YHS on Monster Island loves toys. Like really loves them. And we spend the entire episode talking about the toy reveals and exclusives from Super Festival 88 and NeoPlayerOne's gallery show, My First One . In addition, Jake and Jay preview Hobby Round 30 and discuss a litany of recent toy drops and upcoming pre-orders from Medicom Toy, Anraku Ansaku, Marmit, Bandai, M1, and many more! It's sofubi time on YHS on Monster Island!
May 09, 2024•1 hr 20 min
You heard it right, folks. Our beloved "Tattooed Titan of Tokusatsu" Jacob Walsh is the first person to take the YHS on Monster Island "Kaiju Personality" Quiz. Will this new test deliver palatable results...or is this just a waste of time? Tune in to find out! Also, our hosts chat Monarch: Legacy of Monsters' Season 2 renewal, the GXK box office success, and a few recent toy releases making waves within the fandom!
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr 2 min
#godzillaxkongthenewempire #godzilla #monsterverse Can something heading towards half a billion in global revenue be bad for the franchise? Are long-time Godzilla fans being too harsh on the MonsterVerse? And where can the MonsterVerse go from here?All of these questions and more are answered by our two hosts as they review GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE (2024). Also, Jay introduces a new segment: What I Think Jake Would Buy at the Thai Toy Expo; it's sofubi and vinyl designer toy madness like ...
Apr 11, 2024•1 hr 22 min
We are mere hours away from GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE hitting theaters across the nation and Jake and Jay share their thoughts, hopes, and predictions on the latest installment of the MonsterVerse madness! Also, the duo discuss a ton of news items, including a lot of toy reveals and exclusives from Mondo, Medicom Toy x Anraku Ansaku, Marusan, Seismic Toys, and more! And when it comes to pickups, this is a week you don't want to miss! Jake gets another item off his Top 10 list...and Jay bri...
Mar 29, 2024•1 hr 16 min
From the premier kaiju and tokusatsu podcast/YouTube show, YHS ON MONSTER ISLAND, comes this definitive ranking of the TOP 10 MOST UNDERRATED PERFORMANCES IN THE GODZILLA FRANCHISE. All kaiju fans know Dr. Serizawa and Miss Namakawa and Lt. Akane Yashiro - but what about those characters, unheralded by the masses, that bring substance and texture to these monster-filled narratives? This list takes a look at some of the most under-appreciated acting jobs from the Showa, Heisei, and Millennium era...
Mar 21, 2024•35 min
Ninjas. Wizards. Giant Frogs. Yes, 1966's The Magic Serpent from Toei has them all - and a lot more! This film is said to have inspired George Lucas' Star Wars - and you actually can see why - but at the end up the day, it's just bonkers. Aside from this fun romp of a film, Jake and Jay have a litany of fun pick-ups, including items from Bandai, Yamakichi, Marmit, Max Toy, and more! Oh yeah, Jay also gets a "collection-defining" item...tune in to see!
Mar 07, 2024•48 min
Jake and Jay take a look at the amazing kaiju toy releases from Wonder Festival 2024 Winter edition, including new releases from X-Plus, M1, Sunguts Factory, Max Toy Company, PassionTank, One Up, Spiral Studio, and many more! On top of this, it's been a great week of pickups as Jay knocked two off his Top 10 Wishlist and Jake grabbed one of his new favorite toys!
Feb 22, 2024•1 hr 20 min
In one of the most fun episodes to date, Jake and Jay share their top 10 Godzilla scenes of all-time...did yours make the cut?
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 37 min
Kurt Russell, Apple, and Godzilla are an unlikely trio - but can they work together to produce a compelling MonsterVerse entry? Jake and Jay go through their overall thoughts on the series - was it necessary? Did the kaiju deliver? Would they watch a second season? In addition, the big news in G-dom is that Godzilla is up for an Oscar!!! It only took 70 years - but Toho's money-making monster has a chance to bring home the gold (and totally should!). But, was he snubbed for other major awards? J...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Happy 2024! Jake and Jay are back reviewing Daiei's 1962 film, THE WHALE GOD, which was brought to North America for the first time (this year, by the way!) by SRS Cinema. We all know that the "Tattooed Titan of Tokusatsu" is an expert on "killer animal" films - but where does this Kojiro Hongo and Takashi Shimura-led entry land on his spectrum: is it more Jaws? Or more Orca? Also, M1, Marusan, and U.S.Toys were active at Super Festival 87 in Japan - what gems did they unveil to the sofubi-craze...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 31 min
It’s a YHS on Monster Island tradition – the Holiday Wishlist! “The Tattooed Titan of Tokusatsu” Jacob Walsh and “The Mayor of Toku Toy Town” Jay Key run down their top 10 kaiju collectibles they want to obtain for their personal stashes; and we get everything from vintage tin toys to rare sofubi. On top of the lists, they spend some time catching up on some of the big reveals and exclusives at DesignerCon from Mondo, Marusan, and Max Toy plus their own recent kaiju toy pickups! Enjoy!...
