Pondering The X From Outer Space

I recently rewatched an obscure Kaiju classic, The X From Outer Space; a wholly forgotten, yet very creative and engaging mega-monster flick all but lost to the sands of Toku time. It and it's even rarer 2008 sequel, Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit, have been among my favorite Japanese horror movies since I salvaged them from the depths of TPB as a teen; so, I was very interested to see how it holds up all these years later, finally returning to my gross, shower-free Kaiju phase of long ago.

The X From Ouster space is, for the uninitiated, essentially about a cast of astronauts sent on a veiled suicide mission to Mars; which, in all previous expeditions, has been fatally cut short by an unknown UFO. Of course, besides the whole landing on Mars thing, the astronauts' duty is to report on this mysterious craft should it once again appear - which, it most certainly will.

Along the way, the captain, a bit of an unintentional machismo-idiot conspicuously swooned over by both his fiancé, and flashy blonde co-astronaut, experiences the dreaded space sickness; leading them to visit an imaginative base on the moon, adding the hilariously unwilling Doctor Stein, a chronically pissed off man forced to monitor the ill captain, to the crew, as they return on-course for Mars.

After their inevitable run-in with the alien craft, a mass of flashing eggs wrapped in an odd, thick substance appear on the tail end of the ship; a small egg from which is, wisely, removed and contained by the captain, soon brought back to earth for analysis. As the great minds of earth deem it better to celebrate the crew's triumphant return rather than monitor the literal alien, it escapes - Guilala, the metal-headed astro-chicken beast, emerging from a wicked eruption of fireworks and flame with a unique guttural roar. Awesome.

From here, things go south real fast for the citizens of Japan -  as Guilala wildly races towards civilization, the story becomes almost real-time, following both Guilala's rampage and the astronauts' mad race to orbit, hoping to synthesize a defense against the monster in the vacuum of space, utilizing the unknown substance. As the defense forces hurriedly study the creature, turns out, he's just greedy; targeting any, and all sources of energy - especially, nuclear - as he grows larger and stronger.

Successfully producing the coveted "Guilalanium", the crew return, only for their Earth base itself to be the next target of the power-hungry alien kaiju; the captain racing off, luring Guilala away with highly radioactive fuel in a wicked car chase as he is finally lead to his demise - jets bombarding the monster with the insulating Guilalanium substance, reducing his power, as he shrinks once again to a small, flashing egg. 

In the end, Guilala is sent on a one-way rocketship to nowhere, blasting beyond our galaxy, from whence he came; and, the idiot captain learned nothing. 

While hunting for this movie, I somehow came across what I believe are two totally different English dubs - really strange a movie this obscure would get two go-arounds. One is terrible, one is.. fine. Sure, it's blasphemy to skip the Japanese version, but all things considered, the dub I watched was pretty well done. I appreciated the on-and-off attempts give the very multinational cast mostly correct accents - dated as that may be - but the dubbing on the main mission director, Doctor Swedish, genuinely sounded like Father Guido Sarducci. The moon base's Doctor Stein (awesome name) is also hilariously performed - maybe by the same dude? - constantly on edge, and totally manic as he's a bit inexplicably coerced to join the crew. I love his screaming rant at the blonde astronaut about her crappy space food. Too bad he disappears from the movie about halfway through. 

I really dig the 60s era adventurous spirit, and bright eyed optimism - the very animated, fun music, interesting world and overall goofy vibe are totally engaging, and despite appearances, it never feels low-end or especially crappy. It takes itself seriously in the same way any fantastical sci-fi of the time did; so, in that, there's a lot of room for silliness. A good example is the oversized fruit served on the moon base, explained away by the lack of atmosphere. So creative, so weird! At times this movie feels full on Disney style whimsical.

Awesome effects - again, you go into this expecting schlock, but beyond the inherent and intentional comedy of it all, it's really well done. Lots of really creative shots and cool cinematography, with perspective views of the monster and military forces, as well as various nicely done ground level shots giving great spotlight to the beautiful sets. You can tell they're fake, but it's like a painting - every little, hand made detail is so entrancing. Guilala, portrayed by future King Ghidorah actor Ryu Hariken, is a totally mental design, but very well performed; spastic, childish, and, appropriately, alien, seemingly very entertained by destruction. My favorite part's definitely when he lifts up a massive model ship and tosses it towards a power plant, screeching in joy. You can tell a lot of money went into this production and it's a shame it's become next to public domain. 

