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



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