Dec 21, 2023•1 hr 41 min
It's a surprise YHS on Monster Island drop - and a very special presentation, at that! " Everyone's Favorite Kaiju Collector " Ryan Wilhelm joins Jay Key as they review Hideaki Anno's SHIN KAMEN RIDER ! Does it deliver a compelling cinematic experience and respectfully pay homage to the source material...or is it a fan service-laden train wreck that destroys the legacy of everyone's favorite grasshopper hero? And where does this entry rank in the Shin Japan Heroes Universe ? Besides the analysis...
Dec 11, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Is Godzilla Minus One / Godzilla -1.0 the greatest Godzilla film ever made? One thing is for sure, the kaiju fandom and film critics alike are going crazy for this new Toho release – and its winning over fans and smashing records like no other film in the franchise. But – is it a perfect film? Our beloved hosts – “The Tattooed Titan of Tokusatsu” Jacob Walsh and the “Mayor of Toku Toy Town” Jay Key share their thoughts on what they loved about it and what may have missed the mark; and where does...
Dec 09, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Happy Thanksgiving! What a time to be a kaiju fan? Not only do we get a show on Apple TV+ featuring A-listers like Kurt Russell and John Goodman, we also live in a world where companies like U.S. Toys, Marusan, One Up, and many more are releasing amazing sofubi and collectibles on a near weekly basis! In this installment of Y HS on Monster Island , Jacob Walsh and Jay Key talk give their thoughts on the first three episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and if the more grounded approach that we...
Nov 23, 2023•1 hr 30 min
Godzilla Day 2023 has come and gone - but there's still so much to talk about! Our devoted daikaiju duo will attempt to go through an endless laundry list of topics from the two short films ( Godzilla vs. Megalon 2023 and F es Godzilla 4: Operation Jet Jaguar ), the litany of toy releases from Bandai, Marusan, X-Plus, Titanic Creations, Mondo, and more, the opening scene from Monarch: Legacy of Monsters , and Godzilla Minus One news. And coupled with all of the movie, show, toy, and sofubi news ...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 29 min
YHS on Monster Island returns with the "Tattooed Titan of Tokusatsu " Jacob Walsh back at the helm - and its a jam-packed episode covering recent trailers, teasers, and toy releases! The boys review the full Monarch: Legacy of Monsters trailer - discuss some new possible titans - as well as the short teaser for the Gemstone short, Godzilla vs. Megalon (2023)! But that's not all...the kaiju and tokusatsu world recently got a first look at the newly named Ultraman Rising (2024) and will be getting...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 20 min
Join Jay Key as he discussed some kaiju toy highlights from the recent Super Festival 86, Hobby Round 29, and Taipei Toy Fest events! There are some really cool releases from major players like Marusan, Sunguts Factory, OneUp, Sarujirushi, and more! In addition, Jay makes a pitch for an unusual "kaiju toy of the year" possibility!
Oct 13, 2023•48 min
In this very special edition of YHS on Monster Island, famed artist and Senior Creative Director at Mondo, Attack Peter, joins Jay to talk about his recent Mechagodzilla sofubi release for Mondo that uses his trademark LinoPrint look to creative something totally new in the space!Also, Attack Peter and Jay talk about recent toy pick-ups, what they've been watching, and so much more!
Sep 28, 2023•1 hr 17 min
After a long slumber, Gamera is back in the all-new Netflix anime series, GAMERA: REBIRTH. Our beloved hosts, Jacob Walsh and Jay Key, break down the series and grade some of the major components of the show - visuals/animation, kaiju design, characters, etc. It's more art than science - but the big question is: did they like it? In addition to Rebirth, Jake and Jay both weigh in on the trailers for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and (a bit belated) Godzilla: Minus One. Also, they highlight some re...
Sep 14, 2023•1 hr 14 min
With "The Tattooed Titan of Tokusatsu" Jacob Walsh at DragonCon, Jay mans the island by himself this week to recap a successful Kaiju Go! event in Fort Worth this past weekend, discuss the launch of the US Godzilla Store site, share his excitement over the return of Jet Jaguar, and admit to corrupting IDW cover artist John Yurcaba's mind with Spectreman! On top of this, Jay has a ton of fun pick-ups ranging from vintage to X-Plus, designer vinyl to signed prints! Enjoy YHS on Monster Island!...
