tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62436156394397068302023-06-20T09:43:30.152-04:00Translucent RobotVintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6243615639439706830.post-3913945979458876662011-03-17T15:10:00.008-04:002011-03-18T15:18:24.093-04:00Tiruru<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4725095857/" title="Tiruru in the sky by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/4725095857_23caa10bce_b.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Tiruru in the sky" /></a><br /><br />I wrote about <a href="http://translucentrobot.blogspot.com/2010/08/pocl.html"Target="Top">Pocl</a> a while back and I figured it was time I mentioned his buddy, Tiruru. Designed by <a href="http://www.kaijin-toy.jp/"Target="Top">Kaijin</a>, this little winged rabbit creature is the other inhabitant of the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1464271@N23/"Target="Top">Mysterious Island Jambara</a>. <br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4327487897/" title="Clear Pink Tiruru by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4327487897_e3d0a7fd3e_z.jpg" width="426" height="640" alt="Clear Pink Tiruru" /></a><br /><br />He's available in a variety of different colors, but so far I've only got the unpainted pink release. As neat as he is, I'm actually not in any hurry to add the other variations to my shelves. The design just never really grabbed me the same way that Pocl did. I'm happy having one to keep my other random pink vinyl critters company, but there are too many other toys out there that I'm currently obsessed with. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4990649624/" title="Monitor Gundam & Monsters by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/4990649624_21020fdd0b_o.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Monitor Gundam & Monsters" /></a><br /><br />When you've got a hobby like this and a limited budget, you've got to carefully pick and choose what you want your funds to go towards. It can be incredibly tempting to just go all out and try to get a complete set of every colorway for every toy that looks interesting, but it's easy to get out of control and end up with a huge pile of vinyl that has no focus. I do my best to carefully collect toys without just "hoarding" them, and I like to think that there's some sort of order to it all. <br /><br />There's so much stuff out there that I really, really like...but a much smaller amount that I genuinely love. As hard as it can be at times, I try to just buy what I love, and as a result I don't regret any of my purchases and I can happily stare at my shelves, appreciating every single monster and robot on display.Vintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6243615639439706830.post-8665669520897127012011-03-16T12:25:00.006-04:002011-03-17T13:26:47.594-04:00Cy-KillI love Gobots, they will forever be one of my favorite toy lines. Transformers are great, sure, but nothing will ever have the same awkward charm and clunky design as these guys. Whenever I go to toy shows or comic shops, I pass right by the G1 Autobots & Decepticons and go digging in the bins looking for random Gobots and other <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Robo"Target="Top">Machine Robo</a> knockoffs. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/5518470500/" title="Cy-Kill - Mighty Robot by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5055/5518470500_6115fef626_o.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Cy-Kill - Mighty Robot" /></a><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />In the spotlight today is Cy-Kill, the leader of the evil Renegades. This is the Super Gobot version, roughly 6 inches tall and much more solid than the fragile 3 inch "regular" version (although he's still showing some battle damage from the 80's). He's awesome. I love every single thing about the design of this toy, and he's incredibly iconic to me. (It should be noted that I was never a fan of the animated show, so all of my opinions for these guys are based solely on the actual toys and my childhood memories of having fun with them.) <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/5518470550/" title="Cy-Kill - Mighty Vehicle by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5179/5518470550_4d017e1342.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Cy-Kill - Mighty Vehicle" /></a><br /><br />I've still got tons of Gobots, and upon discovering that there are hardly any nice photos anywhere online, I'm going to attempt to photograph the majority of my collection. I'll be slowly adding photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1608427@N24/"Target="Top">Gobots Flickr group</a> I just started (can you believe no one had made one until now?) and I hope to pay proper tribute to these robot toys that helped shape my childhood.Vintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6243615639439706830.post-56977701764873326342010-08-12T15:54:00.011-04:002010-08-16T16:10:37.863-04:00Pocl!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4605037092/" title="Blue & Pink Pocl by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3390/4605037092_680d692725_z.