東宝大怪獣シリーズ 「ゴジラ（1975年版） メカゴジラの逆襲」 少年リック限定版

​JAPAN RELEASE: JUNE 2013

​SERIES: LARGE MONSTER SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

FROM: “TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA”, RELEASED IN JAPAN AS “COUNTERATTACK OF MECHAGODZILLA”, 1975
メカゴジラの逆襲

​HEIGHT: 8.75 INCHES / 22.22 CM

​WIDTH: ABOUT 6.75 INCHES (FOOT TO FOOT, NOT INCLUDING TAIL) / ABOUT 17.14 CM

​LENGTH: ABOUT 13 INCHES / 33 CM

​ARTICULATION: LEFT SHOULDER

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

​The final Godzilla design from the Showa-era gets the X-Plus treatment. This review is for the Ric Boy version which includes additional an extra arm and Mechagodzilla head. The rest of the review still applies to the more common Standard Version of this release.

One of the highlights of this figure is its intricate surface. The combed Godzilla “tree bark” texture is VERY finely detailed and looks incredible. This one feature alone makes this a stellar X-Plus figure.

Fingers are not individually sculpted. Meh.

UPPER LIP
Ever since the first teaser photos of this figure appeared, collectors have been expressing concern that the upper lip is not accurate. In the movie, the upper lip typically curved upward in the center revealing the front teeth. But on this sculpt, it seems the lip definitely makes a detour from the actual suit. Not a dealbreaker for me, but many collectors have already modified their figures to correct them.

TEETH
Whoa, look at the teeth! Beautiful, individually sculpted needle-like incisors wrap around the upper and lower jaws. It’s a shame that the upper row is hidden under the lip making it necessary to look up into the mouth to even see them. Now THIS is why I collect X-Plus!

RIC BOY EXTRAS
The Ric Boy Exclusive Version of this release comes with 2 additional pieces: a Mechagodzilla head and a specially shaped left arm with which to hold it allowing you to re-enact a scene from the movie “Terror of Mechagodzilla”. I don’t usually dish out the extra money to get the special exclusive versions, but this figure is definitely one of the exceptions!

The extra Mechagodzilla head looks fantastic the same as the heads on the recently released full Mechagodzilla 1974 and Mechagodzilla 1975 figures. But if you don’t own either of those, read on. The head has fantastic detail with individual bolts, weapons in the mouth (which has a hinged jaw) and yellow, plastic eye pieces. It’s interesting to note that though the jaws were hinged on both of the full figures, the mouth could never actually stay closed. The bodyless head from this release has a jaw which really closes up and stays that way.

​The left arm can be rotated at the bicep. This is possible because the Ric Boy version has an extra arm which is better suited to hold the severed Mechagodzilla head. But even without this extra arm, the standard version allows you to rotate the standard arm.

​There are usually seams on the arms of X-Plus Godzilla figures but they’re glued and meant to be hidden. The left arm on this figure, though, does have a slightly noticeable line running around the bicep. This arm is meant to be removed and switched with the extra arm which can hold Mechagodzilla’s head.

Often you can see line around the tail joint on many X-Plus Godzilla figures. One this one, though, the joint is much closer to the body and thus more hidden from the rear. The tradeoff though is the there is a triangular seam visible from the front under the groin area.

​From the front, the right arm seems a bit awkward to me. It’s almost like he’s waving or dancing. But, as you can see, all other angles are interesting and dynamic. Click on the photo above for a larger view.

The standard Godzilla black on this figure has been highlighted with a dusting of a slightly lighter color over most of finely textured skin which looks unbelievably awesome. The inside of the mouth is painted in a deep, dark red and it seems like the teeth have been given a glossy coating making them shine in the light. Collectors at the X-Plus Kaiju Collectors’ Club on Facebook have mentioned that the dorsal fins should actually be more silver than they appear on this figure. Again, I’m not an expert on details like this but I thought I’d still pass that info along.

Sizewise, the X-Plus 25cm Godzilla 1975 fits in perfectly with his other incarnations.

Okay. What? Really?
The X-Plus Godzilla 1975 is almost a whole head shorter than the Mechagodzilla 1975. These figures were released only three months apart. Didn’t X-Plus think collectors would pair them up? Some collectors have told me that Godzilla is shorter because he’s hunched or that Mechagodzilla actually was a lot taller in the movie. I plan to watch the movie again to find out what’s going on here.

NOTE: There is no size comparison photo with the Coke can this time around as I didn’t have a photo to place beside it. If you are a new collector and would want to see something that would give you an idea of this figure’s real size, please take a look at the Godzilla 1966 Review as they are roughly the same height.

This figure’s tail makes a hard turn to its right making it easier to display it on the shelf facing your right. Being 13 inches long, it’s possible to make this figure face full front on a standard shelf.

This figure comes in the standard Giant Monster Series style window box. The main figure comes in two pieces, each wire tied into a plastic shell. You’ll need to attach the tail to the body using a hairdryer or boiling water to soften the flange at the opening. The tail “hole” on this figure is smaller than usual and is tucked in deeper behind the legs. The end of the tail is elliptical except for the top which is flatter. This, and the smaller hole, made it a tad harder for me to assemble.

By John Stanowski Originally posted July 9th, 2013​ on Kaiju Addicts.

