I do think it is a good idea, but maybe when you 'review' a piece, its done with more than one person, so you see other points of view on one piece.

To be truly unbiased you wouldn't take any "gifts" from a vendor, like how "Consumer Reports" doesn't do ads.

To give a real review the items should be purchased in the market, to avoid the standard industry "Bait & Switch", where they will pick the perfect specimen for your approval. Of course this eliminates any opportunity to review an item before release.

good point, I don't see Trexi specifically sending you the one they did for you to review.

i know, i was being facetious(don't know how to spell that word)

i can't imagine you taking free stuff from anyone

I think the scene needs this..Sounds good to me man!

excellent points
i do agree that purchasing in the market, like everyone else, would really lead to a truer product received

i dunno if i will sound raw but is this another (subtle) attempt to manipulate the market?

i ask this since you have mentioned before that you helped to create a hype over KR before.

Personally, I think people already review JP stuff here anyway, albeit in a less formalized manner. But if you are talking about expanding to include Western vinyl, then that could be a bit pointless as most people here profess to hating it. So then we are left with reviewing Japanese vinyl - so is that the idea, JP only - in which case someones probably already mentioned it here?

ALso, if we are talking music reviews as a comparison (which someone raised), then the reviewers personailty often ends up overshadowing the subject being reviewed. That can be a bad thing, yet funny (Paul Morley once reviewed an entire show where he talked about nothing but the fact the singer had bare feet), or good (I'd get to know that my taste ran similar to certain reviewers, and I'd be pretty much sure that if they liked a record, then I would to (or vice versa). However, I can't see music and tell I like it, so a review can be very helpful. In the case of a toy, I can pretty much tell if I like it or not because I generally see it before I buy it. I don't need a review to tell me that.

One thing I do like though, is to be made aware of is new stuff, see photos and a description, and then make up my own mind. People are going to say that a review will serve the same purpose, but I do notice that threads have a tendency to totally change direction when an influential board member weighs in. I forsee the same thing with dedicated reviews, where people read these things like a bible, and base their likes and dislikes on that.

Finally, the whole review things often seems to feed ego's - nothing wrong with that, especially if its amusing for the audience. However, the fall out can be extremely negative. Too often in music I've seen great bands slammed, and medicore bands praised for the wrong reasons. Reviewers can be very powerful (just ask any theater company) and I'd hate to see that power misused in a small industry like this.

PS> Also, everyone I've known who reviews stuff loves to get free shit - its part of the deal. You set up your fannzine and got free shit. (Its all about the hook up . If u r going to do this, then the reviewer should be free to do what they think is fit with the product (including geiving it away)...no rules y'know. Some people struggle out there, and the bonus of some freebies to help their cause is OK by me.

Good points MUTON.

Hey hey hey! I want perfect (free) specimens...

That's the great thing about a blog; you can have a comments section where everyone can chime in. Presumably, most of the readers would be intelligent enough so you could avoid the sort of petty crap that goes on on other boards.

I think it's a great idea. Being critical does not necessarily mean being negative (although it happens). If you're a real fan of something you should point out shortcomings, because, really, that's the only way that companies, designers, etc can and will improve. It's the kind of unquestioning fanboy attitude that I see happening around certain companies, artists, and designers that lead to a lack of progression on their part.

I've been on both sides of the "critical" wall, as a journalist and a member of bands, for 26 years now, and I think those that can't take criticism are in the wrong business. (Whether it's music, toys, books, whatever). A good review should cause you to look at what you're doing in a different way.

nice point. I wouldn't write reviews if I didn't want people to listen to me but I don’t want to manipulate any market. I will be honest and I encourage other people to submit reviews.

For the record I only manipulated a market once, to the tune of about $600 total (by my estimate). I have no intention on doing it again, I actually felt shitty at the end of it. At the time I was considering investing in the toy world and the only way I knew how to vet the investment was to see how easily the market could be manipulated. When I saw how easy it was I decided to invest my money somewhere else.

it's certainly an idea which could work, though the comparison to reviews done in other media is not really appropriate. with film or music or food reviews, the point is to get someone else's opinion of the content without actually experiencing the content yourself since this typically takes an investment of time and/or money. with a toy you can "experience" the content with a simple picture so the concept of a review in that sense is irrelevant. a comparison with product reviews is also irrelevant since toys have no "function" that you can evaluate objectively. you can talk a little about the quality of manufacture, but that sort of discussion doesn't really take any intelligence.

so, what you are really trying to get into is art criticism, which is fairly involved if you want to do it right. you have to be familiar with a person's back catalog of work in pretty much all media and be informed enough to discuss the context in which a piece is released. it's intensely subjective and often fruitless, since time and money typically decide a piece's importance far more than any essay.

at the same time, i'm also tired of all the "that roolz" comments which come out about every single release. so, i think it's worth trying.

