Sunday, December 14, 2014

NECA 12" HTT Godzilla 1985 Review


I never though I'd drastically sway back in forth leading up to my decision to buy this figure. At first, I was excited to hear the news, then became shocked to see NECA's very first prototype. That prototype, especially the head sculpt, was awful. Thankfully, NECA redesigned Godzilla, due to fan feedback. The revision was definitely an improvement. Thus, convinced me again to give this figure a chance. Is this figure worth buying?

Tail Assembly

Like other NECA Godzilla figures that came out prior to this one, there is a minor assembly required. Simply heat up the base of the bendy tail, then attach that end to a ball joint. I recommend not fiddling with Godzilla's tail, until the entire thing cools off.

Godzilla 1985


One major head upgrade managed to save this figure from potentially low support and sales. Kudos to NECA for a stellar job on this part. The inspiration is likely from Godzilla 1985 suit, instead of the animatronic version.


The head accuracy isn't completely flawless, but this one is certainly unique. This figure depicts Godzilla's huge eyes staring with some hints of anger and sorrow, which has been one of the few distinct traits that made Godzilla 1984 really distinguished. Aside from that, Godzilla's individually sculpted teeth, nose, eyebrow, ears, neck, and wrinkles are quite impressive.

NECA has also successfully copied most of Godzilla's skin patterns spanning from head to toe. Some body expressions seems correct and the color choices enhance Godzilla's appearance even more. At the right angle, this figure looks pretty darn good.


Although there are numerous complements to be made about this figure, there are also some faults that must be brought up. Godzilla's body looks disproportionate at times due to some oversight. NECA's response to the complaints made toward their first prototype were to only upgrade Godzilla's head and nothing else. The aftermath leaves every other issue still in tact. The fins, though detailed, is rather small and thin, and they do not protrude like they're supposed to. Godzilla's tail is also short by at least an inch and missing a set of fins on one section.


Fans have also pointed out that Godzilla's wrists are too slim and two of his toes protrude way too much. Technically, these criticisms are right, and since NECA will not be revising these figures anytime today or in the future, only customers can decide if these issues are worth overlooking.

Personally, this figure has two particular peeves. One, is giving this toy a glossy finish. Since NECA aims to deliver articulated Godzilla figures with some movie accuracy, giving these toys a matte paint job should be a far better choice. The glossy color kind of worked for Godzilla 2014, since the monster was CGI. Therefore, looked quite glossy on screen. In this case, matte finishes capture the rubber suit concept better.

The other peeve is NECA's bendy tail design, which could be their cost saving measure. The problem is, some bendy tails has been liable to being very brittle before, especially in the long run. In fact, one collector already reported that the bendy wire of his figure already broke through the plastic tail on the first day, after some fiddling, so do not overstress that part. For a super-articulated toy, a segmented tail will fit with this design very well and be less likely to break dramatically compared to bendy wire rigging.

Articulation

This figure, for one, has very stiff joints. Eventually, the limbs started to gradually loosen up after moving the joints around little by little. With the limbs now moving more freely, posing Godzilla became much easier, and the range of poses, though limited was worth experimenting. There appears to be a hinge inside Godzilla's knees, but they don't bend at all. Godzilla's stomach barely bends forward, would be nice to see more movement from that section besides rotation.


Figure Height


Size Comparison

NECA's Godzilla '85 stands around the same height as SHMA Godzilla '95 Rebirth and slightly taller than Godzilla Millennium. Not too shabby.


Conclusion

This toy is okay at the very least, definitely somewhere between average and great, depending on a person's standards. NECA's Godzilla 1985 figure does have some faults. This collectible toy is far from being an accurate representation of Godzilla 1985, but there are enough distinct physical features that are not only easily acceptable, but they also boost up some redeeming quality. Furthermore, some flexible materials seem quite flimsy, and the bendy tail could be prone to breaking, especially when fiddled with often.

My suggestion, if you like Godzilla 1985 and could easily bypass the complaints made in this review, consider adding this figure to your collection.

Extra Photos

yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle
yourimagetitle


Don't want to miss the next review and other cool content? Subscribe to The Rave Corner through Google Friend Connect, Tumblr (ravecornertoyblog) or Twitter!

5 comments:

  1. Just got this bad boy today, and the flaws are indeed there. His tiny wrists, small ankles, and his head seems a bit disproportionate to his body. Also, his spines could have been a bit bigger like they are in the film.

    However I love this figure. Godzilla 1985, specifically the American version, is my second favorite Godzilla film, and while this figure has its flaws, it brings back the memories of that film, and does do that Godzilla some justice. I like how wide his mouth opens, in comparison to the other figures. Definitely worth buying. Now I have all three NECA figures that you've reviewed, lol. Next up: either Burning Godzilla or 8-bit Godzilla.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awesome! Congratulations Joesiph. I'm glad you are happy with your figure. I do apologize for not reviewing Burning Godzilla or the 8-bit Godzilla, due to my lack of interest. However, I'd love to know how they fare when you do get them eventually. Are you planning to get either figure any time soon?

      Delete
    2. Yep. Maybe next month, I plan on getting the 8-bit Godzilla. I know it uses much of the same sculpt of 1985, but it just looks so good, lol. I'm a bit hesitant to get both Burning Godzilla and Godzilla 1995, as their faces are ugly, to be blunt, and I've seen too many people complain about 95's lower jaw being longer than his upper jaw, resulting in some hilariously awkward, and ugly, Godzilla figures.

      Delete
    3. I'd love to hear your experience when you do get the 8-bit Godzilla figure. When that time comes, please leave a message at my email through my blogger profile, or leave a comment over on this section if that is your preference.

      Delete
  2. Godzilla 1985 or more appropriately Return of Godzila 1984 is my most memorable Godzilla movie because my dad gave me the old green Imperial Godzilla he bought from Manila and was so popular back in the day. I loved that toy so much and also proved to be very durable because its still hanging around in my room.

    When this Neca 1985 Godzilla figure came out I considered buying it and a couple of years later I eventually did. I like the figure very much and its surely far more accurate depiction of 1984 Godzilla compared to my old Imperial. I have seen complaints about this figure's accuracy but I can overlook them though I would have liked if the dorsal fins were a bit bigger.

    So I got my Godzilla 1985 today and was very glad with it. But I have some problems and need help with my item or if these are normal.

    https://imgur.com/a/e1gBmlK
    https://imgur.com/a7OUPzI

    The fins seems to be protruding too much and if there's anyway to insert them inside without damaging the figure I would really appreciate it. I heard there were bootlegs floating around so I'm curious is there's an easy way to distinguish it from the real Neca 1985 figure?

    ReplyDelete

Back To Top