Godzilla Action Figures Worth Roaring About

A long time ago, dubbed “The King of All Monsters,” Godzilla has been an integral part of pop culture for years. First introduced to America in the 1955, Godzilla King of the Monsters was released with an Americanized Version of the 1954 Japanese Toho Pictures Godzilla also called Gojira.

Since the time of his creation, Godzilla has been in 31 movies including four animated films and many videogames comic books, statues , and models kits. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. With such a cult character It’s inevitable that there would be a quantity of action figures to crush innumerable cardboard cities (and maybe your little sister’s doll house). Here are some of the greatest Godzilla toys ever made…

Classic 1954 Godzilla

Released by Bandai

This figure details the Godzilla from the 1945 film and marks the first use of a man in the suit, also known by the term “suit-mation.” Its figure is colored in grey as seen in the film and seems to be articulated in the same locations as the original suit. The lower half that is the human body more hefty as are the legs. They’re much more slender than other figures that followed. The arms aren’t as big as the T-Rex’s but they’re longer and more robust. The tail is smaller and it is elevated above the ground.

SH Monster Arts Godzilla

It was released by Bandai Tamashii Nations

Based on the 1960s version, which was released in the Showa Period (1954-1975), this Godzilla is a thinner and taller as well as an overall less stocky version of the monster. The figure here, Godzilla has a uniform thickness without any particular part being more heavily muscled over any other. The arms are the longest of any figure and that tail is also the shortest. Also, there are significantly fewer dorsal fins than other figures. The most notable feature for this model is its distinct colors, including the lighter colors at the chest and knees.

Godzilla Shogun Warriors

Released by Mattel in 1977

As bizarre as it may sound. Godzilla has a place in the world of Captain America and Spider-Man. For 24 issues, which ran for Marvel Comics from 1977 to 1979, Godzilla battled S.H.I.E.L.D. along with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four and the aforementioned wall crawler. It was Godzilla’s association with the other giant monster comic The Shogun Warrior that led to this Mattel action statue. The button on the figure’s arm will cause his fists to shoot and an on the reverse of his head reveal an explosive tongue. The tail can also be removed for easy storage.

Godzilla 1995

Published through Bandai Tamashii Nations in 2012

It is from to the Heisei stage of Toho films (1984-1995), this figure is a departure from the traditional figures. While the recognizable dorsal fin is an important aspect of the figure, the head is a bit smaller. However, the body has a bulkier build with more powerful and thicker legs. The figure is very articulated at various unusual points, including the chest, hips and knees, ankles and wrists. The large tail is a great way to make this figure more balanced very well.

Godzilla 2000

It was released from Bandai Tamashii Nations in 2013

Based on from the Millennium period of the Toho films (1999-2004) the character has significant modifications over its Heisei counterpart. The head and neck are much larger, with the dorsal fins stretching all the way up to the top of the skull. The body has a more pronounced appearance, as opposed to the taller version in 1995. The tail dips down and touches the ground at two points and those claws that are on hands and feet have been extended as well as bent. The Godzilla appears to be an even more powerful and proportioned model of the legendary monster. This version also has the biggest dorsal fins every figure we’ve ever seen.

Classic Godzilla Final Wars

Released by Bandai Tamashii Nations

Coinciding with the 2004 film Godzilla Final Wars, this model dials back details in a manner that is in keeping with the original design. The figure commemorating the 50th anniversary of Godzilla shows the character of Godzilla who is much more in his “suit-mation” roots. The character has a human-like squat stance with a bulky legs and body. The arms are a little thin but the claws and hands can be extended as well as fixed. The figure is also not so articulated as other figures and it is one of the few figures where the mouth is opened and the brow is clearly furrowed.

FunKo POP! Godzilla

FunKo in 2015. FunKo in 2015

There is no figure list complete without this version of the FunKo POP! Version. This adorable rendition makes the creature extremely soft and can be found in a mix of collectible variants, including an outstanding “black as well as white” version. The model is perfectly symmetrical and reminiscent of the original model with legs and hands of the same lengths and a shorter tail. The trademark growl of his is almost an grin in this case and makes it more adorable. What he lacks in articulation He more than makes up for with style.

Atomic Roar Godzilla

The album was released by Bandai in 2014 by Bandai.

The figure is based on The 2014 American film released by Legendary Pictures. It is also the most unique style of any model. This particular version of Godzilla has a small head that is attached to a neck that continues in size all the way down to the lower part of his torso creating the look of an standing alligator with an snout that is shorter. The arms of the image aren’t huge, but the legs are enormous and are the same thickness as the body. The dorsal fins are famous and run from the back of the head all the way down to the end of the long tail. In this particular picture the mouth is opened in order to let the user make a swath of blue “atomic flame” on the floor to evoke the devastating attack of the film.

Godzilla Minimates Series 1 and Series 2

Published by Diamond Select Toys

These two-inch tall Minimate set of figures feature four popular figures from Godzilla’s film history. In the firstone, Godzilla is shown extinguishing the”atomic fire” and his blue “atomic spark” while his dorsal and lateral fins also are shining in vibrant blue. MechaGodzilla is the alien-created robot monster, the human created giant fighting robot Jet Jaguar and Hedorah the Smog Monster are also in this set. The second set includes Godzilla in a classic pose as well as fan favourites Mothra, Gigan and the metallic Titanosaurus.

Godzilla is the most enduring of all giant monsters . we wouldn’t have films like Cloverfield or Pacific Rim without his influence on popular culture and the collective imagination. I think this is mostly due to the fact that Godzilla can be depicted in both hero roles and even a villain, in the same film. The monster is often feared by adults however, adored and cherished by children, trust in the power of Godzilla to make a difference is an act of belief and imagination. These are among the same qualities that make playing with these action figures so enjoyable.