Imit's World

Ironman CollARTible Exhibition

2010-10-10T22:39:00.022+08:00

The Singapore Philatelic Museum (SPM) plays host to the Ironman CollARTible Exhibition from 09/10/2010 to 21/11/2010. Jointly organized by SPM and Bigbox International Pte. Ltd, and supported by Hot Toys Ltd, Action City and The Falcon's Hangar, this exhibition showcases some 11 Ironman collectible figures and also 21 Artist project figures which were customized by renowned artists from the U.S.A, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan. On display are also some vintage comic books, stamps and other philatelic materials featuring the armored superhero. And before you leave the exhibition, don't forget to take a picture with the life-sized display of War Machine!

For more information, please check out www.spm.org.sg

Some New Additions To The Collection

2010-06-27T00:57:00.004+08:00

From top left to right - S.T.A.R.S Version Albert Wesker (RE5), T-800 (Terminator 2).
Bottom left to right - Mech Test Tony Stark (Iron Man), S.T.A.R.S Version Chris Redfield (RE5)

Just a quick update on my toy collection. The latest additions to my 12" figure collection are namely Albert Wesker and Chris Redfield from the Playstation game, Resident Evil 5, dressed up in their S.T.A.R.S uniforms from the original game. Also joining the collection is Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800 model Terminator from the movie Terminator 2 - Judgment Day, along with Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark in his test suit from Iron Man. I did also pick up the "Renewal version" Snake Eater from the Playstation game, Metal Gear Solid 3. I must say I really am digging the T-800 and Mech Test Tony Stark - really awesome head sculpts and great attention to detail on the accessories and clothing. Hot Toys is no doubt the market leader for 12" collectibles.

That's all for now. Will post again when I have the time to do so.

Medicom Toy Masked Rider V3 Deluxe Type 2009

2009-11-28T17:56:00.003+08:00

Got this 2009 edition of Rider V3 on Friday from the annual The Falcon Hangar Sale. There was some good stuff there. If you were in Singapore and missed it, I can only say too bad. Back to the figure, not much difference from the previous version except for the tint of green for the suit. Comes with standard extra antennae and three pairs of hands, and the clear stand. Overall good construction and finish, which is a hit and miss with Medicom products. Well I think I'm done with my masked rider collection. Looking forward to the reissue of the Solid Snake figure from MGS!

Adidas Gonzales Superstar Skate

2009-11-28T17:43:00.003+08:00

Very comfy shoes from Adidas Skateboarding. Based on their classic Superstar series, this pair comes with a padded tongue and what seems to be extra cushioning at the heel area. Also has custom graphics from the legend himself, Mark Gonzales. I like!

Latest Additions For October '09

2009-10-21T03:05:00.004+08:00

Medicom Toy Anakin Skywalker ROTS Ver.

SOC Mazinger GX-49 God Scrander

Home Base

2009-10-14T01:32:00.006+08:00

Yeti Cycles Super X BMX Frame

2009-08-07T03:07:00.006+08:00

Wooowheee! My brother, Kenneth has managed to snag the super limited Super X bmx racing frame from Yeti Cycles! Inspired by the frame made for Jared Graves for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, this one is a real beauty, made of custom, hydroformed 7005 series aluminum, this frame is both super light and strong. The welding is top notch, the frame being meticulously hand built with pride in Golden, Colorado, USA. The paintwork is also really clean and smooth, in the Yeti Cycles "Team" colors. I am glad that I have taken these pictures before he builds it up and trashes it on the track. I will try to source one for myself, because this one is too good too pass up!

Medicom Toy Street Fighter Chun Li Limited Edition

2009-07-11T14:39:00.004+08:00

Getting too lazy to pose my figures these days, but anyhow this is a great looking figure from Medicom Toy. Supposedly this Limited Edition version of Chun Li has a worldwide run of 300 pieces, but I'm not too sure about that. Anyhow, I preferred this to the normal release version of her in the blue cheongsam. Not much to speak of in terms of accessories, with only an extra pair of hands for more dynamic action poses. However, the cheongsam has a nice touch; it is wired so that you can add more dramatic effects to your posing. The likeness to the character is very good. I guess its Medicom's forte to produce good anime characters. An additional point to note is that this RAH body is a new one, with major differences in the lower limbs. Kudos to Medicom for not skimping on this area. A nice figure to collect if you are a fan of the Street Fighter game from Capcom. Hopefully they will produce the other major characters like Ken and Ryu, or Guile.

Toy Carnival @SAM 2009

2009-07-05T23:22:00.003+08:00

SE P.K Ripper 2009 Retro Issue

2009-07-04T17:47:00.006+08:00

Yes, this actually opens bottlecaps.

Spent a little time at Republic Polytechnic to snap these pics. The landscaping there is quite nice, and makes for a pleasant time relaxing. They also have a Subway and 7-11 there, so the students there will not go hungry. Anyways, i thought these pics beat the ones i took in my room, so here they are.

Specification

Frame	6061 Aluminum Floval Tubing, Looptail Rear End, Retro Dropouts & Gussets
Fork	100 CR-MO Landing Gear
Headset	Tange Alloy DX-4, 1-1/8" Threadless
Handlebars	CR-MO PK Bar, 27.25" x 7.5", Chrome
Stem	Retro Top Load 1-1/8" , Red Anodized
Grips	SE Racing Wing Grip
Brake Lever	Tektro 313A, 2 Finger Alloy, Red Anodized
Brake(s)	Tektro 930AL V-Brake, Red Anodized, Slick Cable
Seat	SE Lightning Blitz Seat w/ Bottle Opener
Seat Post	Retro Fluted Micro-Adjust, Aluminum 27.2
Crankset	SE 3-pc Cr-Mo, 180mm, 48 Spline Sealed American, 44T Alloy
Chain	KMC Z30, silver
Pedal	Classic WellgoAlloy Platform, Cr-Mo Axle, Removable Pins
Rim	Alex DM-24, 36H Double Wall Aluminum , Stainless Spokes w/ Red Ano. Nipples
Front Hub	SE Racing High Flange Alloy, Sealed Bearing, Cr-Mo Axle, Red Anodized
Rear Hub	SE Racing High Flange, Sealed Bearing Alloy, Cr-Mo Axle, Red Anodized w/ 16T Freewheel
Tires	Kenda K-50 Retro Tread Pattern w/ Skinwalls 2.125 F, 1.75 R
Extras	Retro Pads, Alloy Axle Nuts, Grip Donuts, Alloy Valve Caps, SE Alloy End Caps
Colors	Cool White

Geometry

	Top tube length	21.25"
	Head tube angle	74°
	Seat tube angle	71
	Chainstays	14.75"
	BB height	11.45"
	Suggested Rider Size	5' 7" (170cm+)
	Weight	24.4 lbs

Day At The Beach

2009-06-24T14:09:00.005+08:00

Got me some ODI Ruffian Lock-on grips.

And also a Hope Quick Release clamp.

Added the F1 Carbon Fiber forks from Bombshell too.

Spent a nice sunny day at East Coast Parkway over the weekend riding my bike. Felt so refreshing and also a little nostalgic. I used to stay in the east coast area for a huge part of my youth, and spent many days a week at the beach riding or skateboarding. A lot has changed at East Coast Parkway since then, with many new eateries and facilities popping up at the beach area. There is also a spanking brand new skatepark which is yet to officially open, but of course many of the kids have snuck in for a test ride. I will definitely try to post pics of the new skatepark when it opens.

Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer by Hot Toys HK

2009-06-24T03:56:00.007+08:00

Outer Sleeve

Box Art

Flip cover and display window

"If it bleeds, we can kill it."

Whoo! What can i say... a real masterpiece from the folks at Hot Toys HK. The face sculpt is dead on imho! The "guvnor" comes with a new muscular body that allows for greater range of poses, and he is armed to the teeth with a M16 with attached M203 grenade launcher, grenades, combat knife, machete and a sidearm. The detail in the sculpt, accessories and clothes is top notch, as one has come to expect from Hot Toys. Hey, they even threw in the cigar he was smoking in the opening scenes of Predator! Those fortunate enough to get the special edition whould have the headphones he was seen wearing in the chopper before they inserted into the jungle. Its a pity the Billy character 12 inch figure does not resemble Sonny Landham at all! Perhaps a likeness rights issue Hot Toys couldn't solve? Anyways, if you are a Arnold Schwarzeneger and Predator fan, you better get yours now! GET TO DA CHOPPA!

