Vinyl makers with "No Customs" rule

Ok, in an effort to save Tan-Ki's thread from being derailed totally, let use this thread to discuss RealxHead's bizarre (to say the least) policy about customs.

As I heard it, no custom RxH figures can be made to sell or trade... possibly only as personal gifts, and even then you are not allowed to share images of the publicly on the internet. All of this is as per Mori's wishes... And this is also despite the fact that RxH still seems to be actively supporting the KT Solid line, right?

(Have I got this right? Can someone clarify it if I've got it wrong?)

I've known about this "decree" for a couple months now, through the help of some more informed SBers, but it seems some people are just hearing about it. What I didn't know was the some people are "allowed" to paint RxH, but others are not.

Personally this decree seems silly, unenforceable, and egotistical. Makes me want to paint RxH out of spite. It also makes me glad that I never really got into RxH, I've got a total of 4 RxH figures in my collection, and they are *all* customs.

I think I'm in agreement with Nikemsi, I'll paint what I want and be a "vinyl terrorist". If the Skullbrain administrators would rather I not post images here, I'll respect that, and I'll just post the images of those toys elsewhere.

Whats everyone else think? Time to weigh in.

phil

 

Deleted my post from tan-kis thread and have nothing much to add to what you wrote.

What really bugs me is the "some are allowed to do it, most aren't" part. That seems completely ridiculous and high-handed to me and as most folks around here probably don't have the privilege (nor the language skills) to talk to Katsura-san personally some "clarification" on this would be quite interesting.

 

I got started painting because of RxH figs.
To me, it is indeed a bummer that Mori wishes no customs to be done.
As previously stated, the SOLID line was done prior to his ultimate wish.
And I have to respect his decision.

Here's the very first custom I painted, for Mori:

(Since masks have been made, hope this will one day be a production piece.)

Here's one I did for a friend:


Here's one I did to experiment w/ colors:


I'd like to do this one again but w/ a clear body so I can add pipe cleaners, Devil Bado:


Ultrahead:


More experimentation w/ colors:


Had fun w/ this one:


These were all done prior to the announcement of no more RxH customs.

 

Those are sweet customs Joe, especially the Akro. Clear would be awesome. There is one thing I want to touch on though:

Ok, so the SOLID line was created before the "no customs" wish, why is RxH still supporting it? The SOLID Mutant Head was released after this whole thing started if I'm remembering correctly. You cant ban something and then continue to sell it. What are we, (and Kaiju-taro for that matter) supposed to do with a glut of blank white figures? RxH needs to pick a side, and not try to ride the fence.

Ps- Joe, if you ever want to give any RxH gifts- remember me, I'm partial to Chaoses and Akros. =)

phil

 

Rules were made to be broken

 

Is something being lost in translation maybe? I always took it as "I'd rather people NOT do it"/honor the makers wishes type thing not some hard-line well enforced "law."

I can see Mori's point in the sense of "I don't want people profiting off of my work/sculpts" meaning that 50% (at least in all practicality) the reason you'd buy a custom or trade for one is you like the sculpt (the other 50% being for the hard work of the painter.)

None the less, at least 50% is because Mori created something and now someone who is NOT Mori is profiting from it. I think, it seems, a lot of it comes from him being so detached from all of us/the "scene." He doesn't regularly check boards like this (we're told) and doesn't speak English and doesn't come over here so he doesn't fully know, I think, the intent of these customs.

I'm not siding either way here honestly, just trying to show that, to me, it doesn't seem like some mean, totalitarian, egotistical choice/wish but rather one from someone who's separated from the bulk of the people doing the customs and just want's his work/art honored and not to become something he didn't intend on it being.\

Sure, you buy a CD, that CD's yours, but in all reality the music is owned by the artist. Same with the toys. You OWN it, you OWN the toy, but the character, what it IS, is really owned by Mori and he's sharing it with us. Hence is "art" on the open market.

Again, main point: I think a LOT is lost in translation and distance and he'd rather just say "please don't" and would rather not risk his figures and hard work being lost from his control since he isn't fully emerged/involved with the "scene" and may not fully understand all of it.

Those are my thoughts on it.

 

Mori's rule is legally meaningless. I hope all you RxH fans see this as an attempt by Mori to wrongfully control his toys' images after production. He can only ask that you obey; he cannot enforce.

What he can control, however, through help from his friends, is where you display and sell your customs. I doubt that all vinyl boards would go along with his edicts. Customize what you want -- you don't have to be compromised by his proclamations! Don't allow "the man" to limit your creativity. And, if you ever meet him in person, don't kiss his hand -- instead tell him what you think of his rules. None of you are children (are you?).

Don't fear the naked emperor of RxH.

 

By the way, Joe, this is a fantastic custom:



Please DO keep painting these!

 

Jeez Joe, your customs are fantastic!

 

Well, I think the impact of this rule really depends on how you tell the story. One story is that the creator of a successful toyline is 'wrongfully' attempting to control the use of his products after their release into the market; arbitrarily, some are allowed to create customs and some are not. The other story is that there is a guy who was able to successfully create a line of soft vinyl toys after a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Now this second guy sees people buying his figures, stripping them of paint, and selling them for many times their original value. As a consequence he respectfully asks his presumed fan base not to sell or trade customs (posting photos seems to be the obvious extension of this concept because you can essentially 'offer' figures silently in this way)- true that he does not have the power to enforce this request, it being after all, just a request.

