Shinseimaru
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The Shinseimaru (新生丸 Shinseimaru, lit. "Rebirth") is a fictional wooden-hull minesweeper that appeared in the 2023 film Godzilla Minus One, captained by Seiji Akitsu and crewed by Kenji Noda, Shiro Mizushima, and Koichi Shikishima. After World War II, the Shinseimaru was deployed alongside the Kaishinmaru to search for and destroy sea mines in Japanese waters.
Development
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Director Takashi Yamazaki's inspiration for the Shinseimaru was the ship in Hayao Miyazaki's "The Poorest Front", an illustrated story about a Japanese fishing boat conscripted by the IJN during World War II.[2] Producer Go Abe and line producer Hirofumi Sakurai of ROBOT did location scouting all across Japan for a boat to use as the base for the Shinseimaru and for locations to film at sea.[3] It was difficult to find one that gave "a Showa-era feel" according to Abe. The farthest Sakurai traveled was to the Goto Islands in Nagasaki, and he finally found a boat in Nagoya through a dealer of second-hand boats.[4] It was a former fishing boat called the Hiroeimaru, with the base made of FRP and edges made of wood. It was taken to a shipyard on the Shima Peninsula, where the top half was removed and the hull and engine were kept intact so it could still function. The ship was then brought to TOHO Studios to add the wooden decorations.[3][2] The entire area around the studio was blocked off from midnight, and it took several hours to bring it inside.[3]It was barely big enough to fit on the premises and almost crashed into a nearby building. Since most of the ship was made of FRP, it was repainted to resemble wood. Many parts such as the machine gun were made of iron. Filming at sea was dangerous, so bars were installed for the cast and crew to grab onto in case of an emergency.[2] After being painted to an extent, it was disassembled because it was too tall for transport and taken to Lake Hamana, where it was reassembled by the shipyard there, fully painted, floated, and tested.[3] Kobe Kiyomitsu Co. managed the data measurement of the ship by laser scanning it.[5]
Filming took place in May 2022 over the course of about two weeks in Lake Hamana and the open ocean. The scene where the Shinseimaru is docked was filmed at Higashihazu Port.[3] It took a month to finish the Shinseimaru, but production ran into issues such as the ship leaning slightly, the engine's mounting position being offset, the platform specially made for it not fitting, and it almost sinking after being floated. The ship was drained of seawater, waterproofed with FRP, and had counterweights put on one side.[2] Even then, it was still sinking on set, and multiple staff and cast members suffered from seasickness and vomiting.[3][2] Yamazaki later stated, "We had been warned that filming on the ocean would be difficult, but it far exceeded our expectations."[6]
History
- Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Reiwa era
Godzilla Minus One
In March 1946, Koichi Shikishima secured a government-approved job detonating sea mines in the Pacific. At the dock, Shikishima was startled to see that the "special boat made to evade mines" was a small wooden boat. Captain Seiji Akitsu came out of the ship's cabin and greeted the new crewman. Kenji Noda, a former naval weapons engineer, explained to Shikishima that the U.S. and Imperial navies laid 60,000 mines around Japan, with the worst being the American magnetic mines. Any boat made of metal would set those mines off, hence the Shinseimaru's wooden hull. Akitsu explained that the Shinseimaru, paired with minesweeper Kaishinmaru, clips mine wires with a cable cutter suspended between the two boats. The mines rise from the seabed "like balloons on strings" and are then detonated with the ship's machine gun. Akitsu attempted to demonstrate the detonation of a mine, but failed to hit it. Shikishima gave the gun a try, explaining that it was best to estimate the mine's position accounting for movement. After a few seconds, Shikishima successfully shot and destroyed the mine. Over the next year, the crew of the Shinseimaru and Kaishinmaru continued disposing of sea mines.
In May 1947, the Shinseimaru and Kaishinmaru were deployed near the Ogasawara Islands, where they found a capsized American Liberty ship. The two boats were tasked with delaying Godzilla's advance towards Japan until the cruiser Takao could arrive from Singapore, having been returned to Japan to respond to the crisis. Their orders suggested they use the mines that they recovered as weapons and forbade them from telling anyone else about the mission.
