Godzilla (1989) makes its return to the S.H.MonsterArts line as an Exclusive Edition for San Diego Comic-Con 2024! This variant's gimmick features translucent dorsal spines with clear paint applications. You can expect to pick up Godzilla for $95 MSRP, the same as the OG release back in 2021. Before we dive into the review of the figure, let's get the important information out of the way.

 

How To Obtain:

 

SDCC attendees will have first dibs on getting their claws on this figure. No reservation ticket is necessary! That's right—any attendee can walk up and purchase this at any time. Godzilla (1989) will be available at both the TAMASHII NATIONS Booth 3329 and the dedicated GODZILLA Booth 3345 (which is right next to it).

 

What about those who are unable to attend SDCC 2024?:

 

Godzilla (1989) [Exclusive Edition] will be available for preorder from the US PREMIUM BANDAI WEB SHOP and for purchase at the TAMASHII NATIONS STORE NEW YORK. Details for when these methods are available will be revealed at a later date.

 

More info about Tamashii Nations at SDCC 2024:

www.tamashiiweb.com/event/667

www.tamashiiweb.com/event/668

 

There isn't a lot to say about what's new with this Godzilla (1989) figure compared to the 2021 release. Aside from the obvious aesthetics, the figure's articulation engineering and sculpted details are the same. Anyone who loves the 1989 silhouette will be delighted to pick this one up. Is it enough to entice the rest of us to double-dip or pick it up for the first time? Let's find out.

 

Design:

 

Godzilla (1989) is sculpted by legendary Godzilla sculptor Yuji Sakai. As I mentioned, the sculpted details on the figure remain mostly the same as the 2021 release. The head sculpt captures '89's ferocity very well. The inner mouth has subtle details throughout. The teeth look fairly good considering S.H.MonsterArts' rocky history with teeth and mass production. There doesn't appear to be any loss in quality between this and the 2021 release. The lower jaw on the OG '89 figure had somewhat of a strange curve to it. This variant still has it; however, it seems to not have as much bend as the OG's. This allows for a better-closed mouth.

 

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The texturing and detail throughout the main body is exactly what we've come to expect from Heisei Godzilla figures. It's sharp in detail with varying textures in places like the chest, sides, and appendages. The claws also look great and are sculpted in a fashion that's appropriate for this Godzilla. The dorsals haven't changed in sculpted details. However, the material used has been changed to a softer translucent plastic. Combined with the translucent paint applications, they're gorgeous. More on the dorsals in the paint section.

 

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The lower torso, legs, and feet look as they should for Godzilla (1989). The thighs and lower calves are thick and add some weight to the figure. The claws on the feet are sharp with subtle bone-like detailing. It can get lost in the paint, but it's there. The underside of the feet is also detailed and textured, something I can appreciate from S.H.MonsterArts. Even though it's a small detail, adding these extra touches goes a long way in making the character look more like it walked off the screen and onto your shelf.

 

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The tail looks great. It's long in length and detailed throughout. The dorsal transition to smaller dorsals is seamless and appealing.

 

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I'm personally a fan of the way this figure looks. I think it conveys '89's ferocity in the face quite well. The figure is quite muscular, especially in the legs, and does a fine job at replicating '89's proportions. I will add that I still prefer the KKK Godzilla (1989)'s silhouette over this one, but that's not saying this one isn't good. It's just a matter of personal preference.

 

Articulation:

 

Out of the box, the articulation engineering works well with no loose parts on the figure. The standard movement range can be effectively achieved while dynamic poses are possible utilizing various joint mechanisms throughout. As I mentioned, it doesn't appear that any of the engineering has been updated, so if you're familiar with the range of the original 1989 figure, then you already know what to expect from this one. If you haven't purchased the 1989 figure released in 2021, this figure takes the next step compared to the 1995 figure by improving the range of the tail as well as hiding gaps within parts like the legs and arms.

 

The head and neck combined use about three points of articulation. The head itself doesn't have too much range due to the sculpted details on the back of the head, as well as its curved part going into the neck. That said, more range of motion can be achieved using the lower neck parts. Moving these pieces together, Godzilla is able to look straight down to the ground. Looking upward is more restricted due to the aforementioned. Tilting the head/neck side-to-side works quite well and can be slightly twisted so that Godzilla looks slightly over its shoulder. Despite some restrictions, I think this is better than the 1995 Godzilla's range. Lastly, the mouth can open and close using a ball joint system. As I mentioned earlier, the mouth is able to close better this time around now that the lower jaw is curved less. The tongue is also articulated but limited in upward range as it has a tendency to pop out easily. Swiveling the tongue left or right is doable.

 

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The torso parts have two points of articulation. Twisting these parts left to right is limited due to the sculpted parts on the sides of the lower torso piece. Upward and downward tilting motion can be achieved, but it's not as flexible as the 1995 figure. The arms have five points of articulation and have decent range. Nothing new in terms of engineering. The shoulders can be turned in a 360-degree motion as well as being adjusted up and down to fit the socket of the sculpt. The elbows bend nicely and can achieve that classic Heisei pose. The wrists can rotate freely with a ball joint on a swivel that allows for the wrist/claws to be positioned upward or downward.

