Kaiju in Soft Vinyl: Marusan, Bullmark and Today's Independent Makers
In 1966 Japanese television began a monster boom, and children wanted their own monsters to hold. The answer was soft vinyl: hollow figures cast in flexible plastic and painted by hand with spray guns. They were cheap, light and safe to play with, and they became the defining kaiju toy. Today early figures are among the most sought after Japanese collectables, and a thriving scene of independent makers continues the tradition.
Marusan
The Tokyo company Marusan, already known for tin plate toys, began producing soft vinyl monsters in the mid-1960s. Its figures of television and film monsters set the pattern: chunky, characterful sculpts, bright and often fanciful colours, and limbs that could turn at the joints. Marusan closed its toy business at the end of the decade.
Bullmark
Former Marusan staff founded Bullmark in 1969, and it carried the monster line into the 1970s, adding many new creatures and heroes. Bullmark figures are known for vivid colours, sometimes with glitter or metallic sprays, and for the variety of their sizes. The company closed in 1977, and its moulds passed through other hands, so some designs were later reissued.
How soft vinyl is made
- Moulds. Liquid vinyl is poured into a metal mould, heated so that a skin forms on the inside, and the excess poured out.
- Parts. Heads, arms, legs and tails are cast separately and joined by heating and pressing.
- Paint. Colour is sprayed by hand, often through simple masks, so every figure differs slightly.
Reading an early figure
- Look under the feet. Many makers moulded their name or mark there, and the form of the mark helps date the figure.
- Note the vinyl colour. Early figures were often cast in a coloured vinyl and lightly sprayed; later versions may differ.
- Check for original paper tags and header cards. They are rare and add significant value.
- Compare sizes. Figures were made in several scales, and the scale affects value.
Condition
Paint rubs, fading and small splits at the joints are common. Vinyl can become sticky or discoloured with heat and age. Store figures away from sun and heat, and keep them apart so that different vinyls do not react with one another.
Independent makers today
Since the 1990s, Japanese studios and independent artists have produced original monsters and heroes in small runs, using the same methods as the Shōwa makers. Limited colourways, convention exclusives and hand-painted one-offs are collected internationally, and some command prices far above their original cost.