All in all, it's hard to call this one a must-see for anyone but dedicated Kaiju nerds; while the effects sequences are awesome, and the overall spirit is lots of fun, the story itself is extremely clunky, offering more in terms of flighty narm-charm than anything resembling depth. Not necessarily uncommon for this era of Kaiju, and in that, there's still a lot to enjoy - it's worth seeing for the loveably, hilariously manic Guilala alone, one of the all-time strangest, coolest and absurdist monsters. A true King. Check'er out.

Review - Godzilla Evolved (Movie Monster Series)

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, the latest Godzilla entry, recently became the highest grossing Godzilla film of all time - crazy, right? - and I'm so here for it. This year's previous Godzilla flick, the Japan-grown masterpiece, Godzilla Minus One, was a beautiful, moving piece of art... but, in the best way possible, Hollywood's Godzilla X Kong is the complete and total opposite - hyper, unrelenting schlock that's nothing but popcorn-munching fun. Very much in the vein of Godzilla's stupider classics, such as Godzilla Vs Megalon or Godzilla: Final Wars. It's awesome to be a fan during a time when two wholly dissimilar, yet equally successful Godzilla films have been released back-to-back, proving just how resilient and multifaceted the dancing rubber dinosaur can be.

Godzilla himself received a redesign for the feature, sporting a flashy new look perfectly in line with the Monsterverse series' continuing delve into insanity; out with the realism, in with the "Hollow Earth". Very much in the vein of the classic Showa film's incarnations, or more specifically, Godzilla 2000, Godzilla sports a slimmer build, with extreme features - huge, jagged pink spines illuminating his skin, glowing with power as he leaps, runs and even flies. It's that kind of Godzilla movie. It's a badass design that I've loved since it leaked... though, you gotta admit, not the best first impression. If you know, you know.

The figure has very pretty detail, especially the intricate textures of his crocodilian skin and sleek, almost fleshy spines. Sharp scales, gills and spikes cover Godzilla's body from head to toe - even the bottoms of his elephantine feet are nicely sculpted. Neat! I love his evil, murderous smile - he's jacked up on that Tiamat juice, and he's one happy boy. I think he's even got teeny-tiny pupils sculpted in there, though, I can't really tell. He's even comparatively tall next to past MonsterVerse MMS Gojis, being evolved and all. They really captured his agile new look; though, he could've been a dash wider in the face and hips, and something about his long legs and sort of limp arms can feel a bit lifeless, especially for this incarnation. All MMS figures share this static, standard pose, so you can't fault it too hard, but I do wish they worked a bit more energy into his base sculpt. Just splitting hairs.

Despite only having four points of articulation, he can, surprisingly, strike just about all the wacky action poses you need; his static limbs actually lend themselves quite well to that, easily fitting into a running leap, or a big, triumphant roar. To me, that's what make the best MMS figures so cool - they manage to pack a lot of imagination and imagery into addictively simple designs, even here. Still, a neck or (intentional) tail swivel would've been nice. 

Godzilla's paint is comparatively minimal, but solid. It definitely catches the eye, and beyond that, gets the point across. His spines and eyes are a very pretty, shiny salmon, standing out amongst the typically grey and gothic Monsterverse characters; even the additional tail, elbow, and head spines are fully painted, something many fans were happy and surprised to see. Otherwise, his little individually painted teeth are a dark off-white, with his body cast in a dusty dark blueish-black. I think he looks good, though further highlights and decos could've definitely elevated what admittedly is a bit of a matte figure - despite what the majority of merchandise will have you believe, Evolved had a strong sandy tan undertone to his charcoal skin, which is totally absent from this and most other figures. I think some soft sprays on the face and chest in particular could've captured that.

My only real major complaint beyond his sort of rigor-mortis is that, because of the figure's seemingly softer vinyl, his legs and body are easily warped and can lean a little too close together when standing. He can look ma little too thin - it might even just be a poor design choice in terms of the sculpt itself, I'm not totally sure. It can be somewhat fixed with good ol' hot air, or by simply posing him differently - that trailer shot running pose really suits him well - but, unfortunately, Evolved tends to get stuck in a bit of a Pee-Pee Stance.

