Geo seems to searching for 'purity'.

Actually, almost everybody's stuff is made in China these days aside from the 'boutique-level' (for lack of a better word) Japanese brands such as M-1 Go, Gargamel, Sunguts, etc. "Made in Japan" is now a rarity for collectors of the stuff that Super7 focusses on, unless you're going for strictly vintage.

I don't have a problem with Kaws toys in general or in the magazine.

If you read what I wrote above, my observation (not an argument or an objection or anything else) is this (stream of conciousness):

it just seemed to me that perhaps having the cover and main story in the magazine devoted to a toy that is arguably a hallmark American toy; designed by a famously Amermican artist; having really no roots or connection to "japanese toy culture" (though made by Medicom, a Japanese toy company that makes a lot of stuff I didn't think would ever be within the purview of Super7); made in China, of non-Japenese vinyl, though at least by the account of some people who have just spent admittedly too much money to buy it "of fantastic quality"...

was just stretching the envelope, at least a little, of where Super7 had gone before. My question was, and is, despite some apparent attempts to turn it into something else (probably just my imagination), and despite some folks ADD (probably just my writing style and use of words), or whatever,

... has the editorial board of Super7 decided to shift the focus, however slightly, from what they had previously self-described as a magazine devoted to "Japanese Toy Culture?"

I would say "yes," but I would also point out that the editorial board of Super7 is not the same one as when the magazine started. Mark departed, and Justin joined up.

I would also reiterate what I said before, that despite the changes, the Japanese-oriented content has remained steady and solid, and I think they're doing a good job by keeping that tradition.

(Your mileage may vary.)

Frank, you seem to be unable to understand what I have written, or you choose to ignore it for some other reason or motive.

I am not advocating a position. I have asked a question and posed responses to some of the answers I have received.

Roger: Thanks for your thoughtful responses. I think you have answered the question I asked and I appreciate it.

I just don't understand what the big deal is and why anyone has to be so nit picky?

Super 7 is going to cover the toys they like and think are cool regardless of where they are made. I don't see what the big deal about that is and I don't understand why everything has to be so specifically categorized in labels ie medicom is a japanese company but gets toys produced in china so they're not really etc etc.

who fucking cares? medicom makes awesome toys, that's all that should really matter.

and I don't want to see that tired old vintage purist vs. new vinyl "arttoy" debate either. that's tired too. there are plenty of people here, and who work for Super 7, who enjoy both. if you happen to not, that's cool. just like what you like. but don't nitpick when a magazine covers both or too much of one rather than the other for your liking.


these threads are so pointless. they are honestly the equivalent of a bad stand up comedian picking out the most insignificant stuff to make lame jokes. "...and what's the deal with airline food?..."

there are 3???

Yes. Blue, green, and red (meltdown).

i need the blue and green... anyone??

I am not debating any of the issues you have raised in your "rant" (sorry, that is the best, most understandable way to explain it to boardies).

I asked my question in good faith and with good intentions. Based on most responses, people either really can't understand what I have written or they are just intent on purposefully twisting it into something else.

I don't believe my post was "pointless." In fact, I feel a lot more posts here could use more "point" and substance.

New question:

Is this board interested in having any kind of even a half-assed intellectual discussion about toys, toy culture, and Super7? Or does the board want to just keep going on with the seemingly incessant, mind-numbing insider "sacred original member" circle-jerk that it now seems mostly to be?

In a nutshell ?
The market....and a few other things too.
I don't think I'm telling tales out of school here....
It became harder and harder for S7 to consistently put out quality articles
on vintage japanese toys for each and every issue. Not only was it difficult to
find the writers who would be / could be capable of writing an article fit to print, there was also the rather pesky problem of a diminishing quantity of toys to write about. Sure there could have been some articles written about early Marusan toys, but who has them in order to be photographed for the killer article that might have been written for them ? Since most (if not all) articles covered toys that some can only dream of obtaining, or those obssesive enough to do so.. S7 was (probably) running out of material to print... So in comes the Urban Vinyls...Fresh, new, and plentiful.
There are also some politics involved... Mark Nagata left with issue 10.
As everyone has mentioned, issue 11 was the new sign post that things were changing. Creative differences are creative differences..... Brian is choosing to take the magazine in more expansive directions... while I have no interest in the new vinyl scene ( at all ) I can certainly agree with the decision to include it as part of the whole. I personally don't think Super 7 would exist today if it were still relying solely on a limited commodity like vintage vinyl as its sole source of coverage material. And IMHO... as long as vintage is present in the pages of S7, it will remain a standout from Giant Robot or Juztapox.

I guess it depends if we're allowed to actually participate in an organic discussion or not.

Look around, there are a number of discussions that are more than just "Hey check out my photos of my new toys"... but that doesn't mean that just because someone wants to have an "intellectual discussion" that we all have to.

