Sound the Omegahorn

Ever since Toei retired Super Sentai and replaced it with Project R.E.D, I've been meaning to check out the new shows. The initiative launched with Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity, bringing back the Metal Hero series that I grew to appreciate thanks to shows like V.R. Troopers and Big Bad Beetleborgs. Of course, RoboCop was my gateway into all of this when I was a kid.

Unfortunately, the Project R.E.D series haven't been simulcast here in the States like some of the other recent Japanese shows, so I still haven't had the chance to watch the new Gavan series. I really freaking want to.

Thankfully, the newest Project R.E.D series, Kakuseihunter Omegahorn, has started airing, and as of this writing I've managed to catch the first few episodes.

I love it.

One of the things that originally drew me into tokusatsu was my love of Godzilla and monsters in general, and Omegahorn delivers plenty of that. The series takes those classic monster battles and mixes them with ideas that remind me of Monster Hunter, Pokémon, and Digimon, creating a premise that's immediately fun.

The setting itself feels like it was lifted straight out of an anime or video game. Modern technology exists alongside fantasy elements, giving the world a really unique atmosphere that's pulled off surprisingly well in live action. One thing I especially appreciate is that the show doesn't spend forever explaining itself. It simply throws you into the world and trusts you to keep up. Honestly, I never found myself confused. Everything clicks together naturally, and I think most viewers could jump in blind and understand what's going on pretty quickly.

The main character, Shout, is a treasure hunter who stumbles into the world of the Hunters, warriors who seek out powerful Horned Beasts and battle them against one another. The loser of each fight has to surrender their monster to the winner. The Horned Beasts themselves are stored inside little capsules called Egogear, which... wouldn't you know it... are toys you can collect.

Naturally.

Shout soon meets Enkaku, the ancient king of the Horned Beasts, who dubs him Captain Omegahorn and accompanies him in a human form until battle begins. Shout's armored form has a silhouette that reminds me of a classic Red Ranger while still it's own unique design, and I absolutely love the look. The other Hunters are fun as well, each with their own personalities and visual styles. Some are clearly heroic, others not so much, though it'll be interesting to see where the lines are ultimately drawn as the series continues.

The battles themselves are especially entertaining. Sometimes a Horned Beast possesses its Hunter, granting them new abilities, while other times the monsters simply fight each other in full-on giant kaiju battles. One thing I'm really enjoying is the blend of CGI with traditional suit acting. I don't mind computer effects at all, but there's still something magical about seeing foam suits and puppets beating the crap out of each other.

So far, I'm having an absolute blast with Omegahorn, and I really hope it keeps up the momentum. It's legitimately great.

Rodan's Right Wing

I've mentioned before that Shogun Warriors was something of a foundational toy line for me. While I was far too young to fully appreciate the toys at the time, I absolutely loved the ones I had. I had no clue who Dragun or Poseidon were, but those little Shogun Warriors figures went on more adventures than I could ever count.

Towering over them all, however, were Shogun Warriors Godzilla and Rodan. These enormous toys seemed practically to scale with my other action figures, and to a little kid they felt absolutely gigantic.

Admittedly, this is one of those memories that pops into my head several times a year and probably means a lot more to me than it would to most people.

Most people know that the Shogun Warriors toys were based on molds originally produced by Bandai/Popy in Japan. Godzilla and Rodan were released under the "World's Greatest Monsters" sub-line as an expansion of the series. Godzilla was a modified version of an existing Japanese release, but Rodan was an original creation made specifically for the American line. Between that and the toy's rather fragile construction, an original Rodan commands a small fortune today.

Back then, though...

He was just my giant Rodan.

Rodan stood about 13½ inches tall with an incredible 38-inch wingspan.

Yes...

His wingspan was roughly my height.

His big play feature was those massive flapping wings. You'd grip him by the holes in his back—almost like holding a bowling ball—and shake him up and down to make his wings flap.

I'm sure that was a very pleasant breeze for everyone else in the house during summer vacation.

Unfortunately, that wing mechanism relied on rubber bands inside the body that were known to break over time. Even worse, those huge rigid plastic wings had a tendency to crack under their own weight.

Mine did.