Evolved Godzilla is a wicked little figure - perfect for fans looking for a well made, affordable representation of Evolved, or, y'know... kids. It's important not to forget that a certain amount of MMS figures are aimed more for the youngin's than collectors, and I think this guy falls into that category. Still, it's miles and miles better than the tie-in figures offered by Playmates, that's for certain - and considering he's not made of brittle plastic, probably would survive more actual play, too. While he's nothing necessarily incredible, and may not be a must-buy if you own the pretty similar previous MonsterVerse Godzillas, he's definitely my favorite MonsterVerse MMS so far for his cool design alone! Could've used more paint applications, perhaps a stronger pose, but the pure detail to his sculpt really carries.

Check out my previous MMS reviews:

Gamera 1965

Godzilla Minus One

Godzilla 1994

Review - Gamera 1965 (Movie Monster Series)

In the holiest year of 1999, Bandai released the mythical item known only as the storied Gamera Memorial Box; an incredible set of seven MMS figures representing Gamera's Showa era, some scaled down from Bandai's previous 8" figure series, some brand new - such as our super-special birthday boy Gamera, here. It's really a holy grail item for any Kaiju nerd - especially MMS collectors - and I'm mad lucky to have found the set complete, and nearly new. Hooray for me. 

Now if only I could snag the Godzilla Memorial Box. A man can dream, though...

According to the box, Gamera is based on his original 1965 design; and though it definitely captures the jank-horror of that particular Gamera, I think it most resembles his sharper Gamera Vs Barugon appearance. Not that there's a huge difference. He's an awesome translation of the iconically wonky and wacky design, with loads of small texture and detail across the figure. I especially love his very expressive likeness, and weathered, shingled shell. 

There is a certain softness to the sculpt - it's not necessarily a raw, one-to-one likeness, with a sort of cartoony simplification going on - but I think it's appropriate, and more than pulls off Showa Gamera's always determined, heroic character. It's a fairly common style with MMS figures of this era. 

At six points of articulation, he's a bit more posable than most MMS figures; given, one is a largely useless neck joint, but points for trying. As the Showa series set in, Gamera's suits always had a bit of a... rigor mortis issue, with his limbs jutting awkwardly out of his shell - luckily, the sculpt on this figure gives him some great personality without totally losing the suit's jank, and can emulate the portrayal in the first film great. You can get a lot of fun poses out of this dude - even the epic Gamera Pain Dance, seen in Gamera Vs. Guiron (see below).

His soft blue-grey deco does a good job replicating his look in the original film, without fully committing to a monochromatic color scheme - it's original Gamera, while also bright, and colorful, in series tradition. Kind of wish they'd done a stark black and white variant, too, though. The angry, frenzied expression of his eyes especially calls back to Gamera's earlier appearances, before he truly transitioned into the hero of the children - which, we'll come back to. I would've liked if they were angled down, so as to better match the suit, but that's extra. The small detailing on his teeth and eyes are very sharp and clean, and the sprayed highlights across his body really bring out the sculpt.

While the paint is largely very high quality for MMS, I've noticed small production errors, such as random stray paint or spotty spray applications, can be very common with this particular figure. Just something to look out for - maybe Gammy's got a flesh wound. If I had to complain, I think the technicolor, cartoony aesthetic will turn some people off - technically speaking, this Gamera should be just about all solid black - but I enjoy the toyetic look and I think it only accentuates the vibe of these figures as a set.

Gamera does the Pain Dance!

In 2005, Gamera was rereleased alone as part of the main MMS line with an all new greenish deco, more closely resembling the monster's later Showa era appearances - right down to his disgustingly jaundiced, spaced-out googly eyes. It's the 1965 sculpt in a new coat, to be certain, but this is the true friend to all children. Manchildren included. I absolutely love his unique retro look, perfectly capturing the classic kaiju in all his doofy glory; it's a great match to the actual suits and props themselves, particularly the puppet used occaisonally in the cinematic masterpiece known as Gamera: Super Monster. 

The only real difference between the '98 and '05 figures, outside of the specifics of the paint work itself, is the articulation - but don't get too excited. That useless neck swivel I mentioned before...? Yeah, glue sealed here. Huh. Never will I understand the ways of Bandai.

