I never really considered myself to be a 'figure maniac' until a few months ago. Before Yongsan's I-Park Mall opened up their newest branch of 'Hobby Square' it was difficult to find anything in terms of figures or model kits here in Seoul.
Dedicated shops tend to close down quickly due to the large amounts of browsing customers, but the small amount of purchasers. The main stock of these shops tends to break down in the following way;
Shopping Information:
Under here you can find out about the different products stocked by Seoul's stores, and also some of their locations for people who are visiting :D
+ Gundam DIY kits and pre-painted models. + Pre-painted statues for popular series like One Piece. + Model kits for Keroro's robotic series etc. + Trading figures and rements. + Figures for other Japanese series. + 'Fashion' trading figures such as Kubricks.
Seoul currently houses two branches of 'Hobby Square' - a shop which sells all of the above as well as providing gashapon (keychain/charm/plastic model.) machines for various anime/game series. They also have tables for table-top CCGs like Pokemon and YGO.
The only depressing thing for me is that I'm not the usual demographic for these stores, so it's hard to find domestic friends who are also interested in figures/Tokusatsu etc.
Shop Locations:
For those who wish to visit and check them out;
Yongsan Shop; I-Park Mall Living and Digital Floor 7 inside the large book store. Seoul Shop: Seoul Station Galleria 3rd floor.
My Personal Favorites:
Since finding these two stores I've become a little bit addicted to collecting a few series of figures. The prices aren't that cheap, but compared to importing them it's definitely preferable. A standard Nendoroid runs from $40-60 and puchis are $8-9 each. Most Figma are priced at about $30-33. The statues can run as expensive as $200 (and imo they're not usually worth it.)
Nendoroid and Puchi:
Nendoroids are figures for many different series, such as Fate/Stay Night, Black Rock Shooter and Haruhi. They come with a range of different interchangeable pieces and limited posing styles.
2008's Haruhi Nendoroid.
Nendoroid Puchis are their mini-sized trading figure versions for the same range of series, also including Vocaloid and Nanoha.
The only downsides to collecting these figures are;
+ Trading figures are random and so it's hard to complete a set without getting many doubles. + Their plastic stands sometimes don't fit.
There are also more 'life-like' versions of Nendoroids called Figma which also cover the same range of series;
The Kamen Rider Ryuki Figma figure.
Gashapons:
A typical row of gashapon machines.
Gashapons (Also known as capsule toys.) are mainly found in banks of machines around bookstores and music shops. Their contents range from keychains (for such series as FMA, Gundam Seed etc.) to mini models of Super Sentai or Kamen Rider characters. You can even get mini plush for Mameshiba and other cute-style series.
Again, gashapons are dispensed at random, but they're very cheap in comparison to buying trading figures. The usual cost is between 1,000won - 2,000won ($1-2 approx.)
The downside to collecting these figures is, of course the random element and getting doubles. However, machines are often hard to find and vanish without warning after a short time.
Known popular locations of Gashapons in Seoul:
~ Jongak Station Bandi & Luni Bookstore. ~ Most branches of E-Mart. ~ Yongsan I-Park Mall Bookstore and Synnara Records. ~ Kyobo Tower basement (Gangnam.)
There are also multiple stores stocking rements including;
~ Konkuk's Star City Bandi & Luni Bookstore. ~ Kyobo Tower's Kyobo Bookstore. ~ Ani-land and Gina Gift Store in COEX Mall.
The only store currently stocking a very limited number of 'Pinky St' figures is in Hongdae. For reference, these are the Evangelion Pinky St figures. (Since they're not really available in shops here I'm not focusing on them.)
My Collection:
I currently own these items, but I’m looking at expanding my collection. (However, I’m kind of limited in terms of space, and my lack of desire to spend most of my life dusting.
So, does anyone else own any figures? If so, which ones and which types are you considering for the future? I’m waiting on several Nendoroids myself (Kuroshitsuji’s Ciel and Sebastian.) I hope they’re released in Korea soon, because the series itself is very popular here.
I have a Figma--002 Suzumiya Haruhi Figure that sits in its box on top of my desk. Haven't had the money or time to really go after anything else though.
On January 19 2011 14:57 sob3k wrote: absolutely never understood collecting completely useless stuff.
There are so many amazing experiences/places to visit/things to do that would be such a better use of your money.
or do you just have so much cash you have no idea what to spend it on...?
To each their own. Everyone has their respective interests yo, you could say "you could do something way more productive than playing starcraft, There are so many amazing experiences/places to visit/things to do that would be such a better use of your time". Yet I'll continue playing for years to come.
Haters gon hate imo (that being said I have no interest in these figures, it just didn't make sense why you would shit on someones hobby like that).
On January 19 2011 14:57 sob3k wrote: absolutely never understood collecting completely useless stuff.
There are so many amazing experiences/places to visit/things to do that would be such a better use of your money.
or do you just have so much cash you have no idea what to spend it on...?
What you see as junk, some people see as things worth having. What you see as an amazing experience others see as a waste of time and money (screw France). I don't collect figurines, but don't be so closed-minded. Collecting this stuff IS a valid use for money.
Hmmm. i own...7 figures now and counting, and 2 gundams. the dusting really isn't that bad, i mean, sure, every 2-3 weeks you'll start to see some grey build up. Just take an air can, go over, and lightly wipe it with a tissue to get the sticky dust off and you're good.
and yeah, i love figures, they're awesome, makes my day happy
On January 19 2011 14:49 Lachrymose wrote: where are your k-on figures?
They actually stock several of the K-on nendoroids, but I've been focusing on buying the more 'fantastic' looking ones. I don't watch K-on, but it looks cutely animated and fun, so if I give it a try and enjoy it I'll definitely invest in them. Their mini instruments are so cute and there are also a couple of item sets for sale which would go with them perfectly.
On January 19 2011 15:38 ProjectVirtue wrote: Hmmm. i own...7 figures now and counting, and 2 gundams. the dusting really isn't that bad, i mean, sure, every 2-3 weeks you'll start to see some grey build up. Just take an air can, go over, and lightly wipe it with a tissue to get the sticky dust off and you're good.
and yeah, i love figures, they're awesome, makes my day happy
I need to buy an air can asap. I'm just using a small hand pump for tricky bits plus a nice dusting cloth left over from my photography days. The build up here seems to happen within a week or so, so I check each Sunday ^_^ Books are so much easier to keep clean, but they really don't look as cute.
@OP U own so much :O They're very adorable. It's like having puppies staring at me somehow LOL.
I don't know any of those figures (as in which anime/games they're from). Somehow 2 figures reminded me of Ryu and Ken from Streetfighter (the 2 with a full red fighting suit and white suit).
How much do each of those figurines cost? I'm always interested in the cost of having such a hobby.
On January 19 2011 14:51 Mikilatov wrote: Pretty interesting, those things are terribly adorable.
I'm a big fan of videogame based figures, but unfortunately it's difficult to find quality ones... There's a lot of crap out there.
My favorites!
MEGAMAN!!! You sir just gotten +1 in coolness from me :O :D
Got these in Japan recently o.o Nendoroids too expensive for me, and I have no room to put the boxes since you can change the faces and stuff :|
Really wanted that BRS Miku Nendoroid (Or the Animation Version) though... T _ T
Those are really adorable :D I love the strawberry design.
@shannn: The cost is like this most of the time;
Nendoroids = $40-60. Nendoroid Puchis = $8-9. Most of the trading figures = $5-9. Figma = $30+ PPP (Petit Prop Plus) = $8-9. Gashapons = $1-2.
Thanks. Quite cheaper than I thought it would be
My brothers best friend collects Transformer / Gundam figures and those are quite expensive from what my brother bought for his birthday present (80 euros so about 100 dollars). Guess it might've been some rare kind.
On January 19 2011 15:38 ProjectVirtue wrote: Hmmm. i own...7 figures now and counting, and 2 gundams. the dusting really isn't that bad, i mean, sure, every 2-3 weeks you'll start to see some grey build up. Just take an air can, go over, and lightly wipe it with a tissue to get the sticky dust off and you're good.
and yeah, i love figures, they're awesome, makes my day happy
I need to buy an air can asap. I'm just using a small hand pump for tricky bits plus a nice dusting cloth left over from my photography days. The build up here seems to happen within a week or so, so I check each Sunday ^_^ Books are so much easier to keep clean, but they really don't look as cute.
Yeah a can of compressed air makes dusting them really really easy. Can get into all the little crevices and it does a really good job. Only thing to remember is to keep the can upright when you use it and just aim using the "straw" because otherwise the air will have a freezing effect.
As for figures.. I have quite a few, mostly 1/8th scale statues because I like it when they match. I do have a few 1/7 and 1/6 ones that were pretty expensive. I had to have them though
The statues I have are mostly Yamashita character designs, Queen's Blade or random video game characters that I liked. I think the Queen's Blade anime was boring as hell but I liked a lot of the character designs.
I have a GSC Nendoroid Luka that is really cute, the little octupus head is fun to put on random things. New GSC Miku is still on preorder. I avoided Nendoroids for a while but once I got Luka I was converted, they are awesome. Sadly I missed out on Kagamine Rin Hopefully there's a rerelease.
I think one of the most fun aspects of collecting figures is finding the rare ones for a decent price. I've made a lot of ebay friends who will even try to shop around at stores in Japan for ones I am having trouble finding if I ask nicely enough.
I'll post some pics of my favourite ones when my phone is charged. I really need to get a decent camera though.
On January 19 2011 14:57 sob3k wrote: absolutely never understood collecting completely useless stuff.
There are so many amazing experiences/places to visit/things to do that would be such a better use of your money.
or do you just have so much cash you have no idea what to spend it on...?
Funny. Collector friends have made fun of me for watching Starcraft (I am not even playing the game! am I crazy!?). The circle is now complete =)
- - - - -
Nice to know about other figure collectors in TL! NeverGG, have you considering importing directly from Japanese stores? Would that be a little more affordable?
Nendoroids are pretty addictive =) I just really like the very cute designs.
Also, a new Nendoroid Snow Miku will be coming out, with the new trend of more articulations:
On January 19 2011 14:49 Lachrymose wrote: where are your k-on figures?
They actually stock several of the K-on nendoroids, but I've been focusing on buying the more 'fantastic' looking ones. I don't watch K-on, but it looks cutely animated and fun, so if I give it a try and enjoy it I'll definitely invest in them. Their mini instruments are so cute and there are also a couple of item sets for sale which would go with them perfectly.
ahh, i hope you do, i'm sure you'll enjoy it.
nobody who likes cute anime dislikes k-on, it's amazing. :3
On January 19 2011 15:38 ProjectVirtue wrote: Hmmm. i own...7 figures now and counting, and 2 gundams. the dusting really isn't that bad, i mean, sure, every 2-3 weeks you'll start to see some grey build up. Just take an air can, go over, and lightly wipe it with a tissue to get the sticky dust off and you're good.
and yeah, i love figures, they're awesome, makes my day happy
I need to buy an air can asap. I'm just using a small hand pump for tricky bits plus a nice dusting cloth left over from my photography days. The build up here seems to happen within a week or so, so I check each Sunday ^_^ Books are so much easier to keep clean, but they really don't look as cute.
Yeah a can of compressed air makes dusting them really really easy. Can get into all the little crevices and it does a really good job. Only thing to remember is to keep the can upright when you use it and just aim using the "straw" because otherwise the air will have a freezing effect.
As for figures.. I have quite a few, mostly 1/8th scale statues because I like it when they match. I do have a few 1/7 and 1/6 ones that were pretty expensive. I had to have them though
The statues I have are mostly Yamashita character designs, Queen's Blade or random video game characters that I liked. I think the Queen's Blade anime was boring as hell but I liked a lot of the character designs.
I have a GSC Nendoroid Luka that is really cute, the little octupus head is fun to put on random things. New GSC Miku is still on preorder. I avoided Nendoroids for a while but once I got Luka I was converted, they are awesome. Sadly I missed out on Kagamine Rin Hopefully there's a rerelease.
I think one of the most fun aspects of collecting figures is finding the rare ones for a decent price. I've made a lot of ebay friends who will even try to shop around at stores in Japan for ones I am having trouble finding if I ask nicely enough.
I'll post some pics of my favourite ones when my phone is charged. I really need to get a decent camera though.
Figures are awesome!
Thanks for the tips :D We've got the Luka Nendoroid here and the Yongsan Hobby Square has it on display. I'm tempted to buy it next month depending upon my budget and what trading figures have come in by then.
That's precisely how I feel about buying photobooks and magazines too. There's something really rewarding to me about coming across a rare find for a good price. It's like getting bargains when food shopping (I'm such a housewife lol.) I really love stores like Book Off and Mandarake due to the second-hand element. It replaces the lack of charity shops/thrift stores here which I loved back home.
Yep, that's the Lucky Star/Street Fighter mash up set. It came as a cute 4-pack for just a little more money than one of the 3-packs :D Unfortunately the 'Ken' figure's stand is too small for her, so she kind of drunkenly topples over upon a regular basis.
On January 19 2011 14:57 sob3k wrote: absolutely never understood collecting completely useless stuff.
There are so many amazing experiences/places to visit/things to do that would be such a better use of your money.
or do you just have so much cash you have no idea what to spend it on...?
Funny. Collector friends have made fun of me for watching Starcraft (I am not even playing the game! am I crazy!?). The circle is now complete =)
- - - - -
Nice to know about other figure collectors in TL! NeverGG, have you considering importing directly from Japanese stores? Would that be a little more affordable?
Nendoroids are pretty addictive =) I just really like the very cute designs.
Also, a new Nendoroid Snow Miku will be coming out, with the new trend of more articulations:
Unfortunately my Korean bank card makes shopping online kind of impossible, but the prices here aren't too bad, so it's okay. I just wish we'd get more of a range of figures. The focus is heavily skewed towards Gundam, NGE, and One Piece - none of which I like enough to collect figures/models for them. The fun thing is finding something totally unexpected such as the Kamen Rider trading figures that turned up last week. I ended up buying an entire box plus the 3 loose ones they had on display. (I didn't get the one I wanted the most, but I got the other 2 I really wanted.)
Those racing Mikus are beyond adorable. I love the details and how many cute and varied expressions she has. The snow one is gorgeous too - I hope we get her (or any of the Vocaloid items tbh.) So far we've got - Queen's Blade, Fate/Stay Night, K-On, Haruhi, Black Rock Shooter and a couple of series I don't remember right now.
Can't believe everyone talking about Miku Vocaloid, but no one ever posts in the Vocaloid thread T _ T
I was just gonna mention that, cutest nendoroid in the history of the universe. I feel horrible for not being able to buy figs right now, I really wanted that nendo.
Yep, that's the Lucky Star/Street Fighter mash up set. It came as a cute 4-pack for just a little more money than one of the 3-packs :D Unfortunately the 'Ken' figure's stand is too small for her, so she kind of drunkenly topples over upon a regular basis.
Can't believe everyone talking about Miku Vocaloid, but no one ever posts in the Vocaloid thread T _ T
I was just gonna mention that, cutest nendoroid in the history of the universe. I feel horrible for not being able to buy figs right now, I really wanted that nendo.
I love the eyes on that one. Seeing all these cute Vocaloid and K-on ones definitely makes me want to watch their videos. (*Only has 2 Vocaloid songs on her mp3 player.*)
I also managed to complete the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: The MOVIE 1st set :D I only got 3 doubles in total out of all my tries. On the first go I got 7 figures without doubles.
I've been meaning to add a figma to my collection... That one is very tempting for the sole reason it has cats that could be friends with some of my other figures
The violin and other props are pretty awesome too.
Sadly I'd forgotten just how bad my phones camera was at taking close up shots... My mission this weekend is to buy a proper camera since I've been meaning to for ages. Any suggestions for a good ~$200 camera would be much appreciated.
Anyway, here is one photo of tako luka on the lookout for tuna with the assistance of miku:
I promise I'll post more when I have an actual camera
I also had some cat props from some of the Bakemonogatari Puchis which I've added to her kitty collection. She's even got a tiny white kitten perched on her head now :D In that pose Miku looks like she's modeling an eccentric new hat.
I can't wait to see your collection too :D Randomly, I saw a couple of guys speaking English whilst I was in Hobby Square picking up my new figures. However, I was too shy to go and strike up a conversation :/ On the up-side it looks like I'm now considered a regular after about 8-9 visits. I got given a 15% off coupon and the girl who always serves me was really nice ^_^
On January 20 2011 19:12 NeverGG wrote: Sorry for the double-post, but I just got my first Figma tonight. She's so cute. It cost a little less than a Nendoroid ($44.)
Yes, her paint-job is really lovely. I also like the delicate way they sculpted her hair at the back (and the cute curl on her fringe.) Some of the faces of the Figma figures aren't to my liking, but since they're interchangeable I can just use another from one of my others once I build up a good collection :D
If you buy something then please post some photos :D
@Fanta[Rn] - That's such a cute collection you have. I've got the same puchi as you (plus her second form.) They're so adorable. Next month I want to invest in the Queen's Blade Nendoroid (because she's weirdly cheaper than the rest.) plus a couple more Figma, Nendoroids, and any new puchis.
I have a fairly impressive boxed collection, which has been serving a dual purpose. After picking up a few figures, I hit some financially hard times, so I tried to sell a few of them locally. It was surprisingly successful, and I even manged to work in a decent amount of profit after the crappy yen to USD rate + shipping. I was fairly surprised I was able to sell anything at all, but I've been able to do it pretty consistently the last few months, reinvesting profit into more figures/goods. I've stopped purchasing figures recently, but there's still one or two more I really want; namely Good Smile Company's Rin Tohsaka and Alter's Dizzy.
I personally never got into Nendoroids or Figmas, though I think I recently acquired my first Nendoroid through Dengeki G's magazine; I've yet to open the box it came in.
And I'll admit that the majority of my collection borders a certain fan service line. >_> My favorite figures would be the ones I'd never display openly... mostly from Native.
@Fanta[Rn] - She's actually my favorite puchi. I love her huge backpack and pigtails. I hope they release some more sets here soon. I've bought all the puchis in sets and the 1st Nanoha set has vanished before I could complete it ;_; I completed set 2 and am only missing 2 figures from the Haruhi set.
On January 23 2011 10:59 fanta[Rn] wrote: I only got her and the other twos in a set. My Kagamin and others are just randomly picked up.
It's really geeky, but I kind of love buying the random boxed singles of puchis. There's something quite rewarding about managing to complete a set, and I just use any doubles as presents for my overseas friends.
Okay I'm back with some quick photos I took before I head off to bed. Just got back from a tasty dinner at work to see off a guy who is leaving... Anyway.. onto the figures:
Airi the sexy scythe wielding maid, Queen's Blade: + Show Spoiler +
Yoko, probably my biggest figure at 1/6 scale (and a price to match since I missed the release). Some people don't like the face on this version but I think shes sexy: + Show Spoiler +
I want my Nendo Miku already, hurry up GSC :>
I have plenty more figures and I want to take more photos of the ones I have in better lighting and in more interesting places. Hopefully I can do this tomorrow after work. It's 1AM right now so I need to get some sleep or I'll be a zombie for work
I really like Momohime, I was pondering on getting her but decided to go with Mayoi and Kyou before her. Both are nice but nowhere close to Alter quality. Probably a bad choice quality wise.
I love the face on your Nida vek <3 I'm tempted to start on the higher-end figures they're selling over here, but transporting them would be really difficult so I'm probably going to stick to Nendoroids, trading figures and the odd Figma.
Nida is indeed very nice, IMO the best of the Shuraki line.
The original illustrator is known for his pin-up girl style, but most figures of his designs are done by mid-level manufacturers (Yamato and Kotobukiya). Nida is one of the few that include the illustrator's skin coloring, and it makes a big difference.
On January 25 2011 13:35 NeverGG wrote: I love the face on your Nida vek <3 I'm tempted to start on the higher-end figures they're selling over here, but transporting them would be really difficult so I'm probably going to stick to Nendoroids, trading figures and the odd Figma.
Heh yeah, Nida was actually my very first figure. I was a big fan of all the Yamashita artwork and when I heard there was actually going to be a figure of one the character designs I liked most I knew I had to have it
On January 25 2011 15:01 VManOfMana wrote: Nida is indeed very nice, IMO the best of the Shuraki line.
The original illustrator is known for his pin-up girl style, but most figures of his designs are done by mid-level manufacturers (Yamato and Kotobukiya). Nida is one of the few that include the illustrator's skin coloring, and it makes a big difference.
Yeah I have a Kotobukiya Shii Arisugawa and you are right, the quality of the GSC Nida is just miles ahead. Shii is still a nice figure but Nida is something else.
I think Alter is a bit better than GSC overall but I like both companies equally. Mega House make some really great figures too.
The GSC Racing Miku looks incredible, I can't wait. So many exciting preorders.
oh man... i have a huge collection. around 400 transformers, maybe 50 marvel figures, and other stuff mixed in most expensive ive gone was $250 for a limited edition figure
Alter is way ahead of GSC, compare Alter's quality to its prices and then look at GSC. Less quality (still miles ahead of others) and way more expensive.
On January 25 2011 20:59 fanta[Rn] wrote: Alter is way ahead of GSC, compare Alter's quality to its prices and then look at GSC. Less quality (still miles ahead of others) and way more expensive.
Yeah, Alter is definitely one of my favorite manufacturers. Good thing about GSC recently is a lot of their figures seem to be hitting the bargain bin. I already have enough BRS figures personally, but I wouldn't hesitate in picking up the half priced Deadmaster/animation BRS figure.
I was actually thinking of picking one up because its half price. I'm hesitating cause I havent seen BRS yet and the fig alone doesnt impress me enough for me wanting to have it.
Oh btw, did you all preorder Dizzy? I know shes pricey but hell look at it, plus it's Alter. It's gonna blow everything away.
I agree about GSC's peak being Saber Lily, she was my first figure and there're no flaws about her. Not even the price imho. Did you see how much she goes for nowadays? (20k+) I think Dizzy will be worth a lot in a few years.
i have always liked bearbricks. i stopped collecting them after sometime because they were too costly and they never really meant much to me after a while. but still, i always like it whenever i chance upon a hobby shop and see all the rare figures that they've got framed up.
Alter Dizzy was insta-order for me. Just shows how ahead they are from the competition. With GSC and MaxF focusing more on Nendoroid and Figma they are undisputed #1
I really want her, but wasn't sure I was going to have the money when she released. She's waiting list on Hobby Search, but I'll have to check if you can still preorder on AmiAmi. It's pretty much the only figure I absolutely have to have from what I've seen.
On January 25 2011 20:59 fanta[Rn] wrote: Alter is way ahead of GSC, compare Alter's quality to its prices and then look at GSC. Less quality (still miles ahead of others) and way more expensive.
Yeah, Alter is definitely one of my favorite manufacturers. Good thing about GSC recently is a lot of their figures seem to be hitting the bargain bin. I already have enough BRS figures personally, but I wouldn't hesitate in picking up the half priced Deadmaster/animation BRS figure.
I was so close to buying that BRS animation figure, it was 40% off in Akiba ><
On January 25 2011 20:59 fanta[Rn] wrote: Alter is way ahead of GSC, compare Alter's quality to its prices and then look at GSC. Less quality (still miles ahead of others) and way more expensive.
Yeah, Alter is definitely one of my favorite manufacturers. Good thing about GSC recently is a lot of their figures seem to be hitting the bargain bin. I already have enough BRS figures personally, but I wouldn't hesitate in picking up the half priced Deadmaster/animation BRS figure.
I was so close to buying that BRS animation figure, it was 40% off in Akiba ><
I have the sword/cannon version, so that's enough for me. I still don't even really understand exactly what the whole BRS thing is, so I was basically buying the cannon version because I liked the look, and the sword version because I liked the cannon version. Can't justify buying another one; though I am pissed because I paid 13000 yen for an opened cannon version (granted when the USD -> yen rate was a lot better) and the re-release just recently hit the bargain bin itself.
Happy birthday Yeah, Saber Lily goes for 20 000 yen nowadays.
I got a couple of sega prize figures because I just loved playing ufo catchers whenever I came accross one. I have the same Azusa and Yui, Endless Eight Haruhi and Mikuru and some others. Segas quality is getting better but not even close to real manufacturers.
That Kuroneko looks awful imho, I really hope Alter is releasing one because shes such an amazing character.
Soon as I saw the Super Sentai stuff I was very jealous (damn you childhood). Your dollfie is awesome too.. but what happened to her boots lol? You're certainly quite the Kamen Rider fan
I really need to get some of the boxes and crap out of my room (too much ordering online hoho) and then maybe I can do a tour as well.
Oh and guess what I just got a payment request for today: + Show Spoiler +
YUSSSSSS
Now I can twiddle my thumbs over Sanada Yukimura instead :>
@vek: Thank you :D I have a lot more Tokusatsu stuff, but it's all been shipped home. My main fandom for the last couple of years has been Kamen Rider/Super Sentai and because I can buy merchandise for most of the series here at retail prices (as opposed to paying shipping/customs etc.) I decided to stock up as much as possible.
I actually only unpacked my Miyu dollfie a couple of months ago. I have lots of SD clothing at home in the UK, but she has only a tiny selection here. I really need to go to Luts office and buy her some shoes, or get some cheaper ones from Dollmore's offices.
Yeah I always forget most countries have customs/import taxes so lame. I don't really know how bad it is for Korea but I've heard horror stories of people getting taxed more than the stuff they imported was worth.
Australia might have shit internet but at least I can import whatever I want as long as the value is under $1000 AUD.
Have you ever made custom clothes for any of your dollfies? I'd guess it would be pretty difficult considering how little small some of it would have to be... but I'm not exactly an expert.
I really wanted the Yoko dollfie that was released ages ago but I couldn't afford it at the time. Goes for hundreds of dollars now
I'm sure another one will come up that I really want though.
@vek: Yes, back home I used to sew alot. I've made skirts, trousers and modified existing items (like adding appliques and other details) for my dollfies. (I have 3 back home, and my Miyu here.) I really do need to go visit Dollmore and at least pick her up some cheap sneakers. I've been there before, but it was two years ago. Funnily enough I picked her up from Luts on the day I went to see my first ever PL match (Ace versus Sparkies.) and my first ever MSL (Xellos versus Bisu.)
@fanta[Rn]: 200% O.o poor you. If you ever want me to check if something is available over here then just ask.
Oh and just for the sake of whining. I made a couple of quick banners to show the depressing state of two of my Puchi set collections. Hobby Square has only stocked 2 (trading figure not visible sets like the Bakemonogatari and Lucky Star/Street Fighter ones) sets;
~ Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Nendoroid Petite #02. ~ Nendoroid Petite: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: The MOVIE 1st. (Completed!)
The Nendoroid Petite: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: The MOVIE 1st set only came in a couple of weeks ago, but I was lucky enough to get those 7 individual figures on my first go with no doubles, and then polish off the set including the special on my second round of purchasing.
