While I'm glad to see RHUS finally getting a new release, and I think the clone Chaos Troopers are pretty rad looking, I can't help but stay discouraged when, on the same day we get four basically identical versions of the same mold, Shinto Gangu drops these: Pics from KC. Four characters, three off-the-walls cool paint schemes, fucking gorgeous. And this is just today's releases... there's new and varied drops at SG two or three times a week. And WHAT is the deal with the Callgrim/Pheyaos heads... we've gotten one release each in the US from the guys who's characters they are, while Mori pumps out a half a dozen incredible versions each. I mean, I hate to sound totally entitled, but as someone who was head over heels in love with RxH and buying most releases that came out for a while, it's a major bummer to just be a total second-class collector now.
Hmm... Not really a big fan of any of the chaos troopers that were dropped today to be quite honest. The black and white one is the best one IMO. Sadly I think Im gonna sit this one out.
Everybody has different tastes. I agree with you 100%, this is awesome! I WANT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really like this and Bigaro, Pheyaos, ME, MH...I am not a fan of Chaos, I think I am a minority because Mutant Head & Bigaro are my #1 favorites. EDIT: P.S. cough, cough... I REALLY like that last figure on the bottom of the above group of photos, its the best variant I have seen of that sculpt!
Never take this the wrong way Ben, presuming you're bein treated like a "second class" collector.....it is what it is...... It was always this way before, back in the day, the folks in Japan always got to, and still get to enjoy first crack at the latest releases....which very often sell out within hours. Then Super 7 acted as a partner to bring releases to the USA....and even Lulubell did it it for a while afterward...and now the RxH USA website is another channel of enjoyment.....much has changed. These days it seems that new releases are droping mostly on Saturdays and Sundays at the Gangu, and people are almost always camped out waiting for the shop to open, the RxH faithful....fellow enthusiast Andy from Kaiju Korner can vouch for this...as he is almost always there (giving us some great pics!), and bloggin away after the candy drops. Myself included, I have to just look at some of these pics and marvel at the sweet ass colorways and toys being produced, and just vowing to hunt down the ones I have to have....one way or another...someday. I could wax poetically about how "the hunt" makes it fun, and appreciate the scores more, but the "chase" is also a pain in the ass sometimes.... Stay strong, RHND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Things are always in flux in toy land, since these guys (the makers) do pretty much everything themselves. I won't step up and speak for or about RxH, since I see my role as more of a visual conduit and archivist(which is why my event coverage leans to the extensive side). I just wanted to pop in and say that for folks heading to Tokyo to visit, recently RxH toys have been mostly released at Real Headz, on an ad hoc basis, with store info and release pics put up on Twitter (like the above 4 pics), sometimes just a few hours before they drop. Shinto Gangu has only been open a couple of times over the last 2 months. But all that could change, so keep reading what Mori-san has to say on Twitter and the Real Head homepage. (If you can't make out the Japanese maps on the RxH site, there are pinpoint maps to both shops on KK.)
These are very cool releases. I'm rather partial to the red and blue ones. But the timing is pretty bad with the new Super7 SDCC releases upcoming too. It'll be a toss up as to what to get. Honoo + RV vs Chaos Trooper!!!! Here was my figure from the last on-demand release though....Chaosman #4. He looks like bronze or some metal in person. The paint is amazing on him.
So the US is the only place to get the clone troopers then? I wish they would make the above four made to order for the US at least as an addition to the regular print run for the j market. Cuz those are so awesome.... well at least I won't be spending any more money :/
I really like what Mori is doing... if I'm ever able to make it back to Tokyo someday & go to Shinto Gangu in person, there's a good chance I might score something awesome. Bums me out when I venture out somewhere & see that a physical store has nothing and my odds were better if I had stayed home and hit F5
