Bemon question

Discussion in 'Japan Toys' started by purple walrus, Jun 22, 2019.

  1. purple walrus

    purple walrus Addicted

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    Bemon question
    It seems like everyone has a Bemon in their collection.... Question: where do you all purchase yours, and how much do they cost these days?
     
  2. bryce_r

    bryce_r Die-Cast

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    Bemon question
    If you are talking about the kougai kaiju...I used to get mine off of yja. The prices in 07 were like 200-250 or so. Which was still a lot back then. Most of the mixed parts run were painted over. Nowadays prices are absolutely insane. I've seen them (infrequently) being auctioned off at the 500-900 mark.
    The two headed monster by Bemon has been sold anywhere from 1000-2000. Sea creature...400-600
     
  3. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Bemon question
    Bryce is correct. Honda himself will occasionally make a listing for older releases, but the production run Kougai on YJA will generally end between $400 and $900, but I’ve seen a couple of the original one offs leave for over $1K. Mandarake has *okay* pricing sometimes, with blank Kougai maybe being around $400 to $600. 2HBemon is just crazy, though. On that site, they’ll go anywhere from $1,200(which is considerably reasonable in today’s market) to $3,000. Ryan has a great version up for sale here, if it tickles your fancy: http://skullbrain.org/bb/index.php?threads/rxh-te-medicom-pk-exohead-bemon.53700/
     
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  4. Anti Social Andy

    Anti Social Andy Die-Cast

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    Bemon question
    If it makes you feel any better . . . I don't!

    Meh!
     
  5. zindabad

    zindabad Line of Credit

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    Bemon question
    I walk up to the Bemon store and ask the surly cashier for the usual
     
  6. bryce_r

    bryce_r Die-Cast

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    Bemon question
    ?
     
  7. The Moog

    The Moog Die-Cast

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    Bemon question
    Is this true? Howd'ya come to that conclusion? It was a run of 120, I'd be surprised if even half were now painted. Tell me more!

    I'm curious how you got that impression, in my experience there are far more collectors who don't have any Bemon than one's who do.
     
  8. Russblue11

    Russblue11 S7 Royalty

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    Bemon question
    I’ll take another BEMON.
     
  9. Michael Beverage

    Michael Beverage Line of Credit

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    Bemon question
    I believe there was more than one run of mixed parts Kougai.

    For some reason there has been a resurgence in interest with the Kougai lately. I can’t figure it out really. Aside from it being a classic, endearing toy. Folks weren’t that interested in them for a quite a few years after the serious hype wore off; I was even able to pick up a one off on eBay for 400 a few years back. Now everyone is looking for them it seems.

    Just another reason I just focus on what I love, hype and trends be damned. There is not much rhyme or reason to the waxing and waning in popularity of certain toy lines and sculpts at the end of the day, beyond the intentional manipulation of run sizes and prices, or large preorders or reissues making folks lose interest in certain sculpts because there is no chase to be had anymore.

    EDIT: I guess I should recognize Bemon’s sales model for years has been making the toys hard to acquire and expensive right out of the gate, so there’s that....:D. But for folks who love pachi kaiju, crude sculpts and top-notch interesting paint jobs, Bemon is still tough to beat.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2019
  10. zindabad

    zindabad Line of Credit

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    Bemon question
    Perspective like that is always valuable. Only thing I'd add is that it's really very few people maintaining prices on the most hyped toys in the hobby, just because not many have the desire or means to throw thousands at a single toy. The few people doing that are just rich and hungry enough to buy up everything. When I see an awful aftermarket price, I remind myself that I'm not waiting for mysterious market forces to bring it down. I'm waiting for 20 people who pay top dollar to get bored and move on. And then that price will start dropping :lol:
     
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  11. liquidsky

    liquidsky Vintage

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    Bemon question
    Thought there were two runs of mixed parts. Maybe 60 and 60. Or 40 and 60
    Never heard of them being repainted thought I wouldn't be surprised if a handful were.
    Did hear stories of collectors dismantling them in an effort to reassemble a solid, especially GID.
    Not sure how many original mixed parts still exist.
    The painted one-offs are stupidly pricey these days.
    Very tactile sculpt that works even when unpainted or clear IMO
     
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  12. The Moog

    The Moog Die-Cast

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    Bemon question
    Yeah, I remember trading going on for that, it was always cool to see such a high level of toy obsessiveness. Respect to anyone who managed it, it couldn't of been easy.

    It seems like not that long ago i paid around £150 for my mixed parts Kougai on the sales thread and it was the most extravagant sofubi purchase I'd ever made. I thought I was mad. A little annoyed with myself for spending so much, compared to other toys. But by today's standards £150 was fucking peanuts, or at least reasonable.
     
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  13. gazpacho

    gazpacho Comment King

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    Bemon question
    I believe there were 3 unpainted runs: 60 120 and 60. Or 60 120 and 120.
     
