Well, you know me...and I absolutely appreciate it. The toy is glorious and this specimen is particularly stellar (not that one has a whole lot of freedom to choose! ). I had the pleasure of watching this end Sunday morning--hung over as fuck and grotesquely underslept--because I'd already been up a half hour earlier for the end of the "omega" of the Bullmark Toho line, so to speak (well, at least one of them anyway: the Megalon). I'm glad you scored this. Heh...through you, I feel like I get to enjoy it a bit more than just ogling the auction pics! A lot of my non-collector (and broke!) homies bust my balls for having just the regular dark blue Bullmark. Now I can tell them about this one to get me off the hook!
There is no shame in owning a dark blue Godzilla. In fact, I think everyone should own one. It is one of the alpha originals of the kaiju toy scene, and you can get them for relatively cheap compared to most vintage. It is the most undervalued (because it was so plentifully produced) of the classic kaiju figures, and it is a great figure.
Congrats on the score! This made me go back and re-read some of the early S7 issues. But I shouldn't do that too much, as i find toys that I want to hunt down.
Absolutely true. It took a while for me to come around to this toy because I'd always favored the giant-size Bullmark. But the history locked into this sculpt is just undeniable. It may not "fit" perfectly with many of the others, but on its own as a stand-alone toy, it's simply outstanding.
WOW ... Cograts Brian on scoring such a classic. I own have one Godzilla and it's based on that same great sculpt. It's ust a glow re-boot, but hopefully a vintage will be mine someday. Is the dark blue Godzilla the same sculpt as this one?
yes, same sculpt, but the typical colorway. In reality, finding anything other than a dark-blue/green version is near impossible, but there are a few out there.
I will dig up a picture. I know of 1 for sure, maybe 2. I am sure there are a couple more out there I don't know about, but it gives you a good sense of what actually exists on something like that.
yes it does, many of the reproduction versions have the "original" j-tail, as a way to help distinguish them from the original issues, as they are reproduction paint schemes as well. There is always a difference of some sort, it just depends on whether or not you know what that difference is many times.
The Flesh 1981/1983 bootlegs have a J-Tail as well. Beware on any flesh Godzilla issues, they should have a regular tail, not a j-tail (as I have seen the faked versions in legit shops before!).
I know this was a while ago, but amazing score Brian. So happy you could place a grail like that on your mantlepiece, or maybe it deserves its own kami-dana. Really stoked you were able to pick that guy up; maybe another cover feature is imminent . Just wondering if anyone has any shots of the common green Marusan/Bullmark Godzilla from their collections? I have seen the blues not infrequently, but would love to see what some of the other variations are. Well, that, and I can always look at more pictures of vintage Godzillas
I know this is late, but I just have to say congratulations... This is a beauty, it really makes me feel good to know that the head of the company that I buy toys from is in a frantic scramble from time to time, to do the same thing I like to do... Collect toys... The Japanese have been known to bless inatimate objects. I'm after a particular Nikon Lens that was blessed by Shinto Priests, I'm hoping it will help me take blessed photos...
So basically, aside from some rougher paint application on the Marusan, which could be unique to just this one figure, not really any noticeable differences (I can spot) between the two releases. The eye colour seems a bit different, but then again, there could be a hundred variations on colours. Mine for example is a fire-engine red, whereas your Marusan seems orange and the Bullmark pink. Very cool indeed. This is why I like seeing other people's guys too. Thanks for the post! EDIT: I just noticed in one of the shots XjaybirdX posted from the Cosmo Knight Alpha extensive vintage collection that one of their Godzillas appears to have a gold/yellow eye (it is admittedly very difficult to tell for certain). So add that one to the list
I have heartfelt appreciation for this exquisite piece of Godzilla toy history, and it's now time to revive this excellent six year-old post from Brian Flynn. I was fortunate to be able to visit Brian and his mind-boggling toy archive in SF last year, and held this legendary vintage monster in hand. It was quite the experience. The piece itself is just incredible, as it’s probably over fifty years old, and also one of the earliest Marusan Gojiras I have ever seen in person. The experience has really inspired me as I continue to follow the trail that Brian and others have blazed in pursuit of the original '66 Gojira in all it’s various incarnations (or A Million and One Stupid Variations as the article in Super 7 #1 was titled). I am now excited to add some additional info to one of my favorite threads on SB. I have been discovering evidence of similar examples of the "limited 500 run" gojis that Brian describes on the first post of this thread, and in what looks to be a light blue or green vinyl with dark green and blue sprays. Yuji Nishimura-san describes one such version here: from (bottom-left): (Also, note the sealed Bullmark Hawaiian metallic green-spray goji with a Shirokiya Hawaii $3.71 price tag on the right - so rad). Just what is this version in the photos? It looks similar to the one Brian picked up in colors and overall design, but is described as light blue vinyl with all-over green paint. It's possible that the colors blue or green could be a bit subjective depending on many factors, such as aging, exposure, sunlight, and photograph lighting, but note the color of the vinyl on the inside of the leg joint below: It almost seems to be a lighter blue than the greenish color seen on the exterior of the toy. So, is it blue, green, aqua, or all of the above? Were there different runs with slightly different vinyl and paint colors? Very likely. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I am completely fascinated obsessed with the history of this toy, and I just love everything about it: sculpt, proportion, expression, and especially this rare vinyl and paint color version that just seems even more rugged and wild... so, when the opportunity presented itself, I did indeed jump all the way in. So, just what exactly have I found here? click spoiler Spoiler Overall, it looks either blue or green depending on the light! It also seems to be completely covered with dark green and blue paint. It smells so strongly aged that it's almost shocking, even compared to other vintage pieces I own. While this one seems to be more light blue than green, it seems to be of the same era of these early run Marusan gojiras. It would be great to see any other Marusan lore or photos that people have of these rare monsters. I never thought the Bullmark Hawaiian-spray gojiras could be dethroned, but in my opinion, this just may be the one to do it!
@deafmetal Great score Mark, is certainly a beautiful piece and the story behind it's just sensational. Many thanks for the explanation, rather I would say an article. And again congratulations for this mayor score!
Mark, I am blown away. That is a such an incredible find. Many sincere congratulations on landing such a prize of toy and collecting worlds. WOWSERS. And thank you so much for sharing the additional research here. I greatly admire the passion and dedication this shows, and truly reflects how you are doing this out of love and respect, solely for your own reasons and not the 'admiration' of others, which is the pinnacle of the hobby. As far as adding more to the discussion, I don't have much to add that you haven't already learned from your homework or from Herr Flynn himself. To me, that Goji you picked up certainly seems to be the 'pale blue' version (vinyl that is) which you've shared in that second photo. I am not sure if this is the same one as shown in the Yuji book, but could well be. It may even be that the 'glare' that you can sort of see on the end of his nose is actually where the paint is thinner, and you can see more of the lighter base coming through. So in that way, while yours also has it, it seems less a degree of wear, than a common feature that all of them in the three photos above share. I have not had the fortune of seeing one in person (lucky you, you sonofagun!) but it does seem to be more of a mix of blue and green paints, which gives it that almost teal appearance. Anyways, enough over-analysing [for now ]. Congratulations on landing - as Brian himself put it - a true grail. This is epic collecting at its finest, and he is going to be a wonderful addition to your Godzilla family. I can think of few places he will belong better. Care to share/dare I enquire as to the details of hunting and coming across this guy? How many labyrinths did you have to navigate and many adversaries did you best? I can imagine the wait for him to land and check him out in person was something next to excruciating. Hope you didn't have to give up an entire college tuition to make him yours.... but then again, I;m not saying he isn't worth it.
