X-Plus Godzilla Vinyl Figure Thread

[Boba Ben]

Love that shot. One of my faves of yours, despite my lack of interest in owning the B&W '55-ers. The colored versions, however...

I've got the colorized versions. 1954 too.

 

[Centurion]

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X-Plus Toho 30cm Series Godzilla 1964 and Large Monster Series Mothra imago 1961.

Awesome! Love these!

 

[Joda]

I've stuck with the 25 cm line, myself. If it can't fit in my display case I try not to pull the trigger, lol. Thanks for the thread, John!

As a general question to X-Plus collectors: How do you deal with the whole hair dryer / tail issue? I swear, I only have 3 figures right now, but after finally getting the tails in each time, I'm almost ready to give up X-Plus all together. It stresses me out to no end. I mean they're so expensive, and I'm sitting there softening the vinyl and then trying to mash it into the body cavity while worrying about the paint job, the effects of heat on any kind of finish that might be on them, ect. Oy. The Godzilla '75 was probably the worst. It looks fine now, but I feel like my wrestling match with it tainted it a bit. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I actually did contemplate buying another one so I could 'get it right'.

Fortunately, my brain quiets down after a couple of days and I come to my senses, lol.

 

[Viking Spawn]

When I used to collect the older Bandai toys, I ran into that with a few of them too. However, I never had any issues with paint or deformities with the air dryer trick. Just FYI. Hope the vinyl quality hasn't changed since then.

 

[Joda]

Hope the vinyl quality hasn't changed since then.

You mean you hope it hasn't gotten cheaper like everything else?

Me too.

 

[Rotfish]

I've got the colorized versions. 1954 too.

I'm greener than Gabara with envy. Love the brown '55 to death.

I've stuck with the 25 cm line, myself. If it can't fit in my display case I try not to pull the trigger, lol. Thanks for the thread, John!

As a general question to X-Plus collectors: How do you deal with the whole hair dryer / tail issue? I swear, I only have 3 figures right now, but after finally getting the tails in each time, I'm almost ready to give up X-Plus all together. It stresses me out to no end. I mean they're so expensive, and I'm sitting there softening the vinyl and then trying to mash it into the body cavity while worrying about the paint job, the effects of heat on any kind of finish that might be on them, ect. Oy. The Godzilla '75 was probably the worst. It looks fine now, but I feel like my wrestling match with it tainted it a bit. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I actually did contemplate buying another one so I could 'get it right'.

Fortunately, my brain quiets down after a couple of days and I come to my senses, lol.

Best way to do it is to blowdry the a**-end of the figure, not the tail end. Get it soft and then twist and turn to fit the tail in. This takes mere seconds and isn't stressful at all. The heat doesn't seem to affect the finish because the plastic never gets too malleable. Get the hole soft enough just to be able to squeeze it a little, then jam the tail in and twist back and forth. You could even run cold water over it or stick it in the freezer if you want it to cool down faster, but it'll secure in short time anyway.

 

[JohnStanowski]

As a general question to X-Plus collectors: How do you deal with the whole hair dryer / tail issue?

I sucked at attaching the tails at first. I used to heat the tail end only thinking that's what was needed. I had it completely backwards. As you've already pointed out: you need to heat the butt and NOT the tail.

But even after switching to this technique I still had trouble sometimes. I literally pulled the dorsal plate piece away from the body on my 30cm Series Godzilla 1984, breaking the glue seal slightly.

It wasn't until X-Plus reviewer Rich Eso (find him on YouTube) made the point that the butt has to be not only heated, but REALLY heated. He has a popular catch phrase among X-Plus collectors which is "Squishy Soft". That is how soft the butt needs to be when attaching tails. Really, really squishy soft. So soft that it feels like soft foam.

I aim my hairdryer right at the hole, not so much the sides of the body, but directly over the hole in order to heat up the rim. It's that rim flange thing that needs to get soft more than anything else.

Only sometimes will I heat the sides of the butt. You have to heat the whole butt when the tail joint isn't completely round. Sometimes you get elliptical and triangular joint shapes which make it harder to twist in.

Don't heat the tail itself. In fact, you might even want to put it in the refrigerator for a minute or too to make it rock hard. Then, attaching tails on X-Plus figures becomes the easiest thing in the world.

The heat doesn't bother the figure at all as far as I've seen. And I've never known it to mess with the paint job. In fact I often heat up entire figures with an X-Plus Easy Bake Oven which is just closed box with two holes in it. One for the hot air to go in, and another for some of it to get out. I do this when some figures get warped in transit. The 30cm Series Mechagodzilla 1974 is notorious for arriving with its entire body curved. Heating the whole thing up makes the figure return to its original shape.

 

[Joda]

Thank you guys so much for the tips!

Though now that I realize I've been doing it 'wrong' this whole time, the urge to re-buy and start all over is creeping in...

This does remind me - John I've been meaning to write into KaijuAddicts and suggest a 'Caring for your X-Plus Collection' article covering things just like this, as well as display ideas and cleaning / storage of vinyl figures. I think it'd be a great resource for anyone collecting various G-related vinyl. (Or any vinyl figures for that matter.) Anyways, love the site!

 

[Rotfish]

Thank you guys so much for the tips!

Though now that I realize I've been doing it 'wrong' this whole time, the urge to re-buy and start all over is creeping in...

I made the same mistake on my first couple X-Plus figures. By heating the tail end, the vinyl "frill" that goes into the hole would bend and the tail wouldn't be completely secure.

If you want to reattach the tails properly, here's what I personally did: I took the tail out, ran cold water over the frill while reshaping it to stick out with my fingers, then stuffed a towel into the tail to keep the frill from bending back inwards. To speed up the cooldown and make sure the frill was repositioned the way it used to be, I then put it in the freezer with the towel still jammed inside. After a few minutes, I took it out, heated the rear of the body instead, and followed through with the usual twisting method. After that I placed the whole figure in the freezer just to make sure that being plugged into the hole didn't cause the frill to re-bend.