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Blue & Pink Pocl" /></a><br /><br />Without a doubt one of my favorite vinyl toys, Pocl is part of the Mysterious Island Jambara series from toy designer <a href="http://ameblo.jp/kaijin-toy/">Kaijin</a>. It's actually a pretty small line, the only other inhabitant is the rabbit-like creature known as <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10724803@N02/4536164013/">Tiruru</a>. Both toys have great sculpts and gorgeous colors, but my devotion lies with this chubby little critter.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4889075734/" title="Pocl Lineup by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4889075734_eede03ccb4_z.jpg" width="600" height="449" alt="Pocl Lineup" /></a><br /><br />Kaijin is a pretty prolific designer, perhaps better known for his <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34295608@N02/3369167409/">Steel Fairies</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34295608@N02/3449639058/in/photostream/">Fulcraim</a> figures. The Jambara series is a bit different from his usual work, and seems to be his contribution to the rapidly expanding scene of 4-6" creature toys. It also happens to be the exact type of vinyl toy that I'm obsessed with, so I became instantly infatuated with this mini beast. <br /><br />I've managed to track down five different versions, and as far as I know there are at least two more (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7479804@N02/3585750124/">glow in the dark</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7479804@N02/3391891272/">unpainted gray</a>). Usually produced in low runs of around 50, if you miss the initial release it can be difficult to track them down. The demand isn't really that high, so these guys will often sit in shops for months (the first one I bought was actually on clearance). Once they're gone though, that's it, there really isn't a secondary market for them.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4768325814/" title="Pocl in the city by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4768325814_b3f78c5f5d_z.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Pocl in the city" /></a><br /><br />Collecting has changed so much since the dawn of the internet, and it's easy to forget how unbelievably spoiled we all are today. There was a time when collecting stuff like this was virtually impossible, unless you were willing to drive across the country looking for specialty shops or possibly even take a trip to Japan. For me it mostly involved staring at Japanese hobby magazines and marveling at the many incredible toys and kits that I could only dream of owning...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4886247340/" title="Blue Pocl with Pellets by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4886247340_d16731cbda_b.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Blue Pocl with Pellets" /></a><br /><br />Now, all you need to do is browse the various webshops and make your purchase. Forums and blogs have replaced the photocopied zines of the past, and I can actually read and comprehend the news about the latest kits and figures instead of just looking at the pictures. The most recent Pocl I bought, the blue guy seen above, was actually through <a href="http://shop.tokyocube.com/toys-details.htm?p=1791">a service that deals directly with the designers of the toy.</a> They act as a sort of middle man and bridge the language barrier, allowing fans like myself to pick up beautiful pieces like this with no trouble at all.<br /><br />Hopefully I'll be able to add another Pocl or two to my collection someday, but for now it doesn't really matter because I'm just delighted to have this crew hanging out on my shelves.Vintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6243615639439706830.post-59361033619482518082010-07-08T17:38:00.006-04:002010-07-15T17:09:25.166-04:00Milton on the go!One of my favorite toys from <a href="http://">Super7</a> is Milton, the adorable yet ghoulish little ice cream monster designed by Brian Flynn. Lately he's been accompanying me as I wander the city, and I've been documenting his adventures. You can check out the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/sets/72157624325300645/">full set on my Flickr page</a>, which will be updated every now and then as I find new places to take pictures of the little guy.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4773887415/" title="Milton taking a stroll by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4773887415_896cf0600b_z.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Milton taking a stroll"></a><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4774526480/" title="Milton waiting to cross the street by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4774526480_349b16549a_b.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Milton waiting to cross the street"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4773887507/" title="Milton haunting a tree by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4773887507_8d351d55e0_z.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Milton haunting a tree" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4774166609/" title="Milton Party at Sweet Tooth by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4774166609_4e106967a2_z.