BREAKING (Part 2): Godzilla Jr. goes ORANGE ZONE!

Godzilla Jr. finally hits the Orange Zone after all this time. It may be a small figure with a higher price point, (thanks to the yen being worth more than the dollar at the time of its release), but this figure is packed full of articulation. I would say that this figure was the beginning of Tamashii doing the articulation right with the line. It's a lot of fun to pose it. If you haven't bought this figure, now's the time. While Amazon may be running low on stock, other retailers do carry it. Of course, once Amazon runs out of stock, those other retailers may raise there prices. So don't hesitate!

BREAKING: MOGUERA enters the ORANGE ZONE!

MOGUERA has been around for quite some time, since 2012. There was a point in time I flagged it as being Red Zoned, but Bluefin received additional stock from Japan that's been keeping it a float all this time. Now it finally looks like that additional stock has begun to dry up. Amazon now only has 19 pieces yet. In my opinion, MOUGERA is an absolutely fantastic set that you NEED for your collection. It comes loaded with effect parts and accessories, and the figure itself is exemplary and generally underrated. It's a bit high in price point, but totally worth it. A good handful of other retailers still carry MOGUERA, so if you miss out on Amazon, there's always other outlets.

Availability & Best Deal Updates 12/26 RED & ORANGE ZONE ALERTS!

This has been quite a year for Godzilla related S.H.MonsterArts. In celebration of the 60th Anniversary, 2014 outputted a record high amount of figures in a single year. Some were hits, some were misses. Not only was it a record high for releases, but 2014 also saw the fastest sell out rate putting many releases into the red zone, including some releases from 2014! Yes, it was certainly a good year. But be warned folks, we saw a big release schedule because of the new movie and 60th anniversary. 2015 is expected to me MUCH slower. We're talking 4-6 releases for the whole year of 2015. At the moment Tamashii Nations has announced releases all the way through May 2015 with only 2 figures confirmed for NA release, Mecha King Ghidorah and Godzilla 2000 Millennium Special Color Version. [Yes there's Gamera too, but that's not a Godzilla character and it's not covered here at The Articulation Series.]

So what happened since last week? Amazon completely sold out of Biollante and we're now seeing figures in the $450+ range from third party sellers. Hope everyone who wanted one got it, it's gonna be hell on your wallet playing catch up. Along with Biollante now being in the RED ZONE, Destoroyah enters the ORANGE ZONE. Amazon has sold out of Destoroyah, though it's entirely possible that they've got one more shipment coming in. Until they do, Destoroyah is being flagged in the Orange Zone now, especially with many retailers that compete with Amazon raising their own prices now that the retail giant doesn't carry it.

This is probably the last blog post for 2014. It's been a great one folks! Stay tuned for a poll for best SHMA of 2014. Happy New Year!



Past Releases Changelog 12.26.14

• Godzilla Jr.
• Best Deal changed to Enkightmedia & Amazon
• Destoroyah
• Availability changed to the ORANGE ZONE
• Removed Eknightmedia - Sold Out
• Added Gundam Planet & Ebay link
• Best Deal changed to Gundam Planet
• Biollante
• Availability changed to the RED ZONE
• Mothra
• Best Deal changed to ToyWiz
• Added Mandarake Link
• Battra & Mothra Larva Set
• Removed Eknightmedia - Sold Out
• Best Deal changed to Amazon
• Added
• Godzilla (2014)
• Best Deal changed to Amazon
• Kiryu (2003)
• Removed Eknightmedia, Anime Island, Gundam Planet

Availability & Best Deal Updates - YELLOW & RED ZONE ALERTS 12-19

Big updates today. Christmas has definitely taken a toll on SHMA figures, which is great that they're selling, but not so great for those who don't have the funds to get these figures just yet. Destoroyah finally hit the YELLOW ZONE earlier this week. Amazon is currently reporting a stock of 19 left, though it is unclear if they have another pallet on route. Either way, Destoroyah is still readily available through other popular merchants. Big Bad Toy Store is receiving their last order of Destoroyah later this month.

