Godzilla Forever Series: Meltdown Godzilla Review

#5 on my top 10 countdown of 2011 is the ever so popular "Godzilla Forever Series:" 9" Meltdown Godzilla figure.

Godzilla Forever: Meltdown Godzilla

You're probably wondering, "What....another Meltdown Godzilla?!" That's right baby! This version is a lot more special to me than the Theater Exclusive version for a good reason. In 1996 (1 year after Godzilla vs Destoroyah), the Godzilla Movie franchise was temporarily retired. Bandai took on a new project to release 6 reissued figures from their previous runs with spectacular repaints. These toys are supposed to display a more accurate portrayal from the films those monsters starred in. This series still remains as one of the most aesthetically pleasing toys today, and Meltdown Godzilla is one of them.

Meltdown Godzilla features the same mold as the Theater Exclusive version. Remember, that the original 9" Burning Godzilla from 1995 was reused to mold both Meltdown versions. You must be asking, why does Bandai reuse the same look all the time. You may also think that this decision is unoriginal or a cheap ploy. I can explain that later in a separate topic, but for now I'll talk about Godzilla.

This figure is supposed to (accurately) portray Godzilla as his body goes through the meltdown phase. Godzilla is molded out of clear, milky white vinyl with red and dark charcoal gray spray painted on the body. His eyes are also painted in a reddish color. What's so cool about this look is the gray is Godzilla's skin, but the red highlights look like veins or radiation pulsating through the blood stream. I mean look at the side of Godzilla's neck, the red streaks that runs down the neck and to the torso. That's way cool!

What I also like about this version; seeing the red and white colors clash together on this toy reminds me of Heide's "Quality Gummi Bears." I enjoyed eating Heide's brand since I was little. Sometimes inside the bag, you find a clear gummy bear (pineapple) that accidentally had a hint of red (raspberry) mixed in it looking red tips or patches on its body. Those mix-breed gummy bears were my favorite flavors and Godzilla reminds me of those delicious treats!

Okay, with that said I have to admit that when my figure arrived in the mail, I was a little disappointed. Before anyone freaks out, please hear me out. I've wanted to buy this figure for years and all I did, before I bought one for my own, was admire all the images I could see of this guy online. The figures I've seen on google and elsewhere were in good condition, which set my standards pretty high. The toy that I have, looked pretty decent online (proper lighting can do that to a toy), but appears different in front of you. The white vinyl is discolored due to overexposure to sunlight, some spots or red are rubbed out, and the right arm is loose. In fact, Godzilla's arm is looser than the Theater Exclusive version.

My figure looks pretty bad compared to the better ones I've seen on google images. The good news though is like most ugly things out there, he looks way better at night. Okay all jokes aside, the lesson from this is: if you're meticulous like I am, anytime you consider buying anything online, carefully examine the photos provided by the seller and come up with a price you're willing to pay for it. Sometimes, the description of the item can be misleading because our standards can be different from the seller's point of view. I'll admit that I noticed the flaws of this toy after I bought it, and looking at the images on time could've saved me from trouble. But still, I'm happy to own one and I accepted this guy over time.

There are 6 points of articulation: the arms, legs, and head can rotate. There is rotation in the tail, but seems like the previous owner forced that joint to turn.

For size comparison: he stands around the same height as the Theater Exclusive version which makes sense because they are made from the same mold. Meltdown Godzilla is also around the same height as Kiryu.

If you want to see one sided size comparisons, you can compare Godzilla's size to Baragon or Battra. The actual scales of these monsters may not be accurately portrayed by these toys, but let's pretend that the sizes were true. Watching Godzilla fight Battra and Baragon seems like one of the most one sided fights ever. You kind of feel sorry for them.