In light of the discussion going on in the other thread, I thought it would be interesting to see what people thought, to actually gauge the majority of opinion on whether opening toys is common or not. Oh, and if you don't like any of these options, feel free to offer an alternative choice.
I open my toys--BUT for some reason, i can't open Booska stuff if I get it in-package. don't ask me why. I just like it better. I don't play with mines...dis-play only. I might move them around for a pic or two...but these toys are so pricey, i just don't feel like taking a chance on scuffs and stuff. i really just enjoy them for their "toyness" and great eye-candy. articulation is important to me even though I don't do much with them. I like that they CAN move. they're alive and have potential.
I kinda fall between the top two, but I voted toys are toys, some toys you won't find me looking at the wrong way, others get the sandbox treatment, usually if I want to actually play with some sofubi it's beeters in line for paint or unpainteds
^^I'm pretty much the same way. dis-play only. but I open the toys no matter what they are. although, I think that bagged toys can look cool in a glass case.
Yeah, I thought about being a bit more specific with extra choices, but didn't want it to get too out of hand either; just mainly to give some folks more options than just opened or sealed. And by 'playing' I don't necessarily mean giving a toy the sandbox treatment, but you know, touching, examining, photographing, etc., just not encased away somehow. I think displaying sealed toys is very challenging, especially when they are not blister-packed. It's not for me, but if you can do it right, I can appreciate that. But from where I am coming at it, even if I wasn't someone who really likes to enjoy their toys, not only does the bag create environmental effects on it, and lead to possible sweating/stickiness, but I find it also impedes getting a decent appreciation for the detail of the sculpt, the feel and quality of the vinyl, the subtleties of the paint. And especially with the older stuff like from a few decades ago or vintage, the bags become discoloured and beat up, and then really don't look nice at all.
Haha, sorry, didn't mean to make anyone paranoid. I think it is rare, and maybe only on toys of lower quality or ones that have not been properly sealed with a clear coating, but it can certainly happen, and I have a few toys that I think this has happened to.
Have not voted yet...not sure which one to choose. But as a observation... I'm new to collecting these japan toys, but old to collecting other stuff.. like Spawn, Final fantasy creatures, Doctor Who, etc. My cousin also collected Simpsons + old Star Wars stuff as well. He "brainwashed" me into not opening stuff because it loses its value / less collectable. So when I started here on SB, I was shocked to see so much stuff opened! But i gave it some thought and wonder if it has something to do with the plastic bag package? The spawn, star wars, etc. stuff comes in displays that are hard to get open without tearing or damaging them. So it can lower the value when opened. But most of the Japanese stuff is in a plain bag with header card. And it's not difficult to open them with no damage to the header card. So you end up with a mint header card + mint toy + empty bag. So I guess what I'm asking is this ...Is opening a japanese toy acceptable because of a "unique japanese toy collecting mindset" or a reflection of the way the toys are packaged??
maybe both. the bags can be a pain, but some people are all about MIB toys. i remember when i first starting collection japanese vinyl, i was blown away by how much brighter and more attractive they looked just coming of the bag. when i spend $$ or $$$ (motherf**ker!) on a toy, oh it's coming out of the damn bag. I intend to enjoy it thurrly. btw, i opened all of my booskas, hahaha! i liked the big booska's package design (plus being GID, the blue background added a nice contrast. but now, i have them living in a dark wood nightstand, so no need i guess. whew! all is ok!
For my two cents, part of it is the packaging, which is what I meant by the blister cards I mentioned. For those type, especially for the 3 3/4" action figures and the like, you have a toy that is probably less than 10% of the overall package, which in itself has appeal with its design and artwork. And they can be very difficult to remove. But it also relates to age somewhat. Early kaiju toys, such as those from M1 or Marmit in the 90s, are still fairly "new" so opening them is not quite the same as opening up vintage stuff. The last part I would add that plays a role is, as a lifelong Star Wars collector myself, the difference is that if I did buy a carded figure, or MIP vehicle or something, the fact is there are oodles and oodles of loose ones of it out there, and generally I would have had all these first, which is why I would then probably keep that sealed. I have had all the time to enjoy the loose version of it, and even if I didn't the production numbers are so crazy you will always be able to find one later to 'check out.' This is not the same for Japanese toys, since there are fewer available, and getting anything here (i.e. outside of Japan) means you are pretty lucky. It is kind of like comic or record collectors never having read or listened to the stuff that they are keeping for value, if that makes sense. I couldn't grasp having a "collector" version of an LP or comic, if I never appreciated the material that was in/on it. One thing I never understood though is the whole AFA grading system. That shit confounds all of my brain cells.