 

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The legs have four points of articulation. The hips utilize a floating sheath that helps hide the gaps in the sculpt. It can be freely adjusted for whatever pose you desire. They can be rotated at the hips in a 360-degree motion and can be spread for a splits pose! The knees work as expected with a simple upward and downward range. The feet use one ball joint and can be tilted and twisted. The range is only limited by the floating ankle sculpt, but it's nothing major. The tail is comprised of fourteen points of articulation. The tail doesn't see any improvements from the OG '89's engineering. That said, it's still better than the 1995 figure's. Articulation runs throughout all the way to the last four sections of the tail. There's some decent range in just about any direction the tail is posed in. The 1991 Shinjuku Decisive Battle figure still has the best tail articulation for the Heisei lineup. But this is still good compared to older releases.

 

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Overall, the articulation works well. There are slight restrictions due to the sculpt in some areas like neck and head, but it's intentional to preserve the sculpt. That said, I would have liked more range in the torso area to allow for a deeper ab crunch. I would have also liked the tail to have articulation all the way to the tip like the 1991 Shinjuku Decisive Battle figure, but it's satisfactory at the end of the day. Otherwise, in my opinion, it's the second best articulated Heisei figure in the line at the time of this writing.

 

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Paint:

 

The paint application looks great and does not entirely deviate from the OG figure's overall application. I believe that you could successfully use both the OG and EE if you were shooting a stop-motion since their colors are so similar. That said, this variant is slightly darker--likely a result of variance between production runs, and you honestly wouldn't know the difference unless you had the original to compare with. The subtle blue-ish wash throughout the body of the OG figure is very minimal with the Exclusive Edition, which I like.

 

The head has some differences, notably the inner mouth and teeth. The inner mouth uses a similar dark burgundy coloration, but with less black wash to bring out the details. The teeth are also painted a straight white. Generally, teeth coloration is a variation of off-white, so seeing a plain white application was a bit jarring for me. It's not bad, but maybe it makes it look more like a toy versus a premium collectible. It comes down to preference at the end of the day. The eyes look good, using the dot matrix technique with a layer of gloss coating. There doesn't seem to be much of a difference from the OG. The alignment is good as well.

 

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The coloration throughout the body is on point with the Heisei Godzilla aesthetic. There is some shading through parts to help define muscle and differentiate proportions. The same is shared throughout the arms and legs. They look fantastic. The paint on the claws is less saturated compared to the OG, so it's more of a lighter coloration. Weathering details at the base of the claws look great! The claws on the feet have a constant weathering effect which appears to be darker compared to the OG. There's also next to no blending when they meet the foot. It's one of those things you wouldn't notice unless you had the OG to compare with.

 

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Of course, the highlight of this figure is the translucent dorsal spines. This gimmick rocks and works exceptionally well with just about any lighting situation. They give off a nice glow effect. To further enhance the look, the dorsals are also painted to look illuminated, which can be beneficial to those who don't own a dynamic lighting setup. The blending of whites and blues is flawless. At the base of the dorsal spines, along the back, it is painted a metallic blue coloration for a stylized glowing effect. I know some of you may be asking, "Why didn't they continue the charged dorsal spines throughout the tail?" That's because in the movie, this section was the only part that illuminated. The last thing to note is that the parts that transition to the normal colored dorsals are an interesting choice, and I think it's effective. There is a blended transition between the glowing and normal dorsals split down the middle. Toward the base of the tail and base of the neck, the metallic bluish-white coloration also tapers into the normal coloration of the body quite well. The dorsal paint on the tail is similar to the OG, although it's much more white in the larger dorsals.

 

Overall, I prefer the paint application on this figure over the OG in places like the main body and maybe the claws. The glowing dorsal effect is a neat gimmick, but for me, I prefer the neutral look of the OG. For anyone that loves translucent dorsals, you will not be disappointed!

 

Accessories:

 

As for extras, there are none. While I am indifferent to things like beam effects, I understand that many feel they add more value to their purchase. Additionally, this figure is meant to be an event exclusive and will not be widely available in the global market. Perhaps including a beam would also make some folks frustrated they couldn't get it due to geographical logistics? In this case, it's a "you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't" situation. My message to all of you is all we can do is continue to provide respectful feedback to the appropriate channels. And maybe, just maybe... a third effects pack may be released in the future. For now, here's some action shots with the dorsal spines illuminated  with dynamic lighting and additional photos showcasing Godzilla and Biollante.

 

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Overall:

 

Godzilla (1989) [Exclusive Edition] is a great piece to add to one's collection. Yuji Sakai's craft works well with Heisei Godzilla, and this one is no exception. Although I do prefer the KKK '89's face sculpt, this one is still a good representation of the '89 silhouette. If you're a toy photographer, fan of translucent dorsal spines, or never picked up the OG '89 figure, this is an absolute must. If you have either the OG or KKK '89 figure, it's up to your personal preference. The translucent dorsals are cool, but that may not be enough to double-dip for some of you, and that's okay. Collect what you like.

 

Please take a look at the comparison gallery between the OG & Event Exclusive. Which do you prefer? Be sure to check out the SHOWCASE GALLERY to see more of S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla (1989) [Exclusive Edition] in action.

 

 OG (Left) vs. EE (Right)