However, Ani Land had Nendoroids and Puchis for about a month, and then they all mysteriously (probably because I was the only one buying them.) vanished along with the Nendoroid Petite: Fate/stay night set ;_;
(Sepia are the missing ones >.< )
*Cries in a corner and ponders actually attempting to complete the Haruhi set.* I'm happy to have completed one set, but I just wish we'd get more sets now :S There aren't really any sets I'm interested in regarding the other trading figures on offer (mostly NGE, One Piece and Gundam-related.)
I'm going to probably add these two Nendoroids to my collection on thw 10th as my next two purchases, and hopefully the Movie Core Kamen Rider Skull model kit they had for sale (no money left ;_;) if it's still there.
I will need to go and check both of Seoul's stores because their stock is really limited and varies sometimes. I wish we could get more items, but unfortunately, as I mentioned before I think that most of the focus in the shops is on Gundams and model kits :/
Randomly, I just started reading the GSC english blog. It's so cute and funny, plus the photos are a good showcase for their figures.
(Next time I go I'll try to covertly film the stores a little bit, and make a full stock list so I can keep track of what I could buy each month.) I'm such a neat freak even when it comes to collecting :S
Heh that nendo Reina is so cute. I have the 1/8th scale Megahouse statue of her and the nendo version sure wins in the cute department. Her hair is a lot more detailed too. The statue definitely leans more towards the sexy side.
I tried to take a bunch of photos in random places around the house... Most of them turned out pretty awful except this one which was somehow pretty good (thanks lamp near the computer):
You won't be disappointed with Luka, she's one of my favourites and pretty much the reason I started getting in to collecting nendoroids. I'd sell my kidney for a Rin and Len (k well not quite). I see them pop up on ebay every couple of months but it's always for $150-$200 USD. Even then I'm tempted... + Show Spoiler +
I mean... just look at them.
Also, what's the difference (if any) between a puchi nendoroid and a "normal" one? I've only really started paying attention to nendoroids in the last couple of months so I'm still new to a lot of it. You'll have to excuse my newbieness :>
Puchi stands for "petite". Standandard Nendoroids are bigger, have more detail, and include more accessories. Some standard Nendos now have more articulations (elbows and knees) so are more poseable.
Puchi Nendos are usually sold on blind boxes or as a DVD/game limited edition bonus. Standard Nendos are standalone, with some exceptions.
@vek; That photo is really pretty. My EOS5D is still out of comission, but I'm thinking of taking it to the Canon shop to hopefully get it fixed purely so I can take my figures outside and do some photography with them. I'm also pondering buying a decent quality digital camera this month, so I can take a puchi with me for random shots.
The Rin and Len are so adorable. I think I'd be tempted too, if I were you. All the Vocaloid related ones appeal to me, but as I mentioned before we've not had any Mikus or anything >.< I'm on holiday though, so today I'm going to watch some K-On and see if it appeals before picking up some of the Nendoroids we've recieved here for the series.
I was thinking of setting up a puchi swapping service to take care of all those doubles I keep tending to get, but there's no one here to swap with >.< It's a shame figure collecting isn't more popular here. So, my friend (who lives in Japan funnily enough.) is getting spoiled with all these free puchis.
You should get it fixed as long as they don't charge you something too outrageous. I always enjoyed your Starcraft related photos and I'm sure you'd take some really nice ones of your figures.
I've wanted to take some of mine outside for photos but it's either been raining or way too hot lately.
I've been debating with myself whether or not to collect some of the K-On figures too... I spent too long deciding on Alter's Tsumugi Kotobuki with the keyboard when it was on sale at HLJ... sold out now :<
Speaking of HLJ, they still have the HMO Miku Nendoroid in stock. Most other places are out. I know you said you had trouble ordering online because of Korean credit cards or something but maybe we can work something out if you were interested in getting that particular one.
@vek: Thank you :D I'll try to get it sorted sometime soon. Thanks for the heads up on Miku :D
I was bored today because it's the first day of my holiday (Chinese/Korean Lunar New Year.) so I embarked on a project to display my Nanoha puchi set more cutely;
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what type of paint/paint remover to use to tidy up my fake Death Note puchis?
Wow.. who knew a set of bootleg figures would give you the gift of such an awesome stairsy box display thing, it works really well (I want one lol).
I'm not really sure about what to use for removing paint but it would probably depend on the plastic and type of paint used. I'd be worried about paint remover products damaging the PVC since it's pretty soft... ABS is probably alright though. I'm totally guessing so I could be completely wrong
On February 02 2011 09:53 NeverGG wrote: I was thinking of setting up a puchi swapping service to take care of all those doubles I keep tending to get, but there's no one here to swap with >.< It's a shame figure collecting isn't more popular here. So, my friend (who lives in Japan funnily enough.) is getting spoiled with all these free puchis.
I think your idea could work on a site like figure.fm. It has a good diversity of collectors, so there might be people looking to trade too.
On February 02 2011 22:00 vek wrote: Wow.. who knew a set of bootleg figures would give you the gift of such an awesome stairsy box display thing, it works really well (I want one lol).
I'm not really sure about what to use for removing paint but it would probably depend on the plastic and type of paint used. I'd be worried about paint remover products damaging the PVC since it's pretty soft... ABS is probably alright though. I'm totally guessing so I could be completely wrong
Only thing is it's in Japanese. Which I can't be much help with either.
I'm nosing around on some of the Korean hobby sites (www.enterhobby.com is fun to check.) to see if there's a specific brand of those display cases that looks good. Thanks for the link - this site is addictive even with my limited Japanese reading skills. I love looking at custom repaints etc :D
I picked up a painted resin utsuho recently. I usually only do higher end ones cus imo, its not worth spending 20$ on something that ur not gonna enjoy.
:D Thanks for the links guys. I'm going to ponder how to do it correctly (with the least chance of getting scammed out of my doubles.) and then get trading!
@maga33: I'm more like that now too. I dabbled a little bit in the NGE trading figures, but I'm concentrating on Nendoroids and Figma because of the small amount of items available here they're my favorites aesthetically.
To keep the discussion fresh - does anyone have a 'dream' figure/kit that they'd love to own above everything else? Right now, mine are these two;
I'm marathoning K-On!! right now. It's far cuter and more enjoyable than I expected it to be :D I'm on episode 5 now. Next I want to tackle seeing Black Rock Shooter.
I managed to find an original, painted and assembled copy in Yahoo! Auctions Japan. From the pictures, it looked fantastic. Awesome paint and finish, real fishnet, the whole package.
Unfortunately for me, the auction ended at more than 80,000 yen.
Eventually, Daiki Kougyou released a PVC version. Its pretty good, but its not the same thing. Resin does have an edge on PVC, it just allows for sharp sculpting.
I managed to bump into it in a small anime store in a small college town in Texas, one time I visited my brother as he was studying there. I was a broke college student back then, so no I way I could afford it.
After graduating and getting a job, I asked my brother about it. They still had it in the store, retail price. So three or four years later, I managed to get this sometime in 2008.
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PVC wise, I don't have a *must have*, but there are some figures that I missed and I'd like to get, like Good Smile Company's Index and GSC Shuraki's Char.
@Vek: I read the posts on Mikatan's blog about the Touhou Nendoroids. The decoration on the stands for Yuyuko and Youmu is a really pretty addition. The detail on that Hattori model's skirt is so gorgeous - I can see why you'd want it.
@VManOfMana: 80,000+ O.O Wow...I guess some collectors are really willing to shell out. That's really nice that you managed to find your other dream item after such a long wait.
I noticed this today on Mikatan's blog. Combining my love of cookery (okay, so pouring things into moulds isn't exactly cooking, but you know what I mean.) and Nendoroids.
I think the jellies look the most impressive (but the tea ones kind of look like ominously yellow snow....) If I was back in the UK (with an oven.) I'd totally try to make a Miku cake just for fun.
On February 03 2011 13:25 NeverGG wrote: @VManOfMana: 80,000+ O.O Wow...I guess some collectors are really willing to shell out. That's really nice that you managed to find your other dream item after such a long wait.
Something I learned in YHJ is that bidding against Japanese otaku is very serious (and dangerous) business. You have to learn to pick your battles, and if you want something that is hot property, you need to be patient and find the right auction to bid.
I did not expect the cold cast to still be in the store, but considering its a very small college town, guess there is not much of an audience to buy it. In fact, I visited my brother last October, and went to the shop myself. The owner still had a bunch of old cold casts and collectibles; unfortunately most were unboxed, gathering dust in a back corner
It also struck me how much high quality PVC (Alter, GSC, Max Factory) has progressed since 2004, able to beat cold casts from the older days.
On February 03 2011 13:25 NeverGG wrote: @VManOfMana: 80,000+ O.O Wow...I guess some collectors are really willing to shell out. That's really nice that you managed to find your other dream item after such a long wait.
Something I learned in YHJ is that bidding against Japanese otaku is very serious (and dangerous) business. You have to learn to pick your battles, and if you want something that is hot property, you need to be patient and find the right auction to bid.
I did not expect the cold cast to still be in the store, but considering its a very small college town, guess there is not much of an audience to buy it. In fact, I visited my brother last October, and went to the shop myself. The owner still had a bunch of old cold casts and collectibles; unfortunately most were unboxed, gathering dust in a back corner
It also struck me how much high quality PVC (Alter, GSC, Max Factory) has progressed since 2004, able to beat cold casts from the older days.
*Nods* It's definitely the same for a lot of the Japan-based fandoms I've been involved in along the way. The concept of collectibles really doesn't hold much sway here in Korea, so there aren't many high-priced domestic goods that people would compete for like that online.
Speaking of badly maintained collectibles - in Insadong (a sort of touristy area in central Seoul that is tacky, but also looks quite pretty/leafy and has some nice cafes/restaurants.) there's a 'Toy Museum.' It's basically a single floor in one of the buildings filled with old toys.
The only problem is they've clearly not been cleaned/organized for years and years. They're mainly just piled onto tables covered in black layers of dust, or stuck in dusty glass cabinets. It's run by a (grumpy) middle-aged man, and you have to pay $2 to get in. I went there once for curiosity's sake, and whilst it was interesting to see so many vintage toys the lack of care put into their displaying, and up-keep was kind of heart-breaking.
Especially because dotted around there were lots of old Kamen Rider figures that I would give a wonderful home to, if given the chance. If this was the UK, or the owner seemed like less of a rude old fart then I'd totally have offered to come and clean it all up for free.
To date, only Sanada Yukimura and Goto Matabei have been exclusives, so you might have a better chance to get Hattori Hanzo.
So far I like Hanzo the best. Looking forward for D'artagnan.
Hmm I stand corrected then. I do have Sanada Yukimura on preorder because shes awesome. I've only ever seen Hanzo up on ebay for $250-$300. Maybe I just need to look around more.
Interesting, looks like there is a HJ exclusive version, with a double sword rather than the shuriken. You can get the standard version for less than 10,000 yen here.
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I believe you are talking of the new AmiAmi/Hobby Japan exclusive?
Interesting, looks like there is a HJ exclusive version, with a double sword rather than the shuriken. You can get the standard version for less than 10,000 yen here.
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I believe you are talking of the new AmiAmi/Hobby Japan exclusive?
Maybe I should get involved in YHJ... ~10,000 yen is pretty reasonable. I don't really know a lot about Yahoo Auctions though.. will I need to find some sort of proxy buyer/bidder?
On February 03 2011 13:25 NeverGG wrote: I noticed this today on Mikatan's blog. Combining my love of cookery (okay, so pouring things into moulds isn't exactly cooking, but you know what I mean.) and Nendoroids.
I think the jellies look the most impressive (but the tea ones kind of look like ominously yellow snow....) If I was back in the UK (with an oven.) I'd totally try to make a Miku cake just for fun.
Wow... Do all of the Snow Mikus came with that tray? I might have to get her after all...
I'm going to Tokyo in less then two weeks from now. :D I'm thinking of getting some more EVA(asuka) figures. I'm so looking for that Sega Limited Mermaid ones.
They are pretty expensive at ebay. *sad face* I so wished there was SC2 'player' figures. Damn I want a IdrA one if there was!
If you're going to play ufo catchers, there's one called Sportsland in Shinjuku that's cheaper than those game stations/sega places in Akihabara.
Here it is, it's left on the picutre and it's close to a game station so you can check that out too. Sportsland on Google Maps
And while you are there, a few meters from there is an amazing steak place, go there and eat lemon soy sauce steaks during lunch time (cheaper at around 1000 yen for 130g). It's the place with the green sign (it's downstairs). Great Steak place on Google Maps
On February 04 2011 00:37 fanta[Rn] wrote: If you're going to play ufo catchers, there's one called Sportsland in Shinjuku that's cheaper than those game stations/sega places in Akihabara.
Here it is, it's left on the picutre and it's close to a game station so you can check that out too. Sportsland on Google Maps
And while you are there, a few meters from there is an amazing steak place, go there and eat lemon soy sauce steaks during lunch time (cheaper at around 1000 yen for 130g). It's the place with the green sign (it's downstairs). Great Steak place on Google Maps
Oh I think I've been there before. I was in Tokyo last year and I remember that I saw a game center in that location.
God I played so much at those machines. The best things I won was some key chains with extremely furry bunnies. I tried over 30 times to get a hold of a maid-asuka figure but gave up. Then I saw her at a store for like 3000Yen. *sweatdrops*
Thank you so much for all the tips! <3 Mmm steak..
I'm gonna be on a Swedish national show TV3 so we'll go there and film together with them. But first they are gonna film at my house. Which is full of SC2 items.
Note to self: Need to takes images of my figure collection for you guys.
@Zombieling_Yami: I envy you so much. Have fun and good luck with the project whilst you're over there. I'd love to see some photos of your collection soon.
I can't wait until Thursday when I can go figure shopping myself *fidgets.* Just to keep this on track. Any opinions on the newest Nendoroid release? I kind of laughed at her 'codpiece' area;
I like the Nendoroid version of Aldora a lot more than the statue version (which I have). I wish I had've checked this thread first before I took pictures of my new arrival. I'll try to take some later.
I don't really like Aldora all that much though, I just got her because she was cheap and so my Queen's Blade collection was a little more complete
She has a cute face and her hair is nice but I don't like her outfit all that much compared to some of the other characters. Her 'codpiece' made me laugh too. Mostly because you can move it around on the statue version. I don't actually know much about why she has it or what it's used for.. though I'm guessing it would be beyond painful for anyone on the receiving end...
Anyway, like I mentioned before, I had a new arrival on Friday:
She doesn't have a name as far as I'm aware. She's just known as "Archbishop" from Ragnarok. I played Ragnarok for a good few years. As soon as I saw her on AmiAmi the decision to preorder her was pretty much instant. I'd actually forgotten about her because I'd preordered so long ago. It was a really nice surprise for her to arrive in the mail.
Luka has her silly face on because even though Poring looks cute it feels very strange if you try to pat it.
I was going to take some more pictures of her but as I was swapping around some of the bits my camera decided to go flat (protip: don't leave it on...). She comes with a really cute hat that I wanted to get pictures of but that will have to wait until I get some batteries (rechargable this time..)
Some stuff is NSFW. I recommend scrolling down to the Alter and Good Smile Company section. The Bakemonogatari, Vocaloid and Valkyria Chronicles stuff is looking real good.
The new Nendoroids and figma are so cute. I like your choice too Fanta[Rn] The sculpting on the details of the dress is really pretty. Only 2.5 days until I can go and buy some more figures :D
I didn't realise how many accessories she came with. It was almost worth it for the accessories alone. Fortunately as a bonus I got a fantastic figure too.
Comes with: - 4 different sets of hands/sleeves. - 3 different faces. - A little recorder. - A megaphone. - A drum synthesizer kit thingy. - A keyboard. - Sunglasses - USB and audio cables sticking out of headphones. - Normal headphones.
I'm really happy with her. She's one of the newer Nendoroids that is a lot more posable than the normal ones so she is really fun to put into silly poses. I'll try to take some photos tomorrow.
Okay so tomorrow ended up being 4 days later but I think I can redeem myself.
Meet the Nendoroid Band!
Lovely Luka on vocals.
Mad Miku and her nifty negi on drums.
The always attractive Archbishop on keyboard.
Tasty Takoyak.. Tako Luka on backup keyboard.
The crew belt out some tunes to their loving fans.
Mad Miku and lovely Luka sing a duet.
Miku's megaphone fits perfectly into the Archbishop's "staff hand".
Encore!
I think the thing I love most about nendoroids is all the interchangable parts and how well they go together. I also always wondered why Tako Luka had a hole under her head because I didn't see the point. Well now I do.
I hope you enjoyed the outcome of me cleaning up some junk in my room. The "stage" was made of a shoebox that had a nice pattern, foam from motherboard boxes and some old pc case speakers. I used 2 Halogen desk lamps for lighting.
@Vek - They're so cute together. It looks like a really eccentric group :D I wonder what type of music they'd play....
I added these two cuties to my collection yesterday. Sadly, both locations of HS are now out of stock of nendoroid puchis >.< I hope they get some more because I really want to complete my Haruhi set.
I'm going back today to buy a couple more nendoroids and maybe a Figma. I'm probably going to buy these depending upon whether I hit up both locations;
Lastly, I finally got my first ever model kit. (Kamen Rider Skull.) It's only a clip out and snap together (plus add decals) type, but it's still got about a bazillion pieces. I started on it yesterday, and hopefully I can finish it over the weekend.
On February 11 2011 14:39 NeverGG wrote: @Vek - They're so cute together. It looks like a really eccentric group :D I wonder what type of music they'd play....
..I need some guitars though. I'll have to pick up some K-ON nendoroids heh.
I added these two cuties to my collection yesterday. Sadly, both locations of HS are now out of stock of nendoroid puchis >.< I hope they get some more because I really want to complete my Haruhi set.
I'm going back today to buy a couple more nendoroids and maybe a Figma. I'm probably going to buy these depending upon whether I hit up both locations;
You could have your own little nendoroid band too if you end up getting all those K-On figures hehe. I ordered a Konata figma the other day which will be my first. Can't wait
Lastly, I finally got my first ever model kit. (Kamen Rider Skull.) It's only a clip out and snap together (plus add decals) type, but it's still got about a bazillion pieces. I started on it yesterday, and hopefully I can finish it over the weekend.
I still can't get myself opened up for joints and oversized petits. Somehow it just doesnt feel right :S Then again winter uniform kagamin figma is pretty good. mehhh
I went a bit mental at the two branches of Hobby Square >.> I did get more free Ryuki figures as service though :D
I finished Kamen Rider Skull's MG Rise figure in about 4.5 hours. It was my first ever kit :D
Also a sad, and yet weird story;
I did buy the Mio (K-On!!) figma, but when I got her home I realized she was missing her guitar strap (which meant she couldn't use her bag or guitar properly.) So I trudged all the way back to the Hobby Square store at Seoul Station. I'd prepared to ask to exchange for the other one, but when we checked her box she was missing the strap too! The Goodsmile site specifically says she comes with it, so it must've been a packing error on that batch. They didn't have any more (and neither did the Yongsan branch.)
They took my name and number, and then suggested a refund, but I asked if it was okay to simply exchange her for another figma of the same price (which is how I got the adorable Kawamura one.) They were fine with it since it was definitely less hassle than refunding a card. I also got a $10 discount when I bought my other purchases the first time around because of my type of bank card <3
Hah.. I was going to buy that exact same nendoroid playset but the shipping was going to mean I'd have to cut out one of the figures I wanted. I get paid soon so that will change
I love how there's lots of those cats around the place from your Aya Kagura figma that you bought the other day. Your collection's setup is really nice.
I badly need to get one of those fancy boxes with all the little compartments. Right now I've been keeping almost every box to keep the parts organised. I have about 50 boxes taking up all the space in the top of my cupboard, all the space on top of my bookshelf and even more space under my second desk. I think theres a few hiding under my bed too... and in drawers...
It's true that decals are a pain to get right but I think Skull turned out really well and you did a great job.
That's a shame about Mio though.. I'll try to keep an eye out for her.
I'd love to get all of those Phat play sets, but sadly those two are the only ones we've had in stock so far. I'm almost tempted to buy two more so I can make a two storey building! Thanks, actually I found a cute wooden case on the way home, so my display changed again already;
I'd recommend it - I find it so much easier to keep track of all my option pieces when they're arranged into a box with so many different compartments. I actually throw away all the packaging immediately. I don't have space for it, and since my main aim is to display and keep changing my figures I'm not going to be putting them back into their boxes again.
Thank you :D I hope we can get the Kamen Rider Double, Accel and Double Fang mode soon. This kit was a lot of fun to make, but my shoulders were so sore when I woke up!
I was kind of shocked, because it's not an error you expect to crop up in more than one figure. I was tempted to keep her, but it would have been difficult to display her in a versatile way without her strap.
My next purchases will probably be next month, due to needing my remaining money for food and subway fares, but I might possibly buy Yuki's figma since she is only $40.
On February 14 2011 13:14 asianskill wrote: there's just too much loli for me to enjoy collecting these figures
Actually there's nothing 'loli' about most of them as you put it. There are lots of male figures, as well as mecha, monsters and other things that aren't classed as human or even humanoid. I just choose to collect the cute types (and I'm not male either.) Goodsmile alone is responsible for a line of Kamen Rider figmas as well as many other non-cute girl products.
@Vek: Konata is so adorable. I love that they kept her animated style faithful to the series. Figma is really good at achieving those types of things. As for her stand - is it the typical plug into the back on a plastic tube with one joint attatched to a base style? I had similar issues with my Mugi figma because her hair is so long.
I went to collect Mio...and yeah...oops. I'm now broke;
You're also right about the hair being too long for it to work the way I assumed it did.
Don't worry too much about going for one thing and leaving with many... happens alllll the time =D Nothing better than free gifts as a bonus. I was so happy when I got given a random little figure from one of my ebay friends after buying quite a bit from him. No idea who she is though but that's alright because Konata is her friend now ^^
Love the new Lyrical Nanoha figmas you got too, they look really nice. I think the hair is the most noticable difference in regards to the older figmas. The newer ones just look so much more detailed. Mikuru still looks pretty cute though.
Her stand insertion point is just cleverly disguised ^_^
I went and bought this little cutie (http://www.goodsmile.info/product/en/2842/Nendoroid+Manaka+Takane.html ) yesterday along with another one of the Phat Nendoroid Playset 03: Culture Festival A Set. I made a long classroom using the new set, but in March I'm planning to buy another Nendoroid Playset 03: Culture Festival B Set and make it into a two storey one for displaying all my school uniformed Nendoroids.
The only issue right now is that I've almost bought everything the two stores have >.< I was checking and this is what's left for me to buy;
The most frustrating thing for me is that at the Seoul Station store they have both a Black Rock Shooter figma and a 2007 Yuki Nendoroid on display (de-boxed) but apparently they can't sell them to me >.< I guess it's shops policy, but I'd totally buy them both at full price since I don't care about them being de-boxed.
When I go in in March to buy the last of the products I'm going to give them a note in Korean plus my number and ask them to call if they get in any new stock. It'll save me the time/subway fare of checking back each month.
Her stand insertion point is just cleverly disguised ^_^
I went and bought this little cutie (http://www.goodsmile.info/product/en/2842/Nendoroid+Manaka+Takane.html ) yesterday along with another one of the Phat Nendoroid Playset 03: Culture Festival A Set. I made a long classroom using the new set, but in March I'm planning to buy another Nendoroid Playset 03: Culture Festival B Set and make it into a two storey one for displaying all my school uniformed Nendoroids.
The only issue right now is that I've almost bought everything the two stores have >.< I was checking and this is what's left for me to buy;
The most frustrating thing for me is that at the Seoul Station store they have both a Black Rock Shooter figma and a 2007 Yuki Nendoroid on display (de-boxed) but apparently they can't sell them to me >.< I guess it's shops policy, but I'd totally buy them both at full price since I don't care about them being de-boxed.
When I go in in March to buy the last of the products I'm going to give them a note in Korean plus my number and ask them to call if they get in any new stock. It'll save me the time/subway fare of checking back each month.
Churuya-san is one of my favorite Nendoroids. I am a fan of Tsuruya-san, so Churuya was a must-have for me *nyoron~~*.
Figmas are Nendoroids have no sign of slowing down. At the current rate there are like five releases a month for each line. So yeah, don't worry about the well drying up
Her stand insertion point is just cleverly disguised ^_^
I feel like such an idiot now for not noticing that haha. Here I was trying to get the stand to sit under her hair somehow... It all makes sense now.
I went and bought this little cutie (http://www.goodsmile.info/product/en/2842/Nendoroid+Manaka+Takane.html ) yesterday along with another one of the Phat Nendoroid Playset 03: Culture Festival A Set. I made a long classroom using the new set, but in March I'm planning to buy another Nendoroid Playset 03: Culture Festival B Set and make it into a two storey one for displaying all my school uniformed Nendoroids.
Those eyes... melt worthy.
The only issue right now is that I've almost bought everything the two stores have >.< I was checking and this is what's left for me to buy;
I really like the Nendoroid Nao, such a cute expression and I love the pose where she's holding her hands over her chest.
Saber Figma is awesome. I don't think I've ever seen a bad Saber figure. Speaking of which, my Nendoroid Saber shipped today according to my emails so yay. I think it's the same as the one you have already.
The most frustrating thing for me is that at the Seoul Station store they have both a Black Rock Shooter figma and a 2007 Yuki Nendoroid on display (de-boxed) but apparently they can't sell them to me >.< I guess it's shops policy, but I'd totally buy them both at full price since I don't care about them being de-boxed.
When I go in in March to buy the last of the products I'm going to give them a note in Korean plus my number and ask them to call if they get in any new stock. It'll save me the time/subway fare of checking back each month.
That's odd. You'd think most stores would jump at the chance to sell things on display at full price.. Maybe someone at the store owns them hehe.
Also, I love the face on the Azusa Figma. It's just so adorable. I hope they can stock her, Yui and Ui so I can complete the band some time soon;
I was reading Danny Choo's blog/site over the past few days. I love the photography, and it's really interesting to learn about Goodsmile and related companies through his posts. I saw the K-On!! van in his posts about Itasha vehicles. I can't drive, but I'd love to own something like that >.>
Those Itasha cars are incredible. I think the Black Rock Shooter one was my favourite though some of the Vocaloid ones were really good too. The scooter with Hachune on the seat making a mad face made me laugh.
Gal gun was nice to see too. Played the demo on the weekend and it was quite amusing. Couldn't really work out what was going on but that just added to the challenge lol.
Agreed on the BRS Itasha. That, and some of the red/white Haruhi ones are pretty much the only ones that I liked. They were pretty much the only ones that didn't have a color theme that made my eyes bleed ^^;;
Funny thing today. I just checked my February preorders, and after all the GoodSmile/Alter delays, my monthly shipment got reduced to two Nendoroids and two Kotobukiya figures.
I haven't bought Kotobukiya in a while. IMO Kotobukiya's weakness has always been relatively bland design compared to the big 3. But it looks like they have improved in the past year. Their Kirino looks real cute:
On February 21 2011 14:26 vek wrote: Those Itasha cars are incredible.