Rodan's right wing developed a crack that ran about three-quarters of the way down from the base.

I refused to give up on him.

Rodan received the finest medical care a small child with very little understanding of engineering—and parents who believed in do-it-yourself repairs whether they were good at them or not—could possibly provide.

Electrical tape.

Duct tape.

Super glue.

Lots of super glue.

Did the repairs hold?

Not for long...

...but they held long enough.

DAMMIT, RODAN! I'M NOT GIVING UP ON YOU!

Unfortunately...

My parents did.

During our move from Statesboro, Georgia, to Jonesboro, Georgia...

Rodan disappeared.

Where does a giant bird toy go?

Into the trash while the kid isn't looking.

In the chaos of moving, the mighty Rodan was ultimately defeated by two exhausted parents trying to pack a house.

Time, of course, moved on.

I accumulated other Rodan toys over the years, but I never forgot that one.

Then, around 2019, while walking around Toylanta taking pictures of various toys for the site, I spotted one.

A dealer had a complete Shogun Warriors Rodan still in the box, laid out so you could see every piece.

I just stood there for a while.

It felt like visiting an old friend.

Naturally, pictures of it ended up on my social media.

Not long afterward, my mom called.

She asked if I still had "that Rodan toy."

I reminded her that they had thrown it away.

Naturally, she immediately threw my dad under the bus before asking why I hadn't just bought the one I'd photographed.

I told her it was around $1,500.

She thought I'd said $15.

After a few rounds of what basically became Who's on First?, she finally realized what I'd actually said.

The noise she made sounded like a cross between Scooby-Doo and the brakes on a worn-out 1987 Ford Taurus.

Later that year, Godzilla: King of the Monsters hit theaters, along with a whole assortment of new kaiju toys.

She ended up getting me the large Rodan figure for Christmas.

These days, an original Shogun Warriors Rodan is even more expensive than it was back then. Thankfully, Super7 released a wonderful reproduction as part of their ReAction line, which the Mrs. got me for Christmas one year.

That Rodan now sits alongside the matching Shogun Warriors Godzilla reproduction in a special place in my heart.

No duct tape required.

Kaiju Ranger Red Rodan [Godzilla VS Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]

This year, the stars have really aligned. For whatever reason, Zone Base’s 10th year feels like the universe decided, “yeah, let’s just give this guy everything he likes.”

Case in point: these new Playmates Toys figures based on Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

I’ve talked about the bag clips before, but now that there are actual figures of these designs? It’s a little mind-blowing.

Like I said before, I haven’t even read the comics yet. I’m tempted, but I’ve been holding off. Still, as a fan of this stuff, this hits some very specific part of my brain I can’t quite explain.

Pure euphoria?
Yeah… something like that.

I’ve always had a huge soft spot for Rodan, going all the way back to my old Shogun Warriors toy as a kid. So seeing him reimagined as a Ranger—and of course as the Red Ranger—is just incredible.

And it works.

The design is such a perfect blend. The Rodan-inspired helmet is full-on monster and packed with character. The scaled body armor looks natural, and those wings coming off his back just sell the whole thing.

This feels like something that should have always existed.

Alright, let’s talk accessories so I’m not just saying “this is awesome” over and over again… even though it is.

He comes with the Red Ranger’s Power Sword and the Blade Blaster, which can be displayed in both blaster and blade modes. There’s also a display stand shaped like his Morpher Medallion, embossed with the Rodan symbol that Toho uses for the classic character.

That detail is so cool. I tried to show it off in the photos—and I was probably more impressed by it than any reasonable person should be.

I… love this thing.

Like, seriously love it.

This isn’t a constructive post.
It’s me fawning over a toy.

Godzilla Minus Zero (trailer)

November 3rd & 6th 2026

Holy Shit 

Leo X Godzilla [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Godzilla]

Rounding out the first wave of figures in the awesome TMNT X Godzilla line from Playmates is Leo X Godzilla. Pairing the Turtles’ leader (regardless of what Raphael says) with the King of the Monsters, and utilizing Leonardo’s signature blue alongside Godzilla’s atomic breath, just feels natural.

The blue flames on his katana combine the two characters’ signature weapon/attack perfectly, and it just looks fantastic.