 

[JohnStanowski]

This does remind me - John I've been meaning to write into KaijuAddicts and suggest a 'Caring for your X-Plus Collection' article covering things just like this, as well as display ideas and cleaning / storage of vinyl figures. I think it'd be a great resource for anyone collecting various G-related vinyl. (Or any vinyl figures for that matter.) Anyways, love the site!

Actually I've had a half written post on taking care of them. New collectors should definitely be aware how easily the toe paint can get scratched. I keep meaning to finish that.

As for tails again, here's a link to Rich Eso's video. He shows you how easily they could pop in as long as you heat them enough. https://www.kaijuaddicts.com/how-to-connect-tails-on-x-plus-figures-by-rich-eso/

 

[Joda]

I made the same mistake on my first couple X-Plus figures. By heating the tail end, the vinyl "frill" that goes into the hole would bend and the tail wouldn't be completely secure.

If you want to reattach the tails properly, here's what I personally did: I took the tail out, ran cold water over the frill while reshaping it to stick out with my fingers, then stuffed a towel into the tail to keep the frill from bending back inwards. To speed up the cooldown and make sure the frill was repositioned the way it used to be, I then put it in the freezer with the towel still jammed inside. After a few minutes, I took it out, heated the rear of the body instead, and followed through with the usual twisting method. After that I placed the whole figure in the freezer just to make sure that being plugged into the hole didn't cause the frill to re-bend.

Well, my tails appear to be in fine - they line up right and match the pictures on the KaijuAddicts site... The question is, do they need to be removed and 'reset'?

I don't think collecting is helping my OCD at all, lol.

(Thanks, Blade.)

 

[Viking Spawn]

Darn it! I'm about to take the plunge on these! I'm going to try to limit myself to certain figures to keep the costs down. For example, some of my favorite Godzilla suits and perhaps some of my favorite villains.

For starts, I'll probably start off with G 74, G 68, and maybe 64. Just hoping I can find them at reasonable prices. And even more... re-releases.

 

[ApeManRyan]

X-Plus makes amazing Godzilla Figures. Best out there but definitely expensive and dangerous to get into.

 

[Viking Spawn]

X-Plus makes amazing Godzilla Figures. Best out there but definitely expensive and dangerous to get into.

My wife may kill me too. First Hot Toys and now THIS?! Ouch.....

And I already missed some of my favorite suits from the past years. Their prices are equivalent to after market HT stuff! It may be a long time coming before I can get all the ones I want. And no way would I ever be a completist now.

 

[ApeManRyan]

My wife may kill me too. First Hot Toys and now THIS?! Ouch.....

And I already missed some of my favorite suits from the past years. Their prices are equivalent to after market HT stuff! It may be a long time coming before I can get all the ones I want. And no way would I ever be a completist now.

Me either. I'll be waiting for the right suits. Amazing but expensive.

 

[JohnStanowski]

For starts, I'll probably start off with G 74, G 68, and maybe 64. Just hoping I can find them at reasonable prices. And even more... re-releases.

The 30cm Series Godzilla 1968 is planned for a North America re-release by Diamond. No date yet. But I have a page on Kaiju Addicts just for keeping track of the Diamond re-issues: https://www.kaijuaddicts.com/x-plus-vinyl-resources/diamond-re-issue-schedule/. Diamond's prices are less expensive than the original runs, and ridiculously cheaper than the aftermarket originals. Watch that page!

 

[JohnStanowski]

My wife may kill me too. First Hot Toys and now THIS?! Ouch.....

I'm the same, yet the opposite. I'm about to take the 1:6 Plunge. I have no idea how I'm going to keep up collecting both. It may not be so bad since I'll be limited myself to figures without "real" clothes. I can't get myself to accept figures like that. They remind me of Ken dolls. I guess I'll get over it. I'm planning for my first figure to be the Big Chief Studios Doctor Who (4th). Then, lots of Sideshow Star Wars!

 

[Viking Spawn]

The 30cm Series Godzilla 1968 is planned for a North America re-release by Diamond. No date yet. But I have a page on Kaiju Addicts just for keeping track of the Diamond re-issues: https://www.kaijuaddicts.com/x-plus-vinyl-resources/diamond-re-issue-schedule/. Diamond's prices are less expensive than the original runs, and ridiculously cheaper than the aftermarket originals. Watch that page!

Thanks for the info and link. I've been eye balling eBay and surfing the web for items in stock. I just wish I knew about this stuff a few years earlier. I'm probably just going to buy the older suits that I really liked. For example, my favorites are G 75, 68, 66, and 89. 64 and Final Wars is cool too. I see 54 is still available at some places which surprises me. Ooooh..... This is going to be expensive. Luckily, a couple of those are looking to be re-issued. I just hope they also reissue the others for people like me who are late in the game. Again, thanks.

 

[Joda]

I believe this should give you an idea of wich 30cm figures Diamond plans to reissue. The other thing to keep in mind, is the scale difference between the Large Monster Series and the 30cm line. If you're like me and love seeing the size difference, then you kinda have to pick one and stick with it. (Or at least that's my feeling.)

 

[Viking Spawn]

I believe this should give you an idea of wich 30cm figures Diamond plans to reissue. The other thing to keep in mind, is the scale difference between the Large Monster Series and the 30cm line. If you're like me and love seeing the size difference, then you kinda have to pick one and stick with it. (Or at least that's my feeling.)

View attachment 97286

Ooooooh. So many goodies to choose from. I see several right off the bat that's going on the top of my want list..... 89, 67, 62, and 62!

Thanks for posting that!