JAPAN ORIGINAL RELEASE: NOT RELEASED IN JAPAN.

​NORTH AMERICAN (DIAMOND) ORIGINAL RELEASE: AUGUST 2017.

​SERIES: KAIJU 12IN SERIES (30CM SERIES)

​MATERIAL: VINYL

​FROM: “GODZILLA 2000: MILLENNIUM” (1999)
ゴジラ2000 ミレニアム

​HEIGHT (HEAD TO FLOOR): 10.125 INCHES / 25.7 CM

​HEIGHT (FINS TO FLOOR): 11 INCHES / 27.9 CM

​WIDTH: (TOE TO TOE AT ANGLE) 8 INCHES / 20.3 CM

​LENGTH (NOSE TO TIP OF TAIL): 21.5 INCHES / 54.6 CM

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: © JOHN STANOWSKI

​GODZILLA: TM & © TOHO CO.,LTD.

A CURIOUS RELEASE
We first learned about what would eventually be named the Godzilla Kaiju 12in Series Godzilla 1999 (2000) Version 2 vinyl figure by X-Plus in July 2016. It was on display at Diamond Distributor‘s booth at San Diego Comic-Con.

Collectors pointed out that this figure originally appeared as a KOC resin kit, and later a vinyl, which came out around the same time as the movie did.

What’s curious about this vinyl is, it was never released in Japan by X-Plus. I assumed it would show up as a Japanese release at some point before we got it here in North America, but that never happened. This is pretty interesting. Might we get more surprises like this?

So, what we have here is a first. The U.S. and Canada get this special release and Japan does not. At least not yet. Perhaps it will show up on the Japanese X-Plus site at some point.

Either way, we have it NOW so let’s focus on that.

This North American Release arrived in stores on August 23, 2017. It has a suggested retail price of $160 and you can order one of these right now at your local comic store.

QUICK SIDENOTE
I originally dismissed this figure. X-Plus had already put out a proper 30cm Series Godzilla 1999 (2000) and I was more than happy with that one.

Plus, this new one looked a bit stylized to me. Perhaps I thought that way because of its dynamic pose and bright fins. It was hard to tell since we’ve had only one photo to stare at for over a full year.

Also, on not only my mind but many others’, was the drastic step the figure is taking. It looked like a prime candidate for Vinyl Topple Syndrome.

As it turns out, this figure looks really, really good. And, its balance is totally solid.

To help you decide whether or not you need this guy on your shelf, I present this review.

The first thing you notice about the box is its lively new cover art. On it, the figure is called “Godzilla 1999 Ver. 2” although the full name from Diamond has been “Godzilla 1999 2K Millennium Ver. 2” for the past year.

Next thing to notice is its height. At 18 inches, it’s much taller than the average X-Plus box. Open it and you’ll see why. Rather than placing the tail joint near the “butt”, X-Plus decided to have a 7-inch portion of the tail already permanently attached to the body. Since the dorsal fins are not in the way, I can only assume this was done to help keep the figure sturdy with it’s drastic footspan. (It does.)

The figure and an additional tail piece, which you must insert, come wired in a plastic shell. The fins on this figure seems to have a bit more room than the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1999 (original release) does. So if you order this figure in the cold winter, there will be less of a chance for getting one with broken fins.

​Putting the tail on this guy is ridiculously easy compared to other figures.

Since the joint is about 7 inches away from the body, the female end is a lot smaller. And the male end on the smaller tail piece doesn’t have the usual, flimsy “suction-cup” flange which is often prone to coiling in on itself when attaching.

As usual, get your hairdryer and heat up the hole on the main body. KEEP THE TAIL COOL so that it remains hard. When the hole on the body softens up from the heat, just insert the tail and twist. The round joint makes twisting easier.

I was able to get this tail on very quickly and with no trouble at all.

The 12in Series Godzilla 1999 Version 2 vinyl figure by X-Plus sports a fantastic sculpt leaning heavily toward the movie accurate side of the dial. It’s dramatic pose, though, makes it somewhat difficult to really tell if it could be said to look like it walked right out of the movie.

What is clear is that every detail, if not accurate, it completely represented on this figure. Each dorsal fin is comparable to a fin on the original 30cm Series Godzilla 1999. The paths of the textures and even each bump on the face is all there. When comparing this figure to photos, it’s the same thing. All of the details, even the smaller one we never pay attention to, are there.

It’s very clear that the sculptor had good reference material and went above and beyond to capture every detail. He accomplished this without having the opportunity to get to know this suit and have this (then) new design burn into his brain with repeat viewings of the movie over a period of years. (This figure came out shortly after the movie was released.)

​HEAD SCULPT
The head on this figure is fan-fucking-tastic! As I mentioned before, each of those bumps on his snout correlates to bumps on the actual suit. And the proportions and sizes look perfect as well.

Although the tongue is not individually sculpted, it certainly gives the appearance of being a separate piece.

The teeth, which ARE individually sculpted look …fan-fucking-tastic! I’m totally impressed with these incisors and think this may be one of my favorite set of choppers from X-Plus.

Not shown here: the roof of the mouth has a series of deep, radiating ridges. It’s good to know there is detail waiting to be discovered on this figure, even when it’s not out in the open.

​Every angle of the head sculpt looks fantastic. Although the front view makes him look a little drunk in the eyes. But you can see the intentional Godzilla 1962 influence on the design here especially. The top of the head and the “eyebrows” seem a bit too large and high. The original 1999 release wins here.

LITTLE DETAILS
Do you see that little bulge in the skin right under the jaw on the right pic? That bulge would appear whenever the mouth opened wide on the suit. I think it’s fantastic that the sculptor took the time to capture such a small detail.

TEXTURES
The sculpted details on the chest match the suit and, in my opinion, actually appear to have received more attention than those on the original 30cm Series Godzilla 1999 release. While the lighter paint and subtle highlights play a part in making it seem that way, the details really are more chiselled and sharp on this Version 2.

​DORSAL FINS
The sculpting of the dorsal fins is incredible and perfectly capture the new look from this suit. But, there is more going on here than you may think when casually looking. While not completely perfect matches, almost each and every spike follows each and every turn and angle from the spikes on the actual suit. This is insane attention to detail!

(Just for the record, the original Godzilla 1999 release also deserves some praise for this.)

​The 12in Series Godzilla 1999 Version 2 is posed in a braced and forceful forward march. It’s body leans heavily forward and, perhaps most notably, the right leg is reaching far back with the ankle in the air. It reminds me of when Godzilla comes out of the ocean and advances onto the beach before get attacked by the JSDF and also the scene where he advanced toward Orga later in the city.

I have to say, the “personality” of the suit movement and suit actor Tom Kitagawa is captured really well in this pose when you view it from the front. That’s the kind of detail that’s sometimes harder to capture than actual physical details. I almost get the sense of movie-accurate movement when looking at this from the front.

This figure’s best angle is the forward right angle as seen in the production shot we’ve been looking at for a year. This angle, though, will cause the tip of the tail to poke the back wall making it slightly more difficult to fit on a smaller shelf.

The forward left angle also looks great, and here the tail will curve out of the way of the back wall. Also from this angle, more of the chest and front of the figure is visible making an almost picture perfect angle good enough for a movie poster.

The left flank of this figure is also a great choice. But the full on right flank is crap because of that backward angled leg lining up with the slanted body.

Almost every rear angle looks great but they’re not good for anything other than toy photography since no one will pose this guy facing the wall.

I do particularly like the full-on back view of this figure. The combination of the figure’s pose and it’s sweeping tail just looks cool as hell.

A by-product of this pose, and the first of three minor complaints of mine, is the drastic forward lean seen from about a third of the angles of view.

From some views, Godzilla looks like he’s tilted at some near-impossible angles. Impossible, that is, unless he’s about to fall to the ground. I think that it’s just an “illusion”. This position is totally plausible when marching forward like this. Think of an olympic track and field runner first sprinting forward in a race. His whole body is slanted even more forward than Godzilla here.

But I can see how it would bother some. One might say, ‘well, don’t display him at any of those angles’. And, I’ll say it now since it has to be said. But it would be nice if we didn’t have to avoid these sides of the figure.