I’ve made the comparison before, but I really feel the need to make it again — these feel more like designer toys than action figures you can just pick up at Target.

After this year, Mattel will be taking over mainline TMNT action figures, and thanks to Turtles of Grayskull, I know they’ll be in good hands. This crossover feels like an excellent finale to Playmates Toys TMNT for me, as I’ve been buying them since I was a kid in the late ’80s.

Once again, the figure has excellent articulation and sculpted detail. It’s pretty amazing just how well the melding of Godzilla with the TMNT aesthetic works. I really like the way his tail and back plates integrate with the turtle shell.

Part of me wishes they’d do a Gamera. Now that I’ve said that, I really want one.

Unfortunately, this is the last TMNT X Godzilla figure we’ll be looking at for a while, as wave 2 isn’t due out until this fall.

Ralph X Rodan [TMNT X Godzilla]

So, if anything, the slightly random nature of the TMNT X Godzilla toys is part of the magic. Clearly there was going to be a Rodan, and since Raphael wears red, they’re a match. However, as a fan, I can’t just let it be that simple. See, Raphael (cool, but rude) has that infamous fiery temper. The Rodans not only died in a volcano in their debut movie, but Fire Rodan was introduced in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, complete with the Uranium Heat Beam ability. The MonsterVerse Rodan was discovered in a volcano as well. See? Spiciness is implied… it works.

The merging of Rodan and Raphael also looks absolutely awesome. Admittedly, combining monsters and mutants is already a winning combination, but all of these designs have been great so far. I didn’t mention it in Mikey X King Ghidorah, but these figures have an excellent amount of articulation in addition to the detailed sculpting and strong coloring. Playmates makes awesome toys, and that’s on full display here.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Rodan thanks to that Shogun Warriors version I played with until it literally fell apart. And even though Michelangelo is my favorite turtle, there have been times when Raphael has taken that spot. Sometimes, when life gets hard and you’re mad at the world, you can relate.

I love how the wings are incorporated, and I really enjoy his trademark sai being enhanced with that fiery Uranium Heat Beam energy. This one really nails the concept and is sitting somewhere special in my heart.

Mikey X King Ghidorah [TMNT X Godzilla]

When I first learned about the TMNT X Godzilla crossover line, I about crapped my pants. Something so right, just sitting there at Target. The Mrs. picked up on that instantly and grabbed me the first wave of figures for Christmas, and we’re about to spend the next few Wednesdays taking a look at them.

It’s also been far too long since I’ve talked about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles here on the site, so this whole thing is prime subject matter. We’re going to start things off with my favorite of the turtles, Michelangelo.

I’m assuming Michelangelo was chosen to represent King Ghidorah because of his orange colors. There is a tie-in comic, which I haven’t read, but I assume it provides an in-universe reason. Either way, it looks fantastic. Mikey is almost completely colored in Ghidorah’s trademark gold, and it works incredibly well. His head sculpt blends the traditional TMNT design with elements of Ghidorah’s dragon head. Ghidorah’s other two heads can be worn as shoulder armor or held to recreate the signature three-headed dragon look we all know.

Of course, being Michelangelo, he’s got his twin nunchucks. Instead of the usual wooden ones, these are translucent energy nunchucks patterned after Ghidorah’s Gravity Beams. There are also two giant wings and Ghidorah’s twin tails to attach, completing the whole package. It’s crazy how good this thing looks — more like a designer toy than a standard action figure. This has absolutely no right to look as good as it does, and yet it somehow pulls it off anyway.

Burning Godzilla [Godzilla Monster Series 5"]

November 2025 is clearly the month of Burning Godzilla. With the 30th anniversary of Godzilla vs. Destoroyah in December, the all-new Fest Godzilla II: Shinjuku Burning released earlier this month, and, well... I got a bunch of related toys recently and decided to cover them in November. Godzilla Day and all — it made sense.

Today we're looking at the Burning Godzilla 5" counterpart to the Destoroyah I talked about last week. As I reiterate every time I talk about a toy from this line, I've really grown to love the Godzilla Monster Series 5" figures. I repeat it for two reasons. One, it's true. Two, this is the internet — you've got to repeat yourself constantly.

