After Godzilla uses his atomic breath, we see what appears to be scales falling off the creature, and after the attack on Ginza, there is mention of the “rubble” left behind. The theory is that one of the shards hit Noriko, and since we’ve seen that Godzilla has the ability to regenerate wounds, it makes sense that that ability extends to his scales and contact with Noriko could be the reason. survive.
Supporting this theory is a statement by “Godzilla Minus One” director Takashi Yamazaki made at Godzilla Fest in Osaka (via IGN), where he explained that the black marks on Noriko are the result of Godzilla cells, also called G cells.
This is far from the first appearance of G cells. The concept was first introduced in the 1989 film “Godzilla vs. Biollante,” in which a scientist manages to connect some of Godzilla’s cells to his deceased daughter and even a rose, inadvertently creating the kaiju Biollante — one with Godzilla’s characteristics, but with a few plants thrown in for good measure. Although Godzilla defeats Biollante, her cells ultimately fall into a black hole, where they mix with crystalline organisms and energy from exploding stars, ultimately creating SpaceGodzilla, her co-star in the film “Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla” in 1994.
Could the plot of the “Godzilla Minus One” sequel be for Noriko to become a kaiju like Biollante? Stranger things have certainly happened, and the idea of a humanoid kaiju was already part of 2016’s “Shin Godzilla.” The film ends with footage of what appears to be a life-sized Godzilla emerging from the giant tail of the man himself, frozen to death.
