Pic of the Day 199 - Happy Halloween!

Kamen Rider Skull, SIC, by Bandai

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What I Got for My Birthday

This past Monday was my 33rd birthday. Insert old man joke here. Did I get any cool presents for my birthday? Of course! What kind? Toys, of course! What property? Kamen Rider Double, my most favoritest TV show ever!

From my wife, the Master Grade Figure-rise model kit of Fang Joker (Kamen Rider Doubles most awesome-est form). This makes my fourth MG Figure-rise kit, because I think they're fantastic. Someday I'll even write a post about how awesome.

Following the theme, I also got SIC Vol 58, Kamen Rider Double Fang Joker and Skull. Freaking awesome set.

And finally, I got my first of the Role Play Toys, including my first Gaia Memory (which, honestly, I am completely obsessed with (the memories, in general), I think it's a large part of my fascination with the TV show) - the Skull Magnum (and DX Skull Memory). Awesome.

I can't wait to get more role play toys, in theory I should have 3 or 4 on the way to me soon. And I can't wait to get more memories. There are Deluxe memories with lights and sounds, there are candy toy sound memories, there are capsule machine sound memories. And I want most of them.

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What I Got This Past Four Months

Once again, even though I only get a few items a week, if that, I can't make myself post each week, so here are several weeks worth of What I Got This Week.

A few weeks ago I purchased something I really wanted, that I really shouldn't have spent the money on, and last week I ended up trading it for something I had originally had on pre-order, but canceled in order to purchase that which I shouldn't have. For a few days the Exclusive edition of Sideshow's 12" Red Cobra Ninja figure was mine, but after taking a few awesome pictures I realized it would be better to have the Green Lantern Classics wave 2 figures, so I found a guy willing to swap straight over. So GLC 2 arrived this week (that is, it arrived the week that I started writing this post, something like four months ago). Stel is an awesome build a figure (though the crotch piece on this one is defective, I have purchased an alternate Sodam Yat for the BAF piece, but have not yet opened it).

A week or two later arrived my set of DCUC 17, the Anti-monitor/Skittle Lantern wave, and it is awesome. Hands down this is my favorite wave in a long time, quite possibly my favorite wave of the entire line.

In other DCUC news, I picked up Jonah Hex and The Creeper from the Bane wave a few weeks back, Hex is quite nice. Just a week or two ago, with the use of some $5 off coupons I picked up Toy Man and Bronze Tiger from the Apache Chief wave. I also picked up the Batman Legacy Mr Freeze, but decided to return it so I could buy something else. So now I need another one.

Several weeks ago I got a few really awesome things, like the Transformers Collector's Club Exclusive G2 Classics Ramjet, which is garishly awesome.

A couple weeks after that the free Collector's Club membership figure arrived, Sideburn! This makes 5 repaints of this figure I have, I believe? I'm only missing 3 of the 4 Japanese exclusive decos.

Found the TF DOTM Thundercracker - a G1-esque repaint of DOTM deluxe Starscream, which is supposedly quite a good figure. Of course, having bought one I now hope for G1-esque Starscream and Skywarp repaints, and of course Dirge and Ramjet retools (and might as well do Thrust too). But I'm too lazy to go take a picture of it.

I bought a custom Ultra Magnus from a guy on TFW2005, this one a mash-up of RID Optimus Prime and RID Ultra Magnus, with a decent paint job. Honestly, it looked a little better in the pictures, though in reality, that's just reality not living up to my unrealistic expectations. This is the second custom Ultra Magnus I've purchased, and while I was really excited to get both of them, due to extreme lackage of funds I'm considering selling both of them off. Also too lazy to take pictures of it at this time.

Over the course of several weeks I found the lost waves of Transformers Reveal The Shield, including Voyagers Solar Storm Grappel, Lugnut and Deep Dive, as well as Deluxe Bumblebee, which I don't need, because I already have the first black-stripe repaint of Classics Bumblebee, but why not have two of them with different striping? I don't know, so I bought it. I probably mentioned it previously, but then again maybe not, so somewhere along the way I also found RTS Perceptor.

