I've made it no secret that I love the early 70s Godzilla, and it is my favorite iteration of the character for straight-up nostalgia. He had such a personality, fighting style, and friends. He was a hero and even had an evil mechanical counterpart that he battled to close out his era. He does look like a muppet, but that's fine with me. I wish there were more merchandise on this version of the character, but I'll take what I can get. X-Plus delivered the goods once again with their Godzilla 1973 Deforeal.
This figure is the RIC-BOY limited release, and it comes with interchangeable parts with a different arm and lower jaw. The telephone pole used as a toothpick and the branch as a katana was from promotional shots taken as an homage to the Kogarashi Monjirō TV chanbara series, which was popular then.
Hello, are you dissatisfied with your current religion? Do you feel that you've been mistreated by the members, and your faith is wavering?
Do not fear, new blood, for Solomonism is here for you! This religion is based solely on the glory of our god, Solomon (From NGC), and following his command unto us, his disciples: "Still the best, 1973".
We are now accepting willing followers unto our fold.
I was extremely saddened to learn that suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma passed away yesterday, December 16, from a bout of pneumonia.
Satsuma-san was apprentice and friend to original Godzilla suit actor Haruo Nakajima. Satsuma-san's first suit role was as the Smog Monster, Hedorah, battling his sensei as Godzilla, in Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971).
Satsuma-san went on to play the space kaiju Gigan in the next two films in the series, Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) and Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973).
Nakajima-san retired from the role of Godzilla in 1972. When the Godzilla series was revived in 1984 with The Return of Godzilla (aka Godzilla 1985) the role went to his former apprentice, Satsuma-san.
Satsuma-san played Godzilla throughout the entire Heisei series, ending with Godzilla vs. Destroyah (1995), when Toho retired the Big G a second time.
Satsuma-san brought an animalistic fierceness to Godzilla that made the king of the monsters truly terrifying and unpredictable. Gone was the super heroic, somewhat goofy Godzilla of the 1970s, and returned was the menace of the original Godzilla/Gojira (1954).
I had the honor to meet Satsuma-san, and other Toho luminaries, in 2015 during G-Tour 3. He was very polite, gracious and humble, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He was a delight to speak with, and I will always remember that visit as one of the highlights of the tour.