The Science Behind Godzilla Standing in the Middle of the Ocean Explained

With enormous critical and financial success, ‘Godzilla Minus One’ emerged as one of 2023's biggest cinematic surprises.  The movie made nearly $115 million worldwide on a budget of about $10 million.  It even won the 2024 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, making it the first ‘Godzilla’ film to win an Oscar.  Renowned filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg have praised the movie, solidifying its status as a modern monster classic.  It is currently accessible for streaming globally, and its impact keeps expanding.

Nevertheless, despite all of its praise, one question has baffled fans for years, and ‘Godzilla Minus One’ simply stoked their interest again.  Especially in extremely deep depths, how does Godzilla stay upright in the middle of the ocean?  He is depicted in this and other movies as rising out of the sea with no support beneath him.

 While many fans attribute it to the enchantment of the film, others have looked for a more rational reason.  According to one idea, Godzilla stands on seamounts or underwater ridges, even though the movie depicts him with nothing below.  According to a different idea, Godzilla's enormous body functions similarly to a boat, using water displacement to keep it upright.

Image Courtesy: YouTube

The explanation offered by ‘Godzilla Minus One’ itself is the most compelling.  According to a pivotal scene, Godzilla can control his position in the water because he is naturally buoyant, perhaps due to internal biological elements like a swim bladder.  This, along with the slow, subterranean leg movements that are briefly depicted in the movie, may account for his seemingly unachievable posture.

 The movie gives enough clues to imply that Godzilla's ability to stand in deep ocean waters is a combination of special biology and artistic imagination, even though some fans still gravitate toward whimsical hypotheses.

–Farheen Ali