Official Bandai (Japan) Thread 2.0

[Legion1979]

Mothra is ¥3300, huh? That really puts things into perspective when it comes to just how much the price and quality of what you get have changed in the past 3 decades. The original 1992 Mothra adult figure was a huge 8" scale boxed toy, with plastic wings covered with printed graphics, plastic individual legs, plastic eyes, a flocked vinyl body and a metal/plastic stand.

The cost in 1992? ¥3000!

[King Dan]

Hey (don't do this please)- That's certainly true, and are we really talking about inflation here or something else?? Look it's a Mothra 1992 toy, not even close to the quality of the original, not even accurately painted, etc, etc. And yet while looking pretty close to the character on screen in the film ..I think the cost will make even completists wait around to get it cheaper down the line. Inflation?? Or .. are they just charging too much to begin with now without even considering that word. This is really a little kids toy, Mom or Dad will have to pay whatever the market price is if they want to give this as a gift to their kid/kids .. but the Bandai gang out there everywhere is starting to wince at quality and cost. What?? That's weird somehow?? I'm not buying this.

[Mac Daddy MM]

Hey (don't do this please)- That's certainly true, and are we really talking about inflation here or something else?? Look it's a Mothra 1992 toy, not even close to the quality of the original, not even accurately painted, etc, etc. And yet while looking pretty close to the character on screen in the film ..I think the cost will make even completists wait around to get it cheaper down the line. Inflation?? Or .. are they just charging too much to begin with now without even considering that word. This is really a little kids toy, Mom or Dad will have to pay whatever the market price is if they want to give this as a gift to their kid/kids .. but the Bandai gang out there everywhere is starting to wince at quality and cost. What?? That's weird somehow?? I'm not buying this.

Don't read too much into it. While Legion is 100% correct on every account, I'm fairly sure his post is a direct response to my comments in the Spiral thread. I expect we're going to be seeing many of these types of "it was different in the past too" type of posts.

IE: Don't read too far into it.

[Legion1979]

The craziest thing about this is when you see photos of Bandais at the Godzilla Store. Somewhat recent releases sit there with price tags clearly reading ¥2000 or so. RIGHT NEXT TO THOSE FIGURES are the newest releases in the same scale with prices like ¥3000 or higher. The worst is when you see the Mechaghidorah figure alongside the comparatively far more expensive 1991 Ghidorah from a few months ago. They're the same size but their prices are night and day. This doesn't feel like inflation as much as it just feels like Bandai raising prices because they can.

And THAT example has nothing to do with nostalgia.

[LSD Jellyfish]

It's because all the rich American fans are buying Godzilla bandais while the yen is weak. All you are part of the problem and why my prized plastic have gotten more and more expensive.

I agree that inflation is not solely part of the issue. However, pushing back on the MKG vs. Ghidorah 1991 conversation, despite the Ghidorah's lack of seperated necks, the Ghidorah figure is much more detailed. The wings are much wider, with grooves. The figure has a lot of textured scales. I'm not saying it's worth that price, but I do think that the recent 1991 Ghidorah figure got considerably more detail than the MKG figure.

I don't think they're going to increase the prices on past releases because simply put it, at this point they're probably trying to get rid of whatever stock they have from 2016ish. On top of that people might find it scummy.

But seriously, inflation is a part of this.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230601_19/

[CyberZilla]

I figured inflation would factor into it. I’ve had to tighten my belt with collecting SW figures as well (though they’ve had their own share of issues, plastic prices are affecting them too). Gonna skip on the Mothra at that price for now, as much as I do like Mothra. The 2018 release is good enough for me.

It’s curious how the double whammy of less paint/defined details (mostly with paint, with a good many exceptions in terms of sculpt detail nowadays) and plastic prices is hitting this line. I really hope the prices don’t keep escalating, but if Bandai thinks they can get away with it, they’ll keep doing it. In some ways that plastic inflation is a scapegoat as much as it is a genuine reason.

[TitanoGoji16]

Moffra

The bright colors here make me think of the Trendmasters Mothra, just with proper proportions.

[LSD Jellyfish]

All this talk of the Mothra and the Shin Ultraman stuff made the recent Fire Rodan release fall to the wayside.

Having it now, I think it's pretty great!


The pose leans Rodan much forward, and it feels like it's more mid-flight. The wings are less bulky, and I believe more film accurate. An issue with Fire Rodan figures is making the wings too flimsy or too bulky. Here's a comparison with an older mold, which also makes Rodan's legs too thick:

It's hard to tell, but with the exception of that special Fire Rodan release a few pages back, the paint is actually better than the other Fire Rodan's.

While this is a weird angle, it also feels like Rodan displays better, looking forward, rather than awkwardly staring up. You can see Rodan's pupils nicely.


Bad image, but this is kind of a nice compromise between the really bulky old release, and the more modern tiny release.


The horns also angle nicely and are more film accurate.

Now come my complaints:
A) The neck/head doesn't rotate. Not game ending, but a weird choice.
B) This:


For some reason the Copyright is on Rodan's back. This is the norm now, but the back spikes lack paint. Also note the fused area between the tail and wings. I'm not sure if this is actually more accurate than the other older versions as I can't remember if the membrane of the wings are connected there. But either way its very blocky.

Overall, if you don't have a Fire Rodan I recommend this figure. It's a decent representation of the character, and I'll stand by it looking better than some of the past molds and releases. It's decently big too and will display nicely alongside either monsters.

