Official Bandai (Japan) Thread 2.0

[Creature22]

Not Godzilla specifically, but Chandlar is next in line for the Ultra 500 line. Similar to Pagos, this is long overdo.
I'm glad these continue to be in the $4 range. With Movie Monster Series (with collecting in general, honestly), I've really had to be choosy... the Godzilla Store exclusives + a few upcoming Shin Ultraman/Toho preorders have priced me out.

[Mac Daddy MM]

Not Godzilla specifically, but Chandlar is next in line for the Ultra 500 line. Similar to Pagos, this is long overdo.
I'm glad these continue to be in the $4 range. With Movie Monster Series (with collecting in general, honestly), I've really had to be choosy... the Godzilla Store exclusives + a few upcoming Shin Ultraman/Toho preorders have priced me out.

I'm still surprised we haven't gotten Peguilla. They're also adding Sphere Geomos to the line, plus the DX Mother Spheresaurus.

[canofhumdingers]

Anybody know if the upcoming Heisei Ghidorah and MechaGodzilla will be new sculpts or reissues? I’d normally assume reissues. But then I look at how we’ve gotten all new sculpts for Destroyer, Megaguirus, Kiryu, Hedorah, and Jet Jaguar (two variants!) and probably some I can’t recall recently and I could totally see these being all new too.

[onerichman]

Anybody know if the upcoming Heisei Ghidorah and MechaGodzilla will be new sculpts or reissues? I’d normally assume reissues. But then I look at how we’ve gotten all new sculpts for Destroyer, Megaguirus, Kiryu, Hedorah, and Jet Jaguar (two variants!) and probably some I can’t recall recently and I could totally see these being all new too.

Ghidorah, MechaGodzilla are going to be new sculpts. Bandai is also releasing a new sculpt of Godzilla 2004 as well.

[Rody]

I'm looking forward to that Chandlar, although I'd prefer Peguila proper. Those new Sphere kaiju look like an improvement over most 500 figures, too.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Heisei figures are at least retooled; Bandai has been modifying/redoing their Godzilla figures at least as much as they've been simply reissuing.

[Creature22]

I'm looking forward to that Chandlar, although I'd prefer Peguila proper. Those new Sphere kaiju look like an improvement over most 500 figures, too.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Heisei figures are at least retooled; Bandai has been modifying/redoing their Godzilla figures at least as much as they've been simply reissuing.

I’m actually glad they did Chandlar first, if only because Peguila was prioritized in the original 6 inch line and the only Chandlar available was a pricey exclusive.
Relating to Shin Ultraman:

Spoiler:

I believe we’re getting Shin Peguila (and Pagos) in the MMS line sometime in 2023 so I doubt Peguila will be completely ignored in the Ultra 500 series.

I wouldn’t mind a retool of the MMS Godzilla ‘04. The 8 inch one was great… the 6 inch one lost something in the size transfer. It’s like the head stayed large.

[JVM]

If they retool MMS Godzilla '04, I hope they take a little inspiration from the Bandai USA one in terms of proportions. I feel like the existing MMS has this 'pyramid' feel where it has a strong botto half and then the upper body and arms feel overly small compared to the head and legs, but the Bandai USA figure had a much stronger upper body. Looking at the G2004 8" I think it has that quality as well.

Also personally not a fan of how the claws were painted on the 2004 figure. Little too bright.

[Petezilla]

I hope and want to believe we're getting new sculpts of MG'93 & KG'91 (those are seriously looking dated compared to newer stuff). But with G'04... I hope it's a new one, too, but how could you be sure...?

[JVM]

I hope and want to believe we're getting new sculpts of MG'93 & KG'91 (those are seriously looking dated compared to newer stuff). But with G'04... I hope it's a new one, too, but how could you be sure...?

According to Showcase Daikaiju:

King Ghidorah 1991 figure by Bandai, 2023
From the Godzilla vs King Ghidorah film (1991). 
Part of the 6" line of figures in the Movie Monster Series.
But, this will be an updated sculpt and different from the original release in the 1990s

I believe the owner has said before that this is specified in the Japanese listings they draw from; of course, whether these are all-new sculpts or modified sculpts may be a different question.