Mothra quickly went from the YELLOW ZONE, to the ORANGE ZONE, and finally to the RED ZONE in the span of a week! Amazon had claimed that more were on the way, however, that message turned out to be an error as they had nothing left reserved from Bluefin Distribution. That being said, you can still find Mothra at smaller retailer shops at or less than MSRP. Check your local comic stores as well!

Lastly, Kiryu (2003) is a MAJOR hit in the USA, along with the 2 Effects Sets. It is now in the YELLOW ZONE! It's unknown if Amazon will actually have any available as they're still currently filling pre-orders of the figure. Other shops have also removed it from their catalogs. I haven't removed any links from the Past Releases section, as I'd like to see where we stand next week. Right now, your best bet is to order from Nakama Toys for $125 shipped. There's also some smaller shops you could probably find that are selling it for a few dollars cheaper, if they haven't sold out already.



Past Releases Changelog 12.19.14

• Spacegodzilla
• Removed Enkightmedia - Sold Out
• Added Rakuten Link
• Destoroyah
• Availability changed to the YELLOW ZONE
• Removed Image Anime - Sold Out
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia & Amazon
• Mothra
• Availability changed to the RED ZONE
• Removed Eknightmedia - Sold Out
• Godzilla (Adult Jr.)
• Removed Big Bad Toy Store - Sold Out
• Kiryu (2003)
• Availability changed to the YELLOW ZONE

Orange Zone Alert!!!

As some of you know, Amazon's stock of Mothra has drastically been depleted over the weekend. Fortunately they've also mentioned that more units are on the way. However, it's been revealed to me that the additional stock isn't all that much. Effectively today, Mothra is now in the ORANGE ZONE. Get it while you can folks. It's a wonderful figure and you will regret missing it.

Availability & Best Deal Updates - YELLOW ZONE ALERTS 12/12

This certainly has been a great year for Tamashii Nations' S.H.MonsterArts line. Three more monsters are now in the YELLOW ZONE: Godzilla (2014), Godzilla (Adult Jr.) aka Rebirth 1995, and the Battra & Mothra Larva Set. These figures are still readily available from retailers, but once they sell out that's it. Deals can still be had for some as well. Godzilla (2014) can be purchased from Anime Island right now for $53.99 shipped using their holiday promocode DECFREESHIP. Incidentally, they're also taking 10% off all pre-order figures including Mecha King Ghidorah & Godzilla 2000 Millennium Special Color Version. Adult Jr and the Larva Set are stocked as well with the popular retailers, so you still have some time to pick these guys up.

Past Releases Changelog 12.12.14

• Spacegodzilla
• Removed ToyWiz - Sold Out
• Godzilla Jr.
• Best Deal changed to Amazon
• Battra & Mothra Larva Set
• Availability changed to the YELLOW ZONE
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia
• Removed Anime Island - Sold Out
• Added link to Nakama Toys
• Godzilla (Adult Jr.)
• Availability changed to the YELLOW ZONE
• Removed Anime Island - Sold Out
• Godzilla (2014)
• Availability changed to the YELLOW ZONE

Availability & Best Deal Updates - ORANGE ZONE ALERT 12/5

Next on the chopping block looks to be Biollante, as it enters the ORANGE ZONE! The only major retailer that currently carries it is Amazon. They have their stock capped at 5 pieces per order, so it's only a matter of time until we see the infamous "Only XX Left". It's a great figure and if you've been holding out all this time waiting for a deal... Just act soon because this monstrosity is something you don't want to be kicking yourself for. Put it on your Christmas list and hope Santa delivers!

Past Releases Changelog 12.05.14

• Little Godzilla
• Best Deal changed to Amazon
• Destoroyah Evolution Set
• Removed Anime Island - Sold Out
• Best Deal changed to Big Bad Toy Store
• Biollante
• Availability changed to the ORANGE ZONE
• Removed ToyWiz - Sold Out
• Battra
• Removed ToyWiz - Sold Out
• Godzilla (Adult Jr.)
• Best Deal changed to Amazon & Eknightmedia
• Godzilla (2014)
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia
• Kiryu (2003)
• Best Deal changed to Nakama Toys

Availability & Best Deal Updates - RED ZONE ALERT! 11/29

It's official folks! Battra has finally sold out. If you haven't purchased it, there may be smaller retailers or comic shops that still carry Battra at or below MSRP. As of today it is in the RED ZONE! Dun-dun-dunnnnnnnn. From here on out, we'll see its prices climb. If you managed to get it, awesome!

