ToyboxDX's Toy Of The Year 2005 Buyers Guide

Most of you toy collectors out there probably read the "CNN of the toy world": ToyboxDX. It's 24x7 Japanese toy news submitted by their faithful readers. I'm a big fan and recently got to meet some of the ToyboxDX guys including founder Alen Yen and Matt Alt at the Super #1 Robot Book Signing at Super7. These guys are super cool, have been around forever, and are truly Super Collectors in every sense of the phrase. I probably wouldn't be collecting toys if not for them.

Each year, they let the readers vote on what we think should be "Toy Of The Year". I'm proud to say that we have featured many of the finalists already right here on toybot studios! I guess all saavy toy collectors think alike! The results are in and for your viewing pleasure, I have included pictures of the finalists.

Introduction from ToyboxDX: "2005 will perhaps be best remembered as the Year of Business as Usual. While there were some amazingly solid efforts from Bandai, Takara, Yamato, Aoshima, Max Factory and a half dozen other second and third-tier manufacturers, there was very little in the way of truly break-out products. Sure, Bandai wound up the GD line on a high note by giving us Aquarion, perhaps one of the most ambitious toys in recent history, but that was the notable exception. As it was, we got more SOCs, Masterpieces, AG's, HCMP's, Transformers, Max Gokins and other collectibles than our wallets could possibly absorb.

It is then perhaps understandable that we have become slightly jaded over the years and have forgotten just how unlikely something like Aquarion, or an HCM Asshimar actually is. In 2005 we have felt the weight of the market shift away from the traditional consumers (ie; Japanese children) and come to rest firmly upon the otaku and their gaijin imitators. Gone are the days when the Yamato YF-19 -- tab B and all -- was the oasis at the end of the Great Toy Desert. Today, we are firmly in the crosshairs of collectible manufacturers, expertly marketed to from every direction. If one makes merely a passing attempt to stay abreast of Japanese toy news, it's not unusual to become bored with the new SOC a full three months before it's even shipped.

It is through this haze that every new release must wander and hopefully find a way to separate the robo-geek from his yen. And so it is not altogether unsurprising that the winner of this year's contest was not the biggest, nor the fanciest, nor the most heralded, but rather the one with the most character. And though his face may be hid "amid a crowd of stars", the numbers show that he clearly shone the brightest.

In 2005 the toys stayed the same. If we find less to please us here than at this time last year, it is because we have changed."

For the original article with quotes from collectors and readers alike, check out the 2005 ToyboxDX Toy Of The Year Article

8th Place (tie)- Studio Halfeye Godanner
$450 from Hobbly Link Japan





8th Place (tie) - S.I.C. Kamen Rider Faiz
$65 from Anime Quest
Picture courtesy Kelvin Tan




8th Place (tie) - Marusan Giant Size Godzilla from Super7
SOLD OUT




8th Place (tie) - Transformers Galaxy Force GD-07 Flame Convoy
$42 from tisinc99.com





8th Place (tie) - Extended MSiA Zeta Gundam
$26 from plajapan.com




8th Place (tie) - Majin Gattai DX Magi King
$89 from Kicks Hobby




7th Place (tie) - Yamato Koenig Monster VB-6
$150 from ToyWiz




7th place (tie) - Max Factory Mazinkaiser
$111 from Hobby Link Japan




7th place (tie) - Masterpiece King Exkaiser
$100 from Kicks Hobby




7th place (tie) - Kaiyodo Gazelle the Peace Maker
$22!! from BigBadToystore




7th place (tie) - Transformers THS-01 Galaxy Convoy
$38 from tisinc99.com




7th place (tie) - Daigokin Great Mazinger
$520 on eBay - Hurry!!!




