Hukkokudo Toys

Discussion in 'Japan Toys' started by ultrakaiju, Dec 10, 2016.

  1. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Hukkokudo Toys
    I always thought it a great oversight that one of my favourite lines did not have a dedicated thread on here, so time to rectify that. While there is TE discussion/appreciation for whole collections, I think this is possible distinct enough to warrant individual recognition.

    For me, Hukkokudo is truly amazing with the re-issues it does of classic kaiju monsters. I don't know how exactly the licensing works for these guys, probably John might be able to fill in massive gaps I am sure with his wealth of knowledge, but however it came to be, some of my all-time favourite toys come from Hukkokudo. And I have them - by way of Chris over at GT - to largely thank for bringing me into the full-size kaiju hobby. Their Diatryma [re]issue floored me as soon as I saw it, and I have been hooked ever since. Not sure how much more there will be to add in the way of new stuff, but hopefully there are a couple other fans on here who appreciate the craftwork of these toys, and classic Japanese pachi monsters. So, on to the toys...

    Picked this guy up not too far back. He is unnamed as far as know, with only the moniker Space Monster No. 3 (宇宙怪獣3号), and is of course another reissue of a vintage original character toy (which you can check out here). You might not be able to easily tell from the photos, but he is actually a very hefty monster. The wonderful tatsurus (holder of a very impressive collection) has another version of him that I have always coveted, in a similar paint to the vintage version [itself a wonderful Marusan Gomora tribute]. Happy to have adopted this guy when I had the chance.





    So now that it's started, share away or just discuss the wonders the these fellas. Hopefully I am not the only one that has a hungry hankerin' for Hukkokudo.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2016
  2. Hastur

    Hastur Toy Prince

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    [​IMG]
    I love the crude naïvety of the hukkokkudo reissues. This one is my personal favourite together with the ikb smogon:
    [​IMG]
    I hope you can see it through my dubious photography...
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2016
  3. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Last edited: Dec 10, 2016
  4. MisterYuck

    MisterYuck Comment King

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    They all look like bastard children and I love them for that. Thank you for bringing these guys to my attention!
     
  5. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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  6. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Thanks Chris, and my sincere apologies. I thought that there was, somewhere, in vague memories of yore. I vainly tried multiple searches, and yet could never get this to come up for whatever reason. [Alas, for that search function] Just what I as looking for in fact, and sadly, one of the brilliant diamonds of knowledge left buried in the SB archives. I figured either you or John would have been the ones, and reached out to him, and should have done the same for you, so my own fault for that. As I don't think (but do hold out hope) that they are still producing anything in the line, maybe I will move this over to the collection section, and we can just keep using it for sharing our love for these superb toys. Many thanks for the reminder on that one, time to relive some wonder.
     
  7. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    No apologies needed man, it was just a long forgotten thread titled New Hukkokudo and it's from when Hukkokudo was releasing a bunch of stuff. I know TE still puts out things from time to time but its not to the frequency it once was, hence why it got buried. I only mentioned it as an additional resource for here. I dig this thread idea as it has more picture potential!

    I often use the 'in title' search feature and sometimes get better results. I use it mainly when I can't find what I'm looking for but vaguely remember the thread title name.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2016
  8. bansheebot

    bansheebot Super Deformed

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    I used to have a ton of Hukkokudo but have since traded / sold (paging @dave zav -- he grabbed a bunch of them and has a great Hukkokudo crew!) a majority of it. I've kept several of my favorites, though. I'm pretty sure my first Hukkokudo purchase was the clear green Hedo that Kaiju-Taro offered once upon a time. 'Member? I 'member.

    Some of these I still have, some I don't.











     
  9. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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  10. bansheebot

    bansheebot Super Deformed

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    Couldn't tell ya! I'm pretty sure I picked him up from Tim Plover several years back, that's all I know.
     
  11. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    I think that was 1 of many 1 offs, I have searched for that version for years to no avail.

