Pilot Ace

[Jomei]

Browsing ClubTokyo's miscellaneous vinyl section, I notice quite a few outstanding, colorful looking figures by Pilot Ace, but I have rarely seen anything of theirs for sale. Does anyone here collect them or know more about them? Apparently they are quite huge figures!

example figures

[RedZillaKing]

Pilot Ace! Despite the double chin the King Goji is my favorite designer version of that incarnation. Great topic. Also love the Ghidorah!

[Legion1979]

With the exception of their 1954 Godzilla I have at least one of every Toho sculpt that Pilot Ace did. That includes the '62, '64, '65 Godzilla and that '67 Godzilla/Minya combo, 1964 Rodan, King Ghidora, Gigan, Hedora and Mechagodzilla.

The Rodan is a must have, simply for being the only 1964 version of the character done in this style. While some say it's the Monster Zero version, it's very clearly supposed to be the version from Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster. The Godzillas are fine if you're not expecting the same level of sculptural detail as the Marmits and Gigabrains. The spines aren't a separate piece and are pressed as part of the body and they're also a little on the chunky side. The '67 is probably the best, since the Minya makes it really unique.

Hedora and King Ghidora are the real centerpieces of the Gigabrain collection. Hedora stands at 11 inches tall and the first version (blue vinyl with red and lime green sprays) has a wicked color scheme. If it wasn't for the Gigabrain this would be my favorite stylized Hedora sculpt. King Ghidora stands at almost a whopping 15 inches tall. It's nice in whatever color you find it in, although the original orange release has an issue with the left wing being droopy. This guy would be the best stylized Ghidora figure if it wasn't for the upcoming Gigabrain version.

Gigan is all right. It's a decent enough sculpt but the colors on the one I have don't really pop. It doesn't hold a candle to the Gigabrain or Marmit's Monster Heaven version. Mechagodzilla is pretty lame.

[Jomei]

Great info, Legion. I really like the Ghidorah, too, and I need a Showa one. Guess I'll keep an eye out.

[Kaiju no Mura]

I like the Mechagodzilla. I like the roughness in the mold and how it was purposely done like that. Originally I wasn't to fond on how they spread his feet outward when I first saw pictures of it. But once I got it in hand It didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

You don't see Pilot Ace items as much because production runs were very small for their Toho kaiju line. Most of the Godzilla items have limited runs of 50-200 depending if it was for there shop in Tokyo or a show exclusive. Pilot Ace was only around for 5 years. They went defunk in February 2009. Beagle was their manufacturer and under contract continue the Harryhausen line for another 2 figures after Pilot Ace closed.

[Jomei]

So they're gonna be hard to find, eh? Thanks for the history there, Kaiju no Mura!

[leunames]

Pilot Ace!

alas, they're in another apartment currently.

[Captain Aktion]

*patiently waits for the opportunity of obtaining said figures to present itself*

[leunames]

I love Pilot Ace. They didn't produce too many characters but the few that I have I enjoy greatly.

I'd really love to find the Rodan 64/65 as I've been having difficulty finding one for quite some time.

[Legion1979]

You need Mechagodzilla too.

[leunames]

You need Mechagodzilla too.

Yeah...but I never really liked that one...Rodan, G 65, and the maquette first.

MG if I have the money to burn and nothing better to use it on...

[Legion1979]

I'm hypnotized by the black Marmit Gigan up there on your shelves. I don't care if it's a little stylized, it GETS Gigan in a way almost no other figure has. And that includes X-Plus, easily.

[leunames]

I'm hypnotized by the black Marmit Gigan up there on your shelves. I don't care if it's a little stylized, it GETS Gigan in a way almost no other figure has. And that includes X-Plus, easily.

It is a great figure.

I always thought that the best two characters to portray in marmit's MH gallery line were Gigan and King Ghidorah...simply because they're the 2 most sinister showa characters: remorseless and unrelenting (for the most part). The gloss black and the muted yellow cream eye just kind of communicate "calculating and violently dangerous"

[DoctorMafune]

I love Pilot Ace. They didn't produce too many characters but the few that I have I enjoy greatly.

I'd really love to find the Rodan 64/65 as I've been having difficulty finding one for quite some time.

Envy, envy. These are amazing, but it looks like while I was focusing on other priorities, the window for Pilot Ace figures came and went. I saw the Gigan on auction a couple of times, and it was just more than I was willing to pay. I don't want to think about what I would have paid for Ghidorah, if I'd had a shot at that one.

I imagine that with the numbers that Kaiju no Mura listed, they're rarely re-sold—and then, expensive as Hell—in Japan, too.

Well, I can dream, can't I?

By the way, glad to meet another Galactus fan. I went for that huge Marvel Universe figure, also.

Is that a foreign-issue Ghidorah, next to your Mogera? In Taiwan, I picked up a similar (but green) KG produced using the Bandai molds.

[ebirahsmeg1]

I'm hypnotized by the black Marmit Gigan up there on your shelves. I don't care if it's a little stylized, it GETS Gigan in a way almost no other figure has. And that includes X-Plus, easily.

Sorry, but I can't resist





By the way, that gold Pilot Ace KG owned by leunames was one of the my most desired/sought after figures...until GB announced to the world they're releasing GB showa KG (which will be mine later this month ) Still, that is by far my favorite PA figure...

[Jomei]

I just ordered a MosuGoji from this line, so I guess I'm joining the Pilot Ace club now. B]

[Captain Aktion]

^Where'd you snag that???

[leunames]

I just ordered a MosuGoji from this line, so I guess I'm joining the Pilot Ace club now. B]

Well done. Which variant?

[UnCanny Studios]

Great thread! Can't believe I haven't noticed it before now.

If all goes well, I'll have a Pilot Ace Ghidorah by the end of next week . I'd like to have them all eventually, but as many have pointed out before me - they are true rarities.

[Jomei]

If all goes well, I'll have a Pilot Ace Ghidorah by the end of next week

Oh? Getting that AND the Gigabrain?