In 2012 Bandai Tamashii Nations introduced its first event exclusive, Comic-Con Explosion Godzilla. 8 years later Bandai Tamashii Nations is bringing back event exclusives to the S.H.MonsterArts line. Originally this figure was planned for SDCC Comic-Con 2020, however, due to the global pandemic, it was cancelled. Bandai Tamashii Nations has decided to make this figure available to all US residents online for a limited time. This change makes it easier for folks that normally aren't able to attend events like SDCC 2020. For that reason, this release is being dubbed as an "Event Exclusive". What does that mean exactly? For those outside of the US, you will be able to or through other global events that Bandai Tamashii Nations regularly attends. Pre-order dates and information for other countries has yet to be announced as of this writing. Currently this figure is limited to the USA Premium Bandai Web Shop, which means only US residents can purchase this figure.

 

Design:

 

The sculpt itself the exact same mold as the original Godzilla 2019 figure. There have been no changes or updates to the sculpt. However, the material used for it is translucent plastic which may feel more brittle in hand. After messing around with it and getting to know the articulation limits, it's safe to say this is a solid figure. All of the details from the 2019 mold are all there and if anything, you can see them a little better depending on the lighting. As with the original mold, this figure utilizes the 3D CGI data from the movie Godzilla King of the Monsters (2019) and was overseen by legendary kaiju sculptor Yuji Sakai.

 

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The details are remarkable and meticulously crafted. The gimmick with this figure is that it is entirely translucent with very little paint on it. This allows for dynamic lighting situations which can enhance its visual aesthetic. For best results, I found that using spot lighting from behind illuminates the figure quite well. The figure looks great in hand neutral light but it just doesn't have the same wow factor with a dynamic lighting setup. I think you'll find that you enjoy the figure more. If you are great as customizing figures, then this also would benefit with LED's on the inside. The sculpt is an easy A.

 

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Articulation:

 

The articulation engineering hasn't been updated for this release, however, I do find that since the figure is mostly unpainted that it is able to move smoother and achieve poses the original couldn't quite do. The joints are tight and secure with no pieces falling off as you move parts. The head and neck move quite well and there's little to no resistance. The Torso seems a little stiff at first but once you start moving it becomes easier. The same can be said for the arms and legs. The arms and legs also have a good range of articulation found similarly in the previous releases.

 

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The tail has the same amount of articulation as the previous release. However, possibly due to the lack of paint, I feel like it is able to move further in poses that may have been more difficult to achieve with the original release. That being said if you lift the tail up in an S pattern it doesn't hold too well and droops. It can hold itself up by doing a simple arch. When the figure leans forward it also seems to hold its pose better than the original release, but that also could be a result of a new figure that hasn't moved it's joints before loosening them up. I moved it around quite a bit during the photoshoot and it's still able to hold that particular pose. Time will tell. Overall, the articulation is fairly identical to the original release, albeit a bit smoother in some instances.

 

Paint:

 

There isn't a whole lot of paint on this figure with most of the plastic having been dyed blue. In the promo photos it appeared that the figure had no paint on it whatsoever, however, the dorsal spines are airbrushed with white accents which is a great way to differentiate the spines and schutes from the body. I really like this as it is the equivalent of the shading seen with the poster version of Godzilla (2019), but white instead of black. The white paint is complete from head to tail on the spines and smaller schutes.

 

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The claws and feet feature a light blue color. These are dry brushed and look okay. I would have preferred that they were airbrushed, but it's nice to have some differentiation given the whole figure is mostly one solid color. The eyes are painted solid black which works well when the figure is under dynamic lighting. That being said under neutral light, they just look like biddy black dots. I wonder what it would have looked like with white eyes? Probably lost in the mold once dynamic lighting is used. That's it for paint. The gimmick here is the translucent effect so any sort of paint is just a bonus.

 

Accessories:

 

As with the previous releases of the 2019 mold, the Event Exclusive comes with an atomic breath effect and the swappable lower jaw that holds it. This version of the figure can hold the effect piece straight up in the air as advertised. It may take you a few tries to get it right the first time, but once you figure it out it looks wonderful. It also can hold the breath effect while looking down and forward as demonstrated in the gallery. The atomic breath effect also has a hole in it if you choose to use a Tamashii Stand (if you have one on hand). Do note that it does not come with the stand.

 

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What's different with this atomic breath effect is that it has no paint on it. This is the first atomic breath effect from the 2019 mold that is a pure blue translucent piece. I really dig it compared to the previous atomic ray effects that came with the poster version and the original release. As an added bonus, this figure comes with an art card which is also featured on the box art. This collectible art print is designed by Shinji Nishikawa, a designer who worked on Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) and then went on to design monsters such as Godzilla 2000, Biollante and Kiryu. It's a great keepsake, but far too small for my liking. I would have preferred a larger print as big as the box so that I could frame it! It's so cool to look at!

 

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Overall:

 

When I first saw this figure my initial response was something like "It's a color variant, that's not really my thing". However having it in hand, I have to admit, it has grown on me and as someone who has access to different lighting setups, it may be one of the better centerpieces in my collection. What I particularly love is that it compliments the SDCC 2012 Comic-Con Explosion Godzilla when displayed together. As I mentioned previously, this figure also makes for a great custom opportunity and install LED lighting on the inside. I tested this out with a few LED's I have and the results were amazing. I generally like this piece and I think many others will too once they have it in hand. S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla (2019) Event Exclusive Color Version has a limited run and will be available to order from July 16, 2020 through July 31, 2020 OR until sold out. If you're not into color variants, it probably isn't the figure for you. If you're someone who likes to collect exclusives, definitely grab it. If you're someone who's a completionist or just like the way it looks, you already know what to do.