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Milton Party at Sweet Tooth"></a>Vintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6243615639439706830.post-34477698945605283012010-06-23T16:25:00.001-04:002010-07-15T17:04:11.713-04:00The Rochester Toy ShowA few months ago Alicia and I ventured out to Rochester to check out a vintage toy show at the <a href="http://www.villagegatesquare.com/">Village Gate.</a> It was surreal to see countless tables filled with random action figures and collectibles from the 80's and 90's...if I had been able to attend an event like this when I was still in college I would have gone completely bankrupt buying a ridiculous amount of G1 Transformers and McFarlane toys. Since I've had to reign in my compulsive toy collecting in recent years, I managed to just enjoy the opportunity to see so many of these rare and unusual pop culture relics in person.<br /><br />This event was actually closer to a flea market than a traditional toy show, which meant that the prices were really great but the presentation was a little...rough. Most vendors had toys that were packaged in ziplock bags with prices written in sharpie, then piled into cardboard boxes in front their setup. A selection of eye catching pieces would adorn the surface of their tables, but to see the majority of their goods you'd have to get down and start rummaging through the unorganized clutter. I could very happily do that for hours, at every single table...the only reason I didn't was because I was limiting myself to just a few purchases, and I knew that if I started digging I'd probably find a bunch of stuff that would be hard to say no to.<br /><br />I did find a few gems that day, all of which were great deals that also fit nicely with my current shelf setup. As soon as we walked through the doors, I saw this guy at the very first table.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4626242496/" title="Vintage Voltron by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4626242496_193e9a655f_b.jpg" width="584" height="1024" alt="Vintage Voltron" /></a><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />I've always been enamored with Voltron (aka <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MCyhyYjweU">GoLion</a>) ever since I first caught a glimpse of the show when I was probably around 7 years old. For some reason I'm pretty sure whatever channel it was airing on only showed up at my Grandparents house, so I could only see a few random episodes when we were visiting and I got lucky enough to catch it on a Saturday morning. Still, it remains to this day my favorite giant robot design. I mean...five huge robot cats that combine to form an even bigger robot with a massive, ridiculous sword that can cut through entire spaceships. It's perfect. Between this and those early episodes of Robotech warping my young mind, my future anime obsession was inevitable.<br /><br />I also found a tiny Zaku in a giant bin overflowing with mini toys.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4625636815/" title="Mini Char’s Zaku II by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4625636815_31995347ca_b.jpg" width="600" height="730" alt="Mini Char’s Zaku II" /></a><br /><br />There was a mixture of blindbox figures and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashapon">gashapon</a> toys piled high, each one stored in a tiny ziplock bag. While I was examining the Zaku, the seller wandered over and helpfully pointed out, "Ah yes, that's from Japan." I smiled and nodded as I continued to dig through the sea of individually wrapped plastic trinkets.<br /><br />This tiny version of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/quattrovageena/113279312/">Char's Zaku II</a> is exactly 2" tall counting the helmet protrusion, and I later discovered that it's actually a <a href="http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN921975">"Cube Mate."</a> He's pretty neat, the blocky base shape is obviously influenced by Kubricks and there's a spot on his head where you can attach a keychain (which was missing from the one I bought). He looks good next to my other Super deformed Gundam toys, which tower above him despite their relatively diminutive size. <br /><br />The real treasure, however, was this amazing piece right here. Monster Robot!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4597873408/" title="Monster Robot! by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1217/4597873408_6e9a947361_b.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Monster Robot!" /></a><br /><br />At first, you might be fooled into thinking it's just a really cool looking battery powered robot toy...but wait!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4597257601/" title="Monster Robot Revealed! by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4597257601_b1873cf166_z.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="Monster Robot Revealed!" /></a><br /><br />It's not just a robot, it's a MONSTER ROBOT. I fell in love with this thing as soon as I saw the box. I was staring at it for a few minutes until I had the courage to pick it up and inspect the package further. I just assumed it would be way out of my price range, most cool vintage toys are just insanely expensive these days. I hopped on the bandwagon way too late, and now that they're steadily rising in popularity it's difficult to find any affordable pieces.