This review touches on the differences, if any, between S.H.MonsterArts Kong (2021) released in 2021 and its reissue released in 2022. If you are looking for more specific details regarding the figure itself, please checkout the full review of the 2021 release.

 

The big question: why reissue Godzilla and Kong so soon after their initial release in May 2021? These figures were met with so much demand that they were instantly sold out in Japan during the time of preorder, and sold out by the time they were released in the US. All inventory had been accounted for, so the only pieces that made it out of a stores door after release were canceled preorders. Tamashii Nations saw the demand was strong and ordered a 2nd round to be produced. The Godzilla and Kong (2021) reissues were originally set to hit the US December 2021, however due to massive delays at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, they missed the release window eventually being made available March 2022! Reissues aim to reproduce the product as it was in its first release-- no new additional materials/effects parts or improvements are expected. That being said, there are usually subtle differences between these releases as they are not made in the same production run. The reissue was released as a general sales item in Japan and made available to the USA through Bandai Namco Collectibles (formerly Bluefin Distribution). The price remained the same, $67.99 MSRP.

 

Design:

 

There are no changes to the sculpt. For more of an in-depth look at the sculpt, refer to the the 2021 release review.

 

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Articulation:

 

The articulation engineering is essentially the same--the range of movement is identical. The joint tolerance is smooth and not to tight. It's able to hold poses better and never fell over once during the photo shoot. The OG kept falling over. This will likely will very figure to figure. The joint engineering at the hips is unchanged so be mindful how you move the legs at the hips. The hips themselves are on a swivel piece that only moves up and down while the end of it is a ball joint. The ower thigh is where you'll want to move Kong's legs into more dynamic poses like walking on all fores or sitting down. One other note is that the OG release is notorious for having the leg parts installed upside down. The upper and lower leg pieces should be a "U" shape around the knees. The reissues corrected this mistake, however, this may vary figure to figure. If you'd like more specifics on articulation, please refer to the 2021 release review.

 

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Paint:

 

Because the reissue was not made in the same production run as the OG, there are some subtle differences. The photos may not do it justice because of light reflection, but the reissue has more of a semi-gloss coat where as the OG is very glossy. This is more appealing, especially for toy photography. In general, the reissue has much more shading of browns throughout then entire body offering a slightly darker application. The OG is a very light brown all over with little shading or differentiation in areas like the arms, legs and abdomen. This is where the reissue seems to improve, especially in the abdomen area and legs. The teeth and inner mouth are identical to the OG. There doesn't seem to be any differences between eye paint. Both figures in this review do not have wonky eyes, so this may vary figure to figure. I prefer the reissues paint application as it seems to offer more variation of shades of brown throughout and it's not as glossy as the OG. For a more in-depth look at the paint application, please refer to the 2021 release review.

 

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Accessories:

 

The reissue comes with the same accessories as the OG, three pairs of alternate hands parts and the battle axe. The hands are identical in sculpt but also have the semi-gloss coating in parts. The paint application is largely the same. They pop on and off just as easy as the OG's. The battle axe has more paint details than the OG. It's brighter in color as well, however, this may vary figure to figure. The white highlights and blending on the dorsal part of the axe doesn't seem to improve by much, if at all.

 

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Overall:

 

If I had to choose between the two, I'd go with the reissue. There is a noticable improvement in the paint application and the semi-gloss coating is a total win. If you wanted a less shiny Kong, I'd say this is enough of a reason to sell your first release and get this one. It also has better shading and variation of browns. If you're fine with how your first one looks, this will be an easy skip for you. How to tell if you have the reissue, or want to buy it? The OG & reissue boxes are identical with the same copyright info citing it's a 2021 release. This is because the reissue was scheduled to be released December 2021. The only way to verify if it's the reissue is by checking the copyright info under the feet. 3 DOTS mean it's the reissue while 4 DOTS mean it's the original. Additionally, the copyright info on the bottom of the foot is identical to the first release and still says "Lagendary". Kong (2021) is a good entry figure for collectors getting into the S.H.MonsterArts line. The articulation engineering is fantastic with a general improvement in paint details. If you don't have this release, get it soon. If you have the OG and are not happy with it's paint application, this is for you!

 

Please enjoy the comparison gallery below. The complete image gallery of this review can be found in the SHOWCASE GALLERY.

 

OG (Left) vs. Reissue (Right)