Shopping Guide
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By onemall 
TL;DR
Three Showa-era makers anchor Godzilla sofubi collecting — Marusan, Bullmark and Popy — and later reissues keep their designs in circulation. Japanese listings mark period originals as 当時物 and reissues as 復刻. On the fixed-price Mercari listings in our table, Bullmark Godzillas listed as period originals ask ¥83,000–¥119,800; a sealed Bullmark reissue Giant Godzilla asks ¥27,000.
- Marusan made the first Ultra kaiju sofubi in 1966; Bullmark took over those molds in 1969; Popy was Bandai’s character-toy company.
- 当時物 (tōjimono) means made in the period; 復刻 means reissued later, from surviving molds or new ones.
- Molded color, glow vinyl, header cards, tags and a name on the sole all change what a figure is.
- With ECMS and DHL, hollow vinyl ships by size: chargeable weight is the larger of actual weight and L × W × H ÷ 5000.
Godzilla Minus Zero (ゴジラ-0.0) opened in Japan on November 3, 2026, with North American theaters following on November 6,[8] and our Godzilla Minus Zero figure and merch guide covers the new film’s figures. As of November 2026, Toho’s own Godzilla Store sells new Marusan Godzillas under the name “MARUSAN Toho Kaiju Sofubi 60th Anniv.”[4], and Bandai’s Movie Monster Series already lists a Godzilla (2026)[5]. Yet Marusan and Bullmark Godzillas listed as period originals on the fixed-price Mercari listings in our table, read on November 6, 2026, still ask ¥80,000 to ¥235,200.
This explainer is for collectors of vintage Godzilla toys who want to read a Japanese listing like a local. Sofubi comes from the Japanese for soft vinyl and is also romanized sofvi. Every listing price below was read live on November 6, 2026; for more listings like these, browse OneMall’s Showa Kaiju Sofubi Vault. For S.H.MonsterArts and prize figures, see our guide to buying Godzilla figures and merch from Japan; newcomers can start with our sofubi beginner’s guide.
Godzilla sofubi makers: Marusan, Bullmark, Popy and the reissue brands
Tsuburaya Productions sums up the family tree: the first Ultra kaiju sofubi were developed at Marusan Shoten and released when Ultra Q aired in 1966, and in 1969 Bullmark was founded with those molds and went on to lead the second kaiju boom of the 1970s[1]. Marusan sofubi now reach Toho fans through the Godzilla Store, where 36 of the 39 Marusan releases listed on November 6, 2026, are store exclusives[4].
Bullmark is active too: it returned to the spotlight in the 1990s hobby boom and restarted as a new Bullmark in 2008[1], and a Great Bullmark Exhibition in Tokyo in January 2026 showed molds used in the 1970s under the supervision of Yuji Nishimura, head of the sofubi maker M1号[3]. The name alone does not date a Bullmark Godzilla. Bullmark’s Ultraman monsters are covered in our Ultraman merch and kaiju sofubi guide.
Popy, the third Showa name, was the group company Bandai set up for character toys, behind the 1971 Kamen Rider transformation belt and 1974’s Chogokin Mazinger Z[6]. Popy Godzilla listings we read on November 6, 2026, include King Saurus (キングザウルス, also romanized Kingsaurus) figures sold as 1970s pieces and reissues of the Great Saurus (グレートザウルス) Godzilla.
Reissues and newer brands fill the rest. Bullmark itself has reissued figures from molds it still holds (Tsuburaya’s store took 2023 orders at ¥9,900 each[1]), and the B-CLUB Bullmark reissue series (ブルマァク復刻版怪獣シリーズ) circulates on resale. M1号, Marmit and Medicom Toy (founded in 1996 by Tatsuhiko Akashi[7]) make newer figures, so a search may surface an M1 Godzilla sofubi, a Marmit Godzilla sofubi or a Medicom Godzilla sofubi. One Medicom listing, since sold, even tagged itself #ブルマァク and #マルサン.
