NelMan

No love lost

2011-07-25T14:16:00.000+08:00

That's how I feel for the robot mode of Hasbro's Transformers Generations G2 Laser Optimus Prime. IMO, its robot mode is one of the fugliest versions of Optimus Prime out there.

I, however, cannot say the same for its alt-mode, which is still a truck. It just looks so good, hence the reason behind my person prodding my wife to get it along with the Leader Class Starscream. Well, the main reason why I got it (at full retail price) was its scarcity during the time of acquisition.

About two weeks later, the deluxe-classified figure went on sale at half its original price despite the very limited number of stocks. On hindsight, I'm willing to bet that if I had waited, I still wouldn't have gotten a copy during the sale period. :P

Sometimes, one just has to grab 'em by the balls!

Generations G2 Laser Optimus Prime toy review by Peaugh

Of tattoos, the dirty basement, and a smorgasbord of pics

2011-07-14T15:13:00.099+08:00

Before I say anything else, I'd like to say that, yes, this is another gift from my ever-supportive better half.

Less talk, more pics. Here's the Transformers Hunt for the Decepticons Leader Class Starscream starting of course with the obligatory MISB images.

Pics are a bit high-keyed, eh?

Taking it out of the box, you'll be able to confirm up close that the robot mode's got tons of details! Maybe if I were to custom-paint this huge action figure, it'd take me at least a week to detail all the hydraulics, wires, panel lines and whatnots. Click on the pics below to view larger versions.

I straightened out the legs since I didn't quite like the chicken-leg orientation based on the movie.

The alt-mode, a Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor, looks awesome, especially if viewed from above. The build is great, almost all the panels are flush and tight, and there are no rattles due to something loose.

Wicked-looking F-22 Raptor

Speaking of wicked, one gripe I have with this Seeker is its tattoos. They're awesome, but Hasbro should've colored the tats in a lighter shade. I don't know, dark gray, maybe. Not black!

Want another party-pooper? Lower your point of view all the way to ground level and the aesthetic accuracy to the real jet all goes downhill. I know, almost all Transformers toys are like that (esp. practically all the movie versions of Screamer), but this, being a Leader Class, shouldn't have robot parts sticking out like a sore thumb on its underside. The the more frustrating thing is, Takara Tomy made a Movie Masterpiece version which shows no improvement at all. It is just a re-color of this toy — USAF camouflage patterns sans the tattoos.

I haven't got side-view pics of TakTomy's Masterpiece G1 Starscream in order to show you guys how stream-lined the F-15 version is, compared to this one. I probably will take those pics in the near future just for the sake of comparison. I guess it wouldn't take a G1 aficionado to say that the Movie Masterpiece really, really is not up to par with the original Masterpiece.

See all the "garbage in the basement"?

However, here's one mode that I do like, and it's not even on the manual — the not-so-Gerwalk mode — which extends from my discovery of TF Animated Starscream's Macross/Robotech-inspired mode.

Transformers Animated Voyager Class Starscream in Gerwalk mode

I should've let its arms out in true Gerwalk form, but I was already in mid-transformation, and was just too lazy to start over with the arms again.

Whew! It's been a while since I made a long one, huh? So there's my photo-blog-ish take on Hasbro's Transformers Hunt for the Decepticons Leader Class Starscream. Like it told you, more pictures. I wasn't able to hold out on the narratives, though. And I didn't even touch on the subject of the figure's electronics (i.e. lights, sounds). Actually, I never cared for it. Hasbro could've stripped all those gimmicks off and I wouldn't have minded.

Click on any of the thumbnails below to view more images on my Flickr.

Happy wife = happy life

2011-07-13T09:37:00.001+08:00

This post would probably make no sense at all, but here goes — another gift from my wife. She most definitely rocks!

Transformers Hunt for the Decepticons Battle Blades Optimus Prime (Voyager Class)

This voyager class went on sale for around half the price, so she went ahead and got it for me. I found out two weeks later that the price was reduced even further. Hmmm, I'm thinking about getting another one for her nephew.

I have yet to open him, though. ^_^

Two Seekers down

2011-07-08T15:57:00.000+08:00

I'm a solid fan of the Decepticon Seekers. In fact, and in case you just don't know it yet, Starscream is my favorite Transformer. Yes, even counting the Autobots.

The elation I got when I learned that Hasbro was going to re-issue Dirge and Thundercracker, was simply incomprehensible. I was so excited that I went out of my way just to go to the exclusive distribution event, albeit on the second day.

Now, all I'm hoping for is Hasbro re-issuing Skywarp (which I believe will happen in the very near future) and Ramjet, and my deluxe Seekers will be complete. Why not get the Henkei versions instead? They're just obnoxiously expensive!

I actually got Dirge weeks earlier than 'Cracker. But I was just too tired (i.e. lazy) to get off my ass and take a picture.

