Finally… My new Star Wars Imperial Speeder Bike from Kenner/Hasbro Japan!

1995 version of the Imperial Speeder Bike from Kenner/Hasbro Japan with Biker Scout figure

The current line of Star Wars toys today has come a long, long way from those that came out back in the late 1970’s to early 1980’s, but nonetheless, the classic line of toys (or more popularly known as ‘The Vintage Collection‘) are still the ones that is in high demand from collectors everywhere.  As a kid I never had that much Star Wars toys in my collection and as far as I can remember, I only had the Chewbacca and Stormtrooper figures and this nifty Speeder Bike vehicle which was given to me by a friend sometime around the 1980’s. The two action figures are still with me though their individual weapons had been lost over the years and the Speeder Bike just disappeared mysteriously but I’m pretty sure that the two out of the three exploding parts of the bike had been missing ever since. My sister currently holds the record for the most number of Star Wars toys in her collection and it just keeps adding up every time I went to the mall and she’d ask favors from me to get her this and that from the several toy shops that I frequent to. But I never realized that this day will come that I’d be reunited with a childhood toy that I truly cherished for the longest time… and I could never be happier.

An unexpected Harley Quinn gift from a friend

A close-up shot of the Harley Quinn figure I got from a friend

I guess this was one of the best gifts I got in recent times and it was truly unexpected. I was never a big fan of Harley Quinn but when I got this gashapon figure as a gift, I immediately fell in love with the entire 3-inch figure which was beautifully molded and detailed from top to bottom.

A few days after receiving this nice figure, I had a blast taking snapshots of Harley inside the lightbox and one of ’em photos is the one you’re seeing above. Things like this don’t come by so often and this one will be personally cherished as one of my best figure pieces in my collection.

Another Paula Atsuko Ebner figure discovered!

After going through the tedious process of searching for its identity on the internet, the mysterious mini bust figure of a female Japanese/anime personality soon had a name and its origins were finally revealed!… Paula Atsuko Ebner, a character played by Japanese actress Yuu Kashii in the 2005 movie ‘Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean.’ Discovering her identity took months and I was almost on the verge of giving up when an accidental search on Google led me to a website that bagged all the information I needed, and I was one happy mother-effer!

One time I was at Greenhills checking out some new stuff at this toy shop that I frequent to where I got the surprise of my life when I saw this three-figure set of Paula Atsuko Ebners on display! It comprised of two mini bust figures, the one that I got from Metrowalk while the other is a crystal/transparent version of the same kind… but what really got me literally jumping with excitement is the other figure of Paula that was so small yet intricately detailed, and below is the photo of that miniature figure:

The miniature figure of Paula Atsuko Ebner focusing her energies to engage the enemy in 'Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean'

I got to purchase it for only Php 75 (around $1.60 something), which was Php 20 cheaper than the mini bust figure I got from that toy shop at Metrowalk, but nonetheless I had to buy it no matter what since it was a memorabilia from the Lorelei movie and I’m pretty sure that this is the real deal from Japan and not some knock-off fig. The miniature figure is just plain awesome to look at and I can say that it was indeed another good find and a good steal altogether.

The closest thing I’ll ever get to owning a Getter Robo figure (for now)

This, I guess, would be one of my biggest frustrations in life and after waiting so long for that right opportunity to come by, I have finally found one for myself though it may not be what I really wanted to have, still this is more than enough for me… a classic super mecha hero that you loved watching on TV during your growing up years… it’s none other than good ol’ Getter Robo!

I never got the chance to own a diecast version of it nor those big and stiff plastic figures that you get to buy at a public market or from a sidewalk vendor that sold plastic toys straight from China. It was in this one store in Greenhills that I have finally found a Getter Robo plastic figure and thought to myself that, almost three decades of depriving myself in owning a Getter Robo toy was enough and since I can’t afford to buy the diecast versions (Ban Dai and Revoltech) from toy specialty shops , this one will do just fine.

My one and only Getter Robo figure in my collection

I still have a lot of other Super Robot Hero figures to collect as part of my mission to catch up with my so-called “lost childhood fun” and I’m just taking things one day at a time, and I’m sure I’ll be able to complete my mission someday soon.

SM bargain toy treasures: F.D.N.Y. commemorative fire fighter figure

Aside from the Masked Rider Kaijin Orphnoch figure from Bandai, there was this one rare purchase I made from that same bargain store inside the SM Annex in North EDSA that was truly a steal and somehow, I was there at the right place at the right time when the new stocks of marked-down toys came as I patiently waited for the guys manning the store to finish their inventory before I began scanning the new stuff they got… and it wasn’t for long when my radar locked-in on a couple of boxed 12-inch action figures neatly stacked in one corner, looking at them up close, you can tell that these were kept inside their stock room for a long time from the dust particles on the box plus including some minimal mold build up on the other figures. Since there were just a handful of people inside the store it was my chance to choose the action figure that was in its best condition, and at a nifty price of Php 50.00 (roughly around $1.00 plus), I wanted  somehow to get my money’s worth despite of its marked-down price tag.

The commemorative action figure of an F.D.N.Y. fire fighter 9/11

It is a commemorative 12-inch action figure of an F.D.N.Y. (New York City Fire Department) fire fighter who were commended for their bravery when they were the first to immediately respond to help those who were trapped inside the ill-fated Twin Towers during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on American soil. The figure came with a fireman’s helmet, the F.D.N.Y. uniform, an American flag and what seems to be the F.D.N.Y. badge which was nowhere to be found on all the other sets. After making my pick, went straight to the cashier and bought the fire fighter figure. It was indeed a good buy because these 12-inch figs can be a bit pricey when they’re not on sale but nonetheless, it was one of the best purchases I made and it was worth it.

