While I can't speak for the new Bullmark reroductions yet (still waiting on Zazahn- should be in this week) the quality of M1 vinyl is top of the line. On a side note, now that Bullmark is back is M1 going to go towards their own sculpts now?

Although I'd hate to see M1 drop out of the repro business all together - we all know just what an unparallelled job they do - ClubTokyo Mike tells me that Yuji has a ton of his own sculpt that he hasn't been able to produce yet. Here's hoping those trickle our way at a little faster pace.

And just so we don't stay too on point here:



slipstar1 --- BOTH these guys are based around the '64 Goji suit, and as Gomess was from Q, and Jirass from Ultraman, the chronology can be worked out from there. Eiji and crew were clearly geniuses, but I'm going to guess that were not able to bend the fabric of time

Has M1 ever made their own sculpts? I was just thinking I would love to see a standard sized King Joe from them.

Many, many, many times.

So many great original sculpts that it boggles the mine, basically if it wasnt made by Bullmark Or Marusan they have probably done it or will try in the future.

Yes, that green is wonderful! Makes me excited again about getting some toy action, its been a while.

I've seen both episodes...

I'm mostly curious about Yuji's connection to the resurrection of the Bullmark label. I know it's mostly semantics & shit, but as far as I was aware, the first official "Bullmark" product since the resurrection was the History boxed set (the first true toy being the Mekamachine cyborg MG)...and when that was announced everywhere, I seem to recall Yuji's name being mentioned everywhere.

So either Yuji is deeply involved with the new Bullmark label...or maybe he was just involved with the assembling of the History boxed set and maybe just the development of the MG missile fire reissue. Daniel, maybe you know a little more?

And David, you mentioned the Popy/B-Club reissues being a bit duller than M1 or new Bullmark reissues...well, that's true, but I know M1 uses a very light glossy clear coat on a lot of their releases. I'm guessing Bandai didn't do so with most of the Popy/B-Club ones...

Okay, yeah... if pressed of course I'd like to know about Yuji's involvement in the phoenix-state of Bullmark, just as I'd like to know more about the rumored consulting he did with Popy/B-Club on klassic kolorways --- and who here wouldn't want to read a translated interview with Mr. M1 and Mr. Bullmark about their friendship and what led up to M1GO manufacturing new sculpts that bear the famed foot/tramp stamp of old?

That said, I just had to pop in and clarify, Sanjeev, that I was talking about my meh reaction to recent minis that I've been made to understand that Bullmark Bullmark issued.

If Bandai's shadow imprints are doing repros of minis now that would help explain the underwhelming qualities of the Kemular and Zarab bitties I picked up this year, but I wasn't aware of that happening.

So M1 took old Bullmark figures and based new scuplts off them in the same way that Gargamel did with the old ikb hedos?

No. Some are straight repros; some are new versions of a character that was or was not produced in a Bullmark/Marusan sculpt.

In either event, they are sold as licensed goods.

Yuji's goal with M1Go was to fill the gaps in the original Marusan/Bullmark series, creating figures of classic kaiju that never existed back in the day, sculpted and painted in the style of the original Bullmarks.

Some examples of M1 fixing or releasing repro Bullmark:

Taking the original Gezora and fixing the leg problem (same Bullmark sculpt- but fixed)
Bullmark Style Goji is really Jirass without the neckpiece
Any GID edition of original Bullmark mold- Bullmark did not have many of those.

M1 also did a lot of original sculpts:

Gaira, Sanda, Woo, Last Dinosaur, Matango, Chibull, etc etc. I mean the list is really long...

...a standard sized Jet Jaguar, two lengths 'o Manda, two sizes of Dogora, two sizes of Dada, Baltan type II, mini Baltan type II...

Hope between the lot of us that clears it up a bit, fletchthis!
If yr interested in having a look at what Yuji's been up to in this vein for the last twenty years have a look here and here for Club Tokyo's comprehensive chronological record of it.
If the tour doesn't swell up your want list like a melon you may want to schedule that cataract surgery a little early.

Thanks for the info guys, it gives me a better idea of what M1go is all about. So will M1 still be putting out the Bullmark stuff once Bullmark is going full steam? Or will Bullmark start putting out some of the sculpts that M1 made? I have always liked M1go over the Bullmark Marusan stuff because it looked slicker and less clunky. And I always heard that M1's paint apps were superior to those companies too. I am always impressed by the paint jobs every time I get a new M1 figure, especially on the minis.

Bullmark isn't going to go near M1's sculpts, that's strictly M1. Bullmark has so many sculpts from their original line they could be doing so I think they'll just stick with that. I think I read somewhere where Yuji bought some of the original Bullmark molds so I guess he can use whatever he has still for the future.

And further proof that M1 will keep up with the quality repros is what started the latest leg of this thread: Their 3rd and 4th colorways of Marusan's old Gomess sculpt are dropping at SF on Saturday.

Yuji has a lot to do with a lot the retro bullmarks. I believe he consulted on several of the paint schemes for the bclub/popy. I believe he also consulted o several of the iwakura mini bullmark paint schemes. He was part of the box set. I am sure a lot of the reprints were from his collection. From what i understand he helps out the bullmark owner with the new line, just not sure to what extent. Been a long time since i was over there, so everything is second hand these days.

I believe he also contracts with some of the original artist for the box artwork for the tricycles.

M1 does more then just try to replicate vintage toy styles too. The series of black vinyl toy were suppose to compete with some of the newer styles. Atleast that is the rumor I heard. He is always coming with new and exciting ideas. Sadly a lot of them never make it into production or at least have not yet. The main thing about M1 is their stuff comes from the heart.

What is this series of "black vinyl toy" from M1 that you are refering to?

Some gorgeous new pieces for an upcoming Beams show...Berokuron and Alien Guts:





Would love to see that Berokuron paint treatment on an M1 JJ

Dag.

I checked this guy out at Super Festival. I really like the colours, and like looking at him, but somehow, I just didn't feel like it did it for me. I like the red in particular, as it is very reminiscent of the movie for me, but it is just a little too classic Chinese when I saw it in person, and I think the metallic additions don't help this look. I would like to see a similar red with darker greens and browns, to give it that real fungus feel. A sweet figure, and I will probably regret passing it up.

^^^ Fancy! Liking the spotty bottom.

@ultrakaiju - From the picture I can see what you mean. My favorite Matangos that M1 has done would have to the purple and brown guys from this 2009 set

I'd love to add either to the racks.

So this was at superfestival?
I hope its available state side at some point