Where can i order?

See above.

I hope they will release a new version of Spectreman. As I see several Ultraman versions, I think this could happen. Someday.
I waited too long in the hope it would be available through other shops. This was a great mistake.

The Silver Robo is amazing. One of my favourite BM sculpt ever and this one already competes.

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.

Agreed. Still think the BM sculpt is best but this is a close second. Looking forward to additional color ways for this little fella as well. I hope this means the floodgates are open for more Buta Spectreman villains.

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.

question is, does that mean from the original release years ago, or the original release of this version (originally sold with micros as a set at an ultraman event recently)

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.

^Yes, I share your opinion. The earlier version though looked fantastic was quite refine in application whereas the last pic has a more Buta feel with heavier paint work.

Really excited with this Spectreman range!

The sculpt is great, but I'm leaning toward the first version that we saw also. The second version looks more crudely done to me, especially the way the red paint around his mouth stretches up to cover his nose too. That bugs me just a little, but not enough to resist buying.

Be this the hand of Dustman?!?



The spikes say yes!

^

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!

^ Yeah I noticed that too. I guess he doesn't like to be found out so soon... I wonder if he sees this type of speculation as disrespectful...

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.

So a new sample on the blog, probably to be an event exclusive (?).

Not posting the pic because of what happened last time, and the atypical markings on it. But here's a direct link to the post as it currently stands.

http://sofutoyakigangu.blogspot.fi/2015 ... 5.html?m=1

Anyone recognize the character and line? Assuming it's licenced.

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:

definitely influenced by the zgok and zaku mobile suits from gundam. i love it!

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.

So just how many new Buta will be at the Chara Hobby event? 4? Unpainted i was a little... "maybe not for me" those painted pics though. Yum. Remaining stock from the last buta wave up now at gravytoys.com unlikely, but may be getting my hands on a few of the new dudes from Chara. Goodluck to the folks that are going.

They look fantastic. I love that most of them are derived from prototype drawings shown in the original TV show. The colors he chose suit each one perfectly. Fingers crossed for leftovers.