Kaiju Toys

Bandai Releases New Godzilla Classic

2007-12-02T11:52:00Z

Bandai Creation, an American subsidiary of Bandai America Inc., first released the Classic Godzilla figure series in 2002. In 2004, added four figures from the Godzilla: Final Wars movie. This fall Bandai, released four new 6.5" figures, and for the first time, two 12" figures. Now there are total of 18 different figures in Bandai's Classic Godzilla figure series. You can find all of the these new and original classic figures at www.monstervalleytoys.com.

11" Godzilla figure with moveable head, arms, legs and tail.

12" Mechagodzilla figure with moveable head, arms, waist and tail.

Ultra Monsters Battle Series Playsets by Bandai

2007-11-11T13:51:00Z

Just released by Bandai, Ultra Monsters Battle Series playsets. Three playsets are now available with more to come. Molded plastic dioramas can be connected together to form a larger scene. Each set comes with six Ultraman monsters.

Series 01, released June 2007, includes Gan-Q, Gomola, Baltan, Super COV, Golza, and Reicubas.

Series 02, released July 2007, includes Red King, King Joe, Hipporito, Twintail, Gudon, and Bakishimu/Vaxxim.

Series 03, released October 2007, includes Bemstar, Zetton, Bemura, Black King, Gomola, and Tyrant.

Available now at Monster Valley Toys for $29.99 each!

Ultraman on DVD

2007-09-26T00:59:00Z

Ultraman has been called Japan’s Superman. The Ultraman series first appeared on Japanese television in 1966, and was based on an even earlier show, Ultra-Q. The main character is Hayata, a member of the Science Patrol, who has the ability to transform into the giant superhero, Ultraman. The Science Patrol with Hayata and Ultraman battle many different kaiju (Japanese for monster) and seijin (Japanese for alien) to protect Japan and the world.

Since the original series aired, Tsuburaya Productions has produced several different Ultraman series. All with the same theme of a human transforming into an Ultraman. For a complete list of the Ultraman series and movies visit http://m-78.jp/en/program.php.Also visit http://members.fortunecity.com/ultramanarchive/index3.htm for episode lists with kaiju pictures.

An English-dubbed version of the original 1966-67 Ultraman series is now available on DVD. Each volume includes an eight-page episode guide with a short descriptions and kaiju appearances. A few of the Ultraman movies and a few episodes of the other Ultraman series have also been dubbed in English. Ultraman Powered was produced for American television, and was filmed with English-speaking actors. A few of the Ultraman series are available on DVD with English-subtitles including Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Cosmos, Ultraman Max, Ultraman Nexus, and Ultraman Mebius. Luckily there are more battle scenes than dialogue.

When purchasing Ultraman DVD’s check the Region code. Only Region 1 or Region-Free DVD’s will play in American DVD players.

There are many Ultraman videos available at www.youtube.com, and this is an excellent way to preview an Ultraman series before buying the DVD. Ultraman Nice was the star of Bandai infomercials that appeared during reruns of Ultraman Tiga in Japan in 1999. These commercials can be viewed at YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9fQ2YtXpBA and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdZ8XZmW9fk.

Ultraman Articles from Japan Times

2007-09-23T15:24:00Z

Ultraman . . . forever (By Mark Schilling, The Japan Times, 11/12/2006)
Zap! Pow! Suwatch! After 40 years and 16 series, the Ultra Warriors are still saving the Earth and entertaining kids of all ages everywhere ...
The "Ultraman" live-action science-fiction series has been a rite of passage for Japanese boys (and a few girls) and their families for four decades now, since the first show was aired in 1966. For many, one day you are the parent of a preschooler whose idea of fun television is "Sesame Street" or "Ponkikki," the next you are living with a junior superhero who makes strange cries and arm movements in addition to more familiar karatelike kicks and chops. Your child is, you notice, not merely knocking imaginary space monsters into the next galaxy, but vaporizing them with his "specium beam" fired from forearms crossed in an "L" position, with the upright arm doing the zapping. Read entire article

ULTRACOLLECTIBLES - Serious toys for serious fans (By Martin Webb, The Japan Times, 11/12/2006)
Ultraman is often cited as an example of just how different the Japanese outlook is from that of Westerners. While the bug-like eyes and clingy bodysuit of the hero himself may strike the uninitiated as ridiculous, it is the outlandish aspect of the monsters from whose wrath Ultraman is perpetually saving the world that really raises eyebrows. Read entire article

ULTRABONDING - SF hero conjures memories old and new across the generations (By Setsuko Kamiya, The Japan Times, 11/12/2006)
A few months ago, Hiromasa Kaneko noticed that his son Hibiki had started pretending he was characters from "Ultraman Mebius" that he said the other children at his nursery in Tokyo's Meguro Ward were all into. But rather than just let his 4-year-old son copy his friends, Kaneko figured it would be better for him to see the real show so he would actually know what was going on. Read entire article

ULTRASUCCESS IN PRINT - Alien star flies off the shelves (By Setsuko Kamiya, The Japan Times, 11/12/2006)
Children's books typically feature anything from frogs or cats or pigs to dinosaurs and sometimes even people. Those authored by Tatsuya Miyanishi have all those -- but he's also written several books featuring Ultraman. Read entire article

SCARY MONSTERS AND SUPERHEROES - Fighting the good fight for all (By Yuko Naito, The Japan Times, 7/22/2001)
In the pantheon of Japan's fictional action heroes, it would be hard to find one better known or loved than Ultraman. Since 1966, Ultraman has been one of Japan's favorite heroes. Now showing on a small screen near you in "Ultraman Cosmos," the 12th series since he first strode onto the scene in 1966, this 40-meter extraterrestrial is still wowing new generations with what he does best: battling ghastly monsters wreaking havoc on Earth. Read entire article