But couldn't you say the same of any of these toy companies or designers or stores?

I got a black reserved. pricy but I feel this one will be worth it.

sure...you're being milked if thats how you think???

I bought the KAWS Dissected Print #1.....held off on #2 cause I'm happy with the original print...though #3 looks to be possibly one to pick up. I feel like I'm the one doing the milking.

doesn't anyone else wish these had something more interesting or creative than a humanoid anatomy exposed?

This figure ROCKS - I never tire of the Companion - my only complaint is it is so hit and miss getting one, and more than half of them are bought to re-sell.

Someone not feeling their mono, and wanting some money - sell me yours - please!

how sweet would it be to be able to subscribe to kaws like kozik does with his fans?

This release is going to be HAWT! And I don't feel the dissected is being milked. It will have 3 versions just like most other releases.
But, I admit there are a greater number of releases. I would imagine that more is coming out because there is now an official KAWS retail store to keep open year round. Unlike a sporadic online store, you can't keep the doors open by releasing 1,200 figures or so per year. Whether this oversaturates his market has yet to be seen.

Kaws told people at the stussy world tour during the question and anwer session that yes we will see more from him now, as he has the retail store and medicom sprung the sponduliks for that to happen, the key now is to do enough to fill a store but not over saturate the market, he is a clever guy he knows the bpe stuff he did knocked peoples confidence in him a little, the dissected is an awsome figure , no one can complain about it having too many colorways...no one here that collects SB could say that with a straight face, and as for over saturating the market WTF happened with the base sept/oct !!!!!

Depends on your mindset, if you need every colourway regardless then maybe, but as you say comparing total retail cost of releases over the year compared to SB releases....

The figs are awesome. But compared to someone like Frank who is highly prolific and diverse working alot of different concepts and constantly innovating it just doesn't seem like enough sweat & blood (if any) is going into the figs to get me excited or keep me interested. I ts obvious to me that alot of thought and effort goes into each colorway from SB and RxH and they are constantly pushing themselves to keep things fresh. IMHO the Kaws ones seem to come from a marketing dept. I am sure KAWS was involved with making the amazing anatomy sculpt for his store but after that is he just yeahing or naying proposals from Medicom and cashing the checks?? More power to him.. I just don't feel the love. Needs to do something as mindblowing as the PusHead collaboration again. the paper skeleton was pretty cool as well..

...Over Rated?...Hype?...Both?

Don't worry, tons of KAWS hoodies are on the way!!!

I don't see how we could be taken for a ride... we could always not buy it, and alot of people seem content at getting just the one they like the most. Personally, I think the new stuff is good enough where they don't dilute the "collectibility" of previous releases.

I collect Kaws and though its a bit of a pain, the release schedule is not TOO bad.

I stil havent popped for some of the pusheadz or the twins but i will eventually.

I have to say the Dissecteds are his best pieces ever. I feel, with the exception of the Twins, which I personally just cant stand, all the last years releases -13 of em) have been exceptional.The figures are getting better IMAO.

as for the accelerated release schedule....my sources 'over there' tell me the OF store has lost nearly 1 million USD so far. They need to sell enough stuff to fill that void and break even in the future, so , yeah, lot more releases.

Yes. Initially when I saw the huge one in the OF store I thought it was amazing and really wanted it made into a purchaseable figure. Now I'm kinda luke-warm on it. I like it, but I like the '99s, 5YLs, Chums and Pusheads better.

just curious, how do you suppose they lost that much?

the construction
the rent (or ownership of the building)
website costs
advertising costs
operational costs

vs>

sale of a few $100 toys and some prints.
maybe a painting or three

The store might be losing money but Original-Fake as a company also sells worldwide to their retai partners.

if the profit margin is like 5% (which is exceptional for a new company) they need to move at least 20 million in retail sales or 40 million wholesale to break even first year.

thats a lot.

that's a big twinkie.

I'm sure OF is/will be a profitable venture. It's basically a factory outlet store so their cost of goods is low. The hype machine obviates the need to spend much on marketing. The big trick, as mentioned, will not to kill the golden goose by making it lay to many eggs.

As far as the new companions being interesting - I think the concept is great. But hey - when I was a kid some of my favorite toys were anantomical models that a family friend who was a Merck rep gave to me. I still have the heart, kidney, and eyeball.

problem is the factory outlet is in Omotoesando where the rent is like a probably like buying a small house in the Midwest.. every month.

So enough Devil's advocate crap from me.. I do dig Kaws really! I got a 1000% KawsBear that stares me down from behind my computer all night long.
But what I really want to see is the ultimate collabo...

KOZ x KAWS

I don't like Kaws

I'm Ying to your Yang! . . . and Yinging more with each new release!

Mebbes you should lick one, it might become an aquired taste!

The manufacturing process can affect any overhead for a company-All they need is one bad batch of vinyl or a problem is production and the retail end has to compensate...Many factors and variables figure into any product..Hopefully for OFs sake they will be able to cover their costs and even make a few bucks to keep their store going...