Rounding out the original releases (not including upcoming repaints/translucent molds) for the Godzilla King of the Monsters film tie in figures is the Rodan/Mothra set, which is a little bit of a mixed bag.
Details
Rodan: Although it’s a rather simple design, it’s effective. Rodan looks great here and although the articulation isn’t as varied as the NECA version, it’s still pretty cool. The wings feel great to the touch and it’s a very light figure.
Mothra: Mothra’s design is OK and not film accurate - she seems to be more like a supplemental figure in this set. Mothra is detailed from a mold standpoint but not to the extent of the NECA release. She seems to be a more stylized version than a film accurate one.
Articulation
Mothra’s wings can move up and down and back and forth slightly and they do hold a pose rather well. Her legs can move back and forth and she can bend a little in the torso to get a little bit of an action pose. Outside of that, there’s not much to her.
For Rodan, there’s a little more variation. His wings can move up and down and in and out and you can get some really dramatic poses out of him. His legs can bend at the feet and the knee section and the tail can move slightly. The head and neck area can move 360 degrees - although once you go past 180 degrees he looks weird. Finally, the jaw can move up and down slightly. Do be careful with the head though as it can pop off the ball joint. Not to worry though, it can quickly be reapplied.
Accessories
The only accessories included are stands to put Rodan and Mothra in flight poses. There are two attachments for Rodan - one he lays down upon, and another that attaches at his waist. In the end, it looks good!
The accessory attachment for Mothra clamps onto her waist once you bend her midsection. It can be a little frustrating to attach, but you’ll get it after a minute of adjusting.
Paint
Rodan has minimal paint, and while I like the look as sort of an “alternate version”, this isn’t the Rodan from the film with its burning wings and deeply blackened areas. Black paint is applied on the figure in the wings, chest, and shoulder areas and it adds a nice level of detail to the figure. The eyes I really like with that mix of orange and black and they have that “classic monster look” about them. What stands out the most to me is the bright pink tongue. It’s the focal point of the figure and it really gives Rodan that pop that makes the figure just a little more exciting. The eyes look to be small stickers but that’s alright. The black on the claws and beak is applied nicely and I like the black color fade that extends to the end of the horns.
Mothra, however, is a different story. For some reason, she’s largely colored an orange/dirty orange here. It’d be cool if this was film accurate but it’s just a weird choice here. The wings have a stenciled on paint job and it looks nice, and it’s darker on the underside and brighter on the top side. The rest of the figure is painted nicely with the cool looking blue eyes and yellowish antennae, and I do like how the brown paint is mixed in with the orange on the body. Even though it’s not accurate, it sure does make the figure stand out!
Overall
While neither of these figures are accurate to the film, they do have their charm. The centerpiece for this set for me is Rodan. It’s nice to see another Rodan in the MonsterArts line and I still hold out hope for a 1956 version (my favorite) to come to fruition. For Mothra, like I said earlier, she seems to be more of an accessory than a full fledged figure. I don’t know why she was given the color scheme that she was given, but what can you do? So, bottom line: should you get this set? I feel that it’s worth it despite my criticisms, and it being a web exclusive order, it’ll for sure be shooting up in after market price, so snag it while you can if you like what you see!
**Below are several bonus images, including some extra close ups of Mothra and Rodan from the front and back. Photo credit for the last three Rodan images goes to Giovanni Ramirez!**
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