Gashapon is any toy (or sometimes other items like keychains or coin purses) obtained via capsule machine. Most prominent in Japan, gashapon (the term can refer to the machine itself or the toy that comes in the capsule) can be found anywhere from malls, to train stations, to even the side of the road in a suburban neighborhood.
Scorpion Alien, Aliens by Fox/Kenner
Magical Creatures by Innovative Kids Groovy Tubes
4 (2 votes)
The Magical Creatures box set, with the figures spread out. On first appearance, definitely more…pastel…than the Mythical Beasts. I’m sure that’s coincidence. Because this is the one with the horse-like animals…
(Editor note: This is also a repost of one of my FaunaFigures posts, just a few updates and some clean up..
Kong (Godzilla vs. Kong by Playmates)
3.8 (4 votes)
It’s Thanksgiving weekend in the United States and I almost let it slip by without writing a Kong review for our newly minted blog! What does Kong have to do with Thanksgiving, you ask? Well, watching the original 1933 King Kong is a yearly tradition in my household.
Dragon (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Ray Harryhausen Film Library by X-Plus)
4.3 (7 votes)
The logical follow up to last week’s cyclops review, here’s the dragon from the same film that bested the cyclops in combat! Readers of that review could’ve probably guessed the dragon would be next, based on the comparison picture included in that review that will also be featured here.
Jersey Devil, Monster in My Pocket, Series 4 (Super Scary) by Matchbox
4 (3 votes)
Series 4 of the Monster in My Pocket line was the company’s first drastic change, with slightly larger figures, and painted elements, instead of the charming solid colored figures. Each figure was one color, with two elements painted, showing a total of three colors. Because of this, sometimes I feel like the detail of the actual figure is sometimes lost.
Godzilla (Giant Evolved)(Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire by Playmates)
3.8 (6 votes)
For my second MTB review, I’m going with the undisputed King of the Monsters himself, the beloved film star and cultural icon known as Godzilla!
This is the “Giant Godzilla Evolved” toy from Playmates, part of their tie-in line for the 2024 film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
Jenny Greenteeth, Monster in My Pocket, Series 4 (Super Scary) by Matchbox
3 (5 votes)
Jenny Greenteeth stands out as one of the most memorable figures in the fourth series of Monster in My Pocket, the so-called “Super Scary” set. Like the other monsters in this and later series, she exhibits a striking departure from the design aesthetic of earlier releases. The figures in Series 4 were slightly larger than their predecessors, with painted details, and some even glowed in the dark.
Mothman, Myths by Funko Pop!
4.4 (5 votes)
Reviews and photographs by Shane, edited by MonsterToyBlog.
Yes, it’s yet another Mothman review! The Mothman is a cryptid that has captivated enthusiasts of all things eerie for reasons that have been discussed far and wide, including on this very blog. So I won’t do a deep dive into the history of the Mothman here, except to say that it was a large winged creature reportedly sighted by many in and around the Point Pleasant community of West Virginia from November 1966 to December 1967.
Was it a large bird, as many skeptics believe?
Cyclops (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Ray Harryhausen Film Library by X-Plus)
4.4 (8 votes)
If you’ve read my reviews on the Dinosaur Toy Blog, it should come as no surprise to our burgeoning readership that I am a fan of old monster movies and practical special effects. And if you’re a fan of those things too then you’re likely a fan of Ray Harryhausen.
Stog, Mini Boglins by Ideal
3.3 (3 votes)
The original Boglins were grotesque hand puppets made of very soft flexible rubber. Anatomically they were basically huge faces with legless bodies and tiny arms, that you could manipulate into grotesque facial expressions. I definitely had and one as a kid in the late 80s when they were first released, and remember the soft rubber getting all sticky and gunked up with grime, which shows it was popular and got a lot of play, but probably also explains why it got thrown out at some point!
Mythical Beasts by Innovative Kids Groovy Tubes
4 (6 votes)
This post will be a revision of a post from my old FaunaFigures blog–there’s a couple of these sets, and they should feel right at home on the Monster Toy Blog! I’ll update a few parts, but most of it won’t have changed!
Fantasy or mythical animals aren’t something I generally collect much now–but I would take advantage of unique sets when they appear.