| Maker | How listings spell it | Examples read November 6, 2026 (“period” = seller’s label) |
|---|---|---|
| Marusan | マルサン | Period Godzillas ¥80,000–¥235,200; new 350-size releases ¥16,500–¥24,200 |
| Bullmark | ブルマァク | Period Godzillas ¥83,000–¥119,800; reissue Godzillas ¥19,000–¥27,000 |
| Popy | ポピー | King Saurus Godzillas sold as 1970s pieces ¥11,750–¥33,000; Great Saurus reissue ¥14,800 |
| M1号 | M1号 | Unopened brown-version Godzilla ¥18,000 |
| Marmit | マーミット | Giant Godzilla, “MosuGoji” design ¥35,000 |
| Medicom Toy | メディコム・トイ | Godzilla vs. Destoroyah version, sold for ¥31,000 |
| Bandai Movie Monster Series | ムービーモンスターシリーズ | Tagged Godzilla (1965) ¥1,900 |
当時物 vs 復刻: reading a vintage Bullmark sofubi listing
Two words do most of the work. 当時物 (tōjimono, “a thing from the time”) is the seller’s statement that a figure was made in its era; 復刻 or 復刻版 means a reissue, and 再販 a later run. Neither is a certificate, so read them with the photos and the full description.
Reissues are not all alike. Some reuse surviving molds, like Bullmark’s 2023 run[1]; the clear Great Saurus Godzilla above was rebuilt with new molds for Godzilla’s 70th anniversary, its seller says; and some figures are new work in an old style, like a sealed Marusan “Classic Godzilla 350” titled 昭和リバイバル (“Showa revival”) at ¥20,000.
The best clues sit under the feet, in the sole stamp (足裏の刻印). One Bullmark Godzilla listed as 当時物 on November 6, 2026, points buyers to its photos of the period maker stamps on the soles: the Bullmark mark and Toho’s. Another, at ¥19,000, is described as probably a Bandai reissue bought secondhand with no history, its soles photographed so buyers can judge; a third, sold as a Bandai reissue, carries a 1992 sticker on its sole. Two Bullmark Godzillas labelled 当時物, including the ¥83,000 listing above, also disclose a name written on the sole (記名).
Condition words matter as much as era: ベタつき (sticky), ヤケ (discoloration), ひび割れ (cracks) and 緩着 (the push-fit joints, checked for looseness) all appear in the descriptions we read on November 6, 2026. Titles need skepticism too: words after 検 (“for search”) are bait, as in one Yahoo Flea Market title, ブルマァク メカゴジラ レッド (検)ソフビ マルサン ブルマァク M1号 ポピー…, and 希少 (rare) or 激レア (super rare) is marketing, not data.
| Listing term | Meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 当時物 | Made in the period (seller’s claim) | Sole stamp, paint, seller’s notes |
| 復刻 / 復刻版 / 再販 | Reissue / later run | Which maker; old molds or new |
| 成型色 / ○○成型 | Molded color — the vinyl’s own color | The colorway you want |
| 無彩色 / 未塗装 | Unpainted, bare molded vinyl | Bare by design, not missing paint |
| 蓄光 | Glow-in-the-dark vinyl | A photo taken in the dark |
| ヘッダー / タグ付き | Header card on the bag / tag attached | Creases, warping, tag still on |
| 未開封 | Unopened | Bag and header may show age |
| 350 / 450 | Marusan size classes: an Ultraman 350 is about 23 cm; 450 is a 30 cm standard[2] | Compare like with like |
Molded color, glow vinyl, headers and tags
Sofubi is liquid vinyl cast in metal molds and painted afterward, and The Japan Times, visiting a Tokyo sofubi factory, notes that colorways are sometimes limited to special events[7]. So the vinyl’s own color, 成型色, is a collecting axis. Tsuburaya describes Marusan’s 1966 Ultraman as gray-molded[2]; the Godzilla Store names current Marusan colorways green-molded, gold-molded, double-molded and glow[4]; and on resale a Bullmark reissue Godzilla in flesh-colored vinyl (肌色の成型色) with gunmetal paint asks ¥25,000.
