Modifying the NECA 1984 Godzilla Part I

To be fair to this figure, it's not as terrible as some make it seem. It's a rather pleasant surprise when you pull him out and look at him. He's a solid figure with a decent resemblance to the 1984 suit. And with a price tag of $20 bucks, I think he's the perfect figure to base a fairly simple mod off of.

To start, I want to say that I'm not going for 100% screen accuracy. I'm not attempting to rip this figure apart and reassemble it for a 1984 mini X-plus look alike. I want to utilize the decent figure that I bought, and with an additive process, make this figure look more like the 1984 Godzilla.

With the spines I just want to capture the overall look. I may be missing a curve here or there, but I want to get down the general shape and size to start then worry about that later.

I'm taking some artistic liberties, but I think for the initial sculpt, he's starting to look a bit more like the 84 already!

Speculations and Thoughts on Godzilla 2016

First of all: Anything that is contained in this article is 100% speculation and my own opinions. Feel free to discuss, debate, and verbally tear each other limb from limb in the comments! (I'm kidding, always be civil.)

Suit or CGI?
I think it goes without saying that most Godzilla fans are already imagining what this next suit is going to look like. But some fans are speculating if it'll even be a suit at all. Anime News Network reports that Toho proclaimed that this film will not "bow down to the Hollywood film" and that it's all thanks to "a combination of rapidly improving film-making techniques and know-how developed over the years in Japan".

That being said, it's a no-brainer that things have changed quite a lot in Japanese cinema since Godzilla's last stride into the ocean ten years ago. But, does this mean an entirely CGI Godzilla? Personally, I doubt it. From interviews and articles, I feel that Toho's roots and mastery of special effects won't be sent packing anytime soon. In comparison to Western film-making, the Tokusatsu tradition is thriving better in Japan than it is here in the States. The only time we get to see really great prosthetic/suitimation work here in the United States is when somebody dusts the old Xenomorph or Predator off. No disrespect to those characters and franchises meant, but they are really the last of the great Stan Winston (whom I consider the Western Eiji Tsuburaya) tradition.

Let's go out on a limb and say they DO an entirely CG Godzilla for 2016. What would that be like?

 Well, here he is in a cameo for the film Always 2, produced by Toho back in 2009. It's not awful, but falls short to both CGI standards (especially for the 2014 film) and suitimation effects used in any of the Godzilla franchise. Unless the tools and budget are available for Toho to create something really spectacular through animation, I think we'll be getting a good old reliable suit.

In a side argument for suitimation: Something that is actually physically existing on a screen with forced perspective (for scale and speed) will always register in the human mind as real because it literally exists. You can touch the suit, feel it, smell it. Subconsciously, when a viewer sees computer animation, no matter how rendered or detailed,  the mind knows it doesnt exist in reality so therefore is not real. Breaking the illusion of the theatrical roots to film. Oh, the things you learn in a film school.

At most, I predict some digital clean up of a suit or miniature set.

So, let's say we've got a suit. We've got a suit actor primed for the role and we're moving in the tiny Tokyo Tower. What exactly will this new, yet oh-so-familiar, silhouette against the cityscape look like? Although I doubt they'll make any insane left turns from the original design, I think it all depends on the. . . . .

Tone
This is something I've been pondering over since I read the announcement earlier today. We all know Goji has been friend, foe, and something in between. Where is this new Toho film going to take us?
Although we might not want to admit it right away, this film will be compared to the Legendary Godzilla by critics and fans if we like it or not. A thought I've had is that Toho could go one of two ways. Either drive this new film parallel to the 2014 installment by bringing him back as a fierce force of nature, airing on the side of villain/antihero OR seeing him as a friend to mankind.

As I'm writing this I'm listening to the themes from the Showa, Heisei, and Millennium series. We all love the big booming scores of Gojira, Godzilla vs. Mothra, and The Return of Godzilla, but with tokusatsu really flourishing in children's television and film, is it absolutely out of the question to see a resurgence of films with a flare of Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla (1974)? Although unlikely, I'm not sure it'd be entirely out of the question.

I have a feeling we'll be getting something along the lines of the 1984 Godzilla. A very villainous Anti-hero. As for the suit's look, I'd love to get a massive and nasty menace. Godzilla 2004 was a great flexible suit for the action-packed tone of Final Wars, but I'd love to see a large menacing behemoth of a Godzilla. 


