Playmates: Godzilla/Kong

[Legion1979]

Exactly!!

Godzilla toys are still niche. Sorry, but it's true. Playmates has nothing to gain by making them better and more expensive.

[Titanus_Rodan]

I must be the only one not concerned with scale…I just want cool figures I can display together. One figure doesn’t need to take up my entire shelf.

Also the whole Godzilla toys are niche thing…yes and no but you could also make that same argument for a lot of other toy lines in stores.

[Legion1979]

Oh absolutely. But come on, there's really no market for expensive, in-scale Godzilla toys for collectors sold at a place like Target.

[miguelnuva]

Mattel, maker of cheap childrens toys, compensates for "people who can't afford high-end imported collectibles" on a near consistent basis.

I find it quite funny how its either $3000 statues, $300 figures, or $10 Mcd toys. Maybe we should be advocating for affordable (quality being the key) Bandai vinyl releases at retail here in the states, instead of settling for less??

Didn't mean to cause a stir, just said my peace. That line up does not look appealing to me. I figured we'd see some more molds, instead I realized 99% of the list were rereleases, or slightly less worse versions of what came out last year. Hell, one of them is literally a gloss-coated Kong, and the Ghidorah everyone is interested in seems to be a remolded Jakks Pacific figure. Terrestris is cool but what an odd choice?? It just makes me want the Bandai one more tbh.

Ghidorah is closer to the Bandai mms than the jakks Ghidorah.

Not particularly, if anything an odd amalgamation of the two.

Agreed on the amalgamation. Have you seen the clearer photo on Highflyertagteam's instagram?

[UltramanGoji]

Oh absolutely. But come on, there's really no market for expensive, in-scale Godzilla toys for collectors sold at a place like Target.

Based on...?

I don't see why an Amber/Hammond Collection-like line of Godzilla figures wouldn't do okay. Nobody's expecting $100 Ghidorahs or anything but affordable collector items filling the niche of companies like NECA and SHMA (domestically) aren't as bad of an idea as you make it out to be.

[_JNavs_]

Absolutely, we see it with Marvel Legends, DC Multiverse, Star Wars Black Series. They're not the most incredibly sculpted figures, but they're affordable and look damn good on the shelf.

The Amber collection being the biggest comparison though, they're all stunning collector-aimed figures at an affordable rate. Plus I'd love an MV Serizawa figure like Mattel did for the original Jurassic Park actors.

I believe NECA had the price tag they did due to the plastic density, the box size, and sculpt-detailing. If we had softer plastic Godzilla figures, with joints we typically see in Western releases, I feel like they'd do incredibly well for collectors.

[WarpedBandicoot99]

Oh nice, it's good to see more Playmates figures and it's cool that they're expanding their line to the rest of the MonsterVerse too. City of Destruction Godzilla I'll admit I thought it was Burning Godzilla but then I noticed the shape of the dorsal plates and the logo being on the box.

The Ocean Battle figures are not very impressive, they both look like exact copies of Battle Axe Kong and Heat Ray Godzilla, unless they are going to be packaged with additional stuff later on. My favourite is definitely the Ferocious Kong from Kong: Skull Island, he seems to come with a bit more than the rest, and then there's King Ghidorah, that one looks okay.

[Mac Daddy MM]

Absolutely, we see it with Marvel Legends, DC Multiverse, Star Wars Black Series. They're not the most incredibly sculpted figures, but they're affordable and look damn good on the shelf.

The Amber collection being the biggest comparison though, they're all stunning collector-aimed figures at an affordable rate. Plus I'd love an MV Serizawa figure like Mattel did for the original Jurassic Park actors.

I believe NECA had the price tag they did due to the plastic density, the box size, and sculpt-detailing. If we had softer plastic Godzilla figures, with joints we typically see in Western releases, I feel like they'd do incredibly well for collectors.