The Real Deal

2009-06-11T14:46:00.004+08:00

Yes, your eyes are not fooling you. (Pics courtesy of Moé Passion )

Unbelievable but true, the Japanese have done it again. This time it is a true to scale, 18m tall RX-78 Gundam! For more information on this modern day wonder please check out Moé Passion, a blog by an american sailor who just happens to be an otaku. Cool!

Kawaii poses 101

2009-06-09T12:07:00.005+08:00

Just about done with my reservist training, so here is an interesting site my friend Catherine let me in on, for those who are into girls acting cute in photos - http://asianposes.com/

Track time

2009-04-27T13:59:00.002+08:00

Been busy with work and riding my bike so i haven't been updating the blog much. Anyways I'm anxiously awaiting my Hot Toys "Major Dutch" (from the movie Predator) figure to arrive, and also the Predator figure too which should arrive this June thereabouts. The weather is scorchingly hot, so the only news i have to blog about is everyone stay well hydrated and healthy!

My Toy Collection

2009-02-17T13:17:00.003+08:00

Some 220RAH, Saiyudo Ultraman motion sensor statuette and bootleg jumbo size Ultraman.

Some Kotobukiya Stormtroopers

Kaiyodo Evangelion action figures, Medicom RAH Kamen Rider 1 ver.3, "A Chance Of Sunshine" figures, and Hot Toys "Green Beret" figure.

Some decks and little stuff here and there.

Hot Toys (mostly) figures on the top and Ultraman collection on the bottom.

Loads of SIC figures.

Top shelf has some Sideshow Star Wars and Medicom Kamen Rider figures, bottom shelf has Medicom Star Wars and Marmit Star Wars figures.

Some anime gal vinyl figures on the top and Garo figures on the bottom.

Chogokin, some Hot Toys miltary figures and some other miscellenous figures from Gundam, Nightmare Before Christmas, etc.

Akiko Fuji By Medicom Toy

2009-02-17T12:39:00.005+08:00

Akiko and Hayata

After what seemed to be eons, Medicom finally decided to come out with Hayata's female colleague in the Science Special Search Party (SSSP), Akiko Fuji. Medicom has come out with a new RAH female body (i might be wrong) which is correct to scale with the male RAH body. As usual, not much to talk about in terms of accessories. Interestingly though, the hairpiece is interchangeable with another hairpiece made to fit with the helmet. She comes equipped with the "Super Shoot" ray gun which like Hayata's, has a barrel which can be removed to allow the gun to be holstered. Also included is the helmet and a extra gun grip hand. The uniform seems looser than Hayata's which is snug as a bug. The orange of the suit also differs from Hayata's. I found that the tie kept flipping up, due to the way the elastic band was attached to it. Solved that with some sticky tape. The quality of the stitching, especially around the collar area leaves much to be desired. Lastly, the eyelashes were poorly painted on, if you notice from my close-up picture. For a mailaway which costs more than the usual 12 inch Medicom figure, they should have paid more attention to the quality control. Comparing this to Takara's Cygirl version, i would have to say that only the height and face likeness beats Takara's. Still, a nice, and final addition to my Ultraman collection.

Wassup 2008

2009-02-05T23:05:00.003+08:00

IRONMAN MK3 By Hot Toys

2009-02-01T08:32:00.003+08:00

Very attractive packaging design on the outside...

and on the inside...

Wow. After a long delay (since last October?) Hot Toys have finally released the Ironman Mark 3 figure! The delay was due to a series of quality control issues such as paint color, design accuracy and it also seems there was a shortage of raw material at one point. Nevertheless, the final product whilst not 100% perfect, is quite damn good. The paint color and armor design has been corrected to be closer to what appeared on the screen, thanks to many comments from the collectors. This is one area which Hot Toys should be commended for. They actually listen to feedback! Going back to the figure, a cool feature is the light up of the eyes, chest and repulsor hands. Hot Toys has wired in led light bulbs to add to the "realism" factor. The rear speed flaps and calf armor can open to reveal some detail. The forearm armor also can be opened to reveal the micro missiles, just like the scene where Ironman blows up the battle tank in the Middle East. Also they have included a Tony Stark head for all you kitbashers out there. Hot Toys does not provide the extra business suit and body, so some suit/body hunting will be in order to create the Tony Stark character. A fantastic effort from Hot Toys! Get it while you can!

Project Streetbeat Update 1

2009-01-20T22:06:00.002+08:00

Lime Green Skyway Tuff 2s

SR Spintech stem and Tioga Beartrap 2 Headset

More stuff that i had ordered from the US of A has arrived! The lime green Skyway Tuff 2 wheels were ordered from Ed Ferri of www.coloredtuffs.com, and the SR Spintech stem/detangler combo along with the Tioga Beartrap 2 headset from Rini's BMX Enterprises. My buddy Aaron should be bringing in my Elina Flytetech seat/post from Bangkok this Chinese New Year. I will be saving up for probably a set of Redline Flight cranks and then i will proceed with the restore/build.

Project Streetbeat

2009-01-07T00:29:00.005+08:00

Travelled across the oceans to get here...

Wrapped up tight like a mummy.

Fresh like it was still 1986!

These grips are rare as heck these days!

This is my project bike for this year. A Streetbeat "freestyle" bmx bike manufactured by Skyway back in the mid to late eighties. One of my dream bikes when i was a kid. So when i spotted this one for sale on the forum at bmxmuseum.com i jumped on it like a dog in heat! It is in pretty immaculate condition for a bike that is over 20 years old, almost brand new i might say. Just has a couple of paint chips from the previous owner removing the cranks and parts from it. The shipping to Singapore from Canada was really expensive, but i still feel it was worth it, though my wallet doesn't agree. I will be updating this post in the near future as i find the parts i need to rebuild it. Stay tuned!

SE "PK Ripper" Looptail Replica 2009

2009-01-02T23:25:00.003+08:00

Can you say "RETRO"?

Old school style seat! Love the lightning bolt on the side.

SE logo grips with SE "donuts".

Detail, detail! Even the bearing cups has logos on it.

SE Racing, or SE Bikes as they are now known, has been making bikes for a long time. Since 1977 as a matter of fact. Anyways, this is a company with a rich heritage in BMX. And although the company is now owned by Fuji Advanced Sports, Inc, they are still cranking out cool bikes and products, like this '09 Retro PK Ripper Looptail. The PK Ripper was "the" bike to have back in the day. Throughout the years, it has gone through many evolutions, but the basic design has always been retained. The frame is still constructed from 6061 grade aluminum as it always has been. Back then aluminum was considered an "exotic" material for bicycle construction, which added to the "mystic" factor and also the selling price. Even with the new school headset size and threadless fork, the bike is as old school as you can get! Many of the parts are anodized red, right down to the bolts on the wheels. Anodized pedals would have been a nice touch, but thats just me. Can't afford the vintage PKs, so this is good enough for me! If you are a bmx collector, don't miss out on this one!

DC Shoes General SN

2009-01-02T22:11:00.004+08:00

Lime is the new Black. Picked up these General SNs from Empire Gallery at Far East Plaza, Scotts Road. This is my first pair of DCs, as I usually wear Nikes. Seems to be quite similar to Nike, especially with the airsole feature. But what sold it to me was the lime colorway. Not too sure why but I really am developing a liking for this color! The shoes are comfy and the build quality seems to be pretty good. We'll see how this performs against my Nike SB Dunks throughout the year.

Diamond Back Trio Complete!

2009-01-02T21:53:00.004+08:00

The final piece in the puzzle, the Diamond Back Formula One!

The DB trio - Diamond Back Super Streak, Formula One, and Harry Leary Turbo

My brother Kenneth has finally completed his Diamond Back collection! The Super Streak and Harry Leary Turbo were bought much earlier in 2008, and he recently found the Formula One on ebay. These were the bmx bikes that we rode from back in the day. I rode the Super Streak, and Kenneth had the Harry Leary Turbo. I wanted the Formula One but my dad said it was too expensive and got me the Super Streak instead. Anyways, good times were had a plenty riding our Diamond Back bikes then. If only we had the foresight to keep them. So here we are 23 years later having to purchase back our memories... expensive memories they are! (Text has been enlarged for certain readers.)