Series
Another question that I keep asking myself is: Will this be the first in a new series? I think it will be a safe bet that this film will be a direct sequel to the original film. Although Toho attacked that approach many times throughout the Millennium series, I don't see them ever going back and redoing the original film or cutting it out of the canon for this film and subsequent films to follow. It's just too important of a film.

I think it's a safe bet that most fans would want a coherent series of films like the Heisei or Showa years. My gut feeling is, this film is just the first step in a new Toho era.

Which makes you wonder...

Godzilla versus...
I think it's going to be an equal opportunity time for most fan favorites to be reborn. With the Heisei series pseudo-remaking Showa classics like Godzilla vs. Mothra and Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla, I would love to see a retelling of the basis for Godzilla Raids Again in this new hypothetical series. Let's see Godzilla and Anguirus duke it out one more time!
Or, you can go a whole new direction. Creature designers with new ideas might get the chance to play in this legendary universe. Myself, I'd love to see a series that takes risks. Biollante took risks and I think it's one of the most unique and interesting films in the franchise. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with seeing Mothra swoop in and... well, probably sacrifice herself.... but I think this is a great time to stretch the franchise and create something new and exciting. I wouldn't be surprised if Godzilla is on his own for this first adventure, just to establish the universe, but I'd love to see some new and exciting ideas into the mix.

At the end of the day, what does any of this speculation matter? We're getting a new Japanese Godzilla movie. After ten years of silence, Godzilla is back in a big way. We've got a very successful American line running that fans generally accepted and now we have Toho themselves adding to the legacy again.

It is a great time to be a Monster movie fan. Not only that, but a great time to be a collector of films, figures, and games.

So, a merry season it is, because now we've got TWO Godzillas coming our way.

As a side note, I'd like to thank the readers of Suits & Strings for making this blog more successful than I ever thought it would be when I created it a few months ago. You've been generous and kept the views fairly steady and I hope you all are liking what I've got to say.

As always, stay tuned for more news, figures, music, and FILMS as we finish up this year. Speak up in the comments and let me know what YOUR predictions and hopes are for the new film. 
And as Titanosaurus would say: Whoop-Whoooooop!
 

TOHO begins production on a new Japanese Godzilla film.

Filed under "The Top 5 Headlines I never expected to see soon", AnimeNewsNetwork.com and other sources (Nikkei, Eiga.com)  have reported that our beloved Tokusatsu extrodinaires, TOHO, have begun production on their first Godzilla film since 2004's Godzilla Final Wars.

I'll give you a minute to let that sink in. While we wait, here's a picture of a very smug looking Eiji Tsuburaya.

"... and then they said, 'Elephant Feet!'"

 

 

 

Better? Me either.

This news comes relatively close to the news of TOHO's new Godzilla Conference or Godzicon, which has been described as a team of staff members who's sole purpose is to pave the way for the future of all things Godzilla. It appears they've been hard at work. This new film is reported to not have any connection to the new series being created in conjunction with Legendary Pictures, but rather a new Godzilla film altogether solely by TOHO. Word is yet to come out if this is the beginning of a new TOHO series or just a one off film.

It seems we're going to be seeing a lot of the King in the coming years.

The new TOHO Godzilla film (God it feels so good to say that.) is set to release in 2016.

Legendary's Godzilla 2 (featuring TOHO heavyweights, Mothra, Rodan, and Ghidorah) is set for 2018.

Godzilla for the Playstation!

If you listened closely, you could hear a quiver fluttering throughout the Godzilla fan base earlier today. Why? Because of the release of the new trailer and announcement that the Godzilla video game by Bandai Namco will be released in North America. 

Without further ado, the trailer: 

Now for you lucky enough to be Team Sony, enjoy. We on the Team Nintendo side will be grumbling with vicious envy. 

Unveiling of the X-Plus Godzilla 2014

Even unpainted, this bad boy looks great. Also, with the gorgeous King Ghidorah looming right behind, it makes you salivate over how cool the sequel fights are going to look. (Here's hoping they keep Ghidorah's neck afro.)

We're on Tumblr!

Come scroll with Suits & Strings on Tumblr! This will remain the HQ for Suits and Strings, but I will be sharing fan figure photography, art, music, and more on the Tumblr.

