Tales from the Toy Fair: Mini diorama of Tetsujin 28

It was during the last day of the 6th Toy Fair held at the SM Megamall that I was able to get me some nifty loot of goodies unlike last June during the ToyCon where I only got to bring home two items... nothing more, nothing less. Learning from that mistake, I made sure this time I'll be leaving the place with more than a handful of toys to be added to my collection... and I'd like to share one of them today.


I made it a point that I'd do a quick yet thorough scan on the goods from every participating stall that I came across within the confides of the Megatrade Hall 1, and it was at this particular toy stall that something caught my eye and I knew at that exact moment that this item had to be in my stash of goodies no matter what! And I'm talking about this miniature diorama of Tetsujin 28 (or more popularly known in the U.S. as Gigantor). It is somewhere around 3-inches high and it shows a plastic figure of Tetsujin 28 soaring up to the skies with its base part showing several miniature buildings with searchlight beams located at the back. It was only selling for Php 30.00 (roughly around $0.70) and without batting an eyelash, I took out my wallet and bought this baby right there and then.


This is just one of the several items I got from the Toy Fair and I'll be posting more of them very soon. But for now I have uploaded here several photos of the Tetsujin 28 diorama that I took a few days ago so I hope you like 'em ladies and gentlemen. 'Til next time, stay safe always!


(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

Season's Greetings from Made in X...

Three days more to go before Christmas ladies and gentlemen, and I would like to thank all of you wonderful guys, wherever you are in the world, for taking time out in visiting my little nook in cyberspace! The mere fact of knowing that people from all four corners of the globe have already visited my blog, though not gargantuan in numbers, is enough to make my Christmas a real happy one.


Again, Made in X sends its heartfelt thanks to everyone and wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Cheers guys!

The 6th Christmas Toy Fair 2011/1st Philippines Diecast & Custom Car Show at the SM Megamall

The 6th Christmas Toy Fair and the 1st Philippines Diecast and Custom Car Show concluded it's successful three-day event yesterday and I was able to make my pilgrimage that morning to the Megatrade Hall 1 located on the 5th floor of the SM Megamall. Luckily I was able to reach my point of destination in no time since I left early to avoid the horrendous Yuletide traffic that has become a huge nightmare for commuters like me for ages! Though the organizers for Toy Fair & Diecast Car Show managed to get hold of just one hall for its venue, the number of participating toy shop owners wasn't, in a way, that many unlike during the annual ToyCon being held during the month of June, but somehow it was enough to satisfy all toy enthusiasts with their insatiable craving for bargain toys up for sale. I immediately went inside and began scouting the place to check what's in store for me and for the other attendees as well. I never got to take photos at first since I noticed that morning there was not even one individual holding a camera and taking snapshots inside, so I dashed my way to every stall that I could find and began rummaging on their stuff and got hold of some goodies that I'll be needing as backup, I can say that I was now able to have more than a handful of toys in tow unlike last June during the ToyCon where I only got two items from that event. It was only shortly before lunch when I got to see camera flashes ring out from one spot to another and so it was time to take out my camera and shoot me some photos for both my Made in X Facebook page and for this blog as well.


The build up of people flocking to the Toy Fair was somehow bearable and close to normal so I was able to move around freely and took photos of those stalls who were gracious and kind enough to let me... but unfortunately, there were some who turned us down (I've given a hint on our Facebook page so you guys might as well check it out ü), but nevertheless I was able to take a good number of photos both from the Toy Fair and the 1st Philippines Diecast & Custom Car Show which catered to all car enthusiasts with a fairly huge number of toy cars, big and small, diecast and scale model kits... name it, they have it on display. Aside from toys and cars, the regular folks from the cosplay world were there and from time to time the organizers held toy auctions to the delight of the crowd. My friend and Made in X admin member Adrian and his brother Bryan followed shortly to the event and since I'm done with my business there, I accompanied the two as they did some rounds in checking out the stalls. Though tired, exhausted and somewhat "broke", we had a grand time the entire day and we're now bracing ourselves for the next main event which will happen this coming June for the 2012 ToyCon.


I have posted here some of the photos I took yesterday and if you want to check out the rest of the album, please do find the time to visit our Facebook page by clicking here. 'Til next time folks, stay safe always!


Credits: BigBoy's Toy Shop, Akihabara, Randy, Sir Bong of Bong's Collectibles for being so nice and accommodating after granting me permission to take some snapshots of his stall.


(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

First toy feature for the month of December: Bandai Chogokin Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Aegis

It's that most wonderful time of the year and yes ladies and gentlemen, Christmas is just around the corner and everyone's in a hustle and bustle mood preparing for this joyous occasion which will be happening in a week's time... And here on Made in X, we usher in the yuletide season with our very first toy feature this December and it's none other than that lovely PVC figure of Aegis (or spelled as "Aigis" for some) from the popular Playstation game 'Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3' manufactured by Bandai Chogokin.


I was very much aware of the Persona game made for the Playstation, in fact I remember getting so engrossed in playing with the very first Persona game on the Playstation 1 console many years ago and though the graphics and gameplay may not be that grand and mind-blowing unlike on the PS2 and PS3 platforms, but getting to kick your opponent's booty with some real nifty stuff like mixing and matching those elemental cards to concoct a spirit guardian (sorry folks I can't remember anymore the right terms used for that game) that you can summon to crush your enemy to smithereens... it was like playing Final Fantasy 8 with a touch of Final Fantasy Tactics on the side. Sadly I never got to play the other Persona series on the PS2 mainly I was focused on playing other game titles like Gran Turismo, Silent Hill and Resident Evil, I only learned about the new series when I eventually "retired" from playing the PS2 though I plan on doing some catching up on the game through its PSP version.


Last December 11, I was with my buddies and fellow toy enthusiasts Adrian and Francis and later that afternoon at Adrian's place, I had that rare experience in getting a closer look at this wonderful Chogokin figure of Aegis and as soon as it got unboxed and placed inside the lightbox, my camera clicked away and was very much satisfied with this beauty. I can truly say that this is a must-have for all Persona fans out there. I have other photo samples of Aegis posted on this article and if you guys would want to see the entire set, please do visit our Facebook page by clicking here and see why this lovely PVC figure is worth to have in your collection. 'Til next time guys, stay safe always!


(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

X-23 toy figure from Toy Biz (Marvel Legends): In a nutshell...

Laura Kinney a.k.a. X-23 from X-Men

Last November 26 I accompanied my friend and former co-worker to get her laptop from a service center located somewhere in Libis. It has been almost like two years since we last saw each other and so we decided to hangout in Eastwood after getting her beloved laptop named "Hades" and spent the rest of the afternoon catching up with lost time with a good, lengthy conversation over cigarettes and Starbucks fraps. It was around 7 p.m. when we decided to call it a night since she lives in Las Piñas and she had to catch the shuttle in Makati going back to her place. After getting her a cab, I decided to hang around for awhile since it has been almost a year since I last went there and of course it was time for me to make another glorious pilgrimage to the 2Rats toy shop and check out some of their stuff that might catch my fancy. Surprisingly there weren't much anime gashapons on display unlike last year where you can get to choose a lot of varieties on display. I was supposed to get this cool-looking Bearbrick PVC figure for only Php 100 ($2.00++) but it was a good thing that I decided to stick around and searched thoroughly among their stuff... until I came across this loose figure of Laura Kinney or better known as Wolverine's teen female counterpart 'X-23' from the comic book series X-Men.

Full view of the X-23 toy figure

The shop had three X-23 loose figures, 2 of those are the ones that you see on the photos I've posted while the other one was a bit smaller and not too feminine in features, it kinda reminded me of a crossover between Lobo and members of KISS! Anyways, I decided to get the Marvel Legends from ToyBiz version since it has more feminine looks and its features, in a way, stayed true to the comic book character. Now for my personal assessment... Since purchasing it as a loose item, you are bound to experience flaws here and there on the item and I was ready for it, the figure's left arm was starting to loose up though with the right angle positions it is still poseable, but what I noticed was that her limbs, most especially with her jointed kneecaps, were quite stiff and using excessive force to bend it might damage the figure permanently. So as much as I wanted to make her do some action poses, I was limited to a few safe ones due to its stiff joints. And I always have to remind myself that this is just a loose item and rarely do you find second-hand toys in  tip-top condition. A few days later I found out from one dude who did a thorough review on this particular X-23 figure and from what I read, he seems to be totally dissatisfied with the figure as if everything was just a big joke, though his rants on his review are somewhat true and I can attest to the fact that it is not just pure hearsay.


Sculpting on the figure is just plain and dull, paint job not too fancy and lacking, the figure was made from "poor" plastic material, stability is not quite good and letting her stand on its own two feet is a balancing act and finally, articulation is quite bad on the neck, elbows and knees and one wrong move could mean permanent disaster on the toy. So I guess it was indeed a "joke" after all when Toy Biz released this X-23 Marvel Legends figure... too bad and they could have done a better job in making it look good instead of releasing it just for the sake of. But nonetheless I still wanted her since I couldn't afford to buy the Kotobukiya Bishoujo statue of her and I'll be using the lovely Laura Kinney as one of my upcoming characters in my existing web comics blog. Oh well, despite the flaws and all... I'm cool with it! 'Til next time folks!

November toy feature # 5 -- Maria Freed from UFO Grendizer

And for our last special toy feature for the month of November, here is one famous anime babe who is undeniably alluring and attractive that she's just oozing with pure sexiness from head to toe! She's none other than the lovely Maria Freed from Go Nagai's hit anime based on his third entry in the Mazinger trilogy 'UFO Grendizer' (or more popularly known in Canada as Goldorak.)

This exclusive and limited figure from Yamato USA was released in December 2009 and it shows Maria wearing an alternate and sexier black and purple uniform with some translucent portions that is definitely revealing and a must-see for all of you cheeky dudes out there! This PVC figure has long been discontinued and thanks to my pal Adrian I was able to capture some nice photographs of this rare beauty and here are some photo samples below.

If you want to see her complete photo set, please do find the time to visit our Facebook page by clicking here and be sure to check out more special toy features in the coming weeks ahead. 'Til next time folks!

(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

Capping off our Toy Feature this November!

As the month of November comes to a close, we are capping off our Toy Feature special with one very awesome figure that I'm sure all of you guys out there will truly love! Be sure to check us out here and on our Facebook page this coming Tuesday (November 29) for the unveiling of this curvy and attractive heroine! See ya!

November toy feature # 4 -- Takara Tomy Transformers Creator Primus (2010 ed.)

This has got to be one of the most awesome toy feature ever presented here on Made in X... it's huge, it's transformable and he's the epitome of all things great and mighty! If Olympus has Zeus and Apple the late Steve Jobs, then the world of the Transformers has no other than but one great creator god, you've guessed it, Creator Primus or more popularly known as Cybertron.


It was indeed a sight to behold and being in the presence of this huge and mind-blowing action toy from Takara Tomy left me in blissful amazement! Every inch of this 2010 re-issue figure is oozing with fine, intricate details that makes Primus even more superior and powerful-looking, most especially when you get to see the small city-like structures embedded in and around his massive frame. And its twice the excitement once you get to see him transform into the planet Cybertron which is equally fantastic as his full-frame figure. This beauty of a toy is definitely a scene stealer and it can make any Transformers fan drool with sheer envy! And like always it was time for me to whip out my camera and photograph Primus at Adrian's place a couple of weeks ago.


Here are some of Primus' photo samples below taken that particular day and if you guys want to check out the rest of the album set, please do find the time to visit our Facebook page by clicking here. 'Til next time folks, thank you for dropping by and roll out!


(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

The creator god of the Transformers, the mighty Primus

November toy feature # 3 -- Mari Illustrious Makinami from Fräulein-Revoltech

We're on our third week this lovely month of November and what can be more delightful than to present to you another special treat which is our third toy feature and she's no other than that lovely and sexy anime babe from Neon Genesis Evangelion... nope it's not Rei nor Asuka and definitely not Shinji! She's that dreamy, bespectacled brunette we all know as Mari Illustrious Makinami .


This fantastic action toy figure from Fräulein-Revoltech is indeed one eye candy you can never truly resist whether you're an Evangelion fan or not. If I'm not mistaken this is now the second series release from Fräulein wherein the first Mari Makinami action toy was fitted with a pink plug suit which (personally I think) showed more of Mari's feminine side while her latest figure gives you the best of both worlds... She's sugar and spice and everything nice! Mari is now fitted with an attractive green plug suit along while a huge State's Helmet is included in the package that you can actually wear on Mari's head.


Detailing from head to foot is simply awesome and this baby is definitely worth having in your collection! Thanks to my pal Adrian and he was kind enough to let me take some snapshots of Mari. And just right down below are some of her photo samples that I took a couple of weeks ago.


And like always, if you guys do want to check out the rest of the album, you're more than welcome to visit our Facebook page by clicking here. 'Til the next feature, see ya!


(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

November toy feature # 2 -- Armor Plus Tekkaman Rapier

For our second toy feature this month of November, we give to you this super sleek and sexy Armor Plus Tekkaman Rapier figure distributed by Bandai/Tamashii. Everything about this very exclusive figure is just oozing with slender appeal that makes it more awesome and cool-looking. And not only that, she can kick butt once you get to see her awesome weapon of choice... a pointed, thin-bladed sword which, unfortunately, is not seen in this set of photos. But along with her sword is a crystal shard which is also part of the package.


This exclusive fig from Bandai/Tamashii is worth having in your collection and I have managed to see it up close a couple of days ago and I must say it even looked better, sleeker and sexier in person! I have here below several photo samples of this baby for you guys to initially enjoy and if you do want to check out the rest of the album, please do find the time to visit our Facebook page by just clicking here and see for yourselves what this armor-ridden warrior babe is truly made of! 'Til the next toy feature, see ya!


(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

Toy feature for November: Rei Ayanami figure from Fräulein-Revoltech

Happy Halloween! We're back ladies and gentlemen and after making that short hiatus from showcasing a new toy every month, I'm back in your humble presence to give you more of those lovely toys thanks to my buddies who graciously allowed me to take snapshots of their treasured stash from their collection, and first up for the month of November, we give you none other than the lovely Rei Ayanami from the hit anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.


There is something about Rei that got everybody hooked to this enigmatic female pilot of the Evangelion Unit 00... even I was so drawn into her that I found myself watching the series from time to time, which also includes collecting some of her gashapon figures as well. Last Sunday I was with my pals Adrian and Francis in Makati and I had the pleasure to photograph this beautiful Fräulein-Revoltech baby while hanging out at Adrian's crib and here are some photo samples of taken during that day.


(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

My so-called Macross diorama...

Sidenote: The weather outside was kinda crappy for a good number of minutes... heavy downpour of rain with loud thunderstorms filled the air, and it didn't help much to quell the humidity that we've been experiencing for the last couple of days, obviously these are the effects of global warming and God forbid we are not getting punished for our sins to mother nature... happy thoughts ladies and gentlemen, happy thoughts.

Anyways, a couple of days ago I decided to unbox the Macross Valkyrie figures I've finally got to purchase and these consists of three Revoltechs (VF-1A, VF-1J and VF-1S) and one from Yamato (YF-21.) I would have wanted to take them out for an outdoor shoot but like what I've mentioned earlier, the weather is quite unpredictable and you'll never know whether you'll be basking under the sweltering heat or confined inside your homes due to the rains, but unfortunately the latter spoiled all the fun . This is an impromptu diorama photo shoot I did with my Macross figures and since I was limited to the space that was available for my makeshift diorama, I wasn't able to get good shots of it and this one you're seeing would probably fit the bill of an "okay" photo. I'll be working more on setting-up this diorama to make it "presentable" and hopefully get more better shots in the long run.

Adopting an unwanted and damaged Bearbrick figure

Nowadays most toy shops in and around the metro are now selling loose items or pre-owned toy items as well. And for a bargain toy hunter like me, this is indeed quite favorable on my part since most of the items from my collection consists of toys that I got as loose items. I'm not that particular when it comes to these loose toy items since for one I am just a random toy collector and for as long as I get my money's worth on the item that I'm buying, then everything's cool with me. It was during one of those rare visits to these chain of toy shops when I accidentally discovered this Bearbrick figure lying in a pile of other toys being sold at relatively affordable prices. It was priced at Php 99 (roughly around $2.00 something) but when I examined it closely, it looks like that the Bearbrick figure was a factory reject, or I even thought that it might have been accidentally damaged so the previous owner decided to sell it off since nobody wanted to put on display a damaged toy figurine, right? I guess there were two or three more damaged Bearbrick figures in that pile and since I have already made previous toy purchases that day, I decided to get this one first and hopefully come back for the rest when I return.

The slightly damaged Bearbrick toy figure

It took me around almost three weeks before I went back there to buy the remaining Bearbrick figs, and sadly my hunches were right all along and as I looked into the plastic container where I found them, they were not there anymore... though I was thinking that at least somebody might have bought them and now they have a new home where the new owners can enjoy the Bearbricks as part of their toy collection. The overall condition of this Bearbrick is quite good except for the chipped paint details on the right ear and face. A mint condition/brand new Bearbrick figure same to this is selling at shops for less than Php 300 (less than $7.00), but in any case I'm glad that I was able to get this one since I never had a Bearbrick figure in my collection and honestly I would never spend an insanely huge amount of money just to buy the vinyl or diecast versions of the Bearbrick and though this may be a bootleg/replica of the real deal... as I always say, "Who cares? As long as I get my money's worth on the item, we're cool."

Toys and Memories...

For the longest time have I contemplated over and over again on whether or not to take it out from its carded packaging this Shazam! figure from Mattel's DC Universe Crisis toy line, and obviously I never attempted to do so. I guess this action figure had too much sentimental value for me to just rip it open, so to speak. Toys or any stuff for that matter given to me by my family or friends isn't much of an issue though I do take care of them very well, but for something like this mini Shazam! action figure... I just wanted it to stay as it is and preserve the memories that came along with it.


This was given to me from someone very special and it was somehow like a "spontaneous gift" or a "spur-of-the-moment thought" if you may call it. I remember that day when she texted me around afternoon and told me that she'll be coming over to my place after work and hand me something. Later that evening my cellphone rang and I knew she was waiting for me outside with her car parked in front of our house. I told her if she wanted to come in but she told me that she wasn't going to stay for long and immediately handed to me the Shazam! toy figure, she told me that Toys "R" Us was having a bazaar sale in one of the open lots inside their office compound and she thought of getting me that action figure since it was selling for only Php 100 (around $2.00 ++), though she may not be that well-versed with comic book characters or superheroes but the mere thought of getting me one for no particular reason gave it more meaning and value, that is why up to this very day I still keep this toy inside a Ziploc bag to protect it from dust and dirt.


Eventually this Shazam! figure would turn out to be the very last toy item I'll be receiving from her as a gift... and sadly after being together for nearly a decade, we recently decided to go our own separate ways... and all that remains from this very special item are the fond memories from that day and somehow, that lingering thought inside me of what we used to be. Too bad for Billy Batson's alter ego and he won't be able to experience life outside the carded packaging... it's too early to say but I'm still not over it, maybe even if I have moved on it will always stay that way... memories are too precious to let go, even for something as trivial or cheesy like keeping a toy figure sealed and untouched, possibly forever.

Tsukasa Bullet Ninja Girl Mizuki's photo set number two out!

Ninja Girl Mizuki from Tsukasa Bullet

As promised, we've uploaded the second part of Tsukasa Bullet Ninja Girl Mizuki's photo set on our Facebook page where we got to photography this awesome and sexy figure of Mizuki using a white backdrop and if you want to check out the photos, you can just click here or visit Made in X right now! 'Til the next batch guys, cheers!

Last but not the least... Ninja Girl Mizuki from Tsukasa Bullet

We have come to the last toy feature for the month of September but don't worry we decided to divide it into two parts and now we have already launched the first half of the album dedicated to this awesome figure inspired from the great artwork of Japanese illustrator Tsukasa Jun, and she's no other than Ninja Girl Mizuki.

Tsukasa Bullet's Ninja Girl Mizuki (Megahouse)

We truly saved the best for last and honestly, among the other previous figures that we have featured here, this one truly knocked us off our feet due to the fact that the figure was sculpted to perfection and the details will simply blow you away! Not to mention the "good stuff" lying underneath that badass armor which can be taken off anytime you please. The initial album launch we did features a small set of Mizuki's photos taken behind a black background, and if you guys would want to see the rest of the photos, you can visit our Facebook page by clicking here or just head on over to www.facebook.com/madeinx. Be on the lookout for the second half of Mizuki's photo set and it's coming your way very soon! So stay tuned and 'til next time!

Toy feature no. 2 for September: Lancer from Red Stone

Lancer from the Korean MMORPG 'Red Stone'

For our second toy feature for the month of September, we give you this ubër sexy babe sculpted to perfection which was based on a popular MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) from Korea entitled 'Red Stone' and it is none other than Lancer. Unfortunately this female character never had a name and was dubbed as is for her class or lineage in the game... and for some obvious reason it may also be based on the main weapon she's using. This 1/7 scale pre-painted figure was manufactured in 2009 by Orchid Seed and has been considered out of circulation for quite some time now.


If you guys want to see more of her photos, you can just click here or visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/madeinx. 'Til next time!

New month, new toy... take it away Maxima!

Maxima Enfield figure from Shining Hearts

A new month and another new toy figure to feature for the month of September on Made in X! And on our top of the list is none other than this awesome 1/8 pre-painted scale figure of the lovely Maxima Enfield from the RPG game 'Shining Hearts' (SEGA).


This simple yet attractive figure from Kotobukiya will somehow draw a good number of sighs from avid toy figure collectors though at first glance you might get the impression that Maxima is just your above-average PVC figure but when you get to see her up-close, you'll definitely get to see some real good stuff and I'm talking about the intricate details that can be found on her elegant, black costume. And this figure doesn't go through the fuzz of worrisome assembly once you get her out of the box. All you have to do is just slip in the sword on one hand and the card on the other and she's up and about to be displayed for you to enjoy and admire, day in and day out.


The photo you're seeing right now is just a sample taken from the photo set we have uploaded on our Facebook page and if you do have the time guys please check out some of the other photos of Maxima by visiting Made in X soon. Thanks guys and 'til the next toy feature, see ya!

Prepare to bite the Tsukasa Bullet!

We have come to the end of our August toy feature shindig, and we wanted to give you guys something really special so we have definitely saved the best for last! I admit that I fell in love with this awesome figure when our buddy (and owner of this figure) took her out of the box and our jaws just dropped big time!... Well, aside from being, obviously, well-endowed and very much sexy from a certain angle (some of you guys who are familiar with this figure would probably know what I'm referring to *wink *wink!) the intricate details on her costume down to her killer heels blew us away! Without further ado, she's none other than Clarice Cornova from "Tsukasa Bullet."


I gotta hand it to Tsukasa Jun for the splendid and breathtaking artwork and now Clarice comes to life in this beautiful non-scale figure that even I who is a rookie with these things can easily appreciate because of the craftsmanship and all things good that is brimming on this baby from top to bottom. Pricey, yes, but nonetheless this Clarice Cornova figure is worth every cent!


I have managed to compile a small album of her photos and my camera (along with several other peeps present during the shoot) couldn't be more happy than seeing Clarice taking the spotlight that particular evening. If you guys would want to see the other photos, please do find the time to visit our Made in X Facebook page and check out our darling for the month of August. Thanks for your time and 'til next time!

Coming soon this September on Made in X...

As we bid goodbye to August in the next couple of days and welcome the brand new month of September, here is yet another small teaser for all of you toy lovers out there as we give you three new and exciting figures that you will all surely love and we will reveal them one by one only on Made in X. Be sure to check out our Facebook page for more news, updates and new photo uploads that will be coming your way in the days ahead...

Coming this September on Made in X...

Figure No. 3 now featured on Made in X...

We've already featured some of these "to-die-for" toy figures starting of with Shining Wind's Clalaclan Phirias and the Daimos Soul of Chogokin GX-43 die-cast figure on Made in X's Facebook page. This week, we'll be featuring another new figure that I'm sure you guys will all love, please do find the time to visit Made in X and check out the new toy feature plus other updates that will be coming your way soon...

Daimos die-cast action toys then and now...

For those who were growing up as a kid in the Philippines back in the late 70's to the early 80's, majority of us were so mesmerized in watching these awesome super robot characters fighting out the bad guys from outer space on TV during the very first anime wave to hit our shores in the form of such legendary mecha heroes like Mazinger Z, Voltes V, UFO Grendaizer, Combattler, Getta Robo, Gaiking, Mekanda Robot, Danguard Ace and so many others that came and fascinated the minds and imagination of Filipino kids, teens and adults alike. But there's this one particular super robot series that has somehow left an imprint on the minds of people who grew up watching them on Channel 7 during that wonderful era... remember those immortal, one-word lines where the two star-crossed lovers call out their names with utmost longing... "Erikaaaa!!!....", "Richaaaaarrrrddd!!!..." Who wouldn't forget them, right? And who wouldn't forget that huge trailer-type vehicle called the Tranzer who transforms into the mighty mecha out to save mankind from the clutches of the winged humanoids known as the Baam people... he is no other than the mighty Daimos.

My surviving Daimos toy from
Popy (1978)

Daimos was such a big hit on TV as it was ranked among the most-watched anime series next to such big-named super robot characters like Mazinger Z and Voltes V (who is considered as the most popular super robot by majority of Filipinos), merchandising items from stickers, trading cards to toy robots was a huge success and everyone during that time just went crazy over them! I'm proud to say that I was one of the lucky few who had that chance to own the 7 or 8-inch die-cast action robot of Daimos which was then released by Popy around 1978, though it was one of my biggest dream to have its bigger brother where he can transform into the Tranzer, I never got the opportunity to have him, but nevertheless I was more than happy just to have the smaller version.


Fast forward to 2008, when leading Japanese toy company Bandai decided to rehash Daimos' old, stiff and ill-proportioned physique based on the 1978 Popy/Godaikin design, they came out with a more accurate and poseable die-cast figure of Daimos which stayed faithful to its original anime features. Now the Daimos action toy from Bandai's Soul of Chogokin line has a more complex transformation equipped with the right body proportions along with some badass trimmings which includes the weapons and two replicas of the Tryper 75S car and the Galva FXII plane inside the package.

Soul of Chogokin Daimos GX-43
from Bandai (2008)

I must admit that the Daimos Chogokin version really looked awesome and honestly he looks far more better and true-to-its-original body design as we see him in the original 1978 anime series, unlike the Godaikin series where you can clearly see the big difference in its body ratio imbalance (like having the huge mecha head on a smaller body and stuff...) But the only thing that they have in common is that the Godaikin and Chogokin versions are both very expensive to purchase. Back in the late 70's to early 80's, Godaikin's price tag ranges from about Php 400 to 500, and during those times that amount was very, VERY huge for such a toy item. Today, the Chogokin version of Daimos would amount to around Php 7,000++ (roughly around $166.00) and if the item is still in good condition, its price range may go up since Bandai had already discontinued production of the Daimos GX-43.


Overall, whether you have the Godaikin or the Chogokin version of Daimos, it really doesn't matter. What's more important is knowing who Daimos is and the fond, childhood memories he has given you while you sat in front of your TV watching religiously the entire series from its pilot episode down to its final telecast, or as you hum deafly to both the intro and ending soundtracks while you finished your dinner or as you picked up that book and studied for tomorrow's test... even though it's in Japanese! That's the true essence of being a dedicated super robo fan...

Figure No. 2 unleashed on Made in X...

A few days ago we featured on Made in X's Facebook page the awesome and jaw-dropping 1/8 scale PVC figure of Shining Wind's Clalaclan Phirias (Armor Version) from Alter... Today we are presenting to all of you the second action toy figure on our best of four toy series this August, and if you want to see what's cooking in our kitchen, please feel free to visit our Facebook page anytime by clicking here or just head on over to www.facebook.com/madeinx for more. Thanks a bunch guys and 'til next time!

Happy Meal toy collection: Papa Smurf

You guys may have seen from my past blog post where I featured Brainy Smurf and his toaster that I got from the McDonald's Happy Meal I ordered, well here is the other Smurfs character that I last purchased and it is none other than Papa Smurf... and this time he's cooking something magical inside that potion pot and he wants Brainy Smurf to be the first one to take the plunge, so to speak. Anyways I decided to photograph the two together during one of their peculiar bonding moments and it sure is nice to see these awesome blue creatures once more after more than 20 years when I used to watch them on the telly as a kid, and aside from the toy line McDonald's (Philippines) is featuring this month,  they too now have a full-length movie!


Here are some of the photos I took earlier this evening:

Papa Smurf and Brainy Smurf in one crazy bonding moment...

(L-R) Papa Smurf, Brainy Smurf

Clalaclan Phirias figure from "Shining Wind"

Shining Wind's Clalaclan Phirias in all of her gracious beauty

Yesterday I posted a teaser on what you guys will be expecting in the coming days on our Made in X Facebook page and today, here is one of those nifty surprises we are telling you and without further ado, we give you the lovely Clalaclan Phirias (Armor Version) 1/8 Scale Pre-Painted PVC figure from Alter. This awesome anime figure will surely enchant you with its precise and intricate details that can be seen from head to foot, and we couldn't help but dig the mind-blowing pearl-colored armor along with the shield and weapon.

Check out the other photo samples we have below and if you want to see more of the lovely Clalaclan, you can visit our Facebook page by clicking here or simply head on over to www.facebook.com/madeinx

Clalaclan Phirias semi-sideview profile

Sideview profile

Her mean-looking winged boots

Check out that weapon folks...

Coming soon to Made in X...

A quick view of things to come on Made in X

This is just a small teaser of what you guys can expect in the coming days here on Made in X, or you can also check out from time to time our Facebook page by clicking on this link and see the complete photo set that will unravel soon...

Happy Meal toy collection: The Smurfs

A couple of days ago my sister and I decided to get ourselves a McDonalds (Philippines) Happy Meal and this August, they're giving us the cute and lovable blue creatures we all love... The Smurfs! Since we had our Happy Meals delivered at home, a McDonalds representative was kind enough to have the delivery man bring with him some of the Smurfs toys for us to choose. Of course my sister chose Smurfette while I picked the Brainy Smurf figure with a huge toaster that he uses as a catapult or something. Actually I've seen the entire, if not some of the Smurfs toys in this month's Happy Meal collection and they're quite good and worth having as well.

Brainy Smurf toy figure with huge toaster (McDonalds Happy Meal line for August)

As soon as we were done with our food, I immediately went up back to my room and got my camera ready and took some snapshots of my Brainy Smurf and toaster figure. My sister is hoping to get the other Smurfs toys sometime soon and so I might as well join in the fray and purchase my next Smurf character to be added to my collection.

Iron Man Mark III and Mark V miniature figures

HBO Asia finally premiered the movie "Iron Man 2" a couple of days ago and it was just as awesome as ever! Aside from the fact that Tony Stark gets to whoop Whiplash's ass, the movie also featured the debut of James Rupert "Rhodey" Rhodes' badass alter-ego, War Machine! I was so drawn to that movie that I even got to watch one of its scheduled reruns yesterday. Though I've got to admit that my liking for Iron Man isn't as huge and "hardcore" as my adoration for my childhood comic book hero Ghost Rider, but there is something about this superhero that really kicks butt... maybe it's the cool suits or Tony Stark's attitude and flair for rock and punk music, kinda hard to say... but altogether, personally, Iron Man is a-OK!

Iron Man Mark V

Iron Man Mark III

It was recently that I got to buy my very first Iron Man Mark VI miniature figure which was on sale at Toys R' Us in Trinoma, the entire collection from Hasbro consists of five figures, three Iron Man suit versions, the Tactical Assault Drone and War Machine. But it seems that the Drone and War Machine figures are nowhere to be found for unexplained reasons, so I decided to finally complete the entire Iron Man suits by purchasing earlier this afternoon the Mark III and Mark V figs which are still available at Toy Kingdom The Block (SM North EDSA).


I'm still keeping my hopes high that someday, somehow, somewhere I might be able to find the two missing figures from the collection, but for now I'm just going to enjoy these ones first...

Toys and Creative Lighting

Earlier today (or make that yesterday) I decided to spend a little more time in having a little "trial and error" moment with my camera as I was bent on learning the tricks of the trade when it comes to applying creative lighting principles to my toy photography. Having to photograph your toys in low-light situations posed as a big challenge for me since I have tried it over a dozen times yet failed to capture that perfect mood over and over again. Whenever I get too lazy to take out my DSLR, my next best option would be using my trusty ol' point and shooter... but it made me realize later on that some of these compact digital cameras have their limit, and attempting to do low-light photography with a digital point and shoot camera resulted in poor, disappointing photo quality, oftentimes getting grainy pictures with a lot of noise going on. So it was high time to take out the big guns and let 'em do all the work for you.


After spending a good number of hours inside my room trying all the different shooting modes that you can find on the dial, I personally find the Shutter Priority mode to be the appropriate one for me since the camera captures only the details that you wanted to see on your subject while it gets enveloped in a background of total blackness. Using a mini LED flashlight and a gashapon figure of Rei Ayanami from the anime Evangelion as my subject, I was somehow making progress with my trial and error with creative lighting though I know I still have a long way to go in perfecting that skill. But as I look back and compare the previous photos with the ones I took earlier, I can humbly say that everything looks more better now than it used to be. Here are some samples of the test shots I did:

Rei Ayanami test shot 1

Rei Ayanami test shot 2

Rei Ayanami test shot 3

Great buys: Iron Man 2 3-inch action figure from Hasbro

For the longest time I wasn't able to get myself a new toy for my collection since I have been stuck inside the house, most of the time doing nothing for some unexplained reason... maybe I was just too lazy to go out or I might be just too conscious to spend my money on cab fare since getting a taxi nowadays is gold, so to speak. It was only last July 16 (Saturday) that I got the chance to buy me a toy when I visited the Toys R' Us branch in Trinoma while waiting for my other buddies to appear for our 15th anniversary celebration at Yakimix. After getting my sister the Moxie Girlz Alice in Wonderland edition, I headed towards the action figures section where luckily I still found a number of Iron Man 2 3-inch toy figures being sold on sale for only Php 100 each.

Iron Man 2 Mark VI edition from Hasbro

These Iron Man 2 miniatures have been selling at Toy Kingdom and Toys R' Us for quite a while now and since they are still in circulation, I never hesitated to get myself one or else I might regret it later if they decide to take it off the shelves one of these days! Looking at the back of the packaging, the line-up consists of 5 action figures which comprises the Iron Man Mark III, Mark V, Mark VI, the Tactical Assault Drone and of course War Machine. So far only the three Iron Man versions are available in both stores but the Tactical Assault Drone and War Machine figures are rather elusive and nowhere to be found! It really sucks big time since I've been constantly searching for the War Machine figure in every shop or stall that I went to but to no avail. I'm pretty sure that sooner or later I'll be able to complete all three Iron Man figures, but I won't rest until I get myself that elusive War Machine fig to finally complete my collection.

Discovering a world of toys at CSCentrl.com...

I was Makati-bound last July 02 to drop by my friend’s place and help him work on the light box I have promised, and since he still lacks a couple of things needed to make one, we went straight to Greenbelt One and bought most of the stuff at National Bookstore. As soon as we were done with our task, we decided to hang out for a while since I rarely go to Makati and leaving Greenbelt that soon would be such a waste of opportunity. Of course one of the things listed on my agenda is to check out the toy shops there and since my pal Adi knows the place by heart, he led the way and it wasn’t for long that we stumbled upon Great Toys… there were a lot of goodies in store but unfortunately I wasn’t able to find anything that was affordable enough to fit my budget and all I did was drool at all the figures and collectibles on display. On our next stop Adi showed me this other toy shop called CSCentrl.com and as soon as we entered the store, I immediately got this groovy feeling that I’m into something good… and I even told Adi that I’m pretty sure I might be able to take home some lovelies for my toy collection, and so I wasted no time in switching on my radar and do some serious toy hunting inside this new-found toy oasis!

CSCentrl.com's awesome line of toys for sale

Gashapons and anime figures galore

As soon as you enter CSCentrl.com you’ll be greeted with a tower-like glass display on the left loaded with anime figures and other toys, but once you get inside, there’s this even bigger glass display behind the shop’s counter stuffed with literally a sea of gashapon figures, and the neat thing about it is that you can get to buy the figs individually… Olleh! Since I’m a random toy collector and buying toy figures in sets was never really my cup of tea, it was a good thing this awesome shop sells some, if not all of their anime figures by the piece! Adi was eyeing on several items there while I on the other hand have spotted a couple of possible candidates to be added to my growing collection of toys. The owner, Raymond (Sorry folks, I was too overwhelmed with the toys on display that I forgot to ask for his surname), was there at that time and he was so friendly and accommodating that he treats his walk-in customers like his buddies, a plus factor for me since shop owners with good and commendable customer-relation skills can make or break one’s impression as a first-time customer walking into their respective stores. I left CSCentrl.com with two gashapons on hand and went back to Adi’s place and worked on his light box the rest of the evening. Though I may not be able to visit the place regularly since I live in Quezon City but I will definitely drop by that cool toy shop as soon as I get the chance to visit Adi’s place once more… or if by fate that I strangely find myself wandering within the Makati area.


CSCentrl.com is located at the 2nd floor of Greenbelt One, Ayala Commercial Center, Makati City or you can visit their official website at cscentrl.com

10th Philippine Toy Convention 2011: Mission Accomplished!

My mission to attend my very first ToyCon event has been accomplished! It was truly an experience and somehow I have managed to make it through a mad crowd of enthusiastic toy collectors and cosplay lovers who came in droves and filled the entire three Megatrade Halls at the 5th Level of the SM Megamall even on its second and last day (June 19/Sunday), it was wild, crazy and very much tiring!... borrowing a quote from Resident Evil 3's Jill Valentine "... Somehow, I'm still alive..." According to ToyCon's Cholo Mallillin, the second day of the event summed up an attendance of 20,000 strong and no wonder this annual event is considered to be Asia's biggest toy convention to date.


The mere thought of having to escape the hustle and bustle of a huge crowd by going there on the second day wasn't really much of a good idea since it was literally filled to the rafters and it caused a huge frenzy even outside the premises of the event, and the mall's security personnel were having a bit of a hard time reminding the crowd of cosplayers and curious onlookers through their megaphones to clear the designated aisles for the other mall shoppers later that day. Having to arrive there shortly before lunch, the people inside were still manageable and not that crowded so I took the opportunity to take some photos for my blog and for my Facebook page and at the same time did a little toy hunting and shopping as well. Though it was a pity that I never got to purchase more stuff than what I had in my stash since the people started coming in and gradually we became like packed sardines in a can, and jumping from one booth to another was a struggle and you can't fully focus on the goods on display as well since people would bump into you from behind and you have to be mindful about your belongings... most especially your wallets! But nonetheless I still went home with a few souvenirs in tow to celebrate this first-timer's triumphant journey to the annual ToyCon event.


Despite having two sore legs and almost on the verge of collapsing from all the walking I did inside the venue, I can say it was truly worth it! Maybe I've learned a lesson or two from my first encounter with this recent convention and by the next ToyCon in 2012, I'm more prepared and I know now what to do next time so I can carefully map out my strategy in dividing my time for business and leisure. By the way guys, here are some of the photos I took during the event:


(*Click on the images for larger view and more photos inside)

Bearbricks, Munnys, Dunnys and designer toys galore at the Secret Fresh booth