Sandbox:Akio Itagaki
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We've all seen war too.
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— Itagaki to Kenji Noda in the disaster countermeasure meeting room (Godzilla Minus One) |
Akio Itagaki (板垣明夫 is a minor character and an employee & engineer of Itagaki Akio)Toyo Balloon in the 2023 Toho Godzilla film Godzilla Minus One.
History
- Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Reiwa era
Godzilla Minus One
Following Godzilla's destructive raid on Tokyo's Ginza district, the Japanese government secured the return of four IJN destroyers as part of a desperate civilian-led plan to destroy the monster in Sagami Bay, dubbed Operation Wada Tsumi. Akio Itagaki was among the citizens who attended the meeting explaining the plan, created by the former naval engineer Kenji Noda. After Noda explained there was a Plan B and told everyone to look into the courtyard, Itagaki opened one of the windows to the courtyard, where his fellow employees were waiting. He gave the signal, and the employees inflated a giant, rectangular orange balloon instantly, amazing the private citizens. Itagaki then introduced himself to everyone as an employee of Toyo Balloon and explained that the balloon was an inflatable flotation device similar to those used in navy aircraft, with CO2 shot into air sacs for buoyancy, like a life preserver. The engineer explained that the balloons would be inflated around Godzilla to rapidly bring him to the surface, destroying him via explosive decompression. Captain Tatsuo Hotta told them that they weren't being forced to participate and would allow them to leave if they wished; while some did leave, most stayed, including Itagaki and his coworkers.
At a dock near Sagami Bay, the four destroyers were prepared for the operation. Itagaki and his coworkers worked to prepare Yukikaze, with the Toyo Balloon inflatable flotation devices attached to the Freon canisters that would be deployed from Yukikaze's stern.
When Godzilla was located by radiation-detecting buoys, Itagaki and the other private citizens held an emergency meeting. Noda asked Itagaki if his devices would be ready by then. Itagaki insisted on taking him and his coworkers aboard Yukikaze to make sure the plan went perfectly. Noda didn't want them to be caught in the fight, but the Toyo Balloon engineer said they've seen war too. Noda ordered everyone to spend the night with their families.
The morning of the operation, Itagaki and his coworkers boarded Yukikaze along with the other private citizens. Godzilla threw one of the acoustic minesweeper ships ashore, having reached the shore faster than anticipated. Noda ordered the destroyers to set sail anyway, with the task of bringing Godzilla into position now entirely up to Shikishima. The Toyo Balloon employees readied the flotation devices and cables before Godzilla arrived at the target area. Operation Wada Tsumi commenced, with Itagaki and his coworkers watching the Freon canisters deploy off Yukikaze's stern. They were shaken when Godzilla fought against the cable after being sunk 1,500 meters. Godzilla bit through the balloons before they could make him surface, and when Yukikaze and Hibiki tried pulling the monster up themselves, Yukikaze's crane began to buckle. Itagaki yelled at the private citizens and his colleagues to get back right before it collapsed. With the help of dozens of tugboats led by Shiro Mizushima, Godzilla was pulled up and finally surfaced, but was still alive. Itagaki and the others accepted their fates when the monster charged his atomic breath, but were shocked when Shikishima crashed the Shinden into Godzilla's mouth. He and the other private citizens saluted as Godzilla's body crumbled into the ocean. Itagaki and everyone else returned to port to a jubilant crowd waiting.
Books
Gallery
Screenshots
Godzilla Minus One
"I'm Itagaki of Toyo Balloon."
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