New Butanohana

I agree completely. It was/is really such a shame about the Spectreman release. Buta toys in recent years have been hard enough as it is to come by - particularly for international folks - but that one in particular just escapes me. I guess maybe numbers were more limited, possibly because I understand there is a large backlog/difficulty getting vinyl pulled in Japan, but still, very unfortunate for all us fans. I don't blame Oohashi-san at all, I just hope that we can see more releases of them to come. Heck, flood the market, I will still be in line to grab one.

Buta is a small operation, but for something that isn't held through secret meetings, doled out through lottery, sent to 'designer' shops only, hyped on social media, teamed up with 'artists', etc., etc., these toys sure do seem to have suffered the same fate as some of those toys. I actually feel sorry, because this is one particular line I have no hesitation in saying is made by a fan for fans. They are just great toys, and have built up this market all of their own accord - their success speaks to that - without any of that extraneous distraction. I am happy to see quality & design and love of these characters earn the appreciate they deserve, even if the flippers inevitably come in to take advantage.

 

According to Masato the Ultraman is a lighter gray vinyl than the original release. Seriously hope I can track one down!

 

Thanks for the extra info James. It did kind of appear like that in the photos, but with monitor colours being what they are you can never be certain. I am also glad to hear it will be slightly different from the original release; though how much, is still hard to say. Personally I think a really light gray (if non-true) would be pretty cool.

 

Interestingly it looks like the photo is back on the other post, and it's a little bit different paint app:

 

Although the variations are slight, I also noticed a difference between another teaser photo I saw and the initial one posted on the website. In that case, it was mainly darker paint added to the body/arms, but here the yellow and is much more prominent, but then less on the chest. I think the colours are also far blown out in that pic you showed James, but still, you can definitely see some slight changes in painting styles. Whether this is mere variations in test paints or production, or was an intentional change to fix something he didn't quite like I am not sure. I am tempted to lean towards the former. I think I like the muted tones (if it is not just an image processing/exposure thing) in the first pic, but the brighter style is definitely more in line with Buta.

 

^

 

Good call, Masa!

The pic's already been yanked from the blog; thanks for archiving, fellas.

Anyone besides me still pining for him to make good on that Greenmons tease from a couple of years ago?

March, 2013!

 

It is a bid odd, but so difficult to gauge. With the Silver Robo I could see that maybe it was because he didn't like the way the paint turned out/or it didn't match up with the production toys, but with the preview I am not sure. Might be something he didn't want to draw too much attention to or just thought better of. I wouldn't take it too hard, hopefully he knows full well we are so in love with his toys and just discussing/sharing out of our collective passion for them.

YES. Greenmons all over. There is still a backlog of my own favs to get Buta treatment, but this is high up there, and since we already saw the preview, hopefully it is not just in our minds. Makes me wonder how many other rough sculpts, tests, and creative musings he has catalogued in his archival trove of toy genius.

 

I thought the posting was a bit unusual as well, but didn't want to draw too much attention to it. But, now that it is out there, a few thoughts. As I had said before, I hope that he knows anything we share here from his website, is only out of respect and admiration for his work, and because we love his toys. I think it is understood among everyone that he has ownership over all of the content, and all the material is coming from his public blog, but I can appreciate a desire to be protective of it too. Still, I am not sure what the misunderstanding, if any, arose from, and can only offer apologies to any indirect offense caused. SB is all about sharing the information and involved discussions, and I can't recollect an instance, at least where Butanohana is concerned, where there has been release information shared, or where anything said here might have impacted sales. The toys are fantastic, and some people might get overeager in their excitement once in a while, but it is never of a bad intent. I am a bit concerned over what/what not to share, and I just hope this doesn't go the same way as the NNN or HS threads. As popular as Buta toys are, there has always been welcome open friendly discussion and sharing, part of the whole fun nature of the line. I just want to enjoy things; overseriousness is a bit of a downer in toy collecting.

 

So, as much as I am digging the new sculpt, and I can't possibly have enough robots in my life, if there is one thing that I sort of dread with respect to increasing the [already large] popularity of Butanohana toys, it is combining their greatness with anything 'mecha;' especially a licensed line. That whole scene, in Japan and without, is just so massive that I imagine it could only surge interest in them. It might be that these toys end up going relatively unnoticed (*though, as this seems be a special event release, that seems unlikely), in which case it will be dealing with only the normal 'near impossibility' of getting them, we will have to wait and see. Anyways, cool toy, and an unexpected direction for the company to take, though not at all surprising considering how he has mentioned on several occasions his love for mecha model kits and the time he has spent on them.

 

The new pretties being event exclusives only adds to the potential elusiveness... sigh.

Gundammit!

I don't think we're hurting anybody by leaving a trail of posterity here, by the way:

Spoiler

 

You don't?

I don't know. I think it is odd too, but tend to always err on the side of doubt when uncertain. The blog is there (for now) for anyone who wants to check them out.

 

Good question. I take it, and it was my initial impression, that it was going to be just the first three. I don't think any unpainted will be on offer, though I could be wrong. Strangely, I think I had the opposite reaction to you Bwana; I saw more intriguing possibilities in the blanks for paint then the colour schemes seemed to reach. They are still completely fantastic of course - but I guess more 'standard' robot appeal, whereas the Buta fan in me probably would have liked a bit more 'whimsy.' I think the latest fella is still in progress, but might be at the event (presumably if he can get enough painted in time). If not though, that might actually be better news for the rest of us, and it could mean a direct public release. Let's hope!