On the bright side, this pose is very dynamic and that’s not something we X-Plus collectors are used to getting. And this dynamic pose really does a good job of capturing the essence of this suit’s movement.

There are obvious seams above both biceps and below both knees. Seams are commonly found in these locations on many X-Plus figures. It’s just that all four seem to be more visible than usual on this figure, possibly due to the lighter paint apps. Click on the photos from the Pose Section for larger views to see these.

The is a nearly invisible seam running around the right ankle. You’d have to actually look for it to see it.

Since the upper half of the tail comes already attached to the body, there is no gap at all near the butt like we’re used to seeing. The actual tail joint, being halfway down the tail is totally invisible, hidden within a ridge in the sculpt.

The first thing you’ll notice about the this new Ver. 2 vinyl is it’s lighter greenish-black base coat. This is one of the many things that sets it apart from the original 30cm Series Godzilla 1999, which made no attempt to acknowledge the greenish shades of the Godzilla 2000 suit in its paint apps. (You can see the original figure in the size comparison section below.)

So which figure has it right?

While the suit was technically a dark green, we barely got to see this in the movie. The only time I can recall seeing the green actually showing up in the film was during Godzilla’s first encounter with the flying meteorite. This was shot at the Toho “pool” and was straight photography whereas most of the other day shots containing Godzilla were so badly composited (and color corrected) against actual locations that he wound up looking like he had the traditional charcoal black color. (There was, though, some effort to show the green in the one CGI shot of Godzilla swimming under water.)

Dusty, subtle highlights cover the higher elevations of the skin textures and this is, as always, a really nice touch.

The next thing that stands out is the intensity of the magenta/purple dorsal fins. They’re kind of on the bright side. A bit too bright to be movie accurate. I do recall the fins actually looking the same as this figure in a few shots of the night scene where Godzilla confronts Orga. But other than those, the fins tended to appear to have a much more reserved color. So, yeah, this figure is a bit on the flashy side.

The paint used on the fins is somewhat metallic and because of that, they’re pretty “shiny”. Perhaps if they were a bit duller, they would appear more movie-accurate.

The attention-getting color of these fins is my second minor peeve with this figure. Though I have to admit, they don’t offend all of the time. In darker light they look just fine. They may look a bit crazy in my photos, but remember that I’m blasting them with two huge lights. The figure will look a lot better on your shelf with normal light.

Godzilla’s teeth are a (to me) perfect shade of tartar, dirty white and look much better than the overly pearly whites on the original 1999 figure.

The eyes are a definite improvement over the original figure as far as contrast and visibility goes. But, I actually prefer the cloudy eyes on the original.

Overall, this figure will stand out on your shelf with its lighter, greener skin and flashy fins.

​My third concern about this figure is that, for all intents and purposes, it’s short.

At first glance, this new G2K figure seems significantly shorter than it’s predecessor, the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1999.

But it looses a lot of height because of it’s forward leaning pose. That fact does not console, though, for at the end of the day, on the shelf, it “looks” shorter.

​If it makes you feel any better, it’s actually almost the same size as the first version when you lay them down on their sides. Here, the figures line up almost perfectly in height. So, “technically”, this figure is a good match for the 30cm Series.

But, if you still can’t get around that, just remember that the 30cm Series Godzilla 1984, 1968 and 2004 are also short.

​If you’re going to let this visually shorter figure bother you, consider placing him on a different shelf. Here, the Ver. 2 is flanked by the Toho 30cm Series Yuji Sakai Modeling Collection Godzilla 1989 and Godzilla 2001. This line is notorious for being too short for the 30cm Series.

Some collectors, like myself, choose to display them on their own shelf where they can line up perfectly with one another.

The Ver. 2 is, visually, a good match. And, it’s not the only one…

Several recent Toho Large Monster Series figures are far too tall for their line. The Large Monster Series Godzilla 1995 (left), Destoroyah (not shown) and Shin Godzilla 2016 Fourth Form actually line up well with the Yuji Sakai Modeling Collection, and our new guy here, Godzilla 1999 Ver. 2.

If you don’t already have a “27.5cm” shelf, perhaps now is the time to start one.

For you Godzilla 2000 super fans, a group shot with the Gigantic Series Godzilla 2000 and the 30cm Series version.

Godzilla is posed into one large arc, curling slightly inward on its left side. The tail swinging to the left helps the figure keep perfect balance, despite it’s wide step. It also makes it easier to get this guy closer to the back wall.

As collector Leslie Chambers first pointed out, the Ver. 2 may be a good stand-in for a Godzilla vs. Megaguirus vinyl.

Think of it. How likely is it at this point that X-Plus will put out a (Megaguirus) MireGoji figure? You could take this Ver. 2 and use it as a stand-in.

The same suit was used for Godzilla vs. Megaguirus after a few minor tweaks. And, unless you’re a super detail freak, you probably wouldn’t even know the difference. Well, I wouldn’t anyway.

What most anyone could notice, though, is that the second movie featured what appeared to be more of a greenish Godzilla. As I mentioned earlier, the 1999 suit was definitely dark green. But due to an abundance of poor composite work, and a lot of night shots, most the green simply got lost.

However, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is packed with straight, in-camera cinematography shot on the sound stage under mostly bright lights. Because of this, we tend to think of MireGoji’s second movie as being greener. And the Ver. 2 vinyl is definitely greener.

Plus, it’s my guess that we’re more likely to get a new Megaguirus vinyl from X-Plus than a new MireGoji Godzilla. And, if and when that happens, you’ll already be prepared to pose the Ver. 2 beside it!

​The 12in Series Godzilla 1999 Ver. 2 Previews Exclusive vinyl figure does have a few issues. It’s short. The fins are a bit too vibrant. And its marching pose makes him appear to be leaning from several angles.

But it ain’t all bad. This figure has a movie-accurate sculpt which skillfully incorporates little details casual viewers aren’t even aware of (including me!). It has a fantastic, dynamic pose which accurately captures the spirit of Tom Kitagawa and the G2K suit.

Having spent time with this figure for this review, I can’t imagine not having it on my shelves. It may not be the best. But, it’s certainly no where even near the worst. Plus, it makes for a great stand-in for a Godzilla vs. Megaguirus Godzilla.

It’s definitely a keeper and worth getting.

(Note this sections information is not valid now but is included as it was part of the review.)
As of this writing, the 12in Series Godzilla 1999 Ver. 2 vinyl figure has just now been released. Now is the time to grab one.

So far this figure is a North American release only. You probably won’t find any from Japanese stores unless they find their way over there via the gray market.

This figure is a Previews Exclusive and available only from authorized Diamond Comics Distributors retailers. To find one you need look no further than your local comic book store. There not likely to be in stock when you get there, but they can certainly order one for you.

Keep in mind that this figure is not the only Godzilla 1999 figure Diamond ever released. So to avoid confusion, tell the guy behind the counter that you want the GODZILLA 12IN SER GODZILLA 1999 2K MILLENNIUM VER PX FIG.

Even better, give them the current Item Code which is AUG162829.

If you’re not up for a two to three week wait, you can order one online from a mess of online retailers.

By John Stanowski Originally posted August 27th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

It is with overwhelming sadness we report that Haruo Nakajima has passed away on August 7, 2017 at the age of 88. More than anything else, he loved to meet and spend time with his fans, and we are very fortunate to have so many wonderful memories of those times when he visited with all of us. Our deepest condolences to his dear daughter, Sonoe Nakajima.

By John Stanowski Originally posted August 7th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

​This past Sunday at Summer Wonder Festival in Chiba, Japan, X-Plus revealed several new vinyls for the first time. And all of them were nice surprises.

Woah! One of the bigger highlights of the display was a 30cm Series Kong based on the monster from this year’s Kong: Skull Island.

A very early prototype stood in the center of the X-Plus booth celebrated with a huge banner behind it. Seems we’re not the only ones excited about this release.

Kong stands with one open hand and one fist draped to his sides while he looks off into the distance with an unhappy expression. One can’t help but wonder if the RIC exclusive version may be an alternate roaring head. It’s far too early to know right now. The details of the RIC version are still being considered.

