Anyone here collect toys/Action Figures?

[SignOfGoob]

The two examples of Micro Change fiction you point out are filler pages from magazines that no one knew existed until recently. Certainly neither falls under the "anime/manga" argument that BillyJoelZeta was making. No one has ever contested that Microman had major official media in Japan, just not the portions relating to the Micro Change toys that became TFs.

The only thing even close was Diatron 5, the movie that many people thought was an official Diaclone cartoon for years and even to this day.

I for sure do not know what I’m talking about when it comes to early 70s Microman manga. I also don’t think the 10 year olds of 1983 who were the target audience for Change did either. I know for sure the 10 million kids who bought pirate CassetteMan toys didn’t need any persuasion. The shit was obviously awesome on sight, which was my main point to begin with. You only ever needed a good story when the toys started to suck. That one toy ad with the camera and cassettes coming to life said everything that needed to be said.

 

[Tripredacus]

Yeah but are we talking about Japanese kids or ourselves? I can say that no one knew about Microman manga (or even a lot of the TF manga) even existing until around the year 2000 when Japanese websites were actually accessible to people in the US. So for a casual fan to say there was nothing, sure. But to then snap-back and say "actually there was a 2 page manga in a Japanese magazine this one time that wasn't revealed to exist until just recently and there are no scans of it anywhere" is another. That's some ultra weeb-superiority going on there.

 

[SignOfGoob]

Usually 10 year old kids don’t read 10 year old manga, they read new stuff. If one could even find decade old Microman manga in 1983 it would be in tankoban form. Henshin Cyborg didn’t sell Brownings, it just didn’t. The toys stood very well on their own without a narrative, which is why they sold like MAD officially and as bootlegs world-wide, even in Korea and Taiwan where for sure they didn’t get the manga.

To return back to the original point...the supposedly good writing of Beastwars isn’t needed or helpful. You only try that when all your designers and animators suck shit.

 

[HornheaDD]

To return back to the original point...the supposedly good writing of Beastwars isn’t needed or helpful. You only try that when all your designers and animators suck shit.

But that's the point, ya ding-dong! lol

It isn't needed, that was never in question. But it happened, and it happened to be good. Again, I do_not argue that the animation was terrible. Oof it was shit. But story-wise, it progressed Transformers in a good way.

Maybe I need to give Beast Machines another look, but I do remember not liking it when I went through it.

 

[terry.330]

But I kinda think M is trolling us. I think he’s got the cool sets...he just keeps posting the lame stuff for giggles.

I don't.

Lego as a a toy is great as it is a learning/creativity tool. It was my favorite toy as a child. As much as I liked TMNT, GI Joe, TF etc. Lego was always something I went back to when the more trendy or edgy stuff got old and still have an appreciation for as an adult. I wish my sisters kids would have been into it more when they were little but had almost no interest in toys you played with by yourself quietly.

 

[SignOfGoob]

But then you have stuff like this every now and then and remember how awesome Lego can be.

View attachment 50686

Honestly, to me that’s the worst of it. I hate the licensed shit in general, makes kids stupid, but I already have a Soul of Chougokin Golion and I think it was actually cheaper than the Lego one.

Legos made into action figures and super hero crap is more depressing than grown men buying pre-built RC cars and chucking them after a single part breaks.

 

[terry.330]

I appreciate the Voltron set because it was a fan creation and the fact that it does have the 5 transformable lions that combine almost exactly like the original figure set. Simply from an engineering standpoint it's really impressive.

I have a larger problem with the smaller sets that are just a handful of proprietary pieces with a mini fig and have very limited uses outside of the set as it's sold.

 

[@M]

I just got done building that Mega Construx Top Gun Maverick Hornet jet, but, sadly, one of the folding struts for the landing gear was missing (supposed to be 3 of them, I only got 2). I hate when that happens! I sent Mattel a request for a replacement piece, so, I'll hold off on photos and/or a review until I get that in the mail...hopefully, they're fairly good on that sort of thing, like LEGO is, but, Mattel isn't known for the greatest customer service, so, we'll see. Might be why that kit was clearanced for $10? Shame too, it's a really nice aircraft.

 

[fake]

I'd still have a regular figure of something than a Lego version of it... And as adults, we have the dexterity, research abilities, and funds to create our own toys through resin casting and whatnot, if building something is the true itch to scratch.

 

[@M]

I don’t think anyone would be poking fun at M if he posted stuff like that...but ya those sets M post are terribly lame.

But I kinda think M is trolling us. I think he’s got the cool sets...he just keeps posting the lame stuff for giggles.

I can respect that.