    It matches the Target Earth Smogon 2Go chase version from the original releases.

    The full set of the Hedoran would look so very good together in those tones!
     
  12. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    [​IMG]
    Nay, not a one off. Took some searching in the deep recesses of my brain but I had to take the way back machine of my mind to 2009. This was offered when Hukkokudo was doing regular releases of the reprint sculpts in different colorways. I know it was offered when I purchased the Hawaiian themed Beralgon from Grumble Toy in 2009. Double checked Joe's old Kaiju Chronicle pic dump on Flickr (see all you whippersnappers on instagram don't get the deep photo inventory form the old days here that exists on flickr) and this confirmed it, because it was right next to that Beralgon I purchased. This sparked my memory as I recall it being offered then.

    It might have been a one off early on but was definitely made into a regular release colorway eventually.
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2016
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  13. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    Oh cool glad to hear that Chris, maybe one will surface after all.

    That Hedoran seems to have lots more version than the others.

    BTW this has long been one of my favorite toy related photos!

    [​IMG]
     
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  14. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Yeah John that hedorah should not be too difficult to find. I say that sort of half-assed with hope because I often find myself looking for toys I know were quite common back say in 2007-2010, yet are somehow difficult to find now (I'm looking at you Kaijuken Glow Yamashiros!). My guess is many toys despite being common and not that sought after (or hype died) never come up for sale because the profit margin isn't there- so most don't want to go through the effort of listing them. At least I keep telling myself that lol.

    As far as that pic, I used to love taking my toys out to Delaware Park in Buffalo because of the fantastic natural light/ cool backgrounds I'd get. The shot was almost pure accident just trying to fit these two giant toys in the camera frame. I went apeshit when Hukkokudo finally put out Ceratosaurus and pre ordered the greyish/olive version (my fave version) from GT and while waiting for that bought a Green version on Mandarake. I think there was a mix up and me an PK got each others versions, so I had two greens but we mailed the correct versions to each other. GT Chris was on the case so it got sorted quick.

    I've since sold the green one to dave z but still have the olive/grey one.

    You, Dave, Paul Kaiju and Mark K (and I'm sure more people here do) have really nice Hukkokudo collections you guys should post pics!

    @dave zav
    @kichigai
    @Mark K
    @Paulkaiju
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2016
  15. akum6n

    akum6n Vintage

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    The pastel-colored Hedoro is from the 2009 Summer Patchi-Summit. Thinking back, I sometimes kick myself for passing on some of the super-limited Marmit/TE/Hukko items offered through Grumble Toy, since they rarely surfaced later on, if at all.
     
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  16. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    This damn thread made me buy a Beralgon I've wanted forever, thanks ebay seller lol! Now if I could only find the green headed reprint og color version as well as the Tetran with blue and brown dots (two in the center of this pic)!:

    [​IMG]

    Thankfully I'm not a completist but seriously now have 5 out of 9 of the Space Kaiju 1 & 2 so maybe (not my pics):

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    What I always loved about Hukkokudo is if you tried to buy any of these vintage toys by the original companies like IKB, Miura, Yonezawa they'd cost you a fortune! Daniel schooled me on who made who years ago but in the site transfer I lost that saved PM.
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2016
  17. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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  18. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Damn, lovely addition Lixx. Thrilled that you were able to pick him up. I am glad this thread is bringing out the Hukkokudo fans. These toys (and the vintage originals that inspired them of course) most definitely deserve it. And as far as collections go, yours is not all that shabby either man! Count me in on one of those feeling deep regrets over not ordering a helluva lot more from places like GT when I had the chance - not that I had any funds to do so in those days.
     
  19. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Thanks Steve, I'm of the opinion these days where I can't debate on picking up older neo kaiju. Because then you never see one come up for sale.