I don’t believe I’ve covered a Heisei era Godzilla in this series here on the site yet. However, in some aspects, there’s not much new when it comes to this figure. It’s got the same articulation you expect from this style of Godzilla toy: legs move at the hips, arms swivel at the upper bicep, and the tail swivels... because you have to attach it after opening the box. I don’t think that actually counts as a joint, but movement is movement. Of course, these aren’t the type of figures you buy for articulation.

To quote Billy Bob Thornton from the classic movie Sling Blade, “No sir, I don’t reckon.” Then he said uh huh a million times and ate a shit ton of mustard. These types of figures make great representations of classic screen monsters — and that’s exactly what this figure is.

Seriously, why did he eat so much mustard?

The sculpting on Godzilla is really great. It might just be another Godzilla to some folks, but for fans, the differences are crystal clear. Godzilla looks a great deal like the MogeGoji suit used at the time. Of course, he’s in the traditional Godzilla colors except for the burning detail that makes Burning Godzilla stand out. Don’t ask me why a slowly dying Godzilla looks so great, but dammit — it looks amazing.

All that radioactive dermatitis looks beautiful despite probably hurting like hell. A wonderful mix of coppery reds and oranges extends to his spinal plates so perfectly. The nuclear meltdown inside has even tinted Godzilla’s eyes to match. Every cloud has a silver lining, apparently — because, you know, he’s dying here. But it’s so pretty. His internal pain has resulted in beautifully red and orange eyes that just look so good.

No wonder Godzilla is so angry — here he is in pain, and I’m telling him how great he looks. Sorry, big guy. I’d give you a hug but... well, you’d step on me. Clearly I don’t have anything bad to say about this toy. It’s a wonderful depiction of a memorable version of Godzilla that thankfully doesn’t cost much. How can I find any fault in that?

Destoroyah [Godzilla Monster Series 5"]

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is turning 30 this year, and in case last week’s Burning Godzilla Egg Monster post wasn’t a clear indicator, we’re spending some time observing it. This is also totally by coincidence, because I got some toys related to that movie a few weeks ago and am just now getting around to talking about them.

Regardless, it’s an AWESOME movie that came out my senior year of high school and felt so much more dangerous and edgy at the time than it actually is. I was 17 and it was the 90s, bear with me.

This Destoroyah is from Bandai’s 5-inch Godzilla Monster Series vinyl figures, which I’ve become a fan of over the past year. Just the right size and just the right price. And yes, I know the regular-sized Bandai vinyls were $9 a few years ago. It sucks. We’re all pissed about it. Moving on.

This is a great little figure of Destoroyah. Like, the sculpting is really great. I’ve always liked his design, and it’s really appreciated here. Destoroyah is a kaiju that began life as a colony of Precambrian crustaceans exposed to the undersea conditions created when the Oxygen Destroyer detonated in 1954. They mutated and evolved into the monster we have today.

So yes — a bunch of sea bugs got super-powered into a giant death demon because of the nuclear anti-oxygen murder bomb from the first movie. Shit happens. It’s crazy.

For what’s essentially a cheaper toy, Destoroyah looks freaking amazing. His sculpting is excellent and brings out all that nuclear-powered evil. Unfortunately there’s not much articulation to speak of — you can twist the tail and adjust the wings a bit. However, you don’t buy these figures to do the fucking Iron Man pose in your detolf. You buy them because you love these monsters and just want them around. Put him next to your movie collection or by the PlayStation... or in that detolf. He'll look great.

Speaking of, that red really pops. The color looks amazing, and those giant wings? Perfect. I love this design. It’s just pure horror in rubber suit form. I’ve always felt like Gigatron from Car Robots / Megatron from Robots in Disguise (2001) borrowed from his look. If only there was a red version. Honestly, I can’t say anything bad about this. I freaking love it.

Burning Godzilla [Egg Monsters Godzilla]

30 years ago, in 1995, Toho released Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, closing out the Heisei era and marking the end of that series’ Godzilla. Even three decades later, Burning Godzilla is still burned into everyone’s memory. His internal nuclear reactor-like heart was approaching a full meltdown — once it hit 1,200°C, it would trigger a thermonuclear explosion capable of melting the Earth down to its core. And on top of all that: a new monster enters the scene — Destoroyah! Due to his meltdown state, Godzilla spent the movie covered in glowing, burning patches as he neared critical mass. Needless to say, it looked extremely cool.