<br /><br /><img src="http://vintango.com/blog_objects/mons_robot_box_600.jpg" /><br /><br />So, when the seller saw me holding the box and said, "Fifteen bucks" I practically yelled, "I'll take it!"<br /><br />I haven't found much info about this guy, but it looks like he was made by a company called Alps sometime during the late 60's or early 70's. I originally thought he was a bootleg, based on the generic box art. However, according to a few <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/70s-Japan-Battery-Op-Alps-Monster-Robot-New-old-stock-/290371037223">online retailers,</a> it looks like he's the <a href="http://www.mainstreettoys.com/products/vintage-japan-monster-robot">real deal!</a><br /><br />I like to think that the monster wasn't satisfied just being a glowing, fire breathing lizard...no sir, he went out and got himself a giant robot suit to REALLY do some damage. Here he is in action:<br /><br /><object width="600" height="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bzUzu44J2vw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bzUzu44J2vw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="600" height="450"></embed></object><br /><br />The batteries are running low, so he moves and screeches a bit slower than intended, but I kind of like it that way.<br /><br />All together it was a great toy show, Alicia picked up a few She-Ra figures for her collection, along with a wide selection of vintage clothing from a nearby shop. I'll definitely be coming back next year, possibly with a little more money in my pocket, just in case there are new treasures to be found.Vintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6243615639439706830.post-37731172089974036812010-06-04T16:15:00.001-04:002010-07-15T17:05:37.979-04:00Dunnys - The Gateway Toy<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642011853/" title="Secret Lab Dunny by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4642011853_c27a023fa1_b.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Secret Lab Dunny" /></a><br /><br />These little guys were actually my first introduction to the world of "vinyl toys." I first noticed them in a few of the art magazines I used to read, but they never truly caught my attention until I got a look at them in person. Several years ago, a local toy boutique opened up on a nearby street and I finally had a chance to learn a bit more about his whole "art toy" scene that everyone was so excited about. Stepping through the doors, I was instantly exposed to a whole new world of collecting. It was all so foreign at the time, I was completely unfamiliar with just about everything around me. A glass display case in the center of the shop housed a wide array of larger vinyl pieces from designers like <a href="http://monsterism.net/">Pete Fowler,</a> <a href="http://www.buffmonster.com/">Buff Monster,</a> <a href="http://www.mizuno-junko.com/">Junko Mizuno,</a> and <a href="http://www.fkozik.com/">Frank Kozik.</a> The surrounding walls had shelves filled with various blind box series, everything from <a href="http://www.qeeworld.com/">Qees</a> to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/CIBOYS/94491792350">Ci-Boys</a> and of course, <a href="http://sites.kidrobot.com/dunny/?p=gallery">Dunnys.</a><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642007525/" title="Random Dunny Lineup by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4642007525_010915d981_o.jpg" width="600" height="202" alt="Random Dunny Lineup" /></a><br /><br />It's hard to explain the appeal of these things, but for me personally it has a lot to do with my history. I've been buying and collecting toys ever since I was a little kid, when my father would occasionally bring home random Go-Bots and Transformers after work. It was at this early age when my love of robot toys was forever cemented. As I grew older I continued to add to my collection, mostly focusing on transforming robots and action figures based on comics or animation. During college my tastes shifted and I started buying a ton of McFarlane action figures, and pretty soon I had several shelves densely packed with these figures. As much as I loved them, after a while they all started to blend together.<br /><br />As dynamic and intricately detailed as these toys were individually, they lost something when viewed as a clustered group. I suppose you could compare it to a museum where they tried to fit every sculpture and painting against one wall, layering them several deep with the biggest ones in the back. I know that there's a big difference between a museum piece and an action figure, but both need a little space to breathe so they can be fully appreciated. The trouble is that not every toy collector has the space to completely cover each wall with shelving, so most of us end up packing as much as we possibly can into a small display area.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642624648/" title="Amanda Visell Dunny by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4642624648_c26cd0e018_b.