​東宝大怪獣リーズ 「ヘドラ（上陸期）」

​JAPAN RELEASE: DECEMBER 2011

​JAPAN SOFT VERSION REISSUE: MAY 2018

​NORTH AMERICAN (DIAMOND) REISSUE: JULY 2018

​SERIES: LARGE MONSTER SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

​FROM: “GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER)”, 1971
ゴジラ対ヘドラ

​HEIGHT: 8.25 INCHES / 20.95 CM

​WIDTH: ABOUT 7 INCHES (FOOT TO FOOT, NOT INCLUDING TAIL) / ABOUT 17.78 CM

​LENGTH: (HEAD TO TAIL): ABOUT 10.5 INCHES / 26.67 CM

​ARTICULATION: SHOULDERS

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

The murky, smog-eating kaiju Hedorah was once accused of ruining the Godzilla franchise but has since become a favorite among many. To me, Hedorah is one of the most interesting of the Godzilla monsters.

Hedorah wasn’t as easy to “read” as the other anthropomorphic kaijus and this made him downright creepy. (As creepy as you can get for a Godzilla movie anyway.) You could always tell when Gigan, Titanosaurus or Mechagodzilla were pissed off, when they were going to charge, etc. etc. But Hedorah acted more like an animal. He just stood there and stared; always calculating his next move behind those two big red eyes. This is why Hedorah is a personal favorite and why I was really glad to pick this guy up in vinyl form!

The X-Plus 25cm Large Monster Series Hedorah (Landing Stage) vinyl figure portrays the slimy beast in his “landing stage” between giant tadpole and full adult. This is how Hedorah appeared when he first flew out of the sea and made landfall in order to feast on smoke stack emissions and melt the flesh of anyone unlucky enough to be nearby.

It’s a great likeness. There aren’t very many scenes of Hedorah in this stage, but what you do get to see this figure matches up with fantastically. And looking closer, every drip, drape and piece of goop seems to have gotten adequate attention from the sculptor. The head, being the only feature that really isn’t a droopy mess is faithfully reproduced and instantly recognizable. And the eyes are as creepy as ever!

The X-Plus 25cm series Hedorah is mostly smooth but does some fine rough detail here and there. And, once again, this figure attempts to reproduce the actual suit and this is overly evident in this case with the presence of what basically amounts to a loincloth between his legs (this detail would have been removed immediately by a sculptor making a stylized version).

This figure does have a couple of eyesores. Although there are seams and lines here and there, they’re mostly unnoticeable, except for two. There’s a big ‘ol line running around the waist. And the area where the top part of the tail meets the back has a hideous gap which, fortunately, only the back of the shelf gets to see.

​The X-Plus 25cm series Hedorah hunches forward following the same dynamic set by his droopy tendrils. This pose reminds me of the scene where he leaned over to feast on the emissions of a smouldering smoke stack.

​The arms are articulated at the shoulder and can be posed to lurch forward like Frankenstein or allowed to droop straight down. Letting the arm hang down may be preferable. I recently learned from another collector that in summer his 25cm Hedorah softens up and falls on his face. My figure seems pretty steady in his stance but after investigating I did realize that if his front toes did get soft, he would be front heavy. Having the arms extended in summer seems like it would make him even more unbalanced.

​There isn’t much to say here. Hedorah is almost uniformly a drab and flat, smokey, dark, ash gray. There are some super subtle greenish highlights which can be seen only if you look for them. Nicely done dirty yellow splotches cover his back and portions of his head. Though obviously not painted, the eyes are the final component to Hedorah’s color palette with a dark red base and intricately spiked orange pupils which look fantastic.

Although this figure may seem a tad shiny in these photos, it’s really an uneventful flat gray in person which pales, shrivels up and dies in comparison to the paint job on the 30cm Hedorah which, I admit, I’m not completely sure it should match. It’s possible this stage of Hedorah appeared flatter in the movie.

​Hedorah fits in nicely with his other kaiju buddies in the same scale. True, he’s shorter but that’s because he’s hunching forward.

​The Large Monster Series Hedorah is only about half as tall as his 30cm brother (sister?). And when not gulping down plumes of toxic smoke, Hedorah really likes Coke. That’s not saying much for all you junk food junkies out there.

Hedorah does not need a lot of room to display. His tail curves to the left (his right) and is easily tucked behind the nearest neighbor.

The higher he’s placed, the better Hedorah looks on the shelf. I had this figure on a shelf about waist high ever since I got him last January and always felt he looked like he was hiding his face. While doing this review I placed him on top of my Mac Pro and realized how much better it looks at eye level or above.

By John Stanowski Originally posted July 6th, 2013​ on Kaiju Addicts.

​大怪獣シリーズ ジャイアント ギャンゴ

​JAPAN RELEASE: AUGUST 2011

​SERIES: TOHO 30CM SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

​FROM: “ULTRAMAN”, EPISODE 11 “THE RASCAL FROM OUTER SPACE”, 1966
ウルトラマン 宇宙から来た暴れん坊

​HEIGHT: 11 INCHES / 27.94 CM

​WIDTH: 6 INCHES (FRONT ARMSPAN) / 15.24 CM

LENGTH: ABOUT 13.75 INCHES / 34.92 CM

​ARTICULATION: NONE

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

Gyango is probably one of the most recognized ultra kaijus from the orginal Ultraman series, no doubt in part to his appearance as a silhouette during the show’s opening sequence. X-Plus created a great likeness in this entry into the Giant Series.

