Day of the Kaiju is a 2014 Japanese short movie with political overtones.
The film begins when a giant monster is seemingly killed by the Japan Self-Defense Forces and washes up on a beach in the small town of Hanae. Called in to examine the creature, Professor Hirata and his assistant, Dr. Nagamine, aren't 100% sure that the monster – dubbed "Giant Creature no. 1" – is actually dead. However, pressure from politicians lead to any doubts that it's dead getting suppressed. Needless to say, things don't end well.
Day of the Kaiju can be watched on YouTube with English Subtitles here
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Day of the Kaiju provides examples of:
- Downer Ending: Nagamine's warnings go unheeded, he is discredited, and months later, Giant Creature no. 1 turns out to be Not Quite Dead.
- Ignored Expert: Hirata and Nagamine.
- Kaiju: Giant Creature no. 1 is referred to as such in-universe, to say nothing of the short's name.
- Not Quite Dead: Giant Creature no. 1.
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: The Japanese government is eager to suppress any doubts that Giant Creature no. 1 is dead.
- Shout-Out: Early on, someone compares Giant Creature no. 1 to Godzilla.
- Skewed Priorities: The Japanese government is eager to proclaim that the JSDF was successful in killing Giant Creature no. 1, for fear that other countries will think they are weak.
- Sleazy Politician: The Mayor of Hanae toes the government line about Giant Creature no. 1 being dead because the government's promising him a generous grant to help pay for the cage over it.
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Spiritual Predecessor: To Shin Godzilla, both being serious looks at the political hurdles that would really be involved with dealing with giant lifeforms, and both being sharp allegorical rebukes toward the Japanese government's handling of the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster.