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Amanda Visell Dunny" /></a><br /><br />One of the things that really intrigued me about the platform toys like the Dunny, BearBricks and Qees is that they all had the same base shape. When you lined a whole bunch of them up together it looked like an organized collection, not just a random accumulation of objects. Not only that, but the bright colors and vibrant designs were the complete opposite of the dark gray and maroon color schemes I'd been staring at for years. It brought back memories of the neon robots and fluorescent plastic toys from my childhood. It was a breath of fresh air, and it didn't take me long to become completely hooked.<br /><br />Of course I started out just buying one, telling myself that I would be happy with a single Dunny. But then after studying the sides of the box with the images of all the other designs...I decided to go back for just one more. Or two. Why not? I mean, having three together would be neat. I figured that I could quit at any time, but pretty soon I was buying 6 at once and coming back every few days for more.<br /><br /><img src="http://vintango.com/blog_objects/dunny_boxes.jpg"><br /><br />Dunnys, like many other 3" mini series, are sold blind boxed. This means you don't get to see which specific design you got until after you've bought and opened the box. It's really a brilliant marketing scheme...it combines the obsessions of collecting with the compulsiveness of gambling. Not only is there the thrill of the hunt, the quest to obtain every toy in a set, you've also got the random reward aspect. Any box could contain a super rare piece, so the more you buy the better your chances are of finding it! In reality, of course, scoring a rare chase from a blind box set is about as likely as winning the lotto after buying hundreds of scratch off tickets. The odds aren't as astronomical, but you could easily spend hundreds of dollars, end up with piles of duplicates, and still not find the one toy you're looking for.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642007513/" title="Visell Dunny Lineup by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4642007513_cf508d1e85_o.jpg" width="600" height="225" alt="Visell Dunny Lineup" /></a><br /><br />Another apsect of platform toys that interested me was the concept of a 3D canvas. I like the idea of seeing what some of my favorite artists could do when given the challenge of "painting" a toy. What's really neat is this allows someone who is an <a href="http://www.amandavisell.com/">Amanda Visell</a> fan, for instance, to own a small reproduction of her art for around 10 bucks. Her Dunny designs are actually based on a set of <a href="http://tomopop.com/super-cute-customs-amanda-visell-s-custom-8-inch-dunnies-5500.phtml">8" customs</a> she made for a KidRobot show, so there's a feel of authenticity to them. It's also very interesting to see which artists rise to the challenge and really push themselves, showcasing their talents...and which ones phone it in. I'm not going to start naming anyone, because this is pretty subjective, but some of my favorite designers have churned out awful Dunnys, while others have gone the extra mile and made amazing little toys. Some artists seem content to just draw on the shape, giving the effect of graffiti or stickers on a Dunny shape, missing the point entirely. Then there are the artists that seem to "get it" and understand the dimensions of the object, how to use it to their advantage and work with their personal style. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642624514/" title="Thomas Han Dunny by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3332/4642624514_4586ba4cf9_b.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Thomas Han Dunny" /></a><br /><br />Dunnys will often get a drastically different reaction from the different breeds of toy collectors. They tend to be the favorites of "new" fans, serving the purpose of a gateway toy to get you addicted to the heavier stuff. For this reason I think many older and more "serious" collectors look down on them, seeing the format as something cheap for the younger crowd to fawn over. After all, these toys have a manufactured rarity, they're designed from the start to be collectibles, unlike actual collectible toys that were produced for children and have become rare decades later. The Dunny packaging makes sure to plaster statistics everywhere, letting you know exactly how rare every design is, and therefore, how valuable it is. There's also a debate about the quality of the vinyl used to make the toys, the aesthetics of platform toys versus original sculpts, and plenty of other issues have filled many a message board thread. Personally, I think they're perfectly fine for what they are, and if you like them, then you should have fun collecting them.<br /><br /><img src="http://vintango.com/blog_objects/never_know_dunny.jpg" height="303" width="600"><br /><br />If you're trying to complete a full set of Dunnys you might have to spend up to $80 for a 1/100 ratio toy, not because it's actually worth that much, but because the person selling it knows that it's scarce. The result is a ton of eBay auctions for these allegedly "rare" toys, but often they will sit there and not sell. If thirty people are online trying to sell a toy and no one's buying, can you still call it "rare"?<br /><br />If you really want it however, you might just have to bite the bullet, or find someone on a forum willing to trade with you or give you a deal. The only other option is to keep buying more boxes, which at almost $10 per toy could end up costing well over a few hundered dollars. If you go by the actual stats, you should run across 1 for every 100 toys you buy, which is right around $1,000. Suddenly just spending 80 bucks seems pretty reasonable...