I don't pass through this thread very often (with good reason apparently) . . . but that's fuckin' nuts! Looks like another Japanese manufacturer believing their own hype. It might or might not be working financially for HxS, but since taking the Asian nouveu riche ¥¥¥ dude seems to have dropped off the radar. No matter how cool his stuff is, there seems little point in following or staying interested in shit you can't buy, at prices you wouldn't be willing to pay.
I remember the days when everyone on SB was scooping Ilu ilu and uzumark figures with minimal effort. People were just dumping neo gorillas because the faces and hands were getting scratched up in the boxes, (me too). I also had a Gortz and crushed the flimsy box so I sold it for I think 150. Those were the days. I guess to use some marketing speak we’ve moved from pioneers. To early adapters and now the mainstream. Hard to get as excited (price aside) when every tween and their mom is posting uzumark on Instagram. The vibes just not the same, for many toy lines, not just this one.
Totally this, it’s real irritating seeing people post pics of toys with their old parents. Like wtf do your parents have to do with the hot toy? Oh they also waited in line for you to get a fucking toy? Bunch of losers.
While Uzumark has become probably the most frustrating brand to collect in all of indie sofubi, the quality of these releases is insane. The packaging, the clothing, the hair and accessories, it's really top-tier all around. It's a shame that the exclusivity attracted so much hype it's utterly unattainable now.
As much as I like the attention to detail, I'm blessedly not in love with the toys in this new set. The worm omake was the one thing I enjoyed before some photos from collectors revealed it to be a dick with its own vagina. Would still kill for the spiral house box it comes in. Probably kits for such things available online, I'll look later. Funny stuff actually, Chris—we get to experience maximum frustration at the new releases in alternating years now, as Ilu/Uzu each seem to release once in two years.
I can’t even follow how the latest figures were sold, was there an event? As beautiful as his dolls are I’d never be interested in buying a doll. Monsters only for me. Though I feel like there is a huge doll subculture out there I’m clueless about. I do love that multi eyed creature with the twisting head part, but I think one sold on yja for like 8 grand so I give up on it
I haven't quite given up on Uzumark (Hope lives) but these are basically impossible to obtain. Occassionally pop up and some is asking 5k for a tiny piece or trying to negotiate your 1st born. Unsure how the doll was released. I don't collect dolls but when I've looked around there is a massive base of indie doll collectors with all kinds of varieties. Lots of crazy priced items on Mandarake.
Sold in-person at Mandarake fest to people who applied beforehand online. Yeah, no fun. I've been lucky with Ilu Ilu mostly thanks to there being exceptionally decent people who don't flip in the collector base (less and less every year) and probably larger quantities of the toys. Uzumark I could never crack. Boat has sailed now on the new stuff, I think, but don't give up hope for old releases.
