JoJo's Bizarre Keshi Adventure!

Probably by today's standards, I wouldn't really be called much of an anime fan.  I still watch it from time to time, but nothing like I had in the past.  Back in the day, as some may agree, anime was a rarity of a sort and getting it was often tricky.  Now, you can trip over websites begging you to watch their free streams of 24 hour anime, but that's not to say it's a bad thing.  It's just a long way from where it was with Akira, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam, Evangelion, and all that.

I still keep up from time to time, but with only so many hours in the day, and only so many hobbies to dedicate time to, I have to be a bit more picky on what to watch.  Not to make this an anime review so much, but one of the series I have actually been getting into and really enjoying is JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, so you must guess the sort of curiosity and excitement I've had when I've see pictures of a gorgeous Japanese vending machine keshi line find themselves all over social media.  So much so I think I'm going to flood this post with like six pictures or something!  That much!

I'll be honest, so please anyone that has more information about this set than I do, please comment below, I don't know much about this set yet.  It appears by the copyright information in the photos, they are done in some regard by Bandai, but I have no idea if they outsourced any studio for the actual sculpts.  I would love to find out more on this, because I find these miniatures really amazing and capture that over-the-top wildness and style the anime has.

What's notable about this set, up front, are two things.  One is that the set is rather large, which is a pleasant surprise.  I am unaware of a previous line to traditionally build up to a large set like this, but the anime has been around for quite some time now.  The second thing is it's combination of clear plastics and traditional keshi plastics that seem to really make this series stand out.

I'm really excited to see these guys find their way to the States, but from what I've read from a couple auctions, they seem to be coming single-file in gumball capsules.  If this is true, it's going to be difficult seeing these guys travel in complete sets, but who knows.  I'll certainly love to get whatever I can, if not the full set.  They need a real review for sure.

MWOTR Prototypes At KCPCC!

If you're in the Kansas City area next weekend for the convention, the 13th, 14th, and 15th to be exact, of course you could to the same old routine and get your pictures taken by all your favorite sci-fi actors or whoever, but that's boring!  Plus, none of them make sweet miniatures!  So, instead, go see Mark and the rest of the Mystical Warriors of the Ring crew at their booth.  There actually might even be a surprise for those in store, going to the Kansas City Planet Comincon.

For sale there will be a good assortment of hand-cast resin prototypes of one of the new characters being worked on for a future MWOTR release.  They are in various color ways and sizes, like the picture on the left shows.  This is to assure the crew can see how it works in a few different sizes, as well as variants, and fix anything that may come up so the final release is as close to perfect as it can be.

These guys are virtually one-of-a-kind, so collectors of these awesome wrestlers need to chase these down while they are still around.  For more information check out the links below!

http://planetcomicon.com/
http://mystwarriors.com/blog/

It Came From a Vending Machine: Los Tremendos Luchadores!

So this, believe or not, was something I've wanted to do for a while.  I found these guys at a local supermarket and dumped as many quarters as I could, but as much as I enjoyed these cheap goobers,  I had lost them all during a move.  Or at least I thought I did.

Yeah, you heard me right, I really like these Los Tremendos Luchadores guys.  Sure, they are awful-looking, super tiny, and painted by a wild ape, but there is just something inherently special to me about finding micro wrestlers in vending machines.

I know I do my "It Came From a Vending Machine" posts to pick fun at the strange oddities inside these things, but I wonder if I owe this set for getting me back into collecting keshi, at least subconsciously.

You see, I was in the middle of a move.  All my things were packed up, and we were crammed in the back guest room of the parent's old place until our new place was ready for us.  Sure, actually playing with toys at this point is something I probably wouldn't feel inspired to do, but I love the stimulus of having them nearby and on display.  Yet, everything I had at that time was in boxes, and the old person decor wasn't really doing it for me.  However, after a random grocery run, I had a few ugly wrestlers in my possession for really no reason, and they filled a void.

Not did they just fill a void, I was reminded of the MUSCLES I had, or more likely the bootleg MUSCLES I had, and the Monster In My Pocket figures I begged to pick up at a department store.  Maybe I never considered running out and collecting the Los Tremendos set, but I think they caused me to put MUSCLE in a search engine some summer afternoon later.  And today, just rustling through some old bags, I find the most tremendous of strange vending machine wrestlers I thought I lost.

So thank you, Los Tremendos Luchadores.  You're alright in my book.

Gargamel X Eric Nilla Micro Kaiju News!

If you're a Japanese vinyl collector, or Sofubi if you're in the know, you know all about Gargamel.

Gargamel is one of the more popular companies out there for your nostalgic fix of old-school Japanese kaiju figures.  You know the type:  hollow, semi-soft plastic, with maybe only waist movement.  If you haven't seen authentic sofubi, you have likely seen bargain bin knockoffs at the dollar store, trying to pass off as the real thing.  Emphasis on trying.

