Kiss my Astra

Every time I get my hands on a sweet Japanese vinyl figure I'm rocketed back to the first grade and the hours after school when I'd hang out with my friends Justin and Wayne, whose family would send them vinyl kaiju figures from Japan all the time. Crazy looking characters and monsters I didn't recognize from any media I was exposed to in colorful, lightweight vinyl and with limited articulation and so gorgeous and intriguing that I just couldn't resist them no matter how foreign and weird they were to me. I only lived in that neighborhood for a year or so, but I often wish I knew where Justin and Wayne are today and I pray they held on to their epic collection!

Anyways, I found this 1992 Bandai Ultraman character (who a quick Google search tells me is named Astra) at the flea market the other day and couldn't resist taking him home for a quarter.

Astra has a little paint wear but it's ok, his paint apps are so limited to begin with that I can either get over it or get a silver sharpie and fix him right up!

Ultraman Jack be nimble

The third and final Japanese vinyl figure I swapped from the swap meet last weekend is the one and only Ultraman himself! The best part is that I scored all three (Bat Man, Bee Woman and Ultraman here) for $5! Aw yeah!

I think he's most correctly referred to as Ultraman Jack, but I couldn't tell you why. (EDIT: Soundwave810 says "As far as I know this Ultraman was just named New Ultraman but was given the name Ultraman Jack in 1984 due to licensing issues.")

This figure is different from the Bat Man and Bee Woman that I found with him. Standing at a whopping 5.5", Ultraman is taller than the others he was lumped in with for who knows how long at that swap meet vendor's booth. Ultraman is also ultra articulated (compared to his compatriots,) with neck, shoulder and hip articulation!

I just love the crazy designs and simple engineering of these Japanese vinyl toys. They're colorful and crazy and super simple, but tons of fun to look at and play with. Imagine being a kid in Japan in the seventies and eighties and having a ton of these toys all over your bedroom floor. What fun!

Here's what it says on the bottom of Ultraman's feet. Any help on interpreting this would be greatly appreciated. (EDIT: Again Soundwave810 saves the day: "...on his left it says (c) Tsuburaya Pro(ductions), Ultraman (I assume this was produced before 1984?) and on his right foot it says Bullmark..."

Thanks again Soundwave810!

Let it Bee

A second approximately 4.5" Japanese vinyl figure I grabbed at the swap meet this past weekend appears to be 'Hachi Onna' or 'Bee Woman' who made her television debut in Kamen Rider episode 8.

The funny thing about this figure is that I originally thought it represented a male of less than ideal body type. With swirls on his man boobs. But my internet sleuthing for yesterday's Bat Man revealed to me that this little toy is actually a 'she.'

I assume this says 'Bandai' just like yesterday's toy. Clearly from the same sub-series as Bat Man, Bee Woman was also made by Bandai back in the seventies.

I still don't know exactly what this says, but it's clearly copyright info, probably for the show's production company or something.

Here's what Bee Woman looked like on the show. Dig those swirly boobies:

And here's her toy. More swirly booby fun, with the likeness falling a little short of uncanny:

My Bee Woman has a small crack in the vinyl on the top of her head, but otherwise she's in great shape. She's the bee's knees hahaha!

The Terrifying Bat Man

No, it's not who you think.

This refugee from the National Enquirer is actually (as far as my internet detective skills have revealed to me) 'Kyōfu Kōmori Otoko' (or Komorii-Otoko) or 'The Terrifying Bat Man.' He was a villain from the Japanese Kamen Rider TV show of the seventies, apparently making an appearance in episode 2, 13 and the first movie.

I had another epic Swap Meet run on Saturday, and I think this little 4.5" vinyl Kaiju figure may be the best of the bunch.

If anyone reads Japanese, please feel free to enlighten me as to what this says. I assume this guy was made by Bullmark or Popy or something like that, but I could use some specifics if anyone can help. But dig the sculpted belt details on the back. Haha love it!

Here's what it says on the bottom of his foot. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? EDIT: According to Soundwave810, this says 'Bandai.'

And here's what he looked like on the show. Terrifying indeed!

You Mecha Me Crazy

I haven't picked up or blogged about a Godzilla toy in a long time, having pretty much gotten all of my must have characters some time ago, including the most iconic look in my mind (1968 Godzilla) and Godzilla's first appearance (1954 Godzilla)

But one important Godzilla that I have really wanted and have never gotten around to picking up is the classic 1974 version of MechaGodzilla. That is until now!

This is the 6.5" Bandai MechaGodzilla released in 2009, and is probably still available in stores.

What can I say about this guy other than he is so insanely cool looking. A super fun design and accurate to his original film appearance. No Godzilla collection is complete without him, and I am stoked I finally got him into mine.

"Shall we dahnce?"

We Be Jamina

Godzilla style!
"CHOMP!"

This here is an unlicensed "Godzilla" toy from Jamina World Corp.

On his foot it says "Your lovely pet from Jamina" and he is dated 1987 and was made in China.