Joker & Joker Bank Robber By Hot Toys

2008-12-28T06:01:00.003+08:00

The Joker in Bank Robber guise.

The Joker with the extra headsculpt that comes with the Bank Robber version.

The boys pose for a shot.

Don't have much to say about these two figures from Hot Toys. Most of you have either blogged about them or seen other bloggers' extensive reviews. Suffice to say these are super detailed and well sculpted. The great headsculpts are by the very talented Yulli. The detailed clothing comes from another talented Korean, Harue. And of course not forgetting the paintjob by JC Hung! Korea seems to have alot of 12" figure talents...

Batpod By Hot Toys

2008-12-28T05:37:00.005+08:00

The box is huge...

A box within a box! Nice artwork.

The Batpod comes packaged safe and snug.

The assembled Batpod.

Close-up details.

A bat and his ride.

Comes with working headlights!

Haven't had the time to do much blogging recently due to work. Anyways, this is the Batpod, from the movie "The Dark Knight". This cool collectible comes from the current leader in 12" collectibles, Hot Toys, from their Movie Masterpiece series. Its quite detailed and the finishing is good, although some would prefer to add more realistic finishes to it. A small gripe i have is the handles, which i find drop off quite easily. The tires are real rubber, which i find is a nice touch, adding to the realism factor. Major plus points for adding working lights into the headlight area. Wish it wasn't so expensive, but oh well... at least it costs less than the Tumbler!

Old School Bmx Restores

2008-11-25T02:48:00.006+08:00

The project bike

The former owner, Gary (red and blue bike)

Work in progress... new paint and decals

My brother's 1985 Skyway Streetbeat and 1995 Haro Group 1 Ci

His 1984 Diamond Back Super Streak, 2007 SE PK Ripper, and
1984 Diamond Back Harry Leary Turbo

His current restore project, a 1990 GT Pro Freestyle Tour

Me and my brother, Kenneth used to ride BMX back in the day. And recently, my brother got the BMX bug again, and started to restore some of the bikes that we either rode or wish we had. Somehow, i got infected by this same bug, and decided to embark on a restoration project of my own. I bumped into my old riding buddy, Andre Reyes whilst having supper, and after chatting with one of his friends, Gary, found out that Gary had a old GT back in his house. So we agreed to meet up at this place to take a look at his GT, as he seemed pretty eager to get rid of it. Well, one man's treasure is another man's junk, and $250 later, i became the new owner of the 1988 GT Performer bike. The Frame and fork has been stripped and powdercoated with new white paint, and new decals had been applied. I need to replace the bottom tube decals again as the clamp i was using to hold the frame destroyed the decals... Most of the parts have either been cleaned up or replaced, leaving just the wheels, which i am undecided whether to get new Skyway Tuff wheels or to bleach white the stock OGK GT wheels... Restoration is quite fun, although a little expensive sometimes! The price of nostalgia... More updates to come...

Dangerous Man by Loading Toys

2008-11-25T01:45:00.002+08:00

This "Dangerous Man" by Loading Toys is obviously meant to be none other than Daniel Craig, aka "James Bond", MI6 Agent 007. The early product shots looked promising, so I waited for good ol' Falcon's Hangar to bring in the headsculpt set. A wee bit pricey for a decent headsculpt that comes with additional clothing like the sport jacket and jeans ensemble that he wore in the movie "Quantum Of Solace", and a Walter P99 with silencer. I think so because the jacket and jeans are sub par quality inho, but others may beg to differ. So i dispensed with the clothing set provided and togged the figure up with a suit from Saturday Toys. Pretty good quality stuff from the folks at Saturday Toys, i must say. However, i replaced the body with a BBi body courtesy of my friend, Roy from the Hangar (thanks buddy!) Coming back to the headsculpt, I did a little repaint of the eyes and hair as i found the original eyes not to my liking, and the hair color was not blond. Hope to see more good stuff from the people at Loading Toys!

Tokidoki Skate Decks 2008

2008-10-27T00:02:00.002+08:00

Added these lovely Tokidoki skate decks to my collection. Left and top is the "LA" deck and right and bottom is the "Pirata" deck. Made from solid Canadian maplewood, these are quality decks. A wee bit on the small side for most skaters but I'm not intending to thrash these cool designs anyways.

The Dark Knight by Hot Toys

2008-10-23T04:59:00.005+08:00

Hot Toys are certainly setting the standard as far as 1/6 figures are concerned! You really get your money's worth with these guys, as they strive to achieve ultra realism with their figures. The sculpts keep getting better, as do the paint jobs. I like Medicom figures, but their quality control is inconsistent, and they are definitely lagging behind. Their super high pricing doesn't help either. Sideshow Toys should just let these guys do all the sculpting and paint jobs too, as they are like really far behind both Hot Toys and Medicom in all areas concerning 1/6 figures.

I think by now there have been enough reviews of this Dark Knight figure on various blogs and sites so I will just sum it up by saying that this is the best Batman/Dark Knight i have ever seen imho. I haven't taken any pictures of the Christian Bale/Bruce Wayne head sculpt as i am still waiting for the new Saturday Toys Business Suit.

For those who are still deciding whether to get this figure, my advice is get it while you can, because the Medicom version pales next to this one. Besides, by the time Medicom releases their Dark Knight figure, methinks most of you guys would have grown tired of waiting...

Medicom RAH Clone Trooper - ATOC Version

2008-09-27T04:02:00.003+08:00

Trooper evolution.

Totally missed out on this figure when everyone else got theirs due to being away for almost a whole month in reservist duty. Anyways thanks to Roy and the guys at Falcon's Hangar i managed to get my grubby paws on one. Well not much difference in armor from the ROTS Clone Trooper other than the helmet. Posability has the same issues as all clone troopers from Medicom; namely the limited range of motion of the elbow joint due to the elbow armor hindering movement. Holding poses is not a problem as the joints are tight. Standard DC-15 blaster and alternate pair of hands are included with the standard clear stand that is included with every RAH figure. Hopefully Medicom releases the other kinds of troopers, eg; Scout Troopers, Clone Pilots, etc. Their Clone Captains/Commanders currently are just repainted normal clones, and don't even come with anything special to justify the exclusive price tag. I would suggest buying normal clones and painting them yourselves if you have the skills. But thats just me...

Master Replicas CE Stormtrooper Helmet 1/1

2008-09-21T03:55:00.002+08:00

Wooooohooo! This has got to be the coolest Star Wars collectible i have! Originally for the UK market, apparently some have found their way back to the USA. Its a pity Master Replicas lost their licence to produce the Stormtrooper helmet, as i think they have done a credible job in reproducing this iconic image. Two versions were produced, the CE (Collector's Edition) and LE (Limited Edition). The LE version is more screen accurate as it retains most of the flaws of the actual screen used helmets, not to mention more than double the price of a CE. The CE is more symetrical, with none of the flaws that hardcore collectors look for. Well i think that the CE is more than good enough, and is probably what Mr. Lucas would have wanted if he had more time and budget back then in 1976. Made of lightweight ABS plastic, its good for cosplay purposes, and sure as heck beats those ugly and big bobble head, totally inaccurate FX helmets (not to be confused with the new EFX limited run of Stormtrooper helmets). Time to hunt for a complete armor set!

Revoltech Protect Gear "The Red Spectacles" Edition

2008-09-18T02:57:00.004+08:00

Reach for the sky, sucker!

Quite a cool piece from the folks at Kaiyodo. They have chosen the "Red Spectacles" version of the Kerberos Corp Protect Gear for series no.061 in their Revoltech line. The sculpt and detailing is good, and the figure comes with alternate hands for different poses and also two other weapons - a MG42 and pistol to go along with the MG34. One thing i disliked about this figure is the glossy black finishing for the armor. A matt finish would look better IMHO... Build your Kerberos Corp army now!

More Tofu

2008-09-10T02:15:00.004+08:00

Poison, Evirob, Egg and Devil Tofu!

Thinkway Toys iDance Wall-E

2008-08-30T02:29:00.003+08:00

Wall-E dancing to the beat!

