Toy links
Halo Action Figure Theater.
A photocomic by Elnea.
Forever blowing bubbles.
A very cool portrait by TCM Hitchhiker of the Hasbro G.I. Joe Comic Pack 14 Cpl. Breaker figure.
Duckraiser.
Demon to some. Duck to others.
Cloud Strife ver. Kingdom Hearts.
A custom figure by SomaKun.
The articulated barbarian.
JFAK075 used parts from the Jakks WWE Build N’ Brawl Batista figure to improve the articulation of the Chap Mei Beast Raider Savager Warrior figure.
Robosapien Akihabara assault. [via]
The revolution begins.
McFarlane Toys Lead Concept Artist Jin Han interviewed.
“In time, you will be seeing more poseable figures from McFarlane Toys …”
Robert Burden’s Toybox exhibit.
“… aside from all of my conceptual reasons for making this work, part of me just wanted to see a really big Battle Cat painting …” (See also.)
Sophisticated toys at cheap prices.
“Riding on what engineers call the ‘trailing edge’ for components, toy companies have been able to use second- and third-generation parts from other industries to vamp up their lines or create new ones without upping prices.”
How action figures are made.
An informative article by Randy Schueller.
Prickly
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by thomas_hobbs.
Japanese toy review roundup
The following reviews are in Japanese but they include a generous amount of photos so they’re well worth checking out.
Hirohiro reviews the Takara Tomy Yatta Action Series Doronja figure from the Yatterman series.
Tom reviews the Volks Muv-Luv Alternative A3 Takemikaduchi Type-00C Comic Market 73 and mail-order exclusive figure.
Sappy reviews the Taito Super Mechanics Queen Emeraldas (Galaxy Express 999 movie version) toy.
SR../Blood Zwei reviews the Most Wanted Project Super Robot PSR-001 Daiku Maryu Gaiking figure. (See also.)
MaruH102 reviews the Bandai Soul of Chogokin (SOC) GX-37B King Joe Black and GX-37 King Joe from the Ultraman series.
Mojya reviews the Kaiyodo Revoltech Starscream figure from the Transformers series. (See also.)
MaruH102 reviews the CM’s Corporation Brave Gokin Mospeada Ride Armor Mospeada (Stick type) set. (See also.)
Gamu reviews the Hot Toys Appleseed Saga Ex Machina Deunan Knute 1/6 scale figure. (See also.) (Related.)
Tom reviews the Bandai Souchaku Henshin Kamen Rider Zeronos Zero Form figure from the Kamen Rider Den-O series. (See also.)
Tom reviews the Bandai S.H.Figuarts Kamen Rider The Next Kamen Rider 1 figure. (See also.)
Ka2-yuki reviews the Bandai HCM Pro Tieren Ground Type 1/200 scale figure from the Gundam 00 series. (See also.)
Onbashira reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Voyager Class Bulkhead figure.
Toybu and Yuki Bune review the Takara Tomy Transformers Henkei Bumble figure. (See also.)
Onbashira reviews the Takara Tomy Transformers Encore Sky Lynx figure. (See also.)
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Tomy Transformers Real Gear Robots Wire Tap V20 figure.
Retro reviews
Reisende reviews the Kaiyodo Toy Tribe Trigun: The Planet Gunsmoke Vash the Stampede figure.
Don’t touch that dial
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by noii’s.
Toy links
Custom Cobra Night Raven Starscream. [via]
Shinobitron used a Transformers Energon Storm Jet figure as a base.
Clone Commander Deviss.
A custom Lego Star Wars mini-fig by Ryan Huo.
My Little Xbox Elite Pony.
“I might change one of the eyes to a red ring …”
Prowl plushie.
A Suzy Wong creation based on the Transformers: Animated version.
Tamashii Nation 2008.
“… the really fascinating thing about the show … Bandai’s attempt to position their Saint Seiya, S.I.C., and Chogokin collector lines as ‘lifestyle goods’ rather than toys.”
This time TK-421 will …
A Creative Commons-licensed image by Fuyoh!.
Review: Hasbro Star Wars 30th Anniversary Collection A New Hope Imperial Stormtrooper
There’s clearly something about Imperial Stormtroopers that inspires affection. Witness the crowds drawn to Danny Choo’s grooving in Japan, the 501st Legion‘s devotion or the amusing Flickr group. The what and the why remain obscure.
Is it their everyman quality? None of us have a Jedi’s superpowers and few of us have a Corellian smuggler’s cool. But an endearingly incompetent underling who is embarrassed by teddy bears and tricksy doors, and has a manipulative evil boss? We could all be that guy.
Perhaps it’s the outfit that appeals. Simple, cool and immediately recognisable, the Stormtrooper armour has become iconic in the 30 years since the release of the first movie.
Whatever the reason, Stormtroopers are inarguably, if improbably, popular.
Toy-wise, the Stormtrooper has had many a figure with varying results. The vintage Kenner figure was a decent attempt for its time, the Power of the Force 2 line featured a ridiculously buffed up Stormtrooper and there are sixth-scale figures costing over a hundred dollars if your Stormtrooper fixation runs particularly deep.
Hasbro’s latest Imperial Stormtrooper figure is the 20th figure in its 2007 Star Wars 30th Anniversary Collection line. The line features strong sculpts and improved articulation at kid-friendly prices. The Imperial Stormtrooper is typical of the line but not without its disappointments.
Read more
421 … TK-421
A Creative Commons-licensed image by Fuyoh!.
(Inspired by this movie poster.)
Toy links
Movie Optimus Prime.
A stunning scratch-built model by Yasuhiro Yamaguchi.
Alien ver. Lego.
Recreations of scenes from the movie by carmp. That little Lego minifig is awfully happy for someone with an alien bursting out of his chest.
Samurai and stallion.
A nice Stikfas digirama by Ken Battallaones.
Pure class.
“An evil robot wearing a top hat? That’s the coolest thing you ever heard of.”
The Antique Toy and Doll Roadshow.
“Ebay has drastically reduced the value of most antique toys, bringing the value of the original 1959 Barbie in mint condition down from $10,000 to about $5,000 in the past few years …”
Whee!
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by …..dotted…...