The distribution table had deluxe versions of Generations Thundercracker, Wheeljack, and Warpath available. Of course, I had to get Wheeljack, but thought against getting Warpath.

Wheeljack thrown in for good measure.

Fixation

2011-07-08T14:49:00.002+08:00

fix·a·tion /fikˈsāSHən/ Noun
1. An obsessive interest in or feeling about someone or something.

I've had it for TechDeck's Willy Santos New & Trashed mini-skateboard. The fact that I've been looking out for it during the past year or so, only made the feeling more intense. When I saw a copy in one of the malls, I had no choice.

I'm willing to bet that this made Yotsuba pretty happy. ^_^

Fact: I used to trash on my skateboard during my younger years.

Shell and Ferrari

2011-04-07T00:53:00.002+08:00

The partnership of these two go such a long way back that they are practically brothers on and off the track.

This post is more than a quarter-of-a-year late — hey, my posts are still trying to catch up with my collection — but I'm still gonna write it anyway, and you are reading it anyway. ^_^

I actually had no intention in getting any among the Ferrari-licensed 1:38 model line since they were practically the same with the earlier set I acquired, except for the addition of a dumb-remotely-controlling function that enables one to pre-program a set of movements that the pull-back toy will follow. But when my wife gave me 4 cars, I had no choice but to get the remaining 2 in order to complete the set. Yeah, talk about OCD. Besides, I'm still quite a Ferrari fan, so what the heck.

The 2010 line-up is as follows (seen in the photo above from top to bottom, left to right):

Ferrari F2008
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
Ferrari 430 Scuderia
Ferrari FXX Evoluzione
Ferrari 360 GTC

I still haven't gotten them out of their respective boxes, though.

Shell releases model cars like these roughly about once every year, so I'm willing to bet that another set will see the light of day before the year ends; and just to satisfy the completist nature of small-time collectors such as myself, I would have to get the entire set. Again.

I just hope that they include the Ferrari 458 Italia just to make things a bit interesting —

On a side note, if the red Ferrari in the Transformers: Dark of the Moon movie is indeed Hot Rod, I wouldn't bash Michael Bay nor any of his movies again. Ever. Or at least I would try my hardest not to.

Edit: It turns out that the Ferrari isn't Hot Rod. It's Mirage. ^_^

Click the thumbnails below for larger images in my Flickr.

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L USM fisheye zoom lens

2011-04-04T23:36:00.000+08:00

I want!!! ^_^

10 years

2011-04-04T21:29:00.000+08:00

It's been at least that long since I last played a Gran Turismo game.

Yes, Gran Turismo 2 (ca. 1999) was the last version I played on my PSX. I can still remember doing endurance races until the wee hours of the morning, while listening to the in-game music characterized by obnoxious looping of Garbage's "I Think I'm Paranoid." Man, those were great, great times.

Then, more serious work beckoned... then the internet... not to mention a girlfriend. It was really very easy during those years to forget console gaming. That is, until now, err, late last year when I got this as a present.

I settled (had no choice, actually) for the Standard Edition of the game since I was too stupid not to place a pre-order for the limited Collector's Edition (CE) before the release. For one's information, the CE includes an exclusive limited edition 1:43 scale diecast 2009 Nissan GT-R Spec V, a keychain, and the Apex Car Guide. I don't care for the keychain nor the car guide (which contains a ton of information for petrol-heads), I want the friggin' GT-R diecast!

I still contemplate whether or not to bash my head on the wall whenever I think about that missed opportunity. Well, I'm not losing hope yet. I'm gonna get that sucker!

Seriously, Gran Turismo 5 is the only thing that can keep me away from the internet. Imagine my nights now if I could get my hands on a Logitech Driving Force GT, or a G27, or even a Thrustmaster T500RS!

By the way, the girlfriend I mentioned above? She bought this Gran Turismo 5 game for me. Yes, she's now my wife. ^_^b

Revoltech Danboard Mini Amazon version

2011-03-28T14:34:00.000+08:00

I was so happy when I finally snagged this little fella, November of last year (2010).

Now I'm really aching for the Danbo 7-11 version! ^_^

More than a quarter

2011-03-22T22:36:00.002+08:00

Whoa! I never realized it's been nearly four months since I updated this blog. FML.

Anyway, if you've been following my Flickr, I guess you know that I still breathe. It's just that I've been busier than usual during my 3-month-plus hiatus.

Anyway, these two book are definitely must-reads, especially if you've been long enough to witness the rivalries of Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird. Not much of a review, eh? ^_^

Oh yeah, regular programming (i.e. toy-related posts) will be back very soon. My material is piling up too much to not have them blogged about.

Michael Bay does it again! Transformers Dark of the Moon trailer, now online... with an error.

2010-12-09T10:17:00.002+08:00

The new trailer for the upcoming Transformers movie, "Dark of the Moon" has just been released, and already it sticks to Gayformers' tradition of blatant continuity errors.