Despite being a mainseries release, redeco Gamera has become a touch harder to come by than his goth Memorial Box cousin - though, that could be down to the fact 2005 was right around when MMS was temporarily winding down, and Gammy's already a bit of an obscure character to begin with. My real guess is that more dedicated fans bought the box set for the sake of exclusivity, and "collecting them all", rather than springing for one individual figure years later - that, to some, probably didn't even look as good as the original. All depends on what you're after; the Memorial Box Gammy generally looks and feels nicer, with a much more presentable, flashy paint job, while the MMS aims more to replicate the Gamera you really know and love. Very good use of a reissue - one's pretty, one's accurate. 

In 2023, to coincide with Gamera's grand return, Bandai - after 20+ years - surprised us with an entirely new Showa Gamera sculpt, once again replicating the original 1965 design. I don't own him - so what do I know - but based off what I've seen, in some ways, it really closely resembles the suit - but in others, I just think the likeness is way off. The '65 Gamera, in my mind, never looked quite so... frumpy - he's closer to the weirder, sillier post-Barugon suits, though even then, its not a great match. While I dig the very fine detail on the newer figure - I think he largely still looks nice, it's definitely old school Gamera and the effort's there - I really think the 1999 version just has a lot more life to it.

While he's not necessarily an all-timer, Gamera is definitely one of my personal favorite figures in the MMS line, perfectly representing everybody's favorite wacky flying supermonster. He's just fun! If you're gonna get one Showa Gamera figure, I say you're best off hunting down the green MMS rerelease - he may be a bit harder to pin down than the Box or 2023 versions, but for a big fan, he's well worth the search, and by far the best representation of classic Gamera in the series.
Long live Gamera. 

Buyer's Remorse - The Target Twins

Target finally came through!

I've been more-or-less after the first releases in two brand spankin' new Godzilla toy lines for a few months now; Godzilla Monster Series' Godzilla 1954, and the Godzilla Action Figure Series' Godzilla 2004, respectively. Both produced by Godzilla's oldest and truest merchandising home-slice, Bandai, I wasn't really sure if I'd bother forking over the money for these dudes online - neither one is particularly unique in my vast, hoarder-esque galleria of Godzilla garbage - but, you know how it goes, you see 'em on the shelf, you can't resist.

Thus, the title of our new blog-post-series. I often post about my newest hauls across the web on all reaches of dusty, userless imageboards, but I figure I really may as well spam 'em here, too - even if the photos aren't to the usual Wastelnd standard. Sad!

The ShodaiGoji Family

I love the new Bandai USA Movie Monster Series dudes - they're much smaller than I expected, and I seriously love that! I hope they get broad with their figure choices; I'd love a Godzilla '74, GMK, G2K, Gigan, Hedorah. They'll scale great with a lot of the already existing MMS Ghidorahs, too - how about an in-scale Minilla?

I'll tell you what, despite being a 20+ year old sculpt, he's still a hell of a lot better than the weird Bandai Creations G'54 that inexplicably is still plastered all over both of these guy's box art. Why do they keep parading that strange sculpt around? I almost understand the vinyl, but the action figure, too? Maybe it's about nostalgia at this point, like if Imperial Godzilla were on all the packaging. Even then, it isn't even the oldest BC '54 resculpt, coming out in '09, when their first attempt was in '02. Weird.

Also, I'm psyched that they actually got his pupils right for once! They never do the wall-eyed, doofy sort of style the suit itself had anymore, not since the 1998 release AFAIK. Big points. 

I had low expectations for these action figures, based off Jakks Pacific's pretty wonky Godzilla stuff, but G'04 is pretty sick! Very fun to just pose, and play with. He doesn't feel particularly nice, but he's also not quite as hollow and fragile as Jakks.G'04 also comes with a cool replacement jaw featuring his iconic, transparent blue atomic blast, made of a nice, sturdy rubber material; though, sadly, his standard jaw really has next to no motion, so you're forced to use the accessory if you want a roaring pose. Leaves him with a sorta cute, tongue hanging out little blep. First figure in the series, still workin' out the kinks.

