NECA Godzilla 1962

Today I found the NECA Godzilla 62 at my local shop called Zonkey Toys. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this as I was curious how good NECA’s King Goji would turn out.

 

The first thing to note is that NECA are now allowed to put out more colorful boxes for their Godzilla figures. The box art is really nice, recreating the King Kong vs. Godzilla poster, with an open window that displays the kaiju, as well as an insert inside that can be removed that has the backdrop of Mount Fuji.

 

The figure is also slightly bigger than the other NECA Godzillas, and also bigger than the SHMA King Goji.

As for articulation, it’s standard NECA joints. The one immediate thing to note is that the tail is in several sections, so it has more articulation, unlike the usual NECA tails that sport a bendy wire. The tail is also longer and thicker than other NECA G’s.

There does seem to be an issue with some joints being more stiff than others, so you may want to be careful when pulling it out of the box and moving it, so as not to accidentally snap anything. On mine the left leg and right upper arm are stiffer than the other arm/leg. The jaw was also stiff, but I applied some heat and that helped open it up more. It also helped with the arm and leg joints.

 

 

The one thing that stood out was that on the articulation on the head and upper neck, depending on how you move the head, can leave a big turtle neck style gap when the head is pushed too far forward/downward. That’s something that certain fans have complained about in past releases. The other joints fit in more tightly so you don’t get glaring gaps throughout the body when putting it in certain poses. The lower jaw does show the hinge where you bend it down, and the way the jaw is cut, it does leave a wider angle spot when the mouth is open.

 

 

This Godzilla comes with a breath effect part. On one hand the effect is very nicely detailed and painted, and you’re able to fit it into Godzilla’s mouth as it goes into a small hole in the back of his jaw, so it doesn’t need a stand. On the other hand, the weight of the heat ray seems to weigh down the head, so it causes it to droop forward, exposing that gap on the back of the neck.

 

 

As for the details, the colors are nice, a lighter shade than the SHMA. The sculpt and details on the body, face, tail, etc., are also very nice. The eyes are colored a brighter yellow and they definitely stand out, adding a lot of character to the face. While the head sculpt is not 100% accurate to the King Goji suit, it’s pretty passable and you can still tell it’s the 62 version. The spikes are painted very nicely, much better than the 1954, with a more natural feel that blends the lighter tones into the darker parts of the middle.

 

The other thing that is obvious is how much CHEAPER NECA King Goji is. At $29, it’s a great deal! You get the figure and an effect part, and a very nice collectible box.

 

As for comparisons with the SHMA release, yes, that one is much more expensive (pre-orders were about $79, aftermarket is $100+). However, I have to say that I like the SHMA version better. It’s wonderfully (and accurately) detailed, and all the joints on my figure at least are great. However, NECA’s low price makes the stiff joints, gap on the neck and the heavy mouth beam acceptable. With more expensive figures, such type of QC issues are unforgivable for many fans (something that I totally understand and agree with).

My final verdict for NECA G62 is that he’s a great deal, definitely worth the price and a nice representation of King Goji, which is a much loved suit. Absolutely pick this up if you’re a fan.