HIROTA SAIGANSHO


Company Name: Hirota Saigansho
Company President: Yasuaki Hirota-san

The kanji used for Saigan can be translated as "color toy." The first two kanji are pretty clear that it's color toy. The last kanji for sho can have a few meanings and translation can be as such "space, scene, place." All together I am going with the translation "Mr Hirota Color Toy Scene."

From the looks of it. Hirota-san has his own vinyl factory.



Hirota Saigansho released it's first Gorilla-ju in late 2009 that were lotto off thru Cosmo Knight Alpha, most likey it was also sold thru other venues. The production runs seem to vary between 20-40. Most likey increasing in numbers as it becomes more popular and sort after. Saigansho started to individually numbered each one on the bottom of their foot in marker starting with the 7th release (green version).

Kanji for Gorilla Beast: ゴリラ獣 (romaji: Gorira-ju)

Photos used are from various sources. If I used a photo of yours that you do not wish to be used, let me know and I will remove it. Not all the information may be 100% accurate. Additional information and corrections are welcome. Thanks!


GORILLA-JU DATABASE:

1st release October 2009. Original price 9,000 yen. Two versions exist.

1st release variant




2nd release November 2009. Original price 9,000 yen. 2 versions exist. First version has a the omake native person painted brown.

The second variant has the omake native person painted olive drab. Gorilla-ju tit area are lightly sprayed with a faint green.




3rd release February 2010. Original retail price 9,000 yen:





4th release April 2010. Two versions released. A standard with GID omake person and a secret color version with red omake person. Original retail price 9,000 yen:


4th release April 2010 variant




5th release May 2010. Original retail price 9,000 yen:

6th release June 2010. The omake for this release are all painted different. Some have different painted skin and shorts.





7th release December 2010. A male and female omake given with the Gorilla-ju. First appearance of a native female.






8th release February 2011




9th release






10th release July 2011. Original retail price 10,000 yen.

11th release of a Gorilla-Ju which is only sold as a set with the debut of the 1st new Mecha Gorilla-Ju head. Omake are both a native and a missle. Set is limited to 30. Cost 21,000 yen. Release late December 2011.



12th release of a Gorilla-Ju which is only sold as a set with the second release of Tyranno-Ju. Not sold via lottery, Only offered to random unsuccessful applicants from first release Tyranno-ju Lottery. Price for this set offer is 23,000 yen + S&H. Set released May 2012

MECHA GORILLA-JU DATABASE

The Mecha Gorilla-ju was created as Gorilla-ju first enemy. It is unknown if the very first release are individually number. The second release on the brown vinyl are individually numbered on the bottom of the foot.


Bottom of the feet of the 1st release. The logo on the right foot is "HS" for Hirota Saigansho and the symbol of the Japanese flag is on the other foot.

1st released early June 2011. Original cost 12,000 yen. Comes with a banzai soldier and missle.





Picture of the omake missile and banzai soldier for the second release. Hirota-san creation of the banzai soldier is in reference to the banzai charge battle cry when soldiers would rush their enemy yelling out fiercely "banzai." This battle cry was to instill fear into the enemy of the oncoming charge of the fearless Japanese soldier that was willing to accept death than defeat. Banzai is a traditional Japanese exclamation meaning "Ten thousand years."

Poor banzai soldier rushing to his death to try and defeat Mecha Gorilla Ju. Poor guy never had a chance.



2nd release late July 2011. Made of dark brown vinyl. The original cost was 12,000 yen which included shipping only inside Japan. The omake (extra/bonus) that comes with this, is only a missle unlike the prior first releases came with a missle and a banzai soldier.



The missle for the third release of Mecha Gorilla-ju is made of a glow in the dark vinyl.
Many of the omake for this third release are painted in different variations as shown from the following pictures:


Preview of the 3rd release which will be on red vinyl and will be painted. The Tokyo Tower is unrelated to the figure and was only an extra prop for the picture.



3rd release. Original cost 12,000 yen (cost includes shipping inside Japan only, international shipping is extra). Omake is only a missle made of blue vinyl. Each missle is painted differently. For the first time Hirota Saigansho officially announces on his blog he will accept international orders (Yay!). Release date September 2011.