Now, either version of the above may be correct or incorrect- my point is that we seem to be very eager to make this into something ugly or mean. I think it is worth attempting to look at it from another perspective.

I don't see the Solid line as inconsistent with this request. One, you can buy them and paint them for your own enjoyment. I don't really see how buying blanks necessarily implies or requires a sale or trade of the resulting customs. Two, it keeps people from buying painted figures and stripping them (and reducing the number available to other fans who may want them).

I have never heard the part about "some people are 'allowed' to paint RxH, but others are not," so that is new to me. If this refers to the customized gifts in Shinto Gangu, I'm sure you are all welcome to create custom figures as gifts for Mori. I don't think he hates them on principle.

My personal opinion is that I appreciate customs, but I think some of the prices people charge for them are lame (and I don't limit this statement to RxH). Sometimes it feels like people are trying to steer this towards 'art,' which really goes against the spirit of RxH to me.

 

I knew about this strange "request," a long time ago...it just never made sense to me. As I stated in tan-ki's thread, I haven't seen anyone buying a summer home by selling RxH customs; yet I do see people selling prototypes & rarities for big bucks. (Why is this supposedly okay?) These are not stolen pieces, they have all been bought & paid for. Which means that: A- the company has made money B- you have the opportunity to share your characters with the world, something that many aspire to do, but few are privileged. The no customs thing has been a bummer, because the sculpts do seem to inspire people to get creative. Does that mean that technically we're never supposed to even see an awesome piece like the pic below, or is LS on the "list?" Hmm.....I wonder why most RxH has been quite affordable on the Sale threads for some time? Must be RFSO!

 

Seems to me once a maker/creater of a sculpt such as RXH, SB ect. have sold the item, they've received the money they wanted for it. Does that mean when you sell a custom you've painted yourself, or a older rarer figure, for more than the original price, the maker or seller should get a cut, because they created it??
If that's the case, we all owe Hiddy a ton of cash

 

Do what you want with the toy. Just don't post it.
I think part of the reason for the ban is to curb the bootlegging of RxH. Let's face it, some of those rare RxH toys are easy to bootleg and when a couple of them started to show up on YJA (which sold for a lot of money...which is not a good thing because the buyer thought it was an older piece.), Katsura-san put his foot down and said, no more.
People are making a big deal out of something that is easily worked around. You can paint RxH and give it away as a gift...and I do mean gift with no other meaning. If someone approaches you for a commission, it's totally up to you but it is frowned upon.
I don't know how many times I'm going to be saying this but:
out of sight, out of mind...if you don't know what I mean, then just stop painting RxH.

BTW...Blobpus feels the same way about customs (but I don't hear anyone crying about not painting Blobpus. They are great figures to paint). If anything he is worse than Katsura-san because he actually has an internet connection (ask toybotstudios). You can paint Blobpus...but you can only give it away as a gift...and even then, he will still call you out. As far as people being allowed, it is because Katsura-san likes their work...and I don't mean customs. I'm talking about drawings and paintings and as far as I know, he is the only one that is allowed to paint RxH.

If you can't read between the lines, this discussion will go on and on and on. L2Read for fuck's sake!

 

Joe seriously needs to produce more RxH customs...!!!

mine...

 

Maybe people are in a tizzy due to your use of BOLD.

 

i'll have to chat with them via string and cans next

 

I think it's ironic that supposedly all the japanese makers are opposed to customs, yet there seems to be a customs show in Japan every weekend recently.

btw: blobpus has forgiven me and even asked me to participate in his upcoming custom show. lol...

 

Honestly Bert I think part of the problem is this

I'm not trying to put you on the spot but I think until Don or Mori says something publicly everybody should just chill and stop getting mad. Everything I know about this is also second hand and I don't find it prudent to say something. So please since this is a sticky and controversial subject lets just calm down until we hear it first hand.

Start by calming down by helping me get a camo hedoran or the missing mini cats in my collection.

 

I was told by Don months ago (using string and cans) and went back and forth to clarify things. I wouldn't have said anything otherwise. Maybe it's just me who is not allowed to paint RxH.

 

Let Don talk about it on his time then.

 

I hope I'm wrong.

 

I doubt it will happen, this "silent word" has grown into something totally itself. Its more effective the way it is,not really knowing the clear truth. If we can paint them or not ( No I'm not allowed either from what I know) is not totally clear and thus we created this entire thing on our own. It has blossomed, and even if its not the true intention, its more effective.

I heard a rumor that many will have their time to talk to Mori very soon face to face. And from what I heard he is very cool, so ask him his thoughts.

Many SBers have also gone to Japan, ask him when you get there or have a friend ask.

Bassically as a collective there are more ways than one person to get to Mori.

I just say respect the man the best you can and move on. It sucks, trust me, but what are you gonna do. It was fun while it lasted, but there are many other toys that have no problem with this. So find them and explore new toys.

I just think this entire ban on RxH customs directly effected RxH sales. I cant say how for sure. I I FART A LOT and moan, but I respect Mori and still buy his toys.

Also I haven't heard that "some can some cant" thing. If anything any RxH "customs" that are for sale may not be customs. But rather officially okayed 1 off figures by artist he likes.Dont jump the gun on this.

 

I'm pretty sure the toys themselves couldn't care less. I've just asked my Sesame St. posse about this and they just stared back like "What the fuck?!"

 

Thats my point exactly. Its not clear and we should just calm down before everybody gets their panties in a bunch about what they heard.