Anyone felt 1/6 has hit a bottle neck in terms of realism?

[DeltaForceChung]

They will only be Trek, but, they are giving the fans exactly what they want and what they ask for.

--

Oh, yeah?

I still haven't seen female 1:6 nude seamless figures of Uhura, Yeoman Rand, Orion Slave Girls, Counselor Troi, Doctor Crusher, etc.

 

[DeltaForceChung]

There's defo an appetite for more realistic 1/6, but only time will tell how lucrative it will be. Competition is good as for every JND piece you get queen at a better price point. Although luckily for these companies, there are many collectors who won't take the above advice and just want the next best thing

--

For some, the next best thing is close/good enough for them depending on the price.

For others with the financial means and zero hesitation, the best for them is the relentless pursuit of 1:6 perfection.

It's like being involved with a high-maintenance bikini model girlfriend who is a "10".

 

[Rogerbee]

--

Oh, yeah?

I still haven't seen female 1:6 nude seamless figures of Uhura, Yeoman Rand, Orion Slave Girls, Counselor Troi, Doctor Crusher, etc.

7 of 9 is on her way, so we'll see how she turns out. After that, well, we'll see.....

 

[potato]

Necks and head/neck attachment & aesthetics are a big peeve of mine with Hot Toys.

However, if we're talking about maintaining articulation at the base of the head itself (as opposed to at the base of the neck), I don't know how seamless becomes a thing - not to mention the ever-present concerns about deterioration over time which, if it happened, would ultimately be a worse thing than a permanent visible joint.

I just wish Hot Toys put more effort into necks and making ball-joint heads as un-intrusive to the aesthetics as possible. I'd love to have a Henry Cavill Superman but I don't because I cannot stomach the hideous, stick-up-the-arse, giraffe-necked appearance of those figures.

They have a certain set of doll-bodies that they reuse over and over instead of tailoring each body to each character. Muscle-men characters all seem to get these undetailed skin-barrels for necks and with the head just haphazardly plopped on top of it - sculpts can be badly cut off to make them fit these standardized bull-necks in ways that are aesthetically bad, detrimental to a likeness and just generally unnatural looking - what I earlier described as the stick-up-the-arse appearance - when a person tenses up and pulls their chin into their neck. The aforementioned Cavill Supermen (BvS & Justice League anyway) and DX10 T-800 to me have always looked like they are doing this. I believe it happens when they hollow out the headsculpt too much behind the chin to fit it to the neck, making the face look too retracted in a profile view. And all this to say nothing of actual visible gaps between heads and necks, especially when turning a head or tilting it.

NECA does a better job on this - and I know that's because they don't use standardized doll-bodies - each body has to get special attention. The ball-joint heads on NECA's Dutch from Predator and Sarah Connor from Dark Fate come to mind as extremely well done aesthetically while being perfectly functional without exposing gaps. I feel like a high-end company specializing in realism should be able to give us the same and they all too often don't.

the thing about neca is the body contains the outfit so they have to have custom bodies. some reuse the original mold but added details. but neca only need to focus on the vody, they dont need to focus on tailoring the costumes, they are also smaller so the cost of making them are probably lower.

1/6 could have gone modular, so they can mix and match closest to the source.

 

[potato]

If you'd have asked a few months ago, then yes. However queen and jnd are on their way to shake things up

not sure how they made the wrist but looks seamless.

 

[potato]

--

That along with bank accounts, credit cards, and wallets being horribly violated further.

Get the lubricant ready and continue those squatting exercises.

judging from how prices just go up not doen, i dont see figures at such high level will ever be affordableto majority collectors..maybe we can hope for a 1/12 version for $200. so yea i dont zee myself continue with this hobby.

 

[potato]

Any more realism and you're just asking for the already crazy prices to get way out of control. I don't even think you can expect the newly injected competition to bring that down either.

I'm fine with the realism where it is. There's occasional hiccups that we can't fathom (Peacemaker) but Hot Toys hit a nice peak since around 2016-2018. By the time I get out of the game in 2025, I'll have most of the characters I need. Then there will be the occasional 1-2 figures per year that I may pick up.

ahah until v3.0 pops up that puts your current figures to shame.

 

[potato]

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I'm preaching to the choir.

If we want more precise realism, design, and higher quality, then it'll cost more regardless of competition and consumer sentiment.