    Yeah with the exception of Smoguns, Maity, and sometimes Hedos & Zags- the Hukkokudo series are pretty hard to come by. You almost never seen any Space Kaiju anymore and the other dino creatures are becoming harder to score. Personally pissed I not only missed Saidon when offered but Medicom even did another run (along with Uchugenjin) which I also missed. Quite a few came on Mandarake but it was the worst kind of miss ever! The kind of miss where you convince yourself "Ohhh these things keep popping up cheap I'll always be able to score one!" Then they suddenly don't appear anymore. So missed in three separate waves- how dumb can I be? Are they rare? Probably not but people love them and they remain in collections.

    EDIT: I also made a mistake there is another Tetran that was offered when that pastel Hedo was- slightly lighter blue vinyl but silver eyes and silver/ dark blue highlights instead of brown. So 5 Tertrans and 5 Beralgons (or Space Kaiju 2 and 1). Check it out at the bottom here:

    http://kaijuchronicle.blogspot.com/search?q=hukkokudo&x=0&y=0

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2016
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  20. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Can't believe I lucked out on these gems on the bay! Was searching for something completely irrelevant and came across both from same seller. I've been looking for the original OG colors of both sculpts since they started putting these guys out what about 8 years ago or more? I may never really be able to afford the originals but damn it if these two weren't elusive forever!
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Honestly if the seller is on SB, you are the man and a super fast shipper! Thanks for putting me out of my misery. I decided these two are worth more to me than the new Medicom Goga for sure.

    Definitely going for completeness now as I literally only have 3 more to go for completion..
     
  21. hellointerloper

    hellointerloper S7 Royalty

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    Go for it! There will always be more Medicom Gogas. I doubt Medicom is going to let their cash cow go away anytime soon.
     
  22. akum6n

    akum6n Vintage

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    Now that Hukkokudo is pretty much long gone (as a separate toy line, anyhow), I feel like I appreciate their lineup more than I did at the time. That sounds stupid, but I think there was just too much coming out at one time when Hukko was active. I remember seeing releases and just thinking 'oh there's another one'. The ~$100 retail price probably didn't help either (since that was expensive back in those days).
     
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  23. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    Very nice Chris! :shock: The Tetran has an especially nice texture. Great seeing all of the different colors in the line up! Now you just have to get them all to synchronously lift a single leg, then take a pic of the monsters-follies dance lineup :D

    p.s. I'm also starting to come around to some of the neo-kaiju classic monsters. Vintage is so expensive these days, and many rarely pop up for adoption anymore! It's nice to see shiny toys on the shelf, and besides, in 40 more years, they'll be vintage (but I'll be dead by then! ;))
     
  24. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    @akum6n I agree- same boat. At the time 7-8 yrs ago most of the neo kaiju companies (even ones reissuing vintage toy sculpts) were putting out 3-4 colorways a year it seemed. So many of us just assumed this would continue for a long time. I know I have many regrets concerning some toys from those days.

    @Mr. Humphreys Essentially what I want is the toy. Would I rather have the vintage original? Sure! But not only do you have to deal with how expensive vintage has become (and outbidding plenty of people in the process) but often WHEN they show up. Sometimes things don't appear for years- if ever. I think buying a reissue is so much easier and satisfying in some cases. I mean they are from the same molds so it's the same toy just 30 some years later (added bonus- brand spanking new with no rubs). And yes you are correct give it a few more decades and they are vintage as well (and much rarer due to smaller runs) ;)
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2017
  25. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Excellent scores on that Hukkokudo duo, Chris! I'd be incredibly jealous (heck, who am I kidding I am still staring at those fellas with envy) if i didn't know they went to a very appreciating guy. What a fantastic thing to stumble upon by chance, definitely something you don't see crop up anymore these days, and totally bypassed all my old alerts from years back for these. Very nice. I have to echo Daniel's thoughts as well, if I never reached that 'saturation' point, I definitely took it for granted and was thrown by the (to me) high price point at the time. Funny how so much of this hobby has changed in hindsight over the years (just think of Buta toys too), and how looking back we were ever so foolish; and yet, I honestly can't see the same thing ever happening with the 'toys' I see for sale these days.
     

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