NECA GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS! (POSTER VERSION) | Figure Review

Ah NECA's 1954 figure, it's what started me on the path to reviewing Kaiju figures. And now we've come back to it.
You may recall back in April 2017 I made a post about what "Poster/Color" versions of existing figures I'd like to see in the SHMA figure line. Well, it seems NECA has stepped in and gave us a figure based on my final choice: Godzilla 1954 from the poster for the 1956 recut of the first film 'Godzilla, King of the Monsters!"

It's important to add the exclamation point at the end to distinguish it from the 2019 film.

So let's see:

Green skin color? Check!
Yellow atomic breath? Double Check!!
Red lips? Umm...ok they didn't do that.

0/5, Do not buy!

Joking aside, I think NECA did a great job with this figure. We know already they can make a pretty solid 1954 figure, but can they make lighting strike twice with a repaint?

Looking at the head, I noticed a few odd things about my figure.
I don't know if it's a consistent issue with others. (If it is, do let me know)
The eyes at times look like they are misaligned not just on this figure, but also on my original 1954 figure. I'd be more freaked out if not for the fact that this would be an easy fix with some paint.

The paint work on the teeth is odd. Some teeth on the lower jaw are painted while some aren't. I'm sure this isn't that big of a deal given that you'll mostly be looking at this figure in it's intended pose. Besides, they look better than the teeth on the actual poster. Also the upper lip on the right side of the head is slightly cocked up making Godzilla look like he's snarling. QC issue or creative choice on the choice of NECA? You be the judge.

Did you like the first 1954 figure? Good, the same level of detail it had is present here. NECA simply took that figure and splashed several shades of green all over it. I love how it looks very much, it resembles the poster very nicely.

The dorsal fins on the poster had a fiery yellow color to them, the ones on the figure however have a mix of light red and white. Honestly I'm not sure which ones I prefer, but the red ones work well for the figure.

However, one downside to this figure is that it reminds me of the time when bendy wire tails were a thing. I thought we were past this?

One significant addition to this figure happens to be a hole inside the mouth, used to insert the atomic breath piece. This one appears to be the same piece included with the NECA 1962 Godzilla, only colored yellow.

It does match the poster very well and if NECA ever decides to make a 1974 Godzilla (please?), this piece can be reused for a "Fake Godzilla" figure.

I'm happy to see that one thing that was carried over from the newer figures was the fantastic box design. It includes the iconic poster with the flap image containing the same poster with the figure standing in and the back highlights the features of this figure using dialogue from the famous trailer for Godzilla, King of the Monsters!

Inside the box is a special pop out display of the poster to insert the figure into and create a really nice looking set piece for any collector shelf. Some may complain that the backdrop doesn't contain any of the poster text, which is a fair point, but I actually like the textless back ground. I just wish they went all the way and didn't include "AWESOME! -and then some!" part at the bottom.

Overall, this is a pretty solid piece from NECA and a unique figure that I'm sure any collector would be proud to own. And if this release is anything to go by, I'd love to see what else NECA can do.

Till next time, I have been your host Gryphon

and thank you for joining me here in my lair.

So long...

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and if you would like to see more from The Gryphon's Lair, be sure to give my Facebook page a 'LIKE' to see updates and other related stuff. 
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S.H. MONSTERARTS GODZILLA 2019 | Figure Review

There have been quite a few 2019 Godzilla figures released this year from companies like Jakks Pacific, NECA and Bandai. But as good as those figures may be, the one I looked forward to the most was from SH MonsterArts. When that figure was revealed in December of 2018, I knew I had to have it.

This Godzilla figure simply amazes me. Unlike the last 2014 figure, which took a few liberties with the design of Godzilla's head, the 2019 figure is pretty movie accurate. The eyes have the traditional yellow and black look from most Legendary Godzilla figures, this looks way more natural than the NECA figure and from my end they look to be aligned...not perfect, but not too horribly either.

The upper row of teeth aren't sculpted as well as the lower row, I'm having a debate with myself as to weather or not I should take my X-Acto knife and cut out gaps in the teeth to make them look better. But at least the inside of the mouth is completely painted, I love the mix of black and a more crimson red.

The body is very nice overall. You'll probably notice the gills on Godzilla's neck aren't as pronounced as the 2014 figure.
All throughout the body from head to tail you get a nice mix of natural looking reptilian skin as well as the keloid scar bumps Godzilla is known for.
The chest and lower torso stands out with it's lighter grey color, I just wish it would have continued under the tail.

There is an issue with my figure that I've noticed is pretty constant with other collectors 2019 Godzilla figures. Godzilla's right leg doesn't quite blend into the hip like the adjacent leg.

Dorsal plates are very nice. They look appropriately sized and are very beautifully sculpted.


Godzilla 2019's articulation is pretty stellar. The head and neck is the standout part. The joints allow Godzilla to look left, right, down and straight up in the air, higher than any SHMA monster could before. And the mouth can open pretty wide.
The body can lean forward, turn and tilt left to right.
Arms can move forward and backward. They may be a bit stiff out of the box so have a hair dryer on standby. Elbows can bend and twist. Hands can rotate and wiggle.
Legs move forward and backward, the knees can bend and the feet can move up, down and pivot.
Tail can move around pretty well.