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Film Review: Daimajin (1966)

I'll start this review off by confessing that I have never seen any of the Daimajin trilogy. A terrible confession for a real tokusatsu film fan. But, never the less, in my spare time I delved into the first installment of this trilogy and will admit, it was worth every. single. second.

Copyright of Daiei Production Company.

Beware, slight spoilers. Nothing too deep, but a basic wash of the film.

The basic plot revolves around a very standard samurai drama: A village in peace, led by the righteous leader Hanabasa, is attacked and overthrown by a villainous traitor named Samanosuke. Samanosuke goes on a rampage of slaughter and destruction, destroying the Lord and his wife. Unbeknownst to the new leadership, two heirs, a son and daughter of the fallen dynasty, have been stolen away and hidden in a mountainside safe house. Years later, the tyrant Samanosuke captures Hanabasa's son Tadafumi. In desperation, Tadafumi's sister Kozasa prays to the mighty Majin who is trapped in the mountain. Offering her life for her brother's, the Majin awakes and reigns down vengeance on the Tyrant kingdom.

What I love about this film is exactly what people hate about some daikaiju films: Waiting to see the monster. Personally, I am all for building the tension and suspense when it comes to unveiling the creature.

(In this case I feel it's not exactly accurate to label the Majin as a "creature", but the logic is the same.)

Of course, it's a double edged sword in most cases. Sometimes you wait and wait for that moment where you get to scan the entire design and nuance of the creature only to be disappointed. In the case of Daimajin, you are anything BUT disappointed. Not only do the effects look great, but those 15 minutes of Majin action are some really heavy minutes.

You've got everything: A spectacular looking suit for the stunt actor, phenomenal miniature work, a fiery red sky silhouetting the story driven monster, and on top of all that? An Akira Ifukube score.

I can't help but think that those are the exact reasons why Gojira is a cinematic milestone.

In addition to superb effects, the first 3/4 of this film is carried by a cast of fantastic actors who really bring you into the story and turmoil of their situation. It's speaks volume for their talent when an actor can make you feel and make you connect regardless of the language their speaking. To follow that up, it also speaks volumes when an actor is limited to acting exclusively through movement (or in this case, their eyes) and can still manage to convey emotion, intent, and dialogue. This film has it all.

Now I'm not saying that it's the best Daikaiju movie ever, I'm not even saying it beats out my top 3 (which are Gojira, Invasion of the Astro Monster, and War of the Gargantuas, if you were curious.) but it definitely gained my respect. Respect for not only the trilogy but for the Daiei company as well, who always seems to get the bad wrap of being TOHO's less than average brother.

For you interested in the series, you're in luck! Amazon has this entire trilogy on Blu Ray for about $10.

For you cheapskates out there, or people who want to test drive it before you buy it, you can find all three films subtitled on Youtube.

I give Daimajin (1966), directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 

8 out of 10

S.H. Monsterarts Godzilla 2014 Poster Version and Effect Releases.

I don't want to sound smug or I-told-you-so, but we've got some more repaints coming our way from Tamashii. But, never fear, I actually have a positive outlook on these releases... or at least one.

First up: The Godzilla 2014 Poster Version:

He looks almost friendly.

Now I'm not sure what poster they're referring to exactly, but it's... interesting. Compared to the other reveal, it pales in comparison.

The Fire-Breathing-Spine-Glowing-MUTO-Beheading Version:

I'm sure that's the official release name, too.

Arguably, this is the figure we would have wanted in the initial release. I understand that they probably wanted a plain  Godzilla to release with dark fins and yadda yadda, but THIS. THIS is a great looking figure. It looks like some of the face paint is touched up and the spines look amazing, very classic Godzilla glow. Also, that is some serious film-accurate breath effect. I love how they captured the more vapor-esque look to the new atomic breath as compared to the standard "beam" effect.

Maybe I'm speculating, but seeing that MUTO head makes me feel like there is a small glimmer of a chance that we'll see a release. Maybe. Just Maybe. But for now, that head looks awesome.

So, there you have it, 2 new Gojis coming your way if you skipped on the initial release of the new Godzilla. I, for one, am already debating on selling mine to get this bad boy! Speak up in the comments below: Which one of these releases would you rather have? Or are you good sticking with the initial release? 