Probably one of the more ‘interesting’ ultra kaijus, Gyango is a hodge podge of parts sprung from the imagination of a two-bit gangster coupled with the power of a mysterious rock from outer space. Made from the remains of the Bemular suit, the very first kaiju to appear in Ultraman, Gyango sported an unusual array of features including metallic clamp hands, winding antennae ears and a splash of tribal-like shapes down his belly.

The X-Plus Giant Series Gyango is an awesome likeness. It’s broad range of features and textures are faithfully represented from diamond-shaped scales to spikey areas on his back. The only thing that bothers me sightly is that the right arm is a bit too “rounded”. The right arm, however, almost gives you the impression that there is a suit actor’s arm in there with subtle bends and bulges.

​The head is very well done with a mouthful of individually sculpted teeth. The ears are amazing; where other figure lines would skimp out on the finer detail, X-Plus individually sculpted every single spoke. (This is why we collect X-Plus!) On a side-note: the ears are made of a very soft squishy material.

​It’s no secret that X-Plus sculpts their figures based on the actual suits rather than idealized or stylized versions. And Gyango is a perfect example of this as a silver zipper runs down the back and neck. The colorful totem pole shapes were added with a thin layer of material no doubt to act as a guide for the painters. Where these shapes occur over the belly a bit of the scale detail is lost.

​There are two seams very well hidden around the middle of the head and base of the neck which are virutally invisible. The arms look like they may rotate at the shoulder but I’m afraid to try and force them to find out. They look best where they are anyway. The feet rotate at the ankles and you may need to tweak these in order to get the figure to stand properly balanced. The Ric Boy version of this figure comes with 2 sets of ears and so it may be possible to remove or rotate them on the standard version, but again, I’m afraid to try as they are so soft and may be glued. Finally, if you want to nitpick, the ears and hand “claws” have subtle flange lines on them from the mold, something I would expect to see only on a plastic model kit. Overall, though, good show!

The pose is typical of Gyango and looks best from a front angle. The side and rear views are unexciting.

The base coating of brown is pretty standard and uneventful without any shading or highlights. The front neck and chest were well down with desaturated totem pole colors of which Gyango may be most known for. The inside of his red mouth is surround with a pink lower lip and a dull metallic blue upper lip and snout. The feet are a dull silver which have a sandy tan paint texuring. There is also silver on the claws and ears (which is particularly shiny on the ears.) Nice job!

At 11 inches tall, the X-Plus Gyango scales somewhere in its own range. It’s taller than the Large Monster Series yet shorter than the 30cm series Godzilla figures. If you’re a collector who buys from multiple vinyl figure makers, then the discrepancy of scale likely doesn’t bother you in the least. But X-Plus obsessive scale freaks like myself and (Hi, Ryan!) may be a little disappointed.

But there is good news…

The Giant Series Gyango is a perfect match for the X-Plus Ultraman vinyls! Gyango is taller than Ultraman (seen here beside the X-Plus Ultraman C-Type Standing figure) and he should be! What matters the most is that the shoulders on Gyango and Ultraman are level with each other, just as were likely the shoulders of the actors who wore the suits.

​The figure comes nested in a plastic shell and wrapped in a blind box that’s twice as large as it needs to be. A single tie keeps the figure in place.

The X-Plus Giant Series Gyango is an awesome addition to the collection of any Ultraman fan and I am overly pleased to finally add him to my shelves. He was a bit hard to find but the search was worth it!

By John Stanowski Originally posted June 17th, 2013​ on Kaiju Addicts.

大映30CMシリーズ 「ガメラ（1995年版）」

​JAPAN RELEASE: MAY 2013

​SERIES: TOHO 30CM SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

​FROM: “GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE”, 1995
ガメラ 大怪獣空中決戦

​HEIGHT: 9.75 INCHES / 24.76 CM

​WIDTH: ABOUT 11 INCHES (NOT INCLUDING TAIL) / 27.94 CM

​LENGTH: ABOUT 13.75 INCHES / 34.92 CM

​ARTICULATION: NONE

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

In 1995, director Shusuke Kaneko (Death Note, Azumi 2, GMK) released the first of the Heisei Gamera trilogy, arguably some of the very best kaiju films of all time. X-Plus follows up the 2012 release of the 30cm series Gamera 1996 vinyl figure with this new, 1995 version.

X-Plus released their first 30cm series Heisei Gamera vinyl figure (from 1996’s Attack of Legion) just last year, so it was a total surprise for me when they announced another less than 12 months later. And a fine job they did!

​Once again X-Plus has produced yet another excellent vinyl figure that looks just like its movie counterpart. And similar to its ’96 predecessor, the 1995 Gamera is a myriad of sculpted textures from reptilian skin, intricate breast plate patterns and turtle shell ridges. The fine detail around the head is amazing from the ridges running over his cranium to the super fine wrinkles radiating around his eyes.

Gamera’s hands are particularly impressive… and expressive. You can almost feel his blind rage and urge to dig his claws into a Gyaos. The inside of his mouth looks crazy real and organic with flaps of pink flesh unfolding as he roars.

