Bandai: 2005 GFW Anguirus Figure Review

Anguirus has always been one of my favorite monsters, about second place and Godzilla being first. For those wondering, why would I favor a monster that has no special power and an unimpressive win/loss record compared to other popular ones? One reason is I grew attached to Godzilla and Anguirus since I was into dinosaurs as a small child. Second, even though Anguirus lacked powers, he never backed down from a fight. This guy fought till he was knocked out, severely injured, or dead. For those wondering which version (Showa or Millennium) of Anguirus do I prefer? I honestly like both versions for different reasons. Showa Anguirus had a lot more memorable moments in his hey day and my most favorite role of his was in Destroy All Monsters. However, Millennium Anguirus happens to possess the best ability, which is curling himself into a ball as he propels forward. Well anyway, I always wanted this version, but chose not to own one sooner because I already have the reissued Anguirus '05 (pink tag) and my focus was placed on other desirable figures. Okay with that out of the way, let's move on to the review!

Profile:  This version of Anguirus (Millennium only) debuted in Toho's 28th Godzilla film: Godzilla Final Wars. Anguirus is a huge dinosaur that slightly resembles an Ankylosaurus. This prehistoric beast that bears huge strength was secretly used (through mind control) by Xiliens to destroy Shangai, China as part of a plan to take over the world. Thousands of people were killed and The Earth Defense Force's aerial ship, Karyu, couldn't stop the massive beast.  The Earth Defense Force's only hope was to release Godzilla as a counter-attack.

Weapons/Abilities:

• Teeth.
• Claws.
• Horns.
• Spiked Carapace.
• Can curl into a ball and propel himself at his target.

The Figure:  Anguirus looks pretty cool overall. He is made out of soft vinyl, but he seems to be quite sturdy as well.

He is colored gray with a touch of yellow horns and spikes. The tag is folded and the front has a picture of Anguirus with a silver sticker commemorating Godzilla's 50th Anniversary dated 2004. Anguirus have layers of armored plates on the side of his legs for protection against an enemy.

There are also layers of plates across the tail and the tip is a heavy club with spikes.

The carapace is the best feature because the spikes protrude out then forward symmetrically, which forms a round, spiky exterior similar to Anguirus' actual look.

The minor complaint I have with this figure is the heavy amount of yellow paint Bandai used to color Anguirus' carapace. For better accuracy, the tips of this monster's spiked carapace could've been painted gold while the shell remains gray. Considering this figure was once mass produced, I'm not sure if coloring the carapace with more precision is possible. Anguirus' horns, claws, and spiked club could be gold as well. However, these drawbacks do not bother me that much.

Figure Specs:

• Height: 3 inches.
• Length: 11 1/2 inches.

Articulation:

•  Front legs can rotate, but not all the way.
• Back legs can rotate 360 degrees.
• Head can rotate 360 degrees

Comparison:  For this comparison, I have the original version pictured with the reissued pink tag edition.

(left) Normal Version next to (right) Reissued Version.

The problem with the reissue (right) is Anguirus' carapace. For some reason his (right) carapace is flat and wider than the original (left). For those who watched Godzilla Final Wars knows that Anguirus' body shape looks closer to the figure on the left. Maybe my reissued figure may have been slightly smashed before I purchased it? Who knows. However, I'm glad that this version (original) makes up for the defect I have with the other one.

Final Thoughts:  This figure has more pros than cons, so I think Anguirus can be a great addition to anyone's collection. If you're thinking of buying a Millennium Anguirus someday, I highly recommend the original version first. The colors look a lot better on this one in my opinion.