If you feel that this board is just "incessarnt, mind-numbing, etc..." then perhaps you've outgrown this board. Just saying...

Thank you, as well, Akumaizer, for a thoughtful and honest reponse. That is exactly the kind of discussion/response I was hoping for by my initial question, although I did not know what the response would be.

I think plenty of intellectual toy discussion goes on here. but I don't think that every little moot point about every little minor detail needs to be addressed in the guise of discussion.

I don't really see why the direction of Super 7 needs to be in question. I trust them, and their taste, and I think they do and always have covered a good range of toys, both vintage and current. plus, I hope they are moving in a new direction, at least to a certain extent, because they are a business and I want to see them grow and prosper and not just rehash the same thing again and again. I've seen far too many niche publications go under or just become stale and boring because they continually put out what could be the same issue again and again.

I just don't see what pointing that out is supposed to accomplish. I used to read that magazine Asian Cult Cinema, but the letter section of every issue was flooded with opinions from one reader or another that would say "I like HK film, and Japanese movies are stupid, cover less Japanese films!" or "Japanese films are the best and that Hong Kong crap is dumb, stopping writing about it" and all it did in the end is make me lose interest in reading the magazine because it was all just arguing about what should be in there.

it's stupid. let them cover what they want. if you are so adamantly against it, don't read the magazine.

and as far as the mind-numbing insider sacred original member circle-jerk comment, I don't know where that's coming from...

I really try to stay out of all the business on here with you, because it just seems absolutely pointless as I stated before, and I'm not one to waste my time arguing over stupid shit online. the threads become these total black holes that just suck all in all these horrible shitty posts and bad vibes and I really think that most people here would be better off just ignoring you from now on.

he already left once(and basically told us all to go fuck ourselves)
now he is back? for what?
we are the same people that he didnt like the first time he announced his departure
it's like a bad abusive relationship. "hey woman, how come my dinner is cold" SMACK SMACK PUNCH KICK THROWS DOWN STAIRS woman cries for awhile, says "i'm leaving" goes to her mom's house for a few days, then comes back saying "He has changed so much! things are so much better between us now. he didnt really mean it. it was really all my fault, i should have warmed up his food." then like a month goes by and the dude kicks her ass again, but this time because his food is too hot

I get a lot of pleasure out of taking pictures of toys... and I also enjoy posting pics that I like of the toys I have. The positive responses to the pictures I have posted have been overwhelmingly positive, although it is usually negative, snide remarks that are posted and show up publicly - the people who really enjoy the shots have written to me privately, indicating they fear retribution from "regulars" who are negative, but have asked me to keep posting pics.

I am not the only one posting pictures that really focus on the toys themselves, rather than being a picture of some massive shelf display. I spend a lot of time taking and editing the pictures I take - specifically to highlight a toy's character or a particular aspect of a toy that I find interesting. I find other people's show-off shelf shots interesting, but I am often frustrated because I can't really even see the details of the toys they have taken a shot of.

Maybe it is the fact that I post quite a few pictures, and have the financial ability to acquire a lot of new toys that is really at the heart of all of your complaints and snide remarks. I don't really know, but if that is the case, envy doesn't really suit anybody very well.

I understand from your incessant comments that you don't like my pictures, but why don't you just exercise a little bit of politeness and keep your mouth shut like I do when I see a picture I really don't care for?

hey, I want to start up some intellectual toy discussion:

why is a skullbee called a bee when it's actually more of an ant? it doesn't have any wings and bees clearly have wings...

100% pure flame, bait and hate (not to mention twisted).

I never made any reference to your pictures above... I was merely stating that in your search for "intelligent discussion" amongst the "incessarnt, mind-numbing, etc...", that things don't much simpler than people posting pictures. I don't know why you took it personally.


As I said, I never made any reference to your picture threads above, so this was an odd thing to say. Additionally, I never really noticed that you acquired toys moreso than anyone else on the board, so envy isn't a factor here.


I don't believe I've ever posted a negative comment in any of your picture threads, so I believe I've extended you the courtesy you're seeking.

then have me banned geo.

i am so angry because i cant afford to be like you. you have so much money and i am so poor. you can buy all of the new toys, and all i can do is play with my hand me downs that my older brother already broke all of the legs off of.

or maybe the reason you can afford all of the new toys is that your collection is a revolving door with marked up prices. hey, nothing wrong with that, most everyone sells(myself included), but dont make it out to be like you are some rich multi-millionaire when all you do is sell off your old shit to buy new shit.

this thread calls for some of this

True, you didn't expressly refer to my picture postings. But then why did you make any reference to people posting pictures at all? Can you think of anyone on this board except for me that has ever been criticized by other board members simply for posting pictures? Anybody! If you were not referring to me, who did you have in mind? You chose those words particularly referring to posting pictures, so please explain why.

this goes for me too

More pure flame, bait and hate.