Bonus is Retro Megalon:



Not much to say, except he's cool. The colors work well.

[Legion1979]

It looks like the new one is more accurate but it seems like the older one just has a greater level of surface detail. To me at least, the older just looks like the all around better designed figure, accuracy aside.

Also want to point out that the original was designed so that you could pull the legs all the way back so the figure looks like it's flying but you can also bring the legs forward enough so the toy can stand in a way where the head can look straight head. If anyone is standing this figure with the feet flat on the ground and the head looking straight up, they're doing it wrong.

[Creature22]

If anyone is standing this figure with the feet flat on the ground and the head looking straight up, they're doing it wrong.

I guess Bandai’s doing it wrong

[Legion1979]

They're totally doing it wrong. I own every release of this mold they put out between 1993 and 2004. It's possible to easily get it into a movie accurate position.

[Executive Hamster]

I have the memorial box version and while I do have it hung up flying rn, I originally had it standing and what you wanted to do was turn the legs slightly forward to give it a much better look.

[JVM]

The price discussion: I do want to say when any toy line raises its prices consistent across the line, it becomes harder to argue the figures on an individual level are weaker for being expensive, because the implication becomes older figures would be charged the same amount today as new releases. I mean, definitely value matters, but there's a difference between 'this particular figure is overpriced' and 'this figure is part of an overpriced line'. I think some of us made the mistake of viewing previous figures as higher because of their individual value when it was really the price creep for the line in general.


Mothra seems fixable with some red and black sharpie, besides the lower orange stripe on the face. I'm not happy about the wings.

Also want to point out that the original was designed so that you could pull the legs all the way back so the figure looks like it's flying but you can also bring the legs forward enough so the toy can stand in a way where the head can look straight head. If anyone is standing this figure with the feet flat on the ground and the head looking straight up, they're doing it wrong.

^^ This. It is one hundred percent that toy's secret weapon. It's the only Rodan figure that looks good flying or standing, or at least the only one I own that can say that. It's very toyetic, very masterfully done.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Mothra seems fixable with some red and black sharpie, besides the lower orange stripe on the face. I'm not happy about the wings.

Yeah but we shouldn't even have to resort to doing that. The obsessive and compulsive parts of my brain won't allow it, and even if it looks better it's technically damaging the figure.

I'm probably going to buy this, but I have something predictable/outrageous:
What happens when they rerelease a G-Store exclusive that is called the "Heavy paint version". It's not just the spot that mimic the eyes that are missing. It's also various tips of the wings, under the wings, and back sections of the wings. I could see them doing that and it would be pretty scummy. Maybe a Battra and Mothra "deluxe set".

The spot really bothers me. I guess it's because it's such a distinctive and iconic part of Mothra's pattern.

Added in 1 minute 15 seconds:

Also want to point out that the original was designed so that you could pull the legs all the way back so the figure looks like it's flying but you can also bring the legs forward enough so the toy can stand in a way where the head can look straight head. If anyone is standing this figure with the feet flat on the ground and the head looking straight up, they're doing it wrong.

I'll keep that in mind when I buy another shelf and figure out a way to finally pose it.

That being said, I think this fire Rodan is clearly intended to be "mid take off". That's what the tag looks like at least.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

So Dagarah is... I honestly don't know. He got a lot of articulation but he's not a MonsterArts but he's more than a standard vinyl. A new style of figure perhaps? Maybe I'm just dumb.

https://hobby.dengeki.com/news/1955879/

[JVM]

Yeah but we shouldn't even have to resort to doing that. The obsessive and compulsive parts of my brain won't allow it, and even if it looks better it's technically damaging the figure.

I'm probably going to buy this, but I have something predictable/outrageous:
What happens when they rerelease a G-Store exclusive that is called the "Heavy paint version". It's not just the spot that mimic the eyes that are missing. It's also various tips of the wings, under the wings, and back sections of the wings. I could see them doing that and it would be pretty scummy. Maybe a Battra and Mothra "deluxe set".

The spot really bothers me. I guess it's because it's such a distinctive and iconic part of Mothra's pattern.

Oh, I agree. This is what the 'I'm not happy about the wings' was meant to convey after I reconsidered going espousing my harsher thoughts They're cheap bastards at Bandai and the quality of the individual figures bothers me slightly less when I'm more and more convinced the company's Godzilla line has simply shat the bed collectively. Mothra may as well be the poster child as even the scaled down 6" Mothra 2003 from before the line went on hiatus had cheap legs and missing paint on the wings, though MUCH less egregiously so, and each further release has fucked this up worse.

[Dyrakro]

The missing paint on the back aside, Rodan looks great. Also love how much of him is actually painted (the claws and face, the eyes especially, really well done).
This week marks the release of Monster X, looking forward to the first in-hand pics

[Fermix]

[StardustGenius]

He looks great! I think I know what this is supposed to be. Maybe some kind of a cross for an X-Plus but the basic articulation and scale of MMS/6 inch figures in general. Something to fit in collections in that scale. Lots of folks take photos of their figures, or make dioramas in Japan (here too), so I think that's what he's marketed to.

Eh it is expensive, but I can understand here. He looks a lot like a Monster Hunter creature here.

[Mac Daddy MM]

I'ma just laugh if the Heisei Mothra release has the SOS Mothra on the tag because the SOS Mothra tag has the Heisei Mothra.