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[Flintty]

A bit nervous about posting this (my first OT) and not sure if there's demand for it (the old thread was locked). But it's a big passion of mine so here goes!

Action. noun: the fact or process of doing something
Figure. noun: a representation of a human or animal form in drawing or sculpture

This thread is a love letter to kids of the 70s, 80s and 90s. A generation of kids who were on the cusp of the digital revolution. Yes, we had our Nintendo, SEGA and PlayStation consoles, Atari's, Amiga's C64s etc but we also had other cool experiences; We built dens in woods, rode our bikes for miles, pulled toys and gadgets out of our cereal boxes, and very important to me, we had these cool things called action figures and play sets! Life had balance. Life was awesome. Some of us haven't let go of that life.

If you played with Transformers, Thundercats, He-Man, Action Force (GI Joe in US), M.A.S.K, Marvel Legends, Star Wars, Centurions, Visionaries [the list goes on and on] in action figure form, and you have a sense of nostalgia for them, then this thread is for you.

This is a celebration of all things action figure, both vintage and modern. Come and share your memories, collections and any other thoughts on action figures.


Where to buy?

US: I've heard you guys are fond of www.bigbadtoystore.com www.megalopolis.toys and www.sideshowtoy.com. I often use Sideshow for orders to the UK too.
UK: www.staractionfigures.co.uk www.zavvi.co.uk www.forbiddenplanet.com www.collectiblesdirect.co.uk
Japanese imports: www.nin-nin-game.com www.amiami.com www.hlj.com
Do let me know if you have a store you'd like to add to the OP.

Who's who?

Hasbro: Probably the largest toy operation in the west. Transformers, Marvel, Star Wars, GI Joe - they have it all. And they have really stepped up on quality lately, in the face of tough competition. Usually around $20 / £20. 1/12 scale (6").

NECA: These guys are currently the king of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Alien. Also doing some sweet Back to the Future figures, and excellent horror movie figs. Usually in 7" scale. $20 - $30.

Hot Toys: A Chinese company specialising in real life looking 1/6 scale (12") figures. Expensive, but rather damn nice. Cost? Lol - you'll need a couple hundred at least.

Figma from Good Smile Co. : A Japanese firm specialising in approx 6" scale figures, usually based on anime or video games. These are often excellent quality plastic but you have to pay for it. Usually around $40 - $60 (depending on exchange rate). Good Smile also make Nendoroids, a stylised stubby chibi type figure.

S.H Figuarts: Another Japanese manufacturer. If you want higher quality Marvel or Star Wars figures, these are the figures you want. Excellent quality but again, $40 - $60 per figure (depending on exchange rate).

Medicom Mafex: Another quality Japanese manufacturer. Can be hit and miss on robustness and quality but when they hit, they hit nicely. Currently covering Star Wars, Marvel and other licenses. $40 - $60 (depending on exchange rate).

Mezco One:12: 6” scale figures with fabric clothes on. These things are like mini hot toys in the tailoring department but the head sculpts are a bit soft. I don’t have any yet but they look pretty decent.

There are more manufacturers out there, but these are some of my current favourites.

Now for some photos from my collection (Apologies for the poor quality photos)

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Does your Mafex Wolverine have the issue where the bicep pops off the shoulder if you try and take advantage of the double jointed elbows?

 

[Flintty]

Does your Mafex Wolverine have the issue where the bicep pops off the shoulder if you try and take advantage of the double jointed elbows?

No I think I got lucky. I can bend both elbows fully and it doesn’t pop off

 

[Flintty]

My most recent orders. These guys don’t transform but they’re an excellent representation of G1 Transformers. From Hasbro at £20 a pop.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

til Figmas are action figures.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

til Figmas are action figures.

It used to be a term solely used to describe toys with some kind of action feature or gimmick, but nowadays it's basically associated with anything that has a decent amount of articulation.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Poseable figures sound dorky I guess.

 

[Flintty]

Poseable figures sound dorky I guess.

That’s a superb figure. I haven’t even played the game and I want it

 

[Flintty]

Keeping with the videogame figure theme, I’ve been wanting a good detailed Lich King for a long time. I have the NECA 7” scale which you can see in the OT but Beast Kingdom are doing something which looks like it could be so much better. I have one on order - it’s a bit pricey but hopefully worth it.

 

[ManaByte]

Went to Walmart today and they had the entire Wave 1 of GI Joe on the shelf, with only 1 Destro left.

Fastest $100 I ever spent.

 

[ManaByte]

Holy shit the GI Joes are awesome. They have holsters and pegs for all of their accessories.

 

[Flintty]

Went to Walmart today and they had the entire Wave 1 of GI Joe on the shelf, with only 1 Destro left.

Fastest $100 I ever spent.

