Figure Maniacs.

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NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 19 2011 05:36 GMT

Notes:

I never really considered myself to be a 'figure maniac' until a few months ago. Before Yongsan's I-Park Mall opened up their newest branch of 'Hobby Square' it was difficult to find anything in terms of figures or model kits here in Seoul.

Dedicated shops tend to close down quickly due to the large amounts of browsing customers, but the small amount of purchasers. The main stock of these shops tends to break down in the following way;

Shopping Information:

Under here you can find out about the different products stocked by Seoul's stores, and also some of their locations for people who are visiting :D

+ Show Spoiler +

+ Gundam DIY kits and pre-painted models.
+ Pre-painted statues for popular series like One Piece.
+ Model kits for Keroro's robotic series etc.
+ Trading figures and rements.
+ Figures for other Japanese series.
+ 'Fashion' trading figures such as Kubricks.

Seoul currently houses two branches of 'Hobby Square' - a shop which sells all of the above as well as providing gashapon (keychain/charm/plastic model.) machines for various anime/game series. They also have tables for table-top CCGs like Pokemon and YGO.

The only depressing thing for me is that I'm not the usual demographic for these stores, so it's hard to find domestic friends who are also interested in figures/Tokusatsu etc.

Shop Locations:

For those who wish to visit and check them out;

Yongsan Shop; I-Park Mall Living and Digital Floor 7 inside the large book store.
Seoul Shop: Seoul Station Galleria 3rd floor.

My Personal Favorites:

Since finding these two stores I've become a little bit addicted to collecting a few series of figures. The prices aren't that cheap, but compared to importing them it's definitely preferable. A standard Nendoroid runs from $40-60 and puchis are $8-9 each. Most Figma are priced at about $30-33. The statues can run as expensive as $200 (and imo they're not usually worth it.)

Nendoroid and Puchi:

Nendoroids are figures for many different series, such as Fate/Stay Night, Black Rock Shooter and Haruhi. They come with a range of different interchangeable pieces and limited posing styles.

2008's Haruhi Nendoroid.

Nendoroid Puchis are their mini-sized trading figure versions for the same range of series, also including Vocaloid and Nanoha.

The only downsides to collecting these figures are;

+ Trading figures are random and so it's hard to complete a set without getting many doubles.
+ Their plastic stands sometimes don't fit.

There are also more 'life-like' versions of Nendoroids called Figma which also cover the same range of series;

The Kamen Rider Ryuki Figma figure.

Gashapons:

[image loading]

A typical row of gashapon machines.

Gashapons (Also known as capsule toys.) are mainly found in banks of machines around bookstores and music shops. Their contents range from keychains (for such series as FMA, Gundam Seed etc.) to mini models of Super Sentai or Kamen Rider characters. You can even get mini plush for Mameshiba and other cute-style series.

Again, gashapons are dispensed at random, but they're very cheap in comparison to buying trading figures. The usual cost is between 1,000won - 2,000won ($1-2 approx.)

The downside to collecting these figures is, of course the random element and getting doubles. However, machines are often hard to find and vanish without warning after a short time.

Known popular locations of Gashapons in Seoul:

~ Jongak Station Bandi & Luni Bookstore.
~ Most branches of E-Mart.
~ Yongsan I-Park Mall Bookstore and Synnara Records.
~ Kyobo Tower basement (Gangnam.)

There are also multiple stores stocking rements including;

~ Konkuk's Star City Bandi & Luni Bookstore.
~ Kyobo Tower's Kyobo Bookstore.
~ Ani-land and Gina Gift Store in COEX Mall.

The only store currently stocking a very limited number of 'Pinky St' figures is in Hongdae. For reference, these are the Evangelion Pinky St figures. (Since they're not really available in shops here I'm not focusing on them.)

My Collection:

I currently own these items, but I’m looking at expanding my collection. (However, I’m kind of limited in terms of space, and my lack of desire to spend most of my life dusting.