According to the newscaster, "Apollo 11 IS on the far side of the moon...". Then, pray tell, how come the Earth is COMPLETELY visible from the viewpoint of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin heading to the crash site?

In case you're wondering where the far side of the moon is, it is the lunar hemisphere that is PERMANENTLY turned away from the Earth (thanks, Wiki). However this is certainly not the case in Michael Bay's universe.

After TFTM and ROTF, Bay should've named this LMAO.

Hit the link below for the TF DOTM trailer on Apple

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/transformersdarkofthemoon/

Here we go. Get ready to turn off your minds again, people.

Edit (2010.12.18)

Oooohkay, I may have jumped the gun a bit too soon here. Mea culpa.

The NASA people may have purposely said that Apollo 11 is on the far side of the moon in order to mislead the world AND to justify a 21-minute radio silence. The said radio silence was necessary for Neil and Buzz to carry out their secret mission.

Of course, this is just my opinion. ^_^

The other leader

2010-10-21T10:13:00.001+08:00

This War for Cybertron Megatron is sooooooo cool, I think it's one of the best representations of a game character within WFC.

The baddest-ass leader. Ever.

Yes, just watch him in Transformers The Movie... the 1986 animated one, not the Bay-formers version. I digress.

I personally like the tank mode better than the hover mode (not shown).

The complete set of images, along with WFC Optimus Prime and WFC Bumblebee can be found on my Flickr, or just click on any of the thumbnails below.

A little bit of free time

2010-10-14T18:15:00.001+08:00

I'm afraid that this comic will lure me back into doing GunPla again.

Thrash the dress

2010-09-30T11:20:00.000+08:00

This time, I'm literally at a loss on what to babble about.

I took Megs out of the card and did some quick ones. Unfortunately, due to an urgent project here at the office, I'm still currently in the process of readying the other images for the web... except for this one —

Anyway, I just thought that I'd show you how the image above went from straight out-of-the-cam to the processed one.

The leftmost frame is the original image as it evolves to the final one (rightmost).

Sometimes, I feel like I'm overdoing the post-processing; thus, making these Hasbro figs look a whole lot better than what they really are. :(

By the way, Takara's releasing their own version of the WFC line and is going the TF Animated way — by splashing a lick of metallic paint onto the toys. That's the way I want these toys to be. I guess that's the main reason why I post-process them a "bit". The boring Hasbro-painted figures just doesn't quite cut it for me.

Now I'm ranting.

Pacific Rims by Rafe Bartholomew

2010-09-24T11:32:00.002+08:00

Pacific Rims by Rafe Bartholomew

This book caught my attention a few months back since it was all about Philippine basketball as seen by someone whose nation invented the game. It almost forgot all about getting it until a friend pointed it out when we were at a local bookstore.

When I saw it at 20% off the retail price, I just grabbed a copy and headed straight to the cashier. ^_^

The book was a great read about hoops in the Philippines and almost every aspect has been wonderfully documented by Rafe in a light and almost comedic way... plus a bounty of historical facts and annecdotes that even I didn't know about.

Anyway, kudos to Rafe Bartholomew for letting the world know that Filipinos got game too!

The 20% off just made it even sweeter. :)

Three to get ready

2010-09-24T11:21:00.000+08:00

It's been almost a full month since it took pictures of my toys... and I was having withdrawal symptoms from the experience (or the lack of it), so I made a conscious effort of tweeting the night before that "Hopefully I may be able to squeeze some time tomorrow night."

WFC Megs, WFC Soundwave, and Generations Red Alert were lined up as my wife got these for me a couple of weekends before. She knows how I love the WFC game and its figures, and I love her even more for that. ^_^

Ok. So, I have, like, forever shot my toys using a white background, and this time I wanted to see if I have what it takes if I used a black one.

TF Generations War For Cybertron Megatron

TF Generations War For Cybertron Soundwave

TF Generations Red Alert

I even had the time to experiment with reflections!

Anyway, I couldn't wait to get these guys out of the cards for some proper posing and more shooting, but that has to wait for some other night. Tonight, perhaps?

On a side note, I'm crazy over these deluxe Classics figures! I want to get all of them! TF Classics, TF Universe, TF Generations, Henkeis... especially the Takara Henkeis!

Mazinger height comparisons

2010-09-02T08:32:00.000+08:00

As promised at the latter part of the last post, here is the height comparos of some Soul Of Chogokin Mazingers and the Super Robot Chogokin version. Included for good measure is Max Factory's Mazinkaiser.

Boy, do they all look good together!

The shot above makes me want the GX-02R Great Mazinger sooooo bad.

Welcome to the fraternity

2010-09-01T11:08:00.001+08:00

And so continues the Mazingers shoot... this time with a bit more dynamic poses.

