In the wild, mouse at the ready, hunting down links
The Empire’s finest.
Number of Ewoks needed to stop the Empire’s finest: 1.
Teh tarik: Malaysia’s favourite drink.
One of the things that bug me about globalisation is you’re now able to buy a chocolate creme frappuccino everywhere but wouldn’t be able buy a decent glass of teh tarik anywhere outside Southeast Asia.
Long-eared but shortsighted.
So much for carrots being good for your eyesight.
Posted in Web.
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– Monday, April 30, 2007
Fans of Machine Robo Rescue, Mugenbine’s predecessor, came up with all sorts of creative custom fan-modes and Plex, Bandai’s design team, must have taken note because Mugenbine was an action figure line that featured super robot construction and interchangeability as a core theme.
(Plex has ex-Takara personnel — Aoki Tetsuya worked on G1 Transformers — and it’s possible the design team was influenced by Takara’s cross-line 5mm connectivity.)
Mugenbine began in December 2003 and figures are still being released this year. This is rather unusual because Mugenbine is one of the few toy lines that isn’t being supported and promoted with an animated show.
The line has mutated and changed over the past few years but interchangeability and connectivity remain the main theme.
I fully expect Japanese toy fans will be raving about this line in a decade the way I do about Takara Blockman.
Posted in Mugenbine, Pix, Toys.
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– Monday, April 30, 2007
A photo of Angel Arnval from Konami’s Busou Shinki line.
Boy’s toys (and even toys aimed at men) have always been flavoured with machismo, aggression and implied violence. Muscle-bound he-men with snarls and grimaces wielding swords and guns are the traditional action figure standards.
But Japan also has a long-standing love affair with all things cute with kawaisa flavouring everything from commercial goods to military mascots. Putting a cute face on a fearsome heavily armed, battle-ready warrior is a quirky but natural next step for Japanese action figures.
As a franchise, Busou Shinki is Konami’s cunning attempt to separate the otaku from their money. Otaku like moe female figures so Busou Shinki features moe designs. Otaku like mecha so Busou Shinki features weapons and add-on armour pieces. Otaku like videogames so Busou Shinki features an online game component.
Konami has recently begun selling the figures in the US. I have my doubts about how well the line is going to do States-side since the moe movement hasn’t taken off in gaijinland the way it has in Japan. Still, who knows? Pokemon’s kawaisa conquered the world. Perhaps moe will follow suit.
Posted in Busou Shinki, Pix, Toys.
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– Sunday, April 29, 2007
Kiba from Garo Equip and Prop vol 6.
A stunning portrait by Aplus.
BSoD gets around.
The Mega Bloks Green Goblin’s Secret Lab construction set has a funny easter egg. One of the LCD monitors in the lab shows the Blue Screen of Death.
All things pink.
Including pink ninjas. Be sure to visit the My Pink Hair group as well.
Posted in Web.
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– Saturday, April 28, 2007
A photo of Dragreder from Bandai’s R&M1 Kamen Rider Ryuki set.
Dragreder, Kamen Rider Ryuki’s contracted monster, was modelled after an Oriental dragon and specifically, a Japanese dragon since it has three toes on each foot. The figure is an impressive 52cm-long and features 24 joints which allow for some sinuous poses. Unfortunately, the 9 ball joints on the body are prone to popping out making this a frustrating figure to play with and pose.
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– Saturday, April 28, 2007