Past Releases Changelog 11.29.14

• Spacegodzilla
• Best Deal changed to Nakama Toys
• MOGUERA
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia
• Little Godzilla
• Removed Nakama Toys - Sold Out
• Godzilla Jr.
• Removed Anime Island - Sold Out
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia & Amazon
• Battra
• Availability changed to the RED ZONE
• Best Deal changed to ToyWiz
• Godzilla (Adult Jr.)
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia, Amazon, & Anime Island
• Kiryu (2003)
• Best Deal changed to Big Bad Toy Store
• Toho Ultimate Weapons Set 2
• Removed Anime Island - Sold Out
• Godzilla Effects Set 2
• Removed Anime Island - Sold Out

Yellow Zone Alerts!

It's not surprising that both the new effects sets for the S.H.MonsterArts line would sell out quick. Being a web exclusive means a limited supply being brought over to Bluefin, and the price is relatively low when compared to the rest of the line, is a guaranteed quick sell out. Today the Toho Ultimate Weapons Set 2 & Godzilla Effects Set 2 are no longer carried by Bluefin Distribution, effectively entering the Yellow Zone. So what's on the market is all that is left. If you were planning on building an army down the road or plan waiting for a better deal, don't wait too long. Think about how much the first Toho Ultimate Weapons Set costs now... Although on a slightly better note, this is great that these effects sets sold so well and so fast. Tamashii Nations will definitely be looking into future S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla themed sets in the future.

Availability, Best Deals, and Site Updates! 11/21

It's only been a week since the last report on Battra and Amazon's stock has dropped from 42 to 28. I've said it before and I'll say it again, get this figure while you can! Additionally, Biollante is only carried between two retailers (of the nine that I track), Amazon & Toy Wiz. I can't give an exact number on how many Amazon currently has as they have it capped to only purchasing up to five pieces per order. But it's looking like it's getting closer to the Orange Zone. Same with Mothra, it's stock is currently capped at 5 pieces per order, but it's still available through 3 other major retailers.

Last but not least, Kiryu (2003) officially hit US soil November 19, 2014. It hasn't reached Big Bad Toy Store, Amazon, or Anime Island yet, but it's shipping from Eknightmedia, Gundam Planet, Image Anime, & Toy Arena right now!

Past Releases Changelog 11.21.14

• MOGUERA
• Best Deal changed to Amazon
• Biollante
• Removed Image Anime - Sold Out
• Godzilla (2014)
• Best Deal changed to Amazon & Anime Island

Site Updates:

• Moved Kiryu (2003) into the Past Releases section.

Availability & Best Deal Update 11/14 - YELLOW & RED ZONE ALERTS

Christmas is coming, so don't miss out on these figures! Spacegodzilla is no longer available at MSRP through popular retailers and has once again succumbed a fate that is the Red Zone. I should note though, it is available through Eknightmedia and Nakama Toys for a few dollars more than its original MSRP. If you were waiting for a deal in time fore Christmas, you may want to rethink that strategy. Gigan (2004) is no longer available at Bluefin Distribution which means it's now in the Yellow Zone. If you haven't bought this figure yet, Amazon has a sweet deal going on right now for less than $70 shipped.

In other news, Battra continues to get closer to the Red Zone. Last month, Amazon had a about 68 in stock. This month it has dropped to 42. It'll probably be around for the holidays, but not much longer afterward.

Past Releases Changelog 11.14.14

• Godzilla (1994)
• Fixed all the International links
• UX-02-93 Mechagodzilla
• Fixed all the International links
• Spacegodzilla:
• Availability changed to the RED ZONE
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia
• Fire Rodan:
• Fixed all the International links
• King Ghidorah:
• Fixed all the International links
• MFS-3 Type 3 Kiryu Mechagodzilla (2002)
• Fixed all the International links
• Battra
• Added Jungle link
• Gigan (2004)
• Availabiltiy changed to the YELLOW ZONE
• Removed Big Bad Toy Store - Sold Out
• Removed Eknightmedia - Sold Out
• Godzilla (Adult Jr.)
• Best Deal changed to Amazon & Anime Island