This is Thinkway Toys iDance Wall-E. Its about 15cm in height, and responds to your voice and also music from your mp3 player. When hooked up to a mp3 player, it can respond with 2 speeds of "dancing", and the eyes will light up in sync with the music. Basically Wall-E will "blink" and shuffle and wave his arms about in response to your voice or to the music from your mp3 player. It comes with a built-in speaker so that people will know what you and Wall-E are jiving to. Pretty cool toy i must say!

Medicom BM Shocker Rider

2008-08-28T02:18:00.003+08:00

Shocker! Ki! Ki!

Here's a knuckle sandwich, Hopper scum!

I'm back from my lengthy army reservist stint, and what better way to get started again by checking out Medicom Toy's BM Shocker Rider/Hopper! This figure is a mailaway special, which means it costs much more than the usual BM figures. The finishing and build is quite alright, and this time round other than the standard three pair of hands and extra antennae, Medicom has also included height extenders to make this figure taller. I tried the extensions but somehow the legs looked too long, which made me go back to the original setup. The body was a little hard to pose as the leg joints couldn't really hold poses for long. A pretty standard figure and quite frankly, if i wasn't a Kamen Rider fan, not really worth the mailaway price. Shocker! Ki! Ki!

Medicom Toy VCD Yoda

2008-07-27T03:36:00.006+08:00

Same non-descript style for the packaging as the rest of the Star Wars 12 inch figures from Medicom Toy.

Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you?

How you get so big eating food of this kind?

When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not, hmm?

Really was glad when Roy at Falcon's Hangar assured me that he could help me get this wonderful Yoda figure from Medicom Toy. I missed it when it was sold in SIngapore earlier in the year due to other purchases at the time (namely, other toys... hehe). Medicom has nailed Yoda's likeness dead on, and the only thing that could improve it would be to have "real" hair. Yoda comes with accessories like his walking cane/stick, the snack and the torchlight from Luke's survival kit. The scale fits with the rest of the Star Wars 12 inch figures from Medicom Toy. A must buy for any Star Wars collector out there!

Play To-Fu

2008-07-14T01:58:00.003+08:00

Mini vinyl To-Fu Series 1 figures by Play Imaginative and Devilrobots. Should i collect the whole set? Hmm...

X Plus Garage Toy Alien Baltan(s)

2008-07-14T01:51:00.003+08:00

Got these as a set of three from japan through a friend of my buddy Aaron about 3 years ago? Finally decided to open them up and give them some fresh air. X Plus makes the nicest Ultraman vinyls ever.

Supreme X Kermit The Frog Skateboard Deck

2008-07-05T02:33:00.003+08:00

Supreme is a skateboard store that has garnered a cult following internationally. They regularly collaborate with various artists and designers, and now the one and only Kermit, to come out with tee shirt and skateboard related merchandise. This skate deck is one of three colorways (red, blue and yellow), and is also part of a set of goodies that include a Kubrick X Supreme figure, and tees featuring the world famous frog. Thanks to Aaron for helping me score this coolsome deck!

Fire Bone Fly from Pete Fowler's Monsterism

2008-07-05T02:29:00.003+08:00

It glows in the dark!

Thanks to Alice and whoever else contributed to get me this wonderful belated birthday present! Love it!

Goodies from the STCC 2008

2008-07-05T02:25:00.003+08:00

Didn't get much from the STCC except for these Devilrobots inflatables, a To-Fu figure and some posters from Pete Fowler (Monsterism) and Devilrobots.

Random Snaps from the Singapore Toy & Comic Convention 2008

2008-07-02T23:40:00.017+08:00

Everyone's favourite toy retailer Uncle Ng!

Devilrobots representing.

Dan Dare artist, Gary Erskine.

Simone Legno of Tokidoki.

Touma representing.

Singapore's Stikfas.

Pete Fowler, creator of Monsterism and all around nice guy.

Strangeco representing.

2 days of a capacity crowd...

The madness continued outside...

Well, this wraps up my posts on the STCC 2008. It wasn't perfect but a good start nonetheless. Word is next year's STCC is already in the works, so lets hope for more exciting exhibits to come!

Singapore Toy & Comic Convention 2008 - Hasbro and Simply Toys

2008-07-01T00:13:00.010+08:00

Vintage 70's Stormtrooper figure.

Darth Vader figures from 1985 till now.

Retro late 70's Star Wars robots

Various goodies from Simply Toys.

Some more pics taken at the STCC2008. Nothing new but still this is Singapore's maiden toy and comic convention, so hopefully more exhibitors will turn up with exciting displays and goodies if we ever host another STCC next year!

Singapore Toy & Comic Convention 2008 - Hasbro Star Wars display

2008-06-30T03:45:00.009+08:00

The man himself.

Spielberg sneaks one in...

Here are some random pictures that i took of the Hasbro Star Wars display at the very first Singapore Toy & Comic Convention. Hasbro set up quite an impressive display of all the old and new Star Wars figures that were made since the late seventies till present. They also let visitors view the latest Clone Wars movie preview clip. More pics of the STCC 2008 to come...

My Birthday week in Bangkok

2008-06-23T23:52:00.023+08:00

Celebrating my 35th with some old friends.

Whats up with the Pooh?!

Mandatory face smearing...

Isn't she sweet... especially with that knife in hand?

My homie Aaron.

Teppanyaki @ Oiishi.

Pasta @ Pomodero's.

Steak @ Central.

Local Thai food @ Black Pig?

Streetside Kao Ka Mu.

B'day prezzie from Aaron. Thanks dude!

Zoo York Skatebag that was on 50% sale.

Vintage 70's Omega Speedmaster Automatic Mk.4 to replace the Omega Moonphase Speedmaster that i sold away.

Nike Air Zoom Flight 95 Premium (Reissue)

2008-06-16T23:58:00.006+08:00

My buddy and ebay lurker, Aaron spotted these kicks floating around ebay for $90USD. I always wanted a pair of these since i saw them back in Taiwan whilst serving my national service there during 1995. Props to Aaron for helping me score these kicks! Retro sweetness...

Nike SB Team Edition - Taxi Series (New York)

2008-06-15T00:37:00.005+08:00

Picked these babies up during the week - Nike SB Team Editions in New York City cab colorway. I missed these when they were released in Oct 2006. The other colorways in this series are the Tokyo Blue and Green cab, and the London cab in Black.

Medicom RAH 501st Legion Clone Trooper

2008-06-14T03:06:00.006+08:00

As promised, here is my "review" of the 501st Legion Clone Trooper by Medicom Toy. Its pretty much a repaint as the Shock Trooper, and the paintjob and build is pretty alright. Mine has a slightly shoddy paintjob on the helmet brow area, but nothing some paint cannot fix. Can't complain too much about the accessories as this Clone is priced in the same range as the standard Clone Trooper. Articulation is pretty much the same as the other clone troopers by Medicom, with the arm range of movement hindered by the armor. Clone Trooper fans, needless to say, have to get this. When if ever will Medicom make the Scout Trooper? I have to mention that these pictures are taken with my new Ricoh R8, and other than softening up the images in Photoshop, nothing else is adjusted or corrected. Previously I was using my mom's Casio Exilim, and it had to have color correction and exposure correction done in Photoshop. This R8 rocks!

Ricoh R8 Test Shots

2008-06-14T02:52:00.003+08:00

Test shot subject 1 - Cindy

Test shot subject 2 - Ferine

Test shot subject 3 - Waileng aka Nene

Macro test shot

Test shot subject Cindy acting cute...

After putting off buying a digital camera due to reasons like toys and more toys (hehe), I finally caved in and got myself a Ricoh R8. A small compact camera that packs quite a punch for its price. The focus time is pretty fast and the colors really vibrant, and the macro range can be as close as 1cm! There is a whole host of features that i have yet to figure out, but i think this is a pretty good buy and would recommend it to anyone looking for a mid priced digital compact camera. I got mine @ MS Color @ Ang Mo Kio Hub for $499SGD.

