Gamera, Mega Figure by Rocket Pro / X-Plus

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Review and photos by bigjay, edited by MonsterToyBlog.

Who’s that lurching towards the city with a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound? What’s that pulling those high-tension wires down? Why, it can only be everyone’s favorite fire-spewing reptile whose name starts with G – Gamera!

This particular hollow vinyl figure was made by X-Plus for Rocket Pro. It was released in 2004 as a Japanese crane game prize with two variants: painted and translucent orange. Part of the Mega Figure series, it stands approximately 9″ (24 cm) tall in an alert pose. While it doesn’t wear its brand on its sleeve, its detailing is certainly worthy of an X-Plus creation. Nowhere is this more evident than the face.

Gamera’s reptilian skin features carefully sculpted wrinkles beneath the eyes and atop the head, contrasting well with the smooth nose and eyebrow ridges. The teeth are carefully sculpted and set into meaty-looking gums. Gnarly, grooved tusks protrude from each side of the mouth. Each iris is sharply defined with a dark ring around the outer perimeter. Gamera’s eyes, mouth and tusks feature a high-gloss coat, conferring a lifelike shine. The impressive sculpting and paint doesn’t stop there, either.

While a figure’s head is typically its focal point, X-Plus has paid careful attention to the rest of the body as well. Gamera’s armor-plated plastron is etched with fine grooves all over. A dark wash picks out the recessed details. The overlapping bark-like scutes on its arms are mottled green – high points are brighter; low points are darker, as though in shadow. The claws have a similar treatment to the tusks – sculpted lines, a dark brown wash to accentuate the details, and a glossy topcoat manicure.

No turtle or turtle-adjacent creature is complete without a shell. Gamera’s triple-peaked back brings to mind a snapping turtle. Each segment of the shell overlaps the one behind like extra-bulky scale mail. Pebbly textures and sculptured pockmarks fleck the surface, suggesting years of wear and tear. The same mottled green paint scheme seen on the body is used for the shell.

Out-turned claws and wide, flat paddle-feet really drive home Gamera’s terrapin inspirations. Also worth noting: the soles of the feet are the one part of the sculpt that are utterly devoid of texturing, although one does bear a printed Rocket Pro logo.

Overall, this figure is one with wonderful shelf presence and a great depiction of a classic monster. I’d whole-heartedly recommend it to any Gamera fan, or fans of monster movies in general, if you can get it for a reasonable price. Rocket Pro’s 1995 Gamera figure can be found on eBay and other aftermarket platforms starting at around $60 USD.

Sources:
https://www.kaijubattle.net/x-plus-daieiother-pre-2009.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9JOGaAv9Uw