Full Review: X-Plus Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1955 Vinyl Figure Original Release

FIGURE SPECS

​東宝30CMシリーズ
「ゴジラ（1955版） 」

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​JAPAN ORIGINAL RELEASE: 2011

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​RE-ISSUED IN COLOR SET WITH ANGUIRUS: 2011

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​DIAMOND REISSUE: DECEMBER 2014

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BANDAI RE-ISSUE: MAY 2015

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SERIES: TOHO 30CM SERIES

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MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

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FROM: “GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN”, 1955
ゴジラの逆襲

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​HEIGHT: 12 INCHES / 30.4 CM

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​WIDTH: 7.5 INCHES / 19 CM

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​LENGTH: 17.5 INCHES / 44.4 CM

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​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

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The 1955 suit is probably very near the low end of most collectors’ and fans’ favorite design list, including mine. But I don’t regret getting this figure at all. Godzilla Raids Again was the second ever Godzilla film. It was still dark and serious like its predecessor and featured the first ever kaiju battle.

Godzilla 1955 may not be the best-looking Godzilla but I’m glad the X-Plus version is in my collection. It’s a reasonably good likeness (from some angles, at least) and it helps complete my Godzilla lineage on the shelf.

The X-Plus Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1955, 東宝30cmシリーズ 「ゴジラ（1955版） 」, was originally released in 2011 with a monochome paint job to match the black and white film it’s based on. It was re-issued later that year (in color) in a set along with Anguirus 1955.

This figure was re-issued for the North American market through Diamond Distributors in December 2014.

​THE BOX

​The figure comes in a standard X-Plus Toho 30cm Series box: plain, with art on the front. If you are hunting this one down, this is the box you’re looking for. The figure comes in two pieces (main body and tail) twist-tied in a plastic shell.

SCULPT

LIKENESS
If you compare this figure to photos from Godzilla Raids Again you’d probably find quite a few that seem to prove that this figure is off. On the other hand, other photos will reveal freakishly accurate likenesses captured in the sculpt. I might attribute that back-and-forth, yes-and-no to the lanky and loose-fitting suit which could produce many “looks” depending on how the rubber skin fell onto Mr. Nakajima’s frame. So, the accuracy of this sculpt depends on your point of view, or which photos you compare it to.

I’m pleased with it for the most part and attribute any negative feelings toward it to the pose which makes the hips bulge out more. But more on that under the Pose Heading.

HEAD
I want to say that the sculpt of the head looks good, but it’s like I wrote earlier: it depends which photos you look at. I think the front view is especially well done. The 1955 fangs are present and the human-shaped eyes are dead on. The sweeping suit wrinkles that drape from the back of the head and down the neck are captured especially well. My only little complaint is that the ridge on the top of the head is tad larger than it should be.

​The texture all over the body is awesome and un-toylike. It’s tree bark grooves are deep and comes with suit wrinkles on the neck, arms and chest. Just awesome. The 1955 dorsal fins had more texture than most other suits and the X-Plus follows… suit. A potential letdown might be the webbed fingers. Many X-Plus Godzilla figures have individually sculpted fingers, but not, alas, this guy. They clump together after the first knuckle. The good news for accuracy freaks is that it appears the suit was the same way. So, stop complaining! 😛

The bulges and dips of the original suit are faithfully reproduced in the figure. A really nice touch in the sculpt of the legs is the zig-zag fold around both knees. This features looks like sloppy work, but it’s totally accurate and can be easily seen in the movie.

Note: the toes on the right foot of my figure are curled up. While making this review I realized that this is wrong. Both feet should lie flat on the ground. After asking around I realized that this is a one off problem with just my figure and can be easily fixed.

JOINTS & SEAMS

​The only joint is the tail which matches up very well. As for seams, both arms have visible lines below the elbow. The only other lines you’ll find are below the jaw and around the ankles, but you have to look for them to see them. For a vinyl figure, this is great work!

​POSE

​The pose. Okay. Well. It sort of reminds me of an uninspired, old fashioned boxing pose. I’m sure they must have grabbed this stance from the movie since many other figures of the ’55 have the same look, but I can’t recall which scene it may have come from. Other than the arms, though, it seems pretty standard and is great for the shelf. Plus, it looks like he’s ready to grapple with Anguirus.

​PAINT JOB

The paint job on the X-Plus Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1955, though monochrome, is one of my favorites. There is a TON of frosty highlights all over the figure which fits in well with his icy appearance in the movie and makes this figure pop! I wish more X-Plus figures had highlights like this one does.

The eyes, fins, teeth and claws are a stark, off white which stands out more than on other figures, perhaps to mimic the high contrast of the black and white movie.

SIZE COMPARISONS

The X-Plus Godzilla 1955 vinyl sizes up well with most of the Toho 30cm Series buddies, especially his early-Showa pals: Godzilla 1954, 1962 and 1964.

It’s also a perfect size match with Godzilla Raids Again co-star, Anguirus 1955.

​FOOTPRINT

The X-Plus Godzilla 1955 has a tail reaching almost straight back. The figure is, overall, 17.5 inches from nose to tail, but only 15.5 inches from toes to tail. Godzilla’s body is curved slightly to his left so you’ll probably want to place him on the shelf facing your left.

If you also have the X-Plus Toho 30cm Series Anguirus 1955 you’ll be pleased to know that you have the option of interlocking it with the Godzilla ’55. I don’t know if it was planned this way or not, but these two figures actually fit pretty damn closely together. Anguirus’ head fits in between Godzilla’s outstretched arms like he’s going for the throat! And Godzilla’s and Anguirus’ arms are all at different heights so they allow for a really close fight!

This kind of set-up is probably only for diehard Godzilla Raids Again fans since it takes up three feet of shelf space.

​SUMMARY

The Godzilla 1955 suit is clunky as hell, and so is the X-Plus figure. The 1950s monster movie kookiness shines and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s well sculpted and has an awesome paint job. Plus, it has an awesome shelf buddy when combined with the X-Plus Anguirus 1955. I’m so, so glad I got both of these and highly recommend them, at least for the Godzilla completionist. Both are expected to be re-issued and distributed from Diamond Comics Distributors, so if you’re interested, your chance is coming soon!

​EXTRAS

​MORE INFORMATION

• Rich Eso’s X-Plus Godzilla 1955 Video Review.
• RELATED: Kaiju Addicts X-Plus 30cm Series Anguirus 1955 Vinyl Figure Review.

​By John Stanowski Originally posted February 6th, 2014 on Kaiju Addicts.