To “I'm going to rub as much Anraku in your face because you will never own any, have access to it, but here check out this huge collection of it that I own!”
or at least give them their own section so I can ignore it from now on?

I feel your pain buddy, I .. feel .. your .. pain.

Call me bitter but it's very frustrating to come here every day and see a million threads on Anraku this Anraku that in every section. We should at least rename the wanted and tradebait to Anraku Zone to Nowhere!

Not much different than a year or two ago when RxH was all the rage.

I admit that it gets boring and old to see all of the repetitive threads.

most days it is easy to deal with and i actually am happy that stuff is in the hands of passionate collectors but on a bad day i flip off the thread and move on...i hear you...

Patience C.

Still not feeling it . . . and happy not to be!

This hobby is defined by the elusive/exclusive nature of the toys we chase after. The sofubi landscape is dotted with one-offs and super limited items.

Nobody will ever have all of the things that they want. There are many things that I have been after since the mid 90's. I haven't given up hope, I just continue the search. Guys who collect vintage stuff can tell you stories of things they have been after for decades, and heartbreaking near misses.

I certainly understand getting frustrated by seeing things that I can't find, or buy for any amount of money. It happens to me all the time.

If you're into instant gratification, you are in the wrong hobby.

Because of the internet, the good folks at S7 and this board, these toys are more accessible than they have ever been. Gone are the days of photocopied dealer lists recieved by mail, and waiting decades to track down rare items. But, it is basically still a waiting game, where patience and persistance, almost always, counts for more than fist fulls of cash.

Giving people grief for having, enjoying and yes being proud things that they have been able to collect is not the answer. Chris, I thought you would have learned something about that from your experience with winning the GID Maza.

Well I was able to ENTER a lottery and win it. Meaning I had an actual chance to buy the figure at retail. Otherwise I'd never own a Mother. My gripe isn't really with collectors of Anraku my gripe is of the system in place preventing 99.9% of the people here from actually buying it at retail. Thats what grinds my gears. Patience counts for nothing, when that is the reality (unless I have a spare 600-100 to plunk down).

Your statements above show that's not the case.

One has to work the edges of the toy scene while everyone is hypnotized by the current flavor of the month or the upcoming SDCC. There must be deals out there or overlooked figures while people are throwing mad money at the current hypes.

I like how Josh has put together an amazing Tiger 7 collection but people discuss Tiger 7.
But when you see it altogether, it's really eye-catching.

I collect some stuff that rarely gets attention up here, but that I really really like.

Who is going to be the next RxH or Anraku?
Zollmen? Or did they already peak?
Toygraph had a good run with their space troopers.

i am already plotting my zudon pillaging

Until Anraku releases a really shitty toy or make his toys more available than it is now, he will maintain this stature and position and will be extremely sought after.


I see what Chris is trying to say...it really is painful to look at some pics of the toys you are searching for high and low. Coming to a point where you want to give up, here comes several topics containing Anraku-related matters that is like pouring acid to an already throbbing wound.

But for me, often times I get pissed, but I treat is as something to my advantage: long discussions about that rare toy that you are searching for will somehow be of help, no? A bitter pill that you have to swallow, but I guess I can get some info, in anyway, from the pictures/discussion/collection shot whatever....

With regards to hype and being the flavor of the month, my observation so far is---unlike with other toy makers---with its current popularity, no one has predicted a "bubble bursting" with Anraku.

I find it amazingly funny that I'm not the only one here who feels this way, yet I'm pretty much the only person with the balls to say it (people don't speak out for fear they might not get on a list)

So Anraku list people can show off their big Anraku collection at retail (get everyone worked up) but if your not on that list for every figure you have to buy at a flipper price, list users have about 3 for the same price maybe more. Basically it builds the hype, drives prices up more in the secondary market, yet people with access are always like: "Patience..." It's kind of condescending. Does that clarify my beef?

I'm sure there are those that understand how you feel and predicted that beforehand to not cause an unintentional 'rub it in your face' situation or over promote Anraku's work. You'll have to excuse my analogy which is a bit extreme but it's kinda like a rich man proclaiming "Work hard and you can be like me" to the average joe and not realizing that some of the hardest working individuals will be the least fortunate. Nevertheless Lixx, what happened is not deliberate. It's just the excitement of owning an Anraku piece that created this exposure.

Speaking as someone not on the list....

The Anraku pieces that I have, I've purchased from fellow board members. It used to be easier (but never easy) by pouncing on it when I saw it in the For Sale section. Back when I got most of them, more people were into the RXH craze.

I recently took those collection shots just to see what they looked like grouped together. I like my stuff jumbled together, with a few minor exceptions. I had never really pulled them all together in one shot. I like toys and colors juxtapozed against differing styles.

Some have been offered to me via my wants list. And others were purchased by someone that has kindly offered to buy a piece or two, that supposedly has a friend on the list. (Still patiently waiting for a couple. I have been told that it's just a matter of time, before they arrive, I'm trying to be patient as well--it's been months!.)

But I have never jumped on the ones I've seen on YJA nor eflay. Since joining this board, and learning that I DON"T have to have everything I see when I see it the first time, I have saved money on many purchases. I try not to purchase anything for much over retail-unless of course we are talking vintage or other certain rare circumstances.

I am not on the list. I'd like to be, but I am not at this point. I can understand the frustration of seeing massive collections of toys that you want and not having any of. My collection has taken years to come together, as have I'm sure your own collections. I have yet to own any Zollmen lottery items.

There are always going to be people out there that have collections that leave me speachless. And there is always going to be people out there that prey on collectors to make a buck.

I know saying 'patience is a virtue' sounds trite. But in the long run, these things are toys, sure we pay alot for many of them, but they are still toys.

I'm not trying to rub anything into anyone's face. I just honestly love the feel and style of Anraku. It's hard to describe what makes me like it so much, it has a tactile quality that many other sofubi don't have.

ramble/rant over.

As soon as I had my first goga in hand I knew I never needed another one.
Don't understand the hype, and the tail joint is enough to have turned me off for ever.

Since my main focus is vintage, it's just a fact that there will be things I never own. To be honest, as long as SOMEONE owns those pieces and shares those pics with others, I can be happy. I'd much rather see pics than see none at all.

Lixx-y, I see the frustrations. However, I must say, as someone who does not receive the AA exclusives, but appreciates AA overall, it IS about lying-in-wait. I was able to get a Glutamin and a Guerilla in two separate auctions. I am fairly frugal, and have my financial limits, so I did not break the bank to pay for them. That said, I did have to wait over one year to finally land them...but I did land them.

Listen, just go back to the Zollmen threads when the GID Mother was released. Granted, you (as you said) were a lotto entry, but your excitement could (naturally) not be contained. You showed us some awesome pictures, and stimulated some great thread content. Content that went on for quite a while---thanks to people like me oogling at your score. It is no different than right now.

Like someone else said: flavor of the month. Soon, it will be look at my SDCC haul.

wah

and then it will be, I gotta unload this or that cause I overspent at SDCC...

Im allready over spent at SDCC and it hasnt even happened yet!

Cool, a snivel thread. . . and no, I'm not on that list.

Amen to that!!!

I got 1 anraku. I'm done with it. next....