Sep 01, 2023•55 min
In this episode of YHS on Monster Island, Jake and Jay highlight some of their favorite toys that would fall into the zany category, leaving us asking the same question over and over - "Why'd they make this?". But it's not all silly toys, as our favorite tandem of tokusatsu talkers dish out some recent toy news from Marusan and Medicom/Anraku Ansaku, discuss Jake's budding author career, and debate if Mondo's SpaceGodzilla ("Trendy" variant) is worthy of "Kaiju Toy of the Year" consideration. Al...
Aug 17, 2023•1 hr 13 min
In this episode of YHS on Monster Island , "The Tattooed Titan of Tokusatsu" Jacob Walsh and Toku Toy Town's Jay Key provide insight and commentary on the kaiju happenings at San Diego Comic-Con and Wonder Festival 2023 Summer , plus provide their thoughts on the Godzilla: Minus One teaser. In addition to these topics, they also review other toy reveals that happened outside the big events - including X-Plus, Marusan, and Super7 - and go through one of their biggest toy hauls since the show bega...
Aug 03, 2023•1 hr 38 min
It's a special Friday edition of YHS on Monster Island: Monster Island Live! Jay is joined by "Everyone's Favorite Kaiju Collector" Ryan Wilhelm - toy guru, Collect All Monsters and YHS on Monster Island contributor, and proud owner of a Turtle Bazooka tattoo! Oh yeah, and this was his FIRST G-FEST!!! We are going to recap the amazing weekend in beautiful Rosemont, IL - did Ryan have a good time? Does he have any money left? What are some of his favorite memories? Don't worry, we won't get into ...
Jul 22, 2023•1 hr 26 min
As Jake and Jay prepare for San Diego Comic-Con and G-Fest respectively, they find time to chat about the recently released MonsterVerse entry - SKULL ISLAND . The two break down their likes and dislikes of the Netflix anime - do you agree? Disagree? Also, Jay has a big haul of pick-ups this week including a litany of Ultra goodies from Marmit, Bear Model, and USToys - plus a few. more Marusan '89s to add to the collection. In addition, the duo talks Pluto TV, James Groman's upcoming Mondo Godzi...
Jul 06, 2023•57 min
Toho's "A" Team. Check. Two bonafide stars of film and television. Check. Trampolines. Super check. On paper, everything looks (blood) rock solid for 1969's US-Japan co-production of LATITUDE ZERO - but, it was definitely a paper tiger (errr...gryphon?)...because it was one of the studio's biggest flops. Our YHS on Monster Island hosts, " The Tattooed Titan of Tokusatsu " Jacob Walsh and " The Mayor of Toku Toy Town " Jay Key, share their thoughts on this unique entry from Toho's cinematic roste...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 21 min
YHS on Monster Island takes a look at the pioneering tokusatsu show, 1966's Ultra Q, and ranks its top ten offerings. Tsuburaya's initial entry into the Ultra series kickstarted a tokusatsu boom that would take over Japanese airwaves only a few years later, giving way to the iconic Ultraman, Ultraseven, and many more. But this unique and ground-breaking series gave fans of kaiju, seijin, and just flat out good storytelling some memorable episodes, characters, and - of course- monsters. Join Jun,...
Jun 14, 2023•23 min
IDW comic artist, JOHN YURCABA IV (Godzilla: Monsters & Protectors - All Hail the King!), and beloved kaiju influencer and toy aficionado, RYAN WILHELM (Collect All Monsters, YHS on Monster Island), join JAY KEY for another edition of MONSTER ISLAND LIVE ! The trio discuss the final season of the Netflix anime, ULTRAMAN , plus a litany of kaiju news from the worlds of film, fandom, television, and toys! Topics range from John's love of Gundam to Ryan's initial thoughts on Shin Kamen Rider to...
Jun 08, 2023•1 hr 44 min
This week's YHS on Monster Island is a free-form discussion on a litany of topics - from the MonsterVerse to Marusan, Crazy Tsunami to crazy combining robot toys. Nothing is off limits as Jake and Jay go through what they've been watching, what they've been buying, and what they think on recent news items.
May 25, 2023•1 hr 2 min
What better way to celebrate Mother's Day than with a film about the greatest monster mama of them all? This installment of YHS on Monster Island is jam-packed with kaiju goodness, including a full review of the 1961 British-Irish-American co-production, Gorgo . Jake and Jay discuss suit design, who is actually the real protagonist, and if this movie had the most powerful net in the history of cinema! On top of reviewing the "Big G" - okay, the other "Big G" - okay, the third "Big G", the duo ta...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 26 min
YHS on Monster Island returns and, like everyone else on the internet, they have to share their opinions on the controversial teaser trailer that dropped for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire . In addition, our hosts discuss the internet gem that is Quazies, some cool new releases from Bandai, updates on Titanic Creations' Gorgo stretch goals, and a big announcement regarding a Dallas-area event called Kaiju Go! As always, Jake and Jay will share their weekly kaiju collectible pick-ups!...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 8 min
