S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 1995 (Burning Godzilla) Figure Review

Just when I thought I'd take a break from collecting new figures coming out of the S.H. MonsterArts line, Tamashii Nations officially announced their release of Godzilla (1995), which will match with the adult form of Destoroyah (scheduled to be released February 2013). Because I'm a fanboy of the big guy, not to mention that Godzilla's burning version is one of my favorite suits of all time, I felt obligated to buy this figure too. Let's see if Godzilla is worth the purchase.

The Figure:  This version of Godzilla was based from the Heisei classic Godzilla VS Destoroyah. He got the name "Burning Godzilla" because in the movie, Godzilla absorbed too much radiation to a point where his body couldn't contain such energy anymore. As a result, Godzilla's heart was on the verge of going through a nuclear meltdown. The figure borrows some designs from the first Heisei Godzilla figure, but has also been greatly modified.  This Godzilla has new legs, chest, waist, biceps, head, and dorsal fins. In comparison to the original figure, this new look certainly feels like an upgrade because the design and details are just amazing! 

 

The inner burning effects were done by molding Godzilla's various body parts out of clear, translucent yellow vinyl that is mixed with some orange and red. Then, the material seems to be painted over with some dark charcoal gray to allow the colors to somewhat blend with Godzilla's skin, and look like the monster is gradually melting down.

The vinyl does glow when held under a light. If only there was something that could mimic steam flowing from Godzilla's skin. The burning details alone is one of the biggest reasons to what makes this figure so great. Another benefit, is this Godzilla does not have googly looking eyes.

The previous figure version of Godzilla reportedly had this defect in some staggering amount. This version, however, doesn't seem to have this problem at all. The eyes on this figure are red instead of white. There are a lot of other great details to win your favor like Godzilla's molded skin texture, or his pointy claws, toes, teeth, and dorsal fins. Fans may be so amazed by the solid craftsmanship, that one could spend a lot of time just gazing at this piece from every angle.

Accessories:  Burning Godzilla comes with two sets of accessories:  two maser tanks and a set of hands.

The maser tanks are in two different forms. One maser cannon rolls on it's own set of wheels, while the other must be hauled by a six-wheeled military vehicle. These vehicles are wonderfully sculpted and detailed for something so tiny. What's cool is that both cannons can rotate 360 degrees, making them a little fun to play with. Be careful not to easily loose these small pieces.

The extra hands gives you the option to change Godzilla's hand expressions. The initial pair of hands have the fingers curled and closer together, but this other pair has their fingers spread out a little more for BETTER CLAWING ACTION! Well...sort of.

Before swapping hands.

After swapping hands.

Initially, getting these other hands to snap on the ball joint was rather cumbersome. They can only fit when you apply some force, so be careful. In the end, these other claws are good to have, even though they are sometimes not a necessity.

For those who already bought Rodan's set or Godzilla Effects & Weapons set, feel assured that the fiery red atomic breath from either bundle matches well with this figure too! The one from Rodan's set seems to match Godzilla much better though.

Figure Specs:

Articulation:  The articulation of this figure has also been greatly improved, making poseability fun to experiment with. The head, arms, and legs have a better range of motion, instead of the stiff, restricted movements that came from the first issued figure. Godzilla's lower jaw now opens with no side pivoting motion. Godzilla's abdomen can bend better also, so he could be posed standing tall or crouching closer to the ground.

Size Comparison:  Although Burning Godzilla is bigger than his previous self in height and body size, the figure is also lighter because it is more hollow.

Godzilla does not stand in scale with a six inch Destoroyah figure made from Bandai before. However, the version from S.H. MonsterArts should be more accurate in scale.

Final Thoughts:  Bottom line, the revamped design is nothing short of spectacular! The sculpt and those multiple meticulous details go together like perfect harmony. Most, if not all of the defects that the first Godzilla figure had were certainly fine tuned on this figure. The accessories, though not really needed, are a great touch to the overall set. My only regret is that I haven't purchased S.H. MonsterArts Rodan yet to display Burning Godzilla with the super fiery red atomic blast effect. I highly recommend this figure to anyone who loves Godzilla and/or the S.H. MonsterArts line!

For other reviews of S.H. MonsterArts figures, click HERE.