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Grow Up
Aug 11, 2011 19:44:30 GMT -5
Post by mechamasterj on Aug 11, 2011 19:44:30 GMT -5
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Grow Up
Aug 11, 2011 20:33:36 GMT -5
Post by coul567 on Aug 11, 2011 20:33:36 GMT -5
Oh no this is a problem that i face now when I was 7 I had my first SOC i am now 13 have collected about 29-ish and now being forced to stop with the big price tags of daltanious and god sigma maybe when I grow up I will return for them but now I had to stick to beyblades and since all of my friends are into cellphones, gadgets games and stuff. I am just a loner now in my school and when I go to wal marts and stuff like that I am shy to go to the toy section because of being looked at weirdly.
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Grow Up
Aug 11, 2011 20:42:16 GMT -5
Post by mechamasterj on Aug 11, 2011 20:42:16 GMT -5
yeah society has really made it hard for toy collectors specifically in the US where kids turn to video games and social devices at ever younger ages...... even stop watching cartoons. So people shy away from toys and cartoons because eveyrone else is in a rush to "grow up". I know its hard being young in this day and age and being able to keep your individuality with how harsh kids are these days. It may hurt the toy industry or make way for older toy collectors who couldnt enjoy toys when they were younger....... time will tell but i think its different for the japanese as toy collecting is stronger than ever
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Grow Up
Aug 11, 2011 21:40:41 GMT -5
Post by tragichero on Aug 11, 2011 21:40:41 GMT -5
I came from a poor family when I was a kid & could not really afford these toys. Only when I started working I could buy SOC & other chogokins to relive my childhood dream. Well sad to say that all my friends don't collect toys & they think that I kinda weird buying & collecting them. Of course I don't care what they think cos I think there is nothing wrong about it but it tends to make people think that you are weird.
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Grow Up
Aug 11, 2011 22:22:39 GMT -5
Post by Falconhood on Aug 11, 2011 22:22:39 GMT -5
Well, if i was to strip naked, paint my body Red/Black pay 100$ for tickets and Scream and Shout at a team on Saturday Morning..THAT is normal for my age, right?..yeah, toy collectors are immature my rear. but...I never "played" with my toys. I've always made displays and posed them and drew backgrounds for them.
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 0:04:11 GMT -5
Post by OJA on Aug 12, 2011 0:04:11 GMT -5
Life is too short to be annoyed by people who do not understand or know you. Enjoy what life brings you. Stay away from crazy people. The key I think is to be respectful of each other's differences and to enjoy this hobby without getting overboard.
Growing up is over-rated.
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 0:08:11 GMT -5
Post by TheMazingerZ on Aug 12, 2011 0:08:11 GMT -5
You've got to be a bad-ass to browse action figures in the stores without a care in the world, remember that. ;D
}D
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 1:29:16 GMT -5
Post by supergetterv on Aug 12, 2011 1:29:16 GMT -5
I'm kinda confused with what was written or the point of the that blog. Yeah, people that don't know anything about me will say to me "you have a lot of toys." And I have not once have the urge to describe or inform them what it is that I actually have. Just not worth my times to explain it. But the interesting part is that I have noticed is that even some collectors can't tell the difference from a toys and a collectible piece. Now, I am not saying that toys aren't collectibles. Guess this is why I don't want to explain it.
But first, the Japanese culture is very different. These so called Toy Manufacture, if you can call it that, tailor to a very different audience. Their target demographics could be any age, as there is no age limit for one to be a collector. And pretty much all of the Japanese Toy Company main target is mostly focus on collectors. Are Figmas, Figarts, Revoltech, etc... actually toys. What about them Cast-offable Orchid Seed Anime figures? Those, don't even have movable joints. It's just a display piece. Soul of Chogokin, Super Robot Chogokin, can these ever be classified as toys?
