Post by H. B. Coffin on Feb 17, 2016 19:22:54 GMT -5
... a company will eventually follow the footsteps of Unifive? I know this can be a tired discussion, but as of late I keep thinking about the unfortunate, premature discontinuation of the reproduction line. I understand that it was evidently financially necessary, but I think things could go differently today given the circumstances. I believe their efforts were too much too early; the rise in the hobby of toy collecting and the popularity of super robots has only matured since then. Had such a project been pursued at least a decade later, I think we might have seen a steady, continued release of robots, but perhaps I'm being too optimistic. I do acknowledge I must consider the fact that it was these reproductions which introduced me to the world of Jumbo Machinders in the first place.
I understand there are efforts by a few manufacturers to make "jumbo" robots, and I'm happy to see these projects have been pursued, but the medium and the proportions necessary to capture the true essence of vintage jumbos are not being utilized or considered for production and design. I don't think I'm alone when I say I don't like Jumbo Machinders simply for their size alone. There is an unmistakeable charm to their minimalistic aesthetic that is unmatched by these surrogates. Super7 x Funko got it (mostly) right with the Super Shogun line.
I hope to see another attempt at reproductions, or a the very least, an honorable homage to the original toy line featuring the same catalogue of robots. I would love to see a company like Medicom take on the task. I say Medicom because they're the first company that comes to mind who might have the necessary financial backing, coupled with the access to the necessary licensing. In recent years, Medicom has pursued the production of tokusatsu and super robot themed sofubi, successfully capturing (by my opinion) the essence of their vintage vinyl predecessors. I don't see why they wouldn't be just as successful in an attempt to pursue a line of jumbos, but I know nothing is ever as simple as one may believe it to be.
What are your thoughts, or hopes for the future?
I understand there are efforts by a few manufacturers to make "jumbo" robots, and I'm happy to see these projects have been pursued, but the medium and the proportions necessary to capture the true essence of vintage jumbos are not being utilized or considered for production and design. I don't think I'm alone when I say I don't like Jumbo Machinders simply for their size alone. There is an unmistakeable charm to their minimalistic aesthetic that is unmatched by these surrogates. Super7 x Funko got it (mostly) right with the Super Shogun line.
I hope to see another attempt at reproductions, or a the very least, an honorable homage to the original toy line featuring the same catalogue of robots. I would love to see a company like Medicom take on the task. I say Medicom because they're the first company that comes to mind who might have the necessary financial backing, coupled with the access to the necessary licensing. In recent years, Medicom has pursued the production of tokusatsu and super robot themed sofubi, successfully capturing (by my opinion) the essence of their vintage vinyl predecessors. I don't see why they wouldn't be just as successful in an attempt to pursue a line of jumbos, but I know nothing is ever as simple as one may believe it to be.
What are your thoughts, or hopes for the future?