There is no word on a release date nor a price. Keep visiting Kaiju Addicts for more details as they come in.

Standing tallest on the table beside Kong was a new prototype for a Gigantic Series Godzilla 1964. We had no warning of this so it’s truly a nice surprise. This is why we love Wonder Festival.

One thing to note on this figure is the way the tail wraps around the side just as on the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962. No doubt this helps reel in the size of the shipping box. But it also helps us when it comes time to display the big badass.

Note: the tail on this figure is raised a good inch or two above the shelf and will come with a tail base.

No word or price or release date yet.

​Many of us have been clamoring for a GMK Baragon for quite a while now. All I can say is, it’s about time!

Baragon looks FANTASTIC! It’s hard to tell, though, if he’s in scale with the Large Monster Series Godzilla 2001. (He looks large in some photos, small in others.)

Mothra looks pretty small. But, she was small in the movie so this is actually an excellent size for the figure. It’s frozen in flight, supported by a base and metal pole just like its predecessors, the Large Monster Series Mothra Imago 1961 and 1964. (Just a lot smaller).

This set is a part of the Large Monster Series “Favorite Sculptors Line”. I have no clue what that means. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that these vinyls will be based on previously released kits. Whatever. They’re just new 25’s to me and that’s all I need.

With the release of this set, X-Plus completes yet another movie monster line-up.

It’s a shame that it’s been seven years since the Large Monster Series Godzilla 2001 had been released. Many newer collectors have yet to add him to their collections.

A fantastic substitute, and I would argue a better choice, would be the Large Monster Series Yuji Sakai Modeling Collection Godzilla 2001. Not only is it an inch taller which makes it scale better with the GMK King Ghidorah, it’s readily available to buy right now.

But keep this in mind: lately it’s been X-Plus’ modus operandi to reissue older figures to pair up with newer releases from the same movie. And since it’s been a long 7 years since Godzilla was released, it’s not unreasonable to assume a reissue may be on the way.

This set is expected to be released in November so pre-orders will open in a month or so.

Also on display was a new, unpainted set of prototypes for a Large Monster Series Space Godzilla and Baby Godzilla.

I’m not sure what’s going on here, but that SG sure does look stylized. Hard to tell without the paint apps, but, yeah, it looks a bit fancy to be movie accurate. And that’s weird. So far, X-Plus has done stylized sculpts only with the Gigantic Series.

BABY GODZILLA
On the other hand, Baby Godzilla looks reasonably movie accurate. I’m going to assume this smaller figure will be the RIC Exclusive extra.

No word on price, but these figures are set to come out this October.

X-Plus revealed a Gigantic Series Ultraseven. This big guy is the second in the series and follows the original 1966-1967 Gigantic Series Ultraman which is about 19.5 inches tall. Ultraseven here will probably be a tad taller because of that Eye Slugger on his head.

No word on price or release date.

​Look, I am a HUGE Ultraman fan. Though, I tend to stick with the original series. I really don’t know what we’re looking at here. I don’t even recognize most of these guys I’m just going to hand the mic over to X-Plus Ultra collector and super expert, Vince Elliot.

For the first time, we got a look at what the upcoming Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 2016 Third Form vinyl looks like with it’s prototype paint apps.

We also have a date and a price. This figure will go for ¥19,980 (about $181 USD) and is expected to release in November. (Same month as the GMK set! Save that money!)

We’ve seen completed pics of the X-Plus Kamatakun already. We’ve got a date for release now. This figure is coming in October.

Also on display were the Gigantic Series (Shin) Godzilla 2016 Standard and RIC versions.

What’s puzzled some collectors are their solid red (standard) and red and clear (RIC) looks. I’ve noticed that some collectors are under the impression that these are new versions in fun & fruity colors. Nope.

The figures will be molded in red vinyl and painted over with black. A small percentage of the red vinyl will be left unpainted in order to create that red glowing-in-the-cracks look from the movie. As for the RIC, some of the parts will be molded in translucent vinyl and that’s the white bits you’re seeing.

So why are they showing these figures off in the nude? My guess is that’s all they have to show right now. The painted prototypes are more than likely at the factory. X-Plus leader, Gee Okamoto, was in China just about a couple of weeks ago and I’m assuming he took the painted prototypes there to leave as a sample for the production painters.

So, sorry, no red or red and glowie Gigantic Shins for you.

The Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1989 Ric Boy Exclusive version will be reissued. Like its original Japanese release in 2012, this figure will come with a mini Rose Form Biollante figure (which is 4.25 inches tall).

You may think this to be an odd choice for a reissue since X-Plus put out a North American reissue just a couple of years ago. But, remember, it’s been five long years since Japanese collectors have had a chance to grab this one.

Pre-orders for this figure have not opened yet, but when they do, it will run you ¥22,000 (about $199 USD!). This figure expected to ship this November.

Got your eye on that reissue of that Large Monster Series Destoroyah? It’s an upcoming reissue with new, nighttime paint scheme and lights in the eyes and horn.

Also on display were the already released Deforeal versions of the Shin Godzilla second and fourth forms as well as new entries, the Fourth Form roaring version and Third Form and, surprise, a 1954 Train Biter.

​By John Stanowski Originally posted July 31st, 2017 on Kaiju Addicts.

東宝30㎝シリーズ 「ゴジラ1995」

​JAPAN ORIGINAL RELEASE: APRIL 2017

SERIES: TOHO 30CM SERIES

​MATERIAL: VINYL

​FROM: “GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH” (1995)
ゴジラVSデストロイア

​HEIGHT: 12.875 INCHES / 32.7 CM

​WIDTH: (TOE TO TOE) 9 INCHES / 22.8 CM

​LENGTH (NOSE TO TIP OF TAIL): 20.375 INCHES / 51.7 CM

FIGURE WEIGHT: 2 LBS / 907 G

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: © JOHN STANOWSKI

​GODZILLA: TM & © TOHO CO.,LTD.

The Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 vinyl figure by X-Plus was first revealed at the Miyazawa Model Exhibition (a private industry event) in late 2016.

Pre-orders for the figure opened February 3, 2017 and ended on February 19, 2017. The figure was released in April 2017. The average price for the Standard Version was about $190. The RIC Exclusive version of this figure came with a mini Oxygen Destroyer and sold for ¥25,920 (about $232).

This release marks the first time X-Plus has put out an original 30cm Series Heisei Godzilla original sculpt (Not Sakai) since 2013 with the release of the 30cm Series Godzilla 1984. Also consider that we haven’t seen ANY other X-Plus original 30cm Godzilla’s after 2013 besides the two versions of the Godzilla 2014 figure.

Yes, it’s been a long, long time but X-Plus is back with bang. The new 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 is f’n AMAZING.

It has a fantastic movie-accurate (mostly) sculpt based on the suit used in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995). At almost 13 inches tall, it stands higher than most other figures in the series. It also has quite a bit of heft to it making it “feel” more expensive than it already is.

It employs translucent vinyl and painting tricks to reproduce Godzilla’s fission glows without the use of any actual light. It’s an awesome effect which was also used on X-Plus’ two previous (modern) DesuGoji figures.

In my opinion, this 30cm Series version is X-Plus’ finest attempt at capturing the look of Burning Godzilla in vinyl. I feel that it is THE must-have version if you’re all about wanting something that looked like it walked out of the movie.

While the Gigantic Series version is considered by many to be a flagship X-Plus figure because of it’s size and dynamic ferocity, it is heavily stylized. This new 30cm Series version, though, is very carefully modeled after what we actually saw in the movie; and it mostly succeeds. If I could save only one from a fire, I’d save the 30.

So far, the 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 is a big hit with collectors — and rightly so.

Now, let’s open that box!

​The Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 vinyl figure by X-Plus comes in the standard brown blind box design with full color art glued to the cover. As expected, the box is a bit larger than we’re used to. (Its dimensions are roughly 16″ x 14″ x 9″ / 40.6cm x 35.5cm x 22.8cm.)

Inside, the figure is fastened into an open plastic shell with several annoying wire ties, each of which needs to be undone or cut before the figure can step out. Extra precautions in the form of plastic booties and gloves help to keep the fragile paint on the claws safe from scratches.