When I think toy, I am thinking, a nerf gun, or water pistol. I am thinking things that are readily available to buy at Walmart, Walgreens, Target, and Toys R Us. What's the difference between Hasbro and Takara aside from the price? The difference is in the business tactics. Hasbro makes toys marketed specifically towards children. They think in terms of what kids want (or tell them what they want) and has very little interest in marketing to collectors. Thus, the friendly pricing. Because parents that aren't collectors themselves need justification. A kids toy priced at 50$ is a large leader class Transformers, easily 12 inches big with lights and sound. A collectible figure at 50$ is a deluxe class figure at 5 to 6 inches tall with complex design and transformation called Alternity Convoy. A kid without any knowledge of Transformers picks what? Feet tall robot with lights and sound or 5 inch robot that Transforms into a small car? Can you honestly say that Takara was trying to market and sell the Alternity line to children as toys? Point is, there is no age limit for one to become a collector, but do understand what is a toy and what is more than just a toy.
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 14:08:45 GMT -5
Post by magengar on Aug 12, 2011 14:08:45 GMT -5
That's why I go prepared: Armed to the teeth with tons of excuses such as "I'm shopping for my kid" "Kid's birthday present"... "kid's Christmas present"... in fact, I can get away with it more easier during the Christmas holiday Shopping season after Halloween. ;D If all my excuses fail, then I unleash the clusterbomb classic Breasto-Fire tried-and-true defense: " W T F YOU LOOKIN AT?!!!" .........works like a bowl of Skittles. ;D zozo-mag You've got to be a bad-ass to browse action figures in the stores without a care in the world, remember that. ;D }D
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 14:17:35 GMT -5
Post by boricua on Aug 12, 2011 14:17:35 GMT -5
everything is a collectible, from bottlecaps to real aircraft, so there is no difference with toys or toy manufacturers. as far as being embarrased for browsing the toys in stores, that is up to the person browsing, not the people around that person, besides everyone loves toys, even if they dont want to admit it. ;D
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 14:22:35 GMT -5
Post by magengar on Aug 12, 2011 14:22:35 GMT -5
Back on topic.......... I hate to refer to my robots as "toys". That's why I often use the word "specimen" around here (that rubbed of on me from Y'all! lol). Outside visitors who come to see my collection may and always call them "toys"... therefore I try to explain to them that I don't collect my specimens as toys. I can't see myself playing with an object I'm displaying, especially after I've gone to excrutiating extremes to get the object into some cool dynamic pose. But then on the other hand, I often contradict myself when folks ask me what hobbies I'm into and I tell them I collect Japanese Robot toys... it's the only English they'll understand. Lookin at the coin from both sides at once, I'd just rather forget about Justifying myself for being involved in this hobby. I love this hobby, and that's all that really matters to me; so, Yes, I naturally Refuse to "Grow Up". ;D You can explain this hobby to outsiders in all sorts of ways and languages, but the Change remains the same: They'll never Get It. A person has to Experience this hobby for him/herself to understand and appreciate, from the heart, what this is all about. zozo-mag
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 14:42:20 GMT -5
Post by supergetterv on Aug 12, 2011 14:42:20 GMT -5
And I didn't say that toys aren't collectible. My main point is that people need to differentiate what is made with an intent to be sold as a childs play object and what isn't. The reason people don't understand and say that I have a lot of toys is because they see everything that I have as childrens play things. For me to explain to them, that a SOC cost 250$ and to explain to them that Bandai made these with the intent to be sold to collectors. To explain that Bandai R&D produce something that wasn't intended to be sold to children as play things. Hard to do because to those that don't know, to them it is all the same.
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 14:51:56 GMT -5
Post by magengar on Aug 12, 2011 14:51:56 GMT -5
I often think I'd have to wear a Catcher's Mit, why?
...because I brace myself when I tell them I paid, say, "$160" for a Yujin Mazinkaiser or SOC whatever, and their eyes pop out
...they pop out so far them folks need a Bench Warrant to get them back.
;D
-----------------
in other conversations, when someone sees my Mazinger figures they call it "Transformers"....... I dunno why, but them folks were probably not familiar with Mazinger nor have ever heard of him. So they don't know the robot's name, and they just call it "Transformers"...
Spectator: ..."Ohhh, that's a Transformer, right?"
Me: No, it's Not.
Me: In the back of my mind, I'm strangling the dumb-ass beyond cranial capacity. ;D
zozo-mag
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 14:59:37 GMT -5
Post by boricua on Aug 12, 2011 14:59:37 GMT -5
socs are sold at toys r us in japan, in the regular toy isles. guess they consider them toys over there.