Because I like the Cybertron Legends Seeker mold a lot, I picked up a TF Dark of the Moon Legends 4 pack at TRU, with a coupon I had so it ended up being only $7 or something.

Speaking of liking that mold, I picked up four of the Cybertron Legends Seekers, Sunstorm, Starscream, and the two con exclusive versions: Ramjet and Skywarp. Awesome little guys. This one's Skywarp.

Through a trade at TFW2005 I finally picked up the final TF Generations figure I was missing (until the new figures start shipping), Wheeljack! Via a different trade I picked up the arm I was missing for Energon Wing Saber, who is awesome, now that he's complete.

Recently I found TF Dark of the Moon figures on sale, and bit on a couple I've been eyeing since the line began: Voyagers Optimus Prime and Skyhammer. I'm about done with DOTM figures now, unless we get some G1 decos of Skywarp and Starscream. Sometime previous to this I had also purchased Voyager Megatron, who's not bad.

Again via TFW2005 (I knew joining that place was a great idea) I picked up a couple more TF Henkei's, two of my higher desired figures, Dirge and Thrust (Still need Henkei Skywarp, Ramjet and Ghost Starscream, if anybody wants to help out). Yes, I already have the Generations versions, and yes, I still want the Botcon versions. Let it be known here and now (if it's not already), I am a sucker for the Decepticon Seekers, and will try to buy pretty much any repaint of my favored ones (Starscream, Skywarp, Dirge and Ramjet), and will usually grab the other two if I can as well. In yet another TFW2005 transaction I picked up my first Japanese Mega SCF figures: Star Saber and Victory Leo, who are kinda cool, I haven't played with them much yet, but they're supposed to combine into Victory Saber, and that sounds neat.

Oh, it looks like I haven't talked about the Kabaya candy toys here. They're awesome! They're cheap little snap together model kits that are sold in Japan, and imported to the US for slightly greater costs, but they're totally worth it. I have 3 sets from the first two waves (of 3 sets each), Star Saber, G1 Ultra Magnus and Classics Jetfire, and picked up all of wave three, which consists of Classics Starscream, Powermaster Optimus Prime, and Apex Armor (which can combine with Powermaster Prime to form their supermode). They're lots of fun to assemble and sticker up, they're small but decently detailed, and they transform (well, they parts-form, but that doesn't bother me). There's a combiner set of six smaller figure that I want to get, and wave 4 has recently been announced to contain Rodimus (MP look it looks like), Classics Inferno, and Victory Leo (I wonder if he'll combine with wave two's Star Saber to form Victory Saber?).

And winding down on Transformers, I picked up two Heroes of Cybertron figures: Megatron and Powermaster Optimus Prime. Cause I'm a bit of a sucker for Prime. In another trade from TFW2005 I acquired a few Energon figures: Ironhide, Jetfire, Signal Flare, and Strongarm, also a Cybertron Legends Optimus Prime.

Somewhere along the line I lost the super cool nifty chrome weapons that came with FansProject G3 trailer, but luckily I was able to trade for them recently. Yay! Also grabbed HFTD Leader Class Optimus Prime at a discount store, and I traded for the pretty awesome Darth Vader / Death Star Transformer.

My cousin spent large amounts of money to go to SDCC this year, and brought be back a few presents, which he kindly let me buy from him. So far I've only paid for DCUC Swamp Thing and TF Prime Matrix Prime, so those are the only ones I have to take pictures of, but he also picked up Gentle Giant's Ralph McQuarrie Concept Snowtrooper mini bust and the DC Bishoujo Evil Supergirl for me, provided I get around to paying him for them before he throws them on eBay (He sold Evil Supergirl like the first week).

The new Women of DC Universe series 3 Harley Quinn was released in June or July, which is awesome, and I finally was able to get the Ame-Comi Harley Quinn statuette for a decent price. And the Ame-Comi Minis wave 2 has been released, of which I so far only have Wonder Woman. And somewhere in there I got the Women of DC Universe series 2 Catwoman.

