Okay, so I know that Hedorah is the smog monster, but I don't know what/who Hedoran is. It looks similar to Hedorah but "cuter" so I'm guessing it's something like Son-of-Hedorah like Minya is to Godzilla? If anyone can hook up the story of Hedoran that'd be cool - when I google "Hedoran" I just get S7 pages about the toys!

The "hedoran" is just an alternate spelling to a slightly alternate figure to avoid licensing problems with "hedorah." I believe...

yeah Hedoran is just what Gargamel calls their IKB style Hedorahs, I am not sure if when IKB originally made them that they called them Hedorans or not, that would be something to ask Brian Flynn!!!!!!! the first time I had ever seen it called that was from Gargamel.

The following info is from my post on ClubTokyo last November 2005:

"The mini Gargamel Hedoran and their other larger ones are based on the very first Smog Monster toy ever made. In 1971 when Godzilla vs. Hedorah was released, the Japanese company IKB produced their line of Smog Monsters which included standing, walking and flying/crawling versions. They came bagged with header cards and an orginal MIB example sold on eBay this past August for around $435. They show up on Yahoo Japan once in a while as well.

The Super 7 article indicates that there is confusion as to whether the IKB Hedorah's were bootlegs or perhaps licensed by Toho but did not have the standard copyright and sticker references that we have seen since the later '70's.

More information can be found in Super 7 issue 2, page 46."

As for the similar Hedorah - Hedoran names, it is clear from the Super 7 article photo and the image from the recently posted Yahoo Japan vintage auction that IKB (with the Katakana) labeled the figures as Hedorah.


That said, I am not positive if it was Gargamel that much later introduced the Hedoran nameplate.

John

Very interesting. Thanks guys! So it sounds like they are the same character and that the visual differences are just different interpretations - though they are QUITE different. And the difference in name is kinda similar to King Ghidorah (gee-DOR-ah or GEE-der-uh).
Also, while on the topic of smog monsters - is Bemon also a smog monster? Is Bemon based on a pre-existing character or did it come into existence when the recent figures were made.
What other smog monsters are there?

cool thread, i love to get me some edjumacation

(i've been wondering the same.. but too shy to ask! )

Thanks! I am happy to share the info!


The Ghidorah example is more a matter of pronunciation. The difference with Hedorah and Hedoran is the addition of the katakana n (ン) character at the end of the word.


Boy, that would be a big project but lets see what comes to mind:
Bullmark
Bandai
Bear Model
Marmit
M-1
Marusan (modern vinyl)
Iwakura
Toy Graph
CCP
Y-MSF
... others ? (I am sure I left some out)

And within each manufacturer's product line, there would be the myriad variants in terms of paint, size, vinyl type, etc.

I probably have around 40 different Smoggie versions in my collection, it would be interesting to put them all together for a "pile of sludge" pic !!

John

the Bemon is supposed to be a smog monster, its name is kougai Kaiju, which I think means smog monster, hyperP am I right???????

Yes, more specifically it translates as Pollution Monster. Another non-Toho Smog Monster was Hedoron from the Spectreman TV series


Hedoron first appeared in early 1971 in the second Spectreman episode
DESTROY THE POLLUTION MONSTER HEDORON!
Japanese title: Kougai-kaiju Hedoron o Taose!

John

where can you get copies of these shows????? thanks

I am wondering the same thing. There are a crapload of Spectreman dvd's on eBay but which are the best quality, which have dubs or subtitles, complete episodes, etc. Are all of them boots or are there any legit copies?

I have become more intrigued with the series because of the research I did this morning. Here is one reason why: the Spectreman tv series started broadcasting in Japan in 1971 with the Hedoron episode 2 first shown on January 9, 1971. The Toho film "Godzilla vs. Hedorah" was theatrically released in Japan on July 24th, 1971. So you can surmise that preproduction was overlapping by both different TV (P-Production/Fuji Television) and film (Toho) companies. So the question is, who copied who regarding the concept and names of Hedoron and Hedorah (hedoro = "sludge")? Coincidence or corporate espionage?

Regardless, here is a cool site with details on the episodes (Filmography) and lots of pics of all the Spectreman kaiju.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~NX5H-AKYM/s ... ct-e3c.htm

John

damn kaijuZoo you are very interesting. thanks for sharing your knowledge!!!!!!!!! now my next question: What is Mosugon?????? TV series or movie?? Super 7 issue 12 says that that is where the Bemon character came from so I would like to know what it is!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're welcome !!! And from my research, I learned a thing or two as well!! Funny thing is, I was stationed in Okinawa with the US Navy in 1971 when Spectreman came out. Now I wish that I had watched more of Japanese TV instead of "bar-hoppin' and gutter-crawlin'" with my Navy buds !!


Sorry, got a blank on Mosugon & Mosugon 2. Can you post a scan or more details from Super 7 - I don't have that issue.

John

Wow! Thanks again for all the info! I really dig the idea of the "smog monster".

KZ,

If you have the bucks and can find it there is a Spectre Man DVD set that comes in the helmet of Spectreman! It was a Japanese exclusive/Limited item. Very cool but very pricey! I know I have seen a pic of one on here - I think Skylar has it if I am not mistaken......

Hiya Doc T,
Long time ago customer of yours, Marmit VP stuff.
Yeah, thanks for the heads-up ... I had heard of that cool set but it's way out of my price line, currently $500-800 (used-new) on Amazon Japan. I'll have to watch for what shows up on eBay.

Thx, John

yes, I do have that Japanese Spectreman DVD box

and I'm working on making some episodes of whatever shows I have available to you guys on DVD, starting with Spectreman.

I only recently was able to make the DVD-rom in my computer all region. now I'm just trying to put together some decent covers, but I'm no photoshop whiz so it's taking me longer than I want it to.

if anyone is interested, let me know. I'm going to put together a list of stuff I have and if people are even interested in certain monsters I can let you know if they're in a series I currently have or not.

I'm always trying to pick up more toku shows on DVD, but I only buy originals and Japanese DVD-box sets are usually VERY expensive. my next aquisition is hopefully the new Return of Ultraman DVD-box.

If I am correct Mosugon was an manga style Pollustion monster. This was made by IKB as well. The header card for Mosugon shows 2 iterations, (much like how the hedorah shows three iterations) but, only the first iteration has ever turned up ($$$), the second is only a picture on the header card. Bemon is a new figure that is designed to be the 2nd iteration from the header card to complete the series.

BTW, KaijuZoo it is good to ave you here on the board, if you know of any hawaii figures FS, I am looking -especially for Baragon and Pink Angilas!

Why thanks Brian for the Welcome! Much appreciated!
As for original Hawaii Bullmarks, I wish I could help you ... although I would undoubtedly help myself to any found first !!

But later this year, I will be painting a very limited KaijuZoo series (five only) of the M-1 flesh standard size Bullmark Megalon, done up in original Bullmark Hawaii colors. If anyone wants added to the list, please let me know.

John

I have a japanese versionpainted like that, they broke the horns just so no one would get crazy. Pretty funny.

That is a shame, having to ruin a sculpt to prevent or reduce fraud or trickery. Mine will have the feet bottoms left unpainted and will be KZ signed so "no one would get crazy".

Peeps, by the way, this is the almost impossible to find Bullmark Hawaii version Megalon we are referring to (photo courtesy of the Nishimura Bandai Museum book):


John

I love the colors on the Hawaiian Megalon. I have a mini version of it from the Bullmark Legends line:

Ghostfighter: "Okay runt, give me your lunch money..."