Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others

Discussion in 'Japan Toys' started by chimply.kaiju, Aug 18, 2011.

  1. doomboy

    doomboy Addicted

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    this thread is Kraken ;)
     
  2. Michael Beverage

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    The Thrashout colorway stuff is killer and that new rolling robot looks like lots of fun. Looks like some good stuff there beyond the early teasers.

    pic borrowed from IG:

     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2019
  3. Anti Social Andy

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    There is some better stuff than the teasers teased for sure.

    But knowing that they're likely to be one-off's and not previews of production items that might be attainable by us mere mortals is kinda like a kick in the nutz!

    Gargamel seem to have gone the same way over recent years, but at least they toss out the odd (lucky-bag shaped) bone once in awhile!
     
  4. Michael Beverage

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    Gargamel one offs are also still affordable if you can make it out to the show!
     
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  5. Rich

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    There is no question, Hirota is the best indi toy maker of all time.

    From design, to paint, to presentation it’s absolutely flawless every time.
     
  6. zindabad

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    Gargamel is usually pretty affordable even if you can't make it. The wildest 1/1s rarely come up, true, but the ceiling on those prices isn't high when they do show up.

    Happy to eat a few of my words re:the show. I'm enjoying the heavy tin toy look on the new mini mascot and giant Kill Dozer robot, and my eyes lit up when I saw the big guy had working tank treads. Excited to see him push that boundary. Less excited that we're seeing some of the most interesting experiments happen in "status symbol" territory.
     
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  7. Spaceman Yells

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    I love his work. I don’t really enjoy the scene surrounding it.
     
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  8. Michael Beverage

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    Yeah, Hirota killed it overall, I have to admit. Lots of stuff to appreciate there after seeing all the reveals. He’s definitely becoming the master of the sofubi robot.
     
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  9. taviq

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    yup, some crazy good looking pieces. Especially that chunky robot that seems to have windup wheels.
     
  10. JoeMan

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    Is the new bot a Robot Commander tribute? Awesome Toy just did one too, but this seems to take more liberties and is cooler if it is. I agree their are some much better pieces here than were used for previews.
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2019
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  11. wingnut0

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    There are some great pics on Instagram. Those thrashout-esque figures are rad, and I saw that there was blank mini MG2 offered that I would pretty much kill for.
     
  12. Alebrije

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    This Mecha Zaurus it's one of my favorites, but like all the one offs in the show it's sold for $6,000 USD
    [INSTA[/INSTA]
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2019
  13. xSuicide Squadx

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    The matte/glossy black combo toys are insanely cool lookin’.
     
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  14. badteethcomics

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
     
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  15. Rich

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    Is this just fucking around or are you serious ?
     
  16. zindabad

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    This is what I've heard regarding one-offs at the last two shows as well. Hence my being leery of the rusty MG above; as a one-off or micro run it was probably some multiple of whatever retail is now.
     
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  17. badteethcomics

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    When in Rome... $$$$$$$$

    Kind of a sleazy move to price according to the apparent affluence in the location of the exhibition
     
  18. Alebrije

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    It's serious, the Brutals with clear vinyl and clear colors are sold for: aprox $2,800 USD more or less, depending on the exchange rate.
     
  19. Rich

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    Well I’m on the fence about how I feel.

    I can see how he wants to set his place in the art world as a whole. Who he follows and associates with are artists that are big or growing. So it feels like he’s proving he also deserves to be in the same conversation.

    I certainly can’t afford this what so ever now, but It’s obvious there are others that have no issues. So I’ll just cherish what I have and enjoy.

    I’m also assuming there has to be some toys that aren’t that high he was selling. Even if it’s the smaller stuff or Fink shits. I’d be happy with those.

    Money aside what a beautiful show. The life sized stuff is also stunning, and not in most of this blowing smoke nonsense, it’s the true definition of mind blowing , iconic and game changing. The painted toys, the chrome, the marbles everything is flawless and inspiring. Both in what I want to collect, and what makes me want to go create something.
     
  20. Madmax405

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    I can feel some of these sentiments. Obviously many (most all?) of us here are priced out and not part of the circle that would even permit us to pick up a release at retail time.

    At the same time I recognize the amazing execution behind the toy.

    All of this being said, the little mascot toy is (only) $90. For my money, I'd rather have one of those than the highest price one-off, which is $7,700 according to a friend.
     
  21. Jtsui1105

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    No. His price is about $4000. Not $6000.
     
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  22. The Moog

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    Hirota Saigansho: Gorilla-ju, Mecha Gorilla-ju, & Others
    Yeah, that's the first thing I noticed. The use of very distinctive matt and gloss is great looking, I'm trying to think of other sofubi that utilises that technique. Its definitely unusual.
     
  23. Anti Social Andy

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    It kicked ass on the MadToyz Anniversary Mecha and works just as well across the board!

    But still runs of 30-40 @ 'regular' pricing > Runs of 10 @ 'baller-only' prices to keep the market alive!
     
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  24. Michael Beverage

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    I understand and agree with many of these sentiments. And it sounds like he had different price points at the show, which is huge to me in terms of trying to accommodate collectors of different backgrounds and means.

    I don’t fault Hirota at all for his pricing. More power to him. But I collected Hirota stuff for a few years when even aftermarket was less than half of his retail prices, and I really examined his toys closely against a lot of other well known and respected makers, from a pragmatic standpoint. And I didn’t see this massive difference in quality, complexity, etc. as compared to my favorite indie toy makers. But I haven’t checked out his recent work, and great artists progress over time.

    It really all comes down to personal tastes. I prefer bumpy, funky kaiju with more abstract paint jobs, vinyl textures, and generally just more going on with the paint jobs than Hirota’s stuff- a la Bemon, Anraku, and your own stuff Rich. If I’m paying a huge premium, I want to be able to turn the toy over in my hand and find something interesting I haven’t seen before after owning it for a year. I personally never got that with Hirota’s toys.

    Longneck’s retail and aftermarket is high, but I have been a fan since 2013, and will continue to be. It’s still more affordable than Hirota’s stuff, but I’m willing to pay up because I find the toys interesting, and I greatly enjoy the vintage character, homages and general funky pachi flavor of his brand. It’s really just all about what gets your engine running.

    In the immortal words of Digital Underground......Doowutchyalike!
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2019
  25. taviq

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    Oh it's 4000 not 6000. Now i have money for rent, food, gas and toilet paper. Thank god
     

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