Not a figure modeller and just browsing but OMG.
Do not buy any car scale models that are not made by TAMIYA unless you have the effort, time and skill to make the kit look good. Avoid FUJIIMI like the plague if you are new, the parts dont fit together, theres no detail and the moulding job is horrible. (I am spoilt by bandais microscopic accuracy). AOSHIMA are supposedly ok but not as good as Tamiya to work with.
@VManOfMana: The NGE Asuka and Rei ones were the most amusing to me. I just kept thinking - When you drive doesn't everything inside the fall over? It's a funny image to think of some poor NGE otaku having to tidy up a totally wrecked interior after every single trip.
Please post some photos when you get your latest haul :D
@T0fuuu - Thanks for the tips. I'm so tempted to find a car kit and then get my friend in Japan to buy me the new Goodsmile decals so I can decorate it.
Speaking of projects, Vek suggested I do a step by step on a model kit, but I'm still waiting on the Kamen Rider ones (and payday) so I just decorated my Phat classroom playsets;
I kept all the leftovers from the magazines for decorating the second floor. I'm not sure how stable it will be, but I'm planning to buy 3 more play sets and create a three set long two storey 'school' for my school uniform Nendoroids. I wish they had the other classroom sets, but I'm going to populate it with the festival set props, self-decoration and then go to Myeongdong to see if I can find some phone-straps/keychains with to-scale props for dismantling.
(You can buy tiny soju bottles and cigarettes, but that's not entirely appropriate lol.)
The drooly face one is my favorite. I love those so much. This is making me lose my battle not to cave and buy one of those Elite Banana plushies now >.<
P.S. The new Nendoroids are so cute! I'd love to own this one;
I promised a step by step, but I'll add the other videos later on tonight. Here's the finished Kamen Rider Double/W Fangjoker MG Figure Rise kit. It took 4.5 hours :D
Random update - I fixed my camera (but I've no access to photoshop so my photos suck ;_;) Also managed to finish the Kamen Rider W MG Figurerise Heat/Metal model kit. I'm almost finished on the Kamen Rider W MG Figurerise Accel. Then it's just a case of waiting for payday, and for the Luna/Trigger and Cyclone/Joker kits to come into stock at my two branches of Hobby Square.
I'll probably post some videos of my finished two storey classroom this weekend once I've decorated the lower floor, stablized the second floor and made some moderations to my general set up.
I also did a little inventory of my collection. I decided to send all my Tokusatsu gashapons and figures home along with the figures marked * to make more room for my core collection of Goodsmile company Figma/Nendoroids and related figures. (It frees up two whole shelves :D)
Nendoroid Black Rock Shooter. Series: Black Rock Shooter.
Nendoroid Dead Master. Series: Black Rock Shooter.
Nendoroid Manaka Takane. Series: Love Plus.
Nendoroid Reina. Series: Queen's Blade.
Nendoroid Tooko Amano. Series: Bungaku Shoujo: The Movie.
Nendoroid Saber: Super Movable Edition. Series: Fate/stay Night.
Nendoroid Luka Megurine. Series: Character Vocal Series 03: Luka Megurine.
Nendoroid Playsets:
Nendoroid Playset 03: Culture Festival A Set Series: Nendoroid. (x2)
Nendoroid Playset 03: Culture Festival B Set Series: Nendoroid. (x2)
Nendoroid Puchis:
Blind-boxed:
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Nendoroid Petite #02 (Missing 2 puchis.) Nendoroid Petite: Fate/stay night. (Missing 8 puchis ;_;) Nendoroid Petite: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: The MOVIE 1st. (Full set!)
Non-blind-boxed:
Nendoroid Petite: Bakemonogatari Set #1. Nendoroid Petite: Bakemonogatari Set #2. Nendoroid Petite: Bakemonogatari Set #3. Nendoroid Petite: Lucky Star x Street Fighter Set.
Figma Ritsu Tainaka: School Uniform version. Series: K-ON!
Figma Saber Alter. Series: Fate/stay night.
Figma Yuu Kawamura: School Uniform version. Series: Sekirara.
Figma Aya Kagura: School Uniform version. Series: Sekirara.
Figma Metis. Series: Person 3 Fes.
Non Goodsmile Trading Figures:
R-Style Puchi EVA (x2)* EVA Portraits (x2)* Kotobukiya 쯔부코레 사기 (Missing 3 figures.)
Non/Goodsmile figures/statues:
Kamen Rider W MG figurerise Skull Model Kit. Kamen Rider W MG figurerise FangJoker Model Kit. Kamen Rider W MG figurerise HeatMetal Model Kit. Kamen Rider W MG figurerise Accel Model Kit. Black Rock Shooter Black Blade Version. Luts Miyu Dollfie. 3 Prop Petit Plus (Not sure of the series.)* Revoltech figures (x2)* A lot of random food-based rements for Figma props.
Core Wish List:
Guuuuh please come into stock!
Ricchan Nendoroid. Yui figma. Sebastian nendoroid. Ciel nendoroid. Black Rock Shooter Gold Saw nendoroid/figma. Black Rock Shooter figma. Black Rock Shooter Dead Master figma.
I made this post in the Anime Discussion thread, but I think its pretty relevant for this thread. A little intro on figure purchasing and what I use to get my items. Hope its useful.
On March 12 2011 07:01 Latham wrote: Damn it, I was just drooling over some GitS and F/SN figures for kicks and giggles and I've grown depressed. How hard can it be to get yourself a figure? Well apparently, very hard outside of Japan.
First thing: Amazon.com has figures. Amazon.co.uk doesn't. Second thing: All the good/well made/nice figures are always ALWAYS on backorder/out of stock/preorder closed. FML threefold. Third thing: Online shops (mostly american ones) don't want to ship to Europe.
The prices range from like 40$ to 200$ and sometimes the 40$ ones look 10x better than the 200$ ones.
Do you guys buy figures? Would buying a figure classify me as an otaku? D: If you buy them, where from? Got any suggestions where I can acquire 1 or more with shipping to EU?
On March 12 2011 07:26 Latham wrote: Well the highest I saw was 189.00$ USD(was some limited edition, I think...) and if you add shipping it'll probably add 20+ more.
Is there any difference between figures and figurines? As I googled around both, google didn't seem to make a distinction between the two.
Seems like figurines are released on commemorative occasions. Like the UBW Rin Tohsaka figurine or the Ghost in the Shell: Major Kusonagi Motoko 2nd GIG figure for their respective shows and if you're not a fan at that time and know, you're fucked for all eternity.
For stores, I'd recommend Hobby Search[1], Hobby Link Japan[2] and AmiAmi[3]. AFAIK they all ship worldwide. Amazon.jp does carry figures, but they do not ship overseas; same for software and other items. Some proxy services like Tokyo Hunter[4] and Big In Japan[5] also help with exclusive releases.
As you noticed the figure market is heavily driven by preorders; I guess it keeps the market fresh and prevents overstock flooding. Most popular/high quality figures sell out on preorder, and if the figure is out for more than a month it can be pretty hard to find. Companies do make re-releases every so and then, but once stores are sold out, your other choice is auctions[6] or second hand stores like Mandarake[7] (they do ship overseas). For auctions you need the help of a proxy service. Celga[8] is my main, and someone mentioned Tenso[9].
Price is driven by many factors: quality and complexity, material, scale, etc. Figures from the S-class brands (Alter[10], Max Factory[11] and Good Smile Company[12]) are in the expensive side, not only because of higher QC standards, but they also have more intrincate designs and big accessories (Alter is pretty good at this[13][14]). Resin and ABS is more expensive than PVC. Bigger figures (1/6 and 1/4) tend to be more expensive than standard sized figures (1/8).
The standard price nowadays for PVC is in the 6500–8000 yen, with smaller/simpler figures on the 4500–6000 range and larger/more complex figures on the 9000+ range. Alter's catalogue can give you a good idea. Aftermarket price can vary a lot depending on the case. Some figures become cheaper, other multiply in their prize. It all depends on supply and demand. Resin kits are a whole different story, so I'll skip.
I do buy figures. Otaku? I don't think it will make you more of an otaku than watching anime and discussing it in a Starcraft forum. I learned the hard way to keep my hobby separate from other things of my life, but its all really up to you. I buy primarily from HobbySearch, exclusives from Celga/Tokyo Hunter and auctions as backup when necessary. Pretty sure the stores I mentioned ship to EU, and Hobby Search and AmiAmi allow combining preorders up to a month. If shipping cost is an issue, try SAL instead of EMS.
"Figure" and "figure" are used interchangeably. I prefer the term "figure" myself.
UBW Rin is a standard release by Good Smile[15]. Preorder is closed, so be on the lookout when its released in May. Its not that figures are commemorative but rather they make sure to release things related to popular shows and franchises.
I can't buy things online (thank goodness!) but thanks for the links anyway. I really love looking at the sites anyway. (I'm addicted to Mikatan's blog over at Good Smile and reading those 'A Week in Tokyo' posts Danny Choo makes.)
'Do you guys buy figures? Would buying a figure classify me as an otaku?'
As I've said before I buy figures, but I'm trying to stick to specific ranges or series (preferably ones I've actually watched like K-On!! and Black Rock Shooter.) I don't have the space to diversify too much and personally the cute SD designs of Nendoroids appeal to me the most right now. I also really love playing the game of chance that is blind-box buying.
I think for a foreigner living in SK this is a really weird hobby (both in the minds of domestic Koreans and other foreigners.) The model kitting is apparently less strange because Korean people are often aware of celebrities who've expressed their fondness for it (according to a Korean friend that's what set the trend off along with the popularity of series such as One Piece, Gundam and Dragonball.)
However, a lot of people seem to think it's not something older (non-Asian) women (or even women in general) would be interested in. Whenever people see my collection they're usually pretty interested/confused by it at first. I get quite a lot of attention for photographing figures outside (I'm yet to go on a full blown shoot in a public place, but I've done it on the roof of my onetel, and people looked totally confused when they came outside to smoke there. Having said this - it was mainly middle-aged men, so it makes perfect sense.) I'm kind of excited to see the reaction when I finally do go shooting in Children's Grand Park sometime soon.
I don't really care if people view me as an otaku, or a weeaboo in the negative sense, since I know that I'm being creative, and enjoying myself whilst not harming myself, or others. To each their own :3
I learned my lesson with pre-orders after missing out on a few I really wanted. I learned that if you want something badly and it's available just order it on the spot and worry about the money later ^_^
Sometimes you get blessed with a re-release (eg. FREEing Lucky Star figures.. I'm still outrageously happy about that re-release) but it's pure luck.
AmiAmi is my favourite online store because they have the most reasonable prices and seem to have pre-orders up for new figures the fastest. Sites like TokyoHunter, like you said, are great for getting mail in exclusives that are impossible to get otherwise.
If I ever get shit from people about me collecting figures I just don't care. I feel sorry for them because they are missing out on a really fun hobby. They are just wasting time worrying about what other people choose to do for fun. Most of my friends manage to at least feign interest which is nice ;p
Trying to find good figure shops here is next to impossible until I happen to come across this forum and NeverGG's posts about Hobby Square (both locations) here in Seoul. Thank you for that very much NeverGG. It's my new nervana. Although, they pale in comparison to some of the places I've been to in Asia. But, unfortunately, I did not know about these little cuties until recently. Oh, well. Next time.
If anyone knows about any more figure shops in and around Seoul, please post them here. I already know about the one(s) at COEX mall, but have not gone there yet. It's a long trip from Incheon into Seoul; about 1 and/or 2 hours depending on where you go and COEX is about 2 hours away.
Cheers to everyone!
Peter
P.S. I case anyone is wondering, I'm from Canada and have been living and working here in South Korea for almost 2 years (by end of Aug.).
You started with some very nice figures. Alter and Good Smile are some of the better brands you can find, Max Factory being the third. Good Smile's Hitagi is gorgeous and I think Alter's Mikuru is the best Mikuru there is.
If you are a fan of Bakemonogatari, you are in luck. Alter just put their Hitagi on preorder:
@cgivisionary - It's so nice to hear of someone else in Korea who is into figures etc. I was beginning to think I was the only foreigner here who enjoys it :D I saw you got the lovely Mio statue. I was pondering picking her up too, but I think she might've gone out of stock at HS now. I'm getting paid on the 10th, so I'm planning to hit both stores and pick up anything new.
I really wish we could get more Nendoroids/puchis, but even just some new MG Figurerise Kamen Rider W kits would be great. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for new figure shops - so far HS is the best by far, but as you said you can score the odd catch over at Gina Chara Shop and Ani-land in COEX. There are also lots of fake items in Myeongdong (it's not very good for full fake sets since the quality tends to suck for the price, but you can pick up some very cute series related keychains.)
I also recommend checking out this tiny shop in Hongdae. D Ziney -
Most of her stock is fake/similar to that of the Myeongdong stores, but very rarely she gets in some genuine items (or some good quality fakes in terms of keychains and mini figures.) I recently picked up two genuine Pinky Street figures from her (The packaging was all spot on and it was obvious from the quality that they were real.) They were her only stock sadly.
I really want these two sets, but sadly my only source of PS figures (a shop in Yongsan's I-Park mall that closed just before HS opened) is well...closed now. I'm kicking myself for getting rid of my old collection. I thought I'd lost interest, but I got right back into them lately. I think I have some left at home though, but I'm not sure. I'm not looking to rebuild the collection entirely, but I might purchase some specific ones when I have the chance to shop online again.
I am not into Pinky Street (kind of wanted once, but decided it was better to not started) but I am a big Range Murata fan, so I had to get them. I remember they got delayed month after month, until they got released out of the blue.
Are you just trying to get #3 or the full set? I think they are all cute.
I am not into Pinky Street (kind of wanted once, but decided it was better to not started) but I am a big Range Murata fan, so I had to get them. I remember they got delayed month after month, until they got released out of the blue.
Are you just trying to get #3 or the full set? I think they are all cute.
I got the Caine one from D-Ziney a couple of weeks ago, but I can't get access to any others right now. I had all three back home, but I just remembered I brought them to Korea and so they got thrown out with all my others when I moved house. What an idiot I was ;_;
I forgot to mention - I really want the new Cheerleader version of Miku. She's so adorable;
@VManofMana Thank you very much for the welcome. Yeah, I did my research before buying my first figures. GSC, Alter and Max Factory are at the top of the game as far as my research has told me. And, I did see the new Hitagi figure by Alter just yesterday being on pre-order. Although, I'm not too sure how that will work out for me here due to some logistical issues in getting mail. I'm looking into it now. Meh! She is a CUTIE, though. I saw both GSC's Suruga and Nedeko, too. So CUTE!
@NeverGG Yay for another figure maniac in Korea! LOL I think I got the second last Mio at the time a few weeks ago. They had two. Maybe you will still find her there. Worth a look. She's SOOOO CUTE! Thanks for the recommendations for stores, too. I'll keep them in the back of my mind. I read about the fakes in Myeongdong, too. Hmmmm. Those PS figures are so cute, too. LOL
There is a post of a Korean Figure Shop in Seoul at DannyChoo.com that you might already know about. But, I don't think it's a Korean store. It looks too well stocked and Japanese. I wish I can find it, though:
@cgivisionary - I hope so. I'm prioritizing Nendoroids, puchis, Figma and MG Kamen Rider kits over 1/8 scale models, but it'd be nice to pick up the BRS and K-On!! ones. I really want to stick to only certain ranges and series due to space constraints.
I'm a member on Figure.fm so I just messaged the original poster and asked them if they could provide directions. The comments on the post confirm it's in Seoul somewhere. I really hope that place is still open because it looks like a goldmine. (Provided the items are all legit.) If not then maybe this person can tell us of other sources in Seoul :D They seem to be really active so I'm hoping for a quick reply.
P.S. Kind of random, but if you're about in Seoul and fancy going to HS together or doing a figure photoshoot then just pm me :D
[EDIT]
I've got the address - it looks like the physical shop is here 서울 서초구 서초1동 1445-1 국제전자센터 9층 21호. Basically it's close to Nambu Bus Terminal subway station exit 3 according to google.
I just had the guy downstairs call the shop. Apparently the opening hours are - 11-7:30 and it's closed on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. I get a bit of money on Thursday so I'll go and check out the stock then.
Waaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! (that was the sound of my wallet crying)
This is AWESOME! Thank you very much NeverGG.
I might even go and check it out tomorrow as I have nothing planned that day. All the figures on my hit list are there, or will be there; Saber, Mio, Tsumugi, Miku, Senjougahara, Suruga, Nedeko, Yuri... Oh, my! The wallet's totally DEAD, now! Poor thing! PM me if you want to go as well.
And, yes, HS and a photo shoot in Seoul would be nice, too. But, in warmer weather would be good. Expect a PM about that in a month when it's warmer.
On March 25 2011 19:19 cgivisionary wrote: Waaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! (that was the sound of my wallet crying)
This is AWESOME! Thank you very much NeverGG.
I might even go and check it out tomorrow as I have nothing planned that day. All the figures on my hit list are there, or will be there; Saber, Mio, Tsumugi, Miku, Senjougahara, Suruga, Nedeko, Yuri... Oh, my! The wallet's totally DEAD, now! PM me if you want to go as well.
And, yes, HS and a photo shoot in Seoul would be nice, too. But, in warmer weather would be good. Expect a PM about that in a month when it's warmer.
I was googling the Nonno21 store when I chanced across this blog. It looks like there's even a model kitting store about 10 minutes from my house XD
I'm throwing caution to the wind (I'll have to borrow 2,000won off of my co-worker to get to work next week) but it'd be way more fun to go with someone else. Lemme pm you now :D I added you on msn btw.
Wow, the pictures of that figure store are really cool. :O Buying online has tremendous advantages (price and convenience), but very little beats browsing through a store; especially if you're able to dig up some hidden treasures. That's why I'll always love browsing through used book stores/independent game stores; really wish I had a figure store equivalent here.
On March 25 2011 19:28 So no fek wrote: Wow, the pictures of that figure store are really cool. :O Buying online has tremendous advantages (price and convenience), but very little beats browsing through a store; especially if you're able to dig up some hidden treasures. That's why I'll always love browsing through used book stores/independent game stores; really wish I had a figure store equivalent here.
I agree with this so much. I'm quite the book maniac too (mainly Japanese photobooks and magazines) so being able to actually go into bookstores and buy straight off of the shelves is very pleasurable to me. I really love Book Off (in Shinchon) for its second-hand treasures appeal. I'm going to stop collecting books and focus on figures now since these shops look like they have an incredible range.
My top picks for items I really hope they have in stock are;
On March 25 2011 19:42 cgivisionary wrote: Looks like I might get these if they are in stock:
Mio Akiyama (Max Factory)
Tsumugi Kotobuki (Alter)
And, anyone else that catches my fancy when I'm there. All the rest I want are pending release later this year.
I envy you. I'm so broke now I won't be able to buy anything, but it's going to be fun to plan my purchases for when I get paid a little bit on Thursday and when I actually have my payday on the 8th.
Oh out of the K-On!! fans here - which girl does everyone like the best? I'm a Mugi fan, but I also really like Ricchan.
On March 25 2011 19:28 So no fek wrote: Wow, the pictures of that figure store are really cool. :O Buying online has tremendous advantages (price and convenience), but very little beats browsing through a store; especially if you're able to dig up some hidden treasures. That's why I'll always love browsing through used book stores/independent game stores; really wish I had a figure store equivalent here.
I agree with this so much. I'm quite the book maniac too (mainly Japanese photobooks and magazines) so being able to actually go into bookstores and buy straight off of the shelves is very pleasurable to me. I really love Book Off (in Shinchon) for its second-hand treasures appeal. I'm going to stop collecting books and focus on figures now since these shops look like they have an incredible range.
Yeah, it's a strange feeling, almost mystical. You can find practically anything online with relative ease in this day and age. It's great if there's something you really must have and can't wait, but actually the item of your heart's desire in a little store is almost as much fun (if not more so) than when you actually do own it.
As for K-On! characters, I'm really not familiar with them all too well. I never got around to watching past the first episode or two of the show. However, based on my limited experience and aesthetics, I'd have to go with Mio. She also seems to have the better figures from what I've seen, too.
On March 25 2011 19:28 So no fek wrote: Wow, the pictures of that figure store are really cool. :O Buying online has tremendous advantages (price and convenience), but very little beats browsing through a store; especially if you're able to dig up some hidden treasures. That's why I'll always love browsing through used book stores/independent game stores; really wish I had a figure store equivalent here.
I agree with this so much. I'm quite the book maniac too (mainly Japanese photobooks and magazines) so being able to actually go into bookstores and buy straight off of the shelves is very pleasurable to me. I really love Book Off (in Shinchon) for its second-hand treasures appeal. I'm going to stop collecting books and focus on figures now since these shops look like they have an incredible range.
Yeah, it's a strange feeling, almost mystical. You can find practically anything online with relative ease in this day and age. It's great if there's something you really must have and can't wait, but actually the item of your heart's desire in a little store is almost as much fun (if not more so) than when you actually do own it.
As for K-On! characters, I'm really not familiar with them all too well. I never got around to watching past the first episode or two of the show. However, based on my limited experience and aesthetics, I'd have to go with Mio. She also seems to have the better figures from what I've seen, too.
Yeah, I have to agree with you. The wanting is sometimes better than the having. I'll see if they will let me take some pix of their store for you as well.
Whilst I like getting things delivered (I have some penpals because it's so nice to receive letters and gifts from other countries.) there really is something so much more satisfying about discovering items in person. I think that's why I miss going to flea markets, charity shops and jumble sales. Seoul doesn't really have that kind of thing.
Aww, that's unfortunate. Las Vegas is fairly commercialized (Wal-Mart, GameStop, etc.), but we still have a few good things going for it. We a massive indoor swap-meet that has sadly been bleeding out over the last few years; last time I went there were so many empty booths and the rest was a variety of cheap goods. Ten years ago there was a bunch of unique and varied products. We do have some pretty cool thrift stores that are mostly clothing and furniture, but every now and then you'll find something really cool. I've managed to get a bunch of different trinkets and art over the years. And then you'll find a little mom and pop store specialized in a certain area every now and then; my latest find was a video game store that had a good selection of older games (impossible to find in chain shops anymore.)
Then there are yard sales. Most suck, but you'll get really lucky sometimes. My favorite yard sale to date was brought on by another person's misfortune; he needed to go back to Canada to take care of his sick mother, and had to sell off just about everything. Felt really bad for the guy, but he had some really amazing stuff that couldn't be passed up.
The four pieces of art that I purchased has helped me reach my yard sale treasures quota for life, I'm thinking.
These two (excuse the crappy cell phone picture in low light... really need to take some better pictures at some point)
Whoah, that NonNo21 store looks like a regular online store but with an actual physical location? I would go completely crazy if there is such thing in my vicinity ^^;;
On March 25 2011 19:59 NeverGG wrote: Whilst I like getting things delivered (I have some penpals because it's so nice to receive letters and gifts from other countries.) there really is something so much more satisfying about discovering items in person. I think that's why I miss going to flea markets, charity shops and jumble sales. Seoul doesn't really have that kind of thing.
The feeling is like nothing else. When I finally got a Kazami Mizuho cold cast by Kotobukiya from a little anime store in a little university town in Texas six years after release, it felt so good. I found the figure for the first time four years before I got it, but I was a broke student back then Somehow it managed to be in the store for so long...though considering the store owner wasn't the friendliest of persons, I guess it kind of explains it
Yeah, I've been looking over the website quite a bit tonight. I started making a list and gave up. They have just too much stuff. I need to be REALLY careful there tomorrow! Woah!
On March 25 2011 22:56 cgivisionary wrote: She's a CUTIE!
Yeah, I've been looking over the website quite a bit tonight. I started making a list and gave up. They have just too much stuff. I need to be REALLY careful there tomorrow! Woah!
My friends have zero faith in my plans to not go mental and spend too much of my wages when I finally get paid (if this shop lives up to our expectations ^^) I'm planning on maxing out at $600 preferably since I'm not sure of the status of the large book order (5 things I think...) I have placed with a bookstore in COEX. I'm hoping it's delayed until next month tbh. Luckily the bookstore is flexible about how long I wait to pick them up since I've made lots of successful orders in the past with them.
@Fanta[Rn] - As an enabler I say go for it. However, remember I'm also currently living like a hobo due to figures -_-; I do love the detail on her costume, and her expression is cute. She looked really nice from what I could see on Mikatan's blog review.
Here are the photos from the trip myself and cgivisionary took to Kukje Electronics Center (Nambu Bus Terminal Subway Station Exit 3.) We went up to their 'Character Goods' floor (which also hosts the video games stalls.) There was a mini flea market of secondhand figures and other goods going on - so it was bustling with activity :D
These ain't pretty photos, but they give a decent enough idea of how godly this place is. I can do a mini shop on Thursday (I'm thinking either 1 nendoroid or 5 puchis, or 1 figma and 1 puchi, but we'll see.) However, my big haul will hopefully be a week on Friday (8th) when I get paid :D
I didn't buy anything due to being broke, but they gave me this free;
Thanks to cgivisionary for a fun day out figure maniacing :D
Today was a fun and EXPENSIVE day for me. NeverGG and I met at the figure haven she posted about above and did some shopping. This place is THE meca for figures in South Korea it seems. There are almost a dozen stores on the 9th floor level of the shopping mall where I found pretty much everything I was looking for and more. It is everything I hoped it would be. This place compares favorably to the underground figures mall in Taipei, Taiwan, I found last month. I had a hard time not buying everything in sight!
I bought what was on my list of must haves and nothing more. That was quite the accomplishment for me, the not buying more bit, I mean.
I only posted what I bought today as NeverGG's pix of the mall are pretty much the same as mine are, only she shot more as I was too busy buying!
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to NeverGG for finding the location of the place. It was a fun day!
On March 26 2011 20:04 NeverGG wrote: Here are the photos from the trip myself and cgivisionary took to Kukje Electronics Center (Nambu Bus Terminal Subway Station Exit 3.) We went up to their 'Character Goods' floor (which also hosts the video games stalls.) There was a mini flea market of secondhand figures and other goods going on - so it was bustling with activity :D
These ain't pretty photos, but they give a decent enough idea of how godly this place is. I can do a mini shop on Thursday (I'm thinking either 1 nendoroid or 5 puchis, or 1 figma and 1 puchi, but we'll see.) However, my big haul will hopefully be a week on Friday (8th) when I get paid :D
I didn't buy anything due to being broke, but they gave me this free;
Thanks to cgivisionary for a fun day out figure maniacing :D
What an amazing store, it looked like they had just about everything. I could have fun for hours just looking but I'm pretty sure looking would turn into buying everything in sight pretty quickly.
Ahhh all those Vocaloid Nendos.. I want them all.
Good choice buying GSC Nida cgivisionary She's one of my favourite figures.
