Ibuki’s Lab & More

12.21.2023 (revised 12.24)

This has been one heck of a year for Godzilla and his fans! We have had an explosion of movies and merch. We have entered a stretch of years celebrating milestone anniversaries since the birth of Godzilla seventy years ago. Last year we celebrated Gigan’s 50th and this yea Megalon and Jet Jaguar celebrated birthdays. Each fan has their way to celebrate their favorites. Visiting iconic and obscure Godzilla movie places and locations on each trip to Japan has become my tradition. Earlier this year alone I discovered Odo Island and Fujimi Park, the residence of comic art Gengo Kotaka in Godzilla vs Gigan (1971). And in November, I found the Blue Box House, the laboratory of Jet Jaguar’s inventor, Goro Ikubi.

In the course of travel and deep dives into my favorite Showa Godzilla movies, my love for each has just grown deeper. And my search for more unique monster movie merch has intensified. Along the way I’ve found some cool Special Effects Encyclopedia products (特撮大百科最) by the CAST Co., Ltd. (株式会社キャスト) for Godzilla vs Megalon (1973) that I’ve wanted for a some time. CAST figurines, although small, capture big movie moments unlike any other line. CAST regularly holds Godzilla screening events and monster talk rooms held in Tokyo, Osaka, and other locations.

First up is a corner of the Blue Box House, transformed into laboratory of Prof Goro Ibuki (伊吹吾郎博士) with the CAST Electronic Completed Robot Jet Jaguar (株式会社キャスト電子ロボットジェットジャガー完成) (see CAST ad). Fans can’t get into the Blue Box House but CAST gives us a collectible that give us a closeup look inside the home and laboratory of Prof Ibuki. This is the Cast Electronic Completed Robot Jet Jaguar (株式会社キャスト電子ロボットジェットジャガー完成). On the wall are the front and back diagram of Jet Jaguar with a white caster cart below and a red coat rack and pole to the right. Jet Jaguar can be stood in front upon a peg. His head can be removed and set on the cart as it appeared in the movie. The detail and feel makes you feel like the movie set has come to the collectible shelf.

Underground kingdom of Seatopia and the altar ceremony in Godzilla vs Megalon (1973)

Prof Ibuki and his electronic robot are under the surveillance of the undersea kingdom of Seatopia. Seatopia is a “civilization which had existed for thousands of years” and whose “people lived a life of peace in underground cities.” This was the fate of the inhabitants of the Lemurian continent (a continent proposed in 1864 by zoologist Philip Sclater), who sank to the ocean floor due to a tectonic movement. They have built an undersea kingdom with their advanced scientific capabilities and have maintained peace for three million years. But when disturbed by nuclear tests they call upon Megalon to destroy the nations above ground. CAST has created the Seatopia Undersea Kingdom Altar (シートピア海底王国祭壇) (see CAST ad). This cool recreation is made up of a resin cast painted altar with an acrylic stand that slides under the base of the Moai statue (monolithic human figure carved by the Rapa Nui people on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in eastern Polynesia between the years 1250 and 1500). Centerstage is Seatopia Commander Antonio (シートピア司令アントニオ) played by Robert Dunham.

CAST Seatopia Undersea Kingdom Altar (ゴジラ特撮大百科 オーナメント シートピア海底王国祭壇)

Finally, I picked up the CAST Jet Jaguar Ultrasonic Control Device (ジェットジャガー超音波操縦器) (see CAST ad) used by Prof Ibuki. He equipped Jet Jaguar with this device in case he fell into enemy hands. He was successfully able to recapture Jaguar with this device and to send him to Monster Island for Godzilla to fight Megalon and Gigan. His ultrasonic steering device was designed to be used in the event that Jet Jaguar’s computer becomes inoperable. Goro carries it in the form of a pendant, but it is only effective from a distance where Jet Jaguar can see it. The CAST pendant control device is reproduced in almost full size!

Godzilla vs Megalon (1973) is an intriguing, perplexing and sometimes ridiculed movie in the Showa series. Growing up it wasn’t on television as much as others. My earliest knowledge of its existence was on the pages of Fangoria issue no# 1 published in 1979. For some years it was very low in my list of favorite Godzilla movies. But the deeper I dig into its making and collect its memorabilia the more I love it.