Excellent haul. I’ve got Snake Eyes on order, for pure nostalgia. I really wanted the light blue Cobra Commander. He’s US only via Hasbro Pulse but someone on an action figure forum has ordered one for me. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop at two.

 

[ManaByte]

Excellent haul. I’ve got Snake Eyes on order, for pure nostalgia. I really wanted the light blue Cobra Commander. He’s US only via Hasbro Pulse but someone on an action figure forum has ordered one for me. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop at two.

Just pre-ordered Cobra Commander and Gung-Ho on Amazon.

They're out of the exclusive Storm Shadow and never posted Red Ninja

I'll get Pimp Destro from Pulse.

Not going to get the Cobra Commander variant I don't think. Only need one.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Holy shit the GI Joes are awesome. They have holsters and pegs for all of their accessories.

You didn't have any issue with the knife going into the sheath? Wonder if you got lucky or if they managed to fix the issue in later shipments.

 

[ManaByte]

You didn't have any issue with the knife going into the sheath? Wonder if you got lucky or if they managed to fix the issue in later shipments.

Nah no problem.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

They're out of the exclusive Storm Shadow and never posted Red Ninja

It's still up on Amazon.ca, but I'm not sure if they ship to the US.

 

[ManaByte]

It's still up on Amazon.ca, but I'm not sure if they ship to the US.

Just tried and they won't ship toys internationally.

 

[Flintty]

I got lucky with Storm Shadow. Anticipating he wouldn’t be up in UK I put an order on Amazon US ‘just in case’. I have 5 on order now so it looks like I’m all in on the line

 

[Flintty]

Just seen this on my Instagram. I’d love to get hold of some of these, especially the good guys. Had a lot of fun with them and enjoyed the cartoon when I was a kid.

 

[Sakura Doritos]

Anyone here collect Starriors and Rock Lords? Starriors were an attempt to bring Action figure sized Zoids to the US and has a cool story and comic.

Not my toys but I have these at my childhood home:

Rock Lords were the shit too. Again, Not images of my own but I still own these two from my childhood.

 

[Flintty]

Anyone here collect Starriors and Rock Lords? Starriors were an attempt to bring Action figure sized Zoids to the US and has a cool story and comic.

Not my toys but I have these at my childhood home:

Rock Lords were the shit too. Again, Not images of my own but I still own these two from my childhood.

Ah man I remember Rock Lords from the 80s/90s!

 

[Flying Toaster]

Just seen this on my Instagram. I’d love to get hold of some of these, especially the good guys. Had a lot of fun with them and enjoyed the cartoon when I was a kid.

The vehicles for this toy-line were insane. Some the size of a freaking wagon. I really miss the old toys and the variety they had. This is going to be a great thread.

 

[Flintty]

The vehicles for this toy-line were insane. Some the size of a freaking wagon. I really miss the old toys and the variety they had. This is going to be a great thread.

Yeah as much as I love 6” figureS, a lot of the figures in the 80s/90s were 3-4” scale which meant they could have vehicles. The old GI Joe figures were awesome, I had the massive Tomahawk twin rotor helicopter.

That said, I recently got the Hoth Snow Speeder in 6” scale and it’s a beast! I’ll put some photos up later

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Thankfully I can skip the SDCC exclusive for this year.

Spoiler

 

[Flintty]

Yeah I don’t think I’ll be looking to get them

 

[Flintty]

Some quick photos of the Hasbro Snow Speeder, Dak and the Luke Skywalker pilot figure. This thing makes me feel like a kid again.

 

[kunonabi]

Here are my Figmas:

Started late but I have most of the ones I really wanted. I'm getting the re-issue of Pit which leaves the Space Adventure Cobra figures and the other two Magic Knight Rayearth characters.

I'll put up my S.F. Figurarts next. Those are mostly just Star Wars and Dragonball Z though. I have bunch of MCU stuff but after Endgame I can't really stand looking at them. I let the Captain America figma slide since it's just him and it's cartoony enough to feel like its own thing.

 

[Flintty]

Here are my Figmas:

Started late but I have most of the ones I really wanted. I'm getting the re-issue of Pit which leaves the Space Adventure Cobra figures and the other two Magic Knight Rayearth characters.

I'll put up my S.F. Figurarts next. Those are mostly just Star Wars and Dragonball Z though. I have bunch of MCU stuff but after Endgame I can't really stand looking at them. I let the Captain America figma slide since it's just him and it's cartoony enough to feel like its own thing.

I love the Alien and Predator, wouldn’t mind getting them myself. Space Channel 5 too

 

[kunonabi]

Predator comes with a boat load of accessories too. I know everybody is into the NECA stuff but I really like how the figma turned out personally.

 

[Flintty]

So yesterday Hasbro lunched a crowd finder for a 1/12 scale Sentinel in the Marvel Legends line. This thing is a beast - 26” tall and would look perfect in an X-Men display!