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 15:04:20 GMT -5
Post by magengar on Aug 12, 2011 15:04:20 GMT -5
People may often find this hobby is crazy.
People often find We are crazy for having this kind of hobby. Because them folks can only envision us grownup actually Playing with these "toys".
People often sarcastically blow up with responses like "You paid $500 for that TOY?!"
...and I'm like, "Yeah. Hey, if YOU can pawn your friend's jewelery for a two-dollar bag of fake weed; then I will pay $250 for this 'Transformer' "
;D
zozo-Mag
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 15:10:39 GMT -5
Post by magengar on Aug 12, 2011 15:10:39 GMT -5
Targeted at adults who are into them "toys". lol I mean, really, look at that Shin Mazinger SOC commercial when it showed dude as a kid with the GX-01, and then years later he's a grownup with the GX-45 and he was like "whoa, Cool!" lol! ;D I think the overall appeal to toys in Japan is on a different level, or higher mindset, than here in the U.S. states. Remember, that generation who grew up on Mazinger-Z and Tetsuwan Atomu are still alive today. I should stow away on a plane to Japan and camp out at their TRU stores just to snack on burgers and oogle over all their SOCs. ;D zzo-Mag socs are sold at toys r us in japan, in the regular toy isles. guess they consider them toys over there.
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 15:46:03 GMT -5
Post by supergetterv on Aug 12, 2011 15:46:03 GMT -5
Again, read my original post and understand when I say the japanese culture is way different. They understand and market to collectors. They have it available in their toyrus doesn't mean that their intended purposes was made to be sold to childred as toys. Again, there isn't a license or an age limt for anyone to be a collector. Not saying that a parent even the ones in Japan, they could very well buy a SOC for their kid. But like Magengar pointed out in that Bandai commerical, the GX-45 was intended to be sold to collector depicted in that commerical as a grown man. And if I remember correctly, the kid in the commerical was playing with a old popy Mazinger Z, not the GX-01.
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 16:04:38 GMT -5
Post by xTIMMYxCOREx on Aug 12, 2011 16:04:38 GMT -5
Yeah I had to explain to some co workers why I bought a $250 Daltanious at Anime Expo... they were at Anime Expo, so they were not as confused as most "adults" I expalin my hobby to, but they still couldn't believe I was spending THAT MUCH on "toys"
I think every hobby is viewed that way. I look at record collectors in the hardcore scene and wonder, why on earth would you spend $20, $100, $500 on a piece of vinyl that you already have the same music on your iPod. Multuiple copies of said same record, because they are on different color vinyl.
Or look at people who go to see big pop stars and pay $500-2000 for tickets to see a concert. I pay $10 and get to hang with the band and go on stage and sing and mosh. Makes no sense to me.
Or sporting events. People pay $1000 a ticket to see a stanley cup game. I watch it on TV. For free. or go if I can get a $75 original price ticket.
As far as growing up, I guess some hobbies are considered childish for unknown reasons. We watched cartoons and collected robots as kids so there for it's childish. We played hockey as kids, but that is an acceptable adult hobby. Go figure.
Oh and try explaining to anyone why you just paid $1500 for a choo choo train. (Because they do not understand it's a Lionel Vision series all die cast NYC Hudson with advanced electronics, every feature imaginable and one of the most beautiful chunks of die cast I have ever seen)
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 16:32:50 GMT -5
Post by boricua on Aug 12, 2011 16:32:50 GMT -5
but what I see here is collectors justifying to themselves that they are not buying toys, but collectables made for adults instead. the bottom line is that the socs are toys, toys not recommended for ages 0 to 6, but toys anyway.
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Grow Up
Aug 12, 2011 17:02:13 GMT -5
Post by quinjester on Aug 12, 2011 17:02:13 GMT -5
I love toys. I happily buy toys of all prices and target age groups. When a cashier asks me if I'd like a gift reciept, I happily give them a smile and say "not necessary, thank you very much". Life's too short to stress out about how others judge what you do with your time and money, anyway. To quote C.S. Lewis - "When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." Alternatively, to quote a horrifying anthropomorphic Giraffe - "I don't want to grow up, 'cause baby if I did, I wouldn't be a Toys 'R Us kid"
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