Later, dozens of deep-sea fish floated to the surface next to the Shinseimaru. Shikishima rang the bell of the minesweeper, warning of Godzilla's imminent approach. Shikishima and Noda urged Akitsu to flee, but he was determined to face the monster, not wanting to see Tokyo destroyed again. Suddenly, Godzilla grabbed Kaishinmaru from below and dragged it beneath the waves, shocking the crew of the Shinseimaru. Akitsu changed his decision immediately and pushed the engine throttle forward, but the engine gave out. Noda started repairing it as Godzilla swam towards them. Noda ordered them to full throttle, and the minesweeper began moving at last. Godzilla swam dangerously close and began following the minesweeper. Akitsu ordered them to drop their mines; the first lodged between Godzilla's spines and was detonated, but only provoked and angered the monster as it raised its head above the surface. Shikishima manned the machine gun and fired at Godzilla's head, but to no effect. While Godzilla continued chasing the boat, Noda decided to try detonating a mine inside his mouth, and together he and Mizushima dropped the second mine into the water. The mine floated into Godzilla's mouth, but when Mizushima tried activating the switch, it didn't go off. Shikishima yelled at his crew members to get down as he fired the gun into Godzilla's mouth. After a few seconds, the mine exploded tremendously, destroying the stern of the Shinseimaru. Godzilla regenerated his injury quickly and rose up. Before Godzilla could destroy the boat, the guns of the Takao fired on him and momentarily incapacitated him. Godzilla turned his attention toward the Takao, destroying the heavy cruiser with his atomic breath as the Shinseimaru's crew watched helplessly. Shikishima, who had injured his head during the second mine detonation, lost consciousness soon after, and did not revive until after the crew was airlifted back to the mainland.
Capabilities
Machine gun
The Shinseimaru is armed with a single Type 93 13mm heavy machine gun for detonating surfaced mines, with Koichi Shikishima proving himself especially effective in hitting the bobbing targets. Its bullets had no effect on Godzilla, but detonating a mine inside of his jaw succeeded in momentarily incapacitating him.
Wooden hull
The Shinseimaru's hull is made out of wood to render it immune to American magnetic mines.
Speed
The Shinseimaru's top speed of 18.52 km/h (11.5 mph) allowed it to keep ahead of Godzilla during an extended chase.
Video games
- Godzilla Battle Line (2021; added in 2024) - Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows [environmental asset]
Books
- Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Gallery
Production
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The unfinished Shinseimaru prop being brought into TOHO Studios -
The completed Shinseimaru prop -
The Shinseimaru being 3D-scanned -
The 3D scan of the Shinseimaru -
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The Shinseimaru out at sea -
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The interior of the Shinseimaru -
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Director Takashi Yamazaki with the Shinseimaru -
The Shinseimaru modified into Kuroshio 12 -
Screenshots
Godzilla Minus One
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Shinseimaru and Kaishinmaru in front of a Liberty ship -
Godzilla chasing the minesweeper -
Shikishima opening fire on Godzilla
Promotional stills
Video games
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The Shinseimaru in Godzilla Battle Line
Merchandise
Toys
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Yamashita Hobby 1/150 Shinseimaru papercraft wooden kit -
AIR TWOKYO Godzilla Minus One rubber figure set
Clothing
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Cospa Shinseimaru t-shirt -
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AIR TWOKYO Shinseimaru t-shirt -
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AIR TWOKYO Shinseimaru sweater
Miscellaneous
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AIR TWOKYO Godzilla Minus One liquid keyholder -
AIR TWOKYO Godzilla stickers (Shinseimaru bottom left) -
Godzilla Card Game Shinseimaru card
Trivia
- The patrol boat Kuroshio 12 that reports Godzilla's return before Operation Wada Tsumi is the same boat model as the Shinseimaru and Kaishinmaru, painted gray with the gun and layout rearranged.
- In a Q & A post on Twitter, when asked if the crews of the Shinseimaru and Kaishinmaru were on friendly terms, Takashi Yamazaki answered that they would've went out for drinks after minesweeping. He also stated that maybe after Godzilla was defeated, the crew "deeply lamented the loss of the Kaishinmaru."[7]
- In an interview with IGN, Takashi Yamazaki was asked if Steven Spielberg's Jaws inspired his writing or directing of Godzilla Minus One, especially during the ocean and minesweeper sequences. Yamazaki replied, "There's definitely influence... It probably comes out in a very subconscious way at this point."[8]
References
This is a list of references for Shinseimaru. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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Bibliography
- The Record of G-1.0. TOHO Visual Entertainment. 31 May 2024.
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