I was also a bit disappointed with Rodan’s accessories. Besides the orange box and black placard, there’s the baby Rodan figure. This figure is similar to the baby version of Gyaos. I don’t mind getting these baby figures, but I wish the line was more consistent with it. Why do Gyaos and Rodan get their infant forms while Mothra doesn’t?
Rodan’s only other accessory is a building for him to stand on/crush, straight from a scene in the original movie. The building is nicely detailed with stress and fracture marks running throughout the two front sides, while the back resembles layers of rubble. Normally I wouldn’t care about a building, but this one has an action feature. There is a joint in the middle which allows you to display it like it’s broken in half. There are also two small ball joints on top which lets you put a hole in the roof. Rodan can then either be displayed standing on the roof or hovering above with the aid of a small metal rod.
My biggest complaint with the accessories is actually the lack of a specific one. This is the third kaiju in the Sci-Fi series, possibly fourth if you count Gamera. But so far, only Gyaos has received a normal flying stand. To display Mothra and Rodan in flying poses you need to use their building bases. I really like displaying all my monsters together, but the buildings throw things out of whack. You end up with a sky scraper, the Tokyo Tower, and a log cabin all being the same size. A regular clear stand would go a long way in making those group shots nearly perfect.
Rodan’s not my favorite character, but he’s one of the original three. Plus, even without a flying stand his figure looks fantastic and fits right in with the rest of my growing Monster Island population. So if you’re a kaiju fan, or even a Rodan fan, I’m going to suggest you pick this figure up. He’ll run you about $30, but with the quality of the product you still get your money’s worth. Now I just have to find a brand of stands that will let me display these guys properly. Any suggestions?
In Japan, Rodan is known as Radon, named using parts of the name of the pterosaur “pteRAnoDON”.
The little Gyaos which accompanied the Gyaos figure made sense to me seeing as one small Gyaos ate other small Gyaoses in order to become the big Gyoas. Rodan’s miniature is a bit of a mystery to me and I’ll have to ask the guys at Kaiyodo next month when I see them.
Cool, thanks Dorkey. I’ll be interested in what they have to say.
Ahhh, finally, computer trouble fixed (by a new computer! Well, a new old computer)
Vault, another solid, fun, honest review! You don’t gloss over the problems and you don’t downplay the awesome!
The tiny Gyoas and Rodan are meant for ‘forced perspective’ display, as are the tiny Gargantuas. The reason you don’t get a larva Mothra is it’s generally considered a separate creature, if memory serves it has it’s own ‘pog’ in the list of Toho Kaiju.
So, you ready for the upcoming Gigan? I can’t wait to see he and Mogura pal around!
Oh, to dream of a Megalon and Jet Jaguar!
Thanks Steve!
I don’t think I like the forced perspective figures. They seem a little useless to me. Hopefully you’re right about Mothra in larva form though. It’s such an important part of the character that we definitely need it in toy form I think.
I can’t wait for Gigan, he looks awesome. But before him there’s Anguirus, who you’ll be seeing my review of pretty soon.
As for Jet Jaguar: Forum member Dorkey, who also runs a Japanese toy site, asked the Revoltech folks about Jet Jaguar during the last WonderFest. They said he’s coming, which I’m stoked about since he’s one of my favorite characters.
Awwwww YEAH! JET JAGUAR!
Hey, Vault, I know you tend to be careful, but have you tried rotating the neck piece so Rodan can look up? I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t sculpt him and make it impossible for him to look proper flying. Rotating things around seems to be a key thing with many Revoltech figures, a carryover from the previous, pre-revolver joint Hokuto no Ken figures.
And we need a Megalon too. Then you can have a ‘no hands’ club!
The forced perspective figures (my name, not sure if the company has something more official in mind) have a use, you can take a little Rodan with you to keep at your desk at work, where the main fig might be too bold or worrysome to your employment health.
And aside to Dorkey, how about the rest of the Lupin Gang? Det. Zenigata should be fairly easy but Goemon and Fujiko are clearly going to be tricky to get right. I hope they don’t just go to repaints like the obvious ‘Green Jacket’ Lupin (with different, more Miyazaki style head and face).
I have my first Revoltech, Tetsujin 28, aka Gigantor. The stand is pretty basic and mostly useless. 🙂