The Godzilla Chronicles

I got this very cool 15 piece set. It is basically a history of Godzilla from 1954 to 2003. Its from Bandai and originally was a mystery box set so you didn't know what you were getting until you opened the box. The figures are pretty much in scale with each other. I'll be breaking this down to 5 figures a post so as not to overwhelm people.

The first 2 figures represent Godzilla 1954 as he is seen in the movie Gojira. One is a little smaller than the other. He is a meanacing figure and the final version of the suit sported tiny ears on the sides of the head and four toes on each foot, features that would later be altered, but then reinstated when the Godzilla series was revived in 1984. Godzilla's dorsal fins were jagged and irregular and its jaw featured teeth distinguished by visible fangs. Also, the eyes of this version of Godzilla had small, dark irises, giving them a slightly "beady" look. The suits were finally painted brown, a one-time only color as every other suit in the series, except those used in 1999 and 2000, were painted charcoal gray.

Godzilla 1954 -Big

Godzilla 1954 - Small

Next is the Godzilla from the 2nd Godzilla movie: Godzilla Raids Again. The suit still sported tiny ears on the sides of the head and four toes on each foot. This version's dorsal fins were even more jagged and irregular than in 1954, but still featured teeth distinguished by visible fangs. Also, the irises of the eyes were enlarged and no longer had their "beady" look.

Godzilla 1955


















In 1962 came the battle of the titans: Godzilla vs King Kong! The bulk of this version, increased which gave an impression of greater mass and stability. This version also had a more reptilian look than the previous two versions from 1954 and 1955. The ears were done away with, the teeth were evened out, and he was reduced to only three toes. The dorsal plates were enlarged and became more regular in shape, with a central row bordered by a smaller row on each side. The irises were further enlarged and positioned towards the top of the eye sockets, imparting the frowning look that became sort of a Godzilla trademark. Finally, being that this was Godzilla's first color film, the world finally found out what his true color was… charcoal gray. But stange as it may seem most figures are shown as a green color.

Godzilla 1962

For the final one for today we have Godzilla from the 1964 movie, Godzilla vs Mothra. This version was less bulky and had less reptilian features than the previous version. The face was softened and made to look a bit more mammalian, the snout was shortened, and the eyes took on a more malevolent appearance. Finally, the tail of this version was lengthened and made a bit more elegant. This version, with slight alterations, a new, sturdier head, and the addition of a prominent tongue, was also used in the next Godzilla film, "Ghidorah - The Three-Headed Monster".

Godzilla 1964

Tomorrow the next five from years 1974 to 1999.

Spec