Love that little blue guy. Very cool design cues from the Gamaotoko. Does this new sculpt have a name?
new guys name is 「Gerorin」 He is gacha size. A couple years back mixed blank resin pieces of him were given to guests at Takahiro Komuro's wedding. View this post on Instagram I am glad that he is finally getting released to the public. Hope these can be made in to gachas too. View this post on Instagram
Awesome article about TkoM and his animistic https://bijutsutecho.com/magazine/interview/20290 photo from zoow24
Damn I've been praying for smaller more affordable tkom sofubi for years. I hope we see some wide releases of the little dudes.
Hahah, I'm really out of touch I guess. I haven't checked in on this thread in a while but I was stoked to see new toy and sculpture sculpts—including a much improved Doublethink and a general return to his smoother/rounded aesthetic that got me excited when I first made this thread... And reading the last few pages, everyone is bagging on the new DT! ah well. I lost almost all interest in his work when it seemed like he was going full drippy/gore bullshit toy that everyone else was also doing. Glad he's continuing to grow and change as an artist, whatever he does (even if I'll never ever buy a toy for as much as he obviously wants to sell them)
View this post on Instagram This piece is my favorite. Wish I could check out this show in-person. Very impressed by his new work!
I'm inclined to agree. Though I think it could work if perhaps the symbols were a bit different, what I've seen feels flat and forced.
Yeah...it doesn't always work on everything for me. Some pieces--but not all. The dragon feels the most forced; just the choice of symbols and repetition. I like it on DT, L&L, and the skeleton best. I do like the idea of what he did there, but maybe the execution lost me a bit.
I think it’s clear Tkom Has a masterful understanding of toy aesthetic. The symbols seem like an attempt to add some grander meaning or push the sculptures beyond just being toy inspired to appeal to a fine arts show and crowd.
Love the discussion...but...is it a grander meaning though? Honestly....I look at that tree sculpt and others that are made out of wood and think they are brilliant. I don't look at TKOM's work as toys. He just posted a snake head made out of plywood and acrylic. Who else is using those mediums regularly? The sculptures are a work of art but I don't get the symbols. I don't get how they make it different or elevate the work.
I don't know enough about the occult to understand if the designs pull from anything. I guess it could just be over my head. So I'm just left scratching it. Is there something to it besides to make them a bit more unsettling?
For me, these don't even elevate to a hum-drum interest in passing. And the text, especially his signature repeated up and down the figure(s) is annoying. I can appreciate the medium, but hasn't this been done before? As for the figures themselves, I see Dehara, Skinner, Lewa and even artists from this board in every one of them. All of whom did this long before. Kudos to all of you who like the work. Nothing wrong with that at all. But personally, this is not a go for me in the slightest
Couldn’t agree more personally. His work doesn’t fit perfectly into the Sofubi or Designer Toy world - and with both markets being well over saturated with releases and artists - Tkom seems to sit in his own realm of uniqueness. It’s so nice and refreshing. Understandable that die hard sofubi collectors aren’t all for it. I mean this is a Sofubi forum, so much expected. But I enjoy seeing rules broken, and bends in the system.
I think the only real rule is "please, don't lower the bar (suck)". I would say he and some others are doing well--but it would seem they're the misfits with so many toy makers breaking that rule constantly, haha. Of course taste in toys is subjective--I get that--but holy hell there is some crappy crap out there that dances on the edge of absolutes.
^^ I'll try to clarify. "Bammoman" posted...Understandable that die hard sofubi collectors aren’t all for it. I mean this is a Sofubi forum, so much expected. But I enjoy seeing rules broken, and bends in the system. For me, I prefer toys that don't have writing on them...Remember the HMV zag? I remember when people saw that and several Gargamel fans didn't like it and removed the HMV guts because of it. (It would be equivalent to having a 711 logo.) I don't think Tkom "breaks any rules"... period. I love his use of wood, don't like the symbols, and severally dislike the forced prices. If anyone is truly "breaking the rules", I feel like it's the American sofubi toy makers on this board who got torn apart for painting over rxh, bemon and secret base toys, created a following by honing their craft...then created their own toys and now have integrated themselves as almost equals with the sofubi scene. Those creators...are making it accessible for fans, they keep their prices ridiculously low and if anything have broken the rules...by making their own. Just my opinion.
None of his toys do have writing on them, other than the Neo Doublethinks that have something written on the shirt
Seems everyone is starting to receive the December raffle Gama's. Officially the last Gama to be produced. Looking forward to what it get's replaced with personally, lot's of exciting options since his solo show
That last Gama looks like a big turd to me... I find most TKom toys really cool. I am a big fan of the doublethink and demogorgon. Would love to have one in hand... and with the prices, relative rarity of releases and crazy lottery I guess I’ll never do.
The Gama has always made me think of the Golgothan from Dogma, especially the version I own. Just a big, cuddly, shit demon.