I'm too young to have been around during the "Golden Age" of Godzilla toy collecting. When the popularity of the Bandai's was rolling in the early nineties, I just had my Imperial Godzilla toy. Eventually Trendmasters came out, which was exciting.
I can't remember exactly how I found out about Showcase Collectibles, but somehow I did. Probably searching the internet on our ancient Compaq computer for Godzilla toys. I ordered their "Unauthorized Guide to Godzilla" book, and was amazed at all the Godzilla stuff that I'd never heard of before. Of course, my young naive ass really only wanted to buy the few Trendmasters toys I didn't already own. Why I didn't immediately demand my parents buy me the Bandai Standards that were so clearly superior in everyway I don't know. I actually remember one phone call to order toys with my mom. I wanted the Trendmasters Anguirus toy, but they didn't have one and Sean Linkenback instead recommended Bandai's 6" Anguirus. I didn't want it, I only wanted the Trendmasters version! Live and learn, I guess.
I remember very well how I got to know about the Japanese Bandai's. It was when news of Godzilla 2000 first came out. I had just discovered the internet and my favorite website was Barry's Temple of Godzilla. Any of you young'uns ever go there? That was my portal into Japanese Godzilla everything. Got all my news from there for quite some time, before finding out about Monster Zero and joining Andy's Palace of Godzilla message board.
Anyway, Barry eventually had a photo of the 6" Godzilla 2000 by Bandai on his website and I immediately had to buy it. Showcase Collectibles sold out of this toy and put me on a waiting list. I got the Orga first - my first Bandai toy ever! It was awesome. Then I got the Heisei Godzilla, the Heisei Rodan and I believe the Heisei Ghidorah from Bandai's 6" line. I couldn't afford the more expensive Standards so the 6" figures were all I got. Eventually I got the Godzilla 2000 and I knew I had to have every Bandai I could get.
Showcase either went out of business or simply stopped doing Godzilla. Nevermind, I got to go to G-Fest shortly after! Problem solved. I remember first walking into the dealer's room at G-Fest in, I think, 2001. I bought all the Megaguirus stuff and some other toys I could afford from money saved by mowing lawns. James Bond and Greg Cordaro, two guys I now hang out with at G-Fest and consider friends, were some of the dealers I bought toys from.
I got my first Bandai Standard, a tagless '92 Godzilla, I think in 2003 after visiting the House of Monsters in Chicago, shortly before they closed as well. By summer 2007, for a kid only nineteen years old and on a very limited budget, I had one hell of a Bandai collection.
And then I sold it all.
All.
I had the 1983 Bandai '62 Godzilla with the bag and receipt, which few people have. Sold it.
That is, except for my Forever Series '62 which was signed by Haruo Nakajima, my '91 Closed Mouth Godzilla's, and the 1992-1994 Standard Godzilla's. I kept my CCP's too. Somehow I knew I would probably return to collecting and the CCP's are particularly hard to come by because they're so limited in production.
I sold out to help pay for college and fund buying a bass guitar and amplifier rig, which I don't regret at all, but I really wish I found another way to make the money. I had five or six Bandai Standards from the late James Chapin's collection, and you know there were in perfect condition.
Anyway, after bringing some more odds and ends to G-Fest just a few short months ago, I stumbled across two CCP Gamera's. I bought them for the hell of it. First time I bought kaiju toys in well over two years. Jean Carbajal, a friend whose Vinylmaddness website guided me for years on my quest to find and buy every Bandai Godzilla, remarked to me that the CCP Gamera's "weren't really a Godzilla purchase".
A week later, I found several CCP Godzilla toys in Yahoo! Japan and decided to buy them. And here I am, back collecting Godzilla. I still really regret selling my collection, even though I will be able to replace all of it with time. I've since re-bought the 50th Anniversary Box, an all-time favorite, the Forever Series Meltdown Godzilla, the 1993 Mechagodzilla and Fire Rodan, and am currently awaiting the original release 1991 Large Scale Godzilla.
I'm starting over again, but I have to say my two absolute favorite toys right now are the '62 and Meltdown Godzilla's from the Forever Series. The '62 sculpt was re-issued several times, but I think the Forever Series is the best. The paint job is really cool and the gray highlights on top of the dark vinyl just look good. My figure is in really good condition, with a mint tag and just a few small rubs on the nose, which from the few examples of this figure I've seen, are pretty common. Greg Cordaro sold me this toy after I bought the 1983 Bandai Mechagodzilla from him. He gave me an awesome deal - $90! I bought it just before having it signed by Haruo Nakajima. He signed it on the bottoms of both feet. Very cool. Greg also offered me a pristine condition Forever Series Glitter Godzilla for $350, which I passed up. ****! My all-time regret is not buying it from him because it's the one toy I will probably consider a "holy grail" once I own it. I so wish I could go back and buy the damn thing because it's a difficult toy to find, and alot of people ask way too much for it.
The Forever Series Meltdown Godzilla is a classic, a reissue of a wonderful sculpt but down with a very original approach. Just got it off of eBay. Clear vinyl with black and red paint inside to create a very spooky effect. The face has black and red paint on top of the vinyl. The tag has, what I think, to be a very bad still from the movie. I can't believe Bandai couldn't have gotten a better image of Godzilla's last moments from the movie for the tag. And my figure's tag has the Toho sticker right on the face! Boo.
Pics for your entertainment.
Never too late to start over with something you love!