The sculpted detail on the back of the tail is utterly amazing with overlapping plates of… tail scales(?). I suspect though, and I’ve checked three times already, that the tail came from the same sculpt as the 1996 version released last year. The tail plates are virtually identical.

I also feel confident saying that X-Plus also double-dipped with the feet which are virtually idential sculpt-wise as the ’96 version. Finally, I’m compelled to “suspect” the shell itself was also borrowed but I can’t really tell if that’s the case. The shells on both the ’95 and ’96 figures have the same number of segments in all the right places though the later is a lot smoother. The new 1995 figure does have a curious “kink” around the edge of the shell near the shoulders that looks like it was forced into a new shape. Either way, who cares? If that’s how it was with the actual suit, then it’s fine with me.

​The post is pretty standard but Gamera manages to pull it off really well. ‘Nuff said. (Click on the photo below for a larger version.)

​There are no joints on this figure which were intended to be used as articulation. The tail is the only joint which isn’t glued and you need to attach that yourself. And when you do you’ll find that the seam between the two parts is an utterly perfect match!

There is a seam which runs across the chest and over the shell but can’t be seen unless you look for it. The elbows and knees have glued joints and are somewhat noticeable depending on how you look at the figure. For the most part they are hidden in the sculpt. Finally, I’m sad to say that there is an obvious seamy line running around the base of Gamera’s neck.

​The X-Plus Gamera 1995 vinyl figure is enveloped in a light black (really?) that is very similar to the color used on the X-Plus 30cm Series Godzilla 2001. (Coincidentally they’re both Shusuke Kaneko’s kaijus.) The breast plate seams to have the same black as a base but with subtle brown highlights. The shell is a dull yet vibrant dark green much brighter than the 95’s dark olive green. The claws are a brighter-than-usual off white with brownish shading. The inside of the mouth is vibrant with fleshy pinks and oranges which gives it a really organic and eww! look.

The Gamera 1995 vinyl figure demands more space on the sides due to his wide stance and large feet. He’s almost 14 inches long from nose to tail but you only need to consider his feet when putting him on the shelf. Unlike the 1996 version, this figure can actually face completely forward on a standard shelf, though it may be precarious having his center of gravity so close to the edge. But you can do it.

This figure scales just fine with other 30cm series figures. Yes, it’s true that he is shorter than the rest, but he’s a turtle! He’s supposed to be shorter, rounder and stockier. He makes up for his lack of height with his bulk.

Gamera 1995 comes in a blind box with the usual awesome box art and a tray inside in which rests the main body and the tail piece.

At first glance, the biggest difference between the two is the pose. Where the X-Plus Gamera 1996 lurches menacingly forward, the 1995 version stands tall.

The next thing to notice is the difference in head size. I never really noticed a change in this from Guardian of the Universe to Attack of Legion, but going by these figures the ’95’s head is noticeably larger and somewhat reminiscent of the Showa design.

The ’96 has webbed fingers and elbow “spikes” where the ’95 does not. The paint scheme is almost the same with the exception of brigher claws and a more vibrant green on the shell than the ’96’s dark olive.

I don’t know… is there room for two Heisei Gameras in the same collection? Hell, yes.

By John Stanowski Originally posted June 11th, 2013​ on Kaiju Addicts.

​東宝30CMシリーズ 「ゴジラ （ゴジラ ファイナルウォーズ 2004版）」

​JAPAN RELEASE: MAY 2013

​NORTH AMERICAN REISSUE: MARCH 2017

​SERIES: TOHO 30CM SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

FROM: “GODZILLA FINAL WARS”, 2004
ゴジラ ファイナルウォーズ

​HEIGHT: 11 INCHES / 27.94 CM

WIDTH: ABOUT 8.5 INCHES (NOT INCLUDING TAIL) / 21.59 CM

​LENGTH: ABOUT 12 INCHES / 30.48 CM

​ARTICULATION: KNEES

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

The Godzilla Final Wars suit is not often a favorite among many fans… but this is one hell of a figure!

You don’t need me to tell how good this guy looks. The X-Plus Toho 30cm Godzilla 2004 vinyl figure is a dead ringer for the actual suit. From every single angle the sculpt and pose combine to make a fantastically faithful reproduction.

I never noticed a purple tongue and gums in the movie, but I’m sure it’s accurate. The purple appears really vibrant in this close-up photo, but have no fear: on the shelf it appears much darker and unsaturated. The teeth look great in their off white, almost tan color. There’s a ton of great detail in this guy’s maw including folds on the tongue and ridges on the roof of his mouth.

The eyes have incredible detail. Black pupils fan out over a ring of yellow and then red. Unfortunately the eyes really can’t be appreciated with the naked eye and need a camera to reveal them. But it’s nice to know the detail is there! From a distance the eyes appear mostly dark red.

All of the claws have the added detail of ridges reaching out of the cuticles along with dark tan or brown shading brushed in. Lookin’ good!

​This figure’s right knee rotates and I found I had to do so in order to make his foot fall flat on the shelf. His left knee does NOT rotate so don’t forget which is which or you might break a glue seal.

I’m pleased to report there are no unsightly panty lines on this figure. There are seams at each elbow and knee but they are well hidden. And the tail is a pretty close fit to the body, too!