$350 a pop though, but no reasonable way to get it in Europe yet. The goal was 6000 backers and they smashed that in just over a day, and have stretch goals for every extra 1000 backers after, the first being a Mastermould alternative head. I want one

X-Men Legends Marvel’s Sentinel

Click here for instructions. *Limit of 5 per transaction. Its body a towering, technological marvel, the Sentinel scans the world for its quarry, a searching light emanating from its chest, its glowing eyes a warning… and a threat. Programmed with only one objective, to destroy all mutant life...

hasbropulse.com

 

[Xaero Gravity]

 

[Flintty]

Those things are fucking scary

 

[Nymphae]

I have the sideshow collectibles 1/6th R2-D2 which I got as a gift the year TFA came out. If I only knew what was to come....

 

[Flintty]

I have the sideshow collectibles 1/6th R2-D2 which I got as a gift the year TFA came out. If I only knew what was to come....

Excellent set. I assume you had to get C3PO to display with him!

 

[Nymphae]

Excellent set. I assume you had to get C3PO to display with him!

That was the plan, even after TFA. The threepio figure looks so nice. But I lost basically all interest in the franchise in the time since then lol.

 

[ManaByte]

Hasbro doing a GI Joe stream on Friday, but it's probably for the Walmart retro line.

 

[kunonabi]

My Star Wars S.H Figuarts. I'm woefully behind since I really didn't take an interest until Episode II Anakin was announced. Really need to get all the prequel stuff and the big OT releases.

 

[Flintty]

My Star Wars S.H Figuarts. I'm woefully behind since I really didn't take an interest until Episode II Anakin was announced. Really need to get all the prequel stuff and the big OT releases.

You done well to pick up some of the exclusives there. I remember camping websites for some of them, it became quite a game to get some of the figures that were hard to find.

Nice collection! I still need to get Boba and a Vader with a soft cape. I got the original one with the hard cape - it’s a bit short and terrible for standing!

 

[Xaero Gravity]

I just paid $109 for the SH Figuarts Live Aid Freddie Mercury. What am I doing with my life?

 

[Flintty]

I just paid $109 for the SH Figuarts Live Aid Freddie Mercury. What am I doing with my life?

Easily done! You know you shouldn’t but you have moments of madness when you just say fuck it and smash the buy button

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Easily done! You know you shouldn’t but you have moments of madness when you just say fuck it and smash the buy button

I've got Metalhead and Cartoon Casey Jones to order this week too. This hobby is way too expensive lol

 

[kunonabi]

You done well to pick up some of the exclusives there. I remember camping websites for some of them, it became quite a game to get some of the figures that were hard to find.

Nice collection! I still need to get Boba and a Vader with a soft cape. I got the original one with the hard cape - it’s a bit short and terrible for standing!

Im kind of alone in myhate cloth capes, lol. I'm always worried that they're going to get stained and I can never get them in the position I want.

 

[haxan7]

Thankfully I can skip the SDCC exclusive for this year.

I seriously want to buy that ... looks like it'll be for sale at Target online?

 

[Xaero Gravity]

I seriously want to buy that ... looks like it'll be for sale at Target online?

It'll be up on the Target website on July 23rd at 1pm EST. Any international customers will have to order through the NECA Store.

 

[haxan7]

It'll be up on the Target website on July 23rd at 1pm EST. Any international customers will have to order through the NECA Store.

already set myself a siri notification to remind me on July 23

 

[Flintty]

Im kind of alone in myhate cloth capes, lol. I'm always worried that they're going to get stained and I can never get them in the position I want.

I’m not a fan when they just hang loose but I like wired capes. Plastic capes can work but sometimes really hinders the balance for standing, as is the case with the OG Figuarts Vader. That’s only one of his problems though, the other is he’s too short! It was worth getting him though, for the Deathstar base, which will be handy for when the Emperor finally arrives.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Figma Jin from Ghost of Tsushima. It doesn't show it, but there will also be a cloth cape included.

 

[Jooxed]

Cool thread Flintty ! I don't collect but subbed to see the cool stuff you guys pick up.

 

[Flintty]

Cool thread Flintty ! I don't collect but subbed to see the cool stuff you guys pick up.

Thanks Jooxed, appreciate it. Looking at other collections is half the fun for me. Careful though, it only takes being tempted by one figure and the next minute you’re down the rabbit hole

 

[Jooxed]

Thanks Jooxed, appreciate it. Looking at other collections is half the fun for me. Careful though, it only takes being tempted by one figure and the next minute you’re down the rabbit hole

I have an Amiibo buying problem but that doesn't really count. I still have all of my old Ninja turtle figures from when I was a kid at my parents house somewhere next time I go to NY ill see if I can dig them out.