Akio Itagaki

Akio Itagaki Species Human Nationality Japanese Affiliation Toyo Balloon Occupation Toyo Balloon employee/engineer Allies Kenji Noda, Tatsuo Hotta, Koichi Shikishima Enemies Godzilla First appearance Godzilla Minus One Played by Kisuke Iida

“	We've all seen war too.	„
	— Itagaki to Kenji Noda in the disaster countermeasure meeting room (Godzilla Minus One)

Akio Itagaki (板垣明夫,   Itagaki Akio) is a minor character and an employee and engineer of Toyo Balloon in the 2023 Toho Godzilla film Godzilla Minus One.

History

• Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Reiwa era

Godzilla Minus One

Following Godzilla's destructive raid on Tokyo's Ginza district, the Japanese government secured the return of four IJN destroyers as part of a desperate civilian-led plan to destroy the monster in Sagami Bay, dubbed Operation Wada Tsumi. Akio Itagaki was among the citizens who attended the meeting explaining the plan, created by the former naval engineer Kenji Noda. After Noda explained there was a Plan B and told everyone to look into the courtyard, Itagaki opened one of the windows, where his fellow employees were waiting. He gave the signal for them employees inflated a giant, rectangular orange balloon instantly, amazing the private citizens. Itagaki then introduced himself to everyone as an employee of Toyo Balloon and explained that the balloon was an inflatable flotation device similar to those used in navy aircraft, with CO2 shot into air sacs for buoyancy, like a life preserver. The engineer explained that the balloons would be inflated around Godzilla to rapidly bring him to the surface, destroying him via explosive decompression. Captain Tatsuo Hotta told the citizens that they weren't being forced to participate and could to leave if they wished; while some did leave, most stayed, including Itagaki and his coworkers.

At a dock near Sagami Bay, the four destroyers were prepared for the operation. Itagaki and his coworkers worked to prepare Yukikaze, with the Toyo Balloon inflatable flotation devices attached to the Freon canisters that would be deployed from Yukikaze's stern.

When Godzilla was located by radiation-detecting buoys, Itagaki and the other citizens held an emergency meeting. Noda asked Itagaki if his devices would be ready by then. Itagaki insisted on going aboard Yukikaze with his coworkers to make sure the plan went perfectly. Noda didn't want them to be caught in the fight, but the Toyo Balloon engineer reminded him they had seen war too. Noda ordered everyone to spend the night with their families.

The morning of the operation, Itagaki and his coworkers boarded Yukikaze along with the other volunteers. Godzilla threw one of the acoustic minesweeper ships ashore, making landfall faster than anticipated. Noda ordered the destroyers to set sail anyway, with the task of bringing Godzilla into position now entirely up to pilot Koichi Shikishima. The Toyo Balloon employees readied the flotation devices and cables before Godzilla arrived at the target area. Operation Wada Tsumi commenced, with Itagaki and his coworkers watching the Freon canisters deploy off Yukikaze's stern. They were shaken when Godzilla fought against the cable after being sunk 1,500 meters. Godzilla bit through the balloons before they could make him surface, and when Yukikaze and Hibiki tried pulling the monster up themselves, Yukikaze's crane began to buckle. Itagaki yelled at the volunteers and his colleagues to get back right before it collapsed. With the help of dozens of tugboats led by Shiro Mizushima, Godzilla was pulled up and finally surfaced, but was still alive. Itagaki and the others accepted their fates when the monster charged his atomic breath, but were shocked when Shikishima crashed his Shinden into Godzilla's mouth, the explosives inside detonating. He and the others saluted as Godzilla's body crumbled into the ocean. Itagaki and everyone else returned to port to a jubilant crowd waiting.

Books

• Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Gallery

Screenshots

Godzilla Minus One

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  Akio Itagaki at the private citizens meeting (bottom right)
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  Itagaki gives the signal
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  "I'm Itagaki of Toyo Balloon."
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  "When Godzilla hits the bottom..."
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  "...we quickly raise it back up to the surface."
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  Itagaki and the private citizens in the emergency meeting room
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  "Take us with you. The final three hours will be critical. We want it to be perfect."
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  "We've all seen war too."
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  Itagaki and the private citizens returning to port

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