Pulgasari

There may be no better example of my tendency to gravitate towards the unique and unusual than Marmit’s Pulgasari toy. It’s a fine toy unto itself, but it holds a real attraction for me simply because it is based on a Korean monster instead of a Japanese one. Therefore it’s something different and exotic and even though I haven’t actually seen* the movie it comes from, I just decided I had to have it.

The ornate design of the scales along with the gold coloring really lends a sort of royal look to the monster. Without seeing the movie, I get the impression that this is the sort of monster that would be feared and worshipped, instead of just being a target for the military. More of a god-like creature than a monster. I’m sure the film is nothing like that, though.

Part of the Vinyl Paradise line of toys, Pulgasari stands 9.5″ tall and has 7 points of articulation, including at the elbows, which is pretty unusual for a vinyl kaiju toy. I certainly can’t think of another one offhand that has this feature. I think it gives the toy a little more character than you usually see.

I think this is a really cool toy. The sculpt is nice and the vinyl is solid. The paint is just a little bit sloppy on the arms (notice how the gold from the outside of the forearms bleeds into the red in the picture above) but the overall look is quite eye-catching. Pulgasari was sold in a bag with a header card and was released in this color scheme as well as a black version and a gold exclusive version. Also look for a giant size version of the character that was sold in a box, as well as a baby Pulgasari that released in the Vinyl Para-Baby line.