I've certainly been covering a lot of Japanese keshi lately, with Wonderfest and all, but that's by no means where the good stuff is. Well, sure, maybe there is an argument for that. You all know my absolute love for the new Kinnikuman promotional stuff, as well as the utter heartbreak on missing the Punk Drunkers x Onion Fights release, but still, there's a ton of great stuff being made by artist here at home.
Zectron, of the Disarticulators, has been working on something a little special that I think is worth your attention. He, along with a few other independent artists, is doing something of a keshi all-stars series, centered around Japanese kaiju inspiration.
It's called Strange Monsters, which is awesome, because that might actually be the exact translation of what kaiju means. That aside, Zectron has been working hard on his submission for Strange Monsters and I think it's quite the beast.
Take a look at Tug O' War!
Granted this is still a piece he's working on. It's not the final product, but even with these early photos, the minifigure looks just outstanding.
You can look at the design of this character and see how it would lurk just under water level, waiting for a poor ship to pass him in the bay before leaping up and destroying everything in his path. The pose is just electric and really gives you an idea of what this strange monster is all about.
Last year, when I was writing about the art in the simplicity of keshi, I had detailed why I enjoy the toy medium over others with less restrictions. I felt making something great in keshi, even in the face of immense restrictions, showed expert-level design and talent, and I feel this piece is right there. I can't wait to see this guy completed and hitting the market.
Space alien character, Uchuujin, has not just crashed on this planet, but it's infiltrated our civilization, blending into our governments and special operative divisions.