SRC Mazinger Z with Max Factory Mazinkaiser
Notice something? ^_^

SRC Mazinger Z with SOC GX-45 Shin Mazinger

SRC Mazinger Z with SOC GX-01R Mazinger Z Renewal Version

A change in POV

I'll be showing their side-by-side height comparos in the next one. ^_^

Second time around

2010-08-27T09:33:00.000+08:00

I didn't quite like the pose of my Max Fac Mazinkaiser when I first took a shot at it (pardon the pun), so I did another take and decided to do a couple of quick solos while I was shooting at my platoon of Mazingers three nights ago.

There. 'Kaiser's stance is a lot better now. ^_^

Bad.Ass.

Super Robot Chogokin Mazinger Z

2010-08-26T10:48:00.000+08:00

I've been waiting, for like forever, to get this action figure since it has announced.

Super Robot Chogokin Mazinger Z and Super Robot Chogokin Weapon Set for Mazinger Z boxes

Dang! It seems that I couldn't get enough of Mazingers... and it shows! I think the SRC Mazinger Z is my third(?) acquisition of Go Nagai's 1972 anime.

I just don't know why the hell they offered the Weapon Set for a different purchase. Bandai could've just included it with Maz' figure. O_o

Super Robot Chogokin Weapon Set for Mazinger Z box

Tray contents (SRC Mazinger Z — left; Weapons Set for SRC Maz — right)

With the price for both items kept at a minimum (yes?), styro packaging is definitely out for the Super Robot Chogokin line. My favorite manufacturer has decided that plastic trays, yes similar to the ones used for SOC accessories, should house the contents.

The figure is almost devoid of die-cast parts and a part of me wants to call it Super Robot Cho-tri-plastic since it is actually made of three types of plastic — ABS, POM, and PVC. I don't care. Really. It does look like a regular SOC, albeit the smaller proportion.

And the articulation! If you're the type who likes to play with your toys and pose them, the SRC definitely is for you. Keep your SOC GX-45 in the box and play with SRC Maz instead. Sadly, I haven't taken pics of it in extreme poses. Yet.

Is it a good buy? Yes. I can't wait for Great Mazinger to come out of this line sometime this week! :)

Head out to my Flickr site for the rest of the pics.

Transformers Universe Generation 1 Starscream

2010-08-25T11:38:00.000+08:00

I'm starting to love this TFU line... and it shows quite a bit.

Transformers Universe Deluxe Figure G1 Starscream

I've been store-hopping and scouring online stores for this series (at least the Seekers, anyway) since I got TFU Thrust... and Thrust is still MOC! Can you believe that? Too busy to play around and take more pics. :(

Boxes and cards

2010-08-10T11:59:00.001+08:00

Today I continue with my infatuation in taking photographs of my toys' boxes (or cards.)

I guess the reason why I keep on doing it is I want to be able to remember how exactly my toys looked like before I opened them. I'm not much of a mint-on-card or mint-in-sealed-box kinda guy. I like to take my toys out for some pics, play with them for a while, then shove them inside the box for all eternity. Hmmm... OK, maybe mint-in-box.

I have a close friend who likes his toys factory sealed... and I really, really admire his strength in keeping himself from opening those precious and beautiful works of art. Someday, those toys of his will be fetching very high in the market... and I'll kick myself in the butt for not getting a second copy of the toy and following his lead.

Anyway, I'm quite surprised that I haven't posted 'Bee's mint-on-card images... until now.

And to add a little shebang, I'll show you Thrust's as well... so that I won't forget. ^_^

War for Cybertron Bumblebee

2010-08-09T11:09:00.001+08:00

I was first sold on this 'Bee figure with his alt mode — the Cybertronian courier — then I realized that his robot mode isn't half-bad... in fact, after taking the following pics, I think this rendition of Bumblebee looks kinda cool.

Everything about the War for Cybertron version screams G1... yup, from head to toe.

You be the judge.

Next up, the 'Bee.

2010-08-06T11:09:00.002+08:00

It's the Courier's turn.
After snubbing Bumblebee's War for Cybertron Deluxe action figure during its first release; and after weeks of waiting for it to be available once more, I was able to get him over the weekend... with a little help from by better half... as usual.

Every time we'd visit a mall for something, I'd always, always, check the toy section and the shops if WFC Bumblebee was again available. This went on for days of disappointment, and the days turned into weeks of frustration.

And I finally snagged the little bugger, along with TF Generations Thrust — another elusive figure.

I digress, let me tell you, the TF fans/collectors here in the Philippines are damn crazy! Once a series comes out, they (or we, rather) clean out the aisles, and you'll never see those figures again unless they are re-released! Cases like this would be followed by unlimited questions in local online forums as to where the figures are available, if they were. Some collectors would get a pair, if not three — one for playing with the figure, one for MOC, and the third for... uhm... I guess for selling in the future. Me? I only got one. My wife would kill me if she saw me buying two toys of the same kind.. with her money. LOL!

