Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.
我現在成了死神，世界的毀滅者－奧本海默
New model kits are popping up like mushrooms after rain, with many Godzilla series assembly products being released recently: last year saw PLAMAX's Shin Japan Heroes Universe's Shin Godzilla, Toho's TMK brand's Godzilla '93, and Bandai's New Empire Godzilla that can be peeled and deboned. This year, Kotobukiya also launched the Extreme Beast Biollante Godzilla, and so on... too many to list. The giant beast, having walked through 70 years of history, has stepped into the realm of assembly models, officially ushering in a warring states era where many beasts rise.
The veteran brand Aoshima Bunka Kyozai-sha also joined the fray this year, launching a new assembly model series – PLAfig – with the philosophy of creating ultimate sculpts by combining model technology and artistic expression. Besides the Godzilla 2000 (Millennium Godzilla) arriving at the end of the year, this time we'll first share the first release in this series – the Minus One Godzilla from 2023's Godzilla Minus One.
▼ Glue is required for assembly. What's particularly noteworthy is the dorsal fin section, which features a segmented design, and each tab is numbered, making it easier to identify installation positions quickly when assembling after painting.
▼ Additionally, the official website's limited edition includes clear dorsal fin parts for the atomic breath. This time, we'll use the clear dorsal fins for painting to recreate the breath that destroyed Ginza in the movie!
▼ In terms of mold design, Aoshima has indeed put in a lot of effort. The skin's uneven texture, resembling reptile scales, is remarkably three-dimensional.
▼ For the seams of larger parts, simply use model glue to bond and press them firmly. After drying, there will be almost no noticeable gaps, significantly reducing the need for subsequent putty filling and sanding.
▼ For painting, a custom-mixed dark gray was used as the base, with added warm-toned light and shadow variations.
▼ Finally, dry brushing with sand and brown paints was applied to bring out the layered, undulating texture of the scales.
▼ On the left side of the body, referencing the film, a pink gradient resembling scars was added, depicting the regenerated tissue after Koichi Shikishima and his minesweeper crew lured Godzilla to ingest a sea mine and blew up its face, as well as the damage from the bombardment by the heavy cruiser Takao.
▼ Close-up of the head: The pupils are extremely small, requiring a needle to apply paint. The mouth was based with flesh-colored paint, enhanced with transparent purplish-red to highlight muscle texture, and finished with a gloss coat to add a wet look.
▼ The clear dorsal fins, previously painted separately, were reassembled one by one according to the instructions.
▼ In the movie's Ginza atomic breath scene, the rising and glowing blue-white dorsal fins are mostly concentrated along the body's centerline, with shorter spiky protrusions on the sides. The actual light source comes from the reflection of the glowing dorsal fins. Therefore, I used dry brushing with white, combined with a faint metallic blue, to recreate my interpretation of the Destroyer God form.
▼ The death knell rings, the breath of destruction unleashes a white beam; a roar to the heavens, thirty thousand lives instantly incinerated.
▼ Although this model stands at about 13 cm tall, which is half the height of the SHM Millennium Godzilla I previously unboxed, the overall molding is exquisite, and it feels substantial and solid in hand.
▼ Let's take Minus One Godzilla outdoors for some natural scenery photos.
▼ Another side view.
▼ From the front, it looks quite ferocious~
▼轉至背面看看
▼ Minus One Godzilla bathed in the morning light.
▼ The clear dorsal fins begin to undergo a subtle transformation at this point.
▼ The crystal-clear, jade-like blue is reminiscent of the konpeito I ate as a child, which would shatter like glass when bitten, leaving a faint sweetness~
▼ The entire strip of light guide rising along the back has an indescribably therapeutic quality.
▼ Threads of faint light penetrate, as if the dorsal fins are illuminated.
▼ Brewing the atomic breath about to be unleashed...
▼ The beautiful yet cruel God of Destruction stands tall upon the war-torn, scorched earth.
▼ The production of the sequel, Godzilla 0.0, has also been confirmed. We await to see how it will reawaken humanity's fear of being dominated by the giant beast.