Glow vinyl (蓄光) is the other variable. A Bullmark reissue Hedorah sofubi in glow vinyl sold for ¥29,900 on Mercari; a yellow Bullmark Hedorah listed as a period standard-size figure, marked S46 (Showa 46, or 1971), asks ¥600,000 on Yahoo Flea Market. If you only want a Showa Godzilla figure for the shelf, Bandai’s Movie Monster Series has Godzilla (1971) and Hedorah (1971)[5].
A header (ヘッダー) is the printed card on the bag; Movie Monster Series listings say タグ付き when the tag is still attached. Unopened (未開封) is not mint: listings for the sealed Bullmark Giant Godzilla and an M1号 Godzilla both warn the header and packaging may be warped or marked from long storage. Godzilla Store sofubi resell too: a sealed Marusan 350 Hedorah made as a Godzilla Store exclusive for the 50th anniversary of Godzilla vs. Hedorah asks ¥24,800.
Gamera sofubi follow the same rules: a Marusan Gamera 350 with its header card asks ¥39,900, an X-Plus Daikaiju series (大怪獣シリーズ) Showa Gyaos, unopened in an aged package, asks ¥7,000, and Bandai’s line includes Gamera (1965)[5].
Godzilla sofubi vintage vs reissue: live prices, November 6, 2026
All prices are asks on fixed-price listings for sale on November 6, 2026, with the site’s own dollar conversion; titles are translated, and “period” or “reissue” is each seller’s label.
| Maker | Listing (from the title) | Seller’s label | Platform | Price | US$ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marusan | Godzilla | 当時物 (period) | Mercari | ¥235,200 | 1,622.88 |
| Marusan | Godzilla, 1966, second Marusan run, about 22 cm; hole in a left finger | 当時物 (period) | Mercari | ¥80,000 | 552.00 |
| Bullmark | Godzilla, blue, cracks noted | 当時物 (period) | Mercari | ¥119,800 | 826.62 |
| Bullmark | Godzilla, name written on the sole | 当時物 (period) | Mercari | ¥83,000 | 572.70 |
| Popy | King Saurus Godzilla, found in a garden | 当時物 (seller’s guess) | Mercari | ¥33,000 | 227.70 |
| Popy | King Saurus Godzilla mini, tail missing | Late 1970s (seller’s date) | Mercari | ¥11,750 | 81.08 |
| Bullmark | Giant Godzilla, reissue kaiju series, unopened | 復刻 (reissue) | Mercari | ¥27,000 | 186.30 |
| Bullmark | Godzilla, probably a Bandai reissue | 復刻 (reissue) | Mercari | ¥19,000 | 131.10 |
| Popy (Plex reissue) | Great Saurus Godzilla, clear version, new molds | 復刻 (reissue) | Mercari | ¥14,800 | 102.12 |
| Bullmark | Hedorah, yellow, S46, standard size | 当時物 (period) | Yahoo Flea Market | ¥600,000 | 4,140.00 |
In the table, the cheapest period Bullmark Godzilla (¥83,000) asks about three times the dearest Bullmark reissue Godzilla (¥27,000). Size and condition can outweigh era: the Popy King Saurus mini, dated by its seller to the late 1970s and listed as junk with its tail missing, asks ¥11,750 — less than half the price of the sealed Giant Godzilla reissue. And a label is only a label: the ¥33,000 King Saurus is 当時物 by its seller’s guess, after it came out of the soil in a garden. New releases sit in the reissue band too — Marusan’s 350-size Godzilla Store releases list at ¥16,500–¥24,200 and its 450s at ¥27,500–¥33,000[4].
Buying Godzilla sofubi from Japan and shipping it safely
A proxy’s Japanese address bridges the gap between these sellers and your shelf. Our team’s steps for vinyl:
- Search in Japanese. Try ブルマァク ゴジラ 当時物, マルサン ゴジラ, ポピー キングザウルス, ヘドラ 蓄光 and ガメラ ソフビ.
- Read the sole and the notes. Look for sole-stamp photos, joint condition and writing; ask if a listing is silent.
- Check the format. On Yahoo Auctions and Mercari’s auction-format listings the price shown is a bid; on Yahoo Auctions, OneMall’s Scheduled Bidding bids for you automatically in the last 7 minutes.