Just thought I'd throw my stuff in here. This was my Desk at the end of December.
Since then I've got quite a few new figures, the K-On Nendo Puchi set, Ore no Imouto (Kirino) Nendo, The Special Nendo Miku that came out last month or the month before, 1/8 Azusa that came out last month and the small set of K-On Animal suit figures. I've also got my Hatsune Miku Tony version being delivered on monday. I love figures! :D
I envy you. I'm so broke now I won't be able to buy anything, but it's going to be fun to plan my purchases for when I get paid a little bit on Thursday and when I actually have my payday on the 8th.
Oh out of the K-On!! fans here - which girl does everyone like the best? I'm a Mugi fan, but I also really like Ricchan.
Quoted from the last page, but my favourite girl is all of them! I can't choose. They're all mine. <3
On March 27 2011 09:42 Qikz wrote: Just thought I'd throw my stuff in here. This was my Desk at the end of December.
Since then I've got quite a few new figures, the K-On Nendo Puchi set, Ore no Imouto (Kirino) Nendo, The Special Nendo Miku that came out last month or the month before, 1/8 Azusa that came out last month and the small set of K-On Animal suit figures. I've also got my Hatsune Miku Tony version being delivered on monday. I love figures! :D
I envy you. I'm so broke now I won't be able to buy anything, but it's going to be fun to plan my purchases for when I get paid a little bit on Thursday and when I actually have my payday on the 8th.
Oh out of the K-On!! fans here - which girl does everyone like the best? I'm a Mugi fan, but I also really like Ricchan.
Quoted from the last page, but my favourite girl is all of them! I can't choose. They're all mine. <3
Really sad that I canceled the preorder of Tony's Hatsune Miku. From what I've seen so far, it's a beautiful figure. I just couldn't afford it at the time, and really needed to cut back drastically on my figure expenses. Along with Alter's Buddy and Yamato's Velvet, it's one figure I really regret cancelling.
@vek: I'll ask about buying those display Vocaloid Nendys for you on the 8th. We spent quite a long time looking, since everything was so closely packed together in Nonno21 that it was easy to get sore eyes XD.
My tentative list for purchases is;
1. Kuroshitsuji Sebastian Nendoroid. 2. Miku Hatsune Nendoroid (Probably Orchestra.) 3. Azunyan Figma. 4. Ui Figma. 5. Vocaloid, K-On, Lucky Star, Fate/Stay Night puchis. 6. Prince of Tennis scale figures (Fuji/Echizen.) 7. Dead Master Figma.
It all depends on what they have in stock on the 8th. I'm also hoping that their little flea markets run every Saturday because one of the stall holders had the Yoko Nendoroid I'm after.
@Qikz: Your collection looks really good :D I spy a full set of K-On!! nendoroids >.< I'm still missing Ricchan and Azunyan (and Ui actually...) Plus all their 'alternative' versions. I want the Yui/Mio performance double pack, but it's $165 in Nonno21 >.< That's 3 nendoroids - so I'm passing on it for now.
In preparation for the new arrivals, I dusted my whole collection and moved things around today. I'm hoping to group them by series (and then put all the misc Figmas/Nendys together.) I'd like a BRS (and possibly Fate/Stay Night.) shelf, a K-On!! shelf (probably two shelves.), a Vocaloid shelf, and a Haruhi Shelf. Oh, and Nanoha gets one too...
@vek Thanks. Yeah, I saw her on that store post from DannyChoo in one of the pix and was really surprised that she was still there. She's SOOOOO pretty in person!
@cgivisionary - Thanks. I want some more of those tiered plastic boxes. They're absolutely perfect for displaying the puchis. I've only seen them for sale with fake sets inside at one place in Myeongdong, so I think I'll have to ask about them at Nonno21. I think Volks Korea sells something similar, but I'd like the exact same type so I can stack them/keep my room vaguely themed preferably.
Btw I translated this entry ( http://www.nonno21.com/shop/board/view.php?id=new&no=797) regarding the flea market. It looks like it's going to be every 4th Saturday. So, I'm going to save up about $200 for it. It'd be fun to go together again if you're up for it? Also I'd like to check out those other places in Hongdae maybe around the 9th.
I was sitting at a Japanese restaurant in Gangnam on Saturday enjoying a bite to eat with a friend. Mio was singing us a little song to entertain us while we ate.
Off to one side, Mugi was also enjoying the song. But, unknown to her, a little purple haired cutie had other plans.
"Plop!"
Of course, Mugi didn't like that at all and quickly gave the purple haired little cutie a taste of her own medicine.
By this time, I didn't know who was enjoying the "beating" more. But, I certainly was as I watched them go at it.
Mio finally had enough of the antics of those two and left. She didn't like being disturbed while singing. I don't blame her. A moment later, Yui wanders over and cheers Mugi on. I just continue to eat my food at this point and let the kids do what they want. No point in getting involved now!
__________________________________________________________________________________ Special thanks goes to NeverGG for the use of the figures in the photo shoot. They're so cute. LOL
On March 27 2011 21:04 fanta[Rn] wrote: Are those k-on and ls petits for sale? If so how much would it be?
I really want them :O
Well not mine obviously ㅋㅋㅋ, but I know HS has Mugi, Yui and Mio nendoroids. I think Ricchan and Azunyan are sold out. Nonno21 has the petits for sale (it's the beach wear version) for 9,000won each. They also have Haruhi, Lucky Star, Fate/Stay Night, Nanoha and Vocaloid petits at Nonno21. The K-On!! nendys are about 50,000 I think, but I'd need to do a check up on them at both locations. I'm going to Kukje on Thursday so I'll check for you. I need to do that stock take I promised, but it was kind of busy, and I got too hyped up to focus. I'll do it on Thursday, and report back :D
@cgivisionary - Thank you for such an adorable photostory of my girls :D I'll bring some other cuties next time.
On March 27 2011 21:04 fanta[Rn] wrote: Are those k-on and ls petits for sale? If so how much would it be?
I really want them :O
Well not mine obviously ㅋㅋㅋ, but I know HS has Mugi, Yui and Mio nendoroids. I think Ricchan and Azunyan are sold out. Nonno21 has the petits for sale (it's the beach wear version) for 9,000won each. They also have Haruhi, Lucky Star, Fate/Stay Night, Nanoha and Vocaloid petits at Nonno21. The K-On!! nendys are about 50,000 I think, but I'd need to do a check up on them at both locations. I'm going to Kukje on Thursday so I'll check for you. I need to do that stock take I promised, but it was kind of busy, and I got too hyped up to focus. I'll do it on Thursday, and report back :D
@cgivisionary - Thank you for such an adorable photostory of my girls :D I'll bring some other cuties next time.
So yesterday I had planned to take Hanzo outside for some photos but by the time I was ready it got really cloudy so that was pretty unfortunate
Luckily today had very similar weather at lunch time so Hanzo and I headed off for a nice walk in search of good spots to take some photos. I think most of them turned out really nicely.
Here we go!
A couple from inside:
I'm definitely going to do more photos outside, perhaps I'll take my Touhou nendoroids out for a stroll when they arrive.
The hardest part was finding a solid spot to put her. Hanzo doesn't like staying put unless she's almost perfectly positioned. There were a few places that just didn't work out because they weren't flat enough. Some of the shots were really difficult too. I wish I was able to take more photos of different angles.
Oh and it took me ages to find my camera strap D: I had to come back once to find it because it turned out to be a real juggling act trying to manage Hanzo and the Camera while climbing barbed wire fences <_<
Still, not bad for my first time taking photos of figures outside. It was a lot of fun.
@vek: The photos turned out really nicely. I love the contrast of the background to her coloring. The details on the skirt, her hair and the face are really pretty too. It's hard not to be tempted into starting a collection of scale models now >.< I look forward to seeing your Nendy photos! I might take my girls out to the park this weekend. Any requests for specific girls? (I listed my collection before.)
My potential shopping list for Thursday has been narrowed down to;
1. Kuroshitsuji Sebastian Nendoroid. (55,000won.) 2. One of the Miku Nendoroids - probably Orchestra if she's still in stock (58,000won I think.) 3. Vocaloid and K-On puchis. (Blind boxed or possibly a full box of one if there are any for less than $100.)
BTW I wanted to make a special mention for the new series of posts on Mikatan's blog. She's currently covering the issue of Nendoroid repairs, and it's rather interesting/useful;
A cloudy overcast day is actually the PERFECT conditions for outdoor portraits such as these. Pros spend 10's of thousands of dollars for studio lights that basically act like overhead clouds outside for free. Clouds diffuse the light so that you get soft diffused even light that give the subject great 3d depth and detail. All those studio shots you see of the figures could easily be shot outdoors under cloudy skies and they will be great. If it's for real people, they don't squint in the sunlight as well.
I'd love to see some photos of Nendo Saber and Ein because I think they both look really cute and have good detail ^_^
Black Rock Shooter would be great to see as well if you were considering taking a scale figure.
I had a quick read of the Nendoroid repair blog and it does seem like it will come in handy. I'm also eagerly awaiting part 3 because my Tako Luka has a scuff mark from when I dropped her (I was stupidly trying to balance her on something lol). Would be nice to fix that up.
On March 29 2011 11:34 cgivisionary wrote: Nice figure!
BTW: Pro Photographer tip here.
A cloudy overcast day is actually the PERFECT conditions for outdoor portraits such as these. Pros spend 10's of thousands of dollars for studio lights that basically act like overhead clouds outside for free. Clouds diffuse the light so that you get soft diffused even light that give the subject great 3d depth and detail. All those studio shots you see of the figures could easily be shot outdoors under cloudy skies and they will be great. If it's for real people, they don't squint in the sunlight as well.
I guess it depends how cloudy it is? When I tried yesterday (after it got cloudy) it just made all the colours look dull so I just didn't bother.
I really have no idea what I'm talking about though, I appreciate the tips. I'll try to take more photos outside to get used to what good lighting conditions are.
I'd love to see some photos of Nendo Saber and Ein because I think they both look really cute and have good detail ^_^
Black Rock Shooter would be great to see as well if you were considering taking a scale figure.
I had a quick read of the Nendoroid repair blog and it does seem like it will come in handy. I'm also eagerly awaiting part 3 because my Tako Luka has a scuff mark from when I dropped her (I was stupidly trying to balance her on something lol). Would be nice to fix that up.
Okies, I'll take out Saber and Ein for sure ^_^ I'd prefer not to risk damaging BRS, so I'll make the light box and shoot her at home around the 10th-11th :D
No worries. The type of cloudy day I meant, and I should have been a bit clearer in its definition, is an overcast cloudy day. It's still bright outside, but no direct sunlight. If it looks like it's just about to pour, then it's too cloudy and then things just look lifeless as in your description. The main key is that there is no direct sunlight hitting your subject. Even under shade behind a building, or under a tree, on a sunny day is good, too. Experiment and you'll soon see what the best conditions are.
On March 29 2011 11:34 cgivisionary wrote: Nice figure!
BTW: Pro Photographer tip here.
A cloudy overcast day is actually the PERFECT conditions for outdoor portraits such as these. Pros spend 10's of thousands of dollars for studio lights that basically act like overhead clouds outside for free. Clouds diffuse the light so that you get soft diffused even light that give the subject great 3d depth and detail. All those studio shots you see of the figures could easily be shot outdoors under cloudy skies and they will be great. If it's for real people, they don't squint in the sunlight as well.
I guess it depends how cloudy it is? When I tried yesterday (after it got cloudy) it just made all the colours look dull so I just didn't bother.
I really have no idea what I'm talking about though, I appreciate the tips. I'll try to take more photos outside to get used to what good lighting conditions are.
I'm seconding what cgivisionary said - I always found that my photoshoots had to be moved to shaded areas when it was bright out - or not only would my subjects be uncomfortable, but the shots themselves would have a bleached out look. It also exaggerates shadows in a way that isn't always attractive. I love those overcast, but not dreary days - they're perfect for getting the right kind of light.
Randomly, today I've been looking through http://www.re-ment.co.jp/ I'm expanding my cooking scene using my two Sekirara girls (Aya and Yuu.) I think I'm going to buy the remaining 3 girls from that set (Nozomi, Mana and Izumi.) and make them into students running a cafe. (God knows how I'm going to build this cafe, but we'll see how it goes.)
They're so cute, but I still think they're overpriced. They have a few of them at Nonno21, but refuse to pay over 30,000 for them. (Even if it's my beloved BRS!) Some of the K-On!! merchandise they have there is adorable, but it's just too pricey (58,000 for a t-shirt?! PASS!) I'd rather buy more nendoroids.
P.S. I was thinking of making a blog about being a figure maniac in Korea (on blogspot or something.) Just to collect everything we have here into a more organized format. Any contributions (and preferably someone who could make it look pretty!) are much appreciated.
On March 29 2011 15:54 VManOfMana wrote: Is being in Korea a requirement to contribute? ^^;;
Not at all :D It'd just be the focus on my posts since I'd like to give information to people who are visiting/living in Seoul who want to visit the shops, check out the prices etc. It'd be cool to have 'guest' writers from other countries.
Also any ideas for a name? The key word is 'cute' but also informative.
On March 29 2011 15:54 VManOfMana wrote: Is being in Korea a requirement to contribute? ^^;;
Not at all :D It'd just be the focus on my posts since I'd like to give information to people who are visiting/living in Seoul who want to visit the shops, check out the prices etc. It'd be cool to have 'guest' writers from other countries.
Also any ideas for a name? The key word is 'cute' but also informative.
I liked the [Figure Maniacs] tag when you used it in one of your other Blog threads.
So what about something simple like "Adventures of Figure Maniacs"?
Something more Korean or some sort of StarCraft/TeanLiquid pun would be nice too.
We decided on figuremaniacs.com :D Thank you to Vek for sorting everything out and providing us with the domain name/wordpress set up. As for contributions I was thinking of something along these lines for the content;
1. Information on Seoul figure shopping. (Guest posters can submit guides for their own cities/countries.) An online shopping guide would also be very useful. 2. A general guide to figure types. 3. Helpful posts such as 'How to Spot Fake Goods.' and 'How to maintain your figures.' etc. 4. Photo shoots. 5. Photography tips and tricks (perhaps cgivisionary as our resident expert could help out?) 6. Guest posts regarding whatever people would like to discuss/share. 7. Event trips. 8. How to Videos. (For things like repairs, modding and model kitting.) 9. A weekly round up of links to interesting articles/new products of interest etc. 10. A weekly discussion theme such as 'Your dream figure.' 'Your style of collection.' etc.
I'd like to try and at least make some of the blog bilingual so we can share it with the people at Kukje :D So I'll check around for a translator and make a separate post once the blog has a little content.
Lastly, how about a mascot?? It'd be really cute to have our own little character to identify the blog. I know some of us are artistic so lets get thinking! Something moe and unique would be really nice.
I can collaborate with editorials, figure highlight/reviews, trips (when applicable) and weekly roundups.
I presume you are going to start with posting some of the stuff already in this thread? I can start writing a better developed version of my "where to find stuff" guide.
On March 30 2011 13:15 VManOfMana wrote: I can collaborate with editorials, figure highlight/reviews, trips (when applicable) and weekly roundups.
I presume you are going to start with posting some of the stuff already in this thread? I can start writing a better developed version of my "where to find stuff" guide.
Yes, I'm going to collate all of the information in this thread into some beginning posts, but first I want to handle the following;
1. Getting the blog layout sorted. 2. Writing a bilingual (English/Korean) introduction for the side bar. 3. Sorting our mascot (Vek is working on this.)
'I can start writing a better developed version of my "where to find stuff" guide.'
On March 30 2011 13:21 cgivisionary wrote: Re: #5. Yeah, I can do that.
Awesome - I was thinking that it'd be good if you did an introduction post and then started off with some really basic tips/tricks for getting started such as how to choose a camera/lenses specifically for figures.
On March 30 2011 13:21 cgivisionary wrote: Re: #5. Yeah, I can do that.
Awesome - I was thinking that it'd be good if you did an introduction post and then started off with some really basic tips/tricks for getting started such as how to choose a camera/lenses specifically for figures.
On March 30 2011 13:21 cgivisionary wrote: Re: #5. Yeah, I can do that.
Awesome - I was thinking that it'd be good if you did an introduction post and then started off with some really basic tips/tricks for getting started such as how to choose a camera/lenses specifically for figures.
On March 31 2011 18:34 cgivisionary wrote: So, NeverGG, what did you buy today? Huh? Huh?
LOL My internet is being evil again, so I just made a really short video. I also got a Yui keychain from the K-On!! Mascot Sweets Rement collection, a Nyanpire phone strap from one of the gashapon machines, and a Nonno21 calendar as service.
I checked out about the items in the display closets, and it's only tagged items - so unfortunately none of the nendys except for a few puchis are available >.< (I pretty much expected this.) Sadly for me this means no Azunyan or Ricchan >.<
I had a pretty bad day at work, so it was a relief to go shopping.
Sweet! Such cute little ones. LOL I see you have all the figma K-On! girls. I was thinking of that full set for the W205,000 kit price, too. Nice extras with Ritsu.
I can identify with the "pretty bad day at work" statement very, very well. It was today that made me decide to leave after my contract expires in September! I was undecided before today's events. But, I'm tired of the same BS all the time.
I also made a list of what I want for the next few figures. It's a bit too many to buy!!! But, slowly, slowly if I can do it, I will eventually get there. Maybe.
What is the meaning of the filename after the character's name?
Unknown1 is Good Smile Company's Tsukamoto Tenma (School Rumble). There are two more figures in the series: Tsukamoto Yakumo (I like her figure way better) and Sawachika Eri.
Alter produced two swimsuit figures of School Rumble: Sawachika Eri and Suo Mikoto. You can say they are better done than Good Smile's (I considered GSC to be a tier below Alter and Max Factory back then).
Character Name; Scale; Release Date (Year/Month); Cost (Korean Won: ex., w55k=w55,000 which is about US$50)
It gives me an idea of age, cost and hence availability.
Thanks for the info on "unknown", too.
I put Alter, GSC and Max Factory at the top of all makers, too. I can't tell at this early stage of my collecting really who is the absolute best, though.
you should check out www.myfigurecollection.net it's really nice for keeping track of what you want to get, what you already have, etc. also the figure database is really handy for looking up figures. They also show if conterfeits exist.
My current ranking is Alter > GSC > Max Factory > Kotobukiya.
Before three years or four years ago it was Alter > Max Factory > GSC >> Kotobukiya.
GSC was a step behind Alter and MF (basically I considered them a more boring Alter), but really upped their quality starting 2008 or so. Kotobukiya was really lagging behind (but better than average) until sometime last year.
@fanta 1. That link seems not to work properly; it doesn't exist and keeps redirecting to a different page each time. 2. I have one Kotbukiya figure and she looks good. Maybe I got lucky with her.
@VManOfMana Yeah, I try and stick to Alter, GSC and MF as much as I can unless something is really, really, good from someone else. Some of my choices above in my list from other makers all depends on how they look in person when/if I actually see them.
@everyone - It's http://myfigurecollection.net/ :D I've been tootling around and it looks really useful. I'm hoping to work on the introduction and layout to Figure Maniacs Blog this weekend.
Also, I made a quick list for my new priority purchases based upon what they had in stock yesterday. This is all hopefully going to be bought on the 8th.
1. Kuroshitsuji Sebastian Nendoroid. 2. Dead Master Figma. 3. Yui Figma. 4. More puchis (K-on, Vocaloid, Haruhi, Lucky Star sets 1/2 and Fate/Stay Night.) 5. More Nyanpire gashapons. 6. More K-On Sweets Mascots. 7. Kirino Kousaka Nendoroid.
There are a few other bits, but nothing I'm 100% decided on yet. Including possibly a full box of Hetalia minis, and/or a full box of K-On!! puchis.
Also, Goodsmile just posted the BRS Strength figma. I actually want her more than the nendoroid!
I'll be holding back $200 for the potential Nonno21 flea market (I forgot to ask about it, but I'm going to ask on the 8th!) I think it will probably be held on the 23rd or the 30th. It looked like they had some good deals on Nendys that Nonno21 didn't have in stock, so I hope to pick up some bargains :D
I've decided not to collect any more Revoltech figures, or random minis (unless they're inescapably cute.) I don't want my collection to become too random. Hence I'm focusing on;
1. Nendoroids and puchis. 2. Figmas.
Series to focus on; K-On!!, Black Rock Shooter, Haruhi, Fate/Stay Night, Lucky Star, and Vocaloid.
I'll try to do that Saber/Ein shoot this weekend too if the weather holds out, and I have the energy!
On March 31 2011 18:34 cgivisionary wrote: So, NeverGG, what did you buy today? Huh? Huh?
LOL My internet is being evil again, so I just made a really short video. I also got a Yui keychain from the K-On!! Mascot Sweets Rement collection, a Nyanpire phone strap from one of the gashapon machines, and a Nonno21 calendar as service.
I checked out about the items in the display closets, and it's only tagged items - so unfortunately none of the nendys except for a few puchis are available >.< (I pretty much expected this.) Sadly for me this means no Azunyan or Ricchan >.<
On April 01 2011 12:11 NeverGG wrote: @everyone - It's http://myfigurecollection.net/ :D I've been tootling around and it looks really useful. I'm hoping to work on the introduction and layout to Figure Maniacs Blog this weekend.
Also, I made a quick list for my new priority purchases based upon what they had in stock yesterday. This is all hopefully going to be bought on the 8th.
1. Kuroshitsuji Sebastian Nendoroid. 2. Dead Master Figma. 3. Yui Figma. 4. More puchis (K-on, Vocaloid, Haruhi, Lucky Star sets 1/2 and Fate/Stay Night.) 5. More Nyanpire gashapons. 6. More K-On Sweets Mascots. 7. Kirino Kousaka Nendoroid.
There are a few other bits, but nothing I'm 100% decided on yet. Including possibly a full box of Hetalia minis, and/or a full box of K-On!! puchis.
Also, Goodsmile just posted the BRS Strength figma. I actually want her more than the nendoroid!
I'll be holding back $200 for the potential Nonno21 flea market (I forgot to ask about it, but I'm going to ask on the 8th!) I think it will probably be held on the 23rd or the 30th. It looked like they had some good deals on Nendys that Nonno21 didn't have in stock, so I hope to pick up some bargains :D
I've decided not to collect any more Revoltech figures, or random minis (unless they're inescapably cute.) I don't want my collection to become too random. Hence I'm focusing on;
1. Nendoroids and puchis. 2. Figmas.
Series to focus on; K-On!!, Black Rock Shooter, Haruhi, Fate/Stay Night, Lucky Star, and Vocaloid.
I'll try to do that Saber/Ein shoot this weekend too if the weather holds out, and I have the energy!
In the pictures you posted of Nonno21, I saw that they have Nendoroid Racequeen Miku (longer box, includes Miku in racequeen outfit plus car). How much they were asking for it? Its a web site exclusive, so its likely to be more expensive, yet one of my favorite Mikus.
The bottom of the page says to wait a little while, and then they'll announce the details of the 5th flea market which is scheduled to happen during April XD. I can't wait!
The bottom of the page says to wait a little while, and then they'll announce the details of the 5th flea market which is scheduled to happen during April XD. I can't wait!
The bottom of the page says to wait a little while, and then they'll announce the details of the 5th flea market which is scheduled to happen during April XD. I can't wait!
I reckon it'll be on the 23rd or the 30th. I'm going to ask my co-worker to write a note asking in Korean how we can participate in the raffle. I think you just have to buy something from the flea market and then wait until the drawing at 5pm, but I'm not 100% sure.
P.S. I'm off to do that photo shoot today in the park. I'll take Saber, Ein, and a couple of other special guests.
On April 02 2011 16:24 NeverGG wrote: Sorry for not shooting Ein, but for some reason I just couldn't find a good setting for her. Poor Azunyan got soaked!
Sorry for the lack of posting over the weekend. I really hurt my hip flailing around at CGP on Saturday so I was mainly hobbling around doing laundry, and watching dramas.
Anyway, just a quick update - I did a box opening for the three new puchis :D
Thanks for the comments on my photos. They were a lot of fun to take. I'll get cracking on Figure Maniacs.com this week!
On April 04 2011 10:55 NeverGG wrote: Sorry for the lack of posting over the weekend. I really hurt my hip flailing around at CGP on Saturday so I was mainly hobbling around doing laundry, and watching dramas.
Anyway, just a quick update - I did a box opening for the three new puchis :D
Thanks for the comments on my photos. They were a lot of fun to take. I'll get cracking on Figure Maniacs.com this week!
Since you mentioned you are getting a full box, I'd recommend to just get the full box next time. Each box pretty much guarantees a full set, more often than not you get the secret, plus one or two duplicates. =)
On April 04 2011 13:13 VManOfMana wrote: Since you mentioned you are getting a full box, I'd recommend to just get the full box next time. Each box pretty much guarantees a full set, more often than not you get the secret, plus one or two duplicates. =)
I might wait on the full box since I just got an email from the bookstore which does my special orders saying that Amazon Japan shipped my order so it's ready for collection. My list isn't too big, but I also want to send a box home plus a couple of packages. I'm trying to pace myself :D
@NeverGG Sorry to hear about your hip. I know what that's like with my back and such once in a while. Such nice new cuties you have. LOL You sure sounded excited when you were opening them. LOL
On April 04 2011 21:16 cgivisionary wrote: @NeverGG Sorry to hear about your hip. I know what that's like with my back and such once in a while. Such nice new cuties you have. LOL You sure sounded excited when you were opening them. LOL
btw I want to go to the Volks store this weekend!
I'm such a dork when it comes to opening blind-boxed stuff. My life is clearly a rollercoaster of excitement :S
Let's go there. I'd like to check out the store plus a couple of the other places mentioned in that K-blog I found. I'll translate the locations tonight. I'll check the opening hours today too.
On April 04 2011 21:16 cgivisionary wrote: @NeverGG Sorry to hear about your hip. I know what that's like with my back and such once in a while. Such nice new cuties you have. LOL You sure sounded excited when you were opening them. LOL
btw I want to go to the Volks store this weekend!
I'm such a dork when it comes to opening blind-boxed stuff. My life is clearly a rollercoaster of excitement :S
Let's go there. I'd like to check out the store plus a couple of the other places mentioned in that K-blog I found. I'll translate the locations tonight. I'll check the opening hours today too.
Mine, too! LOL
Awesome! I'm making my list as I type! LOL I have the address, I just don't know which subway station yet. It's near the "art college" apparently, wherever that is.
On April 04 2011 21:16 cgivisionary wrote: @NeverGG Sorry to hear about your hip. I know what that's like with my back and such once in a while. Such nice new cuties you have. LOL You sure sounded excited when you were opening them. LOL
btw I want to go to the Volks store this weekend!
I'm such a dork when it comes to opening blind-boxed stuff. My life is clearly a rollercoaster of excitement :S
Let's go there. I'd like to check out the store plus a couple of the other places mentioned in that K-blog I found. I'll translate the locations tonight. I'll check the opening hours today too.
