Mighty Muggs Darth Vader (Hasbro, 2007)

Hasbro's Mighty Muggs series seemed to be tapering off as I got into collecting, but they did get some second looks from me. I recall a few on clearance between 2010 and 2012 I may or may not regret passing on, but my appreciation for vinyls didn't develop until a little later, when Funko got my attention with their POP! Series and Vinyl Invaders Batman. I have a fledgling Darth Vader subcollection that needed a unique member such as this, and the price wasn't much above the retail price shipped, so I went for it. Check out the video:

He suffered mildly from the issues I'd read about, namely his unwieldy cape and easily spilled helmet, but he's a looker and will stay put on a shelf to admire, purpose served. Whether you go for this kind of thing or not, Hasbro did deliver a vinyl a fraction of the price U.S. collectors pay for Japanese imports. Some of these go for three to five times the original $10.00 at retail on the secondary market. I'd been on the lookout for a Marvel Series Vision at a good price, but wasn't disappointed in finding the Series One Darth Vader.

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BE@RBRICK Horror Series 31 Alien

BE@RBRICK Horror Series 31 Alien

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Series 15 Pillows Buster and Series 31 Alien ...

BE@RBRICK Cute Series 30 Rascal

BE@RBRICK Cute Series 30 Rascal 

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Series 30 Rascal with Series 31 Phineas Ferb and Series 28 Kappa River Monster...

BE@RBRICK Sci-Fi Series 17 Gurren Lagann

BE@RBRICK Sci-Fi Series 17 Gurren Lagann 

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BE@RBRICK Sci-Fi Series 17 and 25 Gurren Lagann and Evangelion...

BE@RBRICK Animal Series 4 Mach Roid

BE@RBRICK Animal Series 4 Mach Roid

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BE@RBRICK Animal Series 5 and 4  Rumina Borg and Mach Roid...

BE@RBRICK Sci-Fi Series 10 Metropolis

BE@RBRICK Sci-Fi Series 10 Metropolis

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SH Figuarts Black & Blue Overdrive Ranger

I had my eye on this SH Figuarts Black & Blue Overdrive Ranger 2-pack awhile back, after picking up a few of the 12" Power Rangers. In truth, I missed the whole Power Rangers craze, but do have a certain appreciation for '90s comics and pop culture. I was more interested in the simple sleek, simple design of their outfits and the chance to get a super-articulated action figure of SH Figuarts at half price. I was impressed with these! Among the "Super Sentai" Figuarts series, these Power Rangers are produced by Bandai of Japan. Check out the video:

SH Figuarts are a little on the expensive side, but I lucked out stumbling onto some at a greatly discounted price and I'm glad I did. While I'm not that familiar with the characters, these appeal to my recent interest in designer Japanese toys, and I love their sci-fi anime aesthetic. They are truly remarkable.

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Heavy Gohkin Devilman by Marmit, 2001

 From what I gather on the internet, Marmit is one of the larger independent toy manufacturers in Japan, known more for sofubi vinyl figures. I was interested in this diecast chogokin for the same reason I'm interested in sofubi vinyl, Be@arbrick, and Tomica cars- their exotic Japanese appeal is of great interest to me in the last year. According to Wikipedia, Devilman was a manga series produced by Go Nagai in 1972, which has spawned numerous manga, novels, and anime, telling the story of teenager Akira Fudo fighting evil as the demon Devilman. "To fight a demon, one must become a demon."

According to Wikipedia, "chogokin" has become a catch-all label for Japanese diecast robot toys, but is actually a trademark registered by originators of the subgenre, Bandai. Chogokin is Japanese for "Super Alloy", the fictitious metal of which robots in Japanese manga & anime were constructed, the name adopted by Popy in 1972 for their toys produced for Bandai. This Devilman has 16+ points of articulation, and an extra set of removable hands- the weight of his diecast construction causes some balance issues in posing, but I love his retro styling. Check out the video:

6" Marmit diecast and 11" 400% Be@rbrick Devilman...

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DC Batman Unlimited Mighty Minis

I didn't want to pick up too many of these DC Mighty Mini figures, as the Imaginext blind bag figures are a better value at $3.99 per, taller and more sturdily built. I wish these were more that size, which would make the interchangeable parts more fun. Still, I had to pick a couple up to get a closer look. They don't stand particularly well, but are made to be pulled apart and put back together for kids, not displayed by an adult collector. They are kinda fun at an impossibly tiny 2", and I like the deco on these to Batman figures, one from the Batman Unlimited Series, the other an Armored Batman from the Batman v Superman Series.

Armored Batman Mighty Mini with 4" Jada Diecast Armored Batman...

Batman Unlimited Mighty Mini with 4" Power Attack Batman... they will live together in the small acrylic case atop my glass detolf with a couple other blue/grey Batmen I love...