The pose is dynamic, more so than usual. It reminds me of a scene in which Godzilla had just run past a kaiju foe and then whipped around for another strike. There are so many great angles to this figure that you may find it difficult to decide how to display him.

​The tail on this figure makes a hard turn to its left making for a nice fit on most shelves. So many long tails force us to display figures at angles because of walls and the backs of bookcases, but you might actually get this guy to face forward. The arc of the Godzilla 2004 tail makes it possible to place another figure fairly close to him.

At first glance this figure seems to scale well with it’s 30cm Series buddies. But take a closer look and you’ll see the shoulders come a little short. This may be explained away partially by two things. First, the figure’s wide stance brings him closer to the ground. Second, the Final Wars suit was much slimmer than the suits which came before it, but I still don’t think this would affect the height much. In the end, it seems this figure is on the short side, just like the 30cm series Godzilla 1984 which was released the month before.

The X-Plus 30cm Godzilla 2003 comes packaged in a blind box. It arrives in two pieces: the main body and one tail piece. The tail joint is not completely round but rather elliptical and flat on one end. I had trouble attaching the tail. I wound up having to cool it off and heat only the butt before it would go in without creating folds in the flange of the tail piece. Collector Ryu Hayabusa had absolutely no trouble at all after dipping the tail into boiling water.

By John Stanowski Originally posted June 6th, 2013​ on Kaiju Addicts.

​東宝30㎝シリーズ 「ゴジラ2003」塗装済完成品

​JAPAN RELEASE: MARCH 2010

​JAPAN RE-ISSUE: DECEMBER 2013

​NORTH AMERICAN RE-ISSUE: 2014

​SERIES: TOHO 30CM SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

​FROM: “GODZILLA × MOTHRA × MECHAGODZILLA: TOKYO SOS”, 2003
ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ SOS

HEIGHT: 12 INCHES / 30.48 CM

​WIDTH: 8.5 INCHES / 21.59 CM

​LENGTH: 19 INCHES / 48.26 CM

​ARTICULATION: MID-TAIL

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

Feast your eyes on one of X-Plus’ rare excursions beyond the Showa era.

One of the first things that stand out on the Millennium Godzillas (not including 2001 and 2004) is the unique design of the dorsal spines. And they look fantastic on the X-Plus figure. Not only did they get the overall shapes right, but they’re adorned with great textures and coloring. Amazing job! Click on the photos for a larger view.

The sculpt of the head is dead on from all angles. The figure’s chest sports the infamous scar received from Godzilla’s final battle with Kiryu in Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla and his close brush with the power of the Absolute Zero gun. Like Godzilla 2001, this suit has a variety of skin textures ranging from standard Godzilla “tree bark” to more reptilian patterns on the front of the neck and spiky bumps along the shoulders and back, all faithfully sculpted into the figure. There’s so much to discover about this figure.

VISIBLE SEAMS & JOINTS: Sorry to say but visible seams abound on this figure. Most obvious are lines above the elbows. You can also detect seams below the knees though they did a good job of hiding it on the left leg. There is a seam running around the neck somewhat visible from the side but invisible from the front. The tail joint is pretty undetectable as it’s worked into the mold, and it’s a perfect fit. There is another joint at mid-tail also well hidden.

The pose is fantastic! It captures the personality of this beast perfectly. I may be wrong but this pose seems to come from the scene where he first erupted out of the water at the entertainment center/park in the preceding movie Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. I’m sure he’s been in this position again in the 2003 movie from which he’s marketed as coming from. This pose seals the deal and makes this a great Millenium Godzilla figure.

​The base color is a mostly standard asphalt black but with a very slight bluish tinge. The claws are a tannish, dirty ivory with darker shading near the cuticles (more color detail than we usually get on Godzilla claws!). The teeth are really off white and often appear yellowish in photos. The inside of the mouth, tongue, gums are an unsaturated red very realistically done and very un-toy-like. The eyes are a dark, dirty mustard color. They are perhaps a tad darker than they should be, but seem correct when looking at them from a distance. Dorsal fins are highlighted with sprays of white and tan and they look great! One problem though is that the fins on the tail piece are a brighter white than as on the back. This may be a painting error on the specific figure that I have and you may not encounter this.

From the upcoming X-Plus Godzilla 1999 Review: “The X-Plus Godzilla 2003 is just a hair shorter than the Godzilla 1999. But it seems even smaller when you consider the mass and girth of the neck on the 1999 figure.”

The X-Plus Godzilla 2003 scales well with it’s foe, the X-Plus Kiryu 2003.

Collectors should be used to X-Plus Godzilla figures demanding a lot of room on the shelf to accommodate their long tails. But the Godzilla 2003 vinyl has a tail which is longer than usual and goes straight back, curving only on the Y-Plane. This figure is a whopping 19 inches from nose to tail! Place him carefully into your collection.

The X-Plus 30cm Series Godzilla 2003 is 12 inches tall and fits in perfectly with most other 30cm-series figures.

The X-Plus 30cm Godzilla 2003 comes packaged in a blind box. It arrives in three pieces: the main body and two tail pieces.

And on a final note: it looks great beside the X-Plus Kiryu 2003 released in 2013. See the link below!

By John Stanowski Originally posted June 1st, 2013​ on Kaiju Addicts.