Today we’re looking at the Egg Monsters toy of that incarnation. Originally released in 2014, Bandai reissued it last November alongside several others. I had already gotten the rest of that wave, but I just found Burning Godzilla recently at Target. He must’ve been hiding in the back or something.

As you’d expect, Burning Godzilla uses the same mold as the standard Egg Monster Godzilla — which is fine, because it’s a great toy. The new deco is what sets it apart. The figure is mostly cast in translucent orange with dark green painted over it. The green is so dark it almost reads as black, and the orange shining through gives the whole thing a more sinister presence. Between the translucent plastic and the glowing lava look, I kept thinking of Rock Lords — this could practically be one.

Bandai really nailed this one. Burning Godzilla has always been one of the most visually striking forms of the King of the Monsters, even if it's depicting his death. Combine that with my love of transforming egg toys and this becomes a stellar release. Awesome job as usual, Bandai.

edit- I wasn't aware of the new Godzilla Fest short, Shinjuku Burning Godzilla when I wrote this. This post was written a week ago and sometimes the universe is just really neat.

Red Rodan Kaiju Zord & Blue Kaiju Ranger Anguirus [Godzilla vs Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]

I've been a fan of Monogram's blind bag bag clip mini figures for some time now. Grabbing one or two during a Target visit is a pretty regular thing. They've had some pretty cool series. Godzilla, He-Man, they're neat little things. Recently I've been picking up their Godzilla vs Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, because they're great! Rangers and Zords themed after classic Toho Kaiju. That's awesome! While I've never talked about these here before aside from occasionally mentioning them in the Monday weekend reports, I really want to now. You see I somehow got both chase figures on the same day.

Monogram wraps the figures in a card stock inside the blind bags, so feeling the bags is tricky. I thought the two I was grabbing was the Red Rodan Ranger and Green Godzilla Ranger. That Sunday evening when my Mom had come over for Sunday dinner, I opened them and ... OMG! That was really exciting. Let's talk about this series, I haven't read the comics it's based on, but love both properties as you all are aware. The Rangers and Zords being themed after Godzilla's crew is just an awesome idea and these little figures just look outstanding. They're well sculpted and very colorful. I've got plans to pick up more (got to get that Godzilla!), but man... let me just bask in this victory for a moment.

Ultra-Spooky Tiga!

Oh no! There's a witch causing problems for children on Halloween! What do we do! SEND IN ULTRAMAN! It's Halloween and the GUTS team suspects a monster. The team investigates (in costumes, it's Halloween... duh) and soon discovers a witch handing out lollipops to children. Trick or Treat? It's a TRICK! The witch is stealing the children's dreams and converting them into energy! Good thing Ultraman Tiga is here to save Halloween!

originally posted 9/16/22 

 

Optimus Prime Type MFS-3 MechaGodzilla [Synergenex]

It was starting to feel like this toy would never come. I had pre-ordered it with the Godzilla Type Megatron we looked at a little while back. For whatever reason, it was a month a half before this one shipped. That was weird. Regardless, today, we'll be looking at the second half of the Transformers X Godzilla toys from Takara Tomy's Synergenex line. Optimus Prime has followed Megatron to Earth through the Space Bride. Megatron had scanned Godzilla, resulting in one pretty big threat.

To confront this, Optimus used the power of the Matrix to scan MechaGodzilla Kiryu and incorporated his technology into his body. Now teamed with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Optimus Prime Type MFS-3 MechaGodzilla prepares to face The Emperor of Destruction. One thing certainly on the J.S.D.F's mind must be, is Optimus Prime now haunted by the spirit of the original Godzilla as Kiryu was?

Like Godzilla Type Megatron, Optimus is a repaint of a prior toy. This is a straight repaint of the Legacy Laser Optimus Prime that just looks outstanding. In truck mode his cab is a mix of Kiryu's colors and the trailer in a military green. The trailer converts into a battle station that I can see the J.S.D.F utilizing in the field. The battle platform has a robotic arm and laser cannon that I imagine utilizes the Twin Maser Cannon's abilities. The Laser Optimus Prime mold is a good base for a version of Optimus equipped with Kiryu's technology.