The accessories included with Godzilla 2019 are a mixed bag to me.

Included are an extra lower jaw piece with a slot to attach the atomic breath piece. This holds the atomic breath without the need for a stand and recreates the epic moment when Godzilla comes out of the water and shoots his atomic breath into the sky.

But if I'm being honest, I think instead of reusing the 2014 breath effect, they should have just made a new one to better resemble the beam used in the movie.
Or something else I just thought about while taking the photos for this review: What if instead of just a slot to insert the breath piece, the lower jaw piece just had a whole atomic breath attached to it? That would have been pretty awesome.
As for the function, it works very well and It holds up decently. AND, this is a Godzilla figure that comes with a beam effect whose MSRP isn't almost $100.
No, I'm not over that.
I ordered my Godzilla 2019 from Big Bad Toy Store and the total cost plus shipping was about $74.

Left to Right: SHMA Godzilla 2014 (Spit Fire Ver.), SHMA Godzilla 2019, NECA Godzilla 2019 & NECA Godzilla 2014

Aside from the accessories that don't exactly wow me, this is (in my opinion) one of the finest Legendary Godzilla figures ever made. At least in terms of 6 inch, articulated figures. I love this figure so much that if Bandai announces any repaints with glowing blue dorsal fins and especially a "Fire Godzilla", I may buy them without question.
I give the SH MonsterArts Godzilla 2019, my highest recommendation.

Till next time, I have been your host Gryphon

and thank you for joining me here in my lair.

So long...

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and if you would like to see more from The Gryphon's Lair, be sure to give my Facebook page a 'LIKE' to see updates and other related stuff. 
Thanks for reading!

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NECA MOTHRA 2019 & V2 "Poster Version" | Figure Review

I can't begin to describe my excitement when I found out that NECA had been thrown a bone and given permission to produce more figures in their Godzilla line that weren't Godzilla. And who better to start with then the Queen of the Monsters herself?

Mothra has the most radical redesign out of the main four Titans. Godzilla may have gotten bigger, but Mothra got smaller. You've probably seen pictures of this figure online and they make Mothra look bigger than she actually is. From head to abdomen her body measures just under 1.5 inches. She's only a little bit bigger than an actual Moth!!!
Actually, I like that about this figure and it does fit in accurate scale with Godzilla.

Despite being so small, the sculpt and paint on Mothra is pretty good. Her head details are minimal and I feel like NECA could have added a bit more black for the mouth, but I still think it looks nice. Let's be real here, at this scale, fur would be difficult to sculpt. Plus, I'm surprised her eyes look as good as they do. Her antenna are sculpted into the back of her head, which was probably the only way they could be added without having them stick out and risk getting damaged.

The rest of her body is very nice, the legs are painted very well and the abdomen has a nice sculpt. As I said before, I feel like I'm looking at an actual insect.

Mothra's wings are absolutely what will grab most peoples attention. Her wingspan is about 12.5 inches and the wings themselves look beautiful, an awesome update to the original design. The patterns don't exactly match, but I didn't expect them to, honestly.

Part of the wings are made from a translucent plastic which looks really cool when hit with light.

Articulation on Mothra is very minimal.

4 of her legs can move forward and backward. And should they pop off while doing so, it should be no problem to reattach them.

And her wings can move up and down as much as I show in the pictures. They cannot rotate at the joints, I tried (very carefully, mind you) to twist them and they would not go. And I don't recommend you try either.

Mothra comes with a flight stand. In order to get her on it, you'll have to wedge her waist into the gap on top of the stand like how I'm showing in the pictures I've included.

Once you have her in, Mothra stays in place. I do wish we had gotten more of an adjustable rod to get some really dynamic poses for Mothra.

 The base of the stand is nice though.

She may be quite smol, but NECA'S 2019 Mothra is a big surprise. Another great release in their King of the Monsters line. I really think NECA should release another Mothra figure with her wings painted blue to imitate her hatching scene. Maybe that one will come with a larva this time.

UPDATE - September 9, 2019

NECA MOTHRA 2019 V2 ("Poster Version")

While I'd love to give myself bragging rights for predicting this figure, it was pretty much an inevitable release. 
Still no larva though...

This Mothra figure is based on both her character poster and her hatching scene in 2019's 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters' and while it captures that appearance very nicely, it also makes Mothra look a lot more edgier than usual. Just sayin', I can't look at this figure and not hear a heavy metal version of Yuji Koseki's theme playing. 
Or maybe Evanescence.
I especially love how the eyes stand out. 

V2 Mothra retains the translucent plastic from the first release and look great with the right lighting. 

The joints on this figures wings seem to be tighter than the original figure. 

The included base is pretty much the same as the first Mothra figure, however the egg is in a different position and features a darker paint scheme. 

Overall, I think this figure is a fantastic companion piece to the original Mothra figure and a welcome addition to any King of the Monsters figure collection. 

Till next time, I have been your host Gryphon

and thank you for joining me here in my lair.

So long...

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and if you would like to see more from The Gryphon's Lair, be sure to give my Facebook page a 'LIKE' to see updates and other related stuff. 
Thanks for reading!


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