I think its safe to call The Princess Bride a timeless classic. I’ve always been fond of it, and I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone who felt otherwise. That said, I never thought I’d ever see any merchandise based off the film, or book for that matter, and certainly not a collectible figure. Fortunately, that didn’t stop Factory Entertainment from delivering. Introducing their 1/5th scale Dread Pirate Roberts. This 15″ statue features the Man in Black as he appears during his infamous duel atop the “Cliffs of Insanity.” It actually has a companion piece featuring Inigo Montoya which you can view below. The two statues are designed to attach to each other, allowing you to capture the scene properly.
Check out that scowl. Here’s a look at Medicom’s Han Solo Ultimate Unison collectible figure. At just under a foot tall — 30 centimeters to be exact — this posable figure comes complete with everything you need to re-enact your favorite scenes from the films. Well, almost everything. He’s got his blaster, the removable camo jacket from Return of the Jedi and even his breathing apparatus from the asteroid sequence in Empire Strikes Back. He even comes with interchangeable hands. Unfortunately, the scowl has to stay. At least they did a fantastic job of capturing Harrison Ford’s handsome visage — even if he looks a little like Vigo the Carpathian. I just wish they had spent as much time touching up the rest of his skin to match, after all, the list price is set at ¥25,800, or $340 USD. For that price, you’d think they’d throw in a Wookie while they’re at it. Assuming you have the credits to afford one, you can pre-order it at AmiAmi, but don’t worry, you have plenty of time. The figure won’t be shipping until June 2012. Read more…
It’s true that anyone can collect toys or take up photography, but using both to craft your art requires a bit of talent and creativity. Vesa Lehtimäk understands that. Known to most as Avanaut, Vesa’s spent the last few years photographing his kid’s toys, which include everything from their stuffed animals to Star Wars. He employs excellent use of landscapes and lighting, often to dramatic effect. In short, many of his galleries are breathtaking despite the fact that many of these toys by themselves fail to impress when looked upon with our naked eye. While I’d love to post every single photo he’s taken, it behoove you to follow his tweets, or visit his flickr account. If you’d like to own a print or postcard, several of his works are also available through RedBubble.
These are a bit of an acquired taste, but if you’re huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, collect action figures, or grew up with those classic Mego figures from the 70s, you’re in luck. Next year marks the 25th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation! To celebrate, Diamond Toys will be releasing a special line of Mego-inspired figures from the series. They won’t hit the market until winter 2012, but Trek.com has given us our first look. So far, all they’ve shown off Captain Picard and what looks like a random Borg drone, but I imagine there will be plenty more down the line. Each of these 8″ figures will come with real cloth costumes and should retail for $20 a piece. I don’t believe they’ll be a limited run, so you should be able to come across them at your local comic shops or through online retailers after they launch next year.
Yuruppy is a word that may sound strange, but in the context of a toy, perhaps not so strange. If you know what Tamagochi then learning about another new word is not problem. Yuruppy is a virtual pet toy for the people who are allergic to real animals, but want to experience what it is like of taking care of a feline or furry companion. Unlike Tamagochi though, your Yuruppy friend won’t die, when you are away from it for hours. Read more…
Feast your eyes on this extremely limited edition “Musha” Darth Vader. Yoshitoku, a long-standing Japanese art and craft house, has decided to design this exclusive figure to commemorate their 300th year in business. At just over a food and a half tall, this aluminum and resin sculpt How limited, exactly? They’ll only be producing 30 pieces total and each figure will sell for around 136,500 yen — that’s nearly $1,675. They’re incredibly detailed but I can’t imagine wanting to pay that much for one. Assuming you can afford it, and know enough Japanese to surf Yoshitoku’s official website, pre-orders are open through June 10th.
When it comes to PVC figurines, Yamato Co. is among Japan’s best. It’s no wonder that famed-artist Luis Royo trusts them to produce these stunning PVC recreations based on his art. Many of you may recognize Royo’s work from the covers of the 90’s Pocket Books Star Trek novels, Ultra X-Men, Heavy Metal magazine and more. In order to accurately capture the unique aspects of his dark, wonderous, and often exotic creations, few studios would be able to produce a sculpt with such detail, and Yamato certainly fits that bill.
Posted by Michael Sacco on Feb 5, 2011 in Star Wars
He may come from a wretched hive of scum and villainy, but this crocheted Greedo figure is adorable! Just look at him. He wouldn’t shoot Han first. He wouldn’t shoot anybody. He probably just wants a piece of chocolate or a saltine. Loofah Your Life has him and other Star Wars characters, like Yoda and an ewok, in crochet doll form available on their website, and reasonably-priced, at that. Make sure you get your order in before everyone else does! Read more…
While Japanese roleplaying games seem to be declining in popularity, there are a number of series that seem timeless. Chrono Trigger is definitely one such series. With Akira Toriyama’s signature character designs and Masato Kato’s innovative script, the game has remained a fan favorite for over 15 years. With that in mind, Square Enix and Bird Studio have taken it upon themselves to recreate some of the most memorable scenes from the game with their Chrono Trigger Formation Arts, available now at Hobby Search. Each of these six figures are sure to bring about a sense of nostalgia for anyone who loved the original game — now if only Square Enix would make a proper sequel.
Hot Toys, perhaps one of my favorite Hollywood toy manufacturers next to Sideshow Collectibles, has managed to secure some of the hottest licenses this summer. Some of those titles include Silvester Stallone’s upcoming film The Expendables, Spider-Man 3, Tron Legacy and Resident Evil: Afterlife — you know that strange looking 3D Resident Evil film that they’re working on. I really wish they already had some of these figures to show off, but one look at their current offerings, and you can pretty much know what to expect in terms of quality. In fact, I’ve had some people mistake some of the high resolution photos of their Joker figure for Heath Ledger himself. Not too bad if you ask me. The only draw back is that these figures can be a bit pricey. We’re talking in the upwards of $150 or more — on the 0ther hand, the quality honestly justifies the price. Check out their official website for more of their current products and keep an eye out for these new lines in the months ahead. Read more…
