Be@rbrick Update

Every time I think things are getting out of hand over here, all it takes is a quick peak at Japan to remind me that it's just the tip of the iceberg.

Let's look at Be@rbricks:

First off here's an awesome buy, a Chogokin (metal) 200% Be@rbrick in black. Medicom's been hitting the Chogokin lately, (the tofuoyako one was great too,) tipping the scales at 400g at 14.5cm. All diecast metal, cant wait to see how it moves, & screw holes in the back ...check.
They started with a white version, but this black looks way better, it seems that it was the hottest item at the recent Medicom show. Easy to find as a preorder at your favorite retailer.



On the other end of the spectrum we have the Karimoku 'Piano Black' 400%.
It's made out of wood, then given the black piano finish paint job, then to make sure you have buyers remorse when you realize that the same figure could have been executed in plastic, they attached a one grand price tag. Although if you're buying 1000$ 400%'s then you're probably not worried about it. Might make a statement all by itself in some posh pad somewhere, but it would just get lost in a normal be@rbrick collection. Besides Karimoku is just some mid-range furniture store, this luxury item seems a bit mis-matched with it's host brand.



For a grand how about a Be@rbrick made of walnut with a transparent finish? Still out of reach for the most of us, but at least that would be worth it.

You can even buy Be@rbricks for your iPhone.
Cayto offers cheap apps (.99) that have a Be@rbrick that you can interact with, along with a clock & weather forecast while it's running.
It looks like they're even Trying to make them collectible, once a series has sold for a while it's gone replaced by a new wave of Be@rbricks (all recreations of previously published designs.) looks like the Japanese version of the site has links to the older apps though...
(click through for a video of the app in motion)

This post could be endless because there really is no end to the Be@rbrick madness, but here are a few Japanese sites if you want to delve deeper, and trust me this rabbit hole goes DEEP.

Be@rbrick mania
Awesome blog run by a desperate collector, almost every post is focused on a different individual Be@rbrick release and 99% of them have pics so you don't need to read Japanese to enjoy it. He does post some blasts from the past now and then so if you're just following the pics some of them might not be upcoming releases so don't be too upset if you can't find them on preorder.

Bearbrick.hk
Slick flash site being constructed with pics of Be@rbricks by Nupchu. With a little time & filling out the series it might be a good resource.

killer lau deal

George has the hookup for some massive lau crylon seven year specials.



Recap here if you missed what these toys are. (via toysrevil)

210 w/shipping, awesome.

ToyCyte down

I'm really late on this but ToyCyte scaled back & stopped paying their greatest asset, Jeremy Brautman. Toycyte seemed to specialize in editorial, and was rarely the one to drop any of the news. Without him I'm wondering what the site could continue to offer... But that is the point of this post anyway, to draw attention to him. If you're unfamiliar with his writing you should definitely read his five part article on blindboxes.

Fat Cap Chair

Fat Cap Chairs? Yes Please.



http://www.capchaired.com/Welcome.html

a sight of what might have been

Saw this on a KR shelf a while ago, 8.5" wood, eboy-cool.
I've said it before & I'll say it again: It's a shame eboy didnt stick to their pixelated roots and make a series more along these lines than that Pecol crap.

Wheelin' & Dealing, & a chance to do something about it.

Not sure if it's common knowledge or not, but when a company approaches an artist with the intent to produce a figure, direct monetary compensation is rare.

Rather the artist usually gets a percentage of the run of toys, to do with as he/she pleases: i.e. sell directly or create customs that would sell for more than the base toy. The other motivation is to expose their art to a potential fan-base increasing demand for their art as a whole.

This is why, when you have the opportunity, buy directly from the artist as your $ will actually go towards supporting them, & not the company that produced the toy.

And today just such an opportunity arises as Dok A has the Asian exclusive version of the 8" LePodd: 'Sweeny Podd' available on his store. Buy it, as it's sure to be gone soon.

Epic Visual Metaphor Fail!

Lau & MindStyle have released photos of the complete godfather figure.
Only one problem, and I couldnt have said it better than Clutter's Geoff, so in his words:

"I know the puppet element mimics the original logo but the Godfather is the puppet master not the puppet...interpretation of visual metaphor fail!!!"



lol.

Spring cleaning

Going through & cleaning things up I came across a bunch of footage I had meant to upload, but for one reason or another had failed to do so. So here's a few no worse for the late arrival:

Itokin Park came to SF for a custom show at Super 7 this feb, love those amazing clear figures filled with all the smaller figures.

The Mad Barbarians were nice enough to show me some of the cell phone splash screen animations they've been doing, too bad we cant get them outside of Japan.

Ever wonder what Gargamel's shop looks like? Take a close look and you'll be surprised at what you might find hiding amongst all those toys.

Into the Darkness show footage

See it here, via the wonders of 'unstable-cam' technology.