Is this a replacement, or substitute for something like S.H. Monsterarts? No, but... maybe. Depends on what you're here for. There was a time SHMA was basically the only Godzilla action figure line - If teenager me had fun little dudes like these readily available, I just might've skipped out on a few SHMAs. They'll obviously never be AS fancy, or even all that functionally comparable to the SHMA line, but they're still cool for poseable little dudes at a semi-fair price. $20 is definitely pushing it, when NECA was (and is) only about $10 more, but I'm nevertheless excited for more monsters in this series. I'm not very interested in his companion releases, Kiryu, but I'll probably snag the upcoming Minus One if I see him, and I'd adore more Showa stuff. THAT would be a game changer. They'll certainly please those who want something a touch more creative than MMS, and more affordable than.. y'know, any other Godzilla action figure.

Tune in next time for another... Buyer's Remorse! Or maybe I'll finish one of those MMS reviews I've been sitting on. We'll see.

Review - Godzilla Minus One (Metallic) (Movie Monster Series)

The newest purebred Japanese Godzilla nightmare, Godzilla: Minus One, has been an incredible international success, and, at the time of writing, has just hit the high seas of internet piracy. Hooray! And, just in time, I've gotten the Godzilla Store Japan exclusive metallic Minus One figure, fresh from the scalpers. The standard, as well as various other editions have just hit the U.S. Godzilla Store, but not this guy - and, just looking at it, I can already tell he's going to be extremely sought after. 

This figure is just incredible - maybe one of the best MMS figures ever made. The running's tough, but this guy really is flawless. I have to assume Bandai used the CG model itself as a direct reference, it's so one-to-one accurate. The sheer amount of gritty detail scarring this bulky figure - heavy, cascading scales, warped leather skin, bony, jagged spines - is stunning, and the unique paint deco does an amazing job emphasizing the already very intricate sculpt. For being such a comparatively small part of the hulking monster, his furious face looks especially great; with lots of tiny details, and a perfect likeness. Killer profile with those gigantic jutting spines, too. It's a perfect translation of an already iconic design. 

My only real complaint is the hands; Minus One has very scrawny, emaciated claws, but the figure has simplified them into weird cupped paws - almost like he doesn't have a thumb. I'd understand if it was a sculpting limitation, but the later Heat Ray variant of Minus One pulled them off fine - not to mention the Godzilla: The Ride figure, to which this design is directly related. Nevertheless, it's barely a noticeable issue in the first place, as they look pretty natural to Godzilla's pose. 

Godzilla moves at both shoulders and hips - I think they could've managed a head or tail swivel, but it's par the course. The aforementioned pose is nice, somewhere between a fearsome roar, and a massive stomp - pretty much the usual MMS Godzilla stance, but it's got some good motion to it, and looks very regal. The massive, unmoving weight of Minus One works to the limited articulation's advantage. 

Covered in a shiny metallic gloss, the metallic variant's got a nearly lifelike effect, as if his rugged skin is covered in steaming hot oceanic waters. Unfortunately, I believe the standard figure's sprayed highlights have been omitted, but you really don't notice since the gloss more than makes up for it anyway.  He may look mostly silver in photos because of just how reflective he is, but in person, he's an appropriate greyish-brown. There isn't much other paint to speak of, but his tiny little golden eyes, and very sharp, individually painted teeth are so well done. The mouth could've been a bit less vibrant, but it's a nice splash of color that adds some charm to the deco. Zero slop or poor work to speak of - the paint job may be altogether straightforward, but it really is beautiful, and infinitely elevates the already very slick figure. 

I think this is the must-have Minus One figure; sure, he's not as poseable, or elaborate as S.H. Monsterarts or Super7s offerings, and sure, the aftermarket on standard Minus One merch is already nuts, let alone exclusives; but, if you've gotta get one, go for the metallic variant. It's a really incredible figure that feels just as subtle, yet awesome as the film itself.

Review - Godzilla 1994 (Movie Monster Series)

Any Godzilla fan of a certain age... or, level of unhealthy obsession... will have at least a passing familiarity with Bandai's Movie Monster toy line, featuring tons upon tons of unique kaiju spanning just about every bit of media imaginable; from a figure representing an original 1954 concept art design, to a set based on Universal Japan's Godzilla: The Ride, to whatever the hell these unholy Chibi creatures are. More or less beginning in 1983 and going through many scales, name changes and eras, 2001's Movie Monster Series is the line's longest running incarnation, continuing to this day with new releases for Godzilla Minus One and Godzilla X Kong. 