Hi-Res Photos Update! Godzilla [Comic-Con Explosion] & Godzilla (2014) [Poster Version]

Hi-Res Images Available Here

The Godzilla (2014) [Poster Version] rocks the illuminated reddish flame color found on the Japanese theatrical posters for GODZILLA (2014). The sculpt and articulation engineering are unchanged from the original release back in October (NA). This variant is exclusively available through Amazon.co.jp, bundled with Toho's Limited Blu-Ray 5 Disc Edition of GODZILLA (2014), priced at ¥15,000 ($130), and limited to only 8000 pieces! It's scheduled to be released February 25, 2015.

The Bad News:
If you've just heard about this and really want it, unfortunately, it sold out in 2 days. Due to the nature of this release, it will not be released in North America.

The Not-So-Good-News:
You can still pick it up from third party sellers like PlayAsia, CDJapan, or Ebay, but be prepared to spend well over MSRP.

The Good News-(ish):
If you don't want to pay the crazy aftermarket prices for this release, you can always closely monitor Amazon.co.jp's product page and hope that someone cancels their pre-order. Amazon.co.jp instantly updates the product page once a pre-order is successfully canceled. So there's a slim, random, chance you can still own this figure and set at MSRP.

Sci-Fi Japan has listed the complete product info and specs of this bundle, check it out!

In addition to this update, I've also included brand new Hi-Res promo photos of Godzilla [Comic-Con Explosion], courtesy of Bandai Tamashii Nations Japan, released July 2012. Original product info & specs included. Even though this figure has been long out of print, it's still relatively affordable through Amazon, Image Anime, and Toy Wiz. Perhaps this can fill the void that is Godzilla (2014) [Poster Version].



Hi-Res Images Available Here


Site Updates:

• Added Godzilla [Comic-Con Explosion] product specs, price, and hi-res images to the PAST RELEASES section.
• Added Godzilla (2014) [Poster Version] product specs, price, and hi-res images to the UPCOMING RELEASES section.
• Added a new "Update" symbol on the menu for pages that get updated. These symbols will remain for 4 days while the content is fresh.

Godzilla (2014) Darkness entry!

Godzilla (2014) for the Darkness Collection! Checkout the rest of the album here.

Additional Exclusive Photos Here.

Best Deal Updates 11/07

Past Releases Changelog 11.07.14

• Spacegodzilla:
• Best Deal changed to Nakama Toys
• Godzilla (2014):
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia.

Availability & Price Updates 10/31

Past Releases Changelog 10.31.14

• Burning Godzilla (1995):
• Removed Image Anime link - Sold Out.
• Added Jungle link
• Godzilla (2014):
• Best Deal changed to Amazon & Anime Island.

Site Updates:

• Update the whole REVIEWS section with new code for the desktop version of the site. Also removed "Buy it Now" links from those pages, as well as the Facebook comments sections.
• Added Mothra (Adult) review.
• Added new Box Art of recent releases to the REVIEWS section.

Mothra (1992) Review!

Mothra (Adult) Review!

Full Gallery Here

One of the most anticipated characters to hit the S.H.MonsterArts line, Mothra (1992) from the Heisei series makes its debut. Released as a web exclusive in Japan, Mothra is a regular release in North America with an MSRP of $64.99. The only Mothra figure I’ve ever owned was by Trendmasters, and that was a decent release, thanks to Mothra’s simple shape, but it was very much out of scale with that line’s Godzilla. Thankfully, that is not an issue with this release. Mothra’s wingspan is huge and the figure is in perfect scale with the rest of the Heisei releases of the S.H.MonsterArts line. I have to admit that after having slightly disappointed impressions with Battra, I was concerned that Mothra would suffer similar flaws since they were released only a few months apart from each other. Thankfully, most of Battra’s flaws were rectified in Mothra’s design, however there’s still room for improvement...

Availability & Best Deals Update 10/24

Past Releases Changelog 10.24.14

• Spacegodzilla:
• Removed Toy Arena - Sold Out.
• Added Toy Wiz link.
• Godzilla (Adult Jr.):
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia.
• Godzilla (2014):
• Best Deal changed to Anime Island.