7th place (tie) - Force Impulse Gundam Metal Material Gundam Quality
$48 from Hobby Link Japan




7th place (tie) - Aoshima New Getter Robo (metallic version)
$120 from Japanese Toylink



6th place (tie) - M-1 Go Hipporito Seijin


6th place (tie) - HCM Pro Asshimar
$18 from tisinc99.com



6th place (tie) - GigaByte Garada K7
$349 from GK World




6th place (tie) - Transformers GC-01 Galaxy Convoy
$69 from ToyWiz




6th place (tie) - AG-01 Scopedog
$14 from Hobby Link Japan




5th place - Max Factory Guyver 01
$56 from ActionHQ.com



4th place (tie) - GX-29 SOC Black Ox
$60 from Maybang's Collectibles



4th place (tie) - Chogokin Doraemon
$70 from ActionHQ.com




3rd place - SOC Xabungle
$89 from JustBeComplex.com



2nd place - GD-99 DX Aquarion
$171 from Hobby Link Japan





AND THE 2005 TOYBOXDX TOY OF THE YEAR IS.....

1st place - Gaiking SOC GX-27
$125 from MatrixCollectibles

Gundam Ultimate Operation, Hamtaro Test Shots

My Wife got me a Christmas/Birthday/Valentine's Day/Easter/Anniversary gift which is a new Canon 350D Digital SLR with a Canon 60mm Macro lense. I still don't know how to work the damn thing exactly since it's really my first SLR period. I've been getting a lot of tips and tricks from the mecha guys on Flickr who have some AMAZING toy photography. Be sure to check them out. Here are some of my first test shots.

DJ QBert and HuckGee Exclusive Dunny!!!

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I'm stuck in training all week long and getting my ass kicked. Working while training is no fun.

Anyways, I wanted to get this short post out announcing to you guys that tonight (right now) is the exclusive release, performance and signing party of DJ Qbert and Huck Gee's exclusive new 3" Dunny at the Milk Bar in San Francisco. For those of you Bay Area natives, you may have heard of DJ Qbert. He's been coming up in the scene for damn near 20 years! I still remember when he was just a DJ at the local clubs like DV8 (remember Dr. Winky?!!) Now look at him, he's getting his own Dunny designed by another Bay Area artist Huck Gee. As you can see, it's totally cool, has speakers for ears and comes with a tiny little turntable for all your scritch-scratching spinning!!!

For all you poor bastards that don't live in the Bay Area or just don't go out, you should be able to order it directly from the cool hipsters at Kid Robot for $19.99. Get it now and support old skool spinner Qbert and at the same time support Huck Gee who is going through some legal issues.

FF Advent Children: Kadaj's Motorcycle Preview!!!

Yet again, I find myself apologizing in advance. I feel slightly guity for this post as it is nothing more than pictures from the latest copy of Hobby Japan. I did try to find better images on the web, but none could be found. Out of all the new stuff in Hobby Japan, I was compelled to write about Kadaj's Motorcycle because when I first saw the movie Advent Children, one of the first scenes was Kadaj and his brother's on these really cool motorcyles. I was thinking: "hey, those are cool. Why don't they make those into figures as well to go along side Cloud's Fenrir Motorcycle?" So when I saw the picture in Hobby Japan, it was like they read my mind or something! Since I don't read Japanese, I don't know when it will be released and if it will come with Kadaj or any of his brothers. It's totally cool and complimentary to Cloud's Fenrir. I definitely plan on getting one.



The other picture is an extra part set for Cloud which includes a different head, hand and his massive sword. I'll probably end up buying this as soon as it's on one of the overseas websites.

Zeonography Zaku Flipper "Conversion"

Happy New Year! My apologies in advance to the "Guntaku's" (Gundam Otaku) out there for this post. I recently received my Zeonography Act Zaku / Zaku Flipper and while I like the cool blue color of the Act Zaku, there are elements from the Zaku Flipper mode that I also like such as the head and "flipper" backpack. While I prefer the look of the Flipper, I was not so fond of the entirely grey color scheme. So going against the grain, I put on all the parts I like to come up with this Zaku Flipper "Conversion" you see here. Sorry if you don't like it, but I think it looks kinda cool.