Just like the NECA’s Videogame Godzilla figure, this poster version Godzilla 1956 figure belongs right in the “I never imagined that this would ever be made into a figure” pile of reality but hey, here it is and it’s pretty awesome!
Details
While this is basically a repaint of the original 1954 release, this release adds a little bit of a different sort of personality to the look. The head sculpt itself is very expressive but has a small change this time around and it’s not really for the better. The teeth on the upper jaw right side are pushed in a little. I don’t know if this is a factory error or done on purpose to make the beam effect fit. It makes the head look really goofy when you look at it head on with the jaw all the way open. The backplates are soft vinyl just like the previous release, which I like. Godzilla’s jaw has been retooled for this release and is positioned a little lower when the mouth is closed. When opened, the beam effect can be inserted.
Articulation
Godzilla’s a pretty stiff figure with the same articulation as the previous release. The hands can rotate 360 degrees (along with the feet) and the hands can bend at the palm. The jaw can open and close, Godzilla can swivel 360 degrees at the torso, and the neck and head can swivel 360 degrees as well. The tail has some articulation until about mid tail where the end piece’s articulation is done via bendy wire.
A note on the tail attachment: a small instruction sheet comes with the release and it says to dip the tail into warm water for 20 seconds and then pop the tail on. This didn’t work for me. What I did was use a hair dryer on full blast for about 30 seconds and then popped it on.
Accessories
To help bring the poster version to life even further, a beam effect is included. It’s a cool gradient yellow beam with cool flame detail in the mold and a bit of orange paint about ¾ of the way down. It looks really cool and sits in Godzilla’s mouth perfectly.
The other accessory is the poster background. There weren’t any instructions on how to put it together outside of the “cut here” directions on the back flaps. It took a little bit to figure out what goes where but I got it. It looks really cool when you place Godzilla in there and there’s even a small part where Godzilla’s tail goes so it doesn’t flip up the side of the box. The only downside to this poster is that there’s none of the text from the poster. It’s a strange decision to not include it and it prevents the display from being “authentic”.
Paint
The paint is where this release suffers a little bit but it’s only in a few areas. While the eyes are CLOSE to being perfect, the left eye has a bigger pupil and it’s a tad distracting. The teeth themselves are painted ok but they’re still not fully painted. Finally, there are weird red and green paint splots on the lower waist. There’s no reason why they should be there and it’s weird to see.
Now onto the positives: WOW this is one cool looking paint job. The mix of light/dark green on the body and it’s one of the coolest looking figures NECA has ever done. I love how the mix and dark green on the backplates pop when combined with the pink! The toenails even have a green strip of paint in the middle to emulate the glow effect on the poster. What also looks really cool is the black base at the center of Godzilla’s back. It contrasts really well with the pink backplates.
Overall
This is a great release and it looks great in person. I wish that all the releases would have the poster included in the box so more dioramas like this could be made! Highly recommended!
**Below are a number of bonus images, including some close-up shots of the body and tail.**
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