Live!
The films Godzilla 1954 and Godzilla Minus One have two characters that parallel each other, Dr. Daisuke Serizawa and Kōichi Shikishima.
Dr. Serizawa is a scientist who fought in World War II. He has discovered a new element capable of making a new super weapon, the oxygen destroyer. He believes that his “duty as a scientist– No! as a human being” is to keep his discovery a secret until he can find a use that can benefit humankind. The only other person who knows the secret is his fiancé, Emiko. Emiko, after comforting a little girl who lost her mother during a Godzilla attack, feels compelled to betray Serizawa and tell his secret to her sweetheart Ogata. Ogata confronts Dr. Serizawa, who attempts to destroy his notes. Ogata attempts to stop him and in the fight Ogata is injured. Dr. Serizawa is filled with remorse for injuring a human being, and says if the oxygen destroyer is used even once, then he cannot guarantee that he would never be forced to make more as a weapon. Just then, on the radio a choir of children sing a prayer for the nation. Because of this, Dr. Serizawa agrees to use the oxygen destroyer to kill Godzilla. Dr.Serizawa insists on going alone, in a diving suit, to set up the oxygen destroyer. Ogata refuses to let him go alone. Once the Oxygen Destroyer is activated, Ogata goes back up but Dr.Serizawa remains out of fear. He decides to die with Godzilla in order to protect others.
In Godzilla Minus One, Kōichi Shikishima is a kamikaze pilot who chickened out. He pretends that his plane has a malfunction, and the island where he stops is attacked by Godzillasaurus. His comrades, the mechanics, ask him to use his gun to kill the beast, but again he is too afraid to act. The mechanics themselves open fire and Godzilla kills almost all of them. There are only two survivors, including Shikishima. The other survivor gives him the photographs of the loved ones of the dead mechanics to remind him of his failure. When he returns home, his neighbor says that her children -- who died in the Tokyo fire bombings -- could have been saved, except for cowards like him. He discovers that his parents -- who told him to do everything in his power to come back alive-- are dead as well. He feels great guilt over the fact that he did nothing in the war and all around him is death. In the midst of the rubble he reluctantly takes in Noriko, a woman his age, and Akio, a baby she found. Both of their families also perished in the fire bombings. The three form a makeshift family. But Shikishima,who is filled with guilt, shame, and trauma does not confess his feelings for Noriko. When Godzilla returns, Shikishima tells her everything about his past and he says that he should be dead. She answers that everyone who survived the war is meant to live and tells him to live. He is comforted and thinks that things could move on, but then Godzilla attacks Tokyo and Noriko goes missing and is presumed dead. There’s a plan to defeat the monster. But Shikishima thinks that it’s not enough – in order to protect Akio he must fly a plane into Godzilla‘s mouth. He gets the mechanic to build a plane designed for that purpose, but the mechanic adds an ejector seat and tells him to live. In the end, Godzilla was defeated by Shikishima, who uses the ejector seat to live for his daughter. It is revealed that Noriko is in the hospital.
When Emiko cried for betraying Dr.Serizawa and ruining his work, he attempted to comfort her by telling she didn't have to cry. He told Ogata that he wished them happiness, this shows that Dr. Serizawa still cared deeply for Emiko. But Dr. Serizawa’s choice to end his life had consequences that he did not intend – Emiko never married Ogata because of the guilt she felt. Everyone is shattered over his death, even Ogata sheds tears.
In contrast, Shikishima chose to cling to hope, even though he did not think he deserved it. His perseverance brought healing to his friends and family.
In this life, we will deal with crippling fear, anxiety, and guilt. Do we choose to let our wounds and trauma consume us or do we cling to hope? Do we choose forgiveness and self-care over shame? Will we humble ourselves to get help and be vulnerable, accepting mercy (undeserved kindness) and grace (undeserved favor)? Do we seek community and choose loyalty and friendship even when it’s hard? We each have fears that may become reality, but there are God’s promises which are reality. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) My friends, as Samwise Gangee said, “There is some good in the world Mr. Frodo and it’s worth fighting for.” So Live!
