Neronga has long been one of my favorite and most coveted vinyl figures. I managed to pick up a B-Club reissue several years back, but I always thought that the sculpt looked to be different from the original. The head seemed to have been "cute-ified" and made more rounded, softer. Well, I finally managed to acquire a vintage Bullmark Neronga, and it turns out that it actually is the same. I think that the seeming difference actually arises from the placement of the eye pupils. I just thought I'd share some comparison pix, where you vintage guys and gals can appreciate the sculpt of this beautiful and whimsical figure.
Pagos and Neronga seem identical to me except for the head. Were the two monsters the same suit with the head swapped out between shows?
You're correct. Pagos and Neronga (and Gabora too) all share the same Bullmark body. As to the actual costumes for the show? I haven't actually seen these episodes so I can't comment. Perhaps someone else here can chime in.
It's not the first time it happens but I actually like the reissue better. Funny is thing is that it's because of the eyes! I probably wouldn't have noticed it if you hadn't mentioned that. But I don't like the fact that you can't almost see them on the old one. Plus I love that orange tone, it really gives a lot of life to the sculpt.
For Neronga and Pagos they just modified the 65 Baragon suit from Frankenstein Conquers the world. Nice pickup Miles! Axolotl- I was going to say the exact opposite! HA I like the muted color of the OG better, the orange/bright green is a little too garish.
I love Neronga! I just picked up a trio of shampoo bottle Nerongas from a fellow SB member, love them. I'm always a fan of the baby fat skin texture that Neronga and other kaiju have.
Nice pick up, Myles! I think I like the eyes on the vintage one better: the pupils are larger and are pointed forward more. Somehow, that looks "righter" to me!
I just spent a while staring at those eyes. It's amazing how the pupil placement changes the character. The OG defenitely seems more realistic in terms of the eyes focusing forward and not out to the sides. The eyes pointing out to the sides seem like he's not really alive.
This is a great discussion. I'm with Sanjeev, I really like the character of the pupils on the vintage - he has a real "awareness". I also appreciated blakewest's comments; good to hear others are struck by how much this changes the whole vibe of the toy. The form of the vintage is neater to me in the sense he's kinda alive-feeling. I get that ~1973 "I'm in my driveway playing with this toy" sense. However, I absolutely do like the sweet duuh dead-fish look of the B-Club. Good color and a sorta taxidermied sensibility; it is awesome in its own right. Neat to hear this is a point of contemplation for other folks, too. Cheers
excellent description fission chips, the outward eyes do give him a sort of perplexed appearance... interesting
That's pretty damned funny. Thanks for the congrats all - I don't have too many vintage vinyl kaijus (mostly vintage bot vinyls), so this is pretty monumental to me. Jonathan, we live so damned close to each other. We really should try to get together and talk shop. EDIT: Just realized this ^^ sounds like a pick-up line. LOL
I'd agree with everything that has already been pointed out about the pupils, it is amazing how something so small changes the character's demeanor. In this particular case, it is so hard to pick a favourite; I love the more menacing look of the vintage, but the centred 'googly' eyes of the re-issue seem to match the show's kaiju goofiness. All else being equal, I do like the multi-coloured highlights of the orange guy. Either way, both great scores, congrats!