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Jada Diecast Batman v Superman Armored Batman

A lifelong fan of the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel, I'm simultaneously more judicious about adding to the collection as years go by, and as excited to see new stuff as the next fan. While I feel fine about resisting the wave of merchandise beginning to drop at retail, these Superman v Batman diecast series by Jada were a curiosity I had to look into.

I was kind of surprised these were going for ten bucks at retail, which made me feel brave enough to take a chance on this armored fireplug of a 4" figure. I have a soft spot for representations of this type, including POP! Funko vinyls, and recently enjoyed a Kidrobot DC Vinyl Mini Flash and Green Arrow. I opted for the Armored Batman as one to try seeing as it was diecast metal, and while I loved photographing this Batman, he had some faults. There was no denying the expert styling of this figure, but his waist joint is a little loose for my taste, and as his legs are plastic, he's somewhat top heavy, causing problems staying upright if not on s very level surface. If the arms were articulated, one could position them back to distribute weight better, but alas they are static. This may not be an issue with the other, more slender figures, but he stands well enough in my glass detolf. 

Below diecast Batman pictured with my Kotobukiya ArtFX+ Justice League Series Batman statue...

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Kidrobot DC Vinyl Mini Flash & Green Arrow

I had to try a couple of these Kidrobot blind boxes, but didn't want to pay retail, nor roll the dice on getting one I actually want. Yes, I understand that the surprise is part of the fun, but I like to know what I'm paying for. I'd started watch The Flash TV show on Netflix recently, and while I'd not seen any episodes of Arrow, he did make an appearance in an episode I watched of the aforementioned. Regardless, I'd become a fan of both the characters in recent years, and appreciate the complementary tones of these two super-cute vinyl figures.

I have a respectable collection of Green Arrow toys, that which depicted below represent about 3/4 of what I have...

...and Kidrobot Flash will take his place in my small Flash display box with some of my other favorite depictions of the Scarlet Speedster...

Some don't appreciate the cutesy, kewpie doll looks of these figures, but I think they're fun. They remind me of Muggs and Mexco Mez-Itz vinyl figures, which I'd always admired. I may not be looking to collect these in numbers, but admire Kidrobot's take on these characters.

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MediCom DEVILMAN 400% Be@rbrick

It was only a matter of time before I had to try a 400% Be@rbrick, the 11" version of MediCom's highly collectible figures. This Devilman Be@rbrick has all the articulation of his 2 3/4" counterparts, but with added ratchet swivels in the limbs for added stability. Devilman was an easy choice for me due to his Manja styling and great color! I enjoy "cute" and "sci-fi" series Be@rbrick, but also the horror characters. I'm unfamiliar with this Japanese anime character, but was hooked by his exotic design! Check out the video:

Devilman 400% Be@rbrick with my Rumina Borg and Pillows Buster 100% Be@rbrick...

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SUPER-DUPER BE@RBRICK No.3

...AND My third haul of MediCom Be@rbrick, try to keep up! A lot of the characters are designed by artists unknown to me or modeled after Japanese. pop culture characters I'm unfamiliar with, as a fan of Japanese vinyl and imported Tomica diecast cars, the Be@rbrick's exotic appeal is not lost on me as a collector. My recent interest in Lego minifigures may also play into my fascination with these Be@rbrick. Check out the video:

Getting the Cute Series 31 Honey Bear to complement my Animal Series 21 Buzzy Bee was a highlight from this latest haul- the cuteness is too much! While some may not appreciate this, Be@rbrick are well-designed toys with endless deco possibilities, their simplicity their success in this area. 

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SUPER-DUPER BE@RBRICK No.2

My second haul of MediCom Be@rbrick, try to keep up! A lot of the characters are designed by artists unknown to me or modeled after Japanese. pop culture characters I'm unfamiliar with. As I said in my SUPER-DUPER BE@RBRICK No.1 post, I'm into Japanese vinyl and imported Tomica diecast cars, so the Be@rbrick's exotic appeal is not lost on me as a collector. I also love MiniMates, which are similar in scale and cuteness! Check out the video:

Series 27, 28, 19, 21, and 25 Nuiguruma Z, Russian Doll Matryoshka, Shoko Nakagawa Cat, Buzzy The Bee, and Hello Kitty Kiss Catman. I'm a longtime drummer and KISS fan, so getting that last one was sweet... it's fun that it's a Hello Kitty/Catman mash-up!

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SUPER-DUPER BE@BRICK No.1

My latest fascination are in the form of these MediCom Be@rbrick, which are too cute for words! These highly collectible Japanese figures come in a few different sizes, the 2 3/4" 100 % scale being my particular interest. I like colorful, fun toys, and am into Japanese vinyl and imported Tomica diecast cars, so the Be@rbrick's exotic appeal is not lost on me as a collector. They're a variation on MediCom's Kubrick figures, and are a lot like MiniMates in size, which I also collect. Check out the video:

Series 28, 29, and 6 Kappa River Monster, & Nyanchu World Hosokyoku, and Tiger...

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