Moving on, I got BB in his robot mode fresh from the card and decided to transform him into his Cybertronian courier mode. Having watched a couple of YouTube reviews about BB, I thought this was gonna be easy-peasy. Not! It must've taken me at least 15 minutes before I could finally marvel at his alt mode. The WFC Optimus Prime transformation from 'bot to vehicle mode was easy, but 'Bee's? Hell no.

The transformation must be virtually perfect so that you could align all the panels and make all the tabs/pegs sit in their proper, err, holes.

Oh well, first time's always the most cumbersome, right?

Anyway, here are the pics —

Click here for the rest of Bumblebee's pics.

War for Cybertron Optimus Prime set loose!

2010-07-19T14:58:00.000+08:00

I actually can't think of a better title for this particular post.

I've finally set loose my War for Cybertron Optimus Prime and have managed to take a few pictures of it before the monumental black out that swept across the entire Metro during the last typhoon.

Anyway, here are pics of the armored truck mode for Optimus Prime —

The figure, which is part of the Generations line, require level-4 transformation skills. It took me about 10 minutes to transform him from robot mode into alt mode for the first time... a form which looks pansy. ^_^

After taking the power-failure interruption of the pictorial, I quickly changed him back into his robot mode — since that mode was cooler-looking... and more awesome... and more wicked... as you can see below.

The face behind the voice.

2010-07-08T23:31:00.001+08:00

I was searching the interweb for the lyrics of the beginning theme for Voltes V when I happened to chance upon a picture of Horie Mitsuko, the lady who sang the national song of all Voltes fanatics (my person included) out there.

Horie Mitsuko

She looked great, I thought.

Continuing the search, I landed on YouTube, where the lyrics of the song was sub-titled onto a clip of the five machines volting-in.

Here's the clincher, among the related videos on the side bar was a link to Horie performing live in a concert during the year 2000!

Click. Twenty seconds in and I'm having goose-effin'-bumps!

This video is an absolute win in soooo many ways!

I loved the way Horie sang. I like the way she moved; especially when she emulated Voltes V's "V" stance. I like the way the crowd reacted to her and the song.

Yes. Win. This song... and the singer. Win. Definitely.

The best. Ever.

2010-07-01T09:28:00.000+08:00

The MP-04 Masterpiece Convoy. The finest, most wicked, and most bad-ass Optimus Prime figure available.

Except for the first statement above, I won't be praising this figure to high heavens. Every Transformers fan knows what this figure is all about... so I'll just leave it at that.

By the way, my lovely wife bought me this prior to the WFC OP. She just rocks! ^_^

War for Cybertron Optimus Prime

2010-06-28T09:24:00.001+08:00

Hey folks! It's been a while, eh?

My wife and I were in Greenhills the other day to take pics of some items for her business. If I haven't told you yet, I take photos for her, and, in return, she rewards my being a "good enough photographer" by buying me stuff (i.e. toys)... well, sometimes.

It's a good thing that the past weekend has been on of those times. We're in Greenhills, afterall, and it wouldn't be complete without passing by the toy stores. Actually, it's inevitable that we get to pass by the stores. ^_^

We decided to go inside Toy Kingdom in V-Mall and look for a present. Her nephew's birthday is coming up and being the awesome aunt that she is, my wife decided to give him a Transformers Animated Supreme - Roll Out Command Optimus Prime.

I made a "what-about-me-face" and tried out my luck. I guess she couldn't resist my irresistable charm and the phrase "Optimus Prime for under US$ 15.00 ", so she finally gave in and bought me the Transformers Deluxe Movie Collection 2 - Cybertronian Optimus Prime.

As it turned out, the purchase was a timely one — that was the day Toy Kingdom put WFC OP on their shelves, AND as far as the local TF news go around, the Optimus Prime figure has been selling out everywhere.

I haven't taken him out of the box yet, but boy, this version of Optimus Prime looks good. Very good.

He's a Deluxe Class figure with Level 4 transformation (yes, Level 4!) and he's got details that could make some Voyager Class figs hide their heads in shame.

Anyway, here are some pics I took last night

A closer look.

Ok. So now, I've got four versions of Prime. I think.

I think I should've pushed my luck and asked for a Transformers Deluxe Movie Collection 2 - Cybertronian Bumblebee too... and a Hunt for Decepticons Battle Blade Bumblebee. Those two were beside the WFC OP. Maybe next time. Hopefully. ^_^

S3 Superman

2010-05-24T10:53:00.004+08:00

Straight from Ireland... I think.

One of the wifey's co-employees and friend, Eden, just got back from Ireland a few days back and among her excess baggage were these two figures — from DC's Select Sculpt Series.

Knowing that I loooove toys, Eden asked my wife if I'd be interested. She got a definitive "Yes!"

A quick call to my person was all my wife needed to give me another set of gifts. ^_^

Invulnerable Superman

Metropolis Rising Superman

Although they don't look quite like Brandon Routh, the details on the figures are just amazing... and these pics just doesn't do them justice. :)

Super Robot Chogokin!

