Godzilla has defeated giant spiders, giant lobsters, giant robots, giant dinosaurs, giant space dragons, giant plant monsters, giant beetles, and of course, giant monkeys. But recently, the King of the Monsters conquered a foe that many thought him incapable of taking on: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

With “Godzilla Minus One,” Toho’s iconic kaiju (or giant monster) franchise “Godzilla” earned its first Academy Award, receiving the Oscar for Best Visual Effects after wowing audiences with its impressive CGI re-creation of cinema’s most iconic movie monster. It became the first Japanese production to win the award, bookending a successful season for the film, which broke through in America in a major way. After years of the franchise’s Japanese films reaching relatively niche U.S. audiences, “Godzilla Minus One” grossed $110 million worldwide and attracted critical acclaim, bringing the franchise new fans and newfound recognition.

“Godzilla Minus One...