Final post for 2014

As my final toy-related endeavor for the year 2014, I recently participated in the Ozinefest in SM Megamall and it was a blast being able to once again join a convention and just be able to hang out with members of the community. I was part of the Figmanila group for the display but also hanged out with members of SHF Philippines. Here are a few pictures of the exhibit:

And of course, I couldn't go to a convention without a haul... so I got myself a Banpresto Yoko Littner statue in her flight steward costume! Loose but in great condition...and at a great price too! Yay!

And in parting, just a quick shout out before we end 2014! Thanks Blogger for letting me have a few rants and raves over the past year! See you again in 2015!

Vigilante street justice

In recent weeks, I have acquired figures of two of my favourite vigilantes: TMNT's Casey Jones and the Dark Knight, Batman! 

I was able to purchase Casey Jones due to an influx of Playmates Nick TMNT Series 3(?) line in the mall, which he happened to be part of. I've been wanting the figure ever since I saw the pics plus it's a good nod to my childhood as Casey Jones was the only TMNT figure I had when I was 7. While the new Casey looked nothing like the old one, I am liking the skull-faced scary look he sports now. 

He mostly has a grey-black outfit but still utilizes sports equipment as his arsenal. Albeit. this is a younger version of the character, he now utilizes roller blades and a hockey goalie guard in addition to the traditional hockey stick and baseball bat. For a Playmates non-Turtle release, he's got really good articulation and is actually more posable than most DC Collectibles figures. 

If I had one gripe about this fig, that would be the non-painted weapons and lack of a backpack. The weapons look really plain with the white wash and the "hooks" on the back where he carries the weapons isn't really aesthetic. Otherwise, he's a really good figure that I am proud to put alongside my other Turtle figures: 

My other more recent acquisition is one from my personal fanboy wishlist: the DC Collectibles Arkham Origins Batman. The Batman costume sports his game look from Rocksteady's Arkham series and it is awesome! Definitely one of the best Batman sculpts ever! (And I am very picky when it comes to Batman figures so I don't say this often.)

Again, absolutely awesome. Articulation, surprisingly, is at par with that of Playmates plus it has an ankle pivot which is awesome! (Yeah, I'm using the word "awesome" one too many times.) With some free time, I think I'll be pitting this guy against another famous billionaire: 

Till then!

Turn-back Thursday (TBT) featuring Figma Emiya Shirou and Saber 1.0

Introducing a new segment here in TRCP that I would like to call the Turn-back Thursday (TBT) feature! (Now, there's something original!). In this new segment, I propose to feature an old photo I've taken each week as a sort of a looking back on my more than 10-year history as a toy collector. This would feature my earlier works that for me, gives me a good perspective of how far I've come from my simple point and shoot to the pictures I am producing today. 

Today, I feature my very first Figma power couple: Emiya Shirou and Saber 1.0 from the anime Fate Stay Night which was first aired in 2006. 

Both characters exhibit a strong sense of duty but both clash continuously as Shirou is a weak mage with a naive sense of justice while Saber is a powerful Servant but driven to correct past wrongs caused by her insecurities as King of Camelot. It's an interesting dynamic as they struggle with each other throughout the series but eventually come to a mutual understanding by the end. 

I took this shot in 2012 as part of my Figma collection catalog and I use it as the cover photo of that album on my Facebook account. It's also, in my mind, a good representative of a staple I have used for most of my best photos which is the half-body, close up shot. I think many of my own favorite shots have this similarity in composition as I feel it provides ample emphasis on the character's face yet still provides enough body expression to make the shot look alive. 

Anyway, that's it for this week's feature. Tune in next week! Thanks!