Asmus Toys - Thranduil

[Bucky Underbelly]

Asmus, is this rumored "new" Thranduil part of the Crown line?

 

[agentghost]

i hope they re release this since I missed the 1st release, since long sold out

 

[WhatWouldLiquidDo]

i hope they re release this since I missed the 1st release, since long sold out

Yeah me too and I missed that when they found a bunch in their warehouse or something like that and put them back up on the site. I found out too late I was pretty disappointed with that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jlowrey93]

Just picked this guy up, really excited to open him up! Looks like he is still in stock if anyone needs him. I’d post pics if I knew how to.

https://www.neogeektoys.com/collect.../products/asmus-toys-1-6-the-hobbit-thranduil

 

[Sankari]

I still think the issue with Thranduil is that people need to fuzz him, but its one of my favourite figures

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

He looks great there! Nice.

I think getting his hair to lay flat makes a big difference with the likeness.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Sankari, your's is one of the best looking Thranduils that I've seen. Great job.

 

[BagginsOfBagEnd]

Nice pics Sankari!

 

[asgardianboy]

Seen @ Asmus booth @ SDCC 2019:




This would be a fully finished prototype of the v2 Thranduil whose head Sassafras discussed here:

https://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162334&p=10130857&viewfull=1#post10130857

...and here:

https://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162334&p=10131457&viewfull=1#post10131457


BTW unless there actually was a VERY RECENT 2nd production run of Thranduil (was there?), I can't believe that story of one new WIP proto head taking a trip out of Asmus' desing center, ending up being mounted on a fig on some production line at Asmus' factory, especially when that figure's production run ended years before the new proto was even thought of for the first time.

Anyway here finally is Thrandie V2 in proto form.
I have tried for a long while, yet I haven't been able to say for sure whether this is an improvement from the 1.0 proto or not. I FEEL it is, but I'd need more data to be able to put my finger on the differences, especially when you look at marketing stuff for v1.0's prototype, e.g.:



...which looks essentially the same.


Some ideas I'd like to put forward for discussion:

0) Damn it... no throne... no ceremonial robes... Same thing again....... :-(


0.5) Maybe someone could have or find more pics of this new proto?


1) Maybe the hair is now rooted without that inaccurate part line running through the middle of the top of the head? Because v1 was rooted like that, right? And no matter how much you futzed it, because of the hair been structured to follow the part line, it was difficult to impossible to get it combed backwards naturally and flat to the head, right?


2) Maybe hair next to the temples is now rooted (like on Sassafra's unit), which should look better. Because it was sculpted on v1, right? I'd say it was:



3) Unlike Sassafra's unit, skin looks full tan instead of pale (I hope production will follow suit), but eyes INDEED LOOK VERY DARK on this v2 proto!! They were supposed to be light blue or light green, right?


4) Maybe the head is smaller and narrower?


5) Torso armour seems the same *****-enhancer job as v1's. It should be flatter, longer (its lower end reaching up to wrist level) and wider at chest level:



6) Metal plates of the shoulder armour should reach almost to the elbows (see ref pic above), but they still don't.
And what is with those wing things hanging off the shoulder armour? That was not in v1, right?:



7) Greaves still the same: too thick and not form-fit enough.


8) Shouldn't the "skirt" (or lower end of the robe) have a piece hanging on the front...? (see picture above)
Those extremely simple pants shouldn't be so visible. Doesn't look Hollywood-esque enough...
Anyway, the lower end might have a wire on v2.0 (because v1.0 had none there, right?).


RfC
m.

 

[Sankari]

Sankari, your's is one of the best looking Thranduils that I've seen. Great job.

Nice pics Sankari!

Thanks, I removed his tiara, ajusted his hair with a little white glue and water, also gave him some pastels. I guess what really improved it is how much closer the strands are to his actual head

 

[Sassafras]

Seen @ Asmus booth @ SDCC 2019:


This would be a fully finished prototype of the v2 Thranduil whose head Sassafras discussed here:

https://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162334&p=10130857&viewfull=1#post10130857

...and here:

https://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162334&p=10131457&viewfull=1#post10131457


BTW unless there actually was a VERY RECENT 2nd production run of Thranduil (was there?), I can't believe that story of one new WIP proto head taking a trip out of Asmus' desing center, ending up being mounted on a fig on some production line at Asmus' factory, especially when that figure's production run ended years before the new proto was even thought of for the first time.

Anyway here finally is Thrandie V2 in proto form.
I have tried for a long while, yet I haven't been able to say for sure whether this is an improvement from the 1.0 proto or not. I FEEL it is, but I'd need more data to be able to put my finger on the differences, especially when you look at marketing stuff for v1.0's prototype, e.g.:

View attachment 462486

...which looks essentially the same.

Umm - I haven't been at the ASMUS site for a while, or even that much on the board - real life gettin' in the way lately.

So, OK, a few weeks ago I accepted an offer from ASMUS to exchange the head I received for the original. IMO one could go back and forth over which head is better - at least from what I saw. But for me, I had accidently received a prototype head which wasn't completed. E.g. there was a big gap where the hair fit to the head - also I just wanted consistency especially since I have another Thranduil. It was a foul up at the production facility. Worse, there was an e-bay auction with the same head I had. So it happened more than once.

Unless ASMUS weighs in, don't think they are re-releasing Thranduil with a different head. What's weird is that at SDCC this new prototype head is being displayed.
I ASSUME they have another Thranduil in planning, but far as I know GTG, Galadriel, GTW are up for release next. I ASSUME that maybe next year we will get a brand new Thranduil.

IMO anything else is minor production differences.