+ Show Spoiler +

So, does anyone else own any figures? If so, which ones and which types are you considering for the future? I’m waiting on several Nendoroids myself (Kuroshitsuji’s Ciel and Sebastian.) I hope they’re released in Korea soon, because the series itself is very popular here.

Interesting Links for Collectors:

Nendoroid Official Site: http://www.nendoroid.jp/(Japanese.)
http://www.goodsmile.info/top/en/(English.)
Rement Official Site: http://www.re-ment.co.jp/

Nendoroid Fansite: http://www.nendoroid.org/

Gashapon Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashapon
Rement Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-Ment

Interesting article on Gashapons: http://pingmag.jp/2008/05/09/yujin/

(All images credited to Yujin and Goodsmile Company.)

Lachrymose

Australia1928 Posts

January 19 2011 05:49 GMT

where are your k-on figures?

Loser777

1931 Posts

January 19 2011 05:50 GMT

I have a Figma--002 Suzumiya Haruhi Figure that sits in its box on top of my desk. Haven't had the money or time to really go after anything else though.

Mikilatov

United States3897 Posts

January 19 2011 05:51 GMT

Pretty interesting, those things are terribly adorable.

I'm a big fan of videogame based figures, but unfortunately it's difficult to find quality ones... There's a lot of crap out there.

My favorites!
[image loading]

sob3k

United States7572 Posts

January 19 2011 05:57 GMT

absolutely never understood collecting completely useless stuff.

There are so many amazing experiences/places to visit/things to do that would be such a better use of your money.

or do you just have so much cash you have no idea what to spend it on...?

Megaliskuu

United States5123 Posts

January 19 2011 06:06 GMT

On January 19 2011 14:57 sob3k wrote:
absolutely never understood collecting completely useless stuff.

There are so many amazing experiences/places to visit/things to do that would be such a better use of your money.

or do you just have so much cash you have no idea what to spend it on...?

To each their own. Everyone has their respective interests yo, you could say "you could do something way more productive than playing starcraft,
There are so many amazing experiences/places to visit/things to do that would be such a better use of your time". Yet I'll continue playing for years to come.

Haters gon hate imo (that being said I have no interest in these figures, it just didn't make sense why you would shit on someones hobby like that).

Ecrilon

501 Posts

January 19 2011 06:09 GMT

What you see as junk, some people see as things worth having. What you see as an amazing experience others see as a waste of time and money (screw France). I don't collect figurines, but don't be so closed-minded. Collecting this stuff IS a valid use for money.

Perguvious

United States1783 Posts

January 19 2011 06:16 GMT

mmmm vocaloids

BroOd

Austin10831 Posts

January 19 2011 06:26 GMT

0mgVitaminE

United States1278 Posts

January 19 2011 06:29 GMT

#10

+ Show Spoiler +

On January 19 2011 14:51 Mikilatov wrote:
Pretty interesting, those things are terribly adorable.

I'm a big fan of videogame based figures, but unfortunately it's difficult to find quality ones... There's a lot of crap out there.

My favorites!
[image loading]

Wo, those are awesome

ProjectVirtue

Canada360 Posts

January 19 2011 06:38 GMT

#11

Hmmm. i own...7 figures now and counting, and 2 gundams.
the dusting really isn't that bad, i mean, sure, every 2-3 weeks you'll start to see some grey build up. Just take an air can, go over, and lightly wipe it with a tissue to get the sticky dust off and you're good.

and yeah, i love figures, they're awesome, makes my day happy

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 19 2011 06:50 GMT

#12

On January 19 2011 14:49 Lachrymose wrote:
where are your k-on figures?

They actually stock several of the K-on nendoroids, but I've been focusing on buying the more 'fantastic' looking ones. I don't watch K-on, but it looks cutely animated and fun, so if I give it a try and enjoy it I'll definitely invest in them. Their mini instruments are so cute and there are also a couple of item sets for sale which would go with them perfectly.