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642624558/" title="123Klan Dunny by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4642624558_255c724c48_b.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="123Klan Dunny" /></a><br /><br />I've actually had unusually good luck when it comes to blind box toys. I will normally buy about 15 Dunny's per series, and out of that I'll often get about 7 or 8 unique toys. Trading my duplicates might land me one or two more, but by that point the doubles I'm left with are the same common designs that everyone else is trying to get rid of, so those get stored away. I will occasionally pull the 1/50 designs, but never the 1/100.<br /><br />The trouble with bind boxes is that when you first start into a new series, your luck is statistically great. If you've only got one or two toys, there's an excellent chance that the next box you open will be one that you don't have yet. When you've hit the halfway mark, however, it's a little different. Suddenly the odds are stacked against you, not only because you've already got half the series but because all the ones you're looking for are exceedingly rare. I've heard of collectors buying several cases and still not finding that elusive 1/100 toy. It's so hard to stop though...even when you know the odds are horribly against you.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642011791/" title="DevilRobots Tofu Dunny by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4642011791_17d2e15bea_b.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="DevilRobots Tofu Dunny" /></a><br /><br />Of course, since it's completely random you could in theory buy just one box and end up pulling an obscenely rare figure. That's part of what makes it fun, the excitement and hope that you'll score that holy grail, the long sought after rare item that will be the crown jewel of your collection. It's also what makes it so frustrating, nothing is quite as depressing as dropping 60 dollars on toys only to end up with six figures you already have. As I mentioned earlier, it's a little like the lottery, you can't help but keep coming back with that hope of winning big, but more often than not you walk away with nothing. That's why I tend to just stop myself after I reach the halfway point. I might grab one or two more if I'm in the shop, but I'm perfectly happy having ten great toys out of the 20 available. Long ago I come to terms with the fact that I was probably never going to be able to have a "complete" set.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642624474/" title="Kronk Dunny by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3345/4642624474_c275c0a896_b.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Kronk Dunny" /></a><br /><br />The actual paint jobs on Dunnys are usually pretty good. Occasionally there's a small misprinted area but for the most part they look like they are intended to. Every so often there are some odd quality control issues. For instance, I've noticed that on some of the earlier Dunny releases, several designs have arms that are not quite the same color as the body. Many of these arms aren't molded from the same colored vinyl used in the head and body of the figure, and the hand was painted in a shade that is close but not quite the same. When you're looking at these particular Dunnys from a short distance on a shelf they look okay, but if you get a bit closer it's kind of obvious that their arms don't match. I'm sure this is just the best that could be done at the time, but I have to wonder why the arms couldn't be made from the same vinyl.<br /><br />Another annoying little problem is that the paint used on some of the earlier Dunny arms has a glossy and "sticky" feel. Instead of a flat paint that would match the appearance of the rest of the toy, it has a shine to it. Not a big deal, sure, but this glossy paint attracts dust and lint like crazy, and once it gets on there it's actually quite difficult to remove. Many of my Dunnys have been sitting on their shelf for years now, and you can easily recognize the ones with shiny, sticky, dust covered arms.<br /><br /><img src="http://vintango.com/blog_objects/sticky_hand_600.jpg"><br /><br />Much to the delight of overly critical people like myself, I'm happy to report that I haven't seen this problem on any of the recent series. The arms all look really great on every figure I've seen from The Endangered, 2009 and Femme Fatale series. I don't know what KidRobot did to fix it, but I'm guessing that with the popularity of the toys they could afford to put a little more money into the manufacturing process. Perhaps they just found a factory that produces a higher quality final product and figured out exactly which paint works for the little guys.<br /><br />I knew that when I became more serious about this hobby I would end up spending quite a bit of money on it. Unlike action figures and transformers, these toys had significantly higher prices and would require a larger investment if I was going to build a real collection. At the height of my Dunny collecting, it wasn't unusual for me to spend around 100 dollars in one trip, just on blind box toys.