toybot studios celebrates 3 Years and 300,000 hits!!

I recently dipped into the archives mainly to see if my old posts were still there with all the pictures. Low and behold they were! In the process, I learned that toybot studios is 3 years old and has over 300,000 unique hits! Actually a bit older since my first real post was on October 5, 2005. The post was The Most ULTRA Ultraman Collection in the Universe! featuring Mark Nagata and his ridiculous Ultraman Collection.

It's been a great 3 years so at the risk of waxing nostolgic, a few thoughts in no particular order...

I noticed that some of my posts back in the first year were much more verbose. I think I felt somehow obligated to write a bunch of text explaining this and that. I like to keep things short and sweet now because it takes less thinking.

I hope that my photography has improved over the last 3 years. It's toy photography that is the real reason this blog exists. I just like taking pictures of cool toys. Pretty simple. A digital SLR, knowledge about white balance, lighting and rudimentary photo editing work wonders.

Why do I maintain this blog? My family, friends, co-workers all think I'm crazy which is probably true. The short answer is that it's a labor of love I suppose. I spend on average 3-4 hours per night on the blog. I think it's therapeutic. Real life at work and family is pretty hectic. toybot studios gives me a chance to focus on something else. I think it helps provide balance. Of course, if you visited toybot studios or spoke to my wife, she might tell you that this toy stuff is my #1 priority...lol....of course not!

This toy culture is quite interesting too. I met Mark Nagata by sending him an email and met Brian Flynn from Super 7 through Mark. I meet all kinds of people through Skullbrain and have developed some real friendships. I don't think I would have met most of these people online or in real life if it wasn't for Japanese toys. There is a real sense of community and I enjoy being part of it (for the most part).

I would have to say the pinnacle of my toy experience was this recent trip to Tokyo where not only did I get to travel with the Super 7 and Skullbrain crew, meet many of the toy designers, but also travel with one of my all-time favorite artists and toy designer. It was a great time~!

Some Stats on toybot studios:

3 years running
300,000+ unique hits
11,580 photos
1,366 posts

If you only started to recently read toybot studios, some of the posts or series that are interesting to me include:

Toy Roadshow which is a series of visits to various Toy Stores where ever I happen to be with my digital camera. It's like a Toy Vacation!!!

Russian Toy Knights is one of my favorite series and it doesn't even have anything to do with Japanese toys! It features these impossibly detailed Knights hand-painted in Russia. The amazing toy store Sierra Toy Company is featured.

I love Custom Toys and my fondness for artists like Paul Kaiju, Rich Montanari, Jr. AKA LASH or more recently Matt Walker of Dead Presidents Design has never wavered. Check out all the sets in my Custom Toys Collection on Flickr.

I've got a thing for toy motorcycles so check out this compilation of posts around the ultimate toy set in Motorcycle Mania!!

I just cleaned up my flickr sets and found that I have 73 Sets in my Shows and Events Collection. Check 'em out!

One thing I've discovered is that even amongst the really niche players that make up this Japanese designer toy culture, there sure are a lot of politics. While all of this is important, this blog tries not to take sides and I just post up toys that I like. No offense is meant to any other toy designer.

I just thank all of your for your continued support, information, tips, pictures and well wishes! Thanks for reading and I hope to keep toybot studios going for a long time.

NOW FOR SOME PRIZES!!!!

1. What is toybot studios favorite mech in the Gundam Universe?
2. What is the #1 reason mini figures rule?

Best answer to each question will receive a free toy as a prize!!!