HG Series
Godzilla: High Grade (HG シリーズ is a line of two-inch tall collectible Gashapon figures produced by Eichi Jī Shirīzu, lit. H.G. Series)Bandai. These figures are released in sets that usually coincide with the newest Godzilla film. They were sold in vending machines and all require at least minor assembly.
Sets
Set 1
The first set was released in 1994 in conjunction with Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla.[1] It includes the following figures:
- Godzilla 1994
- King Ghidorah
- LittleGodzilla
- M.O.G.U.E.R.A.
- SpaceGodzilla
- Super Mechagodzilla (Includes Mechagodzilla and Garuda)
Set 2
The second set was released in 1995 to coincide with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.[2] It includes:
- Godzilla 1995
- Battra (Imago)
- Biollante
- Mothra (Imago)
- Mecha-King Ghidorah
- Destoroyah
Set 3
Set 3 was released in 1997 to coincide with Rebirth of Mothra II.[3] It includes:
Set 4
The fourth set was released in 1998 to coincide with GODZILLA (1998).[4] Figures included in this set are:
Set 5
Set 5 was released in 1998 to commemorate the release of Rebirth of Mothra III.[5] It includes the following figures:
EX
In 1998, Bandai re-released the figures from Set 1 under the name "Godzilla: High Grade EX." These figures featured slightly different paint jobs than Set 1, and were sold exclusively at 7-11 stores instead of in vending machines.[6] Just like Set 1, Godzilla: High Grade EX features the following figures:
Set 6
In 1999, in anticipation of Godzilla 2000: Millennium, Bandai released a sixth set of High Grade figures.[7] It includes:
Set 7
Set 7 was released in 2000 in conjunction with Godzilla vs. Megaguirus.[8] It includes the following figures:
- Godzilla 2000
- Megaguirus
- King Ghidorah 1965
- Destoroyah (Aggregate Form)
- Battra Larva and Mothra Larva
- Miss Namikawa
Set 8
Set 8 was released in 2001 to coincide with the release of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.[9] It includes the four monsters featured in the film, plus two classic monsters.
Set 9
The ninth set was released in 2002 to coincide with the release of the film Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla.[10] It includes:
- Godzilla 2002
- Godzilla 1974 (Comes with interchangeable arm that allows it to be turned into Fake Godzilla)
- Kiryu (Mechagodzilla)
- Mechagodzilla 1974
- King Caesar
- Mecha-King Ghidorah
Set 10
Set 10 was released in 2003 along with the film Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.. All six of the figures in this set are new molds, but all except Ebirah are based on monsters that have already received High Grade figures.[11] The figures in this set are:
- Godzilla 2003
- Kiryu (Mechagodzilla) 2003
- Mothra Imago 2003
- Ebirah 1966 (Comes with removable water accessory)
- Destoroyah Perfect Form 1995
- SpaceGodzilla 1994
Set 11
In 2004, to celebrate both the release of Godzilla: Final Wars and Godzilla's 50th anniversary, Bandai released a 12th set of High Grade figures.[12] All of the figures in this set are of monsters featured in Godzilla: Final Wars, and include:
- Godzilla 2004
- Monster X
- Gigan 2004 (Includes interchangeable head and hands allowing transformation into Modified Gigan)
- Fire Mothra
- Rodan 2004
- Kamacuras 2004 and Kumonga 2004
Godzilla 2014 Set
In 2014, Bandai released the first new High Grade set since 2004, not counting the Godzilla Chronicle reissue sets, in commemoration of the 2014 American film. It features four figures:
Shin Godzilla Set
To coincide with the upcoming film Shin Godzilla, Bandai released a new set of High Grade Figures in August 2016. The set includes:
Shin Godzilla Set 2
Following the release of Shin Godzilla, Bandai announced a second set of High Grade figures based on the film. It includes all four forms of Shin Godzilla:
- Godzilla 2016 (1st Form)
- Godzilla 2016 (2nd Form)
- Godzilla 2016 (2nd Form) - Translucent Ver.
- Godzilla 2016 (3rd Form)
- Godzilla 2016 (4th Form) - includes interchangeable mouth parts to simulate Godzilla firing atomic breath
- Godzilla 2016 (4th Form) - painted to represent Godzilla frozen from the film's ending, includes fifth form on the figure's tail
Shin Godzilla Climax
In 2017, Bandai released another wave of Shin Godzilla figures, all of which were repaints of the figures from the previous two waves. Figures in this set are:
- Godzilla 2016 2nd Form Model Color Ver.
- Godzilla 2016 4th Form Model Color Ver.
- Godzilla 2016 4th Form Frozen Ver.
- Godzilla 2016 4th Form Daytime Ver.
Godzilla 2017 Set
Bandai announced a set of High Grade figures for release in the third week of January 2018 to commemorate GODZILLA: Planet of the Monsters. Figures in this set are:
- Godzilla 2017
- Burning Godzilla (1995)
- Godzilla 1995
- Godzilla 2016 4th Form
Bootlegs
Starting in summer of 2000, bootlegs of the Set 4 figures began appearing on the internet, and remain common on sites such as eBay and Amazon to this day. Though at first glance it may be difficult to spot the differences between the real figures and the bootlegs, there are some notable differences. The bootleg figures are generally smaller and feature sloppier paint jobs. They also lack the marking on their tails that lists the copyright date and "BANDAI CHINA," instead simply listing the word "CHINA."[13] Below are pictures comparing the actual figures and their bootlegs.
Trivia
- There has been a set of High Grade figures made for every Godzilla film since 1994.
- Bandai also produced a Gamera: High Grade line from 1995 to 1999.
References
This is a list of references for HG Series. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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