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

Josh: Mason, Regan and I decide to get brunch, and then head back and open some packages that arrived earlier in the day from Japan.

You all know the feeling. It is that birthday or holiday come early half giddiness..

Two boxes sit on my bed. One slightly larger than the other. Kanji scrawled and exploding on the surface.

I realize one of them holds a number of items Regan purchased on Yahoo Japan in the past couple months. I sense her excitement . I first open the larger box and find waiting a Banso G5, A vinyl Bullmark reissue of a Ultra 7 Batt op, and a GA 51 first version that I bought on a whim.

Mason looks on with interest at the later, and it occurs to me he only lacks a first version of the GA51 in his Gaiking collection.

Handing the GA51 to Mason, I tell him to complete his set. He happily obliges me and takes the toy.

Regan is chomping at the bit and I hand the knife to her and let the madness ensue…

But I will let her (and the photos) tell you about that.

Regan: The first box I unwrapped was the die-cast Takatoku Umi-Bozu. Oh god, I love this dude. I love his Kewpie-doll arms, his blonde coiffure and his crazed (extendable!) stare. I love his seemingly dubious red…friend….thing and his completely inexplicable marble…projectile….thing. This toy is like the embodiment of my early 20s – I have no idea what’s going on but I know that it’s AWESOME. Next up were the Irutan pieces: the standard-sized Bullmark vinyl, Grip die-cast and plastic necklace of completely unknown origin. All I really want to say about these toys is that I have never seen anyone so thrilled to be a cowboy dolphin. I’m never going to let him watch The Cove. Next was, well, I have no idea what this toy is. Josh maintains that it looks like a Kure Kure Takora reject. I really just love the irony of a wind-up octopus dressed like a sushi chef. Did I mention he has feet? ‘Cause he does. Lastly was the orgy of Rockbat: the Blazer motorcycle vinyl, the 2 Rockbat mini vinyls and, of course, the disco version. These toys are amazing – particularly the sparkly charm of the latter. I can feel you rolling your eyes right now but you know what? I am still a girl and I will make squeaky noises at Rockbat all I want.

Josh: After the girl plays with her prizes I manage to find a few more gems hidden among the others myself. I unwrap a underrated Yonezawa Red baron wind up, a few Gaiking puzzles and a Godzilla v.s Megalon soundtrack 7 inch.

Mason leads us to the kitchen and opens up Gaiking. Putting him together, he flys him around and we all sit back in our chairs drunk with nostalgia and happiness. Watching the moments of relived childhood wash over others is a gift in itself. We as a community need that. It is what keeps the toy boomerang alive and well.

Today was a reminder for me, why this hobby keeps us coming back.

He is waiting.
The back room kept company. It is filled with heat and overhead lights. Tinnitus soundtrack. Ringing cut back by the staccato of the auctioneer outside. Ultraman is in the building.

Your mind is racing. Only a few more. Looking around. They end before you can think clearly. Animalistic response takes over where forethought was the driver not seconds before.

Can you afford it? Probably not. None of us are doing this for sanity. The inner voice is telling you to pull the trigger, press the gas pedal and meet your instant gratification with arms wide open.

The hammer falls, the book sweaty and the page gloss smells so much stronger.

“Sold”

And this was only one of many more to come.

The back room waits, the air conditioning thunders, and the cardboard permeates.

Ultraman is in the building tonight.

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.

Currently on its way from the motherland, comes the Bullmark/Angel Kaman Rider V1 zenmai. Brog to follow soon!
There is something about KR in tin that induces a lust that only a few other toys can match. Not least of which is the phenomenal box art that houses it. Tin and tatami is a sweet combination which sparks a similar feeling to seeing a 1969 Toyota GT 2000…it bleeds retro class, and does so elegantly.

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…

Sadly, these and other “Rumbles” like it are not available in our archive anymore. This little love letter is just one of many I’ll hopefully be posting for us all to brush up on in the near future. ENJOY!

– Sjoen

The Power of Gecki
Erik Sjoen
12.03.01

I was consumed by a toy made for collectors by a collector. The Hobby Project Gekiganger complements of Kanzen Hentaro. Let me start off by saying that Josh Fraser RULES! This guy noticed my random BBS posts every month stating “I NEED A GEKIGANGER”, and he remembered them. Maybe, because he knows that feeling of desperation we all feel when one of the pieces of our collective puzzle is missing and we can’t find it.

It’s people like Josh Fraser that makes this site as cool as it is. Geki RULES!

You know you have become predictable when:

He: ” I have these Gaiking baby shoes so if we ever have kids”…
She: …”they can stare at them in the packaging”?

So what do you get when you have half a dozen toy nerds descend upon an unsuspecting Dim Sum joint, with a box full of protos and a mind full of marketing ideas?

Regan and I arrive before anyone else and soon get a message from Alen he is almost there. I imagine him zipping in and out of traffic with a passenger seat full of Nekosaurs and think about how crazy he drove when he had a damn Volkswagon new Beetle, and not his monster of a Solstice. He is likely listening to the Gatchaman soundtrack and blowing past Honda Civics, humming along, wishing he was dressed in his Condor outfit.

Everyone soon arrives and we make our way to the table. They smartly stick us in the corner of the back room, out of the way, as the waiters seem to be curious about what this rag tag bunch is up to. Why are they carrying a box of robots to their table anyway?

It does not take long for the waitresses to be amused and pick up various Sofubi Neckos and giggle and comment on how “cute” they are.

We have gained fans, and the pork buns are rolling around the table while Alen in his bemused but stoic Ceo persona, hands out the goodies.

Various Matt Walker painted vinyls make their way into our greasy hands. Chops sticks on one side, and sparkle Monster Color Nekos in the other.

Course two is a new selection of Neko USBs, and before long Alen pulls out the big guns…A licensed VOLTRON USB which Yen has quietly been working on, as well as a Popy style catalog for future releases!

After lunch we head out, and a few other items are shared and traded. Dave thoughtfully brings Regan her three talkers.

She happily puts them in the car, and we plan for a meeting at Mason’s house later for dinner (bacon) and a Godzilla movie.

Not a better time could be asked for.

Next Brog: Mason’s dinner party and collection.