toyboxdx toy blog brog: is graceful art of daily expressing japanese toy  

Some love for this all-time classic: Bullmark Apolon Header BP-24

Blue “Export” Box.

I’m going to start this Brog off by saying upfront that Henshin Cyborg used to weird me out. The clear naked guys, the chrome inner heads, and the swappable parts just made no sense to me. I thought some of the costumes were neat, but had no idea what to make of the line in general. I read about the 8″ Muton line on Super7 Magazine, and specifically say the Red Baron (X-Akron) suit from that line, and started to look a little more seriously at Henshin Cyborg. The connection to Microman intrigued me, and the modern push of things like the Secret Base vinyl suits piqued my interest enough to pick some up. After grabbing a smattering of different things of YJA, and enough Obitsu bodies to wear all the costumes, I’m hooked and looking for more! Here’s some love shots of what I’ve got so far.

(more…)

So the catalyst for these brogs was a recent last minute drive to Warren’s to help him with a few things to sell.

As luck would have it, a box arrives as I do. I document as Uncle unpacks and we hang out , taking advantage of the brief break in both our schedules to sit and enjoy some of his recent purchases.
I wander and take a few other shots of the bedroom and am amused by the toys he keeps out and about his room. Many of which would be under glass in most collections. But that is the point and the charm. He treats them as they should be. Like old friends.

You really don’t need me to explain much. You all know the drill.

Get a drink, turn on the music, dim the lights , and look at the pretty pictures.

get ready…

go

Invasion: Japanese Robots from the Collection of Warren Schwartz

Organized by LSU MOA; April 13 through October 7, 2007

Invasion: Japanese Robots from the Collection of Warren Schwartz showcases more than 200 robots – about one tenth of Schwartz’s collection – produced from 1972-1982, during the peak of these action figures’ popularity.

In celebration of the annual East Coast Chogokin Summit, I thought it would be cool to showcase some more East Coast collection love…

Rescued from the forgotten depths of Warren’s digital camera.

For those of you who recall a few years ago, Warren displayed a few of his toys at the museum. He showed me the photos he had taken of it himself last week, and I thought it best to share them here.
Enjoy.

Fist firing mini diecast funk!

Another circle is complete.

Serendipity is not something you wait expectantly for. It is like trying to manufacture wabi, which will leave you only familiar with failure and disappointment.

Things happen as they will.

Today a package came. One that really was almost 7 years in the making. Perhaps much less so than the 15 years with the version 2 Kamen Rider Angel http://toyboxdx.dsri.xyz/brog/?p=635 , but one that none the less was a long path of frustration and patience.

Angels Kamen Rider V1.

I sit with the box for a few minutes and clear my mind. I set up my laptop with an episode of Kamen Rider as a background and feel the burn of excitement well up. Better open the box before I cut myself on the knife with shaky hands.

Why the nervousness? Well like some of the others, we have a history together, maybe even some baggage.

First located in the pages of Toy Shop magazine in the early 2000s, it was , as with many of the rarer tins , long gone before you could call the seller.

A few years later, the same toy shows up in the pages of a 2006 Morphey auction. At the time, I was hyper focussed on winning the Ultraman Leo that was also in the same collection, and by now you all know how that went.

December of 2008, the exact same toy showed up yet again on Yahoo Japan, and I made an offer after the auction ended with no bids. The seller agreed to let it go for my offer and I happily sent the money to my buyer to secure it.

The seller had the same toy with another dealer who had listed it on Ebay at the same time for almost twice the price. As luck would have it, the auction ended without bids, but appeared to have been sold to another interested party.

It occurs to me this exact MIB specimen, appeared again and again, each time for the past 6 or so years, due to the fact that the damage on the box was instantly recognizable . It had passed hands many times over the years , yet managed to elude me at each turn.

So I waited again, realizing sometimes the toy comes to you when it is ready.

A little over a month ago, and out of the blue, a second showed itself, which was fresh to market and fell under the radar…I thought I must have had un-cashed in toy karma, or the universe was starting to feel bad for my pathetic attempts to obtain one. In addition to it being a second specimen, it was also mint in a much better box, and yet maintained the same superficial damage in the same area as the other box?!
This led me to believe my long term theory , that these were part of the same shipment of Angel/Bullmark tins might not be such an insane conclusion. Here we had two V1 versions with the nearly identical box damage, which also coincidently dovetailed with the V2 version tins, that again, shared similar condition details. There was and is a story here. One I do hope to finish… some day.

Until then I will have to satisfy my growing curiosity patiently with yet another “Angel”, that made its way home by leaving the cage door open.

We know the name, the place, and the magic that happens when you walk up those oak stairs. The toy room is to the left, taking up the top floor, which was a former attic. It seems appropriate, like going into an old family members house, finding long forgotten treasures in sun lit space, filled with the fumes of vinyl and paper.

But today I am here to help photograph toys for Warren. Ones he will sell sooner or later. Even these immaculate rows of bags and boxes need a spring ( summer) cleaning.

Uncle W shows me a few old finds and a few newer ones. My eyes glaze over. There are so many rarities that like Alen I don’t feel the need to collect anymore.

After doning various robot masks, Warren directs my attention by showing me a few more Zaboga finds… among which is the ever elusive Missile firing vinyl mint in Box ( he has two), and a remarkably minty carded set that I have only heard of in conversations with collectors filled with sighs and hushed tones.

To lighten the mood Warren shows me his best Japanese boy imitation as shown on the back of the card.

Today was certainly surreal to say the least.

Enjoy…