For sure, it has that vintage janky lanky old time Robot feel to it

Kraken is super cool too, reminds me a lot of old Ditko artwork

King Jyu big doll has an all new head sculpt if no one noticed

Love the head. love the arms but the heart chest

I also noticed that new heads! New heads are cool and old heads on different expressions! Both amazing!!!

my 1st thought was maybe its a nod to the W.O.O. Tinman?

afaik this King Jyu was just a sample and not a production....... yet

that mini version is stupid cool, i like that size better and hope HXS
will make the rest of the line in that size too as well as mini Cyborg

Mini two head is awesome..

But all kidding aside I love that the new toy is altogether different. If it was the same as others it would be so boring.

new sculpt with antena, its really classic...

new heads on the king gorilla ju? they are different heads, but it looks like the OG gorilla ju head on the king gorilla ju body to me.

check older pics, 100% new head if you compare to OG Go-Jyu the mouth is very rectangular
on the original whereas the new mouth is very ovular (ovular- that's not even a word) it looks
very much like that flash art Izumo did of the King Jyu awhile back- very very pointy ears!

you are correct. i was wrong about it being the regular gorilla ju head. it looks very similar but there are some subtle differences. the new head looks great

more i thought about this new HXS Robot
the more it reminds me of the 1947 Kong
by Osamu Tezuka:

The Kraken:


© monstercircus


© benjam1ns

The Kraken is really something special. I love how the aquatic theme was worked into the webbed hands and feet, as well as the fish like tail.

I get a Triton of the Sea villain feel from the Kraken. I thought Kraken was an octopus/squid anyway. Still looks cool, loving the bent neck.

That is exactly what I was thinking too. It bears more than a striking resemblance to the TotS Demora figure. The squat body, sized-down limbs, the bend in the neck, even the mouth to some extent. Definitely a strong hommage to the toy form of Demora by Nakajima. Sure, there are any number of ways a Plesiosaur type 'sea monster' is going to be similar in style, but immediately looking at the the basic starting point for the toy sculpt, and overall positioning choice, it seems evident.

With a whisper or two of Titanosaurus thrown in for good measure:

That is all just to say that, I know there is not much crossover between the people who are into 'popular' [cough] toys like HxS, PH, etc., and vintage/classic kaiju, but I for one really appreciate seeing these connections. People who are only in it to chase the latest thing, or buy themselves a sense of worth by shelling out big for a limited toy won't care, but I like that we can still draw these parallels in Hirota's work.

I think what you are talking about is one of the greatest aspects of this hobby, Steve. The amazing history the classic kaiju characters themselves on the big and small screens, the toys that came after, and all the cross pollination from various sources are perhaps THE most interesting facets of this hobby to me. That's one of the main reasons I keep coming back to this board. I always get really excited when I make connections between recent toy releases and their licensed or pachi predecessors.

The new Kraken is pretty awesome. I am happy with the influence used in sculpting it. Titanosaurus is one my favorite Goji villains. Though chances of me ever winning one seems very slim.

Same here. Titanosaurus is the first thing I thought of when I saw that tail.

+1



I would love to sit down on the floor with all the Monsters HXS has made
and revert to a 5 year old version of myself. That is the sense and aspect
these dolls plus TE, CKA & several other Japanese makers revive in me.

They are nostalgic and really capture an era that in the USA has been extinct
for several decades. Not to sound negative but rather just to reflect on feelings
growing up in the 1970's when there was so much Monsters related ephemera.

I would dare say I never got into the cycle of violence that saturates the world
we all live in, thanks to my appreciation of Monsters. I feel most fortunate that
I had a Dad who also loved Monsters and spent time explaining them to me.

We are all in this world by chance, these Monsters are no different. I am so
thankful to ALL Monsters fans I have met thru this and other internet venues
for the simple fact that while WE are a minority, Monsters bind us together!

I got the chance to meet HXS at Year 35 and was so thrilled that he was just
what I expected- a Monsters Fan. If the affection of Monsters does not last a
lifetime one needs to reconsider what it is that draws them into their world.

I know how you feel John. And I am sure many here can relate. Meeting Hirota-sensei must have been a real treat and what I consider the real highlight at the event than his toys.

I dunno, I am thinking Reptilicus could have provided some inspiration...and would surely be sympatico with Hirota's b-movie monster influences.

http://www.niftyfiftyscifi.com/Reptile/r12.JPG

Also reminds me a little of this film.

Posters like the one above really have me excited that we might see another poster release to go with these new guys. Very excited to see what is on the horizon!