Jake, that Roolz!

You very eloquently stated part of what I was getting at.

My main worry is that if the toy gets a postive review, then it will be "OK" to like it, and if it gets a bad review then its automatically regarded as garbage, whne as you say, its purely subjective in the case of an artistic appraisal.

I don't necessarilly agree that you need to know all the background tho. If u write from the heart that can be just as good, and maybe more honest.

yeah - what he said.

One of the mags that comes across my desk always has a panel of three review all products. They have a certain criteria they review and then they comment. As with restaurant critics I have my favorites and I know the ones who I wouldn't let reccomend food for a dog. So along with the objectivity and the subjectivity if you have similar tastes as a certain critic that could be all it takes. People figure out pretty quickly who's advice they'll take.

I like that idea, I've seen it done in a few magazines and it seems to work. A well moderated message board attached to the site might work too, and one is desperately needed in the western vinyl scene.

My 2 constructive (or non-constructive) cents:

What is the target audience?

What is the goal? To hold the industry accountable for sheety products and design?

One sided reviews wouldn't have as much dynamics as a "point - counter point" kind of review in my opinion. Would much rather see two people defend differing viewpoints on a figure.

Could you be completely unbiased? Example, could you rip into a lame RxH colorway if needed? Could you rip Kozik's work if needed? And don't the boards already offer a platform for unbiased reviews/opinions of new releases?

If it highlighted manufacturing or quality control issues, that would be useful objective stuff to me. Otherwise it comes back to aesthetics, what might be seminal and price points. And those are all subjective in my opinion.

Hasn't a common theme been, from many people been, collect what you like?
Telling newbies, if it works for you, that is all that matters?
Or is a goal to refine/shape/mold the critical eye of others?

Finally didn't you go through a black-out phase where you didn't want to share information about new toys? So if there are 4 star reviews of certain figures, and that changes the market, making certain toy lines harder to collect (for some), or certain toy lines to potentially rise (or dive) in value, are you comfortable with that?

I'm not sure why anyone cares about some one else's opinion on a toy, unless its to allow information to get out that the quality is totally horrible and not what is shown on release pics (ie 10 inch trexis)

What is the target audience?

anyone who collects toys.

What is the goal? To hold the industry accountable for shitty products and design?]

to entertain and take people to task for shitty products.

One-sided reviews wouldn't have as much dynamics as a "point - counter point" kind of review in my opinion. Would much rather see two people defend differing viewpoints on a figure.

I think point and counter point is a great idea but it sounds like a lot of editing work. I would prefer to just post to separate reviews.

Could you be completely unbiased? Example, could you rip into a lame RxH color way if needed? Could you rip Kozik's work if needed? And don't the boards already offer a platform for unbiased reviews/opinions of new releases?

not a chance but I will be honest about my biased and I will try to find counter-points for balance.

Hasn't a common theme been, from many people been, collect what you like?
Telling newbies, if it works for you, that is all that matters?
Or is a goal to refine/shape/mold the critical eye of others?

I think it is interesting to know why people like something and why they don't. I also think a lot of people have to be told what to like, so why not give the toy companies a little competition.


Finally didn't you go through a blackout phase where you didn't want to share information about new toys? So if there are 4 star reviews of certain figures, and that changes the market, making certain toy lines harder to collect (for some), or certain toy lines to potentially rise (or dive) in value, are you comfortable with that?

The "black out" phase lasted 2 days but I had not thought about that point. I would be bummed if the site ended up as a flippers buying guide to toys.

i buy what I like .........I don't really want anyones opinion on a toy except my own...or a close homie or two...

+1 ...i still don't get you guys fiending for rxh or bemon but as long as YOU like 'em...rock!

How about your own podcast? I might know someone who could use your "expertise" to put out another of many. If interested, p.m. me and I'll investigate further.

This would be one of your main problems. Giving a figure a 10/10 (not sure how you'll review it) thats uber limited and generally praising it to the high hills will make some re-sellers see $$ especially since not many figures recently have managed to do that - even the new Kaws figure.