<br /><br /><img src="http://vintango.com/blog_objects/various_600.jpg"><br /><br />I was often tempted by the many larger vinyl toys available at the shop, but I never really considered buying any until I started spending so much on mini's. It was pretty easy to justify dropping 30 dollars for a single larger toy, since that was the equivalent of three blind box toys (which would probably be duplicates anyway). This opened up a whole new world of dangerous possibilities for me. All it takes is that first purchase to break the ice, now suddenly every 30 or 40 dollar piece was within my grasp. I picked up toys from <a href="http://www.dgph.com.ar/">DGPH,</a> <a href="http://grasshutcorp.com/bwana/">Bwana Spoons,</a> <a href="http://super7store.com/">Super7,</a> <a href="http://peskimo.com/">Peskimo</a> and more. Soon my shelves were being overrun with vinyl creatures ranging in size from 5" up to 9", taking the spotlight away from the little guys that started it all.<br /><br />The first (and only) 8" Dunny that I bought was the <a href="http://rotocasted.com/toy/752/">Patricio Oliver "Zombie Pet"</a> for $39.95. I just couldn't resist a glow in the dark toy with such a simple but effective design. I had always planned on getting a few more 8" Dunny's, and I kept waiting for another design that really appealed to me. <br /><br />However the 8" price was nudged up to $50 when the <a href="http://rotocasted.com/toy/3670/">Jeremyville 8"</a> came out, and then suddenly jumped to $75 for the next few releases. It was alarming at first, but as each new design went on sale it became clear that KidRobot had decided this was the new starting price for the 8" Dunnys. I guess people must be buying them still, but it's just way, way more than I would ever pay for a toy like that. I have a feeling that it's probably turning away new fans that are in the same position I was a few years ago. If that 8" Patricio Oliver Dunny was originally priced at $75, there's absolutely no way I would have gone for it, it's just too much of a leap in cost. Going from roughly ten bucks per toy to 40 is reasonable when you have a limited budget. It's a lot harder to justify a price that is more than 7 times what you're used to spending.<br /><br />It's been a while since I've bought a Dunny, and honestly I don't know if I'll be adding more to my collection anytime soon. I'm currently obsessing over a whole new variety of vinyl creatures, and my tastes have slowly shifted away from platform toys. That being said, I still have many of my favorite designs on display, and even though I'm not as enthusiastic about them as I once was, I've got a lot of fond memories of the time I spent collecting them. They really were my gateway toy, I might never have been introduced to the amazing (and addictive) world of vinyl toys that I love so much if it weren't for these little guys.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4642621174/" title="Crappy Cat, Kiiros and Dunnys by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3332/4642621174_752841a218_o.jpg" width="600" height="276" alt="Crappy Cat, Kiiros and Dunnys" /></a>Vintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6243615639439706830.post-20840101082130215622010-05-21T16:06:00.001-04:002010-07-15T17:06:04.827-04:00Lorbo!I've been a fan of <a href="http://jimwoodring.blogspot.com/">Jim Woodring</a> for years, ever since I picked up an issue of "Frank" at the local comic shop. I must have been around 13 at the time, I remember getting an issue of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and the latest issue of The Maxx, possibly Cerebus as well. The owner of the shop remarked to me that I had good taste, which for a 13 year old nerd was incredibly gratifying to hear. Anyway, over the years I continued to pick up more work from Woodring, including several graphic novels (which I read countless times), a t-shirt (that I wore until the print was cracked and faded), and even a used CD that had one of his original illustrations on the cover. The actual music was pretty mediocre, but for a couple of bucks I was happy to have another odd little collectible.<br /><br />Woodring has actually designed quite a few toys, based on both his established characters, like Frank & Pupshaw, as well as a whole assortment of unique creatures made exclusively as vinyl collectibles. They are all awesome, but my favorite has to be Lorbo.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4404298031/in/set-72157608252175101/"><img height="800" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4404298031_43c4ecc931_b.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Produced by <a href="http://www.presspop.com/en/shop/figures1.html">Press Pop</a> and seen here in his orange variation (released during the '08 San Diego Comic Con, I believe), Lorbo is by far the most Japanese inspired figure that Woodring has released. He has an asymmetrical aesthetic that references classic monster designs while still retaining many recognizable Woodring elements. He's described as being a <a href="http://skuuvuunuum.com/about.html">"Kaijin"</a>, which is <i>"a humanoid monster whose size, unlike the "</i><i>Kaiju</i><i>" (who tend to be very large), is the same as humans. They share characteristics common to humans like walking on their feet, understanding human language, and having evil feelings etc."