His laser sword and energy axe make for a good use of the Maser Blade abilities. The Maser Blade could deliver a strong electrical surge into Godzilla's body when stabbed. Kiryu's Back Unit is clearly represented by shoulder missile launchers. Like many Optimus Prime toys, Laser Optimus Prime has an opening chest with a removable Matrix of Autobot Leadership. This makes a good placement for Kiryu's Absolute Zero Cannon. While many were turned off by this toy when it was revealed, I think it really is a good fit for the concept.

I'm very fond of Optimus in this deco. The silver, gray, and blue look really great and the green trailer contrasts nicely. The sword, axe, and Matrix are cast in a very nice translucent yellow that matches the electrical energy output from Kiryu's weaponry. The MFS-3 (Multipurpose Fighting System Type-3) markings look sharp and the MechaGodzilla badge on his chest is awesome. My favorite bit is the red interior of Optimus's helmet, which matches Kiryu's 'blood tears' facial detail. A more cynical person may see this as a cheap repaint, but they really knocked the concept out of the park. A lot of complaints towards this set have been that they wished Takara Tomy would have done more, but I'm really happy with what they did.

Godzilla 2023 (Odo Island) [Godzilla Monster Series 5"]

Bandai's 5" sofubi line continues to pump out banger after banger with the Odo Island version of Godzilla from Minus One. Godzilla Minus One being such an amazing movie, it's to no surprises that more toys of him would be desirable. I remember sitting in that theater after finally finding a local showtime (that was oddly difficult), drinking my Pepsi Zero Sugar and marveling out loud when Godzilla first appeared on Odo Island.

At this stage he hadn't mutated to the super beast we all know, and was more of a local creature the natives had to deal with. I was super impressed with the way he looked. Normally younger Godzilla's are kinda cute or more similar to dinosaurs. Since Shin Godzilla, however, they're depicted more monstrous and frightening. This is one freaky looking thing that would scare the absolute shit out of anyone who saw it.

That's awesome.

This just might be the best sculpted monster from the 5" series that I've seen. At least so far. After becoming aware of him in the winter, I had just recently found the toy at my local Target. I paid $12, though it looks to be a little more online depending on the store. Just try to find the best price. Articulation isn't something you normally buy a sofubi for, but I feel he's got a fair amount for the 5" series. Arms and legs. Despite being in basic colors, they feel impactful and look sharp.

There's a lot of detail in the sculpt that stands out even if it isn't highlighted. This is nice. I'm admittedly smitten with Bandai and have a general love for all things Godzilla... and hell. Have a generally positive outlook on everything I post about here. That's because I buy these toys and do this site for fun. It'd be pretty stupid to waste my time here on things I don't like. This, however, is something I'm genuinely smitten with. Minus One is just pure euphoria and frankly something I get pretty emotional about. A good figure of an important moment?

Outstanding.

Hedorah 2004 [Godzilla Collection/Blind Box]

Bandai's various blind box lines are pure love, especially when it comes to something like Godzilla and all his various cast mates. It's been awhile since I've seen this particular series at retail, maybe 2020. Fortunately, during a recent Popmart shopping trip with her friend, my wife found some and surprised me. I believe it's the same series as the ones I was buying in 2020, just in a different box. Luckily I pulled a monster that I couldn't find back then, Hedorah! Or as my wife calls it, that gross booger looking thing.

She's not wrong, the Smog Monster just looks like what it is... a pile of grossness. This figure represents it as it appeared in Godzilla Final Wars. I really liked that movie despite feeling exhausted after watching it each time. That's not a movie, it's a full throttle manic fever dream. Hedorah is about 3" tall with two points of articulation in the shoulders. It's very well painted and looks pretty close to screen accuracy. It's a simple blind box gatcha figue, but a pretty great one. Bandai just makes good stuff, you know.

