Shogun Godzilla is a near perfect representation of the original Mattel “Godzilla Shogun Warriors” toy from 1977.
Details
Godzilla’s mold looks just how he does in the original 1977 to and for me, since it was my first Godzilla toy (a hand me down), the wave of nostalgia was pretty high so I’m quite happy to be doing this review. While this isn’t the ORIGINAL look to the figure, I quite like the glow in the dark version here. The backplates are also true to the original figure with them being just little triangles down the back. The figure isn’t 100% glow in the dark, which an interesting choice. I figure that having the full figure being one big translucent glow in the dark figure might be a little too common so they left the body with a lighter green mold. It kinda looks like he’s wearing long underwear. It’s different but I like it.
Side note: For some reason on the box is a shot of the Aurora Godzilla, which is pretty confusing. I know that in the past that figures like NECA’s Godzilla line had the Bandai Godzilla 1954 figure as part of the packaging, but that was part of the style guide set by Toho. I don’t know what the reasoning is here.
Articulation
Some creative liberties were taken with the figure that takes away from the authenticity however. For example, on the original Shogun Godzilla both hands could rotate. Here, only the right hand can rotate (360 degrees) which is an odd choice to not have both hands rotate. In addition, Godzilla’s head can rotate 360 degrees while the Shogun Godzilla’s head couldn’t move at all but the tail could and it does here. Finally, the tongue effect is changed but for the better here. On the original toy, it was a lever that you would push down to get the fire tongue to stick out. Here, you push the lever inward and a small spring activates the fire tongue effect to come out. If there was a way to have the fire tongue to stick out and you can let go over the lever so you can have it out for toy photography, that would be great.
Accessories
None.
Paint
There’s not a lot of paint to speak of here. It’s an interesting mix of red with black pupils for the eyes which have an odd menacing look about them. The nostrils are also the same color red as is the mouth. The tongue itself is the mold’s color of red but the paint on the tongue which is meant to simulate Godzilla’s fire breath is painted on. No blemishes at all in any of the paint applications which is surprising for such a small figure. The red looks great against the glow in the dark white translucent mold.
I tried out the “glow in the dark” feature on the figure and it’s ok. It’s not super bright and seems to diminish in brightness rather quickly. I’ve included photos but because of my phone’s camera, the phone compensated for the lack of brightness by going to a higher ISO. So, while it looks like a brighter green, it wasn’t.
Overall
While it’s great to see another version of this classic toy, especially in a “Glow in the Dark” version, it’s easy to recommend for new fans and collectors alike!
**Below are bonus images of the figure.**
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Addendum: Shogun Godzilla ReAction Figure
As I previously stated in the review above, the Glow in the Dark Shogun Godzilla’s mold looks just how he did in 1977. This however, is the REAL DEAL. Everything I remember from that toy is here and it’s awesome.
Details
Perfectly sculpted from the original 1977 toy, even in this small stature it brings back a ton of childhood memories. For full disclosure, I just could not bring myself to take the figure out of the package. I feel that opening that package would be destroying the overall coolness of the entire package. So with that, I’m gonna say that it’s safe to assume that everything from the tongue mechanism to the hand/arm/leg articulation is all the same as the “Glow in the “Dark” version.
Accessories
None.
Paint
The paint here is spot on. The claws and toe nails are perfectly painted along with the teeth. For me as a kid, the centerpiece has always been the eyes. The black pupil and the yellow iris are just so totally cool and that right there is the wave of nostalgia for me. For the rest of the paint, the red on the nostrils and gums are also perfectly applied.
Overall
For something that was such a huge part of my childhood, it sure is great to see it recreated. It’s something that I never thought I’d ever see again in any form and I’m impressed that Super 7 went through so much work to recreate the original toy. Very highly recommended.
**Below are bonus images of the figure.**
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Addendum 2: Shogun Godzilla 1200°C ReAction Figure
Following in the “Burning Godzilla” tradition, Super7 has released their own version titled: ”Godzilla ReAction Figure - Shogun (1200°C)”.
Details
Mold-wise, it’s the same as the other releases (with the same articulation), except this one is entirely transparent. The mold, being a transparent orange, looks awesome - especially in direct light. The tail, arms and legs, while still being transparent, aren’t as “see through” as the head and body.
Accessories
I’m going to count the box as an accessory here since it is mostly a replica (with some pretty awesome art and graphics) of how the original 70’s Godzilla Shogun toy was packaged. All you do is flip the bottom part of the inner box down, flip Godzilla’s tail arund so the backplates face forward, push him in to the plastic indentation and he just snaps right in. Put the lid on and you’re done!
Paint
I like how the yellow paint is applied overall, but I do feel that it’s a little thick in the hands. I would have liked a less thick paint application there and more of a fade from maybe mid fingers. The rest of the application looks great on the backplates, chest and toenails. The eyes and mouth are a different story. The paint on the right eye has a little extra red paint at the bottom of the eye, which is really distracting when you look at Godzilla head on. If you turn him to the side, it does have the effect of making him look more sinister than he would if you turned him to the other side, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag, really. Finally, the nose is a little lopsided due to more paint being applied on the left side of the nose than on the right on Godzilla’s "sinister side". Now, while the eye works in making Godzilla look that way, the lack of paint on this side detracts from it.
Overall
This is a pretty cool looking variation on the Shogun Godzilla. While it’s the fourth version of the same mold, I get the feeling that Super7 aren’t finished yet. The new box is a very nice touch and makes storing the figure easy. I wish that the previous release was packaged in this way!
**Below are bonus images of the figure.**
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Addendum 3: Shogun Godzilla Vintage Red: Toho Ultimates
Although a bigger version of the Shogun Godzilla ReAction releases, the Ultimates Shogun Godzilla (for this review, the Vintage Red version) is a more accurate representation to the original toy in which it’s based.
Details
The bigger the size of the toy, the more accurate it is (in this case anyway). The scales on the figure feels great to the touch and from memory, all the scale bumps seem to be there when compared with the original toy.
Articulation
The articulation is a little different here than in the ReAction release. For example, Godzilla’s head can’t move 360 degrees or at all. The hands this time can both move 360 degrees and, this time, Godzilla has his rocket fist back. If you push the button on the forearm the fist flies off, just like the original toy. Finally, the lever behind Godzilla’s head moves up and down to produce Godzilla’s flame breath. It’s nice to have a bigger version of this figure because it’s easier to enjoy the effect.
Paint
The paint on this release is eye popping. While the red is the mold color, it looks great against the silver of the toenails and the silver burst spot on the chest. The rest of the paint is rounded out in black which adds detail to the mold. The back looks great too with the silver accentuation of the base of the back plates. The eyes and teeth have this cool yellow color which looks great against the black pupils and yellow spaces between the teeth.
Overall
While there are many different versions of this Ultimates release with different paint jobs, this was my first experience with Ultimates Shogun Godzilla and I’m very happy with it. From the inclusion of the rocket fist, to the bigger scale and the paint job, it’s a pretty awesome release!
**Below are bonus images of the figure.**
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