</i> Originally intended to be part of a larger line of Japanese influenced monsters, he remains the sole inhabitant of the fictional world <a href="http://skuuvuunuum.com/index.html">"Skuuvuunuum"</a>.<br /><br />I love this guy. He's an excellent tribute to Eastern toy design, and he really does fit in great with any type of collection. He could stand comfortably next to a selection of contemporary Western vinyl toys, or look just as good surrounded by some old-school kaiju. Of course, most fans that collect genuine Japanese toys might not want something like this invading their shelf, and fans of the cute simplified look that western vinyl currently has might be turned off by the bizarre sculpt. I'd encourage everyone to give this guy a chance though, and he's actually perfect for any collector that tends to jump back and forth between the two styles (like I've been doing recently).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4404298059/" title="Lorbo Packaging by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img alt="Lorbo Packaging" height="800" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4404298059_3037ff7a28_o.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br /><br />I should also mention the amazing packaging. In another nod to Eastern toys, Lorbo is presented in a clear, printed bag with a header card. Besides having an awesome illustration, the header also informs us that Lorbo, the "Transdimensional Stateless Prodigy", is in fact the "Catalytic Emissary of Skuuvuunuum." It's anybody's guess what exactly is happening in the little scene depicted here, but like most of Wooodring's cryptic work, that's part of what makes it so much fun.<br /><br />Even though the most recent version of Lorbo was released a few years ago, there's a good chance you'll be able to find one online for around 50 bucks. If you're lucky you might even stumble across the unpainted glow-in-the-dark release...Vintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6243615639439706830.post-64655375443080822322010-03-29T11:49:00.002-04:002010-07-15T17:06:37.088-04:00SD Dokuwashi<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4330525888/" title="SD Dokuwashi by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4330525888_82b7cb4c80.jpg" width="427" height="500" alt="SD Dokuwashi" /></a><br /><br />Described as the "Guardian of Ghostland" this little guy is a "super deformed" mini version of the full size Dokuwashi vinyl figure designed by Brian Flynn. While the full size Doku is a more traditional vinyl toy, the SD version is a limited, hand painted resin piece.<br /><br />I'm a total sucker for anything that Brian Flynn designs, especially when it's Ghostland related. I have a humble collection of his toys, and lately I've been doing my best to pick up some of the recent releases from <a href="http://super7store.com/">Super7</a>, as well as quite a few of their earlier releases. Unfortunately, when this was originally released I just didn't have the funds and had to pass on it, like I do with so many amazing figures that just don't fit into my toy budget.<br /><br />To my great surprise and delight, my wonderful fiancee Alicia surprised me on Christmas by letting me know she had ordered one for me! (Just one of many reasons I'm marrying her.)<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />It really has to be seen in person to be appreciated. I know that can be said about many vinyl/resin figures, but I was just so astounded at how great this piece looked when it arrived. It's got a definite mass to it, not as light as I had expected, but still very delicate and I'm terrified of accidentally chipping it. The paint is evenly and skillfully applied, there are smooth gradients and the colors just dance with each other perfectly. The face is consistent with the recognizable Ghostland style, right down to the forehead "crack line." It's also interesting how the total simplicity of the head contrasts with the intricacy of the body. The form of the whole piece is simple and effective, and the detailing of the scales covering his body just adds an extra level of visual interest to an already unique shape.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintango/4371120664/" title="SD Dokuwashi - Signature & Feet by _Vintango_, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4371120664_69aba7e899.jpg" width="500" height="415" alt="SD Dokuwashi - Signature & Feet" /></a><br /><br />One of the best details though, is under the figure...not only did Mr. Flynn go to the trouble of putting in a great pattern there, but he gave the Dokuwashi tiny feet! He could have easily just made this toy have a flat base and is still would have been awesome, but going the extra mile really shows, once again, how much Super7 really cares about the figures they design. The passion they have for toys is evident in everything they do, (just look at the recent <a href="http://blog.super7store.com/super-shogun-stormtrooper">Shogun Stormtrooper's</a> obsessive level of authenticity) and it's one of the reasons that I've become such a huge fan.<br /><br />This is without a doubt one of my favorite pieces in my collection. Simply awesome.Vintangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02075183172208715394noreply@blogger.com0