Bandai SPEC XS-09 Evangelion 00 Prototype

2008-06-09T04:10:00.004+08:00

This is essentially the same Mecha as the yellow/orange 00 prototype evangelion unit, sporting a few upgrades to make it similar to units 01 and 02. The build and paint quality is pretty good, and the parts snap into place without difficulty. Various armaments consist of the Spear of Longinius, a Sniper rifle with normal and link scope, Battle knife, Automatic pistol and the standard Pallet Rifle. Evangelion fans shouldn't miss out on this one. I got mine from Ng's Collections @ China Square Central in Singapore. Only 2 more Evas to go, Unit 03 and 04...

Bandai SIC Vol.41 Kamen Rider X & Apollogeist

2008-06-04T02:00:00.003+08:00

SIC Vol.41 has finally hit the shores of Singapore! This time round, Bandai has decided to bring us one of the classic Riders, Rider X, and his nemesis, Apollogeist. Both Rider X and Apollogeist come with a assortment of weapons and different hands for posing and gripping. Construction is more or less ok, but the paint job could be better. It looks rushed in some areas like the scarf. I got the "Japan" version which is supposed to be better in quality control. Cost me $80SGD which i found a little pricey. Apollogeist is pretty cool, and he comes with 2 heads, one which can have its mask removed to reveal his face. A must buy for SIC fans.

Medicom Toy RAH Shock Trooper - Starwars.com Exclusive

2008-06-01T03:12:00.005+08:00

Sometimes i wonder why i keep on buying figures from Medicom. If only Hottoys had the licence to do 12" Star Wars figures! This is a nice 12" figure, don't get me wrong, but its actually a standard clone trooper with the "Shock Trooper" paintjob. Medicom didn't even bother to give it the DC-15A blaster rifle, and for $278SGD, and this being a Starwars.com exclusive, one would feel a little shortchanged. The paintjob itself is quite good, and the weathering effects are not too bad for a mass production figure. Articulation is good and the joints hold the poses well. Next up will the the 501st Clone Trooper. Stay tuned...

Element Skateboards Mike Vallely "Vintage Skull"

2008-05-30T05:00:00.003+08:00

Another goodie from my trip to Bangkok! Prior to my trip i had found and purchased the above mentioned deck, and i really liked its shape and size, and was considering setting it up for use. However i really like the print design, and was hoping to find another spare to keep for display. All the local skate shops didn't have any stock for this design, and although i managed to find some on ebay, the shipping wasn't too agreeable. Whilst shopping around MBK shopping centre in Bangkok, i decided to stop by one of the skate shops there. And lo and behold, there it was, wrapped in the factory clear wrap, in pristine condition. It was the shop's last piece, and getting it was a no-brainer. Sweet.

Bandai SIC Toei Hero Net Limited Kamen Rider Garren Jack Form

2008-05-30T04:42:00.005+08:00

Its interesting what you can find in Bangkok. I had given up hope trying to get this limited piece, as prices for this figure had risen to around the $200SGD mark. From what i heard, some even paid more than $200 for it! So whilst on a company trip to Bangkok, i managed to find this figure for a reasonable price. Reasonable to the tune of $147SGD. The parts fit well, and the figure is well articulated and painted. Differences from the standard Kamen Rider Garren would be in the chest armor, crest plate, bayonet extension, and of course the wings. Packaging is forgettable as with most if not all the limited edition SIC figures.

Revoltech Series No.051 - Regult

2008-05-19T15:57:00.003+08:00

I have to say this is one of the nicest figures from the Revoltech line! This is the Regult assault pod/armor from the Macross universe. The finishing is great, and with the exception of the smaller guns, every other part is articulated. It seems a little off scale when posed beside the valkerie robots like the VF-1J, a tad too small perhaps? Overall a very good piece.

Powell & Peralta Steve Caballero Dragon Street Deck Reissue

2008-05-19T15:18:00.003+08:00

Base graphic

Top graphic

Found this gem in a little skate store in Woodlands of all places! This is a reissue of the hugely popular Dragon graphic (not to be confused with the "Full Dragon" graphic deck and earlier incarnations) from 1987. Back then Powell & Peralta used a material called "Bonite" and this was one of their "XT" (extra tough) decks. The reissue does not have the Bonite material incorporated into the deck, and uses the present day seven ply method. Short of buying the original deck from Ebay sellers, which go up to a couple of hundred US dollars or more, this will suffice. Thanks go out to my brother Kenneth for spotting this baby. Sure brings back some memories!

Bandai SOC Spec XS-08 Evangelion 02 Production Model

2008-05-19T14:57:00.003+08:00

Similar style of packaging design for the SPEC series.

Nice window cutouts for those collectors who do not wish to take the toy out to display.

Positron Rifle

Various armanents

Toys these days are coming in slower than usual, which is a good thing and bad thing at the same time. But enough of the complaints. This is the fifth Evangelion Spec series figure to come from Bandai, the Eva 02 piloted by Asuka Soryu Langley. Comes with a fairly huge assortment of weapons, including the combat knife which is hidden in the left shoulder armor. The fit of the parts is pretty good, except the chest piece, which doesn't fit too well. Articulation is the same as the previous Spec figures, and posing shouldn't be a problem. The Positron Rifle was a little hard to configure from its folded state to ready state. But a little patience will solve the issue. Overall i felt the finishing could have been better, but thats just me. A decent piece for the Evangelion fan.

Birdhouse Skateboards Tony Hawk "Skull 2" Mini

2008-05-06T23:15:00.003+08:00

Saw this deck whilst shopping at OG Dept. Store, and the graphics gave me a feeling of nostalgia. Felt like i was a teenager again.. hehe. I decided to buy it for display purposes. The original Powell & Peralta Tony Hawk Skull deck is kind of hard to find these days, so this will suffice. On my mind right now are also the Santa Cruz Keith Meek Slasher Microdeck and Rob Roskopp, and Vision Skateboards Mark Gonzales.

Sideshow Toys EP4 Ben Kenobi

2008-04-26T22:02:00.003+08:00

"If you strike me down now, I'll become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

Never thought i would ever buy another figure from Sideshow Toys, but old Ben Kenobi actually looks decent enough a resemblance to the late Sir Alec Guiness, so here he is. Can't say much for the quality or lack of it in the clothing, but i guess this is a case of "you get what you pay for". The lightsaber is well constructed though, along with the decent headsculpt. One glaring issue i have with this figure is that it is taller than the younger Ben Kenobi played by Ewan McGregor. He should either be the same height or shorter due to old age. Perhaps a height modification will be made by me when i feel like it.

Bandai SIC Vol.35 Kamen Rider Blade (Reissue)

2008-04-15T00:50:00.004+08:00

Blade's King Form

Kamen Riders Blade, Garren, Chalice and Leagle

I missed this guy the first time round, so i was rather pleased when Bandai announced that they were reissuing Vol.35 of the SIC series. The SIC series of Kamen Rider Blade is one of the most detailed series ever, with lots of intricate details on the armor. For a Hong Kong issue this one has pretty tight joints that can hold poses, unlike most of the other Hong Kong issued SICs. With reissues also come more affordable prices, which enabled me to get 2 sets to create both the normal Blade and King Form Blade. There is only one more figure for this series that i need to complete it, and that is the Toei Exclusive Masked Rider Garren Jack Form, which Uncle Ng has promised to help me acquire. Keeping my fingers crossed....:)

Bandai SIC Movie Realization The Next - Kamen Rider 1 & 2

2008-04-05T00:50:00.007+08:00

Same same but different!

Battle-damaged look not included.

All cracked up.

I was debating whether it was worthwhile to get this set of SIC as it was essentially the same cast as the set from "The First" Movie Realization. The new paint scheme and improved joint system was just too much to resist, so... The riders now can be posed more dynamically, and can even hold a high kick pose! Comes with assorted hands for different poses, and also has two styles of scarves for you to choose from. I found that the helmets did not look weathered enough, so with my trusty Gundam marker, some silver paint and the ever handy Tamiya Weathering Master Kit, i have added my own touches to the helmets. Quite a nice addition to my SIC collection, i must say.

Singapore's First Toy & Comic Convention

2008-04-01T15:23:00.012+08:00

Finally Singapore gets it own Toy and Comic Convention! Hopefully it will turn out great. Scheduled to run from 27th to 29th of June 2008, it will be held at Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. For more updates and infomation on this event, you can check out the official website - http://www.sgtoyandcomiccon.com/index.html

Bandai SIC Tamashi Nation 2008 Limited Edition Wild Chalice

2008-03-31T03:36:00.008+08:00

Black and silver foil print, simple and tasteful.