Mine, too! LOL
Awesome! I'm making my list as I type! LOL I have the address, I just don't know which subway station yet. It's near the "art college" apparently, wherever that is.
I've got maps (and all the opening hours) for Volks plus the 3 comic/merch shops (Comic World, Book Saetong and Toon K.) I'd like to check out as well. Oh, and the 2 locations in Konkuk by my house (Hobby Plaza and Comic Gallery) which I'll probably pop into on Friday if I don't come back from my shopping trip too late.
I'll bring along a couple of the girls for some photos too :D I think if I get Kirino ( http://www.goodsmile.info/product/en/3012/Nendoroid Kirino Kousaka.html ) she'd really suit a shoot in Hongdae pretending to browse the free market. It'll be super busy, but it'd make a great setting provided we can get people not to stomp on her!
I forgot to add this. The photos suck, but I just wasn't trying lol.
On April 04 2011 21:16 cgivisionary wrote: @NeverGG Sorry to hear about your hip. I know what that's like with my back and such once in a while. Such nice new cuties you have. LOL You sure sounded excited when you were opening them. LOL
btw I want to go to the Volks store this weekend!
I'm such a dork when it comes to opening blind-boxed stuff. My life is clearly a rollercoaster of excitement :S
Let's go there. I'd like to check out the store plus a couple of the other places mentioned in that K-blog I found. I'll translate the locations tonight. I'll check the opening hours today too.
Mine, too! LOL
Awesome! I'm making my list as I type! LOL I have the address, I just don't know which subway station yet. It's near the "art college" apparently, wherever that is.
I've got maps (and all the opening hours) for Volks plus the 3 comic/merch shops (Comic World, Book Saetong and Toon K.) I'd like to check out as well. Oh, and the 2 locations in Konkuk by my house (Hobby Plaza and Comic Gallery) which I'll probably pop into on Friday if I don't come back from my shopping trip too late.
I'll bring along a couple of the girls for some photos too :D I think if I get Kirino ( http://www.goodsmile.info/product/en/3012/Nendoroid Kirino Kousaka.html ) she'd really suit a shoot in Hongdae pretending to browse the free market. It'll be super busy, but it'd make a great setting provided we can get people not to stomp on her!
I forgot to add this. The photos suck, but I just wasn't trying lol.
Sounds good. You sure have more time than I do to find all this info! LOL Oh, yeah, you get paid this week, too. Don't go "mental"! LOL
Is Volks near Hongdae? If it is, I can get there even faster than normal as Hongik University station is even closer than Seoul Main Station for me on the express train.
Yeah, I saw those already on figure.fm on Monday. Nice set-up.
Yep, all the places we want to visit are around Hongdae University Station subway stop. We should meet at Exit 8 since exits 8/9 are the area of the different shops :D The time is up to you, but the free market begins at around 12ish and if the weather is decent I'd prefer to do photos earlier than later on.
On April 05 2011 15:05 NeverGG wrote: Yep, all the places we want to visit are around Hongdae University Station subway stop. We should meet at Exit 8 since exits 8/9 are the area of the different shops :D The time is up to you, but the free market begins at around 12ish and if the weather is decent I'd prefer to do photos earlier than later on.
On April 05 2011 15:05 NeverGG wrote: Yep, all the places we want to visit are around Hongdae University Station subway stop. We should meet at Exit 8 since exits 8/9 are the area of the different shops :D The time is up to you, but the free market begins at around 12ish and if the weather is decent I'd prefer to do photos earlier than later on.
I'll be there at 12 noon!
Okay, see you there! Hopefully I can bring Kirino if I get her plus a couple of the puchis :D I decided to only take 300,000 in cash to Kukje so I don't go too mental. This will cover all my essential purchases plus allow me to use the 5% discount to buy a few puchis.
I've revised the list to;
1. Sebastian nendoroid. 2. Yui figma. 3. Dead Master figma. 4. Kirino nendoroid. 5. Kamen Rider W MG Figurerise Cyclone/Joker or Luna/Trigger. 6. K-On sweets mascot. 7. Nyanpire gashapons from any change I have left over.
The rest can wait for now :D Since I have to get my book order, and I'd like to see what Volks has before commiting to any other purchases. Oh and if you don't mind I'd like to hop a couple of stops to Shinchon to check out Book Off (I like buying cds from there mainly.)
I also forgot to mention that Mikatan posted the scuffed paint repair blog post. I'm going to check out the prices of paints at HS and possibly try to repair Luka's tiny scuff on her hair using this method :D
I checked out the two places in Konkuk tonight. The Hobby Plada is purely Gundams, so it's of no interest to me, and the Comic Gallery is mainly just manga, but they also had a Kuroshitsuji cushion and a couple of Korean art books I want :D
On April 05 2011 19:49 NeverGG wrote: I checked out the two places in Konkuk tonight. The Hobby Plada is purely Gundams, so it's of no interest to me, and the Comic Gallery is mainly just manga, but they also had a Kuroshitsuji cushion and a couple of Korean art books I want :D
Seems there are a lot more Japanese related "toy" shops here in Korea than we first thought there were!
@cgivisionary; I'm glad that none of the latest ones have had anything I really want to buy in them though! I think that might change once we go to Hongdae though >.<;;;;
@fanta[Rn]; *Sends her wallet to cry along with yours.* I started watching Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai last night and I'm already hooked. That's *another* series to add to the ones I'm collecting. Out of interest - which series (if any) do you guys prefer to collect from?
I'm currently focusing on;
+ K-On!! + Black Rock Shooter. + Haruhi. + Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai. + Vocaloid. + Lucky Star. + Kuroshitsuji. + Prince of Tennis (but there's almost nothing to collect for it here since I don't buy the manga.)
And somehow due to only being able to collect from Hobby Square's limited selection at first (since we had no idea Nonno21 existed.) I've ended up with a load of stuff from a couple of series I've not even seen;
+ Nanoha. + Fate/Stay Night.
Plus my usual interest in Tokusatsu - which has led to me collecting anything Kamen Rider/Super Sentai that takes my fancy :D
P.S. Regarding figuremaniacs.com - I've been tootling around on the site this morning getting familar with the set up. I did a test post, added the introduction and some widgets to the side-bar, added tags and categories.
As of now we need;
* = I'll do it.
1. The mascot. 2. Banners. 3. A youtube channel.* 4. An email address.* 5. Content. (Articles etc.) 6. Possibly a couple of people willing to contribute articles on a monthly basis. 7. A links list.*
On April 06 2011 13:32 fanta[Rn] wrote: wait what, you guys starting a site? I wouldn't mind joining :O
It's a blog, but we'd love as many guest writers as possible :D It's currently just getting up and running, but we're now at the stage where we need content.
Hey guys, seems to be a farily active group or ppl around this Blog and I figured I would ask you guys a question or two.
First of all I am atm not collecting any figurines, I used to collect and mainly "create" model airplanes, cars, tanks and other models but unfortunatly for different reasons I cant realy do that anymore. So I came across this blog a while back and well it got me thinking that perhaps collecting figurines of some of my favourite anime series would be a tun of fun.
Here comes my "problem" I have been looking around on the internet trying to find some quality type figurines since I cind of try to be a perfectionist when it comes to the items I have collected in the past. Basicly I want them to look good and not be crap
I figured I would start with the one series I absolutley love, One Peice and I found one type that I would like to collect wich is more on the silly side of things (Not a frequent user of forums so dont know how to hyperlink a picture) http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/One_Piece_Super_Deformed_Figures In this wiki thread you can find a ton of pictures of cute models that I dont think are that expencive.
But the thing I would really like to collect are larger more "life like" versions of the different caracters in the series, preferably from the earlier parts of the series to begin with.
Anywho I ranted on a bit but I would be wery appriciative if someone could point me in the right direction. I would like to say that money dosent matter if they look good enough but that would be lying but paying around 100$ for a figurine wouldnt be a problem.
I want to apologice if there has been a post about this in the last 13 pages that I have missed havent read every last post mad in here but if anyone could help me I would be a happy camper
On April 06 2011 11:21 NeverGG wrote: Out of interest - which series (if any) do you guys prefer to collect from?
I'm currently focusing on;
+ K-On!! + Black Rock Shooter. + Haruhi. + Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai. + Vocaloid. + Lucky Star. + Kuroshitsuji. + Prince of Tennis (but there's almost nothing to collect for it here since I don't buy the manga.)
And somehow due to only being able to collect from Hobby Square's limited selection at first (since we had no idea Nonno21 existed.) I've ended up with a load of stuff from a couple of series I've not even seen;
+ Nanoha. + Fate/Stay Night.
Plus my usual interest in Tokusatsu - which has led to me collecting anything Kamen Rider/Super Sentai that takes my fancy :D
I don't really focus on a series to collect from. I started collecting on familiar characters and series, but the figures that really got me into collecting are from characters I had very little or no idea about:
* Kotobukiya Kinoshita Takako China Dress ver. * Max Factory Ignis * Good Smile Company Melissa Seraphy * Alter Teacher Death * Max Factory Kureha * Alter Exelica * Alter Chua Churam
All of these were pretty much "I don't know who that is, but its so nice!" At the end, my collecting habits became more focused on design and colors rather than series.
My current focus is:
* The S-class: Alter, Good Smile Company, and Max Factory. They are pretty much the Taek Bang Lee Ssang of figures, so I follow their releases, and more often than not I get what they put on preorder. Also following Kotobukiya a bit more lately; they are catching up to Max Factory.
* Nendoroid: got into them a little after they started, so I have most. I try to be a completist with limitations, since very exclusive and rare Nendoroids can reach ridiculous prices.
The big figure franchises right now are Vocaloid and Bakemonogatari. GSC arguably has the best standard Miku, and they are doing a great job with Black Rock Shooter. Max Factory is focusing on alternate Miku designs. Their latest is Tony Taka's design, and the next big release is Append Miku. Bakemonogatari's artwork is beautiful, so Alter and GSC's figures were instant preorder. GSC's figures are based on the BRD covers, except for Hitagi, which Alter is doing. Dunno why they did that >_> But GSC's Hitagi is a great standalone figure.
----
Anime wise, my taste in anime revolves around: * Drama (Kara no Kyoukai, SaiKano, Last Exile) * Non-harem romantic comedies (School Rumble). I can tolerate harem to a degree, but it depends on the series. * Well-scripted action (Black Lagoon). * Slice of life (K-ON) with supernatural a big plus (AIR, Kanon, Clannad, Haruhi, Shana, Bakemonogatari).
On April 06 2011 14:22 Stabbe wrote: Hey guys, seems to be a farily active group or ppl around this Blog and I figured I would ask you guys a question or two.
First of all I am atm not collecting any figurines, I used to collect and mainly "create" model airplanes, cars, tanks and other models but unfortunatly for different reasons I cant realy do that anymore. So I came across this blog a while back and well it got me thinking that perhaps collecting figurines of some of my favourite anime series would be a tun of fun.
Here comes my "problem" I have been looking around on the internet trying to find some quality type figurines since I cind of try to be a perfectionist when it comes to the items I have collected in the past. Basicly I want them to look good and not be crap
I figured I would start with the one series I absolutley love, One Peice and I found one type that I would like to collect wich is more on the silly side of things (Not a frequent user of forums so dont know how to hyperlink a picture) http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/One_Piece_Super_Deformed_Figures In this wiki thread you can find a ton of pictures of cute models that I dont think are that expencive.
But the thing I would really like to collect are larger more "life like" versions of the different caracters in the series, preferably from the earlier parts of the series to begin with.
Anywho I ranted on a bit but I would be wery appriciative if someone could point me in the right direction. I would like to say that money dosent matter if they look good enough but that would be lying but paying around 100$ for a figurine wouldnt be a problem.
I want to apologice if there has been a post about this in the last 13 pages that I have missed havent read every last post mad in here but if anyone could help me I would be a happy camper
// Stabbe
The high-end One Piece figures are the POP (Portrait of Pirates) series. They are probably the best figures Megahouse has produced*. The series has been going for a while so it might be harder to get the older figures. A friend of mine is a big One Piece fan and does the POP reviews for a blog:
@Stabbe - One Piece is so popular here, a lot of the merchandise in the figure shops is devoted to it. I'm not a fan of the artwork, so I don't buy any of it myself. They have a couple of MGfigurerise model kits which are easy to make (snap together, no painting unless you want to.) I've only made the MG Figurerise Kamen Rider ones though.
P.S. The blog is nowhere near finished, but here's what we've come up with so far;
On April 06 2011 15:41 cgivisionary wrote: Ah! That's what "POP" are. I'm too new to this to know. Not really my cup of tea, though. I just collect the ones I find to be unbearably CUTE! LOL
One Piece is so popular that POP preorders are a pain to get. My friends end up coordinating preordering efforts at 4am or so, basically mash F5 on multiple computers and browser windows until they can get their order in ^^;;
I think the last time I ended up doing something like that was for Max Factory Haruhi. I think the first batch was 2000 units, which was closed instantly. The following days auctions for preorders were up for 14,000 JPY. Fortunately (and unfortunately for the bidders) they announced a second batch of 5000 units about a month later. Haruhi fever was pretty high =)
Hmm... so what ure saying is that it might be a bit tricky to get ahold of the more high-end figurines? Or is it "just" a matter of how much one is willing to pay. And are there actuall shops that even a European like myself might get onto and actually understand how to order from. Cause been looking around now sitting at work and I am having some trubble with finding sites in English that are actually selling anything and not just sites as yours that are more of a blog.
Anywho... gotta get myself into this scene before I actually buy anything so I dont end up buying something that is offthe charts expencive an its like somthing I could have gotten for a miniscure of what I end up paying.
Gonna be pestering you guys in the future aswell if you dont mind and I wish you best of luck with the new homepage, looking forward to some good reading
On April 06 2011 19:14 Stabbe wrote: Hmm... so what ure saying is that it might be a bit tricky to get ahold of the more high-end figurines? Or is it "just" a matter of how much one is willing to pay. And are there actuall shops that even a European like myself might get onto and actually understand how to order from. Cause been looking around now sitting at work and I am having some trubble with finding sites in English that are actually selling anything and not just sites as yours that are more of a blog.
Anywho... gotta get myself into this scene before I actually buy anything so I dont end up buying something that is offthe charts expencive an its like somthing I could have gotten for a miniscure of what I end up paying.
Gonna be pestering you guys in the future aswell if you dont mind and I wish you best of luck with the new homepage, looking forward to some good reading
With a lot of the higher end figures you need to pre-order them in advance to get them for a decent price. The really popular ones sell out really quickly (I've missed a few because I hesitated at the checkout). This doesn't mean you can't get them - all it means is you have to pay much more than the RRP. A popular example is Queen's Gate Alice by Megahouse.
She would have gone for around ¥5500 (~60 USD) when she was released. Now she goes for upwards of $300 USD unopened and around $200 USD second hand.
The same is usually true of many of the Vocaloid figures because they are so popular. Nendoroids that would have cost around $30-$40 USD at release are going for $150+ on ebay.
They seem to have the biggest range of figures and other goods and most reasonable prices. Again it mostly works on a preorder system. They do have good sales on released figures that weren't as popular as expected though.
Tokyo Hunter and Big In Japan both have proxy buying services (in addition to being online stores) where you can put in a bid and request that they look for specific hard to find products in Japan.
A good european online store is http://www.archonia.com - they are based in Belgium and may give better shipping rates. I have never purchased from them because it is far too expensive for them to ship to Australia. I'd consider it if they had something I really wanted though
Edit: One last thing, If you do purchase from ebay avoid any sellers located in Hong Kong - 99% of the time they just sell bootlegs. If you stick to sellers with a good rating located in Japan you pretty much can't go wrong.
On counterfeits it helps checking with www.myfigurecollection.net - they show if bootlegs of those figures even exist (of course that's on a "found yet" basis)
On April 04 2011 10:55 NeverGG wrote: Sorry for the lack of posting over the weekend. I really hurt my hip flailing around at CGP on Saturday so I was mainly hobbling around doing laundry, and watching dramas.
Anyway, just a quick update - I did a box opening for the three new puchis :D
Thanks for the comments on my photos. They were a lot of fun to take. I'll get cracking on Figure Maniacs.com this week!
you sound so excited lol
My life is a rollercoaster of excitement. In other news I have a really bad cold, but I'm still going shopping tonight - even if I have to crawl to Kukje and COEX.
Some of those pictures you took with the figures in a setting were beautiful enough to make someone who's completely foreign to the 'scene' understand the allure of it - or at least find an own angle to approach it.
On April 08 2011 08:13 Thrill wrote: Some of those pictures you took with the figures in a setting were beautiful enough to make someone who's completely foreign to the 'scene' understand the allure of it - or at least find an own angle to approach it.
Celshaded reality :>
Thank you :D It'd be nice to think this thread (and maybe some of my photos) got people interested in collecting figures.
In other news Nonno21 just announced their 5th flea market. As we speculated it's going to be held on the 23rd from 12-6pm :D
On April 08 2011 19:37 vek wrote: After looking at my preorders etc I think I'm going to buy Mato and preorder Yomi from AmiAmi when I get paid on the 15th ^_^
Yeah, it's a shame about the BRS figma - I've looked on a few occasions but she always seems to be sold out.
In other news I got notice that my other Lucky Star figmas shipped today and should be arriving some time during next week :D
:D I was shocked to find BRS on the shelf yesterday. She's used, but basically in perfect condition except for slightly loose hand to wrist joints. She still poses fine, and there's no damage to her paint work. I got a lot of BRS stuff yesterday....and a reason to buy a Bluray player :S
I saw plenty of figma BRS in a recent anime con in Florida.
If there is a list of items you want me to keep an eye on for these trips (I do three or four a year) let me know. I can't guarantee there won't be a ridiculous markup, but at least it's another option.
BTW, I saw GSC's Black Rock Shooter at 150 USD, both original and animation version. What's the price in Japan?
On April 09 2011 09:44 VManOfMana wrote: I saw plenty of figma BRS in a recent anime con in Florida.
If there is a list of items you want me to keep an eye on for these trips (I do three or four a year) let me know. I can't guarantee there won't be a ridiculous markup, but at least it's another option.
BTW, I saw GSC's Black Rock Shooter at 150 USD, both original and animation version. What's the price in Japan?
I'll check the won price when we go to Nonno21 today, but I know the Black Blade version is 105,000won.
On April 08 2011 19:37 vek wrote: After looking at my preorders etc I think I'm going to buy Mato and preorder Yomi from AmiAmi when I get paid on the 15th ^_^
Yeah, it's a shame about the BRS figma - I've looked on a few occasions but she always seems to be sold out.
In other news I got notice that my other Lucky Star figmas shipped today and should be arriving some time during next week :D
:D I was shocked to find BRS on the shelf yesterday. She's used, but basically in perfect condition except for slightly loose hand to wrist joints. She still poses fine, and there's no damage to her paint work. I got a lot of BRS stuff yesterday....and a reason to buy a Bluray player :S
Haha.. Might be a good excuse to pick up a PS3 now
On April 09 2011 09:44 VManOfMana wrote: I saw plenty of figma BRS in a recent anime con in Florida.
If there is a list of items you want me to keep an eye on for these trips (I do three or four a year) let me know. I can't guarantee there won't be a ridiculous markup, but at least it's another option.
BTW, I saw GSC's Black Rock Shooter at 150 USD, both original and animation version. What's the price in Japan?
I might take you up on that, I'll have to look over my list of things I'm still looking for.
Which version? Black Blade ver went for around 6400 yen (75 USD) (sold out in most places - it will be much higher now). Rock Cannon version goes for 9300 yen (110 USD) and can still be found in stock at some stores. Animation version goes for around 7500 yen (88 USD).
Does anyone know any good online stores to buy Blu-Rays straight from Japan? I'm getting too restless waiting for the local releases
HAHA, I meant to say in Korea. Just for comparison.
@NeverGG: That sounds about right for Black Bade ver. it is less expensive than Rock Cannon. Looks like in-person prices don't fluctuate that much between US and Korea.
@vek: Amazon Japan, CD Japan (Neowing) and HMV offer international shipping.
Amazon Japan has big preorder discounts but the most expensive shipping (FedEx Express).
CD Japan has the least discounts but offer SAL shipping (economy). They often include extras like posters.
HMV has a bit more discount than CD Japan. They also include extras but tend to fold the posters rather than rolling them.
Generally I order CDs from Japan (LE extras) and DVDs from Amazon (discount). HMV is a reliable second option.
If you already get figures, amiami carries Bluray preorders.
On April 08 2011 08:13 Thrill wrote: Some of those pictures you took with the figures in a setting were beautiful enough to make someone who's completely foreign to the 'scene' understand the allure of it - or at least find an own angle to approach it.
Celshaded reality :>
I really like this comment. Its nice to see how others can appreciate a different hobby.
I think what really made me a collector is when I started to see figures as more than a toy. Well, they are toys, but there is a lot of effort put in the design, sculpting, painting and finishing. That's a lot work, and all that detail can be very alluring, especially with good photography that highlights the best of a figure.
HappySoda and DannyChoo were the main sites that I followed when I started. DannyChoo evolved more into a commercial site, but it used to be a relatively small and enjoyable personal blog. HappySoda is less active nowadays, but super_rats has a very distinctive style that I still enjoy.
Today I went with NeverGG to the Volks store in Seoul. What a NICE place! They have soooo much stuff. And, not only their own Dollfies, but all sorts of other figures, too. They even had a GSC Saber from a few years ago that I held for the longest time before putting her back down. I might still go back and get her.
Anyways, I picked up a little new mesume today. She's Miu Amaha. Such a little cutie. I had noticed her on Japan's website and Korea's website this past week. Japan's website allowed me to buy her which means that she is no longer exclusive to the lottery winners. I was lucky they had one in stock at the Seoul store today. They had a Mari and two others as well. Someone, who I will not mention, picked up one of them as well.
The following are some shots of my Miu just after I finally finished dressing her. It took forever! Those little clothes are hard to put on. Plus, I did not want to damage anything by being too vigorous on the zippers and stuff. There's also the obligatory cleavage shot at the end, too. LOL
Here she is shot with a relatively decent flash set up and some very simple posing. My home is not the greatest. So, I really don't have any nice backgrounds to put her in. Yes, I know. Her hair is a mess. I need to brush it. But, she still looks cute even with messy hair. LOL
Tomorrow I will have some outdoor shots of someone else's Dollfie. But, right now I need some sleep. I'm exhausted. And, my bed is currently littered with all sorts of stuff from today.
P.S.
I know I'm supposed to have an article on photography for the new website. The first draft is done. I just need to polish it up before I will submit it. Sorry it's taking so long.
I finally wrestled the blouse over her norks back at home;
It took me FOREVER to unpack all that stuff. I also ended up rejigging my entire desk. Thanks to cgivisionary for a lovely day out :D Your girl looks adorable - we should do a photoshoot of our ladies together soon! I'd like to see her in her default costume too. I tried mine on my girl, and it looks pretty awesome.
My wallet is sobbing. I'll provide a video of all the other damage tomorrow.
On April 09 2011 13:51 VManOfMana wrote: If you already get figures, amiami carries Bluray preorders.
Yeah, they are unfortunately sold out of what I wanted so I was trying to find alternatives
CDJapan seems fairly expensive ($440 USD not including shipping for Lucky Star Blu-rays). Maybe this is normal because its the LE - I really don't know.
I'm still tempted <_< Just means I have to miss out on new figures for a month or so.
@NeverGG You're welcome. And, thank you, too. Yeah, she is an adorable little cutie. LOL That sounds good. But, I won't use the default costume until I get the body stocking. I don't want the dark colors from her skirt to transfer to her skin.
CDJapan sells close to retail; Japanese DVDs and Blurays are just that expensive. 38,000 yen sounds pretty good for a Bluray box. Just for comparison, Lucky Star was originally released on 11 DVDs at 7000 yen each, and the Kara no Kyoukai Bluray box MSRP was 52,500.
Amazon has the box at 29,300. That more than makes up for the shipping price.
Alright, I think I'll stop worrying about it and buy it then.
I was surprised to find Amazon's shipping rates to Australia quite reasonable (only 2000 yen). I think I'll be doing a lot more shopping at Amazon.co.jp since it seems a lot more friendly to foreigners now than it was a few years ago the last time I tried.
The photos look so cute XD I showed her to a few of my friends, and their first comment is always about her glorious rack lol. I'm just going to link to my photo shoot from Children's Grand Park today since I'm too lazy to re-upload them;
It was so nice to get such good feedback from the people walking past. I had so many saying how pretty she was, taking their own photos and showing her to their kids lol. A little girl even ran up and asked me how much she was lol.
On April 10 2011 17:41 VManOfMana wrote: Oh man, so NeverGG didn't make the jump from Nendofigma to scale figures, but all the way to BJDs?
Hardcore! XD
Hahaha, actually I've owned BJDs since I was in university. I got my first one in my second year of uni. I've got four of them back home in England, and this lady is here with me in Seoul;
On April 10 2011 17:41 VManOfMana wrote: Oh man, so NeverGG didn't make the jump from Nendofigma to scale figures, but all the way to BJDs?
Hardcore! XD
Hahaha, actually I've owned BJDs since I was in university. I got my first one in my second year of uni. I've got four of them back home in England, and this lady is here with me in Seoul;
On April 10 2011 17:41 VManOfMana wrote: Oh man, so NeverGG didn't make the jump from Nendofigma to scale figures, but all the way to BJDs?
Hardcore! XD
Hahaha, actually I've owned BJDs since I was in university. I got my first one in my second year of uni. I've got four of them back home in England, and this lady is here with me in Seoul;
I love her face so much, she's really quite beautiful.
Your new Dollfie is really nice too. I especially liked the long white boots she had on. Did they come with the outfit or did you have them already?
Great job as always with the photos.
Thanks, I posted the photoshoot as a new blog if you wanna go big me up over there ^_~ They were bought yesterday too (55,000won ;_;). They're for SD so they also fit my Miyu dollfie. The Dollfie Dream's default outfit is Mai from King of Fighters - it's lovely, as is her default wig, but it's a bit too revealing for an outdoor shoot during this weather - she'd probably get very dirty.
Nothing much happening today other than home stuff. I was folding laundry and doing the ironing while the kids were playing on the bed. I introduced Miu to Zlata last night and they seemed to like each other very much. Miu just did not to want to let go of Zlata. Below are just some snapshots of the kids playing. Nothing great, just some family snaps. That's all.
Who, you may ask, is "Zlata"? Well, she's one of many CGI dolls I play with and my first "real" mesume. I'm a CGI artist if you're wondering, too. She's featured in many of my short stories and images here:
You have to be a member to view the adult content, but the family rated content is unrestricted. Free to join, though. One of my kids at school made me the Zlata figure last year and I even tried to get a real rag doll of her made at one point. No luck. But, I would love to have her as a PVC figure, though.
On April 11 2011 07:25 fanta[Rn] wrote: I really like those CG figs : ) How long did each one of those take you?
Thank you.
