King Ghidorah [2001]

Classic King Ghidorah

Extras:	None
Type: Company: Release: Height: Reissue:	Figure Bandai Creation 2014 16 centimeters Yes
Source:	Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack

Review

After the rush of new toys from the 2014 Godzilla film, Bandai Creations has brought back their 2001 version King Ghidorah toy that was re-released as recently as 2005 (more details). Seeing as how there's no review for this figure on the site, I'll be giving it a go. How is the toy? Read on!

Tail View

Details

Designed after the King Ghidorah suit from Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), this figure isn't as cool looking or as accurate as the Japanese Bandai version from 2001, which Anthony Romero reviewed already. However, it's a pretty solid build with a nice golden shine to it.

The wings are hollow but feel great to the touch. The scales on the figure look great and they're detailed really well. The tails are curved which I think serves two reasons. The first is to make the figure fit inside the box and the second is it gives it some stability. If would have been nice to make them independent of each other I think because it would make the figure look cooler since the tails are curved together and that's not real exciting.

Accessories

No accessories are included with this figure, which is pretty much the norm for the Bandai Creation line.

Back View

Articulation

King Ghidorah doesn't have much in the way of articulation. The wings can move a full 360 degrees and the fused together tails can move 360 degrees at the base joint. The downside is this creates an obvious and rather odd looking segment for where the tail swivels. Minor nitpick, though, and the back looks good regardless. It would have been nice if the heads could move to give the intended audience more to do when playing with the toy.

It would also be nice if this figure is re-issued again in the future and the legs/feet could move to add some additional playability.

Paint

The gold on the figure is from the actual mold itself so I wouldn't really put it into the paint category. It does look really cool and adds flair to the toy. The teeth for King Ghidorah are painted well enough except for the middle head which has a higher "gum to tooth ratio" going on. The color inside the mouth is a bright pink, the same hue as Pepto-Bismol in fact. It looks a little weird as it's so vibrant but it's not something I find to be a big deal.

The eyeballs are a cool dark red and they contrast really well with the black pupil. It doesn't match the look of the suit at all from the film, making this version look much more evil, but it looks visually nice. The pupils on the eyes aren't centered which can make the figure look a little cross-eyed but it's no big deal for a toy aimed at the 4+ years old crowd.

Overall

Although the figure is a reissue from 2005 (which was a reissue from the 2002 release of the figure) it's still nice to see another King Ghidorah for sale in US stores. The figure is a solid yet very simple build and one that kids will have a lot of fun with playing with along or alongside their Godzilla and other monster toys.

Rating: