While we were keeping an eye trained on the events of Stan Lee’s Comikazi, toy collectors in Japan were watching for news coming out of Bandai’s much anticipated Tamashii Nations show. We here at IAT were lucky enough to have Robert Baldwin once again on the front line, camera in hand and bringing us the latest news as to what we can look forward to from Bandai of Japan in the following months.
Thanks again, Robert! The hard work is greatly appreciated.
-Vault
November 1st, 2nd, and 3rd were the three days set for Bandai’s annual Tamashii Nation event.
At this time last year, due to the fact that I was in Florida, chin-deep in drugs (working at a pharmaceuticals company), I could not attend. I had asked a friend to represent me, but he couldn’t get the pictures to me until January – and the quality was marginal at best. Needless to say, I will not be asking him to represent me at any toy events in the future.
I don’t know if the lack of coverage last year had something to do with it, or if my replacement had caused a problem, but Bandai did not send me an invitation for their pre-opening of Tamashii Nation 2013. However, I wasn’t about to let the lack of a mere invitation keep me from setting my sites on Bandai’s newest action figures – before the general public.
Not all of the pictures are up to standard, but I hope everybody enjoys them.
-Robert
Wow. It’s so neat to go through the Mazingers all in a row. #48 is my favorite.
I’m curious about the crazy, shiny bird men. No Artemis in Sailor Moon?!? >_<; But the figures look neat and the statue has crazy hair. I want to know who the basketball players are…
The basketball guys are from Slam Dunk, which is a surprisingly good manga (and this is coming from a definite non sports fan). I think there’s an anime version, too, but I’ve never looked into it.
Artemis wasn’t on display, but there is a picture of him from the Sailor Venus promo pictures floating around.
I think the “crazy, shiny bird men” you’re talking about is probably the Cloth Myth figures from Saint Seiya http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Seiya
The fact that Artemis wasn’t there was mentioned by many attendees, and none of the guys from Bandai would elaborate on why (it was hinted that Artemis was temporarily missing, but no confirmation on this matter).
The basketball guys are from the manga/anime series Kuroko no Basuke (Kuroko’s Basketball) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuroko%27s_Basketball in Half-age Characters and Figuarts Zero renditions.
Missing? Ha ha! ^^ That’s funny. Though understandable with moving tiny things around.
Gallery links are broken and lead to the same gallery.
these photos are “not up to standard?” who’s standards? they certainly work for me!
My standards!
Some are out of focus, the lighting is bad in a few others.
But I’m glad you’re enjoying them.
i am… quick question, the white/ivory gent of the garo set… name? he looks insanely cool, especially in that odd color scheme that really leaves him looking like he’s not plastic.
I believe you are referring to “Go” from “Shogeki Goraigan”.
The figure is an unpainted prototype to see the public’s reaction, but I was given the impression that the figure is almost guaranteed to see production. This will be a new line similar to, but not a part of, the Makai Kadou series.
These Goraigan figures will be a part of the Shogeki Kadou series if/when they get released.
ah, sweet… sorry i mistook him, but he was right before the garo selection, and seems like he’s done in the same style. do you know if the intent is to produce him in that cool ivory scheme, or was that just because he’s still in prototype stage?
That isn’t really a mistake, both series are “Kadou”, Shogeki and Makai primarily refer to the TV show that the character comes from. Also, all characters from both series are designed by (or the design is influenced by) Keita Amemiya.
As for the colour, this is a prototype thing, I wouldn’t expect it to be released in white. But it’s often hard to figure out what Bandai is thinking – so I would say there may still be a glimmer of hope for an ivory version.
Thanks for coverage again this year.
Happy to be of service 🙂
First, thank you for all the pics! You guys always have the best photos from these overseas events. BUT the coverage gets lazier every year. Can we at least get some names or descriptions, or even sorted by lines, something more specific than GALLERY D?
I’m sorry that you feel we’re getting “lazy”.
However, I generally only do photographs in the hopes that we’ll get more interaction in these comments and possibly in the forums. By getting better communication between myself and the readers, I get a better feel as to what it is that everybody is interested in. This will lead to more extensive coverage of the figures that people want to know about while keeping the less popular items at a minimum.
I had done away with separating figures by specific toy lines in the interest of getting the pictures uploaded as quickly as possible, but I think we can work on this in the future (or possibly for this set of pictures, if it isn’t too much work for the administrators).
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one. 🙂
I wouldn’t have used the word ‘lazy’, all that work is far from that. But the thing for me…OK, look, I’m not trying to be harsh, nor ‘know-it-all’, but these pics just make me frustrated! Not just for myself, but for others who have less experience/knowledge of this stuff than I.
What’s lacking is context. Which pics are ‘history of toys’, which are the new or re-release or proposed items? What do I make of the different ‘high price’ Soul of Chogokin toys placed in re-purposed Mazinger Z hangers from the insanely big and expensive toy? Is the hanger to be sold on its own for display? I don’t know. Is that a new version of Ideon for the Super Robot Chogokin line, or a re-pop of the SOC Ideon, minus the insane amount of extras? I don’t know. It would help if the product tag managed to be in the shot in a legible manner, I can read enough Japanese for that to be useful, but there’s a dearth of product tags.
Context context context. It’s bad enough to live in a mayfly, ADD-driven world of Twitter and Facebook and Instagram as it is. We all must fight the demon of ‘content without context’ every single day. 🙂
May I call you Robert? I think this is a great start to an informative article. I’d like to see it completed. That would then generate actual discussion. Yes?
Is that a revised S.H. Monsterarts version of the early ’90s Godzilla? Because he definitely needs a figure more in line with later articulation in the line.
I believe you are referring to the “Godzilla 2000 Millenium”.
This figure will be available in stores (in Japan) starting December 2013 (next month).
I saw the the Millennium Godzilla, but the gallery also has a picture of a Heisei Godzilla. Not sure if it’s a new version or the original was included in the display. http://www.itsalltrue.net/wp-content/gallery/Tamashii2013/E/DSC_0262.jpg
The picture at this link is the original version.
Bandai often displays past and present figures as well as what may/is to come, and the occasional prototypes which never make it to market.
Liking alot of these but hard to find here. Have tried some local shops but no luck. Thought the ball players were from Slam Dunk. I read part of it. Was good.
If get lucky next year will try and buy somebody. If get a seller that is.
Thank you for the coverage Dorkey. I think the pics look great.
Kind of bummed we didn’t see any new Megaman X or DBZ figures. I’m still waiting for an S.H. Figuarts of Roronoa Zoro as well.
MONSTERARTS FINAL WARS GIGAN!?!?!
*twitch, twitch*
…I think something in my brain broke.
So very sold, especially if there are swappable chainsaw hands involved. 😀
And thank you for all the lovely pictures, Dorkey. Much appreciated!
Unfortunately, as a reference exhibit, there is no guarantee that this version of Gigan will become available. However, with Godzilla Millenium in December, Battra in January and Mothra in April, I’d be surprised if Gigan doesn’t get released.
I would also bet that Gigan would have interchangeable hands. My question would be whether Gigan is going to be a general release or a Tamashii Web exclusive.
Details should be out soon, but Gigan is slated for release (most likely in May).
Gigan will have interchangeable hands/horn.
.
Still don’t know if it will be an exclusive or general release – and no word on a price yet, but this information should be coming out soon.
Oops! Missed some of the details…
Gigan will be a general release – NOT a Tamashii Web exclusive.
April 4th, 2014
10,584yen
this is awesome and greatly appreciated. You picked a great pic to put on the front of the article.