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  14. deafmetal

    deafmetal Comment King

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    Bemon question
    Some examples:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Russblue11

    Russblue11 S7 Royalty

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    Bemon question
    @RudeBeast had that amazing gum unmixed Bemon. I haven’t seen him post in a while, hope he’s ok
     
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  16. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Bemon question
    Everyone definitely does not have a Bemon. If we are talking the kougai, I most certainly would be incredibly happy to have one to check out and play with, for all of the above mentioned reasons. Unfortunately, there is the battle against hype/demand, a lot of which has been built up right out of the gate. One of the few toys I argue warrants at least part of it though. But that is coming from a personal standpoint of being a vintage collector and really appreciating the history of it and the original IKB designs. I still see this as standing alongside the likes of the Hukkokudo repros and such, versus being a sought after 'art toy' - giving full credit to Honda as the artist of course for its execution. It is a lovely toy. As I likely have said in the past, the transfer of such wonderful designs (HxS is another example) to the world of 'designer toy' exclusivity is sort of sad, and everyone's loss. I would love these things just as much in mass-produced form. Run numbers or bragging rights mean actually less than nothing to me.

    But prices are definitely crazy, and beyond what I could hope for. I definitely cannot recollect any period where these were uncool, and damn Moog, I think you got a crazy bargain there, but of course, yes, price 'acceptance' for toys has sure changed through the years [across the hobby]. I don't know if we are really seeing a resurgence as such in popularity, it's never waned to any major degree, and most people tend to keep this tight in collections when they are lucky enough to come across them. I think any 'effect' here is more linked to the continued release of other, exclusive and - errr - popular toy lines, which are causing a certain group of mad collectors to chase it all. Don't even get me started on Butanohana in 2019.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2019
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  17. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Bemon question
    In my short time with this hobby, Bemon has always been self perceived by me to be the original hype toy. The fact that practically no one even knows what Honda looks like, still, leaves so much of a mystery factor, that adds to the scarcity and difficulty of obtaining his toys, without bankrolling. Hell, I met over a dozen of Honda’s personal friends from hardcore shows in Japan last September, some of which own a handful of his toys(and don’t even actually collect), and couldn’t tell me much about him outside of a vague, physical description. Despite internet access making it easy to know everything and get your hands on virtually anything, there’s still so little known about the man behind the ‘Mon for the average collector, even some of those who are hardcore Bemon fans. I feel like the lasting lore behind his name and persona, added with the limited run numbers, and zero availability outside of Japan and secondary markets, it keeps hunger/hype alive. As far as I’m concerned, he’s basically got two camps of fans: people who enjoy the hype, and people who enjoy the pachi roots of his designs and why the toys exist. But both I would say genuinely appreciate his works for what they are, though I think Space and Sea Monsters are severely underrated/appreciated.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2019
  18. Michael Beverage

    Michael Beverage Line of Credit

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    Bemon question
  19. akum6n

    akum6n Vintage

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    Bemon question
    *eye twitches involuntarily*
     
  20. ---NT---

    ---NT--- Prototype

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    Bemon question
    Hmmm, I guess I understand where you're coming from. But I think it depends on how you use/define the term "hype". With Bemon the toy was definitely the "it" toy of its time, much like HxS is now, and AA and Nag were at some point between the two. However, I think there's a huge difference between all of them - or they occupy different spots on a spectrum.
    Bemon never felt like the hype was contrived, or generated by Honda. They hype was entirely created by the collectors. And sure, availability and mystery probably played a big part in that, but I don't think Honda ever set out to create mystery/intrigue - he was just a guy making toys who liked his privacy. On the other end of the spectrum you've got Nag, who - from the get go - set out to manufacture intrigue. The hype was more important than the toy, the toy was just a means to an end. AA and HxS seem to fall somewhere between the two.
     
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  21. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Bemon question
    @Michael Beverage I can honestly say I didn’t enjoy reading any of that. Felt like a rushed publication with very minimal information, some of which just felt incorrectly spoken. I also thought it weird to have the IKB headers, but the Hukkokudo/Ggml repros alongside.

    @---NT--- I’m actually in wholeheartedly agreement with you! I do not at all think Bemon’s hype and demand was contrived from his own doing, but rather just how limited he preferred to keep his toys for personal reasons. The hype was for sure fed to fans by fans, though Honda did have some tactics he intentionally implemented that drove up some hunger. I do believe the availability and mystery play pretty big roles in the demand for his toys, but also the allure of a big price tag “surely” meaning it has social value in collecting. So I definitely, definitely believe Honda’s in his own spectrum/realm of the hype genre.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2019
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  22. Michael Beverage

    Michael Beverage Line of Credit

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    Bemon question
    Agreed, I was just having the same conversation with a friend. I’d love to see more articles written about the toys we collect in general, but want to see more research, content and photos.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2019
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  23. bunnyboy

    bunnyboy Side Dealer

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    Bemon question
    Well, at least that "article" had three sentences mentioning the "Kogai" in the last paragraph. :?
     
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  24. chottomatte

    chottomatte Addicted

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    Bemon question
    Was patiently waiting for some new bemon threads this decade good to see a lot of familiar names again. As for the topic of mixed part bemons they were by far my favorite kind. Something about the random assortment or the fact that they were more affordable than painted ones. I ended up collecting quite a few of them either through yja, ebay or trading with members on here. Back then they were sometimes 180 to 200 for an uglier mix of colors, versus 350+ for highly sought after GID or glitter parts.
     
  25. akum6n

    akum6n Vintage

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    Bemon question
    The article has a promising start, but takes a weird turn when it tries to tie together Bemon, the Neo Kaiju Project and the term 'neo kaiju'. They're related in a way, but I think it gives a false perception of the history behind these toys when you attempt to stitch them together in a single narrative stream.

    I also find it funny that they only name American creators at the end.
     
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