The contents.

One of the nicest SIC offerings from the folks at Bandai, although i had to break the bank to get this. The finishing of the paintwork is quite clean and detailing of the sculpt is pretty impressive and crisp. The joints are decently tight and can more or less hold poses quite well. Comes with a pair of folding sickles, which can be stowed away at the side of each upper thigh. Wish they would just do away with the cable ties in the packaging and redesign the way the figures are packaged in the plastic bubbles. 5 outta 5. Now to try to get Kamen Rider Garren Jack Form exclusive... Henshin!

Medicom RAH Kamen Rider Original Ver.3.0

2008-03-31T02:59:00.004+08:00

The third version of the Original Kamen Rider, sometimes better known as Rider No.1, seems to have undergone some dieting. In addition to a slimmer body, the helmet seems to be more poportionate. The scarf covers more of the neck area now, and the mouth/jaw area reveals a glimpse of the human inside the suit. Medicom has included "folded" hands, which unlike the Darth Maul version, cannot be separated from each other. Quite strange of Medicom, to use such a old method for the folded hands for this figure, which came out about the same time as their Darth Maul figure. The suit material is a little bit too thin for my comfort, and i'm hoping it will not tear anytime soon. I suppose they had to use such thin fabric to accommodate the folding arms and also for a more natural look in the folds. The left chest armor has a deformity which thankfully is concealed when the arms are folded together. Overall a nice piece for any Kamen Rider fan. 4 outta 5 due to the above-mentioned "problems".

Medicom Toy RAH220 Kamen Riders

2008-03-31T02:49:00.004+08:00

Bought these guys last year from Falcon's Hangar, but opened them to display only just recently. RAH220 series figures are a smaller scale version of Medicom Toy's full 12 inch lineup of action figure collectibles. Only complaint is that they cost almost as much as some of their 12 inch counterparts. Strange but true...

Medicom RAH Darth Maul

2008-03-11T03:56:00.012+08:00

The all familiar black and grey packaging.

Mean looking badass.

Finally, after months of waiting and anticipation, Medicom's Darth Maul has made it to Singapore's shores and more specifically, to my collection! This is by far, the best production 12" figure Darth Maul. The Medicom team in charge of this project certainly didn't dissapoint. Superb likeness, capturing the evilness of Darth Maul, plus a great compliment of hands for different poses, and his lightsaber/staff in single and twin modes. Also included is the binoculars he used on Tatooine, and also the wrist communicator thingy is available as an option. The cloak has very good wiring to adjust the hood and sleeves, and its construction is miles ahead of Sideshow Toys version. A welcome relief from Medicom, especially since some of their recent offerings were pretty bad in quality control. This one gets 5 outta 5 and then some!

Nike SB Zoom Team Edition

2008-03-02T04:17:00.006+08:00

Got these new Zoom Team Editions from Gallery at Pacific Plaza. Reasonably priced and most importantly comfy. Color description seems pretty strange, Black Moss/Medium Silver?! Looks more coffee and brown to me, which is why i chose it anyways...

BM Kamen Rider The Next V3

2008-03-02T04:05:00.003+08:00

V3 & Posse

Think i might be one of the last people to post pix of their BM V3 figure. After the long wait, the figure finally arrived on our shores, and it was a bit of a shocker... Well i can't complain about the quality much, however i am definitely not pleased with the color scheme. The prototype colors sure looked much closer to how V3 looked in the movie. For reasons only Medicom knows, they changed the nice yellowish green to a dark green. The red color also seems to have been changed from the prototype color. Still waiting to watch the movie itself, which should be available on dvd format this April. 4 outta 5 for this one...

Fix Figuration Metal Composite Limited RX78/C.A Gundam Casval's Customized

2008-02-26T03:23:00.005+08:00

Any last words?

Bad guy, good guy?

Not much to mention about this latest installment in the Gundam Fix Figuration Metal Compostite series. It is just a Zeon version of the RX78 Gundam mecha, painted in Casval Rem Daikun's (otherwise known as Char Anzable) color of red/salmon pink to honor his title of "Red Comet", which was given to Casval after he single handedly destroyed 5 Federation "Megellan" class battleships speedily. This red Zeon version of the RX78 appears only in the video game "Ghiren's Greed". Anyways i thought it looked pretty cool in red, so i decided that i would add it to my collection. Construction and finishing is top notch just like the grey G3 Federation version, although this time it does not come packaged with the G-Cruiser/Bull and also is equipped with only one shield and bazooka. 5 outta 5.

Yummy Scallops

2008-02-24T23:33:00.006+08:00

Bumpy tuk-tuk ride to Thanond Yosey.

That lil' (sometimes not so little) peanut shaped thing on top of the scallop is the egg sac, which is quite delicious.

This was what i forgot to take a picture of during my last visit to Thanond Yosey in Bangkok. Nice and fresh, if you happen to be in the area, i think its a must try. Me and my buddy Aaron had a tray each... Hehe... One of the many good street food finds to be found in Bangkok!

SPC Shocker Rider

2008-02-19T15:00:00.003+08:00

Time to kick some Kamen Rider ass!

SPC? What the heck is that? Well, "SPC", or "Super Professional Collection", is a company that produces chogokin seen in Bandai's SIC books, specifically those that are one off customs made just for the books. Much pricier than any of Bandai's chogokin, but the fact that these are "customs" and the better quality sculpting helps to justify the high price tag. Could have been cheaper if i was in Hong Kong, but i guess that helps me be more selective in buying these customized chogokin. This "Shocker" Rider can be seen in the latest Kamen Rider movie, Kamen Rider The Next. The eyes were supposed to light up, but the wiring was somehow screwed up, which resulted in a cheaper price for me.

Anakin Skywalker Ver.4 by Vancei

2008-02-14T02:49:00.004+08:00

Nothing short of breathtaking... (Courtesy of Crazytoyz:0709)

I decided to check out a toy blog which i have not surfed for quite a while. And what a eye opener i got! For those of you in the know, Vancei is a Korean custom figure maker. He is well known in the 12" figure world for his outstanding customs of Anakin Skywalker from the Star Wars universe. This is version 4, and this version imho, is the best. That is considering that the previous three versions were already outstanding! Who else can make a lightsaber at this scale which lights up, and has no wires connecting it to any external power source? The eyes can also be rotated to look at different angles via a hidden button! For more on this and his previous creations, please check out Crazytoyz:0709's blog feature on this talented customiser.

"Oh Girl" by The Chi-Lites

2008-02-05T01:14:00.001+08:00

Man, what a treasure! Don't you just dig those afros, the matching zoot suits, the syncronized dance steps... oooweee! Nobody sings as well as these guys nowadays. Now its all about how cute or sexy they look, and if they can sing then its a bonus. The brothers should stop rapping and start singing like these cool cats here! Word!

Hottoys Movie Masterpiece Appleseed Saga - Ex Machina

2008-02-03T16:59:00.002+08:00

Nothing keeps a couple together more than a common love... in this case for guns. Hehe...

Pre-ordered these two figures last year, and collected them from Falcon's Hangar just this Saturday. For those who want some background info on this couple, please click HERE. To see more pix of the figures, click HERE. The detail is what most people have come to expect from Hottoys these days, very high quality. Now for the downside. Collectors who are expecting a highly posable figure will be dissappointed here, because the rubber suit that the figures are clothed with restricts the full range of movements. Another minus point is the joint system, particularly the ankle joint system. Hottoys has designed the boots to simply plug into the ankle ball joint, which results in a rather loose joint system. This is mainly due to the weight of the bodies, especially that of Briareos! They both come with an assortment of weaponry and 2 pairs of hands each which can be mixed and matched to suit whatever weapons you want to pose them with. Also in the packaging is a nice stand which you will most likely need to keep them standing. Deunan stands at about slightly more than 11 inches tall, whilst Briareos stands at 14 inches tall approximately.

Bandai SIC Vol.40 Kamen Rider Agito & Machine Tornador

2008-02-03T16:44:00.002+08:00

This is quite a sweet looking piece which seems to be in short supply. The finishing is good and paint job rather decent. Major complaint for me would be the inability of the bike parts to lock in place! This is due to the fact that the bike front suspension and rear suspension parts are made of diecast, which is good except for the fact that the fit of the joining lugs is not precise. And due to the weight of the diecast parts, they tend to drop off from the main body of the bike. This problem can be easily remedied with some filler or super glue to create a tighter fit. Overall a pretty decent toy from the folks at Bandai.

