Explain Yourself!

Discussion in 'Whatever' started by Brooklyn_Vinyl, May 6, 2016.

  1. Brooklyn_Vinyl

    Brooklyn_Vinyl Line of Credit

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    Explain Yourself!
    I'm sure most people on here are frequently asked by people who aren't in the know, "what are these things?" I'm curious how people describe their sofubi collection to those who see it for the first time and ask.
    I usually throw out something somewhat generic and gauge people's interest. If there interested I tend to ramble, if they're not they look at me funny and I digress.
     
  2. hellscrape

    hellscrape Comment King

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    Explain Yourself!
    They're underground Japanese toys. I tell them that they are inspired by Godzilla and other monsters, but with small production runs. They will inevitably ask about and balk at the price. At this point I will usually comment on something dumb they spend their money on (alcohol, shoes, strippers, video games) and ask them to explain why one is more justifiable than the other.
     
  3. patrickvaz

    patrickvaz Addicted

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    Explain Yourself!
    Me: "It's like Godzilla, but different."
    Them: "IDK, I still don't get it"
     
  4. kid_miracleman

    kid_miracleman Comment King

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    Explain Yourself!
    It's self-created pop culture. Instead of having a bunch of shitty Funko Pops on your book shelf to show the types of movies/TV shows you're in, you have a bunch of high end hand painted Japanese toys designed in the style you love.

    I'm a horror fanatic and my toy shelf makes that pretty damn evident. :mrgreen:
     
  5. Ultra_Gigan

    Ultra_Gigan Addicted

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    Explain Yourself!
    Thankfully most of the people who see my collections are likeminded individuals so I don't really have to deal with having to explain wtf these goofy looking multi colored critters are. My mother in law is probably the only one so far that I've had to try to explain to. I just say that 'they are just cool monster toys from Japan'.

    That said, a while back I was selling my condo and I was dutifully packing away things that would 'scare' potential buyers away. My real estate agent stopped by and I told her I was about to empty my detolfs of all my vinyl and she said "why? they look great with all those little creatures in there, I say leave them!" so leave them I did.

    I do love explaining all about them to friends who do genuinely like my stuff, but only have a fringe knowledge of the vinyl 'scene', especially when they get excited about them. Then we play with monsters on the dining room table ha!
     
  6. BlasphemousWords

    BlasphemousWords Toy Prince

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    Explain Yourself!
    Them: Oh cool, you collect toys too?

    Me in head: I don't collect mass produced pad-printed Chinese "plastic" like you do, so... no.

    Me verbally: yup! Isn't life great!
     
  7. wizeguy

    wizeguy Side Dealer

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    Explain Yourself!
    Japanese monster toys!

    nuff said
     
  8. kid_miracleman

    kid_miracleman Comment King

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    Explain Yourself!
    Haha man, I would love to see the rest of your house then. I'm guessing sofubi just sort of fits the regular style of your home.

    That's pretty much what my friends think of me. I'm known for my weird t-shirts and for my closer friends, the art collector. The toy collecting when I started it just sort of made sense.
     
  9. bansheebot

    bansheebot Super Deformed

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    Explain Yourself!
    I just explain, in so many words, that they're Japanese toys based on their respective artist's / designer's original characters.

    I personally don't talk prices with people as I'd rather not deal with the judgment.
     
  10. SstatusSkuo

    SstatusSkuo Toy Prince

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    Explain Yourself!
    No matter how I try to explain it to the people who see my collection, in the end they still just see them as toys. So I don't try anymore.
     
  11. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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    Explain Yourself!
    I'm surprised at how often I hear "ooohh they look like candy I want to eat them!" after seeing the toy shelves :lol:
     
  12. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    Explain Yourself!
    What a fun topic! :D I don't really have to explain myself too much. When my friends see my rubber stamp collection, bead collection, lampwork bead-making torch/kiln/oxygen concentrator, Uglydolls (handmades!) they sorta take the toy collection in stride as just another eccentricity. They DO like the toys though! :D As most of the toys I collect have a high cuteness/colorful factor. I don't mention prices though :oops: ;) Ditto about the "candy factor" :D .
     
  13. foto junkaay

    foto junkaay Addicted

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    Explain Yourself!
    Indeed this is a fun subject. At first I got the "what are you 12?" And then I stopped caring. After awhile they just kinda embraced it and realized that this is just me. I always compare to shoes because they collect shoes or have BFs that collect. My friends' kids really dig them though and it's fun teaching and explaining to them the origin of the toys. The eyes glow!
     
  14. BlasphemousWords

    BlasphemousWords Toy Prince

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    Explain Yourself!
    I've always been "that guy that watches Japanese kids shows" because of my affinity for Tokusatsu so no one even batted an eye when my shelves started containing more than Godzilla toys and Kamen Rider belts. Just "more weird shit that Felipe's in to"
     
  15. Headhunter

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    Explain Yourself!
    Well let me see when i tell ppl what im into they are not quite sure what it is until i show them but iv never gotten shit like "what are you 12?" they know better than that i guess lol.

    Most ppl who i show my stuff to REALLY really like it. Even my grandpa whos never ever seen stuff like that before. His eyes would light up like a little kid and go "wow". By this time he had alzhiemers and dementia but he still loved the sofubi toys i showed him regardless.
     
  16. GhostTrainGray

    GhostTrainGray Toy Prince

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    Explain Yourself!
    "Get the fuck out of my house."
     
  17. Headhunter

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    Explain Yourself!
    LMAO that would work even more effective to. XD
     
  18. Lttr Prssd

    Lttr Prssd Comment King

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    Explain Yourself!
    This.
     
  19. rattanicus

    rattanicus Mini Boss

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    Explain Yourself!
    I tell folks that I collect toys because they're the purest expression of joy for me, and that sofubi is the purest expression of toys. That (coupled with a gander at my shelves) lets them know I'm serious, hence allowing them to look at my hobby more objectively :)
     
  20. patrickvaz

    patrickvaz Addicted

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    Explain Yourself!
    Well said Rei.
     
  21. Sokko

    Sokko Addicted

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    Explain Yourself!
    They are little pieces of art, each with a personality of its own.

    And then I try to change the subject.
     
  22. hellointerloper

    hellointerloper S7 Royalty

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    Explain Yourself!
    I haven't had anyone visit my house in years. :( Well... My house, yes, but my house = my parents house, and my boyfriend and I live in the basement. My collection is near our bed... So it's more like people never see my collection because it's in our bedroom, and taking friends or family into your bedroom is kind of weird.

    Man, do we need to get the hell out of here. At least I'm one class credit away from graduation and my boyfriend is almost done with his EMT class. (Which is his backup plan because applying to police jobs for the past 3 years hasn't had any positive results)

    gripegripegripe
     
  23. useless toys

    useless toys Side Dealer

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    Explain Yourself!
    Exactly.
     
  24. Greasebat

    Greasebat Side Dealer

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    Explain Yourself!
    Out of my circle of friends that don't collect anything, the comic book readers/collectors understand. After I explain it then I get, Oh I'll buy some for my kids! Then I have to explain the price aspect/reasons and that idea fades away fast :) But I do occasionally give away toys I've designed to give to my friends kids... I love the idea of one sitting on a kids toy shelf.

    It's funny too when you are surprised by somebody who is also totally into it, for instance my daughter's friends dad is a huge anime fan, including all the old stuff I like, along with a general knowledge of toys- pretty cool.
     
  25. bbb

    bbb Side Dealer

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    Explain Yourself!
    "Honey, it's art, I swear!"
     

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