Anyway I haven't had the chance to even thank ASMUS or post pics or anything. So if they read this, I very much appreciate the excellent customer service and am very happy with having the "original" head. Was also happy to maybe help out ASMUS a tiny bit as it would annoy me if mistakes are being boxed and shipped.
Maybe the new head got displayed at SDCC 'coz someone keeps dropping the ball, or they are just out of original heads?

If ASMUS is doing another Thranduil, it's a nice sculpt - but needs some tweaks. For one thing in hand, proportionally, to me it looked the tiniest bit small on the original armored body. But I am hoping they are doing a gowned Thranduil with throne, where there wouldn't be the shoulder bulk of the armor. More of a slim, elegant figure.

EDIT: Oct 2019
The original Thranduil seems to be available for now on Amazon, and was sold out just about everywhere, priced at retail. Posting this as some missed getting him. Tho ASMUS - don't know - may possibly have a new version planned. Maybe.

 

[DCFett]

Asmus, great to meet you all at SDCC. Thanks for confirming Thranduil light. Will not miss it this time around!

 

[Popnfresh98]

Thanks, I removed his tiara, ajusted his hair with a little white glue and water, also gave him some pastels. I guess what really improved it is how much closer the strands are to his actual head

Is it easy to remove the tiara without damaging anything? It looks so much improved that I feel I need to go for it too, but I’m not one to usually mod my figures so feel a bit of trepidation.

 

[Asmus]

no we don't really recommend removing it because the tiara is glued on

 

[asgardianboy]

no we don't really recommend removing it because the tiara is glued on

Mr Asmus, must we consider the figure we saw at SDCC2019 a final sample of your Thranduil 2.0?
Will the head be sold independently? It seems to be the only thing that changed.
Thanks,
m.

 

[agentghost]

no we don't really recommend removing it because the tiara is glued on

when and where we can pre order the Thranduil 2.0?

 

[TheRiddler32?]

when and where we can pre order the Thranduil 2.0?

^ This!

 

[Sassafras]

Suppose it's maybe the effect of Thranduil's Mirkwood spores or maybe this could be called "headgate".

So my newest Thranduil rolled in, from Amazon, and once again there's either a NEW head or a prototype head that somehow has ended up on any number of figures. Haven't worked out how I feel about this yet, but am debating returning. Suppose u could argue which head is better, but a couple of things:

1) VS original head, the assembly/production isn't as good IMO. There's huge gap at the back of the neck and ears, like whoever produced this just said *&^% it and jammed wig on. Sloppy and not "high end".

2) On this body, the head seems the tiniest bit too small; and the original neck? IMO is now too thick. Like, it worked fine for original head, but while you don't see as easily due to costume, IMO the neck doesn't work.

3) This head is *pretty* but I dunno - elves may be ageless but seems a bit of a too-young effect. Maybe. IMO the wig is still too thin, if this is supposed to be an upgrade.

Anyway ASMUS was nice enough to exchange a head for me before, but this is all just too weird! So, however Amazon got their hands on a batch of sold out figures, if u get one of these, u might not get the head that's on the box. I don't know if ASMUS changed production in the middle of things, or what. Oh - and this head's eyes are pretty dark. Thranduil has distinctly blue eyes, even if some film shots make them look darker, like Thorin's.



Yeah, guess it's going back to Amazon... tho not like I don't already have Thranduil So weird!
PS. There are marks on the jaw from dye transfer, gotta watch those fabrics and/or plastic wrap neck for shipping. Also Amazon doesn't use a shipping box per se, it's just an Amazon box. Original fig to the right - I just feel like the original had more work done on it.







I don't even think this head is supposed to be in circulation, but IMO ASMUS needs to yell at their factory. U can kind of see it here that the neck looks enormous with this head.

 

[TheRiddler32?]

Can we get a SLIM re-release of this guy already please???

 

[Sassafras]

Wow, collectors be CRAZY. Or, at least maybe I should get some help ('Tis the season!)

Well, ASMUS, if u ever see this - so, yeah, I had fussed about the latest? or new-er or whatever sculpt, and true, I do think it needs some tweaks (blue-er eyes, tiniest bit bigger if on the same body, fix gap with wig). But then I thought, you know, the sculpt reminds me a lot of the lighting - and Thranduil's look - in the Battle of Five Armies. There's all this stuff in the WETA Chronicles books about how the crew worked to achieve the effect of "northern light" - the way sunlight looks in areas like Norway etc., as Laketown and Erebor are far north in Middle Earth.

A lot of BOFA shots Thranduil is very pale, almost pearl-like. For all I know, this is the reference ASMUS used when Thranduil's sculpt was redone.

View attachment 470637

Anyway I turned around and re-ordered him from Amazon.

So, I have the original Thranduil, and this one, and I don't duplicate all my figs - but this one stays. There's something haunting about Thranduil and this was always a spectacular fig - playing around with Thranduil and Thorin today, just thanks ASMUS for doing such beautiful work on my two favorite Middle Earth film characters! Reading other threads it's great u engage with the fans, and care about what you are doing.

Also re the Amazon series set in the Second Age of Middle Earth - Thorin wouldn't have been alive, but Thranduil was - the series apparently will wind up with the Battle of the Last Alliance. So it's cool to have a character like Thranduil ahead of time, even if he doesn't show up in the series. (If that really happens hopefully Thranduil's father Oropher will show up).

Anyone reading this who's interested there's still a few Thranduil, Bilbo, Thorin and Arwen left at the moment - dunno where Amazon got these from, but suspect there won't be a re-stock even if Amazon sez there is more on the way. 'Coz ASMUS never makes that many of anything. I guess Amazon's stock has the "new" Thranduil head.

A few cell shots of the new addition - Thranduil's hair had more doll wax or product than I like, so he got a wash with some warm water and conditioner - make his hair all silky elf hair







IMO 2 of ASMUS' best so far. Just need Dwalin, battle-Thorin, and Thranduil on his throne now.