Everything costs $ and no business/company ever stated they'll take a loss/lose money just to give a better product to consumers while going out of business.

The goal of any business is to make money/profit. That's capitalism right, wrong, and indifferent.

Some viewpoints expressed here and elsewhere at times come across as ignorantly demanding filet mignon for the price of cheap hamburger.

With the current economy, even hamburger is getting unaffordable.

The 1:6 hobby is not a need. It's a want and discretionary spending at that.

At the end of the day, if everything reaches the price point where it's no longer reasonable, then I and others will be out. Plain and simple. I'm not even going to address how some will continue to max out their credit cards, etc. just to stay in the hobby. That's financial suicide. We all know there are collectors within this group and elsewhere who does it.

So think about what's being "demanded"/"expected". Clearly, there are some who just don't. Everything have consequences/ramifications.

but what about cars? yes car prices increase every new model but gradually. yet everytime a new model comes up it comes with improvement (ok looks can be subjective). why? because competition is tough if you do not innovate or jack up prices people will go elsewhere.

 

[potato]

Heh-heh, good choice of words there.

Advice to those of you collectors that are younger than 45: Most of us here are part of this financially unhealthy branch of art/hoarding. Don't get so hooked on this stuff that you don't know when to back down/back out.

1. Identify your top 5 properties you love
2. Break down what form you like most within them (example: G.I. Joe is my number 1 but I don't do anything except 1/12 & 1/6 scale).
3. Identify your saturation point. What would you need to have before you're all good (example: you're into Batman. By this point, have you gotten enough)?
4. Cut out what you don't "need" (example: from my G.I. Joe love stated above - I don't need Shipwreck. I've also stayed away from Super 7's releases).
5. Identify a stopping point. Do you really see yourself still purchasing as much per/year at age 60? You can't take these with you!

i say go with what you feel when you see something. my top figures are usually not from some franchise i really love, and usually considered oddballs but i just love them. they might not be the best looking. diving into a franchise can be really deadly ahem star wars, marvels, dc, g.i joe. these are money pits that were created just to sell more merchandise you can never catch up with the game as long the ip survives.

 

[potato]

--

I'm preaching to the choir.

If we want more precise realism, design, and higher quality, then it'll cost more regardless of competition and consumer sentiment.

Everything costs $ and no business/company ever stated they'll take a loss/lose money just to give a better product to consumers while going out of business.

The goal of any business is to make money/profit. That's capitalism right, wrong, and indifferent.

Some viewpoints expressed here and elsewhere at times come across as ignorantly demanding filet mignon for the price of cheap hamburger.

With the current economy, even hamburger is getting unaffordable.

The 1:6 hobby is not a need. It's a want and discretionary spending at that.

At the end of the day, if everything reaches the price point where it's no longer reasonable, then I and others will be out. Plain and simple. I'm not even going to address how some will continue to max out their credit cards, etc. just to stay in the hobby. That's financial suicide. We all know there are collectors within this group and elsewhere who does it.

So think about what's being "demanded"/"expected". Clearly, there are some who just don't. Everything have consequences/ramifications.

well problem is wage increment doesnt tally with inflation. look at 1/6 in the 90's vs 2010's, the quality difference is night and day. price went up about x2. but compare the 2010's with 2020's, how much improvement are we seeing HT while their prices went from $150 to $300? look at other new 3rd parties that are selling improved figures at 2010's pricing. either ht believes they can continue selling same quality figures for more, or their licensing fee went crazy.

 

[generalszabo]

not sure how they made the wrist but looks seamless.

By having switchout hands that are connected to the forearm

 

[DeltaForceChung]

Heh-heh, good choice of words there.

Advice to those of you collectors that are younger than 45: Most of us here are part of this financially unhealthy branch of art/hoarding. Don't get so hooked on this stuff that you don't know when to back down/back out.

1. Identify your top 5 properties you love
2. Break down what form you like most within them (example: G.I. Joe is my number 1 but I don't do anything except 1/12 & 1/6 scale).
3. Identify your saturation point. What would you need to have before you're all good (example: you're into Batman. By this point, have you gotten enough)?
4. Cut out what you don't "need" (example: from my G.I. Joe love stated above - I don't need Shipwreck. I've also stayed away from Super 7's releases).
5. Identify a stopping point. Do you really see yourself still purchasing as much per/year at age 60? You can't take these with you!

--

Let's see . . . and away we go!