As a heads up, 2 very exciting releases to ring in the new year are coming for you SHMA collectors, of course I'm talking about Mecha King Ghidorah and GAMERA! Get those preorders in because I have a feeling these are going to be great.

Let your Skreonk be heard!

http://shop.tamashii.jp/

Here you see the link to the new tamashii website. On this page you will find a basic survey asking for some feedback about any specific line. Raise your voices in honor of your Monster shelves and cases!
Personally, I cast my vote for some Showa era Monsterarts. Maybe it's time for another Titanosaurus uprising?

And as Titanosaurus would say: "Woop Woop."

S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 2000 Special Color Edition... thoughts.

Set for release in May 2015, Tamashii Nations has recently unveiled their next Godzilla figure: A Godzilla 2000 repaint. Now before I get onto my soapbox about how this strange new phase of repaints and slight variations for new releases is rather frustrating, let's take a look at this, shall we?

First of all, this looks like a great figure. We can also attest to it being so because most SHMA collectors already have the original release. In fact, it's regarded as one of the best releases in the line. The great thing about this figure is this is a great opportunity for collectors to grab this figure who missed it the first time around. With aftermarket prices for the original release hitting well over $200, this release will be a great sigh of relief for eager fans.

Secondly, we see that the special color edition is code word for a KiryuGoji paint scheme, which is very cool. I think what's so great about that suit(s), if you count Tokyo S.O.S., is that its a great mix of Millennium Godzilla and classic Godzilla. I can ramble about suit construct and design changes, but what we're here to look at is the figure, and here are my red flags.

Sure it has the great color palate of the KiryuGoji, and sure the basic designs between the design of Godzilla 2000 and Godzilla 2003 are similar, but they are not the same.

Shin'ichi Wakasa worked as model maker/suit maker for this adventure.

Picky? ABSOLUTELY! But, kind of clumping these suits together is doing both of them a great injustice. Now, I know, I know, Tamashii isn't marketing this as a KiryuGoji, they haven't even mentioned the similarities. Yes, I know. But, what I will say is, with the recent trend of re-sculpting and repainting (Birth Version sticks out in my mind like a sore thumb) It almost feels like they're trying to substitute this release instead of giving us a brand new sculpt. My personal opinion is that it feels like they're cutting corners a bit. Why take the time and money to make an entirely new figure that looks somewhat in the ballpark of one we already have? It makes total sense. I will congratulate them by pointing out that they aren't even attempting to market this figure as anything other than a repaint, which is something I wish they were more upfront about with the Birth Version.

Am I blowing it out of proportions a little bit? More than likely, yes. But I see some troublesome times ahead of us with this age of repaints and slight tweaking. But on the plus side, Gamera and Mecha King Ghidorah are on their way and that is something to be excited about.

Agree? Disagree? Discuss in the comments! I leave you now with some comparison shots of the original release and KiryuG... I mean, the repaint.

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Figure Review: S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 2014

Arriving late in the evening, the FedEx man brought me the package I've been hesitant to get: The S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 2014. With all the turmoil over it's quality, I half expected to open the box and find a splattered mess of a figure. To my surprise, I lucked out completely on most of the quality control issues this figure has been having. So, as they say, it's Box Day. Let's dig into this figure and see what all the hub-bubs about.

SCULPT:

Sculpted by the master of monster sculpting, Yuji Sakai, this figure does not disappoint when it comes to sculpt. The craftsmanship put into the detail of Sakai's original sculpt doesn't look to be lost at all when it comes to the body of this figure. The sculpt really shines down the dorsal fins of the figure and down Godzilla's chest. Each skin formation that leads to Godzilla's fins are unique, and are actually quite sharp. One of my lower fins came out of the box a little bent on the tip, but that's nothing a hairdryer can't fix. 

 The legs and feet are also very impressive. The detailing is top notch, which is what we've come to expect from most MonsterArts releases. But the scales and ridges down his thighs and calves remind you more of the "burned" look like classic Godzilla's have, and less of the scaly look like the film.

Some things that I think are being overlooked with this figure is the subtleties in it's construction. For instance, The sculpting and coloring of the inside of Godzilla's thighs are great, especially when you give him a wider stance. Not only do they cover up the gaps that would be there, but they also are sculpted to look as though the skin is stretching with the stance. Like I said, subtle, but very nice.

