What toy did you just buy?

[Destroyer]

Funny, I'm getting a Heisei Ghidorah, Kaiser, Grand, and I already have GMK and Mecha. Only one missing is a Showa one.

[Legion1979]

All right, got the new Ultraman Saga vinyls today. They're a mixed bag, but what's good is really freakin' good.



Starting with Saga himself. He's pretty much what you'd expect. Simple sculpt, basic at-attention stance and typical arms and waist articulation. If you've bought any Bandai 6" Ultraman vinyl in past 30 years, this shouldn't surprise you. I do like the blue paint but it's applied a little too heavy so that the translucent vinyl just gets lost. Are they doing an Ultra Act of this guy, because I think this design needs something like that. But as a vinyl I'm not impressed.



Hyper Zetton is really cool though. Again, simple stance and basic articulation (though the wing things move, so that's a couple extra points) but it's still a relatively well detailed figure for this size and price point. The paint does it's job and the stark yellow really stands out against the black and grey of the rest of the figure. What I really like is the subtle silver wash all over the black vinyl, much better than leaving it all unpainted. That would just be really bland. I really like this toy, and I say get it if you can. Don't sit around waiting for an Ultra Act version which may or may not happen.



Alien Bat (or Bat Seijin or whatever variation you feel like calling it) is an easy skip. I don't really know much about this character and perhaps I'll like him more when I eventually see this movie, but right now this figure isn't doing it for me. Doing the same dance: basic stance, basic design and only two points of articulation at the shoulders. The red and gold paint is fine but there's no attempt to make the rest of the toy look like anything else but unpainted grey vinyl. Your mileage may vary but I say pass on this one unless you want every new vinyl released for this movie.



And then there's Gubira. Yeah, yeah, I know I wanted Earthtron too. And yeah, I know only the arms move. It's pretty much the definition of a static figure. But you know what? This stupid thing is quirky as all hell. The sculpt is dead on, I like how they weren't afraid of the hands and knees stance and the figure is just dripping with surly personality. I'd gripe about the lazy paint on the back if the rest of the paint job wasn't so cool. Even if you have no desire to see this film or collect any of the movie-related toys, I really think this is a must own figure if you don't have the original Bandai Gubira released between 1983 and 1991 or already have it and want an example of Bandai's approach to the same character across three decades.

I also got this 2007 release Bemular. Finally, now I have all three major releases of this sculpt (1994, 2000, 2004). If I hadn't already packed a majority of my Ultra figures away for the time being I'd take a comparison photo.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

The figure looks decent enough, but so far I'm just not feeling the Saga design. Maybe it'll grow on me when I see it in action.

That Zetton, on the other hand, is badass.

[Jomei]

I'm considering Saga, Zetton, and Gubira. Is the Earthtron out?

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

The toy is fine...

but Jesus...Ultramen designs have plummeted in quality recently.

[Legion1979]

I'm considering Saga, Zetton, and Gubira. Is the Earthtron out?

You mean the one from the 4" battle sets?

I don't think so.

[menschenjaeger]

Nice Ultras!

I picked up more fungi today.


I be rollin', they be hatin'


And as with Goji, the box art is sweeeeet

[Cimmerian Dragon]

The toy is fine...

but Jesus...Ultramen designs have plummeted in quality recently.

Basically what I was saying above. I don't want to pre-judge, but I really haven't been a fan of bringing more complexity into the suits. Part of the appeal for me has always been that sleek, clean, classical statue-like vibe. They started losing me with Ultraman: The Next. I thought that design would have been more appropriate for a Guyver revamp than an Ultra.

[menschenjaeger]

My .02... I like the Saga look. It IS bizarre, but it manages to stay within the lines. Something to shake things up, without completely blowing the look apart.

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

The toy is fine...

but Jesus...Ultramen designs have plummeted in quality recently.

Basically what I was saying above. I don't want to pre-judge, but I really haven't been a fan of bringing more complexity into the suits. Part of the appeal for me has always been that sleek, clean, classical statue-like vibe. They started losing me with Ultraman: The Next. I thought that design would have been more appropriate for a Guyver revamp than an Ultra.

See, I love Ultraman: The Next, Nexus, and Mebius...But ever since Zero, its been failing to impress me.

[Godzilla 2000]

My .02... I like the Saga look. It IS bizarre, but it manages to stay within the lines. Something to shake things up, without completely blowing the look apart.

And lets not forget that UM Saga is 3 Ultras merged into one being, so naturally the result isnt going to be simplistic.

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

My .02... I like the Saga look. It IS bizarre, but it manages to stay within the lines. Something to shake things up, without completely blowing the look apart.

And lets not forget that UM Saga is 3 Ultras merged into one being, so naturally the result isnt going to be simplistic.

Its not that its complex. I can handle complex designs...

It just looks like someone decided to merge Super Saiyans with Ultraman...

Glitter Tiga is just about that...but then they decided to throw spikes in with Saga.

[Drunken Kong]

Nice Ultras!

I picked up more fungi today.

And as with Goji, the box art is sweeeeet

You bastard! I want a Matango trike.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

I liked The Next as a film just fine, the look just rubbed me the wrong way. Same with Zero.

The Nexus suit was alright (not a big fan, though), but I really liked the Mebius design.

[Rody]

That Matango on a bicycle is cute --- but kinda creepy....

[menschenjaeger]

That Matango on a bicycle is cute --- but kinda creepy....

Exactly!

Hell, if I'd known you wanted one DK, I might have been able to hook you up, but the guy ended his little moving sale yesterday. I'll keep an eye out. If you don't mind spending a lotta dough, there are some on Yahoo Japan Auctions.

[Primevalgodzilla V2]

I don't mind them taking a slightly more radical approach to the design of Ultraman Saga- I mean, Leo and Seven were pretty big departures- but it just looks bloody terrible. Zero is decent, I guess. Mebius and Hikari are really cool. Max is basically Ultraseven, so he's cool. Nexus is nice but too bulky. That's more or less my take on stuff.

[Fairy Mothra]

Still waiting for Negora, but in the meantime here are some thing I've gotten recently.



Bandai Geronimon and Barugon, Bandai Museum Gorosaurus, and Marmit MH Godzilla 62.

[dogora]

that barugon is kinda cool

[Jomei]

Still waiting for Negora, but in the meantime here are some thing I've gotten recently.



Bandai Geronimon and Barugon, Bandai Museum Gorosaurus, and Marmit MH Godzilla 62.

Damn! I want that Godzilla 62. I've been considering getting that figure but haven't seen that color, which I like a lot, up for sale. Tell me how you like it, cuz it's on my "short list" of wanted figures right now.