Diamond Select Toys' second non-Godzilla bank for the franchise is based on the original Mechagodzilla. The grade A+ King Ghidorah Vinyl Bust Bank was always going to be a tough act to follow, but this one is another good bank in the line with only smaller complaints to be had.
Complete with the MG tag rather than MG2 on the area near the biceps, this bank is based on the version of the character from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974). The bust is split just below the midsection, in fact the break is done right around where the original suit was made to bend. This means that the center chest, where the laser door would open, is included. The bank measures about 7.3 inches in height. This means it's appropriately dwarfed by the King Ghidorah bust and at a comparable level to the Godzilla Classic 1989 Vinyl Bust Bank.
Like the other banks, the attention to detail on the figure is excellent. Bolt placement is meticulous and matches up to the movie version quite well. Details like the four larger neck bolts are also done great. The MG logo below the shoulder area also pops out, and it's nice to see as a way to pinpoint the specific version of the character.
All that said, when taken under a magnifying glass, there are a few things one can comment on. Many of these are nitpicks, but then that's the type of reviewer I am. First and foremost, the teeth don't really gel with the movie character at all. They look a little cartoony on the bank, being huge and spread out. The movie version had small teeth that were numerous, similar to the Showa Godzilla. The result of the larger teeth on this character are that it's a little over the top, but also a bit more menacing so a trade off.
The neck vent, found directly below the lower jaw, is also too small on this bank. It should extend all the way down the neck, but stops about 66% down.
The bank would have looked a lot better had it extended all the way, but it's one of those smaller details that many likely missed the first time... but once you notice it, you can't unsee it.
One of the bigger downfalls, though, are the fingers. They look stubby and short, similar to Godzilla's hand. They should be very long with the missiles being much more notable rather than being short points at the end. If there was one thing I would change about the bank, it would be the hands.
As for the paint job, the character has a nice silver, metallic sheen to it. If you have seen the stock covers on Amazon, they don't do it justice as the figure will shimmer a bit under light and looks quite nice. The joints are colored differently, as are many of the plates to give it some variety. The biggest downfall of the coloring, though, are the eyes. They look okay, but are a solid yellow. It would have been nice had more detail been placed in them. In the movie these looked more like glass with small dots and a lot of detail that is just glossed over as a single coat of yellow here.
The bank comes pre-assembled. It is made up of only four pieces: head/neck, arms (two) and the body. This also means it has minor articulation in being able to pivot the head left to right. The arms can also move up and down.
For its functions as a bank: the coin slot is located right next to the dorsal fins on the back. The slot deserves credit as it blends in rather well, as seen in the back view. In order to remove the coins, the bottom of the finger can be opened to access the contents inside. Like all the other bust banks, there is a large sticker here that you will have to remove first to access. Unlike the King Ghidorah bank, this one can actually store a good amount of money inside so is a bit more practical as a bank.
Overall, not their best bank for those of us still on a high from their excellent King Ghidorah one, but Mechagodzilla has more than enough going for it to earn a solid recommendation. It's nice to see the original robot get a highlight as well, since the banks up to this point had been Heisei series centered.
In closing would also like to thank Diamond Select Toys for sending this in for review.
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