Hukkokudo Toys

Discussion in 'Japan Toys' started by ultrakaiju, Dec 10, 2016.

  1. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Re - highlighting these two! Fantastic works of imagination with these IKB sculpts, and from the 70’s!!! *Though these two photographed are Hukko reproductions.

    Firstly, the Smogon! Seein’ this toy in photos you get a certain idea of the charm behind it. Only when you actually see one, and hold it in your hands, can you really appreciate the creative genius in its simplicity. This is a giant ass monster, with cars for its head and feet, and a torso/legs made of giant tires. That just awesomely brilliant. As for the minimalist paints, I’m sure it was the case of these toys being mass produced, and getting as many out as possible. Accentuating the windows and license plates with blue, and the tires/arms with thin black sprays, is a great way to highlight important sculptural characteristics, without going into much detail.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Hedoro 2 is a wild one to me, ‘cause it does represent Toho’s Hedorah to a certain extent, for obvious reasons, but I can’t help but see a ghostly aspect to the sculpt. The way the hands hang outward and the expression just read a little more haunting. And these are in the best way. It’s an interesting choice, to me, that he’s got a defined torso of differentiating texture, very smooth and somewhat unified, versus the overall melty texture that surrounds said torso. I admire what I’m assuming is the tail, also appearing as something of a third leg. Mutant - esque.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  2. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    Well observed, sir!

    Yours or loaners?
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  3. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Thanks, David. I probably should’ve mentioned this in my initial post, but these are Hukkokudo reproductions, and not original IKB. My statement including IKB’s name was more to the original idea of the sculpts, and not these two particular toys in my possession, which do luckily belong to me.
     
  4. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    @xSuicide Squadx

    Great and informative commentary!

    My thoughts on these are as follows:

    Hedoran #1 Resembles a Raccoon or perhaps a Bear that got to close to industrial waste. Of the three, it's the only one with claws.



    Hedoran #2 Appears as a plant/vegetable mutation from also being effected by industrial waste. It also seems a wee bit Turtle with texture and belly.



    Hedoran #3 Looks like a horrific mutation of a cat that took the same path the other brothers did. It's my favorite. All of these creatures look happy in their ugliness.




    Reproduction or IKB, these are among my favorite monster dolls of all time. I can imagine a crude animated TV commercial promoting them in 1970's.

     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2019
  5. doomboy

    doomboy Addicted

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    I often stare at my Hedoran 1 and wish I could have been a fly on the wall when these were sculpted...
    Such fantastic monsters.
     
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  6. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    @kichigai That’s quite an astute observation! I never would’ve thought to make comparisons between these monsters and everyday existing animals. Especially the tortoise like belly of Hedoro 2. Though my lady did once tell me Hedoro 3 looks like a pissed off, we cat. :lol:
     
  7. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    @xSuicide Squadx Well thanks but after all Hedorah is a mutant tadpole that never got to be a healthy frog so it seems to make sense these Hedoran are mutation of other animals.

    [​IMG]

    “Why complain about it? Green pastures exist only in our hearts now. Let’s sing. Let’s dance! Let’s at least use our energy to make a stand!” – Yukio Keuchi (Toshio Shiba)
     
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  8. Roger

    Roger Vintage

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  9. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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  10. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Okay, now this is strange, and has to be relatively recent as far as being poured and pulled! A marbled Hukkokudo Smogon??? Unless I’ve just never noticed or known, this is totally out of left field.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. rattanicus

    rattanicus Mini Boss

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    Wow I think like this even more; it has quite an appropriate dirty oily garage feel to it!
     
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  12. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    @rattanicus Ooh, good call, Rei! I was so taken back by a marbled Smogon I didn’t even think of how well the colors play to the character!
     
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  13. akum6n

    akum6n Vintage

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    It looks like it is probably a 'camouflage' paint style on a normal orange base.
     
  14. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    According to Mandarake’s listing it’s in the molding and not painted. I think the browns show it’s the vinyl quote distinctly, though the greens are seemingly questionable.
     