Traditional sofubi figures are rather larger, at least compared to keshi, but Gargamel has released micro versions of the figures they fans love.  They were shrunk down to what appeared to be three inches of kaiju awesomeness, and I imagine this perked the ears and interest of the keshi community.  Ditch the vinyl, we must have said.  Rubber is better.  And who better to do it than American independent keshi artist Eric Nilla?

It didn't go like that, I'm sure, but however it went, I'm glad it ended all the same with these amazing looking guys.  Gargamel makes some really amazing kaiju characters, but the sofubi format is just not for more.  I love Godzilla like everyone else, but I never was lucky enough to get too many large monster toys growing up, nor do I have the budget now for some limited-run throwbacks.  I did however drop many coins for knockoff MUSCLES and other strange wrestlers and monsters.  This sort of project looks like that perfect bridge between both worlds, and Eric's resume and work is quickly turning him into the top guy in America for keshi minifigures.

For more information, check out the links below!

http://gargamel.jp/

http://ericnilla.blogspot.com/

http://ericnilla.storenvy.com/

Tenacious Toys Exclusive Despair Drop!

Everyone favorite microphone-wielding comedy demon is back again, and this time he is exclusive to the Tenacious Toys web store!

That's right.  Just announced on their Instagram, Adam Quesnell's keshi piece from The Disarticulators and October Toys called Despair is getting a new color variant!

Matching Tenacious Toys' love for their shade of navy blue, this guy is dropping Sunday, March 8th, only off the Tenacious Toys online store.

For those following the runs of this character or just like their keshi a little larger than normal, this is a brilliant guy to get into.  As an added bonus, I wouldn't be surprised a digital download of his comedy album was also included with this colorway, like others were.  If I recall correctly, he asks for something in the range of $20-$30, but where that includes a CD, that's really not a bad deal at all.

Be there at Tenacious Toys March 8th, because we know this sort of stuff flies off the shelves quickly!  Follow the link below to get a head start!

http://www.tenacioustoys.com/

Strange Monsters: Tug O' War Preview!

I've certainly been covering a lot of Japanese keshi lately, with Wonderfest and all, but that's by no means where the good stuff is.  Well, sure, maybe there is an argument for that.  You all know my absolute love for the new Kinnikuman promotional stuff, as well as the utter heartbreak on missing the Punk Drunkers x Onion Fights release, but still, there's a ton of great stuff being made by artist here at home.

Zectron, of the Disarticulators, has been working on something a little special that I think is worth your attention.  He, along with a few other independent artists, is doing something of a keshi all-stars series, centered around Japanese kaiju inspiration.

It's called Strange Monsters, which is awesome, because that might actually be the exact translation of what kaiju means.  That aside, Zectron has been working hard on his submission for Strange Monsters and I think it's quite the beast.

Take a look at Tug O' War!

Granted this is still a piece he's working on.  It's not the final product, but even with these early photos, the minifigure looks just outstanding.

You can look at the design of this character and see how it would lurk just under water level, waiting for a poor ship to pass him in the bay before leaping up and destroying everything in his path.  The pose is just electric and really gives you an idea of what this strange monster is all about.

Last year, when I was writing about the art in the simplicity of keshi, I had detailed why I enjoy the toy medium over others with less restrictions.  I felt making something great in keshi, even in the face of immense restrictions, showed expert-level design and talent, and I feel this piece is right there.  I can't wait to see this guy completed and hitting the market.

Toy Haul 01/26/2015!

It's certainly a relief to be opening up some keshi mail, that's for sure!  Between this terrible weather and this flu bug that just won't go away, you gotta' take the small things in life that make you happy and just run with them.  Spring is on it's way, someday I hope, and I'm finally feeling better, so I hope that leaves the rest of the year open for some awesome keshi happenings.

I made a trade with Little Weirdos on the forums lately and I pleasantly received the package today.  So, let's dive in and take a look!

I do have some big packages on their way, but sometimes it's not always the giant baggies of figures that make your day.  Today, in this package, was all about getting my first Slimy Sludge minifigure!  FINALLY!  I know they are probably loaded in everyone else's Toys R'Us or wherever, but I've yet to find one anywhere close to me, and I've almost sucked it up and bought one way-overpriced on the secondary market, just to finally have one.  Luckily, it didn't go to that and my cool trade bud supplied with that awesome purple guy in the top left corner.

Not seen in the picture is the baggie of green slime that was included in the package as an awesome extra.  It was certainly a pleasant surprise.  I can understand where many people would throw it away eventually, once the gimmick wore out it's welcome, but it works out in my favor it didn't go that way this time.

Also in the package was this Oh-No Alien figure slotted there in the top right.  He's a pretty cool guy, and my first Oh-No Alien.  To my knowledge, he's from a gumball machine line here in the States that would be the closest thing coming to traditional Japanese gashapon keshi, at least one of them.  This guy is surprisingly chunky and solid.  I'm impressed for sure!  You know how I like to support gumball workers, so I'll certainly have to be hunting for more of these alien guys.

