla, and launched the beginning of the “end” with 2004’s Godzilla: Final Wars.
So, that leaves the big question: what’s left? What new Godzilla adaptation would be perfect to launch on Godzilla Day itself?
I think you’ll agree there was only one answer to that question…
(And yes, I know the title of the update gave it away, but what can I say? A little dramatic flourish never hurt anyone!)
That said, I’m thrilled to officially announce that – in celebration of Godzilla’s 70th anniversary – the GNP has launched its novelization of the 2023 masterpiece Godzilla Minus One!
Yep, if ever there was a Godzilla adaptation worth seven entire weeks of buildup, this is it!
You don’t need me to tell you that Minus One has been a phenomenon since its release exactly one year ago, during which time it has become everything from a money maker to an Oscar winner. The film has done so much for the franchise as a whole, giving it a level of prestige and reevaluation not seen since the mid-2000s, when the original 1954 film was finally reappraised in the west and hailed as the masterpiece that it always was. Minus One is that rare mixture of important, highly acclaimed, appealing to the masses, and genuinely, deeply good; a film that thrills, inspires, moves, and reminds you that being alive is a gift that should never be squandered.
It’s my sincere hope that the GNP’s new prose adaptation can honor the tone, the intent, and the power of Takashi Yamazaki’s remarkable film. Even having the chance to attempt such an adaptation is a privilege, and preserving the elements that make it so special will be both an incredible challenge and a thrilling journey as a writer.
I hope you stick around to enjoy the ride with me, because its going to be a wild one. And very, very fun!
Chapter 1 is now live here on the website, and you can read it right here.
Feel free to leave feedback on the book’s Table of Contents page, via social media, or through email to let me know what you thought, and – if you’re so inclined – share the link around with other Godzilla fans so they can check it out, too.
(Also, as a side note, the opening quote for the novelization was pulled from an absolutely remarkable source: the 1945 Project, an incredible and heartbreaking collection of testimonials from hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) who witnessed and lived through the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The stories of these remarkable men and women truly contextualize the nightmare of the bombings in a way few other sources have, and if you’re at all interested in exposing yourself to the this pivotal moment in history, I highly recommend seeing the project for yourself. You can visit the website here and see a story about the endeavor here.)
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And with that, the last seven weeks of new content have come to a close. I hope you all enjoyed the new stuff, and I hope you had fun on this crazy journey. It’s been a blast writing, sharing, and seeing the responses to each new chapter as they’ve gone live. Big projects like this don’t happen without readers to tune in and show their support, and the fact that so many of you did just that means the absolute world to me. You helped make this 70th-anniversary celebration so incredibly special, and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I’ll be back soon with more chapters, more updates, and more fun… just as soon as my typing hands recover from seven weeks straight of writing. (Yikes!)
Until then, happy Godzilla Day to you all, and to all, a good night!
-Daniel
The Godzilla Novelization Project 