Official Bandai (Japan) Thread 2.0

[eabaker]

I was hoping to go to G-Fest next year, James. But my wedding obviously takes precedence over the show. Hopefully I can try to get there in 2014.

Getting married this summer?

Me, too!

[Captain Aktion]

^Godspeed brothers, Godspeed...

[Petezilla]

How many people here have a complete 8" scale Godzilla Bandai set? Or have a complete set of 6" scale Godzilla Bandai set.
Not counting every type of tags, just the monsters! Just wondering?

Me, definitely. I mean, there are things I'm missing, but it really just amounts to variants.

Me too. I have all the 6" scale BANDAI vinyls, even most of the variants. I'm missing only a few very rare limited items and about 10 regular tag/color variants.
When it comes to the bigger 8" scale, I have every sculpt plus many variants from 2001 GMK onwards. But I still lack most of the older 90's 8" figures. Have to keep up with this...

Getting new Ultraman figures is the only surprize now for me.

That's part of the reason why I buy them. I'm done with Bandai Godzilla, for the most part, unless I want to spend a lot of money. The Ultraman figures are like crack. Once you start it's really hard to stop.

This is so true. I have tons over tons of them, but nonetheless it always feels like I'm still missing as many as I already have. If it wasn't for MonsterArts lately (sorry for bringing them up again), my collecting habits would momentarily consist of Ultraman vinyls for good over 90%.

I was hoping to go to G-Fest next year, James. But my wedding obviously takes precedence over the show.

Congratz from my side, too!

[GCrusher]

Everyone works with what they have.
We can't all drive Mercedes.
Don't give into the pressures of society.
I try not to laugh at the expense of others.

[BandaiBandit]

Everyone works with what they have.
We can't all drive Mercedes.
Don't give into the pressures of society.
I try not to laugh at the expense of others.

Exactly. I know a couple people that dug themselves into a total financial pit because they just had to have the "best" wedding possible.

Far as I'm concerned, if it ends with two loving people being hitched, then it's all good. Of course, if you have the cash to hold a gig that puts the royal wedding to shame, then go for it.

What does any of this have to with Bandai?

[BandaiBandit]

Nice pictures!
I'm a big Ghidorah fan too!
Too bad Bandai didn't make a GMS Rodan 1956
That would have been awesome! I still remember picking up Rodan at Pony Toys in LA when it came out!
The 05 Final Wars Ghidorah has grown on me alot, its really nicely made!

[BandaiBandit]

Ya, hopefully Bandai will someday put out some more kickass standard Godzilla figures again soon.
If they do, maybe they will go in line with the Ultraman Ex figures! They are good size and look great too.
"Ex Godzilla Bandai line", now that would be cool!

[Mr. X]

Does anybody have a Bandai piece they're particularly burning to get? I tend to seek them out only periodically, but I have a few I'm kind of hoping to get for good prices:

Original Godzilla '62, Megalon, Theater Exclusive Kiryu-Goji, Mechanikong, and 6" Gigan (preferably the newer one with more highlights).

Their Mechani-Kong is truly an amazing figure. Mine is used, but I got it dirt cheap ($30). It holds up very well despite how old it is.

For me, I've been dying to get a Gorosaurus. Like, I need one. I'm too cheap to let myself spend that much on a figure.

[Megalon-5]

Nice pics Cimmerian! Some real cool stuff there!

Anyways, the Bandais I'd love to get my hands on are Mechani-Kong, the 1957 Mogera (preferably with antennae intact), any of the Mem. Box Godzillas (particularly '62 or '65), Showa Baragon, King Kong, GMK Mothra, Ultraman Max Pigmon, the Baltan History Set, Baltan III the Gamera Mem. Box set, Peguila, Gyango, the tagged Gold Kanegon and several of the older Ultraman Bandais such as Kemular and Draco. There's probably dozens more, most of them being Ultraman monsters, those things are like crack!

For me, I've been dying to get a Gorosaurus. Like, I need one. I'm too cheap to let myself spend that much on a figure.

I know the feeling man, I've wanted one for the longest time ever, thankfully, I managed to get him last month for a fairly reasonable price (around $43). I have to give a shoutout to Jomei for pointing me out to him, otherwise Goro would've slipped my radar. Hopefully you'll have the same luck as me X!

[GCrusher]

Does anybody have a Bandai piece they're particularly burning to get? I tend to seek them out only periodically, but I have a few I'm kind of hoping to get for good prices:

Original Godzilla '62, Megalon, Theater Exclusive Kiryu-Goji, Mechanikong, and 6" Gigan (preferably the newer one with more highlights).

Their Mechani-Kong is truly an amazing figure. Mine is used, but I got it dirt cheap ($30). It holds up very well despite how old it is.

For me, I've been dying to get a Gorosaurus. Like, I need one. I'm too cheap to let myself spend that much on a figure.

I think the Mechani Kong figure is one of the best Bandai figures.
The ones I'm looking for are their early releases with the plastic tags. I only have the MG.

[Destroyer]

I remember when I got Gorosaurus earlier this year, $70 with an unattached tag, so I was happy with the buy.

Currently for Bandais I have to catch up on the popular ones, such as the standard size GMK Godzilla, FW G, and G2000. And I all I have Ultra-monster wise is just two, so I gotta build up that collection.