Green plastic dinosaur!  Classic!  Maybe the same you used to chew on as a kid.

Finally, it's a little black bendy tree ent from a line I'm not familiar with.  Regardless, he's very cool and will fit in just fine with the crew.

And that's the haul today, guys!  A little small this go around, but no bad eggs, so that's awesome!  All these guys are going right on my keshi shelves and that goo is likely to be dropped and stained into the floor very soon.  Just like old times!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Purist Ramblings: Bootin' N' Leggin'!

No matter where you turn.  No matter where you go, you're going to find yourself in that discussion about bootlegging and who draws the line where, well, at least when you're in the toy world.

But I guess not always.  It's likely called other things in other places, so you may find the "ripping off" or "plagiarism" discussions in different topics, but there are a lot of similarities and common threads.

You can be on a music forum and have the discussion that this particular musician completely ripped of the guitar riff or beat from a classic track.  The other side of the argument says it's a sampling, re-imagining, homage, or anything similar to that, and everyone and their mother will draw lines in the sand and dissect every facet until it's virtually not about the same subject.

There are some common things about sampling text, music, or even toy molds that just about everyone will agree.  It's generally frowned upon if you're copying someone else's work exactly with no creative altering from yourself.  It shows all kinds of disrespect to the artist, to the art, it's fans, and shows you want nothing but a quick buck.  Most people will be ok with heavy sampling, if it's reworked in ways that it becomes it's own identity.  If it feels like a new piece of art, even sharing off of others, it's generally accepted.

However, this is where I share my nuthouse opinion and receive a shower of rotten tomatoes.

I think we should not say what is to be or not to be, but decide what succeeds or fails with our support and money.  This is certainly not me condoning ripping off peoples' art and stealing food off their plate, but if the bootlegger gets away with it and makes money, who's really to blame then?  If a cheap knockoff comes out and blows sales of the original piece out of the water, then something could be said about the market's worth of the product.  If it's less-sophisticated but more successful, then something could be said about it's feature's worth to the market.  Trust me, I'm not saying I'd prefer a junkier keshi, I just think there are things to listen to and learn from when the low-end productions beat you at your own game.  The market is saying something, not with words, but with cash register bells, and I think it's worth the listen.

So I'm not the one to say "No, you can't bootleg that!"  Sure, I wouldn't find it the most respectful thing in the world, but there could be a couple good outcomes from it.  If you're hitting something the market wants out of the original, that the original isn't doing, you could succeed.  I don't mean a general variant on color, per se, but maybe something fundamental, like articulation.  For example, if particular video game or anime franchise haven't been represented in keshi yet, a bootleg version of a miniaturized action figure could be successful.  Also, if a franchise has been discontinued long enough, a die-hard market may still remain hungry for anything to collect, and bootleg may be successful.

Keshi is naturally very threatened by bootlegging because the product is both simplistic and affordable.  Keshi is a beautiful tiny sculpture, but it may not be too far removed from a glob of melted cheap plastic either.  Keshi and bootlegging has a history intertwining like DNA strands, where over time some knock-offs have become just as coveted as originals.

It's hard to say what the rules are.  I surely didn't want to write a piece outlining them, but instead, insist our money decides what lives and what dies.  If we support a bootleg, we may have failed the original artist, but it's their job to hear the coins drop and adapt.  It's never too late to make a choice on something or try something new.  I think the worst thing is to lose your livelihood to bootleggers without a fight, because most times, they can only beat you one way.  Listen to the market.  See where the money is going.  Understand what that is saying, and fight back.

Thanks for the read everyone and thanks to my buddy Ryan for the new image up top!

Noboto Neo Phase review!

Hi guys, I am Mebbles, a new contributor on here at The Keshi Drop and I have a little review of a crazy awesome figure I got from Onell Design recently! Being by Onell, of course it's Glyos compatible, and that means it has a lot of movable joints and parts can be replaced. I was sure amazed how much this guy can move about! It even has wrist articulation!

   Ok, ok, I'll try to keep my hype level down a tad, but it's always awesome to get a figure that you haven't got something from before. The color of the variant I got is a dazzling transparent green that is very pleasing to the eye. The height of the figure is pretty small as you can see, but I think it's a perfect size, especially for people that like keshi or keshi-like sizes. It comes with a different head that has another eye style and also some extra pieces to do stuff with (which I am unsure what to do with since I don't have any other Glyos thing to modify and I am happy on how this guy looks outside right outside the bag).

  All together, the figure comes with 19 parts, which amazes me how much of that is the highly articulated figure itself!



If you too are interested in Onell Design stuff check out their website here:
http://www.onelldesign.com/store/