BANDAI'S FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD Premium Online-only figure of Giant Frankie!

東宝特撮版の「フランケンシュタイン」がバンダイソフビで発売。


Here comes Bandai's first vinyl figure of the Colossal Frankenstein!

COLOSSAL GARGANTUAN BREAKING NEWS! A correspondent of mine in Japan tipped me off to this news (which I promised not to publish 'til today, September 21st), that following in the footsteps of the online-only Bandai Premium figures of "Gaira" and "Sanda" from THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966), comes their predecessor - the titular titan from FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965).


Surely, a face only a Mama Frankenstein's Monster could love...

As with the previous pair in Bandai's "Kaiju Bangaichi" line, this will be the first time the company as issued any soft vinyl figure of the character, which will measure 18 cm (7.08"). Unlike Sanda and Gaira, Frankenstein is being touted as limited to 2,500 pieces "nationwide" (as this is a domestic Japanese release). Preorders will begin later today in Japan during this weekend's Super Festival 75 in Tokyo.


While the world burns, Frankie's posed to fight - but with whom?

The figure will be publically unveiled - and if my sources are correct - along with a companion figure this weekend - of the Giant Octopus (aka "giant devilfish"). This cephalopod was shot for the climax of the US version, ultimately ending up on the cutting room floor (although gaining a cameo in THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (as well as Episode 23 of Tsuburaya Productions' "Ultra Q" teleseries). But wait, is there another? Yes, there was another monster planned...


Soon, we can relive those childhood monster matinee memories...

Baragon was originally planned for "Kaiju Bangaichi" but was canceled since Bandai had previously issued a figure of the popular burrowing beast to their "Godzilla Series" line back in 1992. Those behind the scenes are still hoping to push the idea that Baragon is due a new in this line - perhaps a "crawling version" of the critter? While Bandai's position is understandable, the earlier figure was issued 25 years ago. Let's cross our claws, but not hold our collective radioactive breath.


Frankie searches for his opponent... One of our Baragons is missing.

While more details (and photos, hopefully) of the Giant Octopus (can it be true?) have been promised to be unveiled this weekend at Super Festival 75 (if my sources are correct) - this amazing, colossal Frankie will retail for ¥4,400 ($39.50 USD) and is set to ship this January 2018 - with preorders through Bandai Premium's website starting at 11:00 am, September 22nd (Japan Time). Now, we can finally roll the seven wonders of the world into one!


Because Frankenstein's heart can never die, Frankie will be back...

This announcement also happily coincides with Toho Video's first-ever release of Frankie's creature feature to Blu-ray on November 3, 2017. Stay tuned for more monstrous information as long as Frankenstein's undying heart keeps beating...

SCI-FI REVOLTECH No. 004: BARAGON Kaiyodo’s Subterranean Monster Figure

「特撮リボルテック SERIES No.004 バラゴン」発売中！



Kaiyodo, an Osaka-based hobby purveyor, and a prominent fixture in the Garage Kit movement, has become a player in the Japanese toy industry — establishing themselves with such great lines as Revoltech (articulated super robot figures from various Anime series) — has launched a new Revoltech line of figures from live action films and television series. These include such popular franchises as Batman, Alien, Predator, Nightmare Before Christmas, and also such classics as Ray Harryhausen’s Jason and the Argonauts. Of course, the Sci-Fi Revoltech line also includes characters and vehicles from Toho and Daiei’s famous monster movie franchises.



The first of these I will be reviewing, courtesy of Toy Freakz, is "Sci-Fi Revoltech No. 004: Baragon" — the subterranean monster from the 1965 Toho classic FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD, directed by Ishiro Honda with visual effects by helmed Eiji Tsuburaya. Like all of the entries in this new line, the smartly-designed packaging opens like a book (sealed with Velcro discs), containing an essay on the monster and the film on the inside, and on the opposite is a plastic window, revealing the figure and all of its accessories (including a RevolContainer with one RevolChip worth 10 Points — redeemable only in Japan).



Standing 4.33” high (or 7.87” long, from head to tail) this is an extremely detailed realization of Baragon (sculpted by the renown Paleoartist, Shinobu Matsumura), and comes complete and ready to display, with no interchangeable parts or add-ons necessary — but it does come with some clever accessories lifted referencing scenes from FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD. First of which is one of the mountaineering cabins of the fictitious Shirane Lodge, destroyed in Baragon’s entrance scene in film, with two trees for atmosphere, and a nameplate. Then there’s the horse. A horse? Why on earth is there a horse figure (with stand) in this set? “What’s up with that?” you might ask.



What’s great about this piece is the scene that it references from the film; after the destruction of the Shirane Lodge, Baragon attacks a small farm, and destroys a stable with a horse. The doomed animal was represented by a rod puppet, which was operated from beneath the miniature set, and looked exactly like… a rod puppet. When he was asked about this questionable technique by his assistant director, Teruyoshi Nakano, and why he employ a more realistic composite shot instead, veteran visual effects director Eiji Tsuburaya answered happily, “Because this is much more fun!” It’s a wry and very clever addition to this package by Kaiyodo.



Baragon itself is very nicely jointed, with 19 points of articulation, employing 13 Revoltech joints. Other articulated parts, such as the jaws and ears, do not employ Revoltech joints, while the neck is capable of an amazing amount of full-range movement. As for the arms, while the shoulders themselves are Revoltech-jointed, the wrists aren’t. Each leg has three points of articulation — the hip, the knee, and the foot — all Revoltech-jointed. An inner rod of flexible metal, inside of a long rubber-molded tail, allows some posing of this extremity (and is attached to a Revoltech joint inside the figure). Finally, Baragon’s signature glowing horn is simulated with frosted translucent plastic.



While I usually go for vinyl figures, I have been won over; this is a cool piece, from this excellent line, and will be a great addition to anyone’s monster collection (I’m looking forward to future releases) — and for those intimidated by the usually monstrous prices of most Japanese collectibles, the comparatively low cost of Kaiyodo’s Sci-Fi Revoltech line should keep you out of the poor house. For now…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KUMI MIZUNO! Toho's Siren of the 1960s: January 1, 1937

お誕生日おめでとう、水野久美様!


Taken during the production of FRANKENSTEIN VS. BARAGON, 1966

For a biography on Ms. Mizuno, please click here.

"FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS TSUBURAYA"! From FRANKENSTEIN VS. BARAGON (1965)

「フランケンシュタイン対地底怪獣バラゴン」より


"What!? Me worry?" Gag shot of Tsuburaya and actor Koji Furuhata.