1. GI JOE, pretty much anything female figure, military, figures inspired by films, comic book related figures.

2. Primarily 1:6 with a few deviations into 1:12 and 1:18.

3.

4. Hard to cut out.

5. I'll be dead and buried with my 1:6 collection before I reach the age of 60.

 

[Rogerbee]

"Owww, hihi!" "Michael, take your hand off there, this is no time for that sort of thing! You got crabs or something!?"

As my budget got smaller, so did the figures! What I now pay for 7" figures was what I started paying for 12".

 

[DeltaForceChung]

"Owww, hihi!" "Michael, take your hand off there, this is no time for that sort of thing! You got crabs or something!?"

As my budget got smaller, so did the figures! What I now pay for 7" figures was what I started paying for 12".

--

Wait until 1:12 actually costs as much as high end 1:6. It's slowly trending in that direction.

"I demand the same level of detail and quality for 1:12 figures just like 1:6!"

"What do you mean it'll be more expensive?! How dare you burst my unrealistic demands?!"

 

[Rogerbee]

What first sparked things for me was modded 1/35 Tamiya. My best friend's brother was into that in the 80's. That said, even a pack of those figures is getting costly. That and I might not be able to see them properly through my glasses!

 

[nexus]

The materials and artistic capability has been there for at least 10-15 years, when you look at some of the high end customs that have been made. It's just been a matter of setting up a mass production model that unites three primary drivers:

1. a more labor- and skill-intensive production workflow that incorporates well trained, specialized artisans
2. a willing owner(s) of a desirable license(s)
3. a marketable price point

Because HT has been leading the pack and steadily pushing up the price point of a standard 1:6 figure close to the $300 mark (nearly a 100% increase in a decade), I think the market has gotten to a point where the model for "premium" 1:6 figures now makes sense.

Sure Queen and JND are going to put out versions that will compete head-to-head with Hot Toys in terms of quality and pricing. However, with all the works (rooted hair, premium paint, swappable arms with seamless wrist joints, etc.) the premium versions are essentially going to be $500 figures. Most characters aren't going to have two iconic looks that folks will be willing to fork over $1K for like HL Joker, so the $499 premium single figure is coming.

Assuming QS/JND are able to pull off custom-quality mass produced figures, it's a smart strategy because I'd guess 10%-15% of collectors would be willing to pay an extra $200 to leap to the premium level.

Just for the sake of argument, say they have a production run of 2,500 total pieces—broken out as follows:

• 1,750 standard figures @ $289/per (HT quality or slightly better)
• 450 deluxe figures @ 369/per (alternative look, extra portrait and/or extra accessories)
• 300 premium figures at either $499/per (rooted hair, upgraded paint, extra accessories) or $999/2-pack (such as Interrogation/Hit Me Joker or Gandalf the Gray/Gandalf the White)

So, instead of grossing $722,500 (2500 x $289), under this model they'd gross $819,700 ($499 premium figure model) or $969,700 ($999 premium 2-pack model).

My guess is Queen and JND have set up a special "A-team" of painters and hair rooters to handle the premium figures. Even if that costs them an extra $100 in labor and material per figure it would still be be an additional $100 or more profit per.

While HT already offers deluxe options, I wouldn't be surprised to see them offer a premium version for some of their future releases if QS and JND are successful and continue getting attention. Competition forces innovation.

Invariably, folks are going to complain regardless. But as long as nobody abandons the standard end and prices level off for a while, the market will continue to grow.

 

[DeltaForceChung]

Invariably, folks are going to complain regardless. But as long as nobody abandons the standard end and prices level off for a while, the market will continue to grow.

--

I have doubts about that, but only time will tell.

 

[Rogerbee]

Some people can barely afford to take their kids to the cinema to see the movie. £12 for one adult ticket! Reality bites, and it's getting harder to hide the teethmarks!

 

[potato]

i

By having switchout hands that are connected to the forearm

By having switchout hands that are connected to the forearm

i see so it feels more like modular system since different outfit requires different exposure, only do seamless on areas noticeable.

 

[potato]

Some people can barely afford to take their kids to the cinema to see the movie. £12 for one adult ticket! Reality bites, and it's getting harder to hide the teethmarks!

yet overpriced luxury watches are sought after. maybe the increase of price can make a break through into the rich people market that they no longer be seen as toys or dollies. but most of us would have to seek other hobbies.