A frequent complaint with X-Plus packaging is the close proximity between the left toes and the inside of the cover. Any impacts on the covers get transferred to those toes and potentially cause nicks in the paint. I’m pleased to report that in the case of this guy here, those toes are kept well enough away from the inside of the box.

The tail comes in a separate piece and is fastened and taped in beside the figure.

TWO LEFT FEET? DON’T PANIC

Right out of the box it may appear that your new figure has two left feet, the right foot awkwardly mimicking the angle of the left. Don’t fret. The foot rotates under the knee and it can be adjusted with a slight twist. That foot may have settled to the left when placed in the box, or possibly was intentionally rotated to make more room in the box. Either way, you can fix it easily.

​The tail must be connected by you. The best way to do that is to heat the butt end of the tail (left) with a hair dryer until it can be squeezed as easily as a sponge. Heat makes vinyl soft and pliable. Cold temperatures do just the opposite; they make vinyl figures hard.

You want the tail’s flange (suction cup / right) to be hard so that it will easily pop into the soft body end of the tail. After it’s connected, let it cool and the figure will promptly firm up.

EASY ASSEMBLY
I have to say that this was one of the easiest X-Plus tails I’ve ever attached. It popped right in. A welcome change after the challenging tail on the Large Monster Series Titanosaurus from last month. That was one of the hardest tails I’ve ever dealt with.

And, here it is: the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1995. I think it’s one of the best figures to come out in a while.

As mentioned earlier, this figure is carefully sculpted to be as movie-accurate as possible. I think it’s damn near perfect. There are some exceptions, though, which I’ll get to further down in this review.

For now, I just need to say that “THIS is the one.” This is X-Plus’ best go at bringing us the next best thing to owning the actual suit shrunken down to 13 inches. At least in vinyl (currently).

It’s funny — even though I only just received this figure, I feel like it’s been around for a while. I suppose that’s because the Gigantic Series and Large Monster Series (Daikaiju Series) versions have already been in my collection for some time now. This new 30cm Series version, though, is what I always wished the other two were.

Is there room for three X-Plus Burning Godzilla‘s in your collection? Hell, yeah. You need that Large Monster Series version to go with the Large Monster Series Destoroyah and the rest of your Large Monster Series vinyls. And, you sure as shit still need that powerful Gigantic Series figure that captures and projects the spirit of the 1995 design so well.

If you don’t yet have any of these, and accuracy is your thing, then this new 30cm Series figure is the best one for you.

Back to that fantastic likeness. The badassery and doppelgänger looks above are sure to win you over.

To check the accuracy of the sculpt, I compared the figure to the Godzilla vs. Destoroyah bluray. I frequently paused the movie and compared what I saw on the television to the figure in front of me. Damn near every time I saw a perfect (or a good enough to make me happy) match.

​I tried to find little details and compare those as well. And that’s where I very pleasantly surprised. For example, DesuGoji’s corner canines every so slightly project down further than the rest of his double-rowed teeth. That small detail is present on the figure and in just the right amount.

I also noticed the horizontal rings on Godzilla’s neck curving over his throat, meeting the vertical tendons on either side. Again, just the right proportions, depth and just everything.

One detail from the figure that I could not find in the movie is the way the snout sort of angles upward, the same way your four fingers do, unconvincingly, in a sock puppet. The Large Monster Series version also does this. I don’t understand why they have a problem with this. The top of the snout should be level with Godzilla’s forehead.

Also, the details on the front of the snout seem a little… soft. Nothing at all like the botch job on the Large Monster Series version. And, thankfully it’s really only noticeable on the 30cm Series version in close-up photos.

Despite these two minor nitpicks, I feel that this head has a great sculpt and manages to capture Godzilla’s power and anger with that FIERCE roar pose and those piercing, yet still somehow lifeless and unnerving eyes.

​The head sculpt looks fantastic from all angles. This is unmistakably Godzilla 1995’s face from any direction.

As usual, X-Plus has sculpted Godzilla in a pleases-all, standard museum pose.

If you’re one to over-analyze your figures, you may find an ever so slight series of twists and turns, like a sea snake propelling itself through the water. This is most easily seen from a rear view (see below) or from the top.

Though you may not see this fluid twisting from the front, it does cause his head to veer to the right and his arms to the left; particularly the left arm. Nice touch.

​The X-Plus 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 will look great on your shelf facing forward or turned slightly to either side. And if you display it in a central, open space, know that it’s going to look good all around.

For the most part, this figure’s moveable joints and glued seams hardly bring any attention to themselves.

The one obvious offender is where both arms attach to the body just above the biceps. There’s a glaring case of tight-string-around-the-finger there. The left arm isn’t quite as bad as the right.

SOFT HANDS
What’s particularly interesting with the arms and hands, is that even though they are separate pieces and have no use for the softer translucent vinyl used on the main body (for the fiery patch effect), they are kind of soft. You can easily bend the hands and forearms. DO NOT TRY THIS if your figure is cold and firm. I don’t want you busting off a finger because I mentioned it.

The tail joint, which you connect, and the other tail joint you may not have known was there (already connected in the box) are nearly perfectly hidden between the ridged segments sculpted into the figure.

LEGS ROTATE
Both legs have loose joints below the flab of each knee. They can be rotated, or even removed. Folds in the sculpt over the figure’s left knee, though, restrict any movement. The right knee has total freedom. This is good to know in case you notice that foot may be a little off rotation. Know that you can easily correct it.

​There’s a zig-zag of a seam running up and down vertically on both sides of the head, just behind the ears. You’re not likely to notice this from a distance. But I bring it up now because so many of my close-up photos show it clearly. You’ll barely notice it when it’s in front of you.

​The Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 vinyl figure has a base coat of a dusty, asphalt black. All X-Plus figures start here and this shade looks realistic, reserved and not toyish at all as you would find on many lesser brands.

HIGHLIGHTS
Usually, X-Plus brings new meaning to the word “subtle” when it comes to brushing on highlights over the black skin, often leaving you wishing for more. I’m pleased to see that they were significantly more liberal with the highlights which are abundant on the figure’s back behind the arms, the legs and the sides of the tail. These highlights are still extremely subtle and often won’t be noticed consciously unless you take a closer look.

FIERY PATCHES
As for the most obvious color scheme literally screaming on this figure: fiery patches set the figure ablaze with vibrant orange and yellow paint applications. These bright colors are meant to be a reflective light alternative to reproducing the intense fission glows which plagued Godzilla in the film. In other words, they set out to make the figure look like it is ablaze with light under the skin, without actually using any light gimmick.

This technique only goes so far and can appear to be merely paint in some lighting conditions. But to give the effect that extra push, X-Plus ingeniously employed translucent (or perhaps even fully clear) vinyl on the chest, belly and legs. Bright yellow paint was applied ON THE INSIDE of the figure, leave the clear vinyl to refract light on the outside. Reddish / orange “shadowing” was sprayed around the edges to help create a gradation of color and faux light.

The black skin color was then applied on the outside and forked into spikes as it meets the burning patch areas.

Because the vinyl is clear, the black spikes can appear almost as if they are “floating” over the brighter colors. Fortunately this seem mostly in close-up photos. To the naked eye, the effect looks great.

DORSAL FINS
The dorsal fins on the back are molded in orange-tinted clear vinyl which easily allows back light sources make them appear to glow. If you have this guy by an open window or in front of a lamp, you can expect the fins to come alive.

[ NOTE: in the photo above I have a flashlight beside the figure making the fins appear to light-up. To be clear: there IN NO LIGHT GIMMICK included with this figure. A light gimmick was added to the smaller Large Monster Series version of the ’95 and wasn’t particularly successful. ]

TOO BRIGHT?
The fiery fission patches on this new 30cm Series version are a LOT brighter than I was expecting. I have to say I prefer the colors on the Large Monster Series version.

As for the dorsal fins, they are equally overly bright on the new 30 as compared to the 25 (which seems like they’re darker than they should be). I think a color in between the two would have been perfect.