2010-05-20T07:53:00.004+08:00

I know that this post is a couple of days late, but this new line from Bandai still deserves top news.

Our favorite toy maker will be releasing its Super Robot Chogokin line starting with Mazinger Z — was there any doubt on who would be first (and second, for that matter) in line — on the 6th of August, 2010.

It's not as loaded with metal alloy as their Soul of Chogokin merchandise, nor is it taller — 140mm for Maz this time as opposed to his 160mm SOC brother — but it surely is equal in aesthetics and articulation, if not better.

The box includes option hand types, an Enhanced Rocket Punch for the left hand (only) and Mazinger's sword.

Sharing equal release date is Mazinger Z's Weapon Set — yes, it is sold separately as an add-on, yet the particular set makes Maz a definite pleasure to pose (and photograph).

Based on the pics above, you'd be getting the Enhanced Rocket Punch for the right hand (makes sense, huh? Although the pic above shows two left hands ^_^), the Jet Scrander, and four Effect Parts for the Rocket Punch with the set.

With Maz introduced, could Great Mazinger be far behind? I didn't think so, too!

The release includes option hand types, the Scramble Dash, two types of effect parts, and Great Maz' sword.

SRC Mazinger Z is pegged at JPY 3,675, his weapons set at JPY 1,050, while Great Maz is going for JPY 4,725.

I can't wait to get my hands on these two! d{^_^}b

Flickr all-time stats

2010-05-19T07:59:00.007+08:00

Ah, Flickr. It has been my online photo repository since the start (2006) and I guess it will stay that way forever.

If you have a Flickr Pro account, your photos' stats are made available to you in your, well, Stats page... albeit the numbers you will see are limited to less than 30 days back. Please take note that non-Pro account holders are not given access to these figures.

Anyway, the one Flickr thing, or service, that I miss the most is the link for the all-time statistics regarding my photos. For an unknown reason, Flickr has removed its link from the stats page of their Pro users.

I have previously added the links to the all-time stats on my Flickr profile page, but has removed them for a cleaner look... and I don't want to clutter the said page again by putting them back in, hence this post.

If you've got a Flickr Pro account and want to know which of your photos rock in your personal hall of fame, click on the link below.

All-time Stats

From thereon, you gain access to your photos that have the most views, favorites, comments, and the most interesting.

In case you're wondering, as of this writing, these are my all-time toppers:

Most views (7,424)

Most Favorites (29)

What I get for being a product photographer

2010-05-17T11:28:00.007+08:00

These are my prizes for doing a decent enough job in product shoots.

Revoltech Yotsuba

I still can't seem to bag the elusive Summer Vacation version of Yotsuba, and it may take a long while before I do — it's been out-of-stock for months now. Well, maybe someday.

Amazon Japan Exclusive Revoltech Danboard

I've had more luck in acquiring this Amazon Japan Exclusive Revoltech Danboard (than Yotsuba's Summer)... and I almost missed the chance of getting it. I asked the wifey to pass by my favorite toy shop only to learn that their stock had been bought earlier during the day. It's a good thing that I wasn't disheartened enough to call their other branches, and alas, their Makati branch still had one on stock! A reservation was placed and delivery arrangements to their Greenhills branch were made.

On the same note, another exclusive Danboard is out there, although this one is really, really quite hard to get — the Revoltech Danboard 7-11 Net Box Version (Limited Edition). Well, maybe someday, too.

Edit: Oh yeah, before I forget, there's a mini version of Danboard too! ^_^

Oh, and the client who's commissioned me to do the product shoot? She's my wife. d{^_^}b

Dry wallet and wet pants

2010-05-12T14:15:00.006+08:00

It's highly unlikely that I almost lose it and wet my pants. But these future Gundam releases makes me want to do so — voluntarily.

First up, the Real Grade line from Bandai. Let's just say that it's not quite a Master Grade in the 1/144 scale... better yet, make a Venn diagram with the sets HG and MG, the intersection would be, yes, the RG — it's supposed to be a cross between the HG and the MG lines.

Next, the Special Part Set for Robot Damashii Strike Freedom. Two sets of bad-ass wings for Kira Yamato's ride. I'm pretty sure Shinn Asuka and his Destiny Gundam, even in its Extreme Burst Mode, will run for cover when they see this one. Yes, you must purchase the Robot Damashii Strike Freedom separately.

Whatta wingspan! ^_^

Finally, the crème de la crème. The GFF Next Generation Full Armor Unicorn Gundam. I'll let the pics tell their story with this one.

Just look at all that hardware!

Wetting my pants? Definitely. ^_^

The future's so bright

2010-04-28T15:02:00.003+08:00

Too early for work + sunglasses + phone cam... sprinkle a bit of post-processing...

Brings out the kid in everybody.

2010-04-23T13:06:00.004+08:00

Matchbox toys. Hot Wheels. Tomica. Everyone loves 'em minature diecast model cars — at least boys and men do.