Godzilla 2000 Millennium (Special Color Edition) Hi-Res Photos!

Hi-Res Images Available Here

Due to high demand from North America, Tamashii Nations is bringing back Godzilla 2000 Millennium, Sakai's concept sculpt, but with a colorful twist. Rather than re-issuing the same figure released in January 2014, they've colorized this sculpt with Godzilla's traditional colors. No purple or tints of green, just charcoal gray and white. Why not a Wakasa [film] version? Simply because the demand was interpreted for this particular sculpt. Is a Wakasa version in the works? You'll have to wait and see. This is a chance for many of those who missed this release earlier this year, while also giving previous owners something slightly new. There are no changes in its sculpt and there's no mention of improved articulation. Godzilla 2000 Millennium (Special Color Edition) is released as a Web Exclusive in Japan and will be available as a Regular Release here in North America at $74.99. However, a limited quantity will be readily available. Like the previous G2K, this one also comes with no accessories or effect parts. Pre-order this one as soon as you can, it's likely to sell out even faster than the previous release.

Site Updates:

• Added Godzilla 2000 Millennium (Special Color Edition) product specs, price, and hi-res images to the UPCOMING RELEASES section.

Availability & Best Deals Update 10/17 - ORANGE ZONE ALERT!

With everyday passing, Battra comes closer to being sold out. At the moment, of the popular retailers I track, Toywiz & Amazon are the last two to have stock at or less than MSRP. Normally I won't list a figure in the Orange Zone until Amazon has about 20 pieces or less, but with practically all other popular vendors out of stock, it seems appropriate to change Battra's availability status now. Amazon still has about 84 pieces in stock, and there's a slim chance they may have another palette spoken for at Bluefin Distribution. But there's also the chance this is it. There's still some time to get this figure, but if you were holding off until Christmas, exercise some caution... Or let someone know that you want this for Christmas and it needs to be purchased soon before it's completely sold out. Good luck!

Past Releases Changelog 10.17.14

• Spacegodzilla:
• Removed Big Bad Toy Store - Sold Out
• Battra:
• Availability changed to the ORANGE ZONE.

Effect Sets Officially Released in NA!

The Toho Ultimate Weapons Set 2 & Godzilla Effects Set 2 are now available at some online retailers in North America! Local collectible store Anime King Inc. & Toy Arena now have them listed on their store pages, (Ebay Store for Anime King). You can order it today and get it this coming week! If you have a pre-order elsewhere, just know that it's rolling out in the coming week.

Site Updates:

• Moved the Toho Ultimate Weapons Set 2 to the PAST RELEASES section.
• Moved the Godzilla Effects Set 2 to the PAST RELEASES section.

Availability & Best Deals Updates 10/11

Past Releases Changelog 10.11.14

• Spacegodzilla:
• Added Eknightmedia link.
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia.
• Little Godzilla:
• Removed Toy Arena- Sold Out.
• Gigan (2004):
• Best Deal changed to Amazon.
• Godzilla (Adult Jr.):
• Best Deal changed to Anime Island & Amazon.

Godzilla (2014) officially released in NA!

Godzilla (2014) is now available at some online retailers in North America! Local collectible store Anime King Inc. has it listed on their Ebay store page. If you've been patiently waiting, you can order it today and get it this coming week! If you don't want to order from Anime King, or already have a pre-order elsewhere, just know that it's rolling out this coming week.












Site Updates:

• Moved Godzilla (2014) to the PAST RELEASES section.

New Past Releases Section Blog Post Updates!

As you some of you already know, I update the PAST RELEASES section once a week with the current best deals and availability changes. This typically happens every Friday. To find out what was changed you'd have to refresh the page on Friday and look for the posted date to be updated to see the new changes, and even then, you had to pretty much click on every monster icon to see what did change.

To make it a little easier, this Blog will post the changelog of exactly what's been updated in the PAST RELEASES section. However, links to product pages will not be posted here, you'll have to click on those on the main site or search on your own.

