Mondo got the Godzilla license

Discussion in 'Americans and Other Western Gaijin' started by JoeMan, Jul 25, 2021.

  1. JoeMan

    JoeMan Mini Boss

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    And has been releasing soft vinyl toys. I kind of like the Cherry Blossom Godzilla, but the influx of new Godzilla’s and Hedorah’s popping up everywhere is reaching peak saturation for me. Is it all just due to the timing of Godzilla vs Kong and companies trying to strike while it’s fresh in the public eye?






     
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  2. The Moog

    The Moog Die-Cast

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    I'm seeing some talk on FB about bots and flippers over the Mondo ... plenty of pissed off punters.
     
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  3. Grindingmachete

    Grindingmachete Toy Prince

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    Yeah unfortunately mondo has already been doing “limited” everything and the flippers have been with them every step of the way. So anyone who didn’t see this coming got their hope up. I didn’t try but liked the color of hedo
     
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  4. Rich

    Rich Die-Cast

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    It’s not just mondo. The Toho license has been granted to a few companies.

    Most of these artist are offered pretty much the entire toho character roster. It’s just that they all pretty much have chosen to make Godzilla.

    I was offered a license by one of these companies and choose to go with a more fitting character. How it will play out time will still tell.

    Again, I get why people would choose Godzilla, I just find that it’s insanely saturated. At least Shig balanced out his Godzilla with a more less known character as his follow up.
     
  5. JoeMan

    JoeMan Mini Boss

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    Doesn’t even seem like you need a license now as that Akamateshi dude and lemaotoy have proven. Just make the toy and don’t call it by the Toho name.

    Like Roger pointed out in the Nag thread, it’s like the American bootleggers going HAM on Star Wars, Lucas and Disney didn’t care, probably not enough money in the Indy work to bother with it, and it just boosted the pop culture appeal. Toho Seems to be the same way.
     
  6. zindabad

    zindabad Line of Credit

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    Godzilla seemed competent but uninspired. Hedo was... what the hell, honestly. I love a chibi look as much as the next clueless normie but something is just way off about the giant eyes and head there. As for saltiness around this release, I'm a little surprised as you can bag similar palettes from neo-Bullmark and M-1, on cooler sculpts, and get more vinyl for similar money. Of course the completist urge is real, and Godzilla probably has the most die-hards who want literally everything. We all have obsessions.

    Mondo also showed off an upcoming 'small statue series' featuring the original 54, the Hanna Barbera cartoon design from 1978, and an original design by Peter Santa-Maria/Attack Peter. That last one's probably bigger news for lino block printing nerds, as it's skinned in what's become the man's signature print style. I like the idea but it's a bit minimal for me, assuming it doesn't move. On the other hand if this is a jointed toy and not actually a statue, I'm probably in just for the novelty of it. Of the three, I'd say the Barbera is probably the only one on my radar since Rugrats ripped off that design for the kaiju Reptar, and I grew up on that show. The 54 looks nicely-done (hard to tell from a b&w image of course), but with long list of movie-accurate toys and kits already out there, I'm not sure why it exists.

    Edit--Just realised Joe also posted these images, my apologies

    [​IMG]
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  7. JoeMan

    JoeMan Mini Boss

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    I imagine there are tons of mondo collectors who bought these with no clue what m1, marusan, bullmark, marmit or any other Japanese brands are.
     
  8. Roger

    Roger Vintage

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    Many Facebook threads across multiple groups complaining about how quickly these figures sold out. I'm surprised that Mondo didn't burn all their goodwill with those folks after all of those broken Pulgasari figures.

    I like the Godzilla, I am not big on the Heisei designs but glow vinyl plus those bright paints make it look like something Marusan makes nowadays. $95 isn't too bad for a 7.5" figure, but I wonder why that scale was chosen instead of 9".

    The Hedorah is kind of baffling to me. It looks like a Funko Pop and it's not priced at what folks would pay for a Funko Pop. If they're making a "normal" sofubi Godzilla, why not make a Hedorah that looks right standing alongside it?

    Joe, I completely agree with you about how there are people who just collect Mondo's record albums and posters, and this is exposing them to this type of toy for the first time. But they're also getting a taste of what us longtime sofubi collectors suffer with - limited runs, quick sellthroughs, dealing with flippers. Welcome to "the scene," suckers!
     
  9. Biff

    Biff S7 Royalty

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    I stayed away from the pink Godzilla -all the damaged Pulgasaris made me question the quality of the vinyl/ manuf Mondo is using. And I see I am not alone in just flat out not liking the Hedorah.
     
  10. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    I definitely think there’s a boom right now, and over saturation seems imminent. Secret Base teasing a Goji was strange to me, even with a lot of their licensed toys that have been getting made and released the last handful of years. I made a joke the other day that Toho seems to have had a clearance sale in licensing fees. Even outside of official releases there’s an influx of bootleg and knockoff type toys, both resin and vinyl. I can’t help see Kong vs Godzilla as the initial culprit, and as many as possible just following suit. I can’t at all say I’m mad at it; I’m not. Just an observation. Though I will say I personally find Goji licensed toys and releases more appropriate for the likes of Mondo than I do Hirota or Shig.
     
