Attack on Titan: Something to look forward to

‘Attack on Titan’ promotional poster showing Eren Yeager engaged in combat against the Colossal Titan.

I’ve been noticing lately (or I’m just that TOO late, again, to notice) the steady rise in popularity of the anime Attack on Titan and I couldn’t help but wonder what is it with this Hajime Isayama creation that had everybody talking and wanting for more. Everywhere I go you would often get to hear kids, teens and even young adults raving and commenting on how cool the series is and now even anime specialty shops are selling an array of interesting stuff from posters, necklaces, backpacks down to mouse pads, pricey action toy figures and even patches. I have always been a big fan of anime but I sometimes get critical on what particular anime titles I should watch. In recent times, there were a few of them that got me interested and later on proved to be something worthy of praise… one of them is the depressing, heart-wrenching war movie Grave of the Fireflies (1988) from Studio Ghibli. The other is the phenomenal hit anime series that swept a good majority of Pinoys off their feet featuring Light Yagami and his detective counterpart known as ‘L‘ in the supernatural/psychological thriller Death Note (2006) and lastly, the hilarious vulgar comedy featuring the timid, shy musician Soichi Negishi and his notoriously infamous alter-ego Johannes Krauser II and the rest of the rowdy bunch of Detroit Metal City (2008.)

Toy Fair treasures: Miniature diorama of Tetsujin 28

The little, rare finds that you get to discover out of the blue… and this miniature diorama of Tetsujin 28 is one of them!

December 18, Sunday… It was the last day of the 6th Toy Fair 2011 held at the Megatrade Hall 1 of  SM Megamall and I was able to survive the impending Yuletide traffic that was starting to build up on my way to the said place. Though the crowd that greeted me during the event was not as intense and annoying, in some way, like that of the annual Philippine Toy Convention (ToyCon) being held also at the same venue. I managed to go about my business in taking snapshots for my blogs before I went straight right away in getting hold of some toy goodies that I’ll be using for work and at the same time add them to my collection. Anyways, the photo you’re seeing right now above is one of those great finds that I have managed to purchase from one of the toy stalls during the event, it took me a lot of rounds checking the stalls and their stuff before I got to discover this one and with its miniature size and all, you’ll definitely miss out on this one if you just do a quick scan and jump to the next stall.

ToyCon souvenirs: Amon gashapon from ‘Devilman’

Though I may not have truly enjoyed doing some serious toy hunting during the 10th Philippine Toy Convention held at the SM Megamall last June 18 to 19, I still managed to purchase several items during the second and last day of the event, but I could have continued my booth-hopping spree and went home with a bigger stash of goodies if it weren’t for my tired and weary legs that were on the verge of collapsing! Knowing is half the battle, and for sure come ToyCon 2012 I’m more prepared and focused on what to do. As soon as I was done with the first half of my task in taking snapshots for my blog and Facebook page, I chanced upon this particular toy booth that was selling loose item figures (mostly gashapons), and on their display was this cool 3 to 4 inch figure of Devilman that was selling for Php 100 (roughly around $2.00) I asked the kind lady if they had other Devilman items on sale and she said there’s this other one mixed inside this fairly huge plastic container which was literally flooded with other anime figures and gashapons. As I sifted through the items looking for it, one of the ladies tending their stall was kind enough to help me look for the other Devilman item and it didn’t take long before she found the figure and handed it to me. As I looked closer, it turns out that it was this badass-looking figure of another Devilman character, the ruthless and powerful demon known as Amon. Since I already have a Devilman figure in my collection, having to purchase an Amon figure would somehow make my collection complete and so I immediately bought it and tucked it away inside my bag.

The Lord of War Amon figure from Go Nagai's 'Devilman'

For those who are not that familiar with Devilman, it first came out as a Japanese manga series which was written and illustrated by renowned manga pioneer Go Nagai (creator of Mazinger Z, Getta Robo, Violence Jack and Kekko Kamen.) The anime series was first developed by Toei in 1972 and since then the series spawned numerous manga, novels, OVAs (Original Video Animation) and films. Amon is one of the most powerful demons and is known in Hell as the Lord of War, he is also the source of Akira Fudo‘s (the main protagonist of Devilman) incredible demonic strength and abilities. Amon was fully featured in the 2000 animation ‘Amon: The Apocalypse of Devilman‘, which depicted a more graphic and violent interpretation of the last chapters taken from the original Devilman manga.

Major Motoko Kusanagi figure (Ghost in The Shell)

Here is another good toy find I would like to share to all of you and it was a couple of months back when I was doing my usual rounds in Greenhills searching for toys to purchase when it was in this one toy shop that I got to see this awesome monochrome trading figure of Major Motoko Kusanagi from the hit anime Ghost in The Shell. Though I was hoping I could find the fully painted version of it (though I’m not sure if there was one that really existed) tucked away somewhere inside the shop but according to the shopkeeper, it was the only Major Motoko Kusanagi they have in their inventory and for only Php 100 (roughly more than $2.00), I never took my chances and bought it right away.