If its in a bag with header, its coming out and if theres space AND the header art is worth its salt then it gets to hang next to the piece. Its weird to leave them in bags because they are just a vessel, protection from the elements. But its its an old action figure in a blister pack, its staying there. I have never bothered to look into a way of removing them without damaging the blister pack, but im sure there is.
My cousin also collected comics as well...he would by 2 of each & put them in comic bags and store them in comic boxes. Use to drive me crazy. But you also bring up another observation... the Star wars, spawn, etc. figures were mass-produced by the thousands, yet collectors are hesitant to open them. And the Japanese toys are extremely limited & rare, yet the japanese collector opens them without "much thought" to the rarity of the item. I guess the toys are so rare that they don't lose much value when opened, as long as the header card + toy are in good condition. And lastly... what if all these Bemons, Boogies, etc. were packaged like the Star wars / Spawn figures? Would the japanese collector be so quick to open them then?
Nothing easier than re-MIB-ing toys. Bag, staples, boom. You'll find that some people here are highly dubious of people who never take toys out of their bags. The assumption is that if you keep them MIB, it's because you bought them with the intention to resell them in the first place. Big no no on sb...
From the perspective of North American collectors, I am not sure you can compare Spawn and Star Wars - one is clearly an adult-oriented collectors 'figurine' whereas the other one, for the most part, I would still say remains a toy. But in either case, if you are talking about new Star Wars (e.g. anything post '85) than I also don't see what anyone would keep these packaged either....nor Spawn for that matter, but that is a line I am not too familiar with. I don't like any of the hyper realistic "toys" they make now, and even though they seem to me be purely for display and more along the line of models, I still would not keep them in the packaging. Plus I find those huge plastic things hideous, but that is personal taste; give me a cheap cardboard backing any day.
I have to open my toys but I am an extremely impulsive person. Kaiju is so good to touch it feels and smells powerful. However if i ever own any ilu ilu it might be hard their packaging is special. There is so much to say here but I think opening the bag has a very satisfying performative feeling for me.
I like to open the packages to enjoy my toys. I can think the opposite on few occasions... For instance, I recently purchased a set of figures, and I am still debating whether or not to take them out of their bags.
Bought these back when they were first release in 2006. Still haven't open them. No oils leaking from the vinyl and the bags have not deteriorate so much because I have kept them at cool temp room in air tight totes. All my Warsgon are still in bag also. Looking to sell for lots of $$ because as someone stated those keeping mib items have the intention of flipping it. All joking aside I don't know why I still have some of my items still sealed for years. Guessing it has to do with no room to display it. I don't like displaying in open air so it can collect dust. I prefer it in a case.
I like to open my toys! Also, from what I've seen there is no extra value to keeping most Kaiju toys sealed, Maybe a few extra dollars, but nothing that should keep folks from opening their stuff up. Open up your toys and enjoy them!!
Another thing to consider, kind of related to what chimply brought up, is that when you keep toys sealed, proper storage conditions are a must. While we have discussed the effect of oil 'sweating' and paint stickiness, another point to mention is that when you do like to keep the header, it is much easier and safer to keep it separately. If anything, damage from bending, corner dinging, and humidity, etc., is much more likely to occur when it is just left open like that. By removing them, you can keep them flat, dry, and less faded. When you buy a toy, from my experience, you are far more likely to get a good condition package with one that has been opened.
"I don't like displaying in open air so it can collect dust. I prefer it in a case." you could always learn to like dusting