One more little trick in their bag is the "hidden fin" that is located on the bottom of the upper torso joint. To rid of the pesky spine gap when hunching him forward, this little fin pokes out and connects to the larger fin, filling in the gap. Smart thinking.

Godzilla's tail is also quite nice. I think it's important to point out that the sculpt of the tail in the SHMA version is great, but also note that the NECA 12'' Godzilla 2014 masterfully crafted the tail as well. So if you have that figure, I think their tails are very similar (besides articulation).  

I give sculpt a 4.5/5

PAINT:

Oh boy, the paint. Well I'm going to base this review off the figure I have in my hand. That being said, I'll get to the issues soon. 

Overall, I like the paint. He has a basic Godzilla charcoal black base, which does appear lighter than the base of the G94 or 95, and is brushed with a really cool olive color for the highlights around his chest and legs. The highlighted olive colors really pop in natural light and look really awesome. Here's a hidden gem of paint: The back of the legs. The greenish brown really pops the texture in the sculpt.

The spines and back are your average flat black/grey as usual, but the sculpting speaks for itself. The tail continues that dark color.

Essentially, besides the face, the grey is your color scheme with the olive accenting the chest, legs, neck, and toenails. 

Now we move onto the face. Fortunately on this figure I have very little "tooth slop" which has been a major concern for potential buyers and collectors. I lucked out big time because the teeth on my Godzilla seem fairly contained to the tooth sculpt. They're not expertly painted or individually painted, but its not on his snout. 

The red gums and tongue are a really nice touch and give him a very aggressive look when displaying him with his mouth open. The tongue and mouth almost look wet which make him look somewhat terrifying. Unfortunately, some of the red seeped into the whitish/yellow of the teeth giving him a sort of bloody grin. Not that that's not totally awesome, but it didn't seem intentional. 

Oh yes, and mine comes with the one lazy eye. (Womp womp). But the eyes in this design are so small you can't tell from a displaying stand point. But if you're a hardcore collector who wants perfection, I'm sure it'll bug the hell out of you.

Overall, I'm happy with the paint on my figure. But, that doesn't mean this release is out of the woods. Beyond my figure, I've seen some that are about as good as mine. None being perfect. Mistakes like base paint slopped on the nose and uneven eyes are really amateurish for a figure line that has been growing rapidly over the last few years. These are problems you'd see in the first few releases (Which we did, and then they were fixed...). It's almost as if they're playing whack-a-mole. When one problem arises, they jump on it and fix it, but meanwhile another flaw surfaces. 

That being said, MonsterArts has done figures that have had little to no problems (the G2K, for example). I hate to say it, but shit happens. 

Unfortunately, that shit is $70. 

I give paint a 3.5/5

FILM ACCURACY:

Well this is a double edged sword if I've ever seen one. Let's get it right out of the way and say that there are some serious artistic liberties taken with this figure. That being said, I feel like the liberties Sakai took with the sculpt are liberties Godzilla fans would like. When I pulled this figure out of the box, it felt like I was holding a classic Showa Era suit in my hand. The tiny things that were tweaked, the feet, the posture, the proportions, all gear this figure to feel more like a suit made for an actor. This can lead into a giant discussion about the benefits of practical special effects over animated effects but that's another story completely. But like I said, this figure has a hint of more classic Godzilla. Just take a look at the stance:

Copyright TOHO Inc and Legendary Pictures.

The SHMA has a very classic Godzilla suit stance to him. Is it film accurate? No. But it's definitely cool. Another obvious thing that was tweaked is the feet. They gave the feet a little bit more of the "stompy" Godzilla feel of suits from yesteryear. Was it for figure balance or was it for a secret TOHO agenda? The world may never know.  

This may sound strange, and feel free to openly disagree with me, but when I first held up this figure I got a strange sense that this was a lovechild between the Legendary Design and the Invasion of the 

Astro-Monster design. Not necessarily on the looks, but just how the figure stands. It can convey that spunky mid 60's Godzilla attitude. Again, maybe it does, maybe my apartment has a gas leak.

I give film accuracy a 3/5. 

But I give artistic freedom ("maaaan") a 5/5.