[Petezilla]

I hope and want to believe we're getting new sculpts of MG'93 & KG'91 (those are seriously looking dated compared to newer stuff). But with G'04... I hope it's a new one, too, but how could you be sure...?

According to Showcase Daikaiju:

King Ghidorah 1991 figure by Bandai, 2023
From the Godzilla vs King Ghidorah film (1991). 
Part of the 6" line of figures in the Movie Monster Series.
But, this will be an updated sculpt and different from the original release in the 1990s

I believe the owner has said before that this is specified in the Japanese listings they draw from; of course, whether these are all-new sculpts or modified sculpts may be a different question.

Neat! They are as trustworthy as it gets, so I'll take it for granted, that these will all be new molds then. Thanks for the info!

[Legion1979]

I wouldn't say KG and Rodan NEED new molds, but the wonky, misproportioned MG sculpt that dates back to 1993 needs to go.

Hopefully one day they'll revisit Space Godzilla and especially Angilas.

[Maverick Centigrade]

I wouldn't say KG and Rodan NEED new molds, but the wonky, misproportioned MG sculpt that dates back to 1993 needs to go.

Hopefully one day they'll revisit Space Godzilla and especially Angilas.

Absolutely agree on Space Godzilla. I hated the gap in his plates and his tiny little pea sized head. Needs a 2.0 asap.

[StardustGenius]

I was going to say Destoroyah should get a new mold but he got a decent new mold from Bandai of America. I could see that being reissued and redecoed. Spacegodzilla absolutely needs a new mold.

I am curious about a new Heisei KG mold. For a Heisei Mechagodzilla, they might as well just give us the SMG that was on the survey a few years ago. There's no indication this is the case though right?

[Legion1979]

Watch, the Super Mechagodzilla is gonna be a Godzilla Store exclusive.

[StardustGenius]

That would be on brand yes. I have no interest in the character for a soft vinyl figure, so I wouldn't be too broken up about it. It would still be a boneheaded greedy decision. What someone at Bandai should capitalize on is the popularity of model kits. An SMP or Bandai Hobby Super Mechagodzilla, MOGERA, or Combiner Mechagodzilla would a pretty neat thing to see. It would be up Bandai's alley with their experience in that department.

[canofhumdingers]

Destroyer already got an all new Bandai Japan mold a couple years ago. It’s kinda on the small side, but the sculpt is much better than the old Godzilla Island sculpt that was based on the original 8 inch figure.

I would love to see Bandai produce some modern model kits from the Godzilla franchise. And I wouldn’t limit it to just mechs. While those would no doubt be spectacular, I’d also love to see what they could do with the organic Kaiju. Their Star Wars kits (both ships and figures) are absolutely spectacular.

[StardustGenius]

I suppose some characters would lend themselves better, like Gigan. I'm not sure if Godzilla himself would translate well.

[canofhumdingers]

For clarity, I’m not talking about articulated action figure style kits for the organic kaiju. I agree that would work great for mecha’s (Aoshima already makes some killer articulated Kiryu kits). But just static model kits for Godzilla and friends would be awesome I think.

But I’ve been getting really into modeling as a hobby the last few years and the dearth of affordable kaiju kits to build has been very disappointing. With the quality of other kits Bandai has been producing I could see them making some great Godzilla kits that wouldn’t cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars per kit like most of the garage kits do.

My stop gap has been starting to buy Bandai vinyls to custom paint.

[StardustGenius]

Painting Bandai vinyls is almost therapeutic to me. Last year I recolored a MMS Megalon to be in those green and purple colors from one of the video games. Just feels nice. Regarding that Destoroyah mold, which one are you talking about? Is it that one that was released from Bandai of America first?

[canofhumdingers]

No. Bandai America did one that was actually quite good. It even had the little secondary wings unfurled.

But Bandai Japan also did their own all new Destroyer sculpt a few years ago that’s also quite good.