The Vinyl Figure Awards round 49: MECHAGODZILLA II

[Legion]

Well its the final week of the Vinyl Figure Awards. Seemed to go a lot faster this year, didn't it? I hope everyone had a good time.

The final brand new entry goes to Mechagodzilla II, the second incarnation of the bionic monster from Terror of Mechagodzilla. A lot of different, unique choices this time from several different companies.


Our first nominee - and the last vintage toy in these polls - is Popy's Mechagodzilla II figure, released in 1978.



Next up is Marmit's Vinyl Paradise Mechagodzilla II, the very last figure in the VP line, numbered 101 and released in 1999.



M-1 re-sculpted the old Bullmark Mechagodzilla and released this removable head Mechagodzilla II figure in 2001.



Bandai released this highly popular Mechagodzilla II figure in their 6" Movie Monster line in 2002. The standard version is shown in the middle, a 2003 store release crystal version is on the left and the black 2005 Memorial Box figure is on the right.



This Marmit Para Baby, released in 2004, also features a removable head.



Finally heres Marmit's Monster Heaven Mecahgodzilla II figure, also released in 2004.

[Legion]

Everyone is going to vote for the Bandai figure. I think that's an absolute given. And that's fine since it's a fantastic little toy. But I'm voting for the Marmit MH figure. There's just something about it I really like. It looks really nasty and threatening and I love the individually sculpted finger missles.

Now whats the bigger POS? The Popy or the VP?

[Glow-nut]

[Baltan II]

[Glow-nut]

[Legion]

[Baltan II]

I don't have the discs to pop in anyway, but I looked up a couple of pictures of the suit. Not having seen either film for a while (and having Terror is useless anyway, being the old CM print), I did forget about the joints. I'm not seeing any blackened areas on the center of his chest, certainly not anything that looks like the darkened spots on the Marmit Monster Heaven figure. I even looked up MG2 images specifically and haven't seen it. Certainly never seen those blue patches Marmit uses so often.



Also, yeah, he's metallic, but not nearly as glossy as the MH. It looks almost as gaudy as the chrome Showa Mechagodzilla chogokin figure, which upon seeing it more often really put me off to it. I'm much happier having the original, non-garish GD-56.

With front views of every figure, and the Bandai not here (I'll correct that next time I'm home), I can't make any comment as to the tail length. And it's not like I'm arguing in support of the Bandai Museum Gigan or Finaro-Goji.

[Glow-nut]

Y'know now that I look at that pic, the Bandai looks a little too round in the belly too. It's still a great figure, and I'm still sure it'll win, but now I'm less sure that it deserves to.

[Bio_Goji_89]

I'm sticking with my Bandai roots on this one. It's a really good figure, and so is the Marmit, but Bandai's Mechagodzilla II is just a sweet toy.

Tim

[Andrew Nguyen]

Too bad there isn't the option of a tie, particularly between the Marmit Monster Heaven one and the Bandai one because they're both winners in my opinon.

[Legion]

[Andrew Nguyen]

[Tyler E. Martin]

[Dagarah72]

I voted for the Bandai, which was an awesome, superior figure. I also really love the Marmit Parababy, Marmit Monster Heaven and M1. Mechagodzilla is one of those kaiju that's gotten decent representations from practically every company.


Ricky

[Benjamin Haines]

That Bandai figure looks really good, but its got a few glaring flaws to me. The abdomen is rounded like the 1974 Mechagodzilla, not streamlined like the 1975 version this is supposed to be. It looks they just took a sculpt of the 1974 version and added the pointed parts on the chest and shoulders and the "MG2" insignia on the arms. Other than that though, the sculpt really is great and the level of detail is fantastic. But the biggest flaw to me, as others have pointed out, is that the silver-colored paint job is almost completely uniform. The joints are as bright as the rest of the body, and it's missing the intermittent (almost subliminal) shades of color on certain parts of the suit like its film counterpart. It's obvious that Bandai were going for realism with this figure, and in that context it falls somewhat short. I dig the black-colored version, as I think MG looks great in black metal and I've always wanted to see him portrayed like that on film.

I ultimately have to give my vote to the Marmit Monster Heaven figure. I dig a lot of the figures in this line and this MG is great. The sculpt is great, the coloring is even better, and the figure just screams "Mechagodzilla!" to me. The only part that doesn't really sit well with me is the teeth being painted gold, but overall I definitely think this is the best figure in this poll.

Damn it, now I want to watch Terror of Mechagodzilla...

[Legion]

I love how the MH figure is really holding it's own against the Bandai figure. I'm glad I won this figure on ebay last month, because I appreciate it way more than I ever thought I would.

[william newell]

I really can't decide between the Bandai(black version) the Parababy, or the Monster Heaven, so I'm going to have to pass on this one...

[Legion]

[metal_bryan]

[ebirahsmeg1]

Marmit MH MG all the way. It looks fantastic, is pretty damn accurate, and just looks down right vicious and evil. The Bandai figure is also nice , but I have never cared for the 6 inch scale *at all*...I prefer the 8-10 inch scale line. I know this will upset some, but Bandai needs to stop playing around with the 6 inch scale and get back to making more 8 inch figures like they use to (they only do 8 inch figures if a new film comes out...and that won't be happening again anytime soon). Can you imagine how awesome their Titanosaurus figure would be in the 8 inch scale???! Or their new Hedorah figure in 8 inch scale???! Same goes for this 6 inch figure as well....Bandai, start putting these out in 8 inch scale damn it!!!

So the Bandai figure would come in at 3rd....I actually like that Marmit blue Parababy figure better and think it's in second place. It may not be as accurate, but a great looking figure and unique as well with the removable head.


The biggest POS on here is the popy. I consider myself to be pretty open-minded when it comes to G figures as opposed to the "It starts and ends with Bandai" attitude that plagues alot of the collecting community, and I know some vintage collectors who love popy will cast stones at me for saying this, but it seems like they sure have a knack for making some downright awfullooking figures at times. And it's not the accuracy that bothers me...it's just that they're often downright ugly looking figures, and while Bullmarks and other vintage figures may not be all that accurate, they're nevertheless still great to look at.

[Tohologe]

[gojira138]