PRICE:

As with most MonsterArts, this is gonna rack you around $70 for a standard Godzilla figure. I hopped over to BigBadToyStore.com and nabbed him when he came in stock. He got here quickly and safely and that was that. Like most releases now, I feel it should have come with a breath effect that replicates that pretty cool radioactive vapor/flame like he had in the film. 

With all of the crazy hiccups this figure is having, I'd say it's a 50/50. I got lucky when it comes to the hiccups, but it may be worth for some collectors to wait and see if there will be a second run of this figure. If you're a perfectionist, this may be for you.

I give price a 3/5. 

FINAL THOUGHTS:

What I will say is, I don't regret buying this figure one bit. I love it. I think it's a great representation of the Godzilla and is going to look great next to my other SHMA (once they are mailed to me). It's a really solid figure. That being said, I might have a drastically different opinion if I had to take the time to touch up some paint.

But I like this figure. I like the changes in the sculpt and I love the attitude it has.

OVERALL:  4 out of 5

And as a side note, Shakespeare and Godzilla are a great combination.

"BUT WAIT! WAIT! How does this one size up to the NECA one!?"

Simple answer: They're apples and oranges. 

Honest answer: The NECA figure has some really great points to it. It is a very cool figure to have and with that price tag, it's a must buy. But, to me personally, the SHMA just has a higher level of quality and detail that is unmatched by the NECA. It may seem frivolous, but the SHMA just has this added level of quality to it. Again, this is all personal, but when I unboxed the SHMA I felt like I was holding a great collectible. When I unboxed the NECA I felt like I was holding a great figure for a great price. Is there a difference? Maybe. But yeah... apples and oranges. 

X-Plus Ghidorah

In all of its mighty glory, here is the X Plus King Ghidorah. Hailing from the 1968 film Destroy All Monsters, this figure stands a whopping 45 cm tall, 60 cm wide, and 47 cm long. If you're one of the many Toho collectors that need that Golden centerpiece, now is your chance to preorder him over at AmiAmi... but be prepared to shovel cash because this figure goes for well over $300.

Monster mayhem at NYCC

Whoa mama, do we have a lot to discuss here. New York City Comic Con has hit and it has given the fans of both new and classic monster movies an eye full. NECA, S.H. Monsterarts, Toynami... so many monsters. Let's get a breakdown of what new collectibles are being displayed.

• NECA
• Godzilla 1954 6 inch Figure
• Godzilla 1995 6 inch Figure
• Godzilla 1984 6 inch Figure (with newly sculpted head and paint scheme)
• Pacific Rim Series 5 Battle Damaged/Clean Gypsy Danger
• Pacific Rim Series 5 Romeo Blue
• Pacific Rim Series 5 Tacit Ronin
• Pacific Rim Series 5 Clean Knifehead
• Pacific Rim Series 5 Axehead
• Pacific Rim Otachi deluxe figure
• Pacific Rim 18 inch Series Cherno Alpha

• TOYNAMI
• Godzilla 1964 (Shogun Warrior style)

• S.H. MONSTERARTS
• Mecha-King Ghidorah w/ Dorats
• Gamera 1996

Do you feel your wallets quivering? I certainly do. 

Out of respect for other bloggers who are at the convention right now, and who have taken some great pictures, I'm not going to repost them here, but direct you to a great blog with all the latest of updates with pictures. I'm sure if you're reading my blog, you're probably already a fan of importingmonsters.blogspot.com

Coming soon!

Hi all,
Recently moving to the West coast from the East coast, I've had plenty of air travel to rewatch some Toho favorites, acquire some new collectables, and much more. There will be plenty of reviews and articles coming soon, so stay tuned!

What's next?

Being an SH MonsterArts collector, the news breaking of a Gamera figure is amazing. But, it leaves me asking: Where is the figure line headed? Here are some thoughts as to where I'd love to see it go.

SHOWA
Everyone's waiting for it. Everyone is eagerly hoping each month that the new set of scans will offer up a dynamically posed Titanosaurus, Sanda/Gaira, or Anguirus, and I am right there with you. There is a goldmine of monsters Tamashii hasn't even touched on. The big question is: Why?

Possible answer? The 1964 Godzilla.

And as he trampled, he roared: LOVE ME.