Fewture Models Ex Gokin Great Mazinger 1969

2008-01-27T04:44:00.001+08:00

Flashing those pearly whites...

Ready to rumble!

Eat this!

Heavy Metal bros ready to dish out the pain!

As with the Mazinger 1969 from Fewture, the Great Mazinger 1969 is a diecast work of art. It comes with about the same amount of extra hands, knuckle dusters, etc. Articulation is good and the joints click tightly into place, which is always a plus point. Also an interesting point to note is that the two swords from Mazinger and Great Mazinger can combine to form one big ass cleaver. A real quality piece that should be in any Mazinger fan's collection if the pocket allows!

Fewture Models EX Gokin Mazinger 1969

2008-01-21T02:50:00.001+08:00

Outer box doesn't reveal much...

Main packaging looking much more yummy...

Atomic bad breath!

Bad to the bone...

Wow! This is one bad ass mofo take on Go Nagai's Mazinger! Designed by the late Taku "Robo-shi" Sato, this is a take no prisoners version of an already coolsome robot. Accessories include: Open hands x 2, Closed fists x 2, Spare hands (to hold the weapons) x 2, Iron Blade x 2, Iron Knuckles x 4, Iron Crasher x 2, Frame Punisher (Metallic), Frame Punisher (Clear), Hover Pilder, Jet Pilder, Jet Scrander, Mazinger Blade and of course a custom-made Stand Base. It stands at about 9.5 inches and weighs in at slightly less than 1kg, as about 70 percent of its construct is diecast! The forearms attach via magnets whilst the Jet Scrander is plastic, for balance reasons. Same goes for the sword and spare hands. The hover plider and Jet Plider are PVC, as is the head, which has a jaw that opens up to reveal the Rust Hurricane cannon. Very good articulation, and the joints all click tightly into position. A great addition to any chogokin lovers collection! More pics soon...

Bandai SOC GX-07E Limited Energer Z

2008-01-13T06:04:00.002+08:00

This is an exclusive to the 40th anniversary celebration of Go Nagai's works exhibit which was held at Ikebukuro Sunshine City from 26 December 2007 - 6 January 2008. Energer Z was the original concept for Go Nagai's first robot anime. Energer Z was powered via the pilot riding a motorcycle up the ramp at the back of the robot up into the head. However as not to be seen as competing with the Kamen Rider series which was gaining popularity at that time, he later rethought the idea and redesigned the motorcycle into the Jet Pilder spacecraft, and renamed the robot as Mazinger Z. Thanks to Uncle Ng of Ng's Collections for helping me secure this chogokin!

Bandai SIC Kamen Rider Pre-Amazon

2008-01-11T01:03:00.002+08:00

Added this red fellow to my SIC collection last December, but have only got around to posting the pix of it just now. As the pix above says, this is a limited edition release from Toei. Basically it's just a repaint of the normal Kamen Rider Amazon with green eyes instead of the normal red. Still, a nice addition to the SIC collection.

Casio 25th Anniversary Frogman

2008-01-10T02:51:00.001+08:00

Just like Oscar the Grouch, it comes in a can.

Thought i was never gonna get this one as it was sold out in Japan and here in Singapore faster than Clark Kent changes to Superman. Somehow, my good buddy, Aaron chanced across a couple of these much coveted Frogmans at the Casio dealership in Bangkok. So as they say the rest is history, and i am now the proud owner of a 25th Anniversary Frogman! Thanks Aaron! For those looking to get any more of these babies, sorry but we bought all of the last stock. Hehe...

Bandai SIC Hobby Japan Limited Edition "Another Shadow Moon"

2007-12-22T22:35:00.002+08:00

"You look kinda familiar... "

Whilst doing some Christmas shopping i happened to spot this Limited Edition (or Version as the Japanese seem to describe it) Another Shadowmoon set and decided to pick it up. Kind of an impulse buy as it wasn't on the top priority of my to buy list. Anways, this is the variant Shadowmoon that appears in the SIC Saga book Vol.1. Has some subtle detail differences from the original Shadowmoon (the silver dude in the second picture). Pretty good sculpt and no loose joints as this is a Japan release. Maybe i should look for the throne that he sits on... anyways, i will most likely not be making any entries until this coming January 2008, so i would like to take this opportunity to wish friends and visitors a very Blessed Christmas and a Happy 2008! Cheers!

Bandai SIC. Vol.26 Kamen Rider ZO & Doras

2007-12-14T00:47:00.003+08:00

Kamen Rider ZO

Doras

Happened to see this set lying around at Vincent's Toys, and decided to add this set to my SIC collection as it was pretty affordable for a Japan issue set. The joints are all tight and the paint job is good, compared to the Hong Kong release versions. Still reeling from the nightmare of my SIC. Vol.39 G3 & G4 (Hong Kong release), which came with the weakest and loosest joints! Some of the parts also couldn't even fit properly...

Threadless Tees

2007-12-12T01:04:00.002+08:00

The goodies.

The Friendly Narwhal

Enmity Gardens

Swiss Army

Adultery

Like a Christmas surprise my order of tees from Threadless.com arrived in the mail today. Surprise because i didn't receive the confirmation email from the folks at Threadless. Well at least the goods are finally here. Got these four designs from their vast catalog as these were the only ones in stock that had the sizes i wanted to get. Hopefully my next order from them will be less "surprising".

Bandai SIC.Vol.21 Kamen Rider Amazon & Jungler (Reissue)

2007-12-10T02:22:00.002+08:00

Sometimes patience pays off. In this instance, i'm glad i waited instead of buying this set off the internet. Bandai has reissued Vol.21 as part of the 2007 Classics line. So instead of paying like $300 or more to the scalpers online, i only paid like $70 for this set. Comes with a few accessories like nunchukus and a whip. On a side note, i have managed to source the limited edition "Pre-stage" version of Kamen Rider Amazon... sometimes i wonder why all the toys have to bleed my wallet at the same time...

Bandai SIC.Vol.20 Another Agito & Burning/Shining Form

2007-12-10T01:48:00.003+08:00

Finally completed the Vol.20 figures with this Shining Form Agito. Good old Uncle Ng sold me the set at a real good price together with Vol. 21 Amazon and Jungler which will be featured in my next post. Bandai is releasing SIC Vol.40 which features Agito and his bike, Machine Tornader in the first quarter of 2008. Hopefully Bandai will reissue Vol.19 Agito also then i can complete the Agito figures.

Medicom RAH Jango Fett

2007-12-06T04:48:00.002+08:00

Standard Medicom Star Wars packaging.

Jango Fett at your service.

Take that...

...and that!

Father and son.

If this is a sign of things to come, then surely the upcoming Darth Maul from Medicom should be killer! Very good likeness to Temuera Morrison, who played the character of Jango Fett and the various clone troopers in the prequels of Star Wars. The build quality is good, which leads one to wonder if they have different quality control standards at Medicom. Some of their recent offerings have been quite bad in terms of quality, so this is a pleasant return to the quality that Medicom is famed for. 5 outta 5!

BM Kamen Rider The Next Rider 1

2007-12-03T04:42:00.003+08:00

In the sequel to the first movie, Kamen Rider The First, Rider 1 has apparently seen better days... In Kamen Rider The Next, he sports plenty of battle damage and wear and tear, most likely due to many battles with the Shocker organization. Looks much better than the first clean version, imho. Almost like a Sakurajima look, no? Rider 2 is the mailaway figure for this purchase, and is due out somewhere in Feb '08 thereabouts.

Bandai SIC Kamen Rider The First & New Cyclone ("Custom")

2007-12-03T03:02:00.002+08:00

Added a new bike to the SIC collection. This is an unofficial SIC product from Hong Kong. Solid construction with excellent detailing, its comparable if not better than Bandai's standards. Will be looking forward to a bike for Rider 2! Thanks to my buddy Khoo for helping me get this and also thanks to Ken for bring this and my other toys back from Hong Kong.