The figures are store bought. I don't have the knowledge to make my own yet.
It's a long process, though! Each image takes anywhere from 8 to 12 hours to complete. The posing and set ups are a few hours and the rendering is around 3-4 hours depending on their complexity. The post work is another few hours. Here's an older workflow:
And, I've changed to an even newer workflow, but I've not optimized it yet at it's based on my Mac system. Let's just say that the new render engine can take up to 48 hours rendering for optimal results!!!
The reason for so much variability is due to the different programs I'm using and the computers they have to be used on. I'm trying to move 100% away from Windows based computers which I still cannot do it yet. Too many compromises are present no matter what system I use for CGI.
I had a read of some of your Deviant art blogs since 3D modeling is also something that interests me.
Is there a reason you are trying to move away from Windows? Apple has extremely good marketing to make you think it's the "creative" platform but the reality is it has pretty terrible support software wise.
I've used both OS X and Windows. I would choose Windows any day for 3d work. The performance on identical machines is miles ahead in Windows.
Also in your blog you say you are stuck on and old version of 3DS that pretty much requires XP. Have you tried Blender? It has a steep learning curve but it is extremely powerful once you get the hang of all the keyboard shortcuts. Windows 7 is also much more stable and quicker than Vista ever tried to be.
Sorry for derailing the thread a little - to keep things semi on track I just picked up the Super Posable Saber Nendoroid. I just had to have her after NeverGG's photoshoot
@vek - I replied to all your questions in the other thread btw. Good choice for your nendy - Saber's got some lovely details on her costume and her accessories. I also love her angry option face because it looks hilarious on the other nendys.
@cgivisionary - Awww, your girls look so cute together. I want a wig like Cookie's hair!
*Is still gloating over getting her photoshoot spotlighted over at figure.fm* I need to come up with a lovely concept for the next shoot now. I think I'm going to wait until I can buy my girl some new clothing first. I was thinking of going boystyle this time, and using that short red wig to create a totally different look. It's fun to test her versatility.
On April 11 2011 11:09 vek wrote: Congrats on the spotlight ^_^
I'll check out your reply now then it's off to the post office
Thanks :D I was secretly hoping it might get spotlighted, but I'm so happy it really did. *Hurrah for getting pressies.*
I forgot to mention that the lady at Volks told me they can pre-order items from Dengeki Hobby magazine for me. So I ended up checking their pre-orders board and ordering;
I'm going to use the 'Western' sets to make a mini mansion for my Ciel and Sebastian Nendoroids :D I've never even seen Basara, but it looks interesting and I want to photograph this nendy. I've gotten hooked on Oreimo, so the Kuroneko was a must have.
On April 11 2011 09:27 vek wrote: I had a read of some of your Deviant art blogs since 3D modeling is also something that interests me.
Is there a reason you are trying to move away from Windows? Apple has extremely good marketing to make you think it's the "creative" platform but the reality is it has pretty terrible support software wise.
I've used both OS X and Windows. I would choose Windows any day for 3d work. The performance on identical machines is miles ahead in Windows.
Also in your blog you say you are stuck on and old version of 3DS that pretty much requires XP. Have you tried Blender? It has a steep learning curve but it is extremely powerful once you get the hang of all the keyboard shortcuts. Windows 7 is also much more stable and quicker than Vista ever tried to be.
Sorry for derailing the thread a little - to keep things semi on track I just picked up the Super Posable Saber Nendoroid. I just had to have her after NeverGG's photoshoot
Cool!
I find OS X to be much more stable and much less resource intensive. It's such an efficient OS. Windows is way too buggy and inefficient for my liking. I can truly multitask on the Mac with a render running, that's not even doable on a Windows machine with a render running.
I don't buy into the hype. I base my decisions on my own personal experiences (normative, or not). To me, Mac's lag way behind Windows PC's for creative type software. Which is quite contrary to the hype. I've met many people who think Mac has the advantage here. But,Windows has the advantage here for sure. I know the computer market. It's been an interest of mine for years.
I don't have identical programs on both machines to tell which one is actually faster (both my machines have identical clock speeds and RAM). But, the Mac "looks/feels" slower because of the way they tweak their GUI. Now, I've tweaked Windows to the point of it being TOO FAST for the average user to even use!!! Menus and windows pop up too fast for most people to follow. I'm used to it now. I cannot do the same thing on my Mac, though, unfortunately. Don't know how.
I tried Vista (SUCKS-worst Win OS I've ever used) and Win7 (still looks/feels slooooow even though it is not). But, my old 3DS Max is only truly workable (and I know it barely runs in Vista-tried it) on WinXP. It's stable and works well. Plus, my Win machine is practically new. So, it should be around for quite a while. I've never tried Blender. But, I also need a platform that can use V-Ray as the render engine.
And, finally, the main reason for Mac is that it does everything I need in a computer except my 3D stuff. I wanted to travel light and, if it could do 3D, that would have been great. Great! But, as it is, I'm stuck with two machines.
Back to the figures: I almost picked up a Nendo Mio, Mugi and Yui along with the GSC 1/7 Saber (circa 2009) at Volks. Might do that Wednesday, tho!!!
On April 11 2011 10:44 NeverGG wrote: @vek - I replied to all your questions in the other thread btw. Good choice for your nendy - Saber's got some lovely details on her costume and her accessories. I also love her angry option face because it looks hilarious on the other nendys.
@cgivisionary - Awww, your girls look so cute together. I want a wig like Cookie's hair!
*Is still gloating over getting her photoshoot spotlighted over at figure.fm* I need to come up with a lovely concept for the next shoot now. I think I'm going to wait until I can buy my girl some new clothing first. I was thinking of going boystyle this time, and using that short red wig to create a totally different look. It's fun to test her versatility.
Thank you. This is my fave image of the together. They are sooo CUTE! LOL
On April 11 2011 11:09 vek wrote: Congrats on the spotlight ^_^
I'll check out your reply now then it's off to the post office
Thanks :D I was secretly hoping it might get spotlighted, but I'm so happy it really did. *Hurrah for getting pressies.*
I forgot to mention that the lady at Volks told me they can pre-order items from Dengeki Hobby magazine for me. So I ended up checking their pre-orders board and ordering;
I'm going to use the 'Western' sets to make a mini mansion for my Ciel and Sebastian Nendoroids :D I've never even seen Basara, but it looks interesting and I want to photograph this nendy. I've gotten hooked on Oreimo, so the Kuroneko was a must have.
Oh, I forgot about that. Oooooh! I better keep forgetting about that!
@VManOfMana: It's such a cute set though! You can pm them to me :D I need to get cracking on uploading my new photos plus other things this weekend. I've been so lazy this week.
I went to Dollmore (www.dollmore.com) yesterday. I got hopelessly lost (since I've not been there for two years, and I'd only been once.) It turns out they'd moved their office to somewhere vaguely close to their old office. I stumbled across it by pure chance whilst trying to get back to the station to go home. There was only 15 minutes left until they closed. Luckily, I'd written down all the items I needed so I just gave them to the helpful assistant who got them out of their stock room.
I also got 5% discount for shopping in person, plus a pin badge, tissue pack, postcard, sticker and something that looks like a dollfie-sized Indiana Jones style whip O.o IDEK.
Now I am poor. It's great to know that I can shop there in person, because even if they don't stock DD clothing there's plenty of lovely clothing for my luts girl. Also their wigs, stockings and shoes all fit my DD fine. It's *a lot* cheaper than Volks for clothing, wigs and shoes :D I'll do a direct shopping tutorial sometime soon with photos.
On April 13 2011 11:15 NeverGG wrote: @VManOfMana: It's such a cute set though! You can pm them to me :D I need to get cracking on uploading my new photos plus other things this weekend. I've been so lazy this week.
I went to Dollmore (www.dollmore.com) yesterday. I got hopelessly lost (since I've not been there for two years, and I'd only been once.) It turns out they'd moved their office to somewhere vaguely close to their old office. I stumbled across it by pure chance whilst trying to get back to the station to go home. There was only 15 minutes left until they closed. Luckily, I'd written down all the items I needed so I just gave them to the helpful assistant who got them out of their stock room.
I also got 5% discount for shopping in person, plus a pin badge, tissue pack, postcard, sticker and something that looks like a dollfie-sized Indiana Jones style whip O.o IDEK.
Now I am poor. It's great to know that I can shop there in person, because even if they don't stock DD clothing there's plenty of lovely clothing for my luts girl. Also their wigs, stockings and shoes all fit my DD fine. It's *a lot* cheaper than Volks for clothing, wigs and shoes :D I'll do a direct shopping tutorial sometime soon with photos.
On April 13 2011 11:15 NeverGG wrote: @VManOfMana: It's such a cute set though! You can pm them to me :D I need to get cracking on uploading my new photos plus other things this weekend. I've been so lazy this week.
I went to Dollmore (www.dollmore.com) yesterday. I got hopelessly lost (since I've not been there for two years, and I'd only been once.) It turns out they'd moved their office to somewhere vaguely close to their old office. I stumbled across it by pure chance whilst trying to get back to the station to go home. There was only 15 minutes left until they closed. Luckily, I'd written down all the items I needed so I just gave them to the helpful assistant who got them out of their stock room.
I also got 5% discount for shopping in person, plus a pin badge, tissue pack, postcard, sticker and something that looks like a dollfie-sized Indiana Jones style whip O.o IDEK.
Now I am poor. It's great to know that I can shop there in person, because even if they don't stock DD clothing there's plenty of lovely clothing for my luts girl. Also their wigs, stockings and shoes all fit my DD fine. It's *a lot* cheaper than Volks for clothing, wigs and shoes :D I'll do a direct shopping tutorial sometime soon with photos.
On April 13 2011 11:15 NeverGG wrote: @VManOfMana: It's such a cute set though! You can pm them to me :D I need to get cracking on uploading my new photos plus other things this weekend. I've been so lazy this week.
I went to Dollmore (www.dollmore.com) yesterday. I got hopelessly lost (since I've not been there for two years, and I'd only been once.) It turns out they'd moved their office to somewhere vaguely close to their old office. I stumbled across it by pure chance whilst trying to get back to the station to go home. There was only 15 minutes left until they closed. Luckily, I'd written down all the items I needed so I just gave them to the helpful assistant who got them out of their stock room.
I also got 5% discount for shopping in person, plus a pin badge, tissue pack, postcard, sticker and something that looks like a dollfie-sized Indiana Jones style whip O.o IDEK.
Now I am poor. It's great to know that I can shop there in person, because even if they don't stock DD clothing there's plenty of lovely clothing for my luts girl. Also their wigs, stockings and shoes all fit my DD fine. It's *a lot* cheaper than Volks for clothing, wigs and shoes :D I'll do a direct shopping tutorial sometime soon with photos.
I'll add this to Figure Maniacs as soon as I've double-checked the map is correct.
Basic Dollmore Guide:
What is Dollmore's shop like?
It's basically a tiny reception room with a computer for browsing their site, a card machine and a sofa with a table that you wait at whilst your order is processed. The rest of the office is a stock room containing their products for you to buy. This is for staff only, but the staff will bring out the items you'd like so you can check their quality/if they're what you want before you buy them.
What do I need to shop at Dollmore?
1) Preferably a pre-written list of items you want to buy using the format detailed below. 2) Korean won or a Korean bank card. 3) Knowledge of Korean language helps since staff don't generally speak English at the shop itself.
How to get to Dollmore:
I need to double-check this map, but it's essentially correct.
1) Go to Bangi Station exit 3 (방이역3번출구) 2) Follow the map using the SLP (English school) and 요요욛몬테소리 (A kindergarten) as your landmarks. The left-hand side turning you take to get onto the road where Dollmore is is opposite a Show cellphone store.
How to order:
1) Take a pre-written list following this format to their office and give it to the assistant;
*Item name (must be exactly as it's displayed on the site.) * Item number. (not as important as the name.) * Quantities you want for each item (aka. x2 etc.)
2) Your order will be brought out to you and you can ask the assistant 'Ulma-eyeo?' They will use the computer in the waiting room to calculate the price for you.
3) You can pay in cash or by card. You get a 5% discount for shopping in person at the store. (You may also get some freebies sometimes.)
4) You can also use their computer to check the site if you want to buy more items whilst you are there :D
On April 13 2011 15:20 cgivisionary wrote: Awesome! Thanks NeverGG!
It's definitely worth it. I was actually so impressed with the quality of the items I bought yesterday - especially the wig. It's so much softer than my Luts and Volks wigs. It's great that you can inspect the items before you buy them instead of having to order online.
My list for ordering from them over the next couple of months looks like this;
May Order:
1) SD French Ribbon boots (black.) 26,000원 2) SD FX uniform pants set (black.) 48,000원 3) SD mode pink dot set. 23,000원 4) SD Trim girl set. 20,000원 5) 8-9 Long cut straight wig (gray.) 31,000원 6) 8-9 Bang straight wig (black.) 26,000원 7) SD lace knee stockings SJ(S) LA022. 4,000원 8) SD Lacy girl knee stocking (black.) 3,000원 9) SD long solid stockings (black.) 5,000원 10) 26 inch Light carriage bag (beige) 22,000원
June Order:
1) SD French ribbon boots (white.) 26,000원 2) SD FX uniform skirt set (black.) 48,000원 3) SD Timid Maid set. 58,000원 4) SD Where are you going Alice? set. 49,000원 5) SD Berry long hood (white) 10,000원 6) 8-9 Sinuosity wig (D.brown) 25,000원 7) 8-9 Bangs and straight (blonde) 27,000원 8) SD flower panties pink. 3,000원
I was looking at their sight today as well and it looks like some of the SD clothing might fit DDdy. The loose looking shirts for sure. Though their pants look like they are made for really skinny bottom girls. Might not fit my baby. :/
On April 13 2011 19:27 cgivisionary wrote: I was looking at their sight today as well and it looks like some of the SD clothing might fit DDdy. The loose looking shirts for sure. Though their pants look like they are made for really skinny bottom girls. Might not fit my baby. :/
LOL
I we manage to get money for our stuff on Saturday we could always pop in before or after we go to Yeoido for the photo shoot. It depends upon what happens at Yongsan and how long we stay there for because I don't want to lose the light.
Dollmore shuts at 6:30pm, but it's a rather long subway ride from Yeoido. I pulled out my Nikon and lens, and also found a cell battery for my video camera that's not compatible, so I'm going to try and sell all those since they're only taking up space.
P.S. I got our tickets for Comic World :D If we get the doll bags before then I might take my DD or Luts girl with us. I want to take my little Kirino nendoroid since she'd fit in so well with her accessories.
On April 13 2011 19:27 cgivisionary wrote: I was looking at their sight today as well and it looks like some of the SD clothing might fit DDdy. The loose looking shirts for sure. Though their pants look like they are made for really skinny bottom girls. Might not fit my baby. :/
LOL
I we manage to get money for our stuff on Saturday we could always pop in before or after we go to Yeoido for the photo shoot. It depends upon what happens at Yongsan and how long we stay there for because I don't want to lose the light.
Dollmore shuts at 6:30pm, but it's a rather long subway ride from Yeoido. I pulled out my Nikon and lens, and also found a cell battery for my video camera that's not compatible, so I'm going to try and sell all those since they're only taking up space.
P.S. I got our tickets for Comic World :D If we get the doll bags before then I might take my DD or Luts girl with us. I want to take my little Kirino nendoroid since she'd fit in so well with her accessories.
Alright. Let's play it by ear and see how it goes. I'm sure we can get most things done on Saturday. I really need a doll bag above other things, though. Although, a tripod bag works as well according to Danny Choo. Dunno. I like the straps in the real bag, though.
I dunno if I will take my girl to Comic World. I'm too over protective of her!
On April 14 2011 08:22 cgivisionary wrote: Alright. Let's play it by ear and see how it goes. I'm sure we can get most things done on Saturday. I really need a doll bag above other things, though. Although, a tripod bag works as well according to Danny Choo. Dunno. I like the straps in the real bag, though.
I dunno if I will take my girl to Comic World. I'm too over protective of her!
No problem. I think it'd work, but the doll ones are probably cheaper and it's easier for us to just go to Dollmore ^_^ I've taken my dolls out to loads of places back in the UK (I went to quite a few dollfie meets.) It's probably safer here than there since they're less likely to get stolen lol.
I'm planning to attempt to travel light with just my doll bag, camera and then my Kuroshitsuji tote for any potential purchases. Knowing me this will not work out.
BTW Comic World opens at 11am and I'd like to be there when it opens. I'm not far away from the station 학여울역 exit 1, but I'm not sure how early you want to arrive?
On April 14 2011 08:22 cgivisionary wrote: Alright. Let's play it by ear and see how it goes. I'm sure we can get most things done on Saturday. I really need a doll bag above other things, though. Although, a tripod bag works as well according to Danny Choo. Dunno. I like the straps in the real bag, though.
I dunno if I will take my girl to Comic World. I'm too over protective of her!
No problem. I think it'd work, but the doll ones are probably cheaper and it's easier for us to just go to Dollmore ^_^ I've taken my dolls out to loads of places back in the UK (I went to quite a few dollfie meets.) It's probably safer here than there since they're less likely to get stolen lol.
I'm planning to attempt to travel light with just my doll bag, camera and then my Kuroshitsuji tote for any potential purchases. Knowing me this will not work out.
BTW Comic World opens at 11am and I'd like to be there when it opens. I'm not far away from the station 학여울역 exit 1, but I'm not sure how early you want to arrive?
On April 14 2011 08:22 cgivisionary wrote: Alright. Let's play it by ear and see how it goes. I'm sure we can get most things done on Saturday. I really need a doll bag above other things, though. Although, a tripod bag works as well according to Danny Choo. Dunno. I like the straps in the real bag, though.
I dunno if I will take my girl to Comic World. I'm too over protective of her!
No problem. I think it'd work, but the doll ones are probably cheaper and it's easier for us to just go to Dollmore ^_^ I've taken my dolls out to loads of places back in the UK (I went to quite a few dollfie meets.) It's probably safer here than there since they're less likely to get stolen lol.
I'm planning to attempt to travel light with just my doll bag, camera and then my Kuroshitsuji tote for any potential purchases. Knowing me this will not work out.
BTW Comic World opens at 11am and I'd like to be there when it opens. I'm not far away from the station 학여울역 exit 1, but I'm not sure how early you want to arrive?
Yep, but we only have a ticket for one day. We can go to Hongdae on Saturday if you want to get two tickets for the Sunday as well. I'll meet you outside exit 1 at 11 then? ^_^
On April 14 2011 08:22 cgivisionary wrote: Alright. Let's play it by ear and see how it goes. I'm sure we can get most things done on Saturday. I really need a doll bag above other things, though. Although, a tripod bag works as well according to Danny Choo. Dunno. I like the straps in the real bag, though.
I dunno if I will take my girl to Comic World. I'm too over protective of her!
No problem. I think it'd work, but the doll ones are probably cheaper and it's easier for us to just go to Dollmore ^_^ I've taken my dolls out to loads of places back in the UK (I went to quite a few dollfie meets.) It's probably safer here than there since they're less likely to get stolen lol.
I'm planning to attempt to travel light with just my doll bag, camera and then my Kuroshitsuji tote for any potential purchases. Knowing me this will not work out.
BTW Comic World opens at 11am and I'd like to be there when it opens. I'm not far away from the station 학여울역 exit 1, but I'm not sure how early you want to arrive?
Yep, but we only have a ticket for one day. We can go to Hongdae on Saturday if you want to get two tickets for the Sunday as well. I'll meet you outside exit 1 at 11 then? ^_^
I won't be able to do two days in a row. I need some time to do laundry and ironing and to get some sleep. We can go to Hongdae at the end of the day if you want.
Let's meet at Yongsan in front of Baskin Robbins at 12 noon as originally planned.
On April 14 2011 08:22 cgivisionary wrote: Alright. Let's play it by ear and see how it goes. I'm sure we can get most things done on Saturday. I really need a doll bag above other things, though. Although, a tripod bag works as well according to Danny Choo. Dunno. I like the straps in the real bag, though.
I dunno if I will take my girl to Comic World. I'm too over protective of her!
No problem. I think it'd work, but the doll ones are probably cheaper and it's easier for us to just go to Dollmore ^_^ I've taken my dolls out to loads of places back in the UK (I went to quite a few dollfie meets.) It's probably safer here than there since they're less likely to get stolen lol.
I'm planning to attempt to travel light with just my doll bag, camera and then my Kuroshitsuji tote for any potential purchases. Knowing me this will not work out.
BTW Comic World opens at 11am and I'd like to be there when it opens. I'm not far away from the station 학여울역 exit 1, but I'm not sure how early you want to arrive?
Yep, but we only have a ticket for one day. We can go to Hongdae on Saturday if you want to get two tickets for the Sunday as well. I'll meet you outside exit 1 at 11 then? ^_^
I won't be able to do two days in a row. I need some time to do laundry and ironing and to get some sleep. We can go to Hongdae at the end of the day if you want.
Let's meet at Yongsan in front of Baskin Robbins at 12noon as originally planned.
Oh yep I meant meet outside of 학여울역 on the day of Comic World :D No problem, I might pick up a ticket for myself if I get money from selling my camera/lens on Saturday then ^^
On April 14 2011 08:22 cgivisionary wrote: Alright. Let's play it by ear and see how it goes. I'm sure we can get most things done on Saturday. I really need a doll bag above other things, though. Although, a tripod bag works as well according to Danny Choo. Dunno. I like the straps in the real bag, though.
I dunno if I will take my girl to Comic World. I'm too over protective of her!
No problem. I think it'd work, but the doll ones are probably cheaper and it's easier for us to just go to Dollmore ^_^ I've taken my dolls out to loads of places back in the UK (I went to quite a few dollfie meets.) It's probably safer here than there since they're less likely to get stolen lol.
I'm planning to attempt to travel light with just my doll bag, camera and then my Kuroshitsuji tote for any potential purchases. Knowing me this will not work out.
BTW Comic World opens at 11am and I'd like to be there when it opens. I'm not far away from the station 학여울역 exit 1, but I'm not sure how early you want to arrive?
Yep, but we only have a ticket for one day. We can go to Hongdae on Saturday if you want to get two tickets for the Sunday as well. I'll meet you outside exit 1 at 11 then? ^_^
I won't be able to do two days in a row. I need some time to do laundry and ironing and to get some sleep. We can go to Hongdae at the end of the day if you want.
Let's meet at Yongsan in front of Baskin Robbins at 12 noon as originally planned.
Oh yep I meant meet outside of 학여울역 on the day of Comic World :D No problem, I might pick up a ticket for myself if I get money from selling my camera/lens on Saturday then ^^
I was wondering if anyone here collects Gunpla, or any other mecha models? I've been collecting Gunpla for about 2 years now. Heres a picture of my entire collect: + Show Spoiler +
I'm running out of room lol
A complete list of my models and figures: Gundam SEED: 1/100 MG Freedom Gundam 1/100 MG Aile Strike Gundam 1/144 HG Akatsuki Owashi Gundam 1/100 No Grade Strike Freedom Gundam 1/144 No Grade BuCUE Super Deformed Launcher Strike Gundam mini-thing
UC Gundam: 1/144 HG 30th Anniversary Gundam (RX-78-2, aka original Gundam) 1/144 HG Zaku II 1/144 HG Kshatriya
G Gundam: 1/100 MG God Gundam
Turn A Gundam: 1/100 MG Turn A Gundam
Gundam 00: 1/144 HG Graham Flag Custom 1/144 HG Tieren Ground Type 1/144 HG Exia Avalanche
Gundam X: 1/100 HG Double-X Gundam
Macross: 1/72 VF-25F Messiah VF-1S Valkyrie
Super Robot Wars: 1/144 Fairlion S 1/144 Alteisen No Scale Dygenguar
I have a certain super-secret Revoltech that is currently on order, but it hasn't gotten here yet.
I do have a few figures, but I just don't get the same enjoyment out of them that I do with my Gunpla. Not only do I just generally like the designs of my mecha, its the construction that goes into them that makes it worth it. Starting from scratch, having to panel line them, slowly putting them together, and little by little seeing your model take its shape just puts it over my figures.
I imagine alot of people here don't know much about the specifics of Gunpla, so I'll explain a bit about them, if anyone is interested: + Show Spoiler +
Gunpla themselves are nice enough to actually have different classifications for their models. Like if you look at my list, you see I'm able to list their scale and grade. 1/144 are the standard "smaller" types. I have lots of those, and they generally run around $25-$30, at least for Gunlpa. 1/100 are GENERALLY the "larger" types (not counting an even larger scale of model that I haven't attempted yet). 1/100 Gunpla can run around $50 or more, depending on how rare it is. Almost all Models at least tell you the scale of the model, other than special cases. Special cases are normally Super Robot models. Like for example, my Dygenguar Model is roughly the size of a 1/100 Gunpla (its the one with the huge sword). If my Dygenguar were 1/100 scale, my other 1/100 models would come up to my Dygenguar's knee.
Beyond the scale, there is the grade, which normally exclusive to Gunpla. HG is High Grade, and MG is Master Grade. I don't have any here, but there are PF grade Gunpla as well, or Perfect Grade (pretty much the highest grade). At the very bottom, there is the "No Grade". No Grades are a piece of shit, and I highly recommend avoiding them. They break easy, look worse, and in general have much shittier articulation which can make posing a bitch. HG Models are alright, but there is a pretty wide range of the "quality" of HG kits, IMO. Like my 30th Anniversary Gundam is an excellent HG model, while on the other hand, my HG Akatsuki isn't on that level.
If you want to get into building Gunpla, I suggest starting with HG models.
MG, or Master Grade, is just like it sounds. Its for people experienced with models, as they are bigger (always 1/100), have more parts, and more details than HG. The trade off is that MGs are extremely nice models. I have 4 MGs, and they are all quality models. They look great, have great posibility, and just in general are very nice kits.
Outside of Gunpla (which are exclusively Gundam Plastic Models), there really aren't any grades. My SRW and Macross kits didn't have HG or MG grades on them. Most non-Gunpla models are generally around HG quality, but sometimes getting close to MG but not quiet. My VF-25 visually is around MG, however articulation keeps the kit from that quality.
Your collection looks great Sentenal. I've always been interested in the Gundam model kits but I haven't picked one up yet - mostly because I was worried about how difficult they would be to complete. Thanks to your post I understand a bit more about them so I might try a HG one day.
My focus is still figures because I like them the best but I do like some of the Gundam and other models too. I get especially tempted by silly things like this:
Gunpla is one of those things that I am sure would be into if I was more into Gundam and had talent for handcrafts. Unfortunately, I really lack at the latter ^^;;
@Sentenal: I'm only into collecting/making human or humanoid model kits/figures. However, I can see the appeal of Gunpla to those who enjoy model kitting like myself. Most of the stock in the Hobby Square stores here is Gunpla, and there's even a shop called Hobby Plada solely devoted to Gunplas.
