Having a director who also happens to be an incredible VFX supervisor is mostly considered a good thing, especially when it comes to a movie like Godzilla Minus One. After all, it means that the movie gets good VFX and a deep understanding of how this stuff works built straight in to the production of the film. However, there is at least one negative that comes with it: everyone thinks your hard-won practical effects were done digitally.

This frustration came to light during a Q&A following the American premiere of Godzilla Minus One, when a fan asked what issues the creators faced that were unique to this film. Star Kamiki Ryunosuke immediately answered, through an interpreter, that his greatest challenge was "The scene that I had to be in the ocean."

Filming live in, and on, the ocean is grueling business, and to add seawater to the injury, Ryunosuke said that people didn't even think that it was real. After the film's debut in Japan, fans would come up to him and say, "Oh wow. The scenes in the ocean. That was so amazing. They look so real. Very amazing VFX!" to Ryunosuke's great frustration. He exclaimed to the audience with passion, "No! It is real! We were in the ocean in the scene where we were fighting against Godzilla! It is real!"

You'll be able to see these real ocean scenes for yourself when Godzilla Minus One hits theaters on November 29, 2023. Buy tickets on Fandango or Atom Tickets.

Godzilla: How to watch the King of Monster's movies, TV shows and continuities in order.