Oh boy. Proposed advertising slogan: "Because they all look the same." You're welcome, Funko.

Spotted something at Funko's booth in the Kaiju Korner coverage today... Bear Model right next door to the ReAction figures?? I'm not sure if they have stocked this sort of stuff in the past but I wonder if it's related to the Hikari range.. Were Bear Model somehow involved at some stage?

Toy Tokyo didn't really have a booth this year just one small display cabinet with there items for sale. You had to purchase any Toy Tokyo items at the Funko booth.

Are those Mars Attacks figures part of the ReAction line?

Nope! http://presidentialmonsters.com/store/products/
They were also part of the Toy Tokyo releases.

Can't tell what is going on with that Bear Model release on middle far left in the pic..is that a new Bunyo colorway??

what?????

Funko shit up for sale at Secret Base
WTF?

Thank You, Connell. I'm on my way to check them out now.

As a long time Mars Attacks fan, I'm hoping for something worthy (fingers crossed).

The new pink Bunyo was a surprise Toy Tokyo release for SDCC...if anyone is interested in picking him up, feel free to shoot me a pm.

It will be maybe a week or so before I can get back to people, as we are awaiting the truck to return from San Diego.

The Funko situation was complicated, going forward things will be more clear about TT releases and how to get them. Unfortunately, things were changing up until and throughout the con...so there was a lot of confusion.

Not sure the exact details, but I heard a rumor Funko might have hired Hiddy to oversee their vinyl production.

This would make sense, seeing that Secret Base does good work and has experience with licensed product.

Say what you will about Funko, but I used to be a huge funko collector... mainly collecting their original lines of Wacky Wobblers. I was hooked! Met some amazing people through their message board and attended their "Fun Days" events many moons ago. Then they sold their company and the COF (Chairman of Fun) left and they became much more corporate. The new owner took the once, nostalgic toy company, to new heights by introducing the world to the line of POPs. I haven't collected Funko in a long time, mainly since getting into Japanese vinyl and I don't like most of their new stuff, be it Hikari "Sofubi" or their pops line, but they have some killer licenses and they continue to grow leaps and bounds, so good for them.

While I am not their products any longer, I do really dig one of their newest Hikari figures, the Hopping Ghost pictured here:



Funko has been around for a long time, and will be around for a lot longer. Sure they try to cash in on the "next big thing" but that is what is keeping them current and ahead of the pack. You don't have to like them, their name, or their products, but they are giving opportunities to other companies to grow with their success and that should help out the toy industry as a whole.

now, someone get me a line on scoring one of the hopping ghosts!

That's cool, if you're into that. Does the [underground] toy industry really need help though? Does it need to grow? I'd rather collect the stuff that's made by dudes who design, sculpt, paint, package and release their own stuff over any mass produced anything. I'm not trying to come off as elitist, I just feel like there's much more soul in independent toys than there is in a pop culture flavor of the week trend chaser but maybe that's just me.

I get what you are saying and am agreeing with you on the toys we all collect here. I'm just saying what they are doing is only helping, not hurting. As I mentioned, I used to collect their stuff. Now it's strictly more less Japanese vinyl from smaller companies and independent toy makers. In the end I throw more support toward the "little guys" just as I do when it comes to music or anything else Indy. That's one reason I stopped collecting Funko to begin with.

Was waiting for this to be mentioned but yes this is Japanese vinyl being poured and made in Chinese factories. I wouldn't say it was Funko that hired him either.

Also the guys at Funko aren't kidding themselves. They aren't looking to sell this stuff to the skullbrain or Jvinyl collectors. They are selling 500 pieces at a time no problem, of this "hikari" stuff to existing Funko collectors.

That's me also. Well said.

I picked up a turtle to check these out. Not limited to 500 it was lited to 3000! And I'll be honest. The quality is better than Japanese vinyl. If I got a clear glitter vinyl from SB or Gargamel I would expect air bubbles all around the neck joints and probably a paint scratch or two from shipping. This thing is bubble free the paint is great and flawless, no rubs from packaging no masking errors. Also this thing is huge. I thought it would be 4 or 5 inches. It's almost the size of a standard Kaiju. I hate to say it, If I had access to this factory i would use them in a heartbeat.

If you're a big Chinese vinyl vs Japanese vinyl guy (which does have it's merits of course) this scene immediately springs to mind..

One thing that keeps Funko out of the independent toy department is everything they produced is licensed from an already established corporation (Disney, Marvel, etc.) Good to hear the physical product is of good quality, I just find the creativity lacking.

True that.

I think of Medicom and the recent Batman figures they made with Frenzy, those were really nice. I think there is a lot of potential to do cool vinyl toys with a lot of those franchises. It's just staying true to the Funko aesthetics they will probably never quite get there.

I would love to see someone like Siccaluna or Marmit (Karz) do a ninja turtle vinyl. Hell, I would love to do a turtle vinyl.

I want some of these hopping ghosts!

Some killer looking paint apps on these new Hikari figures, ranging from old school Kaiju loose paints, to tight new school Monster Kolor style metallics, and even transparent fades etc. Seems they took from several different playbooks.

I just want a Jianghsi! Who's gonna help a brotha out?

Sorry, I know i'm not supposed to do that.

Oh the irony!