- Order. The service fee is ¥300 per item on most marketplaces; from ¥200 per item on Yahoo Auctions and LinkBuy. Mercari sellers must ship within 7 days, then in-stock items take 3–5 business days to reach the Tokyo warehouse (estimated average).
- Document condition. Add unboxing photos (¥500 or ¥700) or, for Mercari, Rakuma and Yahoo Flea Market orders, a wrong or missing item check (¥200). Items over ¥20,000 get free exterior photos; over ¥30,000, free full unboxing photos.
- Consolidate and reinforce. The first 6 orders consolidate free, ¥100 per additional order, with 90 days of free storage after arrival (30 days after consolidation). Reinforcement (original box plus filler) costs ¥100 up to 2 kg, ¥200 for 2–5 kg, ¥300 for 5–10 kg and ¥500 above 10 kg; a new box is +¥100 and external padding +¥200.
- Size the box. ECMS and DHL bill on chargeable weight: the larger of actual weight and L × W × H ÷ 5000 (cm) of the outer box.
That last step is where hollow vinyl bites with ECMS and DHL: a 40 × 30 × 30 cm carton bills as 7.2 kg (36,000 ÷ 5,000) if the parcel itself weighs less, while a 30 × 25 × 25 cm carton bills as 3.75 kg. Japan Post EMS (DDP) is charged by actual weight. For US addresses, OneMall ships by ECMS, DHL or Japan Post EMS (DDP). Import duties and taxes are paid by the buyer: with ECMS or EMS (DDP) they are prepaid with the international shipping fee, and DHL collects them on delivery.
Conclusion
Godzilla sofubi rewards slow reading. Decide first whether the value you want is history — a Marusan, Bullmark or Popy piece made in its era — or the look, which reissues and newer figures from Bullmark, Plex, M1号, Marmit and Medicom Toy deliver for a fraction of a period Bullmark’s price. Let the sole stamp, molded color, header and seller’s notes decide what joins your collection, then browse the live listings in the Showa Kaiju Sofubi Vault on OneMall and add unboxing photos to anything that has to cross an ocean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Marusan vs Bullmark: what is the difference?
Marusan came first, developing the first Ultra kaiju sofubi in 1966; Bullmark was founded in 1969 with those molds and restarted in 2008[1]. Both names are active today, so check whether a listing says 当時物 or 復刻.
How can you tell a vintage Bullmark sofubi from a reissue?
Start with the label (当時物 or 復刻), then compare sole-stamp photos, paint and condition notes; if a listing is silent, ask the seller before you bid or buy.
What do 350 and 450 mean on a Marusan listing?
Size classes: Tsuburaya’s store lists a Marusan Ultraman 350 at about 23 cm and calls 450 a 30 cm standard[2], and Toho’s Godzilla Store sells Marusan Godzillas, Hedorahs and other Toho kaiju in both sizes[4].
Where to buy Godzilla sofubi from outside Japan?
New Marusan releases are on Toho’s Godzilla Store; older pieces are on the resale market — every listing in our price table is on Mercari or Yahoo Flea Market. LinkBuy covers any Japanese online store by URL (item price × 5%, ¥200–¥1,000) but cannot buy lottery, purchase-limited or Japanese-ID-required items.
Last updated: 2026-11-06.
References
- Tsuburaya Productions (official) — 数量限定 ブルマァク製「怪獣ソフビ（当時風カラー版）」全5種 ツブラヤストアONLINEに登場 (September 25, 2023)
- Tsuburaya Productions (official) — 『ウルトラマン』のマルサン製 数量限定生産ソフビがツブラヤストアONLINEに登場 (June 26, 2023)
- Great Bullmark Exhibition (大ブルマァク展) — 大ブルマァク展 公式サイト
- Toho, Godzilla Store ONLINE — MARUSAN (checked November 6, 2026)
- Bandai (official) — ムービーモンスターシリーズ | ゴジラシリーズ
- Bandai (official) — 歴史 (company history)
- The Japan Times — Sofubi: Plastic fantastic (February 2019)
- TOHO, Godzilla Minus Zero film site — 公開日が2026年11月3日(火・祝)に決定！ (January 10, 2026: Japan release November 3, North America from November 6; checked November 4, 2026)