It's super frustrating when some of you think I'm a Master Troll when I'm really just a Level 1 Goblin with a pointy stick.

 

[SignOfGoob]

I appreciate the Voltron set because it was a fan creation and the fact that it does have the 5 transformable lions that combine almost exactly like the original figure set. Simply from an engineering standpoint it's really impressive.

I have a larger problem with the smaller sets that are just a handful of proprietary pieces with a mini fig and have very limited uses outside of the set as it's sold.

I guess I just fail to see the novelty in having a Lego version of something when you could have a good version. I guess it’s impressive that they approximated a die cast Japanese robot toy out of clunky square plastic bricks but...it would be impressive if they made it out of meat or zip ties. I’d still rather have the die cast one, the OG or the SoC. I’d rather have a Taiwan Lionbot even, really.

When it comes to Voltron, pretty much everything is worthless except the Poppy/Bandai stuff. The original toys, LX and DX, Poppy and MB versions as well as some bootlegs, the Soul of Chougokin version, all truly inspired works of art. The Viewmaster reels were decent. Pretty much everything else, the sleeping bags, the pup tent, the LJN stuff, the anime, the reboot, it’s all crap. It’s not like Star Wars where you can see the appeal in 35 different versions of Luke Skywalker. There are three good toys and then a pile of crap.

 

[@M]

Tell me y'all don't want this!

 

[sylvie]

I guess I just fail to see the novelty in having a Lego version of something when you could have a good version.

This is the golden sentence thats been resting on my tongue the last 30899449 pages

 

[@M]

Because a LEGO version can be easily remade into an infinite number of other things. You can also customize an action figure, of course, but, that's a lot more work.

 

[sylvie]

Its like choosing to play Minecraft instead of Second Life

 

[Lagduf]

Its like choosing to play Minecraft instead of Second Life

Minecraft at least is a game and knows it. Second life on the other hand…

I used to play one of those 3D building and chatting games on the 90s on dial up lol. Other Worlds I think it was called.

 

[terry.330]

You guys are acting like you can't have both the Lego Voltron and a kickass die-cast GoLion figure as well.

 

[@M]

No, M is acting like a Ninjago Mech, piloted by Unikitty, is just as good or better than Voltron.

 

[Syn]

 

[SignOfGoob]

Because a LEGO version can be easily remade into an infinite number of other things. You can also customize an action figure, of course, but, that's a lot more work.

You’ve never handled high quality Japanese robot toys before, have you?

 

[LoneSage]

You’ve never handled high quality Japanese robot toys before, have you?

And God willing I never will.

 

[@M]

You’ve never handled high quality Japanese robot toys before, have you?

That's racist. Low quality robot toys from other countries have feelings too, you know!

And I'll have you know I've felt up Arcee's glorious chassis many times.

 

[SignOfGoob]

That's racist. Low quality robot toys from other countries have feelings too, you know!

And I'll have you know I've felt up Arcee's glorious chassis many times.

Hilarious. It’s all made in China now. I meant historically Japanese robots. I’m talking about stuff like Soul of Chougokin. There are very very few Transformers, if any, that compare to stuff like SoC Golion, Dairugger, Gaogaigar, etc. The closest would be MP-01 Convoy but even then...ball park.

I’ve played with lots of die cast Japanese robots all my life, I’ve also built 100s of Lego kits. If you haven’t seen both sides then you don’t now how silly it is to compare SoC to Lego. It’s like comparing a Fabrige egg too...a Lego model of a Fabrige egg...that is somehow more expensive. The difference between chocolate and shit.

 

[SouthtownKid]

Hilarious. It’s all made in China now. I meant historically Japanese robots. I’m talking about stuff like Soul of Chougokin. There are very very few Transformers, if any, that compare to stuff like SoC Golion, Dairugger, Gaogaigar, etc. The closest would be MP-01 Convoy but even then...ball park.

I’ve played with lots of die cast Japanese robots all my life, I’ve also built 100s of Lego kits. If you haven’t seen both sides then you don’t now how silly it is to compare SoC to Lego. It’s like comparing a Fabrige egg too...a Lego model of a Fabrige egg...that is somehow more expensive. The difference between chocolate and shit.

Part of the appeal of Lego is the fun of building it, which is another reason their new simplified sets filled with specialized pieces are bullshit, but whatever.

It's like how building a Gundam model can be more appealing than buying a high end Gundam figure that may include metal and will almost certainly look better than the average person would be able to paint (and hide the nub marks on) the model version.

you know, nothing like Jesus.

Was that a Killers reference?

 

[@M]

Not intentionally, possibly subliminally (I've got their greatest hits CD and like their "When You Were Young" song you're referencing).