Some of the different painted missles:


3rd release Mecha Gorilla-ju variant with a normal Gorilla-ju head is known as "Cyborg Gorilla-ju." As shown in the preview picture by HS, there were 2 normal Gorilla-ju heads mixed in with the 40 Mecha Gorilla-ju heads. There are actually a total of 3 of this variant. Only 2 were part of the lottery. The 3rd was auction off directly by HS on YJA in December 2011. The YJA ended December 10, 2011 for 200,000 yen. The Cyborg Gorilla-ju come with a blue native female instead of a missle.

4th release October 2011. The main body is molded in a dark blue vinyl and the head, arms, and legs are molded in a lighter blue vinyl. Omake is only a missle. Original retail 12,000 yen. Limited edition of 40 regular Mecha Gorilla Ju and each one numbered individually on the bottom of the foot.





4th release variant Cyborg Gorilla-Ju. There are 2 Cyborg Gorilla-Ju made available as a variant. Only 1 was part of the sales when the 4th release was first offer. The 2nd was released as an official HS auction in December 2011.


The auction came with 2 omake of a male and female native.




5th release. Released Nov 28. Original price 12,000 yen. The omake is a missle made of canary yellow vinyl. Each missle tip and nuke symbol are painted differently. Limited edition of 40 with each numbered individually on the bottom of the foot.







6th release. Per HS shipping released March 8, 2012. Original price 12,000 yen. The omake is a missle made of clear various colored vinyl with glitter. Limited edition. Production run unknown. Prior releases were numbered on the bottom of the feet. I believe HS stopped individually numbering then on this run.





7th release. 1-off auction directly from HS. Auction ended on August 27, 2012 for 489,000 yen.




8th release. Price 12,000 yen (+S&H for International). HS second poster lottery winners for "Terror of Mecha Gorilla-Ju" poster received an email at random from HS on November 4, 2012 to purchase this 8th release.
These photos were only sent to those chosen to purchase the newest release.







MECHA GORILLA-JU (Alternative Head)
HS December 19, 2011 blog preview of a newly sculpted head for the Mecha Gorilla Ju body. Crazy face gorilla type kaiju. This proto has silver eyes. The first standard release has red eyes.


1st release. Introduction of a new style Mecha Gorilla-Ju head sold only as a set with the 11th release of a Gorilla-Ju. Omake are both a native and a missle. Set is limited to 30. Cost 21,000 yen. Release late December 2011.






2nd release. GID vinyl. Sold at SDCC (San Diego Comic Con) held from July 12-15, 2012.

Image from Andy of Kaiju Korner: http://kaijukorner.blogspot.com/

MECHA GORILLA JU 2 DATABASE

Preview new sculpt by Hirota on his blog June 19, 2012.




1st release. Sold at San Diego Comic Con held from July 12-15, 2012. Each Andoro-Sei Ju omake is uniquely painted.

Image from Andy of Kaiju Korner: http://kaijukorner.blogspot.com/

The Andoro-Sei Ju omake that came with the MG2 release at SDCC.




2nd release. Lottery open public sales submissions from August 10 to 12, 2012 directly from HS. 2 color eye versions of either red or yellow given at random to lottery winners. Each Andoro-Sei Ju omake is uniquely painted differently. Price 16,000 yen. Late August 2012 release.





3rd release. Price 16,000 yen. Second secret private lottery from purchase of the 2nd HS Poster Terror of Mecha Gorilla Ju. Mid November 2012 release.




TYRANNO-JU DATABASE

Character: Tyranno Beast (Japanese: チラノ獣, Romaji: Chirano Jū)

HS is working on a 2nd enemy of Gorilla-ju which will be a Dinosaur.

Preview from HS blog October 22, 2011. Picture is of the clay sculpting stage.


1st release. Only those that were able to win and purchase the HS kaiju poster were allowed a chance to enter the lottery for the first release of Tyranno-Ju. Limited edition of only 30 made and each individually numbered on the back of the header card. This is the first time HS has switched to packaging in bag with header card. Comes with a native person omake. Cost 13,000 yen. Late April 2012 release.












2nd release of a Tyranno-Ju which is only sold as a set with the 12th release of a Gorilla-Ju. Not sold via lottery, Only offered to random unsuccessful applicants from first release Tyranno-ju Lottery. Price for this set offer is 23,000 yen + S&H. Set released May 2012





3rd release of a Tyranno-Ju. Lottery limited to 30 pieces. 2 color eye versions red or yellow given at random. Lotto submissions from October 2 & 3, 2012 (Japan Time). Price 13,000 yen + S&H. Released October 2012.

You're missing the black one's ("regular" and "chase" versions) and there were 2 versions of the 2nd release. I've heard there are 2 versions of the 1st as well.

