Thirty years after first appearing in the Super Nintendo game Super Godzilla, Bagan suddenly receives an official figure release in the modern day! However, the design used is from his second appearance in the 1996 CD-ROM game Godzilla Movie Studio Tour. This look is being labeled as the "official" design of the monster, which would explain why it was chosen over the one from Super Godzilla and even Godziban. Either way, it's an unexpected release that's both welcome and somewhat ironic in the "Movie" Monster Series line.
Details
An extraordinary amount of care and attention to detail was placed on Bagan's sculpt, and the hard work absolutely shows. From the muscle fibers found on the throat, legs, and beneath the nasal horn and tail, all the way to the subtle indentations in the bone-like armor covering most of Bagan's body (particularly impressive on the top half of the tail), there's something to appreciate no matter the angle of the figure. Even the inside of the mouth has a sliver of a tongue and fibers sculpted! The only lacking parts are beneath the feet, which are just bare, flat surfaces, but given the figure will likely be standing upright when on display, it's excusable.
Perhaps the highlight for me is Bagan's back. The overlapping armor plating is both complex as it is easy to follow, and the odd eye-like structures on the shoulder "wings" coupled with the multitude of spikes almost make the back look like a monster unto itself!
Articulation
Strangely enough, Bagan has some decent articulation centered around the arms, legs, and even the tail, which are all capable of rotating a full 360 degrees. The tail articulation is a questionable addition, more fitting for the likes of Godzilla or Anguirus who typically have one base body color, whereas Bagan has his tail split between a bony gray upper half and muscle red bottom half. At the very least, the arm and leg articulation allows Bagan to achieve a sitting pose, or throwing his arms up in celebration. Or both!
Accessories
Bagan comes attached with a strikingly colorful tag, boasting a render of the original maquette used for the CD-ROM game. The inside of the tag also has a brief description (rough translation): "Bagan: A monster created by fusing Godzilla cells and Ghidorah cells. Its bone-hard skin is more durable than metal and repels most attacks. (From the setting of the game Super Godzilla)"
Paint
Given the type of figure this is, there are many paint details missing when compared to its source design. However, the areas where color is present is where it truly matters most. The breast plates, crotch armor, and inner part of the shoulder "wings" are painted a shiny metallic gray, which provides a satisfying sheen, especially when beneath a light source. A dark silvery gray is also present on the three head horns, some of the thinner horns near the sides of Bagan's face, the finger and toe claws, and two of the four dewclaws on each of his heels, almost all of which fade naturally into the lighter gray body color. The circular organs inside the "wings" are a deep plum purple, while the knees are coated a darker shade of brown. Then there are the obvious muscle fibers and inside of the mouth, which are like a desaturated hot pink. Bagan's eyes are painted a solid reddish orange and burn with fury, while the outside of the teeth are neatly coated in bone-white paint.
On the original maquette, the plethora of spikes on Bagan's back would be dipped in black, and the tips of his "wings" and tail would have thin streaks of light blueish-gray tiger stripes. While some of these details are personally missed, the lack of paint really helps bring out the smaller features in the sculpt and prevents the overall design from looking too busy color-wise.
Overall
The three decade long wait for a Bagan figure paid off in spades. Meticulously sculpted, wonderfully painted, and even modestly priced, this is a very easy recommendation for both fans of the monster and the Godzilla series in general.
**Below are bonus images of the figure.**
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