Gah! I'm such a slacker.....

I apologize for not being as "into" the whole kaiju eiga this year. I was so jazzed up from all the crazy news and events in 2004 and 2005 that once I got my break from doing Henshin! Online, I have been taking a really long hiatus.

With the fantastic coverage on other websites, like Monster Zero and Sci Fi Japan, I have had less and less to report here at the Shrine. There are cpbwebs everywhere. Not to mention a pile of unanswered mail on the front step!

I'm going to start devoting some more of my time to all things Gamera again, so hopefully I'll be able to make a dent in my shell...I mean work load. :)

May 12th, 2006 9:30 pm
In News: Kaiju
EVENT COVERAGE: NEGADON: THE MONSTER FROM MARS

Central Park Media Marketing Manager Peter Tatara introduces the NYC
premiere of NEGADON: THE MONSTER FROM MARS. Photo courtesy of
John DeSentis.

The Highly Anticipated Animated Short Premieres in New York City
Author: John “Dutch” DeSentis
Special Thanks to Peter Tatara, Tom Wayland, and Central Park Media

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

The computer animated kaiju film NEGADON: THE MONSTER FROM MARS is now playing in New York City, with more screenings scheduled for other cities in the coming months. John DeSentis was on hand the film’s NYC premiere this past Tuesday, and returns to SciFi Japan with news and photos from the event.
Continued…

New Gamera Movie!

Well there's a new Gamera film out called GAMERA: LITTLE BRAVES. An odd name to be sure, but hopefully a fun movie that pays homage to the 60s films!

Godzilla Toys

Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

So, I went to Just Be Toys today (they have a new website, too: JustBeComplex.com ) and I saw that they've gotten in a lot of the toys from GODZILLA FINAL WARS. I should probably mention that I was able to attend the premiere screening of the film on the big screen at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles with the rest of the Henshin! Online staff at the end of November and it was quite an experience. Regardless of how I though the film was, make sure you check out these toys at the Just Be Complex website!

Here's one of the coolest things I've seen in a while:


Microman in a Godzilla Final Wars suit!

50 Years of Godzilla Film Festival

I know, this is off topic...but it's related.
So, I've been working with the Hollywood Theatre here in Portland, Oregon on the 50 Years of Godzilla film festival. Its going to be a BLAST. It will be over the course of a whole week and there will be plenty for everyone to do. If you want to make plans to visit, do so now! The dates of the festival are from October 29th through November 4th - with a big birthday bash on the 3rd (the official birthday of Godzilla).
Unfortunately, there won't be any big Gamera sightings, only some small mention somewhere - perhaps in the collectibles display, but if you're in the area, please make sure to check it out.

Here's the official website - which should be updated really soon:
50yearsofGodzilla.com

Slipping into some old habits...

No news is good news? No, it's really just kind of boring. I figured the best way for me to spice up my world of Gamera was to find something cool on Yahoo Japan and share it. I don't own these beauties, but they are a resin kit for the girls of Gamera 3 (Asagi Ayana and Ms. Nagamine)! Oh? You say you are curious as to how much one of these gals runs? The auction in question has no bids and starts at 30,000 yen (like $300) AND its only for the Ayana piece! Call me crazy, but you'd have to be a pretty wealthy fan of the films to get a $300 model kit of one of the HUMAN stars. I do see the quality here, though. I would imagine that it's pretty difficult to model humans and get them to look like their real-life counterparts. You'll excuse me if I stick with the giant Gamera kits! ;)

Orion Figures

For those that don't know, this company called Orion has put out at least three really sharp Kaiju related mini-toy sets. I'm not 100% sure if they are candy toys (the ones that comes with the Lemon Sour candies), but the are incredibly detailed. The first set (which I own thanks to Katsu of Just Be and a winning bid on a Yahoo Japan auction!) included Gappa, Guilala, Baby Irys, Gamera Skull '99, Trauma Gamera, Jiger, Infected Gamera (From Gamera vs Jiger), Viras Attacking Gamera, Nezura the Giant Rat & Baby Barugon, Yogyu Kidoumaru (Bull/Rino) that came with the matagama Gamera amulet! Its a great set and there are even special figures that were only available through special offers and venues: Gappa with a squid in its mouth, baby Gappa hatching from the egg and Jiger complete with the stone whistle jammed into his forehead!

If that wasn't enough, the company came out with a SECOND set recently that includes really awesome stuff. Legion Flower, Flying Legion mother, Annihilated Gamera (from Sendai), Garasharp, Malcopkarappa, Giant Bee from KONCHU DAISENSO, Daimajin's Original design (has oni-like teeth!), The AAB Gamma ship from GUILALA, Adoloescent Gappa (with a bird/Pterosaur from its native home), the Star alien from WARNING FROM SPACE, and the Whale God from KUJIRA GAMI.

Still not enough? How about the wicked cool Godzilla set they released? That set includes two different Matango men (one is still mostly human looking while the other is in the full blown stages of Matangoism, Jumping (Shie) Godzilla, Xians (from MONSTER ZERO), Flaming Kilaak Space Ship (Fire Dragon), Meganulon with Flying Giant Condor, Hatching Rodan (eating Meganulon), Gigan, Giant Walrus Magma from GORATH, Jumping Gorosaurus, Sea Snake from KING KONG ESCAPES and then there's the small diecast Moolight S-Y3, too!

The two problems are (1) the boxes aren't labelled so you don't know what you'll get until you open it and (2) there are crystal (clear, unpainted plastic) versions as well. I don't understand the reasoning behind these because they seem to have produced about the same amount.

Still - these are super detailed and really cool little figurines of some really goo and sometimes obscure scenes! If you can pick them up, I HIGHLY suggest it.