Figure Review - NECA 12-inch (Head-to-Tail) Godzilla Action Figure

 

Boy, has it been a long time since we last did a figure review! I must apologize for the lack of reviews over the past several months. I recently started working towards a Bachelors Degree, and my school work on top of my regular day job have been keeping me very busy. However, I'm done with school for the semester, so I'll be able to whip up various reviews over the summer months. Without further ado, let's get started!

Gareth Edwards' reboot of the Godzilla franchise hit theaters last Thursday and Friday and proved to be a massive hit worldwide! The King of the Monsters has truly returned, and I was so happy with the movie (and have watched it three times already). In the past few months, Bandai USA has released an entire wave of Godzilla action figures and playsets while Jakks Pacific gave us their enormous 22” tall Godzilla figure (a personal favorite of mine). However, those are still considered children's toys rather than adult collectibles. Thankfully NECA is the first to release a figure of the new Godzilla aimed towards well seasoned collectors.

NECA's 12-inch (head-to-tail) Godzilla action figure stands at around 6 inches tall. The overall sculpt is pretty fantastic and faithfully represents what we see in the movie. For those of you who were wondering, no, this figure is not in scale with NECA's Pacific Rim figure line. It does, however, stand in well alongside Tamashii Nations' S.H. MonsterArts figures, as well as with Bandai's Pack of Destruction Winged MUTO. 

The detailing on this figure is pretty great. NECA has done an outstanding job with their Godzilla figure, giving it screen-accurate detailing on the skin, dorsal plates, claws, and tail. The teeth are painted in quite nicely as well as the inside of the figure's mouth. My one (very minor) complaint about the detailing is the paint apps on the eyes. Godzilla's eyes are supposed to be rounded instead of the usual slit-like pupils. Still, it's a very minimal issue on my part, because the things done right on this figure outweigh the problems.

When it comes to the articulation on this figure, I had expected it to have less than what it really does have! The jaw opens and closes – though I wished it could open wider than it does. 

The head and neck are both on ball joints and can turn and lean on either side. The shoulders are on ball joints, allowing one to rotate them and push them inwards or spread his shoulders outwards. The elbows are on hinge joints, but can still be rotated around. The wrists are on ball joints too. The figure's midsection is on a ball joint and can twist and turn, allowing Godzilla to be put into various dynamic poses. The legs are on ball joints, allowing more freedom to give Godzilla whatever stance one desires. The knees, however, are on ball joints too, but are not completely articulated. The legs from the knee down can be twisted and bent in and out very minimally. This isn't a huge issue though.

Godzilla's ankles are on ball joints as well and can be swiveled. In many of the figure's poses, both feet can still be place flat on the ground. The figure's tail is quite impressive. It is by no means on the same level as S.H. MonsterArts, but it's a step closer into that direction. The tail is segmented with four ball joints half way down. The final segment is where one would need to attach the tail since the figure requires minor assembling upon taking it out of the packaging. After the fourth segment, the tail can be moved via a bendy wire. The wire extends for a good while leaving a couple of inches of the tail free. 

Overall, NECA's take on Godzilla is a pretty solid one. This is NECA at their best, unlike in the early days of their Pacific Rim figure series. The 12” head-to-tail Godzilla is a fantastic figure especially when you factor in the detail and its retail cost of around $20. It is not on the same level as S.H. MonsterArts, as I've stressed in this review, but it's a step in the right direction for NECA, especially since they have two new Godzilla figures coming out this year in their Classic line of figures: Godzilla 1994, coming out in July, and Godzilla 1984, which still does not have a confirmed release date. NECA also has one more modern Godzilla figure coming out, which will stand 12 inches tall, and be 24 inches long. It will also have sound effects too. That figure will be released sometime in June.

All we need now is NECA to do figures of the MUTOs to accompany their Godzilla.

Be sure to read the review for this figure by our friends at Kaiju Addicts!