Personally, I really loved the figure and thought it got a pretty bad bashing upon its release. Everyone can agree that it's not the greatest release in the line, but I certainly don't think its the worst. But to a major toy line that has been growing rather rapidly over the last 2-3 years since its debut, a public backlash like that is rather scary. People were DYING for the '64. Then when they got it, they nearly imploded on themselves. I could be wrong, but I think that the fans scared Tamashii away from Showa monsters for at least a few more months. (Or until they run out of obscure footage of Heisei film monsters that they can release.)


SMALLER RELEASES
I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one, but here goes.I'm not a completest collector. I don't need EVERY release in the line. Have I skipped some? Absolutely. I've never been a fan of the Final Wars Gigan (BURN THE HERETIC!) and the sculpt took some strange artistic liberties, so I skipped out. That was 90 bucks I could put towards another release.

The same is true for the Mothra and Battra larvae release. I have never been a fan of Battra. That being said, the Battra larvae figure does look stunning. It's nothing personal with the figure, it's just a lack of interest in character. But I'd love to have a Mothra larvae. I understand the bundle packaging for the larvae, it makes total sense, but I wish they should have made them available separately. The Mothra larvae could sell for the same amount as Little Godzilla. I know I would've bought 2 Mothra larvae if that was the case.


KEEP THOSE GODZILLAS COMING!
One of the things I love about the X-plus line is it's devotion to the monster King. I love that you can get a high quality version of nearly every Godzilla suit through their line and have one cohesive collection. This is what I'd love to see MonsterArts line do. Give us that '62, give us that '68... the list goes on and on. Sure, the Rebirth version is a great release, but was it necessary? That's a Godzilla release that could have been a '54 or a '02. Some may say it's a safe move, but I think that releasing variations of Godzilla would be a smart regular move for the line to take.

Regardless of where the line goes, I'm really excited to see what they do next. Yuji Sakai's sculpts are really phenomenal and make great additions to any collection. Sometimes polarizing among collectors, the S.H. MonsterArts series is far from over.

S.H. MonsterArts GAMERA 1996

That's right, it looks like fans of Super Articulated Kaiju Figures are in for a treat.

GAMERA! As he appears in his 1996 film, Gamera 2: Advent/Attack of Legion.

Followed by a pretty blatant clue dropped by Blue Fin Distribution, Gamera looks stunning in his promo photos. The figure looks as though he'll be loaded with effects as well, which is kind of a rarity in MonsterArts these days. It looks as though he will come with his pair of Sea-Turtle arms for flight, a stand a base for flight display, a fireball effect, and an awesome chest opening option to recreate the final attack of the film!

Hold your ear splitting Gamera shrieks, MonsterArts fanatics... He weighs in at a hefty $95.

Much like the children he saves, he will decimate your wallet.

.But personally, this is going on pre-order.

SKULL ISLAND

Well if the mighty return of Godzilla and the announcement that he'll be resurfacing in 2018 with Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah didn't get a rise out of you, how about this:

Legendary Pictures and Universal Studios have announced that their 2016 undertaking, SKULL ISLAND, will be lead by actor Tom Hiddleston, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and written by GODZILLA 2014 scribe, Max Borenstein.

SKULL ISLAND is an examination of the famed Skull Island in King Kong lore. Do I smell a crossover with the Big G? (I doubt it.)

Maybe it'll tie into the Kong Musical. Yeah, you read that right... Musical.
_copyright The Australian_

Figure Review: NECA 12 inch Head-to-tail Godzilla 2014

I know, I know... there are tons of figure reviews out there of this figure. But I'm going to be doing another! Let's dig right in, shall we?


Love it, hate it, or "meh" it, Godzilla 2014 happened and really revitalized the global recognition of our favorite monster King. Recently being released on Blu-ray, most of us now have this new era of Godzilla in our homes stacked between gems like "Terror of Mecha-Godzilla" and "King Kong Escapes", and personally, I feel like this new Godzilla fits right in.
But where does that leave us as far as figure collecting? Well, it leaves us in an awesome spot if you're a fan of the new Godzilla design. NECA's 12 inch Head to tail (Not to be confused with the 12 inch TALL NECA Godzilla...) is an awesome release.

SCULPT:

A really solid Godzilla stance, way to go NECA.