Monochrome trading figure of Major Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in The Shell)

Though I have to be honest with you guys that I never got to fully understand the concept and the story of Ghost in The Shell but I was very much aware of its existence through my friends and classmates who were into the second wave of anime ages ago, and unlike today where stuff about anime can be accessed and purchased almost anywhere, back then anime was considered to be a specialty, a novelty. And I can remember a friend of mine who had to go to Binondo (in Quiapo) to rent (or sometimes buy) anime movies and series in VHS format from several shops in that area… Oh well, that’s the gist of it, and somehow having this monochrome trading figure of Major Kusanagi was a steal and hopefully one day I can sit down and give my full attention to the storyline of Ghost in The Shell (God-forbid I don’t get too lazy to work on it.) Well anyways, I’ll see you guys around and ’till next time, happy toy hunting and Happy Mother’s Day to all moms out there!

A cute Arale figure from Dragon Ball Z

Here’s one of those cute anime figures from my collection that I got to photograph a few days ago, it’s a chibi-like toy figure of Arale from the manga/anime series Dragon Ball Z. I found this figure lying around in one of my cabinets when I was fixing some of my stuff and though I wasn’t quite sure how, when and where did I get her. Anyways, here she is ladies and gentlemen… The cute and adorable Arale from Dragon Ball Z.

My cute Arale figure from the anime series Dragon Ball Z

To Heart Girl SR Capsule figure

Last January 17 I was with my sister at the SM North EDSA to buy some stuff for my mom along with other things when we happen to pass by this small hobby shop that were selling several anime stuff like gashapons and PVC figures. I was looking through their items inside the display window and honestly, their prices are way too high in spite of giving discounts to some of their items. Though I’ve seen some good ones on display like figure sets of Shin Chan, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gundam and many more, I still opted to look for stuff that were affordable and easy on the wallet. I think it was a good 5 to 10 minutes that I’ve spent searching for my treasure until I noticed this cute schoolgirl figure placed on one corner of the display window and I immediately asked the saleslady for it.

Another Onegai Teacher Kazami Mizuho figure

Here’s another Onegai Teacher figure I have from my collection and this time the lovely and seductive Kazami Mizuho is on the floor waiting and wanting for more! Nope, this ain’t the authentic PVC figure and it’s just another bootleg figure like the first one I showed you a few blog posts ago. I’m planning to complete the entire set of this sexy Onegai Teacher figures but I’m not so sure if the other Kazami Mizuho figures are still available at the toy shop I frequent to. Well anyways, enjoy the photo guys and ’till the next entry, happy toy hunting!

Another Onegai Teacher Kazami Mizuho figure from my toy collection

The mystery of the unknown miniature bust figure

The Metrowalk in Pasig is known for being a hangout depot for dudes and dudettes of all ages, and what’s more, this place is popularly known for its DVDs being sold at the second floor. It was only recently that I discovered that aside from the DVD stalls there are some shops that were selling other stuff like RTW, bags, leather goods and a whole lot more. But with my constant wandering around the vicinity, I immediately stumbled upon several toy shops that were selling both brand new and loose items, and this one particular toy shop mainly sold literally a sea of gashapon figures (capsule toys), PVC toys and action figures… and majority of their stocks on sale are, well you’ve guessed it, loose items.

Astro Boy Mighty Muggs-like figure

My Astro Boy (Mighty Muggs-like) toy figure from JUVI (China)

As part of my “catching up” duty to update all of you with some of my toy collection I have acquired during my short absence from blogging, I would like to share yet again this wonderful find I’ve bought around middle of last year (2010) and this is my Astro Boy (Mighty Muggs-like) toy figure from JUVI. I was with my sister at the Trinoma Mall that time when we decided to check out the Toys R’ Us store there, while sis went on with her business in checking out the new stuff from Sylvanian Families (she has her own collection and is now growing in numbers) I made my way into the action figures section and began my little toy hunting spree. From one shelf to another, row by row, it seems my luck was beginning to run out on me until it was in one of those corner shelves at the bottom part that my radar picked up something wonderful and it looks like I hit the jackpot!

Here you go guys, more hentai figs…

I guess you’ve seen in one of my previous blog entries this cute and naughty Hentai figure I bought around late last year. Well, ever since I got into Toy Photography,  these Hentai toys or figures are definitely on my list of must-haves whenever I go out to scout more new stuff to buy and if I get the chance to see Hentai figs being sold as loose items at these toy shops that I go to, I immediately buy them and line them up on my next photo shoot. But in case you’re wondering if that single Hentai figure is all I have in my collection, let me now share some of my other Hentai figures that hasn’t been featured on my blog and the photos below are the ones I got earlier when I started my collection.

This is the 5-piece figure set from Night Shift Nurses that I was telling you about. I guess I bought these around 2 to 3 years ago and so far this is the only complete Hentai set I have, and needless to say, the most expensive from all the other gashapons in my collection. This cost me $17 to purchase and it took a lot of guts for me to whip out my wallet as my hands literally trembled to pay off the items! Oh well, the things you can and will do for the sake of toy collecting. Anyways, here are the Night Shift Nurses in all of their naughty and cheeky glory just for you. ‘Till next time and enjoy ’em feisty ladies!

The naughty and feisty Night Shift Nurses

Night Shift Nurse in pink getting down and dirty...