  15. akum6n

    akum6n Vintage

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    Hmm, so the listing is "復刻堂 スモゴン オレンジ成型/茶/緑/銀塗装/黄色目"

    If you break it out and translate, it becomes [Hukkokudo Smogon orange molding / brown / green / silver painting / yellow eyes]. So the brown and green seem to be part of the paint description, not base vinyl color.

    The more I look at this figure, however, I also start to wonder whether it is a custom and not a manufacturer's sample. None of the other Smogons- sample or production item- have painted eyes or a bumper that is painted straight across (usually the bumper and plates are just sprayed in the center). The camo paint is nice, but also atypical for Hukkokudo, as they usually stuck to the vintage style paint schemes. Not definitive either way, but this Smogon is a little unusual. Add to it the fact that the orange base Smogons would be fairly easy to acquire cheaply and strip.
     
  16. xSuicide Squadx

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    Ah, okay! I just went off of the English translation from Google Chrome and I read it as the colors followed by molding. So it sounded like the colors were in the vinyl in my head. You've pointed out some pretty specific fators, though. The headlight eyes and the fully painted windshield and bumper definitely aren't usual factors. However, with the influx of unusual Target Earth paints I wouldn't be surprised for something oddly painted like this to come out, as well!
     
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  17. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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    That vinyl looks marbled to me - you can't customise that. The marbling is the big drawcard here - although I'm still leaning towards it being TE. He hasn't painted Hukkokudo in a while so maybe he's trying something new? He's also not a stranger to painting eyes non-metallic opaque colours.
     
  18. doomboy

    doomboy Addicted

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    doesn't look marbled to me or sound like it from Manda text,
    it looks like it has been painted to match the Gargamel camo paints,yellow eye etc.
    there is a Koji painted mini on Manda with painted yellow eyes and silver windshield..
     
  19. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    I am sort of with Daniel on this one. The vinyl itself does not look marbled to me, the blending is totally off and even a master of the technique like Dennis I don't think could pull off this if they tried. Keep in mind this has to be done in a [semi] liquid state. That, combined with the fact it does look like the normal orange vinyl base, and some of the parts very clearly to my eye seem painted. I have seen quite a lot of small run and one-off TE/Hukkokudo figures, but I suspect, too, this is a custom figure, probably done when the whole camo run of soft vinyl was a 'thing.' The style does not seem similar, nor does the intent, in line with other examples. I am also pretty sure a simple flipping of this toy would immediately tell you exactly what it is.
     
  20. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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    I've never done it personally - but I always assumed 'cloudy' marbling like this is rather more of an unskilled/n00b type of marble result. Early Unbox marbling for example had this cloudy/smeared kind of look. Distinct lines and swirls seem to be more of the professional type of marbling that Luke and Dennis would produce.

    As far as emulating Gargamel camo.. I think that's just a coincidence in the randomness of the pour because somebody painting a camo custom generally is more heavy-handed with the sprays. Here's hoping a board member grabbed this and we can get a check of the undersides of the feet to solve the great sofubi mystery of 2019
     
  21. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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    Oops ok.. I'm with you guys in the painted camp now, just checked the areas around the arm joint etc. Yup.. $5 on painted on a flat orange vinyl base.
     
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  22. The Moog

    The Moog Die-Cast

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    Ah, well spotted. I was on the fence but that convinces me.
     
  23. zindabad

    zindabad Line of Credit

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    Funny that we'd have been thoroughly fooled if whoever painted it had covered that part of the arm before assembly. But I suppose that would be a durability concern, so probably for the best that it's blank. While it's obviously not as involved and immaculate as a Gargamel camo, I think the broad sweeps of colour and dark palette work nicely here. Always a soft spot for a toy that makes me like brown.
     
  24. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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    This is pretty special...

     
  25. maxaltoman

    maxaltoman Side Dealer

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    Sigh...so sad to miss this.
    It’s gargamel though.
     

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