BDSM hentai babe: tied and willing

Finding those 12-inch hentai figures can be easily available to purchase yet they are a bit heavy on the budget, unlike its gashapon counterparts that are way more affordable to buy yet difficult to purchase if your sole purpose is to buy a figure or two since most of them are sold in sets. It’s a good thing that I’ve found several toy shops that are selling these hentai figures individually and it was around early this year that I got to buy myself another babe that is just oozing with ecchi-ness… And this time she’s all tied up and very much willing to share herself to all of you.

I’m not too keen on this hentai babe’s identity though I’ve seen the entire set and it looks like they came from a particular hentai series that dealt with BDSM or something, even the ones tending the shop don’t have the slightest idea who they are or from what hentai series did they come from… all they know is that they are called “hentai babes” or “hentai figures”… period. Moving along, I went on with my business and just bought her for Php 150.00 (around $3.00++) and went home. A couple of months later, I took her out from my toy cabinet and took some snapshots of her one afternoon… and here she is folks!

My tied and willing BDSM hentai babe figure

Front view of my BDSM hentai babe figure

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!

My two Panda Z figures

I was very much aware of Panda Z‘s existence for quite some time now but it was only recently that I got my first encounter with Panda Z figures upfront when I was with the entire Bedbugs last December at the 2Rats Eastwood Mall in Libis. They were selling two versions of it for Php 500 each ($11.00 ++) which is quite pricey for a PVC figure but nevertheless I was contemplating on getting one for myself if ever I get the chance to return to Eastwood Mall. Thankfully it was during one of my visits to Greenhills with my buddy and Made in X PR honcho Adi where we accidentally saw the same Panda Z figures being sold as pre-owned items for only Php 180 (roughly around $4.00)

Panda Z figure (version 1/black and white) with three interchangeable hand weapons

Due to budget restraints I did not get to buy the two Panda Z figures at once instead I opted to buy them separately, getting the black and white figure first then a few weeks later the bronze/copper was next. One of the coolest things about these Panda Z figs is that you can interchange its hands with three other “hand weapons” that comes along with the figure itself, aside from the fact that it’s a bad-ass parodic figure to the legendary Japanese mecha superhero Mazinger Z! Though this is suspected to be bootleg items, I just can’t help but still want them badly in my collection. ‘Till next time, happy toy hunting and advance Happy Easter to all!

Version 2 of the Panda Z figure (copper or bronze) with three interchangeable hand weapons

Divisoria treasures: Sauron 12-inch bootleg figure — certified authentic!

It wasn’t long ago that I got a comment from The Monster Brothers regarding an article I made about this 12-inch Sauron bootleg figure I bought from a toy shop in Divisoria about a month ago that made me realize that I made a very grave mistake in taking for granted the things you should do to certify the authenticity of your toys, and that includes the little details you might find hidden somewhere within the toy figure. Maybe I was just so careless and caught up in the moment about the Sauron figure since it only came with some plain, transparent plastic packaging and his huge, bad-ass looking mace was nowhere to be found that made me believe that it was just a Class A replica of the real thing though the details on Sauron’s armor are so intricately made that even the One Ring he’s wearing never had any flaws in terms of how it was placed or painted on his right index finger. But nonetheless I still insisted that the Sauron figure was still a bootleg, a well-crafted bootleg.

The factory reject Sauron figure I once thought as a bootleg

That comment from the Monster Brothers was my wake-up call when they told me if I’m positive that the Sauron figure I got was a genuine bootleg and not a reject, what hit me the most big time about their comment was when they asked if I had checked the bottom of the figure’s feet for trademark stampings, I immediately went to my room and got the Sauron figure from my display cabinet only to get the shock of my life upon looking underneath that there were indeed trademark stampings that read (on the right foot) © 2002 NLP, Inc. Marvel Ent. Inc, (on the left foot) Made in China! I was just at lost for words and I told myself how could I be so careless about these things… Okay, okay I’m guilty as charged and it was an honest mistake on my part, but I admit that I’m not quite familiar with the LOTR toy line and given the circumstances and the condition of the figure, I honestly had no idea that the Sauron figure is authentic… my bad. Now I can truly say that this Sauron figure was a good find and a good buy as well, imagine having to purchase it for only Php 180 ($4.00) from its original market price of $14.00 (Php 600 plus) for a mint condition piece being sold on eBay. It was really nice to know that I got the Sauron figure at a really low price plus the fact that it was a reject and not a bootleg item all along, but nonetheless, whether it may be genuine or a replica, I’d still buy good ol’ Necromancer and add him to my collection.

SM bargain toy treasures: Bandai Masked Rider Kaijin Series Faiz 555 Orphnoch 05

There was this warehouse-like store that I frequent to which was located at the SM Annex (SM City North EDSA) where they sold a fairly big number of toys on sale, most of them consisting of old stocks with slight damages on the packaging and they were also selling stuff that you would probably get to see and buy only in Divisoria. I knew right there and then that the store was under SM’s supervision and they put up the store to somehow dispose all of their old toy stocks by marking down their price tags way below their original amount. I too had my share of the excitement as I patiently sifted through their stuff to find me some nifty toy to buy and had successfully bought a number of items as well from my previous visits, but it was this one visit to their warehouse store sometime last year that really hit the spot and I can truly say that I hit the jackpot with this one… though it was marred by regrets afterwards. Here’s my story…