30 FIXES A GOOF ON THE 25
It’s interesting to note that the translucent orange runs in the dorsal fins much lower on the Large Monster Series version. On the 30cm Series version, they abruptly stop after only four big fins. Don’t worry. X-Plus isn’t skimping. The 30cm version here has it right. This is how it actually appeared in the movie. (Looks like someone took a design liberty on that 25.)

GREY FINS
The rest of the smaller dorsal fins which run along the tail are not painted in the usual ashy white. Instead, they’re gray; almost a metallic, bluish gray. It looks like the same color they used on the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1984 Shinjuku Decisive Battle Version with nighttime paint scheme. I’m not saying that’s good or bad. I only care if it’s accurate. And I can’t tell from watching the movie.

Accurate or no, it looks good. Usually the dorsal fins are painted with too stark a white (for me). This looks good!

HOLD ON THERE… NOT SURE THAT’S RIGHT
Okay, now this bit here bugs me. This patch on the belly does not match what we see in most of the movie. The belly of the 30cm Series version here is ablaze with this mostly vertical, upside down spearhead of yellow and orange.

It should appear as a more horizontal, sort of Superman emblem / Mazinger Z chest piece sort of shape. It’s shaped that way on the Gigantic Series and Large Monster Series versions. It even looks that way on the Yuji Sakai’s new Godzilla 1995 resin sculpt AND the S.H.MonsterArts. (And, of course, 98% of the movie.)

Since this patch follows the boundaries of the sculpt, this leads me to wonder if there’s something off about the sculpt itself.

I was all ready to complain a LOT more about this until I finished re-watching Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. The fiery fission glow on the belly does indeed resemble this shape right after Godzilla attempts to revive Junior and during Destoroyah’s second attack in its adult form. But this is only for a few shots.

That leaves us with a little consistency issue here. The presence of this configuration on the belly sets this figure up to be how Godzilla appeared right before his meltdown, and yet there is none of the damage (mostly seen on his left shoulder) from Destoroyah’s powerful “Laser Horn” attacks which occurred a few scenes back.

I find it curious that X-Plus got so much on this figure right only to slip up here.

​EYES
The second most attention getting paint app are the figure’s piercing eyes. Each black pupil is surrounded by a light orange iris which is framed in a thin strip of black. Together they float above darker orange sclera (whites).

These eyes are insanely well done. I don’t know how it was accomplished but it looks they must be some form of decals. And they’re also kinda of shiny when hit with the light, almost like there was a clear sheet of plastic over them.

However it was done, the end effect is hypnotic. My only complaint here is the the “whites” are too light. They appeared much darker in the movie, allowing the irises in the center to stand out more.

​TEETH
Always impressive on most X-Plus figures: individually sculpted teeth individually painted with super precision. It really looks like the teeth are coming up out of the gums.

The inside of the mouth and tongue are painted in a reserved, un-toy-like off red. I know I keep bringing up that “un-toy-like” thing, but that’s so important. Using reserved colors make them look more lifelike and more… adult.

​It’s BIG.

At 12.875 inches tall, this new figure is a little tall for the series and it can easily see over the heads of most of the other figures. Yet it still fits in well with the rest of the series.

Be prepared to be blown away by its size and mass (and its weight, too!)

It’s over 20 and a quarter inches long from nose to tail. You can take away a couple of inches if you go by toes to tail. Its tail has only slight curves on the X-axis which makes it reach nearly straight back making this one a definite shelf hog.

If your shelves aren’t at least 18 inches deep, you have to place this guy down at an angle.

The Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 is taller than the 30cm Series Godzilla 1954, which was the tallest for years. But, the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 2014 Roaring Version is still the reigning height champion; it beats the new ’95 literally by a hair. A hair!

​HEISEI 30’S
The Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 can see over the heads of all other 30cm Series Heisei Godzilla’s. From left to right: Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1984 (North American Diamond Reissue based on the Japanese release of the Nighttime paint scheme version), Godzilla 1989 and Godzilla 1992.

​SHOWAS
This new Burning Godzilla is also taller than all of the 30cm Series Showa figures. Seen here are the 30cm Series Godzilla 1962 and Godzilla 1964.

​THE SAKAI’S
We all know that the Toho 30cm Series Yuji Sakai Modeling Collection figures are actually in some unsaid “27.5cm Series” so it’s no surprise that this extra tall 30cm X-Plus original sculpt towers over them.

HEISEI HEAVEN
The 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 joins the X-Plus roster during a time where the Heisei series continues to get lots of love. On the left: last year’s release of the 30cm Series Battra Larva. On the right: the 30cm Series Space Godzilla (1994), which has been out for quite a while but can look the new Burning Godzilla right in the eye, and still wins out when it comes to bulk.

And there’s more on the way. The Toho 30cm Series Mechagodzilla II (1993) has just been announced (4/2017). Your Heisei shelf is about to get crowded. That’s a good thing.

​BURNING G’S
Here is the new 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 beside the Large Monster Series version which came out in September 2015. Keep in mind that both figures are on the tall side for each of their series and that the Large Monster Series version is about a “head” taller than most other figures in that line.

​If, though, you are anal about scale and insist on having these two together, you could place the Big D further back in the shelf for a fake, “farther-away-look” which would explain the inaccurate scaling. ….know what I mean?

FIRE HAZZARD
Here are all of X-Plus’ modern Burning Godzilla pieces including the Large Monster Series version (left) and the Gigantic Series (center). In the front, stands the S.H.MonsterArts version.

​COMPARISON WITH RECENT RELEASES
If you’re new to X-Plus and have been jumping on the recent releases: here’s a size comparison for you. Left to right: 30cm Series Godzilla 2004, Large Monster Series Shin Godzilla (Standard) and the Large Monster Series Titanosaurus.

REAL WORLD COMPARISON
Don’t have any X-Plus yet? Here’s a real world comparison with something you probably have on hand: the Godzilla vs. Destoroyah Blu ray.

​The RIC Boy exclusive version of this figure comes with a mini, 1/6 scale Oxygen Destroyer.

This is the third time the oxygen destroyer was offered as an extra. The first came in a closed state, all clean and new as seen in the movie that started it all. It came with the 30cm Series Godzilla 1954 monochrome version.

A dark and grungy open version was offered with the very first release of the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995.

This version comes in a slightly opened state. It’s metal skin comes with a chrome-plated “look” and it’s “glass” is tinted green. It’s meant to match the image of the Oxygen Destroyer in the computer generated opening sequence of Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.

Like the two previous versions which came before it, it’s made of ABS plastic and employs real metal in the four rods.

RIC Exclusive versions can be purchased only directly from X-Plus. If you order yours from any other store, you won’t be getting this mini replica.

​The Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1995 vinyl figure by X-Plus totally blew me away. I’ve been wishing X-Plus would make this one for a long time now. And now that it’s in front of me, it does not disappoint. It came out a lot better than I expected it would. I’m really, really happy with it. It’s a fantastic take on the ’95 suit and it’s extra height and heft are great bonuses. To me, it’s (almost) perfect.

If you have your eye on this figure, look for one NOW. You will LOVE it.

Based on the way things have been going, it’s very likely it will be reissued for North America (through Diamond Distributors) at some point. But, who knows when and how long you’d have to wait?

By John Stanowski Originally posted April 28th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

ギガンティックシリーズ
「ゴジラ（1962）」

​JAPAN ORIGINAL RELEASE: JULY 2016

​NORTH AMERICAN (DIAMOND) REISSUE: MARCH 2018

​SERIES: GIGANTIC SERIES

​MATERIAL: VINYL

​FROM: “KING KONG VS. GODZILLA” (1962)
キングコング対ゴジラ

​HEIGHT (HEAD): 18 INCHES / 45.7 CM

​WIDTH: (TOE TO TOE) 16 INCHES / 40.6 CM

​WIDTH: (TOE TO TAIL) 25 INCHES / 63.5 CM

​LENGTH: (TOE TO CURVE IN TAIL) 17 INCHES / 43 CM

​FIGURE WEIGHT: 6 LBS, 14 OZ / 3118.45 G

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: © JOHN STANOWSKI

​GODZILLA: TM & © TOHO CO.,LTD.