You know as well as I do that if we get an Amber Collection-style line from Playmates for Godzilla, it'll INSTANTLY get compared to and shredded by SHMA fanboys. I'm all for $25-$35 line of "higher end" Playmates, but let's not sit here and pretend that they're going to be anything more than, as you said, Marvel Legends and SW Black Series, all of which are still sold in the toy isles. They are not a high end collector line.

[SpaceG92]

On the topic of getting high end figures at a store like Target. I remember getting a Marmit and MonsterArts at a Hastings /shrug

If you'd count it, I see FiguArts at Target's Collectors Isle. Where the darn Playmates are being zoned at.

[Mac Daddy MM]

Doing some shopping at Walmart and went to the toy isle to see if I could find one of the black MGs or a Gorosaurus. No classic Toho kaiju, but buried behind several Kongs and Godzillas, and one Warbat... Was, indeed... ONE black MG.



Tried finding more for a friend, but no such luck. However, as I was walking out the isle, I remembered this thread. And I remembered the comparrisons to the Jurassic World line... So I stopped to take a gander to see what type of JW dinosaur I could buy for the same $10 that I'd spend on this 6" MechaGodzilla with a beam accessory and battle damage.

Annnnd



For the same price, I could be a lucky guy and buy a tiny, 3" dinosaur with only two colors on its entire body, no paint detailing on the claws or teeth what's so ever, and no accessory or the infamous battle damage found on the larger toys.

For $10 from Playmates MV line, you are getting...

- A 6" figure with some decent articulation including jaws (something Bandai does not do)
- Battle Damage
- An Accessory

For $10 from the JW line, you are getting...

- A 3" Dinosaur

[Executive Hamster]

My thing with the higher end playmates figures is that some people feel like Playmates is OBLIGATED to cater to the collector crowd, when in actuality G collectors will buy whatever they want regardless of the quality because...idk, honestly. And many people pushing for higher standards for childrens action figures, which is a noble effort in of itself, as I wish kids these days could experience the Kenner JP line or even Bandai Creations, are the same people that bought every single playmates figure since day 1. Your not giving them any incentive to put in more effort.

[_JNavs_]

Mattel has multiple sub-lines. $10 figures for 3-5 year olds so on and so forth. Which is a model Playmates should look into.

Godzilla is a franchise where the majority are older collectors. So yes, Playmates has a responsibility in my eyes, as the sole licensees of affordable wide market godzilla collectibles here in the states, to cater to all ages.

I also don't think we should use "obligated" in a negative fashion when discussing billion dollar companies. But that's just me.

[Legion1979]

Godzilla is a franchise where the majority are older collectors. So yes, Playmates has a responsibility in my eyes, as the sole licensees of affordable wide market godzilla collectibles here in the states, to cater to all ages.

No they absolutely do not have a "responsibility". It's a toy line meant for kids that adult Godzilla fans buy because adult Godzilla fans buy everything.

Playmates absolutely should NOT be expected to up the quality of their toys because adult Godzilla fans want them to be something else. That's silly.

You want something nicer? You have options. Let the cheap $10 toy line do its thing.

[Maritonic]

Basically what Legion said. These are absolutely toys for children, not high end collectibles. My son loves these things, he's able to be rough with them, which he wouldn't be able to do with Monsterarts or Neca. They're toys. It's okay that you're not the target demographic for them.

[Titanus_Rodan]

I guess I’m a little confused on the whole “Playmates needs to cater to Godzilla collectors thing” what is it fans are wanting? Near 100% design accuracy with articulation? Well you get that with SHMA.

I also think it should be pointed out that stuff like the Marvel Legends, Star Wars Vintage/Black Series and Transformers Generation toy lines are still toy lines meant for kids…they just have jacked the prices up big time.

IMO Playmates new Godzilla Toho Series line feels like it is meant for both kids and adult collectors…now could some of the designs be a little bit better? Absolutely. But as an adult collector myself who can’t always afford to get every SHMA figure I’m pretty happy with them.