I found him at a local thrift shop.

He is supposed to walk, and his arms and jaw are supposed to move. His eyes are also supposed to light up. Mine does none of these things. But he still looks cute.

I discovered through some net research that there were two versions of this Jamina dinosaur. One had pointy felt scales on his back and there is then this one with the Godzilla like plates.

They also don't seem to be too hard to come by, nor is it too expensive to get a working one on places like eBay.

It would be cool to see him operate properly, and I may someday try to get into his inner workings and see what I can do. Until then he'll just have to look ominous on my Godzilla shelf!


UPDATE: This post inspired me to draw Godzilla for my art blog - if you haven't been over there lately check it out, I've been adding a lot of new stuff!

Godzilla Week vs. Mechagodzilla!

This is the biggest guy in my meager Godzilla/Kaiju collection. Standing about a foot tall, this is another Bandai vinyl figure that has recently began (re) appearing on toy store shelves. Also available at this scale is a Final Wars Godzilla which looks pretty awesome at a foot tall.


This is an updated Mechagodzilla from 2002's Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. The original Mechagodzilla appeared in 1974, and this one is much more detailed and robotic looking, while still holding true to the "guy in a suit" Godzilla/Kaiju standard.


His arms move at the shoulder, his waist turns, and his head turns at the base of the neck. Just enough articulation, and probably about the same range of motion as the actual suit!


The details are great at this scale, and since he's hollow vinyl he isn't heavy or bulky. He's just big!




Trypticon vs. Mechagodzilla - kinda like a gargantuan game of Rock Paper Scissors:

"I transform into a city."

"Oh yeah? Well I SMASH cities!"
Mechagodzilla FTW!

Godzilla Week Day 4: Godzilla '04

This is another Bandai Godzilla made for the Japanese market. I am pretty sure there's an American version available too. The primary difference is that the American versions seem just a tad larger.

This Godzilla is from Final Wars. The fiftieth anniversary Godzilla movie, released in 2004, was also the last Godzilla film to date and ended the most recent arc of films that began in 2000 I believe.


Final Wars is a fun movie that reminds you: no matter how big a Hollywood budget is, no matter how well written and intelligent a script is, and no matter how "important" an American actor may think he/she is, sometimes all you need for a good time is a guy in a rubber lizard suit.



"Wasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap?"

Godzilla Week Smashes Into Day 3

Today we focus on two great tastes that taste great together.

No, not peanut butter and chocolate.

Imperial toy company and Godzilla!


As discussed in a previous post, I loved Imperial dinosaurs as a kid. Their flagrant disregard for scientific facts, their rock-hard plasticy goodness, their sloppy Chinese child labor paint applications, their hollow throats for Star Wars figure eating fun. And chances are this guy has more lead in his paint than Lex Luthor's penthouse. What's not to love?

In 1985 Imperial began producing Godzilla toys. Somehow I missed them back then, I was probably moving into another toy genre by '85. Dinosaurs were so 1984!

I only recently acquired this 6" guy, and he's kitschy cool - a must for any Godzilla collection.

In true Imperial form, he doesn't represent a specific Godzilla as much as he captures Godzilla's essence. His arms, legs and tail move, giving him thousands of times the articulation of general Imperial dinosaur figures past and present.


And ironically, without any modification whatsoever, this Godzilla already looks Jokerized:


"Why so whatnow? I don't get it."

Godzilla Week Lumbers On...

Today's entry is Bandai's 1954 Godzilla, representing his first appearance on screen. If you haven't seen the original Japanese version of Godzilla, you should. It is much more of a commentary on nuclear weapons (from the only people in history to have a nuclear weapon used against them) and is much more than just a "monster movie." I decided to do black and white images because the '54 film is in black and white.


He's 6" tall and made of vinyl, like the '68 I posted yesterday. He's dated 1998.




He looks just like his movie counterpart, especially when photographed in black and white.




Stupid lizard. Forget about "Yawn-zilla Weak" and bounce on over to Eclectorama for "Joker Week."

Godzilla Week

I decided to make this week "Godzilla Week" on Toyriffic, if for no other reason than to see if I can keep on one topic for a whole week. Another reason is that Blue Oyster Cult will be at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk this Friday. If I get the chance I'd love to go and hear them play "Godzilla."

Oh yeah, and because I really need to talk about something besides Batman. I don't want to sound like a broken record!


Giant monsters, known as Kaiju in Japan, sure are nifty. The granddaddy of them all is of course Godzilla. It's surprising how many representations Godzilla has had since his debut in 1954. He's like a Japanese James Bond.

This is a Japanese imported Bandai vinyl figure, representating Godzilla's 1968 look. There was a recent American Bandai release of the same 1968 Godzilla, which I have seen in stores but do not yet own. The primary difference is that this version has a straighter tail, and may be a little smaller.


I think this is my favorite Godzilla look. He's a bit "cartoony," but he's how Godzilla looked in most of the movies I watched Sunday mornings on the local UHF station as a kid.




ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!