NECA really did a great job with this figure. Godzilla's silhouette is really fantastic. Regardless what you think of the design, it's hard to argue that he is undeniably Godzilla. The detailing along his back and dorsal plates are really impressive for NECA. On the subject of his dorsal plates, NECA made the decision to use a softer plastic on the plates, giving them this sort of bendy/rubbery feel. Not that that's a bad thing, but definitely a unique choice on their part. Speaking of unique choices, let's talk about the tail. Godzilla's tail is half awesome-half meh. The second half of Godzilla's tail is an attached piece of bendy wire-based plastic. Yet again, not a bad thing, but definitely a strange choice. Oddly enough, I feel like the feet are a huge highlight in the sculpt. They're solid, detailed, and ready to stomp. One of the biggest sculpt flaws? The head. I'll get back to that soon.

I give the sculpt a 4/5.

PAINT:
The paint job on this figure is fairly good. Nothing to gawk over, but good. Being a flat grey color with some brown detailing, it's a great representation of the film's design color. The inside of his mouth has a great paint job and his teeth, although slightly bucked, have a decent paint application.

Now a interesting topic keeps popping up with this figure, as well as his larger companion, and that is the blue paint application. Personally, even if it is showing up in my pictures, there is no visible blue paint in person. At least not with my figure, that is. Regardless of that, if it does or doesn't have a blue tint, I can't see how that can hurt the quality of this figure.

I give the paint a 3/5.



FILM ACCURACY:
This is where I think it gets tricky. Is this figure 100 % film accurate? No. But, I do think it is a great representation of the Legendary Godzilla design. There are some slight proportion problems with his head (going back to sculpt for a moment, told you I'd get there.) I think it's kind of obvious his head is too small for his body, in comparison to the film. Also, the figure has this odd crease running directly down the snout. Is that a big deal? No. It's really not a big deal at all. What does bother me, is the face sculpt up front. Is it terrible? Not at all. Maybe I was just too excited with that still (That wasn't even used in the film... sigh...). Bottom line is, I'm being really picky and it's wonderful that we have such a great figure to be so picky about.

I give the film accuracy a 4/5.

PRICE:
Ah yes, price. I type this with a manic smile on my face. To get such a great figure of the new Godzilla with a great sculpt, solid paint job, and an overall great representation of the new design, I'd expect to pay MonsterArts prices. Not with NECA. $20.
Let me repeat that.
TWENTY DOLLARS.

I give price a "IF YOU DONT HAVE ONE WHY ARENT YOU ON YOUR WAY OUT TO GET ONE RIGHT NOW!?" rating.


FINAL THOUGHTS:
I love this figure. It's not perfect, it's not the greatest Godzilla figure out there, but it is a fantastic Godzilla 2014 figure on the market right now.  You can't beat the price either. Now, I'm waiting on my S.H. Monsterarts version to ship right now. Will it top this figure? Will it let me down and put me into a hopeless spiral of Goji-depression? Perhaps. But I guess that's a topic for the next review.
                                                         
                                                               OVERALL: 3.5 out of 5

Suits & Strings Reviews: A Guideline

What makes a great figure? Furthermore, what makes a great MONSTER figure? An age old debate, right? Well here at Suits & Strings, I'm going to be rating incoming figures and figures I have in my collection by four main principals:

SCULPT: Pretty basic, is it a sloppy plastic mess or is it the Michelangelo of small sculptures?

PAINT: How much care was put into the painting of the figure?

FILM ACCURACY: How film accurate is the figure to the suit or the design? Is it SUPPOSED to be film accurate or has the sculptor taken some artistic liberties (and do they work?) I'll also touch a bit on scale.

PRICE: Is it worth what you're going to be shelling out?

These are the four main things I'm going to be looking at when reviewing a figure. Keep in mind, these are four points that I personally feel are most important. Some may agree, some may not, so let's take a moment of Skreeonk to appreciate that.

Huzzah!

A new place to talk all things monsters.

My goal here is to take a fresh look at some of our favorite TOHO (and friends!) Monster movies. From classic Japanese films to American creations, I want to point out what we love, what we hate, and what's funny.
I'll do some figure reviews, some film reviews, and general ideas of whats out there. Also, I'll try to keep the oncoming releases of toys, games, and films right here in one place.