X-Plus had tackled fan favorite Godzilla 1962 twice before (in the modern post 2008 series) in both the Large Monster Series and the Toho 30cm Series. The third time is a (big) charm with this latest release. The X-Plus Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962, ギガンティックシリーズ 「ゴジラ（1962）」 was announced in April 2016 and then released three months later in July.

This figure was re-issued for the North American market (through Diamond Distributors) in March 2018.

This vinyl is movie-accurate in both sculpt and paint applications. The result is one helluva King Kong vs. Godzilla collectible. Dare I say that it’s ‘the ultimate’ Godzilla 1962 collectible?

It’s about 18 inches tall and has quite a bit of heft to it at almost 7 pounds. Truly Gigantic.

There was a Ric Boy Exclusive Version which came with translucent dorsal fins tinted blue to recreate the look when Goji fired his atomic breath. A Standard Version with standard painted fins was available in stores. This review focuses on the Standard Version but there are plenty of Ric photos in the Collectors Gallery following this review.

This figure is the fourth entry in the Gigantic Series.

​This monster of a figure comes in a monster of a box. It’s length and width are 19 inches and 20 inches. It’s 22 inches high. Needless to say, shipping for this figure will be on the high side; even when shipped domestically.

The main body is well secured and protected, sandwiched between two foam pieces. The tail, which you must attach, is nestled in a cavity on the outside of the top foam piece.

​To add the tail, you’ll need to warm up the butt of the figure with a hairdryer. And don’t be stingy, this thick vinyl is going to need some persuading before getting soft enough to accept the tail flange. Do NOT heat the tail. You’ll want that flange (suction cup) to be stiff and sturdy when attaching.

But, before you do that, carefully inspect the tail. Unlike most X-Plus figures, the tail is sealed off and totally enclosed. Some figures which have been shipped overseas on airplanes have run into air pressure situations causing the tail to collapse slightly. I’ve heard of collectors simply drilling a hole into the tail to let air in. You’d do this right in the center of the flat plane inside the “suction cup”. And then the tail is heated and coaxed back into its original shape.

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 vinyl figure by X-Plus. 18 inches tall and comes in at almost 7 pounds.

It’s the second figure in the Gigantic Series which is not stylized. And the first figure if you’re only counting un-stylized designs which were actually used in a Godzilla film.

​It’s attempt to be movie-accurate is very, very welcome in my book. Stylized sculpts can be quite exciting and dynamic. The Gigantic GMK and Burning Godzilla certainly are that. But, to me, nothing beats the “real thing”.

This figure is faithful to the movie and really, really well done.

Godzilla’s unique head design is captured perfectly in this sculpt. Since it’s larger than your typical X-Plus head sculpt, there plenty of room for more detail, which you do get.

A really nice touch are the eyes. You may not notice this at first glance, but the whites of the eyes are actually recessed into the sculpt. The actual eye surface is clear plastic with large, black pupils painted onto it (from the inside I think.) Upon close-up inspection, this gives them a nice sense of depth.

As usual with all high-quality X-Plus figures, each tooth is individually sculpted.

The head sculpt looks fantastic from all angles. And quite a feat considering the head changes shape depending on which direction you look at it from. The goofy “bullfrog” head-on look is captured perfectly.

I do actually think the side view needs work though if you’re looking to be totally accurate. The top of the head could be a bit flatter. I think the much maligned Large Monster Series sculpt actually does a better job of getting it right. But, I’m not complaining. The Gigantic does it well enough. And it looks freaking awesome. I don’t see how you could not just love this thing.

As with all figures in X-Plus’ Gigantic Series, you get the opportunity to get grand with texture.

Godzilla’s classic tree bark skin is very detailed and deep. And the shadows which its peaks give off when lit from the side add even more visual interest.

The terrain on the chest is flatter, yet still packed with tiny detail.

Another sign that you’ve got a high-quality vinyl is individually sculpted fingers which this guy has 8 of! I could be wrong about this, but I was under the impression that the suit didn’t actually have separate fingers but was, instead, made sort of like mittens. If so, the separate fingers here are a liberty taken by the sculptor. But it’s one I can live with. Sorry if I’m wrong about this. Just thought I should mention it. If anyone out there can confirm this, could you please let me know?

Also, Godzilla 1962 is often seen with rogue pinky fingers hanging lower than the rest of his digits. That detail isn’t present on this figure. Again: not complaining. I always thought that looked weird anyway.

​I don’t know what to say about the gigantic dorsal fins that you could not glean for yourself with the photo above. They’re huge and packed with an awesome, rough texture.

The pose of the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 is a tad more dynamic than most. The monster is hunching forward on to one side with his tail curled around his right flank.

There are so many different angles you could use to display this figure and it will look good in all of them. And since the tail is not reaching straight back, it’s not putting any restrictions on which direction you have him face.

And what’s great about this is, every month or so you could give it a slight tweak in rotation to make him almost seem like a new figure.

The one downside to this pose, though, is the illusion of a curly pig tail look you get when looking at his right side.

​There are no moveable joints on this figure. The tail joint is the only one not glued and you will see it only when put the tail on for the first time. After that, the seam vanishes in a grooved ring in the tail sculpt.

You can find seams on the figure if you really want to. But the thing is, you’d have to look for them. None of them stand out well enough that I feel the urge to even mention them.

I think this one is damn near seamless!

There usually isn’t that much to discuss when it comes to the paint apps on most of the Godzilla vinyls made by X-Plus.

He’s usually an off-asphalt black. Is it truly a reserved, off-black? Not to dark and toyish? Yes. Are the whites on the dorsal fins dirty and not overly, toyishly stark? Yes. Are these whites feathered well into the blacks of the fins. Yes. It looks fantastic!

Now on to KingGoji-specific painting details:

The claws — always a tricky area for a ’62 collectible. The feathering here usually looks like sloppy work, with no real boundary between claw and finger. Thing is, that’s how it was on the suit.

The teeth are a reserved off-white. His near-lipstick gums are an equally well-reserved brick red. I’ve already mentioned the work on the eyes. The pupils are painted on the inside of clear plastic shells allowing off white white’s, painted inside, to show through.

There are dusty, light highlights expertly applied to the folds over the knees and touches of brick red here and there on the chest. I don’t know if they belong there, but they do add a nice touch.

Overall, fantastic paint decisions and expert execution.

The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 is about 18 inches tall and its width from its left foot to the tip of its sideways tail is a whopping 25 inches!

It’s probably the largest figure which X-Plus has put out so far. It’s closest competition is the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995. The two are about the same height and the GBG is definitely longer with its straight tail. But the ’62 seems to have it beat when it comes to mass. It just has a bit more “presence”.

Clearing a spot in your collection for this huge figure to stand will be tricky as it is with all Gigantic Series figures. It’s just huge. Here are some numbers to help you plan:

The figure is about 18 inches tall. Its “front” is at its widest at the feet which are 16 inches apart from outer toe to outer toe.

The tail makes a hard turn to the figure’s right side which means you can place it closer to the wall. You’ll need 17 inches of shelf depth from the front of the toes back.

Though that tail bend is saving you space in the back, it’s taking up room on the side. The figure is 25 inches from its outer left toe to the tip of the tail on the side!

As I mentioned in the Pose section, the curved tail gives you more options when it comes to displaying it. And it could be rotated slightly now and then to freshen up the look.

​Here is a size comparison of the Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 with the much loved Toho 30cm Series version (right) and the much-maligned Large Monster Series version (front).

​MARCH OF THE GIGANTICS
(Front to back) Gigantic Series Godzilla 2000, Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962, Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995 and Gigantic Series Godzilla 2001.

I didn’t have enough room to line the figures up side by side without having the backdrop creep into the frame, but this shot still tells all. Only the Godzilla 1995 stands up to the new ’62 in height. But the ’62 wins the fight when it comes to sheer mass and bulk.

(If you’re getting a hard-on for Gigantics, there’s more of ’em. Not shown here is the Gigantic Series Yuji Sakai Godzilla 1954 and the upcoming Gigantic Series Shin Godzilla).