I saw those decaled jets - the designs on them are so cute <3
Just click on the manufacturer banner (center of home page just down from the top about 1/2 way down the screen) and they will list everything they have for them either in stock, or out of stock (blinking red gif in Korean).
I'm not familiar enough with figures yet to know this particular one or who makes it. Maybe NeverGG can give some input here.
Yeah, the store displays are awesome here. Sensory overload!
@cgivisionary: I'm a bad influence on you ^_~ I'm so excited to go to Nonno21's sale on Saturday. I've still got $200 left, so hopefully there will be some cute items. Toel Uru is apparently bringing some DD items and figures to sell.
I'm linking to my latest photoshoot since the photos are massive;
On April 18 2011 07:46 cgivisionary wrote: I'm not sure. Check their website: www.nonno21.com
Just click on the manufacturer banner (center of home page just down from the top about 1/2 way down the screen) and they will list everything they have for them either in stock, or out of stock (blinking red gif in Korean).
I'm not familiar enough with figures yet to know this particular one or who makes it. Maybe NeverGG can give some input here.
Yeah, the store displays are awesome here. Sensory overload!
I'll be there this upcoming Saturday. I'll ask them for you. If they have it, I'll pick her up for you. I dunno about postage to the USA, though. But, my experience is that it is not too expensive including the packaging they sell at the P.O. You can pay me via PayPal as that's the only thing I can accept.
On April 18 2011 10:48 NeverGG wrote: @cgivisionary: I'm a bad influence on you ^_~ I'm so excited to go to Nonno21's sale on Saturday. I've still got $200 left, so hopefully there will be some cute items. Toel Uru is apparently bringing some DD items and figures to sell.
I'm linking to my latest photoshoot since the photos are massive;
On April 18 2011 12:41 cgivisionary wrote: I'll be there this upcoming Saturday. I'll ask them for you. If they have it, I'll pick her up for you. I dunno about postage to the USA, though. But, my experience is that it is not too expensive including the packaging they sell at the P.O. You can pay me via PayPal as that's the only thing I can accept.
@VManOfMana: I got quite a lot of people stopping and staring (which was a tad annoying tbh.) but I did get some compliments. It wasn't as vocal as last time though, possibly because I was walking round really quickly scouting locations (and most of those locations were in a hedge.) I didn't get any negative reactions though ^^.
Hmmmmmm! A package arrived for me at my school today! I wonder what it could be? Mwhahahahahaha!!!
Update: I'll have some pix of the "package" later tonight. Was too busy and late having dinner out to post last night. Just my luck to have to be out when something interesting arrives on the same day.* Mwhahahahaha!!!
*The mark of a true Otaku; I want to be with my cute "little ones" more than I want to be with "regular" people! LOL
I was out shopping for doll clothes today with NeverGG and the place that we went to just happened to be closed, yet again! This is the second attempt at buying things at this place and the second time they closed on a Saturday without warning; well, except for a hand written sign on their door once you get there. But, that's too late! The trip there is over two hours if I went straight from home. Luckily, I usually plan other stops in the day.
Fate has decreed that I'm not supposed to shop at his place! If you are wondering what the place is, it's www.Dollmore.net. If you want to go there on a weekend, better phone them first. I don't know if I want to try them again after this.
Anyways, feeling a bit let down and disappointed, We ended up at this supposed Japanese style restaurant for a late lunch. I was waiting for my food to arrive when two little visitors arrived and started to eye my side dish of pink pickles.
They slowly approach from the both directions as if trying to use some misdirection to their advantage.
Eventually they converge in the middle and just eye the pink pickles.
One of them makes a grab for it! Well, that was the end of the pink pickles!
@fanta[Rn]: I'm sorry, I totally suck. I'll try and get a total for you next time we go to Kukje.
@Cgivisionary: It was really annoying to find them closed *again.* It's not really good business practice upon their part since you'd have to go there to find out they weren't open -_- I think next time we should definitely call ahead and I'll learn to ask in Korean if they're open lol.
The girls look so adorable <3 I think maybe Azunyan is a bit of a glutton. The pickles are way too big for her! Here are the lazily edited photos of my haul minus the DD wig;
Toel_uru from Figure.fm gave me this as a present;
45,000won reduced to 40,000won;
Luka puchi playing with Tako Luka plush (a gift from the lovely Vek.) She was non-blind boxed from Nonno21's display case for 9,000won;
Normal Azunyan puchi non-blind boxed from a stall holder for 7,000won;
One of the Fate/Stay night puchis from the same stall holder for 6,000won;
Angel Beats puchi from Nonno21's display case for 8,000won;
Bargainous Shana from the same vendor I got the first Nendy from for 45,000won. She was 95,000won in Nonno21 secondhand!;
This is an artist's rendition of my expression whenever I'm at Kukje;
Thanks to Cgivisionary for loaning me the money until Friday for this haul :D
Pretty lame that dollmore was closed without notice again
Also I'm fairly sure I make that face every time there is a parcel delivered. The same delivery guy made 2 deliveries to my house in one day last week. Figues in the morning and then some DVDs and Blu-Rays in the afternoon.
When he was leaving the second time he just went "I'll see you tomorrow", I had to laugh
Man this thread needs some gundam lol Its completely dominated by nendoroids! Tried collecting nendoroids a while back but i just couldn't see how the quality justified the price.
I mainly collect SD(Super Deformed) Gundams and some vinyl toys(bearbricks, domo qees, some other random junk that interests my eye)
I collect alot of limited edition sd gundams and vintage sd gundams(1980s)
Heres my shelf of what i am able to display!
And heres what i don't have room to display (Unbuilt, built but no room, etc)
Heres my vinyl collections
DOMO KUN
I got more but i don't want to look in my closet. I'm afraid of spiders.
Quick question to you guys... Do you guys tend to hide some or all of your figures when you have friends over? And what do you guys use to display your figs? Are there any cheap shelfs you guys know of? I got my shelf and wall shelf from the trash can lol.
On April 24 2011 11:35 cgivisionary wrote: @NeverGG: You're most welcome. Anytime, assuming I didn't spend it myself already!
I think I'll go to Dolpa today!
Have fun at Dolpa! I just finished the second to last MG Figurerise Kamen Rider W model kit this afternoon. It was even easier the fourth time around (since the others in the series follow almost identical build models.) Now I just have to buy the Luna/Trigger, build it and I'm all finished!
@NokCha: I think that's because there's only a small pool of us posting and none of us like Gundams or Gunpla ^_^; I'm primarily a nendoroid collector, so I don't tend to post about anything except for Goodsmile products, dollfies and the odd random model kit.
As for the price/quality - some of the rares are definitely over-priced for what they are, but in general I find the quality of nendys to be fine. Sometimes you get a duff paint-job on the puchis though, and I dislike the non-arm type stands since they're not always stable.
I'm getting more of my nendys and puchis secondhand now due to Nonno21's flea market, so that saves some money too :D
That's a huge collection O.O I wish I had so much space to display them. Ah, I kind of want a furry green Domo-kun for myself now.
Do you guys tend to hide some or all of your figures when you have friends over?
~ Not at all, it's a case of take my hobbies or leave them. Plus my collection is so big, and my room so small that taking everything down just to hide it from someone would be too much of a pain in the arse!
What do you guys use to display your figs? Are there any cheap shelfs you guys know of?
~ I've bought some cheap ($2) plastic kitchen draining boards which make decent enough stands for holding my various figures. They do usually need to have a piece of card fitted over the top to stop items falling through though.
I'd prefer to have all my figures in plastic display cases, but it's been really hard to find the specific type I want without having to fork over money to bootleggers in Myeongdong for fake figure sets just to get the case. I've found some Tamiya ones (usually used for displaying military vehicle model kits.) which I'm planning to mod (by adding steps) in a couple of months to house all my puchis. They'd work for any of the smaller figures :D You can even buy little turntable circular domed ones which would fit puchis!
I think for shelving your best bet is to either cheap out local hardware stores for suitable wall mounted/bookshelf options or to go on ebay for plastic box type units. It depends upon how much you like dusting!
ahh icic i've been hunting for some display cases but those things are not cheap at all I think i stopped collecting nendoroids when too many people on ebay were selling fake ones with super poor quality.
I have yet to embrace my hobby proudly(only the gundam side) haha my friends don't mind modern vinyl toys but they view my gundams as children's toys.
If your really interested in the grass domo(it may look furry but it feels like rough grass haha) theres a 7 inch version of it online :D
On April 24 2011 13:56 NokCha wrote: ahh icic i've been hunting for some display cases but those things are not cheap at all I think i stopped collecting nendoroids when too many people on ebay were selling fake ones with super poor quality.
I have yet to embrace my hobby proudly(only the gundam side) haha my friends don't mind modern vinyl toys but they view my gundams as children's toys.
If your really interested in the grass domo(it may look furry but it feels like rough grass haha) theres a 7 inch version of it online :D
I'm tired of dusting theres just too much crap to dust.
They're so useful though. I have one for my Nanoha puchi set and it means no dusting except for a quick wipe down of the box itself :D
I noticed the fakes trade here too, but it seems more focused upon keychains and phonestraps than fake full sets. There're only two places I've seen so far (Myeongdong and one stall in Kukje.) that sell solely fake figures. The quality is horrible D: That's the advantage of being able to shop in person ^_^
Not to sound harsh or anything, but who gives a stuff what your friends think? If they're real friends then they won't judge you for your personal hobbies. So, I think it's better to just collect what makes you happy.
That case you linked to is the exact type I have. It's great, very sturdy too. I just wish I could find then here with those tiers without having to buy fake figures :/ I'm going to keep looking this month and then possibly just buy the Tamiya boxes for modding later on. Sadly (possibly luckily) I can't shop online here using my only bank card (a korean card.) I can only shop using domestic online shops which allow you to wire money.
On April 24 2011 11:35 cgivisionary wrote: @NeverGG: You're most welcome. Anytime, assuming I didn't spend it myself already!
I think I'll go to Dolpa today!
Have fun at Dolpa! I just finished the second to last MG Figurerise Kamen Rider W model kit this afternoon. It was even easier the fourth time around (since the others in the series follow almost identical build models.) Now I just have to buy the Luna/Trigger, build it and I'm all finished!
Wow looks pretty good for a straight build. Shame its no 1/12 though otherwise you could get a tamiya bike and put them together heheh
On April 24 2011 13:23 NokCha wrote: Man this thread needs some gundam lol Its completely dominated by nendoroids! Tried collecting nendoroids a while back but i just couldn't see how the quality justified the price.
I mainly collect SD(Super Deformed) Gundams and some vinyl toys(bearbricks, domo qees, some other random junk that interests my eye)
I collect alot of limited edition sd gundams and vintage sd gundams(1980s)
I got more but i don't want to look in my closet. I'm afraid of spiders.
Quick question to you guys... Do you guys tend to hide some or all of your figures when you have friends over? And what do you guys use to display your figs? Are there any cheap shelfs you guys know of? I got my shelf and wall shelf from the trash can lol.
On April 24 2011 11:35 cgivisionary wrote: @NeverGG: You're most welcome. Anytime, assuming I didn't spend it myself already!
I think I'll go to Dolpa today!
Have fun at Dolpa! I just finished the second to last MG Figurerise Kamen Rider W model kit this afternoon. It was even easier the fourth time around (since the others in the series follow almost identical build models.) Now I just have to buy the Luna/Trigger, build it and I'm all finished!
Thanks. I never made it to Dolpa. It starts at 5pm and I was already home by 4pm. In and out very quickly. Although, one of the girls did show me a dress from Dolpa that was very nice, but very expensive. Already spent a fortune there, but don't seem to have much to show for it.
@Cgivisionary - that's a shame :S Maybe we can go to one of the others. Although, I doubt I'll buy anything. As much as I like Volks now that I can go to Dollmore for most of my items (and possibly this Doll Fair Toel_uru mentioned.) then I'm less willing to pay their prices.
It's handy to be able to go there for actual dollfies though, and cheap figures/nendo pre-orders etc :D
On April 25 2011 12:06 NeverGG wrote: @Cgivisionary - that's a shame :S Maybe we can go to one of the others. Although, I doubt I'll buy anything. As much as I like Volks now that I can go to Dollmore for most of my items (and possibly this Doll Fair Toel_uru mentioned.) then I'm less willing to pay their prices.
It's handy to be able to go there for actual dollfies though, and cheap figures/nendo pre-orders etc :D
Well, I won't go to Dollmore until I live in Seoul. It's way too far for me. I still have a few more things to pick up at Volks on Saturday and then that's it for me for quite a while. I need to curb my spending until after moving.
The products you ordered are all in stock. Your order will be shipped upon confirming your payment.
------------------------------------------------------------------- (In-stock)GUILTY GEAR XX ΛCORE 1/8 Dizzy Complete Figure -------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm beyond excited for this figure. I really love it when preorders finally come into stock after months of waiting. Here she is for anyone not familar with Alter's latest work:
On April 24 2011 13:23 NokCha wrote: Man this thread needs some gundam lol Its completely dominated by nendoroids! Tried collecting nendoroids a while back but i just couldn't see how the quality justified the price.
I mainly collect SD(Super Deformed) Gundams and some vinyl toys(bearbricks, domo qees, some other random junk that interests my eye)
I collect alot of limited edition sd gundams and vintage sd gundams(1980s)
I got more but i don't want to look in my closet. I'm afraid of spiders.
Quick question to you guys... Do you guys tend to hide some or all of your figures when you have friends over? And what do you guys use to display your figs? Are there any cheap shelfs you guys know of? I got my shelf and wall shelf from the trash can lol.
Only SD? Not hardcore enough!
Haha I get nagged on by other gundam builders for focusing on SD. Most gundam builders don't even consider SD as a proper line :3
Iono i guess i like things in their miniature versions.
@NeverGG yea i definitely agree with you! I really need to just not care at all haha
Oh yea another question for everyone. Do you guys keep the boxes that your figures come in? Or do you throw it away or do something creative with them?
On April 24 2011 13:23 NokCha wrote: Man this thread needs some gundam lol Its completely dominated by nendoroids! Tried collecting nendoroids a while back but i just couldn't see how the quality justified the price.
I mainly collect SD(Super Deformed) Gundams and some vinyl toys(bearbricks, domo qees, some other random junk that interests my eye)
I collect alot of limited edition sd gundams and vintage sd gundams(1980s)
I got more but i don't want to look in my closet. I'm afraid of spiders.
Quick question to you guys... Do you guys tend to hide some or all of your figures when you have friends over? And what do you guys use to display your figs? Are there any cheap shelfs you guys know of? I got my shelf and wall shelf from the trash can lol.
Only SD? Not hardcore enough!
Haha I get nagged on by other gundam builders for focusing on SD. Most gundam builders don't even consider SD as a proper line :3
Iono i guess i like things in their miniature versions.
@NeverGG yea i definitely agree with you! I really need to just not care at all haha
Oh yea another question for everyone. Do you guys keep the boxes that your figures come in? Or do you throw it away or do something creative with them?
I originally kept all my boxes but once my collection got to a certain size it was impossible to keep them all. I throw out all figma and nendoroid boxes as soon as I unpack them now. I keep the parts in clear plastic containers (thanks to NeverGG for this idea).
I still keep the boxes for some of my scale figures - especially if they come with lots of alternative parts, drama CDs, doujins or art books etc. I did make a backdrop out of one of my Lucky Star figure boxes but so far I haven't used it for anything interesting.
I still have all my figures in boxes. But, my collection is very small right now. That may change when I get more. This is especially hard for me as I have to haul them all the way across the world whenever I move, or change jobs! Maybe I should not have started this hobby!
~ Do you guys keep the boxes that your figures come in? Or do you throw it away or do something creative with them?
I literally don't have the space to keep the boxes. The only one I've kept is my Dollfie Dream box for Mai. I sent the Black Rock Shooter Bluray box home since it was so pretty. I tend to have a longish train journey home after shopping So, I'll unpack my nendy and figma boxes, and then throw them out as soon as I reach the station. The little bags the figma come with are so handy for storage. I keep all my spares of those folded into one bag.
As for spare parts - I have a plastic box with a lid containing several highly organized mini boxes with sections. They're split into categories like 'nendoroid heads', 'figma props' etc. I am a super nerd with too much time on her hands.
The products you ordered are all in stock. Your order will be shipped upon confirming your payment.
------------------------------------------------------------------- (In-stock)GUILTY GEAR XX ΛCORE 1/8 Dizzy Complete Figure -------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm beyond excited for this figure. I really love it when preorders finally come into stock after months of waiting. Here she is for anyone not familar with Alter's latest work:
Shipping wasn't too bad at all. Only 2880 yen for registered EMS. It might be a little more to ship to the US though - I'm not sure. Would have been much less if I used SAL instead but I always use EMS for scale figures because the boxes tend to arrive in better condition.
Was much cheaper than the shipping I ended up paying for Hanzo which was FedEx from the US. That Ended up being around $75 USD I think.
On April 25 2011 21:58 fanta[Rn] wrote: i paid 12760 JPY total for her, can't wait to finally get her. I think this one will double its value in no time (similar to Saber Lily)
Yeah I'm almost regretting not preordering 2 haha.
Well FedEx is as expensive as you can go. When Amazon.jp switched to FedEx Express and canceled DHL Economy I almost stopped ordering books; its just not cost efficient.
As of boxes; I have them all. My collection is mostly boxed since I still don't have the shelving setup in the new apartment, but that's my next project after the home theater. Unfortunately, six years of collectibles take a lot of space, so I have a storage unit ^^;; Mist probably will keep them all, since I don't know where I'll be five years from now.
On April 25 2011 21:58 fanta[Rn] wrote: i paid 12760 JPY total for her, can't wait to finally get her. I think this one will double its value in no time (similar to Saber Lily)
Yeah I'm almost regretting not preordering 2 haha.
I was thinking the same but getting two is just so expensive Even if this doubles up soon lol
Any clue where I can get plastic displays? I'm getting sick of the dust issue
I custom order them. See if you can find an acrylic shop on the yellow pages (business directory, etc) . They might be more expensive, but you get the right dimensions and better materials.
I wasn't sure before, but now I am after seeing this review. I've seen her here at one of the stores I go to somewhere along the way before already. I don't recall where or when, though. Maybe. Or could it be my mind is playing tricks on me!. Dunno. I didn't want to get her because she scares me!
The writer will upload a review of Alter Natsume Takashi soon. The figure is amazingly detailed. I helped out in the photoshoot and it was very fun! Can't wait to see the photos.
Yeah it's the 2.0 version. I decided I liked the ":D" face (for lack of a better description) better than the 1.0 version. I am planning to get the rest of the Alter Hyakka Ryouran girls eventually but I am still way over my figure budget from last month - they will have to wait a little while.
I'll look forward to the Natsume Takashi review. I love Alter's figures so much heheh.
The 1.0 version is pretty great too so you still did well.
I don't have too much coming in April/May (that I remember...) June is the killer for me. It's so big I have money saved away for it already. Mostly caused by the 1/4 Freeing Lucky Star figures... I preordered them all hohoho.
On April 29 2011 16:07 fanta[Rn] wrote: Ma Dizzy is already in Vienna, I'm expecting her today~~
I was hoping I would get mine today too but unfortunately my package is awaiting inspection by the customs commissioner. Seems to only happen randomly but it always adds on a couple of days to delivery T_T
Apr 29 8:30 Awaiting presentation to customs commissioner MELBOURNE D AUSTRALIA
Annoying when it happens but not much you can do about random inspections
I only get that message very occasionally, most of the time my packages go straight through customs and to the courier almost as soon as they arrive in the country. I think packages only get thouroughly inspected here if they suspect the value is wrong or the contents have been mislabeled.
I forget the normal message but its something like "arrival at customs" then "dispatch from inbound office" or something.
Sucks you have to pay tax too. There is a push by greedy retailers for imported goods under $1000 AUD to be taxed here at the moment (currently isn't). There is severe opposition from consumers because retail is such a massive ripoff at the moment and many people have turned to the internet. Our dollar is strong but we aren't seeing any savings locally.
On May 03 2011 01:15 fanta[Rn] wrote: Got Dizzy today, had to pay 33€ to customs... fuck yes austria So bizzare, they're even taking the shipment fee into calculation...
Wow! Sounds like Canada Customs to me. I HATE those bloodsuckers! One of the reasons I left.
Anyways, nice figure. Do those ghosts/demons detach from the figure? Can she be displayed without them? Or will there be a "hole" in her back somewhere if they are not attached?
On May 03 2011 10:22 VManOfMana wrote: Holes in the back, from her shoulder blades. The character has a white and a black wing, which transform into the characters.
You can pose her without the wings, but they are a pretty integral part of the character's design.
Ah! Ok. Thanks. She is cute, but those "wings" scare me!
Well, she is half-human, half-Gear (monster), so the innocent + scary look is the intended effect. I guess it did work out =)
The best way to explain it is in the game itself.
In-game fight:
The footage is from the highest-level tournament in Japan, so it may be a bit hard to follow. Still you can see how her wings transform to attack. Undine (blue, pink in the fight) usually does ranged/zoning attacks, while necro (black, orange in the fight) does melee attacks.
I've been browsing Mandarake, as I do every day, and found two gems that I ordered: Tsuraya-san! Finally. got her for 3000 yen and decided to go for SAL this time. I don't feel like paying 40€ for shipping + customs again. I hope SAL makes it through.
Well, it was just another day of figure shopping today. And, here are the cuties for today above. As you can see, the cuties consist of a "normal" figure and a few Nendoroids. I was also very lucky today as NonNo21's website listed Sengoku Nadeko as being sold out. I really wanted her after reading a recent review of her. She's such a sweet little cutie.
Unfortunately, I also went a bit overboard with all my shopping the past few weekends and have now already spent July's (What!) budget for figures and Dollfie stuff, etc. So, what else is new? Anyways, there won't be anything new posted until August at the earliest. If there is, though, you can have me committed!
Plus, I have now exceeded the maximum capacity of my figure storage box and am wondering how I am going to move everything when the time comes to move. I guess I will need another box by that time. Although, the trip back to Canada one day will be very expensive with all the boxes of stuff. And, of course, any trip back to another country to work will also be very expensive yet again as I have no place to store any of my things back in Canada. How did I get myself into such a mess! I guess it's called LIFE!
I need to stay away from NonNo21 and Volks.
For the rest of the pix, please see my blog post here (text is the same ,tho):
Well, it was just another day of figure shopping today. And, here are the cuties for today above. As you can see, the cuties consist of a "normal" figure and a few Nendoroids. I was also very lucky today as NonNo21's website listed Sengoku Nadeko as being sold out. I really wanted her after reading a recent review of her. She's such a sweet little cutie.
Unfortunately, I also went a bit overboard with all my shopping the past few weekends and have now already spent July's (What!) budget for figures and Dollfie stuff, etc. So, what else is new? Anyways, there won't be anything new posted until August at the earliest. If there is, though, you can have me committed!
Plus, I have now exceeded the maximum capacity of my figure storage box and am wondering how I am going to move everything when the time comes to move. I guess I will need another box by that time. Although, the trip back to Canada one day will be very expensive with all the boxes of stuff. And, of course, any trip back to another country to work will also be very expensive yet again as I have no place to store any of my things back in Canada. How did I get myself into such a mess! I guess it's called LIFE!
I need to stay away from NonNo21 and Volks.
For the rest of the pix, please see my blog post here (text is the same ,tho):
Congrats on getting Nadeko. She's a really nice figure.
I finally got my Dizzy today, it's funny because Sanada arrived before her in the end (Sanada came last Friday). Unfortunately work is really busy at the moment. I really want to take some photos but it will have to wait until the weekend I think.
At least I'm working from Melbourne again so I get to visit the Korean grocery store :D
This weekend was the bimonthly Comic World expo and cosplay convention in Seoul. This event is held every two months in Seoul and every month in Busan. I went yesterday, along with NeverGG, to see what it was all about. It's was even ongoing today.
Based upon a blog post I had read earlier, I was not really expecting much. I thought it would be a pretty low key affair; quite empty with only a few vendors and very little attendance. Man, was I wrong about that! Hundreds of vendors and wall to wall people greeted us; a virtual sea all day long. And, we were there from opening till almost closing time.
Above are just a small sample of the pix of the goings on and of some of the vendors that I liked, that I liked! There were just as many that did not appeal enough to me to take their pix. You will notice ALL my pix are shot looking up. If I shot straight on, all you would see would be the backs of peoples' heads. It was that packed all day long without any breaks in the traffic. To say that this event is popular is an understatement. Think packed subway train at rush hour; at times you literally could not move it was so packed.
And, there's something for everyone here. Most of the merchandise was fan art, original art, manga, anime, graphic novels, keychains, pens, bags, little knick knacks, etc. No figures or dolls, although a few vendors I saw did bring their dollfies to help with the sales.
Outside, and in other parts of the venue, were all the cosplayers dressed VERY well and looking GREAT. I did not have the opportunity to take their pix because my hands were full by that time with a certain someone's, who shall remain nameless at this point, stuff. LOL
Man... Was browsing through a popular vinyl toy forum and saw this guy's house.. I was so jelly i vomited. His house is in the Philippines and it only cost him $70,000 -_- WARNING THIS IS EXTREMELY PIC HEAVY. OPEN AT OWN RISK + Show Spoiler +
On May 16 2011 21:50 vek wrote: Wow.. Comic World looks like a great time. I also didn't expect it to be that big so I'm impressed. I wish I could have gone too ^_^
Great pictures, I enjoyed looking through all of them on figure.fm
Yeah, it was. Another sensory overload type of place. Neither did I. It was a surprise for me, too. Next time!
Thanks. That was only about half the vendors, too. I only shot the stuff that personally appealed to me. Biased journalism, I know! LOL
On May 17 2011 02:21 NokCha wrote: Man... Was browsing through a popular vinyl toy forum and saw this guy's house.. I was so jelly i vomited. His house is in the Philippines and it only cost him $70,000 -_- WARNING THIS IS EXTREMELY PIC HEAVY. OPEN AT OWN RISK + Show Spoiler +
Nice place! Although, if it were mine, the types of figures would differ somewhat. LOL
Regardless of the type of figure, I really, really like the minimalism of the whole place.
cgvisionary, I'll post pictures of the figure you send me sometime this week, promise ^^;; Been pretty busy lately; in fact, my whole April shipment is still unopened T_T
On May 17 2011 15:23 VManOfMana wrote:Been pretty busy lately; in fact, my whole April shipment is still unopened T_T
I know how you feel... tonight is the first night in ages I'll be getting home from work before 8pm. I might finally be able to unpack some boxes when I get home
On May 17 2011 15:23 VManOfMana wrote: Regardless of the type of figure, I really, really like the minimalism of the whole place.
cgvisionary, I'll post pictures of the figure you send me sometime this week, promise ^^;; Been pretty busy lately; in fact, my whole April shipment is still unopened T_T
This is true. That's what I like about the place, too.
Nonno21 just announced a photo contest! http://www.nonno21.com/shop/board/view.php?&id=new&no=821 I've got nothing to lose by entering, so if you guys could do me a favour would you pick out the 2 photos from my nendoroid based stuff to enter with. I have no idea which ones are the nicest!