Megatron Type Godzilla [Synergenex]

Megatron, hungry for power has scanned the DNA from Godzilla's scales. Now he has an all new powerful form powered by Godzilla's energy and strength! The Emperor of Destruction can now turn into The King of the Monsters! Takara Tomy's T-Spark Synergenex project has been creating some really cool crossover toys, but I don't think nothing has been as cool as a Godzilla! This collab brings us a Godzilla version of Megatron with a MechaGodzilla version of Optimus Prime (whom hasn't been released yet) set in the Millennium era.

Specifically the setting from Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla and Tokyo S.O.S. Which has been perfect for past collaborations and one of my favorites. You've probably noticed that Megatron uses the Studio Series 86 Grimlock figure as a base. I've seen some complaints online regarding this, but personally don't mind. I've gotten several versions of this mold because I like it. Could they have done more? Maybe, but I'm happy with what they did. Not to mention, similarities to Grimlock and Godzilla have been made since Dinosaur Robo Tyrannosaurus. 

Megatron is a Leader Class figure, thus larger than your standard Transformers toy. This is obviously fitting all things considered. It's also a nice hefty and chunky robot, which is super satisfying and fits the character well. His chest for example, with a little clever paint, actually evokes the look of classic Megatron. I really like the little Godzilla Transformers plaque dead center in his chest. A neat touch is the new head, the sculpt originated for Sludge. Thanks to some creative painting, it looks a lot like Megatron with some scale like ornamentation. A nice little touch is that his face is painted a different gray than the silver of his helmet. It may not be immediately noticeable, but looks pretty nice and provides some depth in a mostly same colored head. Megatron has a silver repaint of Grimlock's blaster that looks nice against the Godzilla green. There's a lot of good color contrast.

Transformation to beast mode is pretty easy and fairly similar to the original Grimlock toy. This was something that stood out to me the first time I transformed the Studio Series 86 Grimlock. They really improved on the original. Considering so many toys these days have what feels like unnecessary steps in the transformation, an updated version of the original just works so well. There's something to be said for that.

Once transformed into beast mode, you've got Godzilla! Godzilla mode is clearly Grimlock in a new coat of paint, but it works pretty well. The Godzilla green carries over from robot mode and there's even more scale detail added that really looks great. Some of the translucent bit from his neck has been colored blue to represent him powering up his Atomic Breath. There's no spines sadly, but this little touch conveys it well and breaks up the green nicely. The gun can store on his back and there's some blue effect pieces that connect inside of Godzilla's mouth for that trademark fiery blast!

I'm admittedly on a high with this toy and cannot fairly find any fault with it. A Godzilla and Transformers crossover is a dream come true. I'm really impressed by the creativity used to turn one figure into the cool concept of Megatron modeling himself after Godzilla. The original mold already was a pretty nice toy, but with the new paint and details has made for one premium looking figure.

I'm really happy with it and am looking forward to the MechaGodzilla Optimus Prime. There's some upgrade kits on the way for those who want to add on some extra flair, or may be unhappy with these. I'm obviously enjoying mine, but do think the kits are neat. I hope they come with a bus for him to pick right up and throw back down. I've never said he's got to go. Go! Go! Megatron Type Godzilla!

Godzilla 1968 [ReAction/Godzilla Monster Island]

When I was a kid, classic Godzilla movies would play regularly on TV. This was before the Heisei era came in and the older shows were all I had. I'm not complaining mind you, it was great! Thanks to these older films regularly playing in the background, I grew to have a fondness for some of the 'goofier' looks the monsters have had. These were often done to make them appeal more to kids and be less scary than other depictions. By the time the Godzilla '68 costume was in use, he was a full blown superhero and generally considered for kids.

The scary monster from 1954 was long gone and in it's place was a friendly giant who dances while saving the Earth from various attacks. The SoshingekiGoji/AllKaijuGoji/HedoGoji/GiganGoji or in this case Godzilla '68 suit was used in films from 1968- 1972. This ReAction figure captures it's look very well. It was a definite happy moment when I opened the blind box after a trip to Walmart with the Mrs. There's a pleasant heft to the toy despite it's small size. He features the head/shoulders/legs at waist articulation you expect from one of these figures and just feels solid thanks to his broad design. Super7's has a great product.

