Diamond Select Toys' throws a slight curve ball by introducing a second version of Godzilla to their figure bank line. This release is based off the character as he appeared in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974). While my initial reaction to this release was slightly negative, I have come to appreciate this addition to the line due the attention to detail in matching the look in the movie and the fact it's devoted to a less common iteration of the character to see in toys.
Details
First off, it's commendable to see Diamond Select Toys' continue to actually denote the specific version of the character they are basing their releases on. While it's all too common for companies to say "classic Godzilla" or "90's Godzilla", Diamond Select Toys is narrowing it down to the specific year.
In terms capturing the look, they nailed it for this figure. The more sunk in eyes, making Godzilla look more menacing than he did in Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) or Zone Fighter (1973), is executed well to separate it from the previous year's suit design.
Although a lot of the effort is placed in making the face look right, other details are well maintained as well. It was nice to see that the figure only has three toes to match the suit. There are a couple of details where liberties were taken versus the suit, though. For example, in the film the tail ends in a rather thick tip where as this bank ends in a narrow point similar to the Heisei versions. The dorsal fins are also slightly too thin, lacking the overly "puffy" look that they had in the film. That said, both changes are visually appealing even if not movie accurate.
Sadly, the Achilles heel of the figure is a common one for these banks: it looks awful from a certain point of view. In this case, the side view of the figure, which can be seen below, looks pretty awful. The body area looks lumpy, like a slightly overweight Godzilla, while the face looks more like a frog.
The bank measures about 10 inches in height from the feet to the tip of the head. The tail is marginally taller, adding an extra centimeter to the height.
Paint
In regards to the paint job for this bank, there is nothing overly complex done to the figure. Most of the bank is colored the charcoal green color of Godzilla's skin, which matches well to his screen appearance.
Despite being a very simple paint job, there is nice attention to detail paid to the face of Godzilla. While the giant white and black eyes are easy to pull off, Diamond Select Toys' went the extra mile to color in the mouth area despite the fact you really have to strain to look inside. This includes a pink color for the gums and also a slightly creamy white for the teeth.
The dorsal fins are given a shiny coat of silver paint, that makes them stand out a bit. Meanwhile, the toe and finger nails are painted a deep gray, which isn't quite movie accurate but does differentiate it from the silver coloring of the dorsal fins which is appreciated.
Bank Function
The coin slot for this figure is located on the back shoulder area. While not unnoticeable, it is fairly discreet and blends in about as well as one might have hoped for.
In order to get the coins out, Godzilla's head can be removed. This is an easy process, without needing a lot of muscle to dislodge it.
There is a fair amount of space inside the bank to store coins as well. The only downside is that the tail is hollow, meaning there is a slight challenge to free smaller coins that might slip in there.
Articulation
This bank has almost no articulation. At best, the head can very slightly wiggle from left to right. This is a very minor degree of movement, however.
Packaging and Assembly
In total, the 1974 Godzilla release is made up of nine pieces. This includes the head, arms (two), legs (two), main body, tail (composed of two pieces) and finally a mouth piece. All of these pieces are glued onto the body, with the exception of the head that can be removed to retrieve coins.
The figure comes pre-assembled, perhaps in response to the life and death struggle that resulted in trying to assemble the Godzilla Classic 1989 Vinyl Figure Bank.
A tag is included with the bank that is located around the right arm, fastened there with a clear plastic collar.
Overall
I originally unwrapped this figure and saw his side view first, which left a pretty bad initial impression. It took me a couple of days to warm up to it until I started to appreciate the fact that they decided to make a release specific to this version of Godzilla, and for personal bias Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) is one of my favorite Godzilla films. Bottom line is that this release is pretty enjoyable, although I don't quite understand why he is more expensive than some of the other recent releases such as the Rodan Vinyl Figure Bank for which there is a $5 price discrepancy between the two.
In closing would also like to thank Diamond Select Toys for sending this in for review.
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