A new World of Warcraft wave was released a while ago, and I picked up Judge Malthred, and finally found a decent enough price to pick up the Forsaken Queen herself, Sylvanas Windrunner. I also picked up the exclusive Panderan Brewmaster figure, who is completely huge, and I have absolutely not place to put him, as my WoW shelf is full since He-Man and Skeletor moved to it once I had Battle Cat and Panthor.

I've become quite inactive over at the TrekToy forums, but right before I did I was lucky enough to win one of their contests, and a ridiculously huge package was mailed to me, containing Star Trek Scene It? Along with bonus Hot Wheels Star Trek vehicles, including some I think were never released on their own, such as the original, classic Enterprise, the Enterprise A, the Enterprise NX-01, and the Narada, so that was cool.

Speaking of Star Trek, Deep Space 9 is my favorite Trek series, and I've been working at acquiring the DVD sets over the last couple of years, so that someday my wife and I can watch them together, since we've gone through most of the Original Series, and most of TNG. I got seasons 5 and 6 for something crazy like $24 total, now I'm only missing 2 and 4.

I still check up on Masters of the Universe Classics from time to time, desiring the odd figure here and there, like Faceless One, he looks awesome. Several weeks ago I picked up Count Marzo for the excellent price of $12 shipped off eBay, which is $8 plus shipping under retail, and he's a nice figure, I like him.

Marvel Universe. It's a line I've wanted to be into, and I've started collecting it at least three times, but each time I've dropped it after only a week or two. But I still have a few figures from it, and I recently got a couple more, nice big ones: World War Hulk and Apocalypse. These will join the other big ones I have, Juggernaut, Colossus, etc, to face off against my GI Joes.

Oh yeah, and I got the Masterworks Sentinel and it is f-ing HUGE! And I love it! Every time I walk by it I have to push the little button that makes him say things like, "Mutant, halt!" Or, "Unregistered mutant detected!" and other awesome stuff, in his very awesome voice. It's a fan-freaking-tastic figure, and EVERYBODY should go buy one. He's totally worth the price.

I haven't been buying Star Wars items much for a number of years now, probably since the first three years of serious collecting were devoted solely to Star Wars, but one thing I've always had a soft spot for is Clones, and scaled prop replicas, of which I have quite a few. But one I didn't have was the plain, vanilla, scaled Clone Trooper Helmet, by Master Replicas, and I managed to picked it up for the unbelievably low price of 6 dollars and change, off eBay. oh yeah, and Free Shipping. Damn, that's awesome, if I may say so myself. Also, they're fantastic items, very nicely detailed.

The new Mortal Kombat line by Jazzwares has arrived, and they're pretty okay. I'm kinda going back on forth between thinking they're very nicely sculpted, and thinking that they're kinda lacking. Sub-Zero is quite nice, but Scorpion is a little bit messy looking, though it could just be the paint. The 6" figures are so far base on the MK9 looks, while the 4" line that should be hitting soon are based on the more classic looks, like from MK3, and I can't wait to find those. And let me take this opportunity to say, yet again, that Tanya is my favorite figure, and I want her in the 6" line in both her regular and alternate costumes (as seen in Deception and Armageddon, since I guess right now she's NOT going to be in MK9, because they are lame).

And that, I think, wraps up this post, that as been in the works for far too long, and has now lost all relevancy. But oh well. I think if I ever have a huge list of acquisitions to report on, I'll do so just with pictures, and leave off the commentary.

The reason I really wanted to get this post finished, was so I could move on to my newest obsession, Kamen Rider W! Of course, I haven't been able to wait for this post, so I've already posted a few pics of misc W items. But now the floodgates are open.

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Pic of the Day 198

Another picture of Kamen Rider W, Luna Trigger form, Bandai Master Grade Figure-rise model kit.

This picture is meant to show the articulation a bit more, and the balance of the figure, as I didn't have to use the stand for it to stay up, I was impressed.

For more pictures, visit the MG Figure-rise Luna Trigger page on my collecting wiki

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Pic of the Day 197

Kamen Rider W, Cyclone Joker form, SIC line by Bandai.

For more pictures and info, visit the SIC Cyclone Joker page on my collecting wiki

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