I swear to God, more than one person has walked into the TAG store and asked me, "Did you make all of these?"
The Project Manager on my team at work is always turning the penis on my Blobpus Gori Gori. He says "It's a penis up(down or sideways) type of day" Everyone asks me if I buy my unpainted stuff to paint. I should just say yes, it would be easier.
man I was in physiical therapy one day wearing an original fake hasheem t the one that says looking 4 poonanie & they were asking about it and I said it's a toy, for adults & the whole room froze and turned to stare directly at me. it was really hard to explain myself out of that one.
I remember telling a coworker that I used to collect Nike AirMax 95s and they assumed I meant worn stinky shoes . Instead of trying to explain the concept of dead stock, I just told them I only like worn stinky sofubi and now I don't have to talk to them anymore.
Just yesterday, I had a couple of 40-something Japanese dudes visit my studio. They are streetwear guys, not toy collectors at all, but when they saw my collection, they went nuts - it was every toy they lusted after as kids. That never gets old.
I had a super hot woman walk into my office the other day and say "Oh my god, I have one of these! (pointing to one of my toys) Mine's signed by the designer. (I've never signed any of these particular toys.)" "Really?" I said. "Where did you get that signed?" "At a toy show in the UK where he was signing these." "You know that the guy who owns that company lives right here in Brisbane and has never been to the UK right?" I said. "What? You don't know what you're talking about." She sneered back, slamming the toy down and storming out. Fucking great.
if you are sitting on my couch this shelf is in direct view. "What the hell, is that a walking vagina, and what the fuck are those two things next to them?" "Where the hell do you even buy stuff like that?"
HAHA, that's Awesome! ... Hmm, but "Super Hot" ey? Let's see, toy integrity orrrr lady business... I see your dilemna Though slamming toys down (especially when it's not yours) is no funny business. Welcome to THE List, hot stuff.
Assuming she is not just a complete liar, I would love to know to what toy she has that she confused with one of yours. It would be funny if she was trying to flirt with you and you blew it.
"are you going to sell them?" "cool, man." "...oh you still collect those toys, eh?" "i like the head of this one (my gf talking about the Tokoichi)" "don't ever sell them!" I don't have nearly what I used to (though I deeply miss the tokoji collection), so they hardly get noticed as anything I really "collect". just a little group of figures. just a drop in the bucket, but when I think about the money I've spent over the years on toys, I just can't bring myself to collect in full swing like that anymore. back when I had a nice Gargamel collection, most people thought it was cool as fork. it was the arrangement I think. I have a lot of fun with that.
A lot of issues friends of mine have with these vs. other toys is 1- most they can't relate to a source (since many don't have a source, but some do like Toho figures) 2- Even when they CAN link them to an existing property, they think they "look cheap" and so that also confuses them. The no-connection thing really throws a lot of people though. "What's it from" is a big one. They really feel this need to connect it to something like a movie or show or comic. They'll really be into some Medicom VCD Star Wars because they can place them. But the RxH or other stuff I have, unless it's very specifically a tribute, they can't accept and "don't get it." So many people who've seen these just can't function past "what's it from?"
I GET: "what does it do?" "that's cool but I only collect [expletive deleted]" "is that kyuuju?" " they're so ugly, I like those bunny things better." I need to associate with better people.