Past Releases Changelog 9.25.14

• Spacegodzilla:
• Availability changed from the RED ZONE back to the ORANGE ZONE.
• Added BBTS, Toy Arena, & Anime Island links.
• Best Deal changed to Amazon & Toy Arena.
• MOGUERA:
• Removed Anime Island- Sold Out.
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia.
• Added Ebay link.
• Burning Godzilla:
• Best Deal changed to Image Anime.
• Godzilla Junior:
• Best Deal changed to Amazon & Eknightmedia. 
• Godzilla (1964):
• Removed Toywiz- Sold Out.
• Added Ebay, Rakuten Global, Yahoo Japan Auctions, Jungle Anime, & Mandarake links.
• Gigan (2004):
• Removed Anime Island- Sold Out.
• Best Deal changed to Eknightmedia.
• Added Toywiz & Nakama Toys links.
• Mothra:
• Removed Toy Arena- Sold Out.
• Best Deal changed to Amazon & Eknightmedia.
• Added Ebay, Yahoo Japan Auctions, & Rakuten Global links.

Yellow Zone Alert x2 & Something's Back From the Red Zone!

Yellow Zone Alert: Mothra & Battra (Adult Forms) are no longer available to retailers. This means whatever is on the market is what is currently left for purchase. If you're the kind of person who likes to wait around for that good deal, it might be a good time to re-evalaute your buying plan. Mothra is a little closer to the Orange Zone than Battra based off of the popular online retailers availability I track. Today I've updated the PAST RELEASES section with the remaining popular retailers that carry these monsters still.

Here's something to lighten the mood. Tamashii Nations in Japan has sent over the remaining, very limited, supply of Spacegodzilla's to Bluefin Distribution! So if you missed out on Spacegodzilla at or less than $83.99 MSRP, you can place orders at these available retailers! I'd also like to note, not every online retailer will be receiving this stock, so don't wait for your favorite retailer if it's not listed below!

I do not know if Amazon will be getting any of this stock, but I'll keep everyone posted when I find out.

Godzilla (Adult Jr.) - Darkness Collection Entry!

Godzilla (Adult Jr.) aka 1995 Rebirth for the Darkness Collection! Checkout the rest of the album here.

Additional Exclusive Photos Here.

Mothra Larva - Darkness Collection Entry!

Mothra Larva for the Darkness Collection! Checkout the rest of the album here.

Additional Exclusive Photos Here.

Battra Larva - Darkness Collection Entry!

Battra Larva for the Darkness Collection! Checkout the rest of the album here.

Additional Exclusive Photos Here.

Monster Forecast January Update!

Check out our latest predictions for January 2015!

December's predictions ended up being a dud folks. It appears that the last Godzilla related SHMA released in 2014 will be Kiryu (2003). Look at it this way, if you only collect SHMA's like I do, there's a nice gap between Kiryu (2003) and Mecha King Ghidorah giving that wallet a break and start saving. Though it's disappointing not to receive that big end of the year announcement, I suppose Mecha King Ghidorah will suffice, as far as announcements go. But hey, a new year means a whole lot of new monsters! Although I've laid out predictions for January, I don't believe anything will be announced for January. Here's to being optimistic! Who do you think will be announced for January 2015?

Site Updates:

• Added Mecha King Ghidorah product information and pre-order links in the UPCOMING RELEASES section.
• Moved the Godzilla (Adult Jr.) aka REBIRTH into the PAST RELEASES section.
• Updated the MONSTER FORECAST page.
• Burning Godzilla (1995) and Godzilla (1964) are now in the RED ZONE. Find a great deal while you can, prices will only escalate from here on out.

Hi-Res pics of MKG - Product Info Coming Soon!

Full Album Here

Super Hi-Res images are now available, with an additional two exclusive photos not featured anywhere else! Mecha-King Ghidorah is slated for a February 2015 release in Japan at 19,440 yen (includes 8% tax). North America product information should be rolling in within the week. It's expected to be a March 2015 release, for North America, at or around $179.99. To much of our surprise, the Dorats will be included with this release along with the epic Machine Hand Grip system. Photos courtesy of Bandai Tamashii Nations. 

Orange Zone Alert: Burning Godzilla (1995)

Burning Godzilla (1995) has now entered the Orange Zone. If you haven't picked up this wonderful figure, now's the time. If you aren't to crazy about it, you can always purchase this month's new release, Godzilla (Adult Jr.) aka Birth (1995), which is a retool of Burning Godzilla (1995). Hurry before it's gone!

