Excerpts from Interview with Hiddy of Secret Base

Excerpts From MINDstyle's Collectors Toy Box Issue Two:

Tell us about Skull Bee, Skull Brain, Skull Mantis and Monster Bee-Man?
Skull Bee was created as an enemy of Fink Shit like I said earlier. Other characters are Skull Beee's friends or his enemies. They are called "Fighting Series" and we are making it like an ultimate fighting of multiple kinds of insects. But in fact, i'm not really interested in making this size of toys anymore as it has become too common in the toy world. It's just too sad to see every type of figure from lots of companies on the same shelf.

Are there any new toy collaborations and projects you can mention?
There will be a collaboration toy with one of the biggest children's clothing brands in Japan. Were also making shoes now. Of course collaborating with a shoe brand. Hope you guys look forward to that. But, it'll be something you can actually wear everyday because I can't really find that many of "artist collaboration" shoes like that. There are lots of them that are a bit embarassing to wear outside because of the designs. Lol.

Are you a kaiju toy company or do you think SECRET BASE is more of a lifestyle brand?
We are not "kaiju" toy company. In fact, I don't really like that group that much. I at least believe that we have been walking through our own unique roads. Like people who made history by designing and creating toys in the past. For instance, Hikaru (BxH) from Japan; Michael Lau and Eric So from Hong Kong. They were full of originality. Like these amazing guys, we just wanted to do something that other people had not done yet ever before. So, I just not not want to be considered as one of the "kaiju" toy companies.

What is the main difference you see from Japan collectors and USA toy collectors?
I don't think there are true "toy collectors" in Japan. I feel it is really down time here. People only buy to show off to others and feel better about themselves. They just want whatever their friends or everyone has....I think it is really sad.

On the other hand, there are lots of American toy collectors who are genuine and really energetic. But just one thing...some of them just want things with limited run and do not care about the toys really...Limited to 10 piees or 20 pieces is no longer "limited products" any more in my opinion. At a toy show, I've seen people just come to our booth and just say "give me one of the limited toys for today!" without even looking at atual toys. I get sometimes confused what they really want. Our toys are not that cheap, so it's my humble wish that they buy our toys after checking the atual designs and thinking carefully, and understanding our concepts.

How do you see the Kaiju toy scene evolving?
I don't know...i'm just not interested in anything related recent kaiju toys at all. I can't find anything I like and all look the same to me. I don't even know if it's actually evolving. I don't think it will go any better or worse if you aske me. It is aa very small world.

 

This is limited to Japan?

quote:
People only buy to show off to others and feel better about themselves. They just want whatever their friends or everyone has.

 

what an interesting interview... especially how it's honest and not trying to push his wares (although too bad it's not a very positive one)

 

I had the same thoughts. Refreshingly honest but kinda depressing.

 

depressing indeed, i'm going to go sit in a corner with my rebel ink and cry while listing to linkin park now

 

It's a sad view, but it's only one view after all.

 

Everyone wait for the Great Secret Base Sell-Off! Oh wait, that happened years ago...

 

Yeah, I was surprised about this myself. Hiddy seems to have figured out a well-established facet of human behavior that has manifested since caveman times. "Ogg has cave bear pelt that no one else has. That make him cool. Me want to be like Ogg."

 

Sounds like he wants to change things up a bit....do more one off projects rather than the 'lines' of toys previously. I think he's saying that because he doesn't want the company he's worked hard to build not stand still or stagnate.

 

It's a very truthful view though.

I can think of 4 or 5 people that I know who buy specifically because they think it's hyper "limited".

To each their own, you can do what you want, but it is pretty truthful.

This conversation happens here all of the time. Buy what you like, blah blah blah.

 

If Hiddy wanted to make those people feel really stupid, he'd go back and produce more of those toys so they were less limited. Why not?

 

or unlock his vaults and flood the market with hundreds of ubiqs

 

What I find interesting is he's backing out of fight figs because he thinks there's too many yet (rxh aside) fight figs are going away. I've actually started to get an SB surge in my blood because I have so much "kaiju" (mini and standard) and I really feel the desire for something else (being fight figs.)

I don't think anything is sad about any of this. The guy is sick of something he's being drowned in and wants to switch it up. Sounds hopeful.

 

Note to Hiddy,
I buy because it's Secret Base! I cry when there is a variant (I don't get) and end up paying some fuck his huge asking price on yja!

To me Secret Base Rules and I don't want the fight figures to end!!

 

Nice and honest.

+1

 

Not hating, but the last thing I want is secret Base sneakers

 

I wouldn't mind a Nike collaboration, but an SB line? Not so sure.

 

I liked this interview. The man speaks truth. Thanks for posting this.

 

Maybe it is a mistranslation, but it bums me out to hear that Hiddy does not want to be associated with the 'kaiju group' or see SB toys on a shelf with lots of other figures.

When did all of the older companies decide to give each other the finger and go their separate ways? Seems like it was more about working together and collaborations between the new vinyl companies in the early days- Gargamel and Secret Base, RxH and Blobpus, Cronic and Gargamel, S7 and everyone, etc. I always got a kick out of seeing other companies' toys painted up in a new way. These days it's more about custom shows and assembling your legion of follower artists.

I miss the days when it was about the toys and not the egos behind the toys.

 

I think you had your rose colored glasses on. From what I've heard, these people never had a sense of brotherhood or (in some cases) even awareness of each other, and many of these toys would not exist if it wasn't for the driving force of ego.

 

no awareness of one another? i think your blind glasses are on roger. how could they not be aware of one another if they were all working using mostly the same sculptor(s) for each new figure?
and if they're all at toy shows selling toys (in the early days anyway), how would they be "unaware of one another"?

i have also heard that a few key people in some companies don't get along, but this statement above seems completely false in terms of the "newer" companies.

 

I'm only telling you what I've seen. A lot of these folks don't seem to be on each others' radar.

 

I don't know what you're seeing then. It simply makes no sense at all to me what you're saying.

you can't be talking about the newer companies with a decent sized fan base (ie gargamel, rxh, SB).

 

Hmmm...I have thought for awhile that it was Secret Base that needed to evolve. I also think there is a lot more diversity of style in the "Kaiju" scene then the Secret Base line.

This is my opinion and I know others feel different. AFL

 

I don't collect SB at all, and this is why. The Astro Mu 5 homage was the first new thing to come out in... how long?