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  11. SpectralNight

    SpectralNight Toy Prince

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    I think this has been kept in black & white for their social announcements. So, if anyone is curious what the next few colors are...
    [​IMG]

    As I predicted 'Cherry Blossom' was easily the most fun color way (UMI might be cool if it was also a glow). But, Yeah, I gotta agree with the sentiments above. Not a really exciting vinyl. Sorta lacking life and character. The Hedorah was weird, but for better or worse, it at least was a very distinct.

    I have this Marmit Vinyl Wars figure, sculpted by Masami Yamada, and also based on the 1984 Godzilla. Just absolutely DESTROYS these new ones.

    [​IMG]
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    Last edited: Jul 26, 2021
  12. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    The last three Goji look pretty rad, I think. Not super exciting, but still cool. And I actually think the Hedorah is fun. Has a bit of a chibi, Parababy feel to it in my eyes, and I thought the Cherry Blossom version looked cool. This particular Goji isn’t super inspired, but I think the simplistic, literal toy look to it fits just right for Mondo. Kinda reminds me of the Grody Shogun x Yakamatsu ‘64 Goji from a few years back, just arms tucked into the ribs.
     
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  13. animator

    animator Mr. Freshly Smacked Ass Staff Member

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    I don't want to hate on Mondo, I have around 50 of their posters which used to be well thought out and crafted. They made a lot of great illustrators more well known and continue to do so. When they started venturing into vinyl(records) and enamel pins they too were well crafted.

    Now I just see mondo as making stuff like everyone else. I know they have a giant fanbase but I've fallen off interest with them. Specifically talking vinyl(toys) I think Godzilla was an obvious choice as they have made a ton of Godzilla posters for multiple movies over the years, and a lot of them are amazing...and also quick to sell out.

    My lack of interest is mainly in their design process. Prior to these toys they made an Iron Giant toy through unbox, and while the idea was cool, the execution looked like any other iron giant toy. From a design standpoint it didn't work great for vinyl. It was an action figure or a statue(which they've also made). So my main takeaway is they initially had amazing art direction and artists for print work but haven't fully transitioned this into toys. Hopefully they will make some inspiring stuff again soon
     
  14. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    @animator I can see that viewpoint. And while I’m not very familiar with Mondo’s creative track record, I’ve heard your sentiment shared by a few others that are. Perhaps it’s just sort of getting the toes wet kind of thing where they just gotta find their footing in soft vinyl toy design, and not so much transitioning statue/action figure design into soft vinyl. If anything I’d say they’re working with what they know and can learn along the way!
     
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  15. Ghost Attack

    Ghost Attack Toy Prince

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    I kinda hate that I love the second two as much as I do, since I know I'll never get one thanks to Mondo's false-scarcity model.
     
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  16. Roger

    Roger Vintage

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
  17. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    @Roger I shot their Godzilla, Hedorah, Jet Jaguar and Man - Thing figures. They’re solid quality, but exactly what you’d expect them to be for the Chinese vinyl, which I do not dub as a negative. Heavy - ish, thick. The Goji and Man - Thing are heavily textured and have a bit of an action figure vibe in hand, and the paints are quite nice. I think the aftermarket prices for these figures solely comes out of the majority of Mondo’s audience pining at the teeth for “limited” items, rather than the items themselves. Hardcore collector mentality, as opposed to hardcore Godzilla mentality, though I’m sure there’s a heavily combination of both in individual collectors.
     
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  18. Piecewise

    Piecewise Toy Prince

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    [​IMG]
    I grabbed this. I like it.
     
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  19. gazpacho

    gazpacho Comment King

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    Sweet nft
     
  20. Piecewise

    Piecewise Toy Prince

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    An interesting place to make that argument.
     
  21. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    Damn, my photos are clean enough to look like a fuckin’ NFT? I’ll take it!

    As for the Biollante, these are really, really nice in hand. Very chunky and girthy in size and handling. They are digitally sculpted, but I don’t count it as a negative in the slightest. And the paints are pretty goddamn nice. I handled the master paints for three versions, but the factory paints are comin’ out very nicely. The articulation for the vines and floral mouths are a lot of fun.
     
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  22. JoeMan

    JoeMan Mini Boss

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    The Biolante is the stand out and I considered picking one up, but the pre-order method is a real turn off and the fulfillment time is way too long, and they just keep offering new colorways without fulfilling previous ones
     
  23. Large Logan

    Large Logan Fresh Meat

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    Do we know if they're going to continue the Godzilla Museum series? I've got the Attack Peter statue and it's one of my absolute favorites.

    Also, does the AP Godzilla qualify as sofubi?
     
  24. Roger

    Roger Vintage

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
  25. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Mondo got the Godzilla license
    @Roger It most certainly is! With the exception of the green Biollante all photos on that page were taken by me! :D
     
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