After getting delayed by a few months, Hiya’s Godzilla 1999 has finally dropped. I had preordered it well over a year ago on Kowkis Toys. Once they got their stock in, they shipped it, yet it still took about 3 weeks to arrive. Stuff from China always seems to ship super slow, much more so than from Japan. Either way, I’m happy that it’s finally in my hands.
The first thing you notice is just how damn accurate they got the sculpt. It’s almost like they shrunk the actual suit down to action figure size. Godzilla 99/2K is known for his longer snout, larger, lizard like face (gone is the cat look from the Heisei era), and his very long, jagged dorsal spines. In the films (Godzilla 2000 and Godzilla x Megaguirus), the spikes were purple, with a green wash over his body. The spikes on the figure are more metallic red, with no green shading. Still, he looks fantastic, by far the most accurate G99/2K in super articulated form. I’m also impressed with the rock-like scales at the base of where his spikes begin. In the Megaguirus film, one character climbed on them long enough to plant a tracking device on the big G, and they are sculpted exactly how they were in the movie. For accessories, he comes with a pair of closed hands, almost like fists, but also able to hold small items in them, such as weapons or drinks.
The articulation is pretty good, though not as flexible as SHMA’s version. His torso can lean forward, turn fully around and pivot side to side. His head and neck are cut into three separate pieces that allow it to twist, turn, look up and down. His shoulders can go out to the sides in a T-pose and spin around. He sports bicep swivels, a bend at the elbows, and rotation at the wrists. His thighs can spread out a little and kick forward and back. His knees can bend, but the range isn’t a lot. His ankles can twist and pivot. And finally, his tail sports multiple segmented joints, though it can’t curl in an almost circle like the SHMA. Out of the three Hiya Godzilla figures I own, I would say this one has least amount of range, mostly due to the bulky sculpt. Despite that, he can still move fairly well. If certain joints are tight, applying a little heat will loosen them up.
As you can see in the photos above, he’s larger and thicker than the MonsterArts version. While the SHMA wins in the articulation department, the Hiya takes the trophy for most accurate sculpt, plus overall better proportions. I honestly love both figures. There’s room enough in the world for the two of them, and it’s nice that fans and collectors have a choice for which to purchase. I personally find the Hiya vs. SHMA debate rather tired and boring. Just buy what you want and shut up with the endless rants.
Final thoughts? Hiya's Godzilla 99/2K is a fantastic figure. He looks great, can move well enough, and for fans of this MireGoji suit, it's great to finally be able to own a highly articulated version of this much beloved Godzilla form. I remember when Hiya first announced him, it was an instant purchase, as I assumed that S.H. MonsterArts would never do one, only for them to announce theirs just a short time later. Well now I own them both, and couldn't be happier. I don't have any other Hiya figures on pre-order, though the Kiryu Mechagodzilla they recently announced just might tempt me. I will also wait for the actual reveal of their Burning Godzilla, to see if I want to add it to my collection. For now, I'm quite pleased with my MireGoji, GMK and G91 figures from this great company.
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