Godzilla 2023 [Godzilla Monster Series 5"]

I happily found this Minus One version of Godzilla from the awesome Godzilla Monster Series 5" line by Bandai at a Miniso while shopping with the Mrs. I haven't gotten any toy of Godzilla as he appeared in Minus One yet, so I was ecstatic. Godzilla is like the other figures in this range, a smaller sofubi. One thing about his appearance in the movie that I've always liked was the extra pointy design.

That detail is carried over well here as is painted on scar tissue. I find his chonky sculpt extremely pleasant and the overall toy very satisfying. Godzilla 2023 has less articulation than the other figures in this range. Only his arms and tail move. I'm not entirely sure of the reason for this, but can speculate his larger body probably ate at the toys design budget. Each joint is a separate piece and you can probably see the seam in his wait where the figure is assembled. With figures like this, the articulation isn't a focal point, so I wasn't bothered. It's nice to finally have a toy of what feels like Godzillas proudest moment in the theaters. Minus One is probably the one Godzilla movie not hailed as a silly monster movie by snooty critics and I can't help but to be proud of that.

MechaGodzilla 1974 [ReAction/Godzilla Monster Island]

I've made my fondness for the Showa MechaGodzilla known several times on the site. It's hard not to love those classic old school sci fi looks combined with the characters savagery. Today I want to specifically take a look and appreciate this ReAction figure of him I got recently in a blind box. I've been a fan of Super7 and their ReAction figures since they were introduced. That old Kenner Star Wars figure design is a form factor I'll always love. When applied to the Godzilla characters, they come out as really well done kaiju figures that are fun to collect.

I know certain folks take issue with ReAction. They either don't like the price (understandable), somehow magically take issue with anything popular (cringe), or it might just not be their thing (fair enough). I buy a good deal of designer toys, so something like a $20 blind box doesn't phase me. Sure, I'd love a lower price, but there's an old saying. If you want to play, you've got to pay. I just try to make good decisions so the occasional splurge doesn't hurt too much. Not to mention, not many designer toys are available at places like Target or Walmart. So the selection Super7 has at local retail is appreciated. The selection of designer gatcha at more boutique stores will can make that $15 I paid for this box feel a lot more reasonable. Super7 has a lot more expensive items out there to be sure.

Hopefully my tangent didn't come off pretentious or assholish, but maybe I should talk about the figure now. If this was a Facebook post, I would have followed that with a 'lol'. This is the same MechaGodzilla mold Super7 has used a few times already in various ReAction series. It's a great sculpt, so I don't mind. Each edition has it's differences to make them all cool and unique. For this pretty great Godzilla Monster Island blind box series they've made him look pretty good. I know I say this often, but I always mean it. This feels like a more premium figure than it is. The paint applications look great. My wife has called MechaGodzilla 'tin foil guy' in the past, and in a lot of those cases it's a fair description.

I may love them, but the silver on some of the toys does lack a little in visual pop. Not here, Mecha G looks sharp in a very chrome color with nicely done dark greys. The blood red details and yellow eyes contrast very well against it. The sculpt is very detailed giving these fantastic colors a nice base to show off. A lot of kaiju toys don't feature a ton of articulation (some do, I know) and these ReAction ones are pretty similar to the Bandai sofubi ones I generally buy. Mecha G's head turns, arms move at the shoulders, and legs swivel at the thigh. It's just enough for a toy this size. This is a fantastic little figure and I plan to pick up a few more from this series when I see them. Nice things are nice.

Godzilla [Monster Egg Series Godzilla]

I don't know who was saying he had to go, because it wasn't me. Today we'll be looking at Godzilla in Monster Egg Series form! Out of the 4 in this 2024 reissue set (the Gigan from 2014 isn't available at this time) Godzilla is the star. Not just because he's the main character of the films... but he's also the best of the batch! Thanks to the transformation he's got quit a bit of articulation compared to the others. The head and tail are jointed, twice in the tail! Arms and legs can move... there's even twists in the ankles!

Bandai is the best at this sort of thing and they proved it with Godzilla. Unlike most egg toys, he retains his traditional proportions. Transformation is easy and everything folds up neatly into place. Egg form is truly monstrous (as it should be) and this is one truly well done toy. Go Go Godzilla!