I do, and I have started getting them off the racks just to satisfy my insatiable hunger for toys. Pretty heavy word huh. Insatiable.

Well Matchbox, Hot Wheels and Tomica diecast model cars are relatively cheap and easy to get, so who am I to argue? Besides, they bring out the kid in me more than any other toy could. I could stay on the Toys R Us section of these brands for hours just trying to look for a new release... and another hour just choosing which toy has the least imperfections from the others.

Here's one I picked up recently.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage by Hot Wheels

By the way, I found another brand which makes better diecast models than the three mentioned above — Greenlight... and its price tag shows it.

Here comes Ultra Magnus

2010-04-22T09:36:00.003+08:00

Err, make that Optimus Prime.

The TFTM LC OP Premium (how's that for acronym overload, eh?) just looks so bulky, it could pass as a G1 Ultra Magnus once given a nice lick of blue and white paints.

Remember the time when the Leader Class incarnation of ROTF Optimus Prime was yet to be released and all the Transformers community had were prototype and pre-production photos? Everyone thought that the ROTF Prime was too skinny. Others even called him "Chicken leg-Prime."

Well, time passed by, ROTF Prime was released, and was loved by everyone... including naysayers. It was the perfect and movie-accurate Prime ever.

Now, if you'd even bother to look, the TFTM Prime well, looks... fat. Stout. Chubby. Horizontally challenged. That must be the primary (excuse the pun) reason why it took me over a year to take photos of its robot mode.

Yes, this profile angle says it all — Ultra Magnus-wannabe.

All of this would translate to one thing... I want that Buster Optimus Prime! ^_^

Eulogy

2010-04-19T08:29:00.003+08:00

The final set of pics for the deposed Decepticon Air Commander.

"Who disrupts my coronation?"

Masterpiece Megs would never get as regal as this. ^_^

My fellow decepticons!

2010-04-16T16:06:00.007+08:00

Well, the coronation has taken place and Starscream is now the undisputed leader of the Decepticons.

The newly-crowned king.

Here he is, enjoing the moment while it lasted...

... for about 38 seconds.

Right about after he made this pose, and said, "My fellow Decepticons, as your new leader..." his ass got burned by Galvatron. ^_^

Don't worry Screamer, you're still my favorite anti-Autobot dude! :)

Pre-coronation night

2010-04-13T14:25:00.009+08:00

Shooting Masterpiece Starscream's robot mode was always one of the many I have put off for a very long time. His alternate mode, an F-15 Eagle, looks so gorgeous and so right that the need to take pictures of him in his more devious form didn't really tickle my fancy.

That was until my wife gave me another present — TFC Toys' TFC-03 Screamer's Coronation Crown and Cape set. So I thought of finally giving him his due by taking his pics before he was crowned king... and died. ^_^

Here's the TFC Toys add-on to the Masterpiece Starscream.

The crown and the shoulder armor are fine, and they are quite worthy additions to Screamer's Masterpiece.

What really sucks, however, is the purple cape. As you can see from the pics above, it just... sucks! Ugh!

I'm willing to bet that I could make a better one given a purple A4-sized satin fabric. Come to think of it, I am going to make one... as soon as I get the free time. ^_^

So there, all the things the Decepticon Air Commander needs for his coronation are set. Lastly, here's what's going to happen during the said event...

Gaiking Movie 2012

2010-03-29T16:48:00.005+08:00

This movie is gonna be effin' huge!

I love the following quotes from Harry over at AICN --

One of the things I really dug about these guys was how open they were. How giddy they were to be pulling the veil back a bit. GAIKING will be the name for the film. They're aiming for release in 2012... since no movies can be released in 2013 - on account of the end of the world. But they did mention that if, geek willing, they get to do the sequel - which is plotted out - the likely title would be SHOGUN WARRIORS.

Particularly this one --

But also - look around at everything else that's going on - we're beginning to see enormous collective dreams marching toward the screen. There's no doubt the crappy TRANSFORMERS movies have led the way for this - but unlike Michael Bay - these guys are genuinely obsessive with the source material - the grander genre of Anime itself. There's more to this film than just Giant Robots - there's other worlds, other tech, possibly critters and more. The shot of Gaiking in New York that you see - is actually from a flashback sequence - as that Earth could possibly be different. These are filmmakers that want to use all the toys in the bag of tricks to pull it off. Including building the robots on a 1:1 scale.

And, finally, some wishful thinking --

God, can you imagine... We might be seeing a film with some of GAIKING's friends joining him. Enormous robots like Raydeen, Dragun, Mazinger Z, Daimos, Dangard, Voltus V, Combattra... who knows? All I know is... it is coming. For real. At Fucking Last!

Starscream's Gerwalk mode

2010-03-18T09:47:00.002+08:00

Starscream never realized he had a Gerwalk mode until he caught a re-run of Macross Zero on the telly.

