Upon release, the Ichibansho Godzilla 2021 (Godzilla vs. Kong) retailed for about $75. It can currently still be had at some online retailers, though I don't expect that to last for much longer. At that price, this figure is an exceptional deal. Comparably-sized statues (like the Hyper Solid series) run nearly three times that much. That said, it isn't a perfect figure by any means, and really shouldn't be compared to those more expensive versions - I do it a disservice in doing so. As a stand-alone figure, it's an excellent rendition of Godzilla at an appropriate price.
Godzilla stands nearly 9" tall to the top of his head, and measures almost 18" in length from the snout to the tip of the tail. That's a pretty sizeable figure. Combine that with a weight of nearly 1.5 pounds, and you are dealing with a hefty chunk of plastic. The pose and sculpt are the real strong points of this figure. Godzilla has been captured mid-roar with his claws splayed out and a curve to the neck and upper torso that suggests a strong bit of movement, without being overpowering. The tail follows a pretty straight path out behind the fellow, rather than curling upward or sideways as many statues/figures choose to do. The result is that the figure has a pretty substantial footprint on the shelf, as well - he's a bit tough to display in that sense. On the positive side, however, is the fact that this statue looks amazing from any angle. Even when viewed from behind, Godzilla is fantastic.
The sculpt features deep, sharp work that's brought out with a tan/light brown dry brushing. It does look sandy and muddy in a way that might be off-putting for sticklers of screen-accuracy, but I appreciate how it adds a bit of realism while also emphasizing the detail work of the sculpt. In fact, I really like that the spines aren't glowing blue like they seem to be in just about every Godzilla vs. Kong figure made! The brown is most prominent on the chest and front of the torso of the figure, but does appear over the entirety of it. The mouth features some good sculpt work, and not-so-good paint work. The tongue on mine is slightly off center, and the tiny teeth are not painted individually, or crisply. In fact, this is probably the bigger of the two detractions this figure possesses. The eyes have teeny pupils that are painted better than many SH MonsterArts figures I have.
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| With Hyper-Solid Godzilla KOTM 2019 |
I mentioned the paint work of the mouth as one of two weak points for this figure. The second, and more significant one, is the sloppy and ill-fit of the seams. They are noticeable at the base of the tail (the figure comes in one piece - the tail does not need attaching) and the head, though both of those are relatively mild. There's a jarring coming together of pieces at the mouth, though, that's full of gaps and glue overspills: the jaw line is awful and the tongue is misaligned. Finally, the dorsals are attached with separate strips that run down the length of the tail, and another over the main body and back. The topmost strip on my figure hasn't been fitted properly, and sticks up prominently. There's also a good smattering of glue to be seen here and there along the join lines. In short, there's a reason this guy runs $75 instead of $220. From a short distance, he's amazing to look at and has a terrific shelf-presence. Upon closer inspection, the warts appear. Nevertheless (mostly because of the price and overall appearance), this turned out to be one of my very favorite purchases of 2021. He's number 9 on my list, to be precise, and I'm very happy to have him in my Toyseum!
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