Below are two of my four bookcases (you only see four shelves on each bookcase, out of six each). These are Kaiju/Japanese Cinema-related (not shown are my Anime/Manga bookcases, and the books and magazines stored in boxes (such as TV Land, etc.), and my collection of American magazines, such as Famous Monsters, etc.) — I have been collecting since the 1970s.



Below is my desktop — overloaded with Tokusatsu/Kaiju reference books — and some choice vintage hardcovers on display:

Amazing collections guys.

Just got these in for Christmas:

Masked Rider collection book 2000


Treasure Appraisal Catalog - Yuji Nishimura book 1998


Roman Album Hyper Mook 2 - Soul Of Chogokin book 1998

does anyone have this one? been tempted to get it

I have it, its a really well done little book. Definitely recommend picking it up if you have even the slightest interest in robot toys.

A classic.Ive read it so many times the cover has fallen off.The best toy photography Ive ever seen.
http://www.timbrisko.com/super1/

I wonder if anyone knows which of the books on the list would have the best pictures of the Marmit Parababies line. I know that there are pics available on the Marmit site and on ClubTokyo, but I'm interested in finding a good book.

Thanks!

Hyper Hobby Roman Roman Album Dash 6 has them

the cover falling off is fairly common from what i have heard. i got one cheapo from amazon and the cover plopped off as soon as I opened the book

This is posted elsewhere but belongs here…

Medicom Toy Manual Volume 2
15th Anniversary 1996 - 2011

Hobby Japan
386 pages
Full colour
ISBN978-4-7986-0257-8
C0076












Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627321432505/

A few more to follow - not vinyl but should be welcome here...

Secret File: Barom 1, Kikaida and Henshin Ninja Arashi
Publisher: Million Publishing
Released: 2003
A5 / 196 pages
Colour / Black and white
ISBN4-8130-0095-9
C0076















Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627457385022/

Fantastic TV Collection No. 1 - Science Ninja Team Gatchaman

Publisher: Asahi Sonorama
Released: 25 December 1977
A4 / 64 pages
Colour / Black and white











Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627457408470/

Fantastic TV Collection No. 3 - Science Ninja Team Gatchaman part 2

Publisher: Asahi Sonorama
Released: 1 August 1978
A4 / 64 pages
Colour / Black and white












Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627457398880/

Fantastic Collection 48 - Inazuman F Video Mook

Publisher: Asahi Sonorama
44 pages
Colour / Black and white






Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627333120281//

I'll take some better photos of the Yuji Nishimura book at some point...

Wow, time for me to do some [picture] reading. You guys have some amazing collections. I am truly in awe of the staggering libraries shown. I would love to pick up just a couple of these. I especially love that Barom-1/Kikaida/N. Arashi magazine, I will definitely have to hunt it down.

Has anyone ever amassed something like these books in English? I am thinking I would love to work on something like the Big Book of Monsters, even if it were just a translation of Saito-san's.

Title: An Encyclopedia of Kaiju
By: Kanou Ishizaka and Brian Flynn
Publisher: Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd.
ISBN: 978-4-7661-2039-4
Published In: Japan
Pages: 144 color
Released: December 2009
Original Japanese Retail Price: 2,800 yen

Additional Info: Copyright credited book title is "An Encyclopedia of Kaiju." But also written on the cover in Japanese states "New School Kaiju Soft Vinyl Large Picture Book. Written in both Japanese and English. Collection data on various contemporary Japanese kaiju toy makers. Gargamel, Super7, Toygraph, Real x Head, Sunguts Honpo, Blobpus, Max Toy, Elegab, Yamomark, and many more are feature in this wonderful color picture book.

Picture of the dustjacket unfolded:




Title: Kaijū Hiro Hōko Kantei Katarogu
Written By: Yuji Nishimura
Photos by: Kotaro Ina
Printed In: Japan
Book Size: Approx 8.25 x 11.5 inches
Pages: 80
Released: 1996
Original Retail Price: 1,200 yen

Additional Info: English translation of the title is "Monster Hero Treasury Appraisal Catalog." Written by Yuji Nishimura President of M1GO.