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 19 2011 06:51 GMT

#13

On January 19 2011 15:16 Perguvious wrote:
mmmm vocaloids

I wish they stocked any of the vocaloid ones, but they don't ;_; I'm hoping they'll get them in if I buy enough of the puchis *crosses her fingers.*

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 19 2011 06:53 GMT

#14

On January 19 2011 15:38 ProjectVirtue wrote:
Hmmm. i own...7 figures now and counting, and 2 gundams.
the dusting really isn't that bad, i mean, sure, every 2-3 weeks you'll start to see some grey build up. Just take an air can, go over, and lightly wipe it with a tissue to get the sticky dust off and you're good.

and yeah, i love figures, they're awesome, makes my day happy

I need to buy an air can asap. I'm just using a small hand pump for tricky bits plus a nice dusting cloth left over from my photography days. The build up here seems to happen within a week or so, so I check each Sunday ^_^ Books are so much easier to keep clean, but they really don't look as cute.

shannn

Netherlands2891 Posts

January 19 2011 08:11 GMT

#15

@OP
U own so much :O They're very adorable. It's like having puppies staring at me somehow LOL.

I don't know any of those figures (as in which anime/games they're from). Somehow 2 figures reminded me of Ryu and Ken from Streetfighter (the 2 with a full red fighting suit and white suit).

How much do each of those figurines cost? I'm always interested in the cost of having such a hobby.

MEGAMAN!!! You sir just gotten +1 in coolness from me :O :D

Yiruru

Canada690 Posts

January 19 2011 08:13 GMT

#16

Got these in Japan recently o.o Nendoroids too expensive for me, and I have no room to put the boxes since you can change the faces and stuff :|

Really wanted that BRS Miku Nendoroid (Or the Animation Version) though... T _ T

nayumi

Australia6499 Posts

January 19 2011 09:14 GMT

#17

On January 19 2011 15:26 BroOd wrote:
[image loading]

qt <3

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

January 19 2011 09:26 GMT

#18

On January 19 2011 17:13 Yiruru wrote:
[image loading]

Those are really adorable :D I love the strawberry design.

@shannn: The cost is like this most of the time;

Nendoroids = $40-60.
Nendoroid Puchis = $8-9.
Most of the trading figures = $5-9.
Figma = $30+
PPP (Petit Prop Plus) = $8-9.
Gashapons = $1-2.

shannn

Netherlands2891 Posts

January 19 2011 09:37 GMT

#19

On January 19 2011 18:26 NeverGG wrote:

Show nested quote +

Thanks. Quite cheaper than I thought it would be

My brothers best friend collects Transformer / Gundam figures and those are quite expensive from what my brother bought for his birthday present (80 euros so about 100 dollars). Guess it might've been some rare kind.

vek

Australia936 Posts

January 19 2011 10:18 GMT

#20

On January 19 2011 15:53 NeverGG wrote:

Show nested quote +

Yeah a can of compressed air makes dusting them really really easy. Can get into all the little crevices and it does a really good job. Only thing to remember is to keep the can upright when you use it and just aim using the "straw" because otherwise the air will have a freezing effect.

As for figures.. I have quite a few, mostly 1/8th scale statues because I like it when they match. I do have a few 1/7 and 1/6 ones that were pretty expensive. I had to have them though

The statues I have are mostly Yamashita character designs, Queen's Blade or random video game characters that I liked. I think the Queen's Blade anime was boring as hell but I liked a lot of the character designs.

I have a GSC Nendoroid Luka that is really cute, the little octupus head is fun to put on random things. New GSC Miku is still on preorder. I avoided Nendoroids for a while but once I got Luka I was converted, they are awesome. Sadly I missed out on Kagamine Rin

Hopefully there's a rerelease.

I think one of the most fun aspects of collecting figures is finding the rare ones for a decent price. I've made a lot of ebay friends who will even try to shop around at stores in Japan for ones I am having trouble finding if I ask nicely enough.

I'll post some pics of my favourite ones when my phone is charged. I really need to get a decent camera though.

Figures are awesome!

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