Right now IMO the biggest thing I want Playmates to focus on is better distribution.

[Legion1979]

Right now IMO the biggest thing I want Playmates to focus on is better distribution.

Important to remember that right now the entire country is having a problem with this.

[Cossegoji2000]

I guess I’m a little confused on the whole “Playmates needs to cater to Godzilla collectors thing” what is it fans are wanting? Near 100% design accuracy with articulation? Well you get that with SHMA.

Then again, a nice chunk of the fandom seem to have expected SHMA (or X-plus) level of quality from playmates. I have no idea how.

[Legion1979]

I guess I’m a little confused on the whole “Playmates needs to cater to Godzilla collectors thing” what is it fans are wanting? Near 100% design accuracy with articulation? Well you get that with SHMA.

Then again, a nice chunk of the fandom seem to have expected SHMA (or X-plus) level of quality from playmates. I have no idea how.

Oh stop, no one expected that. Don't be ridiculous.

On the other hand, there should be no reason not to expect these toys to at least look as good if not a little better than Bandai vinyls from decades ago. Some of their earliest toys, which ripped off older Bandais, but with softer sculpts, cheaper material and poor paint (like that pathetic Space Godzilla) are pretty sad.

But even more recent figures like Jet Jaguar, Rodan and (yes) Gorosaurus have their problems compared to Bandais at comparable prices (at least when those toys were brand new).

This was the same issue I had with the Creation figures. Some demographic and price point as the Japanese stuff but generally lower quality sculpts and likenesses. THAT is where American buyers deserve better.

[_JNavs_]

I guess I’m a little confused on the whole “Playmates needs to cater to Godzilla collectors thing” what is it fans are wanting? Near 100% design accuracy with articulation? Well you get that with SHMA.

Then again, a nice chunk of the fandom seem to have expected SHMA (or X-plus) level of quality from playmates. I have no idea how.

Oh stop, no one expected that. Don't be ridiculous.

On the other hand, there should be no reason not to expect these toys to at least look as good if not a little better than Bandai vinyls from decades ago. Some of their earliest toys, which ripped off older Bandais, but with softer sculpts, cheaper material and poor paint (like that pathetic Space Godzilla) are pretty sad.

But even more recent figures like Jet Jaguar, Rodan and (yes) Gorosaurus have their problems compared to Bandais at comparable prices (at least when those toys were brand new).

This was the same issue I had with the Creation figures. Some demographic and price point as the Japanese stuff but generally lower quality sculpts and likenesses. THAT is where American buyers deserve better.

Yeah you're on point, basically what I wanted to say but more clear set.

[miguelnuva]

I guess I’m a little confused on the whole “Playmates needs to cater to Godzilla collectors thing” what is it fans are wanting? Near 100% design accuracy with articulation? Well you get that with SHMA.

Then again, a nice chunk of the fandom seem to have expected SHMA (or X-plus) level of quality from playmates. I have no idea how.

Oh stop, no one expected that. Don't be ridiculous.

On the other hand, there should be no reason not to expect these toys to at least look as good if not a little better than Bandai vinyls from decades ago. Some of their earliest toys, which ripped off older Bandais, but with softer sculpts, cheaper material and poor paint (like that pathetic Space Godzilla) are pretty sad.

But even more recent figures like Jet Jaguar, Rodan and (yes) Gorosaurus have their problems compared to Bandais at comparable prices (at least when those toys were brand new).

This was the same issue I had with the Creation figures. Some demographic and price point as the Japanese stuff but generally lower quality sculpts and likenesses. THAT is where American buyers deserve better.

Legion your same perfect post earlier can be used here now sadly. Playmates has to no need to be better than the Bandais from 30 years ago because the target demo isn't 30.

My nephew got Gorosaurus for his birthday after watching DAM and KKE and to him its his favorite, I see only us older fans knowing about the quality and conditions of these sculpts while Playmates can get away with the kids just want Godzilla figures and adults will likely pick these ul as well.