大怪獣シリーズ 「ウルトラマンティガ(マルチタイプ)」 少年リック限定版

​JAPAN RELEASE: APRIL 2013

​SERIES: LARGE MONSTER SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

​FROM: “ULTRAMAN TIGA”, 1996-97
ウルトラマンティガ

HEIGHT: 9 INCHES / 22.86 CM

​WIDTH: ABOUT 6 INCHES / 15.24 CM

LENGTH: 13.5 INCHES / 34.29 CM

​ARTICULATION: ANKLES (AND YOU’RE GONNA NEED THEM!)

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

​After a 15-year absence (not including American and Australian versions) Ultraman finally returned to Japanese television in ‘Ultraman Tiga’. The series ran from 1996 to 1997 and the X-Plus rendition is nothing less than ultra-amazing.

The X-Plus Large Monster Series Ultraman Tiga (Multi-type) vinyl figure is an astounding likeness. Free from all the unwanted embellishments and artistic interpretations from other lines, this figure… Everybody… looks like it just walked out of the TV show. You may be hard-pressed to make an immediate conclusion if the above shots were actually of the real suit. That’s how accurate X-Plus can be!

Tiga is overall much smoother than the X-Plus Showa Ultraman figures with noticeably less ‘crinkles’ in the suit. This is no doubt because modern suits were made of more advanced material. The hands and feet are especially smooth. I think it would have been nice, though, to see more wrinkles to set it apart from other ‘toys’. There are a pair of lines running down the back which I suspect represent the zippers on the actual suit (see below, right).

The eyes are made of clear plastic with a honeycombish texture. There is a space between the eyes and a light material inside. This allows light to pass through the plastic and create refractive patterns inside. The temple ‘crystal’ is also clear plastic but usually appears dark because of refreaction. But if you move it around until the light hits it right, it becomes ridiculously accurate! The color timer is also clear plastic but unfortunately almost always looks too dark even though it’s actually blue. The Ric Boy exclusive version of this figure includes a light-up gimmick for clear plastic parts and this probably the reason why they didn’t use a lighter blue on the timer for standard versions.

VISIBLE SEAMS & JOINTS: At first you’ll notice seams only around the ankles as they are visible from the front. There is a seam behind the left elbow and the backs of both shoulders have noticeable gaps which are hidden from view when placed on the shelf. The rotation of the shoulders can be tweaked only enough to make sure the paint and lines match up.

The pose is undeniably a signature Tiga stance! One hand is clenched in a fist close to the chest while the other extends outward ready to deflect a blow. While most other X-Plus Ultraman figures stand tall with level heads, the Tiga figure is tucking his chin to his chest. At first this really bothered me because it looked a little odd from the front. But during the course of this review that feeling went away. The pose is awesome.

This figure comes with a stand comprised of a clear base, arm and ‘claw’. This stand really isn’t necessary as Tiga is fully capable of standing on his own, though maybe not right away. The ankles are articulated so with a few tweaks you can get your shiny, new Tiga figure fully balanced.

Ultraman Tiga is the first Ultra to not have an all-red color scheme. In his standard “multi-type” mode, comparable to all previous Ultras, he sports the standard red and a purpleish blue in non-toyish shades. The hand painters at the factory did an excellent job of keeping the colors “in the lines”. The yellow stripes across his chest are subdued and the silver, as usual, looks great.

The X-Plus Giant Monster Series Tiga is comparable size-wise with other Ultraman figures. At first glance, he matches up nicely with both the Toho Series 25cm line (as seen with Gigan above) and the ultra kaijus from the Reborn Series. Perfectionists, however, may be annoyed with the true discrepancy in scale lurking below first impressions. Tiga should not be as tall as either of the kaiju he’s pictured with above. A good way to tell is to note where the shoulders line up. Tiga’s shoulders are higher than the others’… and he’s crouching!

​Tiga comes wired into a plastic shell in a window box with a snazzy, new design for the New Generation series.

By John Stanowski Originally posted May 17th, 2013​ on Kaiju Addicts.

​東宝29CMシリーズ 「ゴジラ（1984）

​JAPAN RELEASE: APRIL 2013

​JAPAN REISSUE (SHINJUKU BATTLE VERSION): SEPT./OCT. 2016

​NORTH AMERICAN REISSUE (DIAMOND): DECEMBER 2016

​SERIES: 30CM SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

​FROM: “GODZILLA”, 1984 (OFTEN REFERRED TO AS ‘THE RETURN OF GODZILLA’ AND ‘GODZILLA 1984’. KNOWN AS ‘GODZILLA 1985’ IN THE WEST.
ゴジラ

​HEIGHT: 11.25 INCHES / 28.57 CM

​WIDTH: 7.5 INCHES / 19.05 CM

​LENGTH: 13.5 INCHES / 34.29 CM

​ARTICULATION: MID-TAIL, KNEES

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

After a nine-year hiatus, Godzilla returned to theaters in ‘Godzilla’ (1984). This was the first of the Heisei films. Gone was the wacky Godzilla of old, and in his stead, a frightening force of nature. After a lackluster entry into the 25cm line, X-Plus presents a much improved 29cm version.

First and foremost, the X-Plus 29cm Godzilla 1984 is a vast improvement over the 25cm version (above right). The new figure is a darned good likeness. The 1984 Godzilla’s signature design of the head are well represented. A lot of collectors feel this figure is a tad slim in the belly area.