New Availability Highlighting & More!

Anyone who has been following the line for sometime now will tell you it's an expensive venture. Some folks out there like to wait for a good deal rather than paying the MSRP, or close to it, as soon as these figures are released. However, recent interest in Godzilla & Friends has led to figures selling out quicker. As some of you know, Tamashii Nations doesn't create figures like a normal mass produced toy factory. Whether it's a Web Exclusive or Regular Release, each figure only receives one production run and that's it, (Web Exclusives being much more limited in quantity). The end result, you've waited to long to get that figure, and now it's sold out at MSRP and the aftermarket has inflated the price. Then you're left kicking yourself...

To help those who like to wait, but don't want to miss out on a figure before it hits the aftermarket, I've implemented a tier system that will be updated every Friday. Now when you hover over a monster tile in the PAST RELEASES section, it will be color coded appropriately to its current availability. The tier system works like this:

• GREEN - Available: Bluefin Distribution still has a current inventory of these monsters and they are plentiful.
• YELLOW - Limited Stock: Bluefin Distribution no longer carries inventory of these monsters. Whatever is on the market is what's available, and depending on demand, could enter the orange tier quickly. Exercise caution with the waiting game.
• ORANGE - Almost Gone: Limited stock at MSRP or less, most if not all major online retailers stock have been depleted. If you've held off this long, now is the time to purchase that figure. 
• RED - Out of Print: No longer available at MSRP, the aftermarket has inflated the price. Though not all hope is lost. Smaller online retailers, as well as your local comic shops, may still carry these figures at MSRP or less. There's also the option of importing from sites like Mandarake which generally sell items for less, (depending on Japanese demand or web exclusive figures). It's up to you to dig and find that deal.

It's easy to use and won't take more than 10 seconds to find out if you should act on purchasing that figure you've been waiting to get a deal on.

Site Updates:

• Updated the PAST RELEASES section with the Availability Tier system.
• Removed the silhouettes from the UPCOMING RELEASES section. Please refer to the MONSTER FORECAST for fun guessing of what's to come!

Monster Forecast December Update!

Check out our latest predictions for December 2014!

November's predictions ended up panning out with the announcement of Mecha-King Ghidorah for the S.H.MonsterArts line. However, it has been slated for a February 2015 release instead of November 2014. There's supposed to be at least one more announcement for December 2014. We're hoping it's something big and special similarly to December 2013's release, Biollante. Who do you think will be announced for December 2014?

Site Updates:

• Added "**Web Exclusive**" into the descriptions of monsters released under the Bandai Collectors Web Shop.
• Moved the Battra & Mothra Larva Set into the PAST RELEASES section.
• Updated the MONSTER FORECAST page.
•  Added Mecha-King Ghidorah in the UPCOMING RELEASES section. However, only 1 promo photo has been added. The rest will come at a later date.

Bandai Tamashii Nations & Bluefin Distribution Interview - SDCC 2014!

Check it out folks. You asked the questions, they had the (most) answers.

Check out the interview here!

Here's a few questions from the interview:

How many Godzilla universe S.H.MonsterArts are planned in a year? Is it a set number or does it vary depending on what’s on the workbench?

Hannah: It’s not a set number. It can be anywhere between 2-3 characters. We don’t want to oversaturate the market with too many figures of the same line. We also consider the popularity of certain characters as well as the timing.

It seems that more and more Godzilla monsters are being released as a Web Exclusive vs. a regular release. What’s the reasoning behind this?

Hannah: It has more to do with the Japanese market. [Through Bluefin Distribution] web exclusives are regular releases for North America. It definitely has to do with the domestic Japanese market popularity than it does with the North American popularity.

What was the decision behind releasing Godzilla (2014) as the 60^th Anniversary piece instead of Godzilla (1954)?

 Xavier: Tamashii Nations has a really broad schedule for their releases. I can’t really comment on their decision, but Godzilla (2014), the movie itself, was a 60^th Anniversary feature, so it does makes sense for the Godzilla (2014) figure to also be a part of that celebration.

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