While I've never really watched the strange televised kaiju hypnosis known as Godzilla Island, the legendary MMS as we know it today more or less started with 1997's Godzilla Island Monster tie-in toy line; featuring reissued, as well as newly created sculpts, as literally seen in the show - which used modified Bandai figures as the monsters themselves, Thomas the Tank style. It's a trip. 

This particular Godzilla is based on his appearance in 1994's Godzilla Vs SpaceGodzilla, and was originally released in a larger scale as part of Bandai's Godzilla Collection, coinciding with the film. Many fans agree this is one of, if not the most iconic looks for the creature; his snarling, feline face and massive dark stature really leave an exciting impression. He's been the face of the series for decades, for good reason. The figure definitely captures that look, but - with all due respect - it's showing its age. With a very retro, stylized sculpt, its rigid and perhaps lacking in the accuracy MMS eventually came to achieve. 

However, that's not necessarily a bad thing; there's a certain charm to this guy. It ain't the rubber suit itself leaping off the screen, but it does remind me of more inspired collector figures such as Mondo or Medicom; proudly toyetic and eye catching. It's far from a weak sculpt, featuring it's share of well done details, only a simple one - but, simple can be effective, and I think that's true here.

Godzillas got six points of articulation, though it's about as limited as the sculpt itself. You can get some basic poses out of him, but nothing all that cinematic - Godzilla's arms are floaty and expressionless, and his Big Fat Thighs don't get a lot of range against his fupa. Nevertheless, I really enjoy figures with a certain level of "staticness"; a dynamic model is one thing, but sometimes there's something so appealing about a basic, straightforward... toy, y'know? Bandai's figures almost universally share this simplicity, to varying degrees of success, and while it's not always exciting, per se, I think it gives plenty of room for effective sculpts and, of course, a kid's (or elderly collector's) imagination. 

Godzilla features a unique shiny deco with silver teeth and claws, golden eyes and metallic blue spines, charging up his iconic atomic breath. There's not a ton of paint work to speak of, and it varies from sharp to noticeably undersprayed, such as the mostly black spines. Regardless, it adds a lot of draw to this particular figure, it pops. Stands out against the sea of goth black and white Godzillas. 

Beyond what I've already said, the figures got some annoying quirks. The thick legs are warped outward due the sheer fatness of Godzilla's paunch, giving him a wobbly, overweight stance. Lay off the Twinkies. You can hide it pretty well by leaving him in a walking pose, or by re-positioning the vinyl itself. More noticeably is the pretty poorly done solid block of upper teeth - it sort of disappears from a distance, but it really doesn't look great upon close inspection. The bottom rows are nice and sharp, if only they cut the top the same. I also wish his pupils were less walleyed, too - looks neat in some visual sense, but really doesn't capture the fierce look of the actual design. No dealbreakers, but certainly things to be aware of. 

The figure was later once again reissued in 2001 with reworked paint, softer vinyl, and a few extra inches in height, overall looking closer to Godzilla's actual onscreen appearance despite the still somewhat dated sculpt. 

I think the softer vinyl does a much better job accentuating the finer details, and it also happens to fix his unfortunate chafing issues. The paint work is much cleaner, but also inherently less interesting; it's the true classic look, but nothing too special. I like the frosted grey spines and once again shiny golden eyes. I'd say this is definitely the nicer looking variant, and probably the one most fans would prefer - but it all depends on your personal taste as a collector. Me, I'd take the wacky candy color variant. 

I have been tough on this figure, but it only shows just how far the MMS series has come; nowadays, Bandai releases amazingly accurate figures almost regularly - including better versions of this very same design, if that's what you're after. You gotta start somewhere, and this guy's one of my favorites for nostalgia alone. It's a classic Godzilla collectible in it's own right, and looks really cool in spite, and because of its faults - I enjoy how it's sort of the perfect in-between stage between Bandai's older, more rough sculpts, and their more attractive modern ones. The first of the series, and an iconic incarnation of it's own right, I think he's a must-have for anybody's Movie Monster Series collection.