Godzilla’s grumpy looks are captured in the sculpt. The mouth is wide open in mid-roar and reveals a set a fantastic-looking teeth. X-Plus did, however, take one liberty by correcting the position of the eyes, which had a tendency to drift apart in the movie.

VISIBLE SEAMS & JOINTS: Not much to complain about here as far as seams. There are some behind the elbows if you look, but overall they’re not very obvious. The tail joint isn’t a perfect fit, but that detail is in the rear so you won’t be seeing much of it. The knees rotate; first time I ever saw that on an X-Plus figure (but that’s me). The knee joints are worked into the sculpt so aren’t overly obvious. There is a chance that mid-way down the tail your dorsal fins don’t quite line up. If that is the case, just give it a twist, there’s a joint there.

The X-Plus Godzilla 1984 seems to lean forward from the waist up; a common position seen in the movie. This may account for his apparent lack of height when compared to other figures in the 30cm series. The right leg is a step back. This, combined with the upper half of the body leaning forward, makes the right side profile look a bit odd; almost like it’s ready to fall forward. (See above.) This figure looks GREAT from most other angles!

​Mostly pretty standard stuff here. Godzilla 1984 is uniformly the usual asphalt black. There’s a darker black under the eyes. There are some areas, though, which appear glossy here and there on the front, legs and sides. I don’t know if this was intentional or if something happened while they were painting it. The teeth are an off-white and not stark at all; they look great! Claws have a tannish, boneish shading. And perhaps most impressive, are the eyes. X-Plus took the time to add tiny, little, red veins creeping into the whites. (Click on the side-view headshot above for a larger view.)

​Godzilla’s tail makes a hard turn upward making his footprint only 13.5 inches long. This will definitely make him easier to place on the shelf.

​The X-Plus 29cm Godzilla 1984 is actually only 28 and a half centimeters tall (11.25″). This is noticeably shorter than his pals in the same line. The lack of height may be attributable to his pose (he’s leaning forward). But if you compare the size of his feet to the others you’ll find that they’re smaller. This figure, though, makes up for a lack of height by just looking so fantastic.

​The X-Plus 29cm Godzilla 1984 comes in a blind box with awesome cover art. For some reason, the gold sticker on the box is marked “2012” even though this was an April 2013 release. The figure inside the box is in two pieces, wire-tied to a plastic shell. The joint for the tail piece is somewhat triangular. This made it a little difficult for me to insert using my preferred method of heating the butt, but not the tail. In the end I wound up defying the glue and pulling the dorsal piece away from the rest of the body, leaving a little gap. X-Plus reviewer Rich Eso had warmer weather when he assembled his ’84 and he said the tail went right in with no problems at all. So, if the weather is a bit cool when you assemble yours, you might want to heat both the butt and tail before connecting.

By John Stanowski Originally posted May 13th, 2013 on Kaiju Addicts.

JAPAN RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 2012

​SERIES: 30CM SERIES

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

​FROM: “GAMERA 2: ATTACK OF LEGION”, 1996
ガメラ2 レギオン襲来

HEIGHT: 9 INCHES / 22.86 CM

​WIDTH: 12 INCHES / 30.48 CM

​LENGTH: ABOUT 15.5 INCHES / 39.37 CM

​ARTICULATION: NONE

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

Based on the second film in the Heisei Gamera trilogy (some of the very best kaiju movies ever made) comes one lean, mean, and green vinyl figure from X-Plus. I’ve tried to write about the sculpt a few times but I just don’t know what to say that the photos below don’t already by themselves.

Particularly impressive are a series of flat plates running down the top of the tail. I have no idea how they pulled this out of a mold!

VISIBLE SEAMS & JOINTS: There are no seams visible unless you turn him on his back to see the tail joint, which is a pretty good fit. The seams where the lower legs meet the body aren’t even worth mentioning (which I just wasted my time doing). I suspect there’s a join running across his chest, under his arms and over his shell. But this join is perfectly hidden as it zig-zags around the breast and shell plates in the sculpt.

Gamera leans menacingly forward with his feet spread wide as if braced for a confrontation with Legion. This pose makes it seem shorter than it really is yet at the same time seems really dynamic.

The surplus of detail on this figure paves the way for a splash of color, albeit desaturated ones (the way I like it). The X-Plus Gamera 2 is coated in gorgeous greens, browns, tans and charcoal black. The back shell is a slightly glossy mix of dark green with even darker olive shading. A dull brown covers the front plate while deep, dark oranges fade to bony white on the claws and fangs. Gamera’s skin is the standard charcoal black. The eyes are a bright, vivid green with tiny, black pupils; the whites recede into red shading where it meets the skin. Looking good!

When considering shelf space, this figure may seem no different than a Godzilla or other kaiju with a long tail, but have another look. Quite unlike other biped figures, the Gamera 2 spreads out sideways (12 inches) almost as much as it does from head to tail (15.5 inches). This guy is a bit of a shelf hog. It demands all of the room around it except the front. If you have standard shelves, you’ll only have room to position this figure facing left or right. I believe his left is his best angle; this is for the best since the tail drifts slightly toward its left foot and thus the left toes don’t reach as far toward the edge of the shelf whereas, facing right, they may creep over the edge. (The toes on X-Plus figures can get scratched easily so it’s best to keep them tucked in.)