This catalog is a general price guide on vintage toys and other misc items related to Japanese monsters and sci-fi toys from the 60's to 70's. All different type of toys made from vinyl, die-cast, to plastic. Featuring all sorts of characters such as Godzilla, Gamera, Booska, Ultraman, Ambassador Magma, Mirrorman, Henshin Ninja Arashi, Spectraman, Kamen Rider, and much more!

Softcover catalog with 70% in full color pages. The other 30% in black and white are profiles, advertisement, and a look into the slush molding process to produce these vinyl toys from Japan. Some of the description contains the original retail price for that item and the year released. Should be noted that the years are written in Showa and not Gregorian. So for example from the book, "S 49 年" is Showa 49th year which is 1974. All of the information and pictures were later reprinted into the 1998 edition with a new cover and contained 28 new pages.

Cover:



Interiors:

Title: Gojira Toy Hakubutsukan
Written by: Takashi Kuraji and Yuji Nishimura
Publisher: Bandai Press
Published: February 10, 1993
Printed In: Japan
Book Type: Hardcover w/Dust Jacket
Approx Size: 8.5 x 12 inches
Pages: 112
Original Retail Price: 5,000 yen
ISBN: 4-89189-202-1

Additional Info: Gojira Toy Hakubutsukan (translation Godzilla Toy Museum) was a highly sought after book in the 90's. Lots of beautiful pictures of vintage Marusan, vintage Bullmark, Bandai, Popy, Yamakatsu, and others.

Cover:



Interior Pages:

Is there much coverage in this book of the rest of Bullmarks vintage missile firing vinyls?

Some random mail-order kaiju toy catalogs from the 90's.

No.

i still have some of those old Showcase and Club Daikaiju catalogs. It's funny to look back at them and remember how rare and difficult to obtain those toys were back then. New releases from M1 and Marmit seem to only trickle out back then - sometimes many months (or years) between releases - compared to the deluge today.

God there are some choice pieces of reading material here guys...

My cover fell of my #1 Robot book as well, but if anyone is interested in it, there's a "bargain books" store by my house that has it for around 2 dollars a piece in perfect condition. I think there's like 7 copies there... I'll send some out for the cost of shipping if anyone is interested...

Title: Kaijū Hiro Hōko Kantei Katarogu
Written By: Yuji Nishimura
Photos by: Kotaro Ina
Printed In: Japan
Book Size: Approx 8.25 x 11.5 inches
Pages: 80
Released: 1996
Original Retail Price: 1,200 yen

Additional Info: English translation of the title is "Monster Hero Treasury Appraisal Catalog." Written by Yuji Nishimura President of M1GO.

This catalog is a general price guide on vintage toys and other misc items related to Japanese monsters and sci-fi toys from the 60's to 70's. All different type of toys made from vinyl, die-cast, to plastic. Featuring all sorts of characters such as Godzilla, Gamera, Booska, Ultraman, Ambassador Magma, Mirrorman, Henshin Ninja Arashi, Spectraman, Kamen Rider, and much more!

Softcover catalog with 70% in full color pages. The other 30% in black and white are profiles, advertisement, and a look into the slush molding process to produce these vinyl toys from Japan. Some of the description contains the original retail price for that item and the year released. Should be noted that the years are written in Showa and not Gregorian. So for example from the book, "S 49 年" is Showa 49th year which is 1974. All of the information and pictures were later reprinted into the 1998 edition with a new cover and contained 28 new pages.

Cover:



In the 2nd edition how much of the extra 28 pages are toys not featured in the 1st edition? Are all 28 pages full colour?

Cheers.

The 28 new pages featured toys from the 60s and 70s that are not in the first edition. There is a section of robot tin toys added, some more Kamen Rider toys not in the first and others.

I can just imagine the difficulty in trying to order some of those figure from the Daikaiju catalogues back in the day. And to then be able to open up your package and see the the toy for the first time (not some tiny, grainy, B&W image), man, what a thrill that surprise must have been every time. There was definitely a hint of a gamble too then, in those mail-order days, as you really never knew what you were getting; we take for granted that we have access to so many images now.