most people know what others ARE into, ie pinstriping, blank/unpainted sculpts, big tails (sounds like a fetish) or whatever but what are you NOT into? for me the big one is GID. i know i am probably the only person on the whole board not into GID stuff but it has always seemed sorta tacky to me and the very few i do own i'm not really keen on and some seem to lose their glow after a while. i'm also not a big fan of clear sofubi. clear colours is awesome (clear red for example) but clear-clear...not so much. edit: i forgot the worst of all...LED's!
I must heartily disagree on the GID/Clear points.... however, I'm 100% with ya on the LED's. "It's been done." Pinstriping for me really depends on the particular sculpt/painter.... I've seen great ones & downright terrible examples. And for some reason, I just don't dig (most) Hedorahs.
Funny, my love for GID is heavily fueled by its tackiness. My first turnoff is human clothing. I can handle kaijin and seijin, but things like the shorts on RxH, pants and shoes on Rebel Ink, or anything wearing boxing gloves instantly tips the do not want scale. Second is skulls. I love my Galtan and Longneck Death Mengaro because they have a genuine kaiju vibe and seem sincere in their skull rocking, but Pushead toys, Blobpus, Dorol, Rebel Ink, RxH's belt buckles, Space Trooper's chest detail etc. don't do anything for me.
this is an interesting thread. i don't really collect GID with a few exceptions, I don't like figures over 8" i don't really collect unpainted and I hate customs oh wait, that last one isn't true.
Pinstripes, cronic, bemons (sorry), and gargamel (for the most part, but I'm ok with the mini zags). Took me a while, but I can see the attraction to hedorahs, big time. I try to stick with SB mainly. I don't want to spread myself all over, otherwise I would go all out for shikaruna hard!
LEDs. Hate em. Seems like a hackneyed uninspired attempt to dress up a toy. Generally not into the idea of customs either. And lack of articulation. Toys that don't move suck. I want a toy, not a statue. Toys that don't stand on their own is another. I don't care how cool it is, if it can't stand on its own, I don't want it. And anything with smooth lines and that "urban" art feel to it. Barf.
with a couple exceptions (Ichibanboshi & RxH, and galtan), I don't dig skull sculpts too much. Everyone does it when they don't know what to make the face look like--or at least that's how it strikes me anyway. Still, there are a lot of cool skull stuff--I just can't get into it. I don't like the "totally demented!" one big eye, one little eye thing. "smooth lines + urban feel" not my thing at all. I used to have this thing against vinyl toys were chock full of gimmicks, but I don't know how I feel about it anymore. I guess if it's the gimmicks that are selling it for me, I usually go against it. It just seems a little silly to me for some reason.
I can't get into unpainted toys. The only ones I have have other stuff for color (BB-filled, glitter, etc). Unpainted toys typically just bore me and the only appeal I could see to them is that I don't have to worry about scratching the paint. So, I'd be more likely to throw them around and play rough-and-tumble...but at the same time, probably not, because they're boring! Poorly-articulated toys piss me off. Like PaulieVinyl said, toy, not statue. I don't buy vinyls JUST to look at them. I see almost no appeal in Bemons, and Secret Base is my least favorite Japanese vinyl company. Haven't seen a single piece from them I thought I'd spend money on.
Don't really care for unpainted/flesh colors but they're starting to grow on me. Sorta. And I don't like cronic either. Look like like X-TREME versions of Howard the Duck or something.
It wasn't until I have an unpainted black in hand that I fully appreciated it. now I want a shelf full of them. Cute things annoy the shit out of me... with a few exceptions. Oh! and! Itokin Park. I really can't figure out why people like them so much.
I never 'got' the whole unpainted blanks/GID/clear/black proto thing until I picked up a couple awhile back to help 'pad out' a part of my collection. Now, whilst I don't salivate on sight of them, I can definitely see the extra dimension they bring to a collection, particularly one with diverse and 'busy' paint apps . . . the contrast is a nice visual break in the overall intensity of colour. My collecting is real focussed (fight figures) so whilst I can appreciate the aesthetic of a lot pieces, most don't make a big enough impression to warrant me buying, and being from the UK (with limited background knowledge as to the history and origins of the characters) I have to admit to being perplexed at the attraction of some toys/lines . . . but each to there own and the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing! Finally, and most controversially, . . . I'm a production toys only kinda guy. I don't collect handpaints, customs or artist specials and the most part I would rather have something from a run of 10 than something created uniquely. There are many artists and customisers I admire and can appreciate the talent and skill involved in their work, but only very rarely ever think 'I'd like to own that piece' . . . for the most part, (IMO) it's a good toy spoilt. That being said, I know that one day the planets will align, the right piece will turn up when I'm in a good mood with $$$ to spare and I will buy one and be forced to eat my words . . . 3 months and counting!
I have never seen a cronic piece in person so I can't say with 100% certainty that I hate them but based on the photos I have seen I do not care for it all.
easy: fight figures secret base RxH anything that is not proportioned correctly, i.e. large head, small body unpainted
I forgot to mention Cronic like a bunch of folks have. I have just one piece from them, a glowie Dorogami, and that'll do. It's the only sculpt of theirs I care for even a bit, and only in REALLY nice colors. Plus the one I have is special 'cause I got it from a good board buddy. Most fight figures annoy me but I made an exception for a small group of RxH. And all but one of them are Chaos in some form because most of the rest of their stuff bores me.
Yay, more blanks/unpainteds for me! I think a sculpt needs to be able to stand on it's own (visually). The best paint jobs, factory or otherwise, can't turn a d-u-n-n-y into a Bemon, Maza(!), or whatever it is you think is cool. Respect the sculpt! Though I don't completely understand the Itokin Park stuff either, a buddy brought over a Gold Glitter IP something-or-other for me to customize, but I said no; it looked too badass on it's own. Mixed feelings! Also have never seen Cronic in person... but I wouldn't turn down a Rainbow Clear Nougaki or Dorome.
itokin park i have never seen one of these in person but i just dont get them sure there are some nice customs but other than that there to cute and remind me of western vinyl also surprised lots of people dont like cronic you really need to own a HP or the black parade mav(one of my favs)
Things that are hyped/popular, but once stuff I like is hyped/popular I drop them because than they're not cool enough to like and I look for something else that is not. Also toys that are not rare. Psht, wtf, why collect something that's NOT rare? I mean this is all about showing our balls off right? I laugh when I see some pidely fool and their "common" collection. (the above is all in jest)
I COULD WRITE A BOOK! but honestly I'll start small I don't collect heros. things that end with "man". Send it back to the longhairs!
That's what happened to me. Not big on Cronic's stuff though I do have a custom Himalan that is gorgeous. Not really into fight figures either.
I know right? If I didn't have to pay 60,000+ yen on YJA for a toy what is the point of having it at all?