The soda can should give you a good idea about the size of this statue. On the right, the Gamera 2 is pictured with the X-Plus Godzilla 1992 from the 30cm line and the Gigan from the Giant Monsters 25cm line. Even though Gamera is part of the 30cm line, he’s actually shorter than some of the 25’s because of his pose. If you collect only 30’s, be prepared for a dip in your “skyline”.

​Gamera comes in the standard 30cm series box with printed box art and hinged lid. The figure itself comes in two pieces each wire-tied into a plastic shell. You’ll need to attach the tail.

By John Stanowski Originally posted May 6th, 2013 on Kaiju Addicts.

​大怪獣シリーズ ウルトラマン編 「古代怪獣 ゴモラ（REBORN）」

​JAPAN RELEASE: NOVEMBER 2010

​SERIES: LARGE MONSTER SERIES (25CM)

​MATERIAL: SOFT VINYL

​FROM: “ULTRAMAN”, 1966-1967
ゴジラ・モスラ・キングギドラ 大怪獣総攻撃

​HEIGHT: 9.1875 INCHES / 23.33 CM

​WIDTH: 5.5 INCHES / 13.97 CM

​LENGTH: 12 INCHES / 30.48 CM

ARTICULATION: NONE

REVIEW AND PHOTOS: JOHN STANOWSKI

Gomora first appeared in the 2-part story “The Monster Prince” (episodes 26 and 27) of the original “Ultraman” series in 1966. He is a fan-favorite kaiju which has made numerous reappearances in later Ultra series. Gomora made his X-Plus debut in 2007 and was later resculpted for a newer “Reborn” version in 2010. This review is for the latter.

​I think it’s safe to say that the head on the figure a perfect likeness. Once again, the sculptors for X-Plus were careful enough to count every tooth and reproduce the mouth very accurately. The scrunchy, ‘Pigmon-ish’ texture on the chest is sculpted and reproduced beautifully. The creases in this area are so deep and sharp I wonder how they managed to pull these things out of the mold! There was a rectanglur ‘strip’ which ran down the back of the suit and it’s reproduced faithfully on the figure. Another amazing job that helps elevate X-Plus above other vinyl lines!

On a sour note for perfectionists: a few areas of Gomora’s body have been replaced with a fairly rough texture. The area below the knees, for example, and most notably on the sides of the tail. Where that area of the suit was fairly smooth (and even had a bit of a sheen to it), the figure has a bumpy texture. But despite the liberties they’ve taken with the extra texturing, the X-Plus Gomora is an awesome likeness.

​Gomora’s head is a separate piece of vinyl which was glued on in the factory. When viewed from the back, a seam is visible. There is no geometry in the sculpt to help hide it. This seam is not visible from the front or sides so you’ll probably never see it much. As for the tail: after you attach it you’ll find that the rings of folded skin help to hide this joint. And I have to say this: of all the X-Plus vinyls I’ve acquired thus far, the Gomora Reborn has the snuggest fit on the tail.

The pose for this ultra kaiju is accurate and fits his personality. Gomora’s large hands were often raised into the air with his elbows tucked back to his sides. The X-Plus rendition does the same.

The X-Plus Gomora is predominately a dark matte brown which I find a bit too dark. In the episode he was actually a lighter, almost reddish brown. There are areas of ultra-subtle highlights brushed in but they’re really only visible if you look for them. Gomora crawled out of a mountain, rolled around in the dirt and dug several tunnels. He was caked with dirt most of the time. This would have looked great on the vinyl. X-Plus’ original attempt at Gomora in 2007 (below) seems to have a paint job which, although a tad light, seems to mimic the original suit better.

The squiggly, red striping on Gomora’s horns look great! But no attempt was made at reproducing the dull shine that they had in the show. The eyes (corneas) are a vivid blue; too vivid to match the actual suit. At first sight, the teeth on this figure seem to be a toyish, stark white which, on the suit, they indeed were … but only in close-ups. The extra dark brown skin makes them seem even whiter. If you’re good with paint, this might be an area to tone down. Overall, the paint job — though simple — isn’t bad.

​Though just a hair shorter, Gomora (Reborn) lines up well with most other Reborn kaiju from the Large Monster Series. (Above: Gomora, Baltan, Bemular and Red King.)

But judging by the misalignment of shoulder heights here, Gomora is really not in scale with X-Plus Ultraman figures. But that doesn’t stop it from looking good on the same shelf. (Above: X-Plus Ultraman C-Type Specium Pose and Ultraman C-Type Standing Pose.)

The DVD in the photo above is a contextual real world item to convey this figure’s size for those who don’t have an Large Monster Series Reborn figures yet. And for the Gomora completist, an Ultra-Act version of the beast.

The length of the X-Plus Gomora Reborn vinyl is 12 inches, yet fits comfortably on a standard shelf because the tail curves to its right. If desired, you’ll probably be able to get this figure to face front on the shelf (unlike many other figures with long tails) though it may be a bit too close to the edge.

​It’s X-Plus! I used to Photoshop to composite an image of the vinyl figure over the original in this shot from the series.

By John Stanowski Originally posted May 2nd, 2013 on Kaiju Addicts.