[gatorzilla]

One of the things I LOVE about Bandai is that they didn't stick to just vinyl figures....
they did electronic, figure sets, vehicles, gashapons etc etc

I hope Bandai USA gets the ball rolling on their Godzilla stuff as the new movie gets closer.

[BandaiBandit]

One of the things I LOVE about Bandai is that they didn't stick to just vinyl figures....
they did electronic, figure sets, vehicles, gashapons etc etc

I hope Bandai USA gets the ball rolling on their Godzilla stuff as the new movie gets closer.

I hope the same can be said about Bandai Japan!
We need more Godzilla figures!
My hope is that the next Godzilla line from Japan will be Ex Godzilla figures!
Just like the cool Ex Ultraman line!

[Plexton]

Who says vinyls aren't articulated?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... E6t37NRfN8

[eabaker]

Who says vinyls aren't articulated?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... E6t37NRfN8

It gives a whole new meaning to "Go-Go Godzilla"

[Sachiel]

Man this has been a long time coming. I'm finally done with this GMK Bandai Standard Retrospective Review that I've been working on forever. I stroll down memory lane and give a bit of history behind Shusuke Kaneko's GMK and Bandai's return to the 8 inch scale vinyl figure format. Extensive pictures of all four 8 inch figures are in the review. God these things take way too long....(1 week *cough* *cough*)

https://www.gforever.net/reviews/19-fig ... ive-review

[BandaiBandit]

Man this has been a long time coming. I'm finally done with this GMK Bandai Standard Retrospective Review that I've been working on forever. I stroll down memory lane and give a bit of history behind Shusuke Kaneko's GMK and Bandai's return to the 8 inch scale vinyl figure format. Extensive pictures of all four 8 inch figures are in the review. God these things take way too long....(1 week *cough* *cough*)

https://www.gforever.net/reviews/19-fig ... ive-review

Wow, that was a great report on the GMK figures!
The pictures were very nice!
I have a couple thoughts to your overall report.
Scoring in a couple fields seemed a bite a miss. For example, packaging.
You scored it a 2/5? Why? Because there isn't anything other than a tag?
These toys have always only had a hang tag as in all traditional Bandai Japanese vinyls!
Its there M.O. if you will. Standard Bandai figures are made to hang on shelves.
Also, the words in the tag, "for sale in Japan only" is a disclaimer, not for export.
Japanese pride! It doesn't make them any less valued or less desirable!
In fact, tags on figures have become super popular and a smart way to advertise.
I would score this field higher, than you have!
One area that you didn't have a scoring for is Quality Control and Design Issues.
I feel you should have given scores here. Collectors view these areas as highly important.
You noted that these figures extremely sturdy and durable, very nice!
This is the one aspect that sets these toys apart from alot of toys today.
I would have scored this area for sure!
Your report was very good and glad to see your interest in the toys! In your closing remarks you said:
"It feels like a distant memory as advancements in technology have made vinyl figures somewhat dated and retro by today’s standards".
However, Bandai still makes these types of figures everyday, as you pointed out yourself with the Ultraman line!
Articulated figures like the Monster Arts line and standard vinyl line are two totally different types of figures.
MA are made for collectors, and the standard Bandai line(like GMK) is made for both collectors and children!
Well done on your overall report! Thanks for the link!

[Sachiel]

For example, packaging.
You scored it a 2/5? Why? Because there isn't anything other than a tag?
These toys have always only had a hang tag as in all traditional Bandai Japanese vinyls!
Its there M.O. if you will. Standard Bandai figures are made to hang on shelves.
Also, the words in the tag, "for sale in Japan only" is a disclaimer, not for export.
Japanese pride! It doesn't make them any less valued or less desirable!
In fact, tags on figures have become super popular and a smart way to advertise.
I would score this field higher, than you have!
One area that you didn't have a scoring for is Quality Control and Design Issues.
I feel you should have given scores here. Collectors view these areas as highly important.

Thanks a bunch for the feedback! It definitely feels nice to have some constructive feedback. The scores are a work in progress. I'll admit the "Packaging" score was done according to an action figure packaging standard. These Bandai GMK vinyl figures aren't exactly action figures and should be reviewed in a different light. However, I do want to maintain some consistency in my reviews so I chose to rank it like that. Here's a better analogy. If you were to rank two cars on design safety. One being the 2008 Chevrolet Camaro and a 1933 Buick sedan who do you think would win out on the safety score? Should the 1933 Buick be rated differently since it is a "classic" vintage American car? I don't think so.

As for the "Quality Control and Design Issues" section I chose to leave that section unrated. The way I see it this section is a wildcard section. While it may not have an actual score out of 5 it will have a definite affect on the "Overall Score" given to the figure(s) being reviewed. You do point out that collectors feel that this topic is important and hence you do see it having a pressence in my reviews.

That was a great read, Sachiel.

Thanks. I'm glad that it was an informative and entertaining read!

[Primevalgodzilla V2]

Great review, Sachiel, and really makes me want to go get the GMK gang. The detailed 'analysis' of the figures is much apprecieted.

I don't think tags even count as packaging though, any more than those paper slips in the Revoltech boxes count as packaging, because they don't actually package anything. There should just be an N/A there or a rating based on the coolness of the tag.

[gojizilla97]

I like Showa Gigan, but I don't think anyone else uses it. What do you think of it?