1st HS Kaiju Poster. Simply titled as "Kaiju Poster" and sold directly from HS. B2 size poster (51.5 cm x 72.8 cm). Limited edition of 150 produced. Orders had exceeded the production making this a lottery per Hirota-san. Original price 3,000 yen + S&H. Released April 2012.




2nd HS Kaiju Poster titled "Terror of Mecha Gorilla Ju." and sold directly from HS. B2 size poster (51.5 cm x 72.8 cm). Limited edition of 150 produced. Poster sold as a lottery since the number of orders exceed production run. Original price 3,800 yen + S&H. Order submissions from October 21-24, 2012. HS planned shipping October 29, 2012.





MECHA GORILLA-JU RUMOR ORIGINS

Currently I have labeled this as rumor as I cannot find confirm it with a direct source from HS. We can certainly see where the influences of the Mecha Gorilla-ju comes from. I'll let you decide if Hirota-san got his inspiration from Robot Kong disection drawing that appeared in a book.

"The King Kong Show" animation tv show broadcasted from September 10, 1966 to August 31, 1969 in the USA first. It was also broadcasted a few months later in Japan. It feature a mad scientist named Dr. Who who created Robot Kong.



Mechani Kong from the 1967 film King Kong Escapes was influence from the anime show character Dr Who and Robot Kong.


This illustration titled "Death Battle with Robot Kong" was drawn by Takashi Minamimura and first appeared in 1967 Shonen Magazine. The illustration has been republished a few times since. This Robot Kong illustration may have been Hirota-san influence of his Mecha Gorilla Beast vinyl figure. The picture shows the mad scientist Dr Who, And Robot Kong fighting King Kong.

Wow, I'd never noticed the military man that MGJ comes with - everyone always pictures it with the missile, but the human is fucking awesome.

that black mecha jyu is swoon worthy

never really seen it before,,a very VERY undercover release me thinks...

a couple changes to your list..

- #9 black gorilla is actually the 6th release regular version (from july 2010)

- the 9th release should be the orange version (late winter/spring 2011)

- i'm pretty sure that what you have listed as the 6th release is actually a secret variant of the 4th yellow release

I hate this thread..........


Just because I don't have one of these guys

Cool Gorilla, but the scariest thing about it is the packaging it comes in. Paintjobs beware...

Love the factory pics!!!

Also, there is a brown "faux-vintage" version with blue paint and scuffed hands and feet. I believe they were NFS.

I still remember the day when Maxaltoman, myself, and NNN each walked in to purchase 3 of the very first 5 gorillas sold.

The crazy thing is we were 30 minutes late and there were still 2 left when we all walked out.

Amazingly comprehensive thread, thanks for posting all this. These Gorilla-jus really are great toys, and the fact that they come from such an independent maker is that much cooler. Would love to hit up that factor myself, where is it at exactly?

Thanks C.K! Wonderful imformation!

Oh wow! I didn't realize H.S. had his own factory and was doing the pulls himself. No wonder he releases such small runs.

I realize I'm joining in with the choir here but seriously this is all very informative. Thank you, for taking the time to post all this info up.

Thanks for starting this thread, lots of great new info.




I don't think a plastic bag protects it anymore than this netting does. Plus they're packed very well in the box he ships them in. I kinda like the netting, almost like he's caught in a trap.

Sorry, I don't know where specifically in Japan it is.



If you have a picture or know where I can get one, i'd like to add it to the database.

My only wish is that one day I can own one! (OG Ju) UGH!!
Really just so so beautiful!

Here is a shot of Natives..

^^ You mean to tell me you are blessed with that many GJs? Talk about envy.

Haha try zero, its HS's pic

ahh, now that makes a bit of sense. Interesting to seem them all together like that. I hadn't noticed the subtle height and sculpting differences without the benefit of seeing them directly next to each other.

First, my appreciation as well for the dedicated thread and work you've already put into this CK.

One thing I'm always curious about is the back story for figures like this. It's got something to do with the original King Kong lore, no? But, there's the Bandai soldier and the natives in general have something else to it. Perhaps it's something obvious that I'm missing, so I'd like to learn.

Chimply.k, thanks for all this info. This is definitely my favorite toy. Unfortunately it has become harder and harder to score. But all this info is just great and makes it a bit less hard not to have more GoJus in my life.
Also, finally! The mystery of the HS stamp solved! Thanks! I always wondered what that meant!!!