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