X-Plus’ Ric Boy version (or Shounen Ric version) of this figure came with the dorsal fins molded in translucent vinyl which was tinted blue to replicate their look when Godzilla fires his atomic breath. The same asphalt black used on the body was applied to each fin but yielded to the clear blue at just the right distance from each spike.

As great as the blue fins look, this arrangement makes for a sort of visual contradiction since Godzilla’s mouth is not open in atomic breath position. It would have been a nice touch if the Ric went a step further and had an open lower jaw.

I have to say, personally, of all the color-tinted fins I’ve seen X-Plus put out, this one looks the best. They give off a look which mimics how they appeared in the movie really, really well. This is the only color-tinted variation I ever considered getting. I still didn’t get it, because there could be only one Gigantic 1962 in my collection. But they DO look good.

More photos of the blue-finned Ric version appear below in the Collectors Gallery.

​The Gigantic Series Godzilla 1962 vinyl figure by X-Plus is a masterpiece. Plain and simple. This KingGoji sculpt is accurate and dynamic, features realistic paint apps and has amazing detail and texture. And it’s huge!

I have to say it again: this is probably THE ultimate King Kong vs. Godzilla collectible. And probably one of the top Godzilla figures of all time.

By John Stanowski Originally posted March 19th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

​東宝30シリーズ 「ラドン（1964版）」

​JAPAN ORIGINAL RELEASE: 2012

​DIAMOND REISSUE: JUNE 2016

​SERIES: TOHO 30CM SERIES

​MATERIAL: VINYL

​FROM: “GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER” (1964)
三大怪獣 地球最大の決戦.

​HEIGHT: 12.25 INCHES / 31 CM

​WIDTH: (WING TIP TO WING TIP) 23.75 INCHES / 60.3 CM

​REVIEW AND PHOTOS: © JOHN STANOWSKI

​The Toho 30cm Series Rodan 1964 vinyl figure by X-Plus really does look like it literally flew out of the movie and onto your shelf. It’s based on Rodan’s second film appearance as seen in Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster, 三大怪獣 地球最大の決戦 (1964). What makes this a monster of a figure is its nearly two-foot-long wingspan. It stands in perfect scale with his buddy, the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1964. And it is a marvel of sculpting, texture and paint.

It was originally released in Japan way back in 2012. It was reissued for the North American market (through Diamond Distributors) in June 2016 as the Godzilla Kaiju 12in Series Rodan 1964 giving collectors who missed out another chance at grabbing this amazing vinyl.

This review was made with the 2016 North American (Diamond) Reissue.

​Rodan’s monster of a box is 24″x15.5″x6.5″. Shipping should always be a consideration when ordering this figure since its box is two feet long. Place that in a shipping box and you’ve got a large shipping bill. But I think the treasure you get to open on a very big Box Day is more than worth it!

​The box flips open to reveal the figure, fully assembled, seated in an open plastic tray. You’ll have to remove some wire ties to free it. Before you do, just check the tips of both wings to first make sure the paint didn’t get scuffed in transit.

The sculpt of the Toho 30cm Series Rodan 1964 by X-Plus is a marvel. Not only does it reproduce a miniature mirror image of the suit used in Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster, but it’s attention to small details is astounding. I suppose the feature that stands out the most is the expert reproduction of the creases and folds in the wings.

If you watch the movie with this figure in front of you, I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a dead ringer for the suit. But keep in mind there were 2 Rodans in that film: the suit and a flying puppet which unfortunately didn’t match up perfectly with the former. This figure is based on the suit.

​The detail in texture continues on the back with a rough surface sculpted into the upper wings and upper back.

​The head sculpt looks perfect from every angle.

Here’s a closer look at that rough texture in the upper wings and back.

And those individually sculpted chest spikes don’t fail at drawing the eye.

Nothing fancy going on here and that’s just as it should be. Just a standard Rodan pose. This guy is looking forward with both wings spread full out to each side, just like the movie.

This figure has no articulated joints and, as far as I can tell, is made up of ten pieces. It comes completely assembled and the meeting places of all ten of its parts are practically invisible.

I think it’s a good idea to know where these pieces are so that when you pick it up, you’ll know if you’re tugging on a glue seam or not.

The head and neck are one piece, and it’s connection to the main body is practically invisible. The two horns atop the head are separate pieces.

The main body runs from the shoulders, down to the knees. It does not extend to the wings.

The wings are attached and glued right up on the sides of the main body. While no seams can be detected from the front, you can certainly see them from the back. The back usually faces the wall, so no problem there.

Each wing comes in two pieces and the connections occur right down the middle.

You probably want to avoid grabbing this figure by the head/neck or by a wing.

The feet are attached and glued right at the knees. These seams are completely camouflaged by the creases in the sculpt.

Overall, this figure ranks pretty high when it comes to hiding its seams.

For a mass produced figure, the paint job on this figure is Top Notch!

Rodan has a base color of a dark, warm brown with only occasional super subtle highlights here and there. What makes this presentation is the reddish, light brown on the front and back of the wings which are expertly feathered into the brown near the “arms” at the top.

In addition, a slighter darker light brown dances around the various crinkles and folds in the wing membrane. And this looks FANTASTIC!

Islands of contrasting color detail spring up on Rodan’s horns, beak, claws, toes and individually painted chest spikes. The gradations of color from bony white to brown on the horns and beak looks amazing. And, most impressively, they did not skimp out on the “toes”. They could have just quickly feathered the bone white of the toes to the brown in the feet, but instead took the time to feather it from light bone to dark bone on just the toes themselves. There is a distinct change to brown matching the sculpt where the skin begins. Just fantastic work.

The Toho 30cm Series Rodan is BIG. At twelve and a quarter inches tall, it’s not much taller than any other figure in the 30cm Series. But it’s nearly two-foot wingspan makes him wider than three figures in a row. Because of this, it has a LOT of “presence”.

​Again, that two-foot wingspan!

Rodan takes up less than 5 inches from front to back. But those wings make it take up the space of three figures side by side.

It would be a good idea to place this figure near the rear of your shelf, allowing one or even two other neighbors to stand in front of the wings. This idea gets even better when you consider that other figures could help prevent Rodan from a tumble later one. See the Caution section for more on that.

The very first size comparison needs to be, without a doubt, Rodan’s buddy from Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster. This Rodan scales perfectly with the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1964. Each figure looks fantastic on its own. But when you get these together, it’s awesome overload.

Here is a size comparison of Rodan with other figures which were licensed for North America early in 2016. Keep in mind that Rodan in the rear and so may appear smaller than it would be in a side by side comparison.

Shown are (left to right): Baragon 1965, Anguirus 1968, Gigan 1972 and Titanosaurus. All four of these figures were originally released in Japan as part of the Toho 30cm Series and reissued in North America (through Diamond) as the Godzilla Kaiju 12in Series. Same thing / different series name.

Point is, if you jumped on the chance to get these reissues early last year, this group here represents what you could have accomplished.

The original 2012 RIC Boy release of this figure came with mini Flying Rodan figure which you can see below. The North American (Diamond) Reissue did not come with this extra piece.

​Unfortunately, this figure is prone to falling. This is a sad possibility with any X-Plus vinyl with skinny legs. When the temperature is higher, the vinyl gets softer and the feet and ankles tends to give under the figure’s weight. You should take care to keep Rodan near the back of the shelf when placed up high. This usually isn’t a problem since that’s where he needs to be anyway because of his large wings.

Keep in mind that this figure is so perfectly balanced that it is able to stand on its own without any help from the wings. In fact, the tips of both wings are well over the ground.

The key here is prevention. I’ve found the best thing you could do to keep Rodan on his feet, is to place him directly behind a sturdy shelf buddy.

By chance, the Toho 30cm Series Baragon 1965 makes an absolutely perfect shelf buddy. You can slip Baragon’s tail under Rodan’s wing (near the body). There is more than enough room for this. Then slide Baragon back until his back is touching Rodan’s wing. Don’t leave any space there. If you leave space, you’re still allowing Rodan to slowly lean forward. By making contact with the two figures, you are preventing any warping in Rodan’s feet from happening in the first place.