Bandai SIC Vol.13 Kamen Rider Kuuga & Limited Edition Kuuga Rising Form

2007-12-03T02:36:00.002+08:00

Growing Form

Mighty Form

Rising Mighty Form

Rising Dragon Form

Rising Pegasus Form

Rising Titan Form

Ultimate Form

Bunch o' Kuuga

Picked up extra sets of Vol.13 and the Limited Edition Kuuga to build up all the different forms of Kuuga. The toy shops at China Square Central were clearing off stock and selling the sets at $30 and $35 respectively.Since the fake bodies cost almost as much, i decided to make the aforementioned purchases. I'm still missing the normal 4 forms of Kuuga as they have not been reissued yet, but i'm sure Bandai will reissue them sometime.

SG-10 Mazinkaiser by Aoshima Miracle House

2007-11-26T02:26:00.001+08:00

Check out the wingspan of the Scrander!

Twin Kaiser Blades

Fire Blaster

Kaiser Scrander

Evolution - Mazinger Z (left), Great Mazinger (right) and Mazinkaiser (back).

Just got my hands on this sweet chunk of diecast metal from Aoshima Miracle House! It's a 2003 release so i was quite suprised to get it close to the original retail price. No longer in production, this piece is quite hard to come by, especially being a Japan only limited version. The export version comes with purple instead of black armor, which is kinda lame. The Scrander for this version apparently comes in black, as the red Scrander comes with the "normal" Japan version, which also has dull silver instead of the polished chrome on its appendages. It's pretty heavy for a chogokin with about 90% of it being diecast, and it weighs in at 0.8kg! Pretty solid construction and the joints snap into place, so holding a pose is no problem. The wingspan of the Scrander is 14.5 inches! So make sure you have plenty if shelf space for this baby! The only thing better than this is the Max Factory Mazinkaiser, which i am still looking out for...

Spec XS-04 Evangelion 00 by Bandai

2007-11-05T01:26:00.001+08:00

The packaging.

The goodies inside...

Eva Unit 00

S&M anyone?

With the familiar Pallet gun.

Enchanted Shield of Virtue

The latest addition to my Evangelion collection is the Spec XS-04 Evangelion 00 by the good folks at Bandai. This is the new, redesigned Unit 00 that is featured in the new Evangelion 3 part movie, Rebuild of Evangelion. Same build quality as the other Spec series, i just wish they included the positron sniper rifle... from the background picture on the cover, looks like they are gonna sell that separately. Good buy which warrants a 5 outta 5 for me.

Revoltech Series 036 - Strike Valkyrie VF-1S

2007-10-30T04:46:00.001+08:00

I'm not really a fan of Revoltech, but this VF-1S by them really caught my eye. This is one of three different mechas in this series that Revoltech is producing. It can't transform like the bigger scale versions made by Bandai and Yamato, but at a tenth of the price of the bigger ones, no one really expects it to. My itchy fingers decided to add some detail to the panel lining, so after about 15 mins with the Gundam Marker, it kinda looked better (doing it at 2am with sleepy eyes kinda helps it look cooler). An above average offering from Revoltech, this one gets a 3.5 outta 5.

Hot toys from HOT TOYS!

2007-10-19T12:45:00.002+08:00

(images courtesy of hottoys.com.hk)

Looks like this year end is gonna be full of goodies from HOT TOYS, with the announcement of the release of 12'" figures from Appleseed Saga - EX MACHINA and Biohazard(also known as Resident Evil). Good for the collection, bad for the wallet... bring them on!

SOC GX-04S UFO Robo Grendizer UFOロボ・グレンダイザー

2007-10-08T02:07:00.001+08:00

Cool looking packaging.

Lotsa parts...

Double Harken

Screw Crasher Punch!

Drill Spazer

Spazer in flight.

Equipped with Marine Spazer.

Combining with Double Spazer to form Combination Cross.

This has got to be one of the best chogokin i have ever bought! Almost 60 to 70% of the set is diecast, and the parts, although requiring some assembly, fit quite well, and the paintjob is pretty good. As you can see, this set comes with lotsa accessories to combine with the Grendizer. Good thing Bandai decided to reissue this set, as online prices were in the region of $350! Got this from Uncle Ng for a decent $215. Although some might argue that it is still somewhat expensive, the proportion of diecast parts and the amount of accessories more than justifies the sticker price. 5 outta 5!

Bandai Spec XS-03 Evangelion 01

2007-10-01T02:50:00.002+08:00

The packaging

Comes ready to assemble.

Armed with the standard Pallet gun.

Left shoulder pod opens up to reveal hidden folding knife!

Big guns rule! Armed with Gatling gun!

Kuro is liking this chogokin!

The third in the Spec series from Bandai, this incarnation of the Evangelion 01 unit is from the new OVA, which is set to debut at the end of this year in Japan. The color scheme is more vibrant as compared to the Spec Limited Edition, and slight design changes can be seen in the armor, along with a little bit more detail in the paint design. The hidden folding knife is another cool feature lacking from the previous Spec Evangelion 01 versions, and the addition of the Gatling gun makes this the coolest Evangelion 01 chogokin imho! 5 outta 5 from me and Kuro!

Casio G-Shock MIB1 Mudman

2007-10-01T02:32:00.001+08:00

Kuro digs the MIB1 Mudman

Got this MIB (Men In Black) 1 Mudman over the weekend to add to my Mudman collection. I like the basic color combination which gives it a serious, no frills look. The strap is not in optimal condition, with quite a few scuffs, but that's ok as i will be using this more often than the rest of my Casio watches. Thanks to my homie, Aaron and his friend in the land of the rising sun for helping me aqquire this piece.

Medicom RAH Boba Fett

2007-09-17T01:44:00.001+08:00

The packaging, a little beat up...

Boba Fett BNIB (not for long...Hehe...)

The best bounty hunter in the galaxy.

Vader: "No disintegrations..."
Boba: "As you wish."

Finally after a delay of 3 months, Medicom Toy's RAH Boba Fett has arrived in sunny Singapore! Somehow i was not too impressed with the quality of the final product, but still i ended up getting it. For starters, the velcro that fastens the armor at the collar is quite visible, and i needed to superglue the hook portion of the velcro back to the armor as it came off easily. The shoulder armor are positioned way too high, and i will try to figure a way to reposition them without damaging the clothing. The prototype pictures clearly show that the shoulder armor are positioned lower, as they should be. The collar is a bit short, and would have looked better if it covered more of the neck area. I decided to add some weathering to the clothing, as it looked way too clean. I referenced some images of the Fett online to see which areas needed weathering. The weathering effects came courtesy of my Tamiya Weathering Master set. I suppose this is Medicom Toy's interpretation of how Boba Fett should look, so I will give them the benefit of doubt in this case. 3.5 outta 5 from me. Toro can't comment as he has been apprehended by the Fett.

El. with "Reideen" by Kaiyodo

2007-09-08T18:25:00.001+08:00

"Reideen" bug exterminator

This is El. walking around looking for bugs to exterminate. Armed with her Accel Bug Exterminator, which comprises of the mini generator she calls "Reideen" and the electric rod, she is more than ready for any bug infestation. The goggles come in handy for the squishy bugs... this figure by Kaiyodo stands at 21cm tall and comes with a custom base, and is based on a one-off resin scuplture by Yoshinori Yatake. The original sculpt had a much more detailed paintjob which sadly this mass production version does not have. However, it is still a very nice figure, and if one were to be as skillful as the original artist/sculptor, all it takes is a little touch up work to get it to look like the original piece. 3.5 outta five for me!

SOC GX-01R Mazinger Z マジンガーＺ

2007-09-05T03:24:00.001+08:00

Packaging has been updated for this "reissue".

The goodies inside.

"Missile Punch"

"Ironcutter"

"Drill Missile"

Jet Pilder

Jetscrander mode

Got this updated version of the Mazinger Z after resisting buying it for a year. Must say they sure did a good job of updating the look of the Mazinger Z as compared to the original GX-01. Noticeable refinements have been made to the Jetscrander and the Hoverpilder. Also there is now no need for any clipping of parts as they are all ready to plug and play. The silver parts are now all "chromed" and really brings out the chogokin aspect of this toy. If you are a Mazinger Z fan, this is a must have! This gets a 4 outta 5.