'I did not have the opportunity to take their pix because my hands were full by that time with a certain someone's, who shall remain nameless at this point, stuff. LOL.'
*Whistles innocently.* Thanks for putting up with my psychotic road-rage when it came to finding Kuroshitsuji/Vocaloid/Oreimo and BRS merchandise to buy >.> It was such a great day.
On May 18 2011 09:51 NeverGG wrote: Nonno21 just announced a photo contest! http://www.nonno21.com/shop/board/view.php?&id=new&no=821 I've got nothing to lose by entering, so if you guys could do me a favour would you pick out the 2 photos from my nendoroid based stuff to enter with. I have no idea which ones are the nicest!
'I did not have the opportunity to take their pix because my hands were full by that time with a certain someone's, who shall remain nameless at this point, stuff. LOL.'
*Whistles innocently.* Thanks for putting up with my psychotic road-rage when it came to finding Kuroshitsuji/Vocaloid/Oreimo and BRS merchandise to buy >.> It was such a great day.
I finally got to have a quick look to my April haul :D
I had to wait until after Golden Week to get my package shipped, so it was delayed quite a bite. Perfect timing, though, as I went to the mail office to pick my package there was a little bonus as well!
Huge box too ^^;;
So here they are. On top we have Nendoroid Kuroneko (one is for a friend), Nendoroid Haru-chan, Nendoroid Black Gold Saw, Nendoroid Kyon, and figma Senjouhagara Hitagi. On bottom we have Alter Kazari Uiharu, Alter Dizzy, GSC Shuraki series Char Rhousemann, GSC Death Master animation ver., and Alter Yuri from Angel Beats.
Dizzy and Death Master are just amazing. Dizzy is easily a top candidate for figure of the year, and reinforces why I consider Alter to be the top dog in scale figures. I am a fan of the Black Rock Shooter franchise, but I think that Death Master is the character with the better figures. There is just something about her stare. Uiharu and Yuri are nice extras to the shipment. I did not intend to order Uiharu, but the cuteness got to me when she got re-released, plus Saten is coming in the May package. As a fan of Key's and GSC's works, Yuri was an easy pick.
Last but not least, Char Rhousemann.
Picture by cgvisionary.
She is the third release of the Shuraki series, a multimedia project launched by Good Smile Company in collaboration with RED entertainment. This is similar to Alter's Hyakka Ryorian and Megahouse Queen's Blade, where you get figures released together with drama CDs, light novels, and other merchandize.
Back then, I didn't care much for the series. Everything changed when the fourth release, Needa, was announced, which is arguably the best executed Shunya Yamashita figure. After getting Needa, I tried to complete the series, but Char was never re-released. She has been available in auctions, but not always the best deal.
When cgvisionary and NeverGG posted pictures of Nonno21's store, I saw Char was in one of the pictures. cgvisionary answered my call for help, and thanks to him, three years after Char's release, I am finally able to complete my Shuraki collection.
On May 18 2011 13:11 VManOfMana wrote: I finally got to have a quick look to my April haul :D
I had to wait until after Golden Week to get my package shipped, so it was delayed quite a bite. Perfect timing, though, as I went to the mail office to pick my package there was a little bonus as well!
Huge box too ^^;;
So here they are. On top we have Nendoroid Kuroneko (one is for a friend), Nendoroid Haru-chan, Nendoroid Black Gold Saw, Nendoroid Kyon, and figma Senjouhagara Hitagi. On bottom we have Alter Kazari Uiharu, Alter Dizzy, GSC Shuraki series Char Rhousemann, GSC Death Master animation ver., and Alter Yuri from Angel Beats.
Dizzy and Death Master are just amazing. Dizzy is easily a top candidate for figure of the year, and reinforces why I consider Alter to be the top dog in scale figures. I am a fan of the Black Rock Shooter franchise, but I think that Death Master is the character with the better figures. There is just something about her stare. Uiharu and Yuri are nice extras to the shipment. I did not intend to order Uiharu, but the cuteness got to me when she got re-released, plus Saten is coming in the May package. As a fan of Key's and GSC's works, Yuri was an easy pick.
Last but not least, Char Rhousemann.
Picture by cgvisionary.
She is the third release of the Shuraki series, a multimedia project launched by Good Smile Company in collaboration with RED entertainment. This is similar to Alter's Hyakka Ryorian and Megahouse Queen's Blade, where you get figures released together with drama CDs, light novels, and other merchandize.
Back then, I didn't care much for the series. Everything changed when the fourth release, Needa, was announced, which is arguably the best executed Shunya Yamashita figure. After getting Needa, I tried to complete the series, but Char was never re-released. She has been available in auctions, but not always the best deal.
When cgvisionary and NeverGG posted pictures of Nonno21's store, I saw Char was in one of the pictures. cgvisionary answered my call for help, and thanks to him, three years after Char's release, I am finally able to complete my Shuraki collection.
Once again, thank you very much! :D
You're welcome. Glad she arrived in good shape from such a long ways away. Nice haul altogether!
I want Yuri, too! I had her in my hand at the NonNo21 store, but got Sengoku Kanade instead as she was higher up on my list and harder to find.
I honestly felt some claustrophobia watching that. Can you even stretch without knocking down 30 things? Amazing.
Everyone says this (and it gets a bit annoying tbh), but they don't consider the positives of living in a small room -
~ Much cheaper rent (it's all inclusive too and I get free rice, filtered water, laundry machines, laundry powder, all utilities, fridge in my room, and wireless internet ^_^) I can afford to spend about $100 on luxuries even before I get paid my real wages! ~ Way less cleaning. (Hoovering takes precisely 3 minutes.) ~ It keeps me from hoarding too much stuff before I send boxes home. ~ We're actually not allowed visitors (except for other girls until 10pm) which I prefer. I want a haven just to myself.
I'd hate to live in a big apartment - too much cleaning and I find my place to be really cozy. I'm glad I live in one of the only rooms in our place with a window and shower room/sink/toilet included though. The windowless-rooms are a bit prison-cellish and way too hot.
I have no issues whatsoever with knocking things over since all my items are on shelves, or my desk, and I'm not much of a twirler lol. I only find it's a problem if I'm dusting since most of the nendoroid stands are rubbish at actually keeping them stood up. I wish all nendoroids came with 'arm' stands like Super Movable Edition Saber does -_-;
Yeah I love the arm stands, they are so much more sturdy and you can pull off much crazier poses (which I am all for). Luka and my Ragnarok Bishop have both flopped over on separate occasions due to cleaning. It can be annoying when they start a chain reaction lol.
Even though some people think your room is small I think it's great. It gives you exactly what you need and has enough room for all your stuff. What more do you need? ^^
I've only knocked over one of my figures from "twirling" during a vigorous DDR session (aka tripping on the mat) but I did more damage to myself than Motorcycle Rei (the wall saved her, thanks wall) so everything was fine.
On May 18 2011 14:46 vek wrote: Yeah I love the arm stands, they are so much more sturdy and you can pull off much crazier poses (which I am all for). Luka and my Ragnarok Bishop have both flopped over on separate occasions due to cleaning. It can be annoying when they start a chain reaction lol.
Even though some people think your room is small I think it's great. It gives you exactly what you need and has enough room for all your stuff. What more do you need? ^^
I've only knocked over one of my figures from "twirling" during a vigorous DDR session (aka tripping on the mat) but I did more damage to myself than Motorcycle Rei (the wall saved her, thanks wall) so everything was fine.
I wish I had a bit more display room, but I'd rather pay less rent ^_^ God, those chain reactions are the worst with puchis. I've floored whole shelves because of certain ones *eyes a certain Kagamine sister warily.*
Well, it's been a month, more or less, since my new mesumes entered my life. And, they are just a delight to have around. Miu-Chan (right) arrived April 9 and Mai-Chan (left) arrived April 20. They get along very well and love each others company.
Miu is the more emotional of the two and is easily scared, or frightened. She does not like change at all and worries a bit too much about too many things. But, she is easy to cheer up and a few words of encouragement from me usually sets her mind at ease. She responds well to a lot of love and affection. Don't we all? LOL Anyways, she's such a sweetie when she is happy and carefree. When I gave Miu a laminated cutout of my 3D "Zlata" character that one of my students made for me last year, she treats it like her very own real little rag dolly and is never happy without Zlata in her arms. I love Miu to death.
Mai is more strong willed than her older sister and, at first, I worried that she would take advantage of Miu's more gentle nature. But, my worries were for naught. She treats her sister very nicely and Miu is happy to be with her when I am at work, or out somewhere. Although, sometimes Mai can get a bit cross a bit too easily at something she does not quite like at first, she calms down rather quickly and all is well with her. Mai's usually quite calm and peaceful through most events that might drive Miu to become a bit too emotional. Mai came with a real little rag dolly of her own on her trip to our home and is very happy to hold and play with her all the time. She's not as worried about it if I have to take her rag dolly away for whatever reason. I love Mai to death, too.
Anyways, the above photo shows the girls with some ice cream cones I bought for them last weekend. They seem to enjoy them very much. I try not to give them too many treats of junk food as we all know where that eventually leads. LOL Miu is also holding a camera that we received as a gift from Auntie NeverGG, too. It flashes and makes a shutter sound when you press the shutter release. It's so cute.
Unfortunately, I've not really gotten around much to take any good pix of the girls yet. My place kinda sucks for home scenery and I no longer have the pro camera gear I used to have for better interior shots with proper lighting and such. But, I'm happy with simple family snaps of my girls for now. For me, it's the memory of the moment that counts.
I hope you have enjoyed this little glimpse of the life of my cuties thus far. And, they are expecting another very tiny little sister soon, too!
Bandai Saint Seiya Cloth Myth EX: redesign of the Cloth Myth series. The figures are slender, a lot more poseable, and a lot closer to the looks of the Saint Seiya Hades Chapter anime. I don't know if you know about Saint Seiya, but in Latin America, it was *THE* show to watch. I was trying to get the 12 Gold Saints in the previous Cloth Myth EX, but these are so much better. I am so getting these.
On May 22 2011 14:35 VManOfMana wrote: HobbyStock reports:
Bandai Saint Seiya Cloth Myth EX: redesign of the Cloth Myth series. The figures are slender, a lot more poseable, and a lot closer to the looks of the Saint Seiya Hades Chapter anime. I don't know if you know about Saint Seiya, but in Latin America, it was *THE* show to watch. I was trying to get the 12 Gold Saints in the previous Cloth Myth EX, but these are so much better. I am so getting these.
@Cgivisionary: Congrats on your new girls :D I'd love Ricchan, but I made a personal promise not to spend over $70 on any figures. I love them and all, but it's pricey even for me. *Pines for the Azone Kirino.* Moko is adorable! I love her cute little ringlets :D I hope you'll bring her to the Doll Market on the 29th so she can meet Mi Young. (And possibly Ciel if I can find a decent way to bring him without messing up his hair!)
I saw some cute stuffed animals on the weekend at a store on Sunday. I looked at them for the longest time. But, just left afterwards without buying any. They were on my mind all day long yesterday. So, after work, I went back to the store and got one for each of my girls. They are teeny tiny little things. But, so is one of my girls!
Moko had a really hard time holding hers. The thing was too heavy for her to hug close to her; she would just keel over with the weight. I wasn't going to give it to her because of that. But, she seemed kinda sad at not getting hers even though she understood why. So, I eventually figured out a way for her to hold it without her falling over. You can see she's happy now.
The last pic is where my girls sit when I'm on the computer. They keep me company. Moko takes turns on each of her sisters' laps throughout the day. She's on Miu's lap presently. She'll run over to Mai's lap when she feels like it. She's so funny that way.
On May 24 2011 20:49 Skilledblob wrote: I think it's cool when ppeople have a hobby that they can indulge in and I got a figurine myself but man cgivisionary you scare me a bit
@fanta[Rn]: I'm so sorry about forgetting the puchis. Can you give me your list again and I'll get you the prices on the 31st? Also, nice haul.
@Skilledblob: It's just a bit of fun. I've met cgivisionary in person several times now and can vouch that he's a normal bloke. He even puts up with my hyperactive shopping habits!
Been collecting alot of Dunnys lately :3 Got the relish one for a real good deal($75)
Does anyone collect marvel big heads? lol they sell them in those little quarter machines for a dollar each. They just released series 2. I finally collected them all at my local pizza place.
Today was the 41st DollFree Market in Seoul. Like the Comic World Expo a few weeks ago, it was a very busy event. Held in Seoul (at the "aT Center", a few minutes bus ride - four stops actually - away from Yangjae subway station) and Busan every three months, this is the show for doll lovers of all descriptions. While not as crazy busy as Comic World, it was very well attended and no one would complain about the attendance. Let's just say you cannot see what is on the exhibitor tables as there were too many people blocking the view most of the time.
It's pretty well as good as you can imagine. Mostly private vendors selling home made clothing, shoes, accessories and the like for dolls of all popular shapes and sizes. Pricing is very good and nowhere near what you would pay on-line with the big names. Some of the vendors have their own on-line and/or brick and mortar businesses based in Korea.
Doll collecting is very popular here it seems. While I saw very few anime styled dolls, Dollfie Dream by Volks to be more specific, there were plenty of Super Dollfies and their brethren; ie., the more "realistic" looking dolls vs the anime styled ones that I like. I did see a few anime styled dolls, but they were far and few in between. A lot of the visitors brought their dolls with them and were carrying them around while shopping. There were no public areas where one could display your own doll, though. But, I did see a small area where owners gathered on the floor with their dolls and mingled with others. It's not as good as some other doll shows where there are actual visitor tables and chairs for doll owners and their dolls to mingle.
Anyways, I liked the show very much. I look forward to the next one, although I will most likely miss it depending on the month as I will be in Canada visiting family and friends at that time (August/September - according to previous show listings). I will make the December show for sure, though. Gotta save up those big bucks for that one!
Note: The pix only show a very small portion of the show. A lot of the vendors did not allow photography of their tables. A lot of the pix are of specifically set up areas where vendors where exhibiting their dolls for photos. I did not bother to shoot any overall scenes of the hall; backs of peoples heads hovering around tables are not all that interesting to me!
I took my littlest girl, Moko, with me to the 41st DollFree Market on Sunday in Seoul. She seemed not to mind the two plus hours it took us to get there, not to mention the same amount of time on the way back, too. I had searched high and low for a suitable carrier for her the previous week just so that she would be comfortable and safe while traveling. There was nothing suitable anywhere to be found. So, instead I bought some things and made one myself. It seemed to do the job fine.
As I wandered around the show for a few hours, Moko became somewhat restless and wanted to get out for some fresh air and to look around a bit. She had not been out in the real world before. This was her first time. Well, besides where she was born in Japan and then the long circuitous route to her new home with me and my other girls. I don't think she has ever been out before. But, one never knows. And, she's not saying.
Anyways, I went outside the show hall and looked for a nice place for us to sit quietly and undisturbed for a bit. Downstairs was way too crowded. I went up to the second floor. It was way too hot as the building is glass enclosed and there did not seem to be enough AC to keep things cool up there. Plus, there was another show going on. I picked up a cold drink from the vending machine and headed back downstairs. It was really packed down there. A lot of the other doll show visitors where there with their dolls resting, etc., too. I finally found a quiet spot next to the escalator. I drank my cold drink and ate the cookie I had bought earlier in the day. Moko was not hungry or thirsty, though.
Moko just sat next to me for awhile as I rested. And, then decided to walk around and take in the surroundings. She was a bit unsteady at first. Unsure of her first steps, she was hesitant in going very far. Eventually she relaxed enough to do a bit of modeling for my camera. Then, she decided that she had had enough and wanted to be picked up and carried again. I think the large crowds of people kinda scared her a bit.
When I went to the 41st DollFree Market on Sunday in Seoul. I basically went there to buy Moko some new clothes and stuff. She didn't have much to wear before. My other big girls have lots of clothes and stuff by now. So, I really didn't go to get them much this time around. Next time I will, though.
Anyways, I picked up quite a few new outfits for Moko and she seemed to like what I got for her. She tried on a few things when we got home and settled on a cute little hoodie and leggings for lounging around at home. I also gave her that soft squishy little rabbit I had bought for her a few days ago, too. She seems to like it a lot. It's more her size. LOL
She's so cute! I want to meet her now >.< I'm half hoping the Azone Kirino is sold out again when I go back to Nonno21 on Friday 10th or she might just fall out of the cupboard and into my purchases >.>
On May 31 2011 11:18 NeverGG wrote: She's so cute! I want to meet her now >.< I'm half hoping the Azone Kirino is sold out again when I go back to Nonno21 on Friday 10th or she might just fall out of the cupboard and into my purchases >.>
Awww! (giggles)
Kirino is less expensive at Mandarake new. They have a few right now. Even the one with the open mouth smile is in stock. They had the black haired smile one, too. But, it's now gone.
The mail carrier person brought me another girl today. WooHoo! I got her brand new from one of the members at figure.fm. She ordered two of them by mistake. The internet is a dangerous place!
This is Azusa Nakano, better known as Azu-nyan. She completes my collection of Nendoroid type K-On! figures. I also have the full K-On! set in Figma already. So, it's on to the next figure type series for K-On!
Hahaha Moko you glutton!! I added a couple of new sisters to my own collection tonight, but they're a secret until Saturday. (The awesome thing was that I got them in perfect condition secondhand and cheap from Nonno21.) I also got a free chibi Mio (K-On!!) phone-strap as service.
On June 01 2011 22:05 NeverGG wrote: Hahaha Moko you glutton!! I added a couple of new sisters to my own collection tonight, but they're a secret until Saturday. (The awesome thing was that I got them in perfect condition secondhand and cheap from Nonno21.) I also got a free chibi Mio (K-On!!) phone-strap as service.
Moko looks in your direction and sticks her tongue out at you!
Congrats! Kirino? DM? Can't wait to see who you got.
On June 01 2011 22:05 NeverGG wrote: Hahaha Moko you glutton!! I added a couple of new sisters to my own collection tonight, but they're a secret until Saturday. (The awesome thing was that I got them in perfect condition secondhand and cheap from Nonno21.) I also got a free chibi Mio (K-On!!) phone-strap as service.
Moko looks in your direction and sticks her tongue out at you!
Congrats! Kirino? DM? Can't wait to see who you got.
I couldn't afford Kirino, but I put a hold on her until payday :D It was kind of inevitable. Actually, I ended up getting two completely unexpected nendoroids ^_^ There was more that I wanted, but I had to stick to my budget. Oh, and Nonno21 got the type of case I need for my puchis! I hope it's still there a week on Friday.
On June 01 2011 22:05 NeverGG wrote: Hahaha Moko you glutton!! I added a couple of new sisters to my own collection tonight, but they're a secret until Saturday. (The awesome thing was that I got them in perfect condition secondhand and cheap from Nonno21.) I also got a free chibi Mio (K-On!!) phone-strap as service.
Moko looks in your direction and sticks her tongue out at you!
Congrats! Kirino? DM? Can't wait to see who you got.
I couldn't afford Kirino, but I put a hold on her until payday :D It was kind of inevitable. Actually, I ended up getting two completely unexpected nendoroids ^_^ There was more that I wanted, but I had to stick to my budget. Oh, and Nonno21 got the type of case I need for my puchis! I hope it's still there a week on Friday.
Kirino is expensive at NonNo21. She's only Y10,000 new at Mandarake + shipping (about Y1400?). I can order her for you if you want.
There are now soooo many Nendo's that I want that I cannot get afford them all! LOL Plus, moving will be a problem in September. The friend I was going to leave my stuff with is also going home after her contract expires.
On June 14 2011 21:35 NeverGG wrote: @Cgi: Thank you so much for the photos of my cuties XD They look adorable, and thank you again for Azunyan. She really made my week :D
A friend of mine posted a blog entry asking for input on running a Japanese figures panel in anime convention. Things like what topics you'd be interested on, panel format, visual aids, etc.
This being the figure maniacs thread, I think your input would be useful. Also, his blog is a very good read on anime in general, I think you'll find it interesting.
A friend of mine posted a blog entry asking for input on running a Japanese figures panel in anime convention. Things like what topics you'd be interested on, panel format, visual aids, etc.
This being the figure maniacs thread, I think your input would be useful. Also, his blog is a very good read on anime in general, I think you'll find it interesting.
I think it'd be really interesting to see some part of a panel that covered how to identify fake figures, as well as the culture surrounding production of these fakes. As for visual aids - well examples of a range of figures would be a nice start (scale, nendoroid, gashapons, related items like plushes.)
Also maybe an informative, visually appealing PPT (even just some kind of artistic background if a projector and computers aren't available.) Anything to stimulate people's senses. Other topics which would interest me personally would be;
~ Studies of the different demographics of figure collectors, their personal motivations, and why figure collecting holds such an appeal to certain people. ~ How figures are designed and made. Things like Mikatan's factory tour posts would be great to give people an insight into how figures are produced. ~ Ways in which the figure maniacing community can expand and attract new buyers/fans.
If it's an anime con then it's more likely to be popular if he focuses on the relationship between currently popular series/characters and their figure-based merchandise. It needs to be accessible without being patronizing, and to offer something to both newbies and veteran collectors. Also if there's time/a budget then maybe some kind of in-built competition would be nice. Especially, if it required a level of creativity such as people designing their own figures or coming up with a name for an existing figure.
I have been trying to collect a few series of Puchi Nendoroids for the past few months now. And, unlike the Bakemanogatari sets of last weekend, they come in blind-boxed versions only. Collecting them all is not the easiest thing to do. I pick one up now and then when I'm at NonNo21 to see if I can eventually get the complete set. So, when I saw the complete set of each series that I was collecting on Mandarake, for essentially the same price as they would be individually anyways, I jumped on them.
Each set comes with about eleven and/or twelve figures, depending on the series, along with a "special" surprise character. Now, I ended up with a few duplicates of some of the characters. But, that's ok. They're so cute that they will be most loved non-the-less.
I still have one more series to finish collecting; Saber's "Fate/stay night" series! That series will be extremely difficult as she is exceedingly popular with collectors. I've not seen her complete series ever yet at Mandarake.
Here are some photos of my new nendoroids (and some nom-worthy Chinese food.) from COEX mall on Saturday :D Thank you to cgivisionary for the photos and helping me to buy Kaito! Yume was only 33,000won since I got her secondhand from Nonno21 :D
Well, the unexpected happened yet again. I found the last of the series that I was collecting; the Fate/stay night Puchi Nendoroids. These were the impossible to find ones that I mentioned a few posts ago. They arrived today on, yet, another rainy day. They're so cute, even inside their little plastic bags.
That basically finishes me off for the time being. For the long time being. I need to take stock of my finances and recoup my losses for a while. There's only one more outstanding thing, and that's already in the works. Beyond that is nothing. And, that's the way it needs to stay for quite a long while. The move is coming up quickly and the new job is nowhere in sight yet. Stay tuned!
Today was another figure related flea market at Kukje Electronics Center, home of NonNo21. Of course, I went to it. Maybe I shouldn't have! LOL At least she was 45% less expensive than the NonNo21 store price. Anyways, here's Miku Hatsune!
I'd love to haave this figma but on the same side it would be tough to place it openly in my room T_T
I've not even seen the series yet, but I love her design so I pre-ordered her figma and nendoroid (along with about a million other nendoroids :/) from Volks Korea ^_^;
In other good news myself and Cgi picked up our Comic World 103 tickets. I'm so excited - although I'll be on my lonesome for the Sunday - which means I'll probably focus on taking photos instead of buying things.
Wanted to ask your permission on using your photos and referring to your posts on a presentaion. I'll be hosting the Japanese Figures and Collecting panel in Anime Expo and Otakon this year. These are the two biggest anime events in America.
It would be great if I can use your material. They are very good examples how the size of the figure is not important to enjoy the hobby.
On June 28 2011 15:43 VManOfMana wrote: NeverGG, CGVisionary,
Wanted to ask your permission on using your photos and referring to your posts on a presentaion. I'll be hosting the Japanese Figures and Collecting panel in Anime Expo and Otakon this year. These are the two biggest anime events in America.
It would be great if I can use your material. They are very good examples how the size of the figure is not important to enjoy the hobby.
Please let me know =)
XD Sure! Good luck with the presentations ^_^ If you need any additional information then please feel free to ask ^_^
On June 28 2011 15:43 VManOfMana wrote: NeverGG, CGVisionary,
Wanted to ask your permission on using your photos and referring to your posts on a presentaion. I'll be hosting the Japanese Figures and Collecting panel in Anime Expo and Otakon this year. These are the two biggest anime events in America.
It would be great if I can use your material. They are very good examples how the size of the figure is not important to enjoy the hobby.
Please let me know =)
Sure. No problem. Feel free to use them in the presentation. Like NeverGG already said; any questions, just ask. Enjoy the Expo!
Just a quick note to say that both myself and Cgivisionary placed in the Top 10 for Nonno's first photo contest. The prizes still haven't been announced (as in who will get the top prizes etc.) but it's great to even make it this far :D
It'd definitely be nice to win something :D Another little update - I came across this checklist for Nendoroids on figure.fm and filled it in for myself http://i52.tinypic.com/15gys68.png
Of course, her photo should have won first prize IMHO! It is the best creatively, photographically and technically.
Thanks ^_^ I was miffed not to place higher, or win one of the good prizes. However, the $10 off meant I could buy another plastic case for my puchis for only $20 ^_^ Anything to get around having to dust them! I just need one more now, and then all of my puchis will be boxed ^_^
I don't really feel my stuff warrants its own thread as this one seems close enough so perhaps I'll post some here.
I'm not much of a photographer though so you'll have to forgive my lack of... anything remotely amazing. Also these are a little different than most posted so far.
This hydra cost about $15... and $50 to ship from the US to Canada. Yay! I was lucky to find it at all.
I pulled this guy out and made an effort to dust him off just for this thread. I was lucky to get this as a gift whereas I could find it nowhere else. My shaky hands make photography difficult. Also, cat hair is hard to remove.
I've got a considerably larger dragon from one of the final fantasy games but it's so huge I literally don't have any room for it in my room, not even the box. I'll try to get a shot of it sometime. When I was still buying these I had ordered a Bahamut Sin, but Canada Post managed to lose the bloody thing and the shipper had no others. Oh well...
I have quite a few smaller ones but none immediately accessible.
Last weekend on Saturday I picked up a couple of pre-ordered figures from Volks. They can pre-order practically any newly released and/or about to be released new figures from Japan. And, at prices significantly better than other places like NonNo21, etc. But, it seems to take them a bit longer to get here.
In any case, two of mine arrived and are now home. I have a few more to wait for before I leave for Canada in September. They may not arrive on time! But, no worries. I'll still be able to eventually get them shipped to me.
Hey guys, just bumping this to let you know I'm looking to sell my Xiao Mei [@myfigurecollection.net]. She's been in her package since day 2 I got her, please poke me if interested!