The same thing can be accomplished with the Toho 30cm Series Gigan 1972. There is more than enough room for his tail to reach under Rodan’s wing.

If you’re hurting for space, you could use both. This Rodan ain’t goin’ anywhere!

BUT WHAT ABOUT GODZILLA 1964?
At first I didn’t think using the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1964 would even work. I thought his tail was just too large and I never even thought to try it. Well, what the hell, I tried it and it DOES work! You can have both 1964 figures “locked” together in such a way that Rodan is completely supported.

The one problem is that you are limited to a very specific arrangement. And it’s this:

This is the only way Rodan’s wing will fit over Godzilla’s tail. So, no face-off here. They’re on the same team, standing shoulder to shoulder staring down King Ghidorah.

What’s good about it is that the one curve under the wing almost seems to lock into place. You have to “find” this spot. Make sure while you maneuver the figures, that Rodan’s feet are flat on the floor.

Also, luckily, one of Godzilla’s dorsal fins should meet Rodan’s wing for even more support.

If you want to give this a go, here are some close-ups of how I did it:

The Toho 30cm Series Rodan 1964 vinyl figure by X-Plus really is an amazing collectible. The sculpt is super accurate to the suit used in Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster and it makes for the perfect companion piece to the 30cm Series Godzilla 1964. It also adds a lot of variety to your shelves with it’s near two-foot wingspan.

The details and textures in the sculpt are stellar as are the reserved and realistic paint applications. I really don’t know why I waited so long to grab this figure. Thanks to X-Plus and Diamond, I was able to pick one up at a great price.

I really can’t imagine having this figure around now that I have it.

The figure has tons of presence and makes for a literally “big” Box Day!

NOTE: From here down, photos may be sweetened in Photoshop to over dramatize the figure a bit beyond reality.

By John Stanowski Originally posted March 12th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

Episode 4 of Kaiju Addicts TV is now available.

In this episode, X-Plus made a slew of new figure announcements at the (Winter) Wonder Festival including new Shin Godzilla figures for the Gigantic Series, Large Monster Series and 30cm Series. Yuji Sakai also showed off his new 30cm Shin Godzilla resin kit which is also destined to become an X-Plus vinyl later this year.

X-Plus also revealed a new Toho Large Monster Series Godzilla 2004.

And at Toy Fair, Diamond Distributors revealed a bunch of new (old) X-Plus vinyls set to be reissued for the North American Market including the Godzilla 1954 Train Biter, Battra, Yuji Sakai Godzilla 1992, Mechagodzilla 1975, Kiryu 2002, Gigan 2004 (post repairs) and the roaring version of Godzilla 2014.

If you would like to ask your local comic store to order one of the 4 new Diamond Reissue vinyls, here are their official names and Item Codes:

Godzilla 12in Series Terror of Mechagodzilla 1975 Ver / Item code: JAN178436
Godzilla 12in Series Godzilla 1954 Train Biting Ver / Item code: JAN178434
Godzilla 12in Series Battra 1992 Battle for Earth Ver / Item code: JAN178433
Godzilla 12in Series Godzilla 1992 Sakai Yuji Ver / Item code: JAN178435

By John Stanowski Originally posted March 11th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

​Today, X-Plus is displaying a lot of new figures at Winter Wonder Festival 2017 in Chiba, Japan. The biggest story here is, of course, the upcoming Gigantic Series Shin Godzilla.

​As you can see, this new Shin is very stylized just like the Gigantic GMK and Burning Godzilla.

If you look closely at the first photo, you’ll see an alternate head in front of the figure. This could be the RIC Exclusive. There are photos of the prototype with this closed mouth head on in the photos below.

EARLY PHOTOS OF THE GIGANTIC SHIN GODZILLA

These early photos show the figure being worked on and aren’t as complete as the one at Wonder Festival. But they do give you a closer look at the detail and also what’s going on with that tail.

Now back to Wonder Festival…

SHIN GODZILLA: STAGE 2 AND STAGE 3

Also on display were a Large Monster Series Shin Godzilla Stage 2 and a 30cm Series Shin Godzilla Stage 3.

​30CM YUJI SAKAI SHIN GODZILLA

Not enough Shin? There’s more: the 30cm Series Yuji Sakai Modeling Collection Shin Godzilla was announced with only a sign. Fortunately, the figure was at the show, at Mr. Sakai’s booth.

This will be released as a pricey limited edition (60) resin kit. Later on, X-Plus will put it out in vinyl as a 30cm Series figure (possibly Summer?)

LARGE MONSTER SERIES GODZILLA 2004

The upcoming Large Monster Series Keizer Ghidorah painted prototype with a newly announced Large Monster Series Godzilla 2004 to go with it.

GABARA! RIC MINYA!

A painted version of the upcoming Large Monster Series Gabara with an unpainted Minya. Looks like Minya might be the RIC exclusive?

LARGE MONSTER SERIES KING GHIDORAH

Here is the Large Monster Series Godzilla 2001 pitted against the upcoming Large Monster Series King Ghidorah 2001. You can better see the RIC exclusive glitter effect in the second photo.

WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS BUSTS

​Again, no word on when most of this is coming out or even going up for pre-order. And, so, we wait.

2017 is going to be a kickass year for X-Plus.

By John Stanowski Originally posted February 18th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

Episode 3 of Kaiju Addicts TV is now available.

In this episode, I review recent X-Plus releases in Japan and North America. We learn about upcoming releases including a Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1995, Large Monster Series Titanosaurus and Keizer Ghidorah. We were also recently teased with a Large Monster Series Gabara and GMK King Ghidorah.

We discuss the problems with the Large Monster Series King Ghidorah 1968‘s packaging from the original release and look at why the new box is so much better.

Also, we’ll take a look at a surprising sculpt modification on the North American reissue of the 30cm Series Godzilla 1984 which now stands taller. And a quick guest review of the Gigantic Series Yuji Sakai Godzilla 1999 by Leslie Chambers.

Finally, we take a quick look at some fantastic toy photography featuring X-Plus, by collector, John Ruffin from his site, MyKaiju Godzilla.

By John Stanowski Originally posted February 4th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.

X-Plus revealed a prototype of an upcoming Large Monster Series Gabara on their table at Super Festival 73 in Tokyo this weekend (Sunday, January 8).

Gabara is the bully from All Monsters Attack (ゴジラ•ミニラ•ガバラ オール 怪獣大進撃), 1969. Many collectors have been clamoring for this for a long time now. Once again, X-Plus delivers.

Gabara is expected to be released in June 2017. No word yet on price.

GODZILLA 1999

Getting second bill on the table was a variant of the Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1999 from Godzilla 2000: Millennium (ゴジラ2000 ミレニアム).

The original release came out in Japan in December 2013 and a North American reissue (of the original) is expected to be released through Diamond Distributors this month in the U.S.

This new variant (to be available in Japan) sports a modified head sculpt with open mouth (it was closed on the original release) and translucent fins tinted a reddish orange to mimic Godzilla’s look as he prepares to unleash his atomic breath. Also, it appears in this photo that this figure has reddish-brown highlights over its asphalt black skin.

This new version of G’99 is expected to be released in Japan in May 2017 for ¥20,000 (currently $171 USD).

AND MORE
Also on display were UltraSeven foe, Alien Mephilas 2 which is due out in March 2017 for ¥14,904 ($127), the Final Wars Kaiser Ghidorah (still unpainted) also due out in March 2017 (no price yet) and the painted prototype of the Toho Large Monster Series Titanosaurus which is available for preorder now from the RIC store for ¥15,012 ($128). A Standard version should be available for preorder soon at SRP ¥14,580 ($125).

​Both versions of the new Toho Large Monster Series Shin Godzilla were also on display.

GIGANTIC SERIES GODZILLA 1995 SOFT VINYL KIT

​X-Plus made an unpainted kit version of their Gigantic Series Godzilla 1995 (the FOURTH incarnation of this figure!) available at Super Festival. It was sold for ¥25,000 ($214 USD) and allowed only one purchase per person.

No word yet on if there were any leftovers after the show for online sales.

By John Stanowski Originally posted January 7th, 2017​ on Kaiju Addicts.