Megs knew about the Air Commander's third mode right from the start, but you know how it goes between the two. ^_^

I guess now, Screamer's a triple-changer, eh?

Kidding aside, with nothing much to do, I finally got to do a proper shoot for my TFA Screamer last night.

As much as I haven't watched any TFA episode (until now), I bought him because I thought the alt mode was just simply awesome.

I just love the smirk on Screamer's face.

Whew! I haven't posted this many pics in a while. ^_^

The Blogger Template Designer

2010-03-17T07:13:00.004+08:00

Finally!

The background photos would make your blog seem it came straight out of Multiply, while the layout (specifically the tabs) got some inspiration from Wordpress.

As soon as I catch some free time, you'll see some changes to the layout of this blog. d{^_^}b

From Blogger in draft.

Defender of the universe

2010-03-12T10:26:00.003+08:00

About ten years from now, this lass is gonna rock when she sees her picture and realizes how ultra-cool she looked. ^_^

Princess Allura would have been proud.

Mean... just mean.

2010-01-28T07:55:00.003+08:00

Or sick.

That's what the Urban Material Chogokin Mazinger Z is.

Specs?

Almost a meter tall (900mm)
Around 8 kilograms
Only 10 units will be produced
Made of Titanium Carbon
2M JPY (tax included)... yes, two effin' million Japanese Yen! O_o

Made of Titanium Carbon. The figure is 900mm tall, about 8kgs heavy. The display base included is 600mm tall, with 400mm in width and depth respectively, weighting about 4kgs.

It's kinda disappointing that a 2M JPY figure has articulated elbows but no articulated fingers.
At least that's what it seems. ^_^

Titanium Carbon goodness all around!

Do you know someone who's going to get one of these? ^_^

Images from Tamashii.

Needs and wants

2010-01-27T06:59:00.003+08:00

Although I do not need another Gundam model kit, I definitely want this one...

The super-deformed Unicorn Gundam.

Although I can't begin to imagine the masking/painting process to make the little guy look as good as the one above, it would definitely look great with my MG version.

To be released in February and costs 1,050 JPY (tax inclusive).

TFU G1 OP Photo Review

2010-01-25T08:00:00.004+08:00

I got so excited with my recent acquisition of Mazinkaiser that I almost forgot to post more pictures of the big guy. ^_^

Transformers Universe Generation One Optimus Prime

Heeere's Roller!

The fearless Autobot leader himself, in robot mode.

I haven't applied any of the stickers yet. ^_^

My holy grail... what used to be.

2010-01-20T11:11:00.003+08:00

Collectors often have their "holy grails." In my case, it is, or was, Max Factory's Mazinkaiser.

Since Max Fac issued 'Kaiser years ago, it became my ultimate collectible. As time went by, the more its price went up (sometimes 4x as much as the original retail)... the more I drooled for the baddest-ass version of Maz.

That was until I got hold of it last weekend, courtesy of GreatToys. I'm not taking anything away from the awesome fig, nor from Max Factory. I'm just saying that with the second issue, it isn't my holy grail anymore. I guess it isn't that rare anymore to be considered holy.

Can you say "big box?"

Anyway, as I've said, the Max Gokin/Alloy Mazinkaiser is still a wicked-as-hell collectible and it was definitely worth the years of waiting.

Wickedly-awesome fig!

I couldn't resist making a NelMan's Way version. ^_^

More pics to follow... for sure!

I want an iPhone... now!

2010-01-07T09:43:00.003+08:00

I could've never imagined myself wanting an iPhone. Ever. I know it is an over-rated piece of personal media player that has the ability to make phone calls, and yet, I want one so desperately!

The reason? Watch on.

Yes, it is the Parrot AR.Drone that makes me want to give my new Nokia E72 to my brother and grab an iPhone. The AR.Drone's just way too cool! ^_^

Waittaminute... it can also be controlled by an iPod Touch! So I guess I wouldn't be wanting the iPhone, afterall. ^_^

Mobile blogging

2010-01-05T10:04:00.004+08:00

Thanks to a training seminar I'm currently attending (which is about online teaching and learning), thanks to my new phone (Nokia E72), and last but certainly not the least, thanks to a budding sense of boredom, I'm trying mobile blogging for the first time. ^_^

Yup, I'm using the E72 right now to compose this post via it's built in web browser. it's not that bad, really. One major problem that I'm experiencing right now is the inability to type these words out as quickly as I can compared to a normal keyboard. I can live with that, though.

However, the hitch that I can't get over is the current mobile browser's inability to display Flickr's full HTML pages. The built-in browser, expectedly, keeps on showing the mobile version of Flickr. Duh.

Anyway, I guess I better look for a browser application for the E72 that displays the non-mobile versions of my favorite sites... or maybe, I haven't configured the settings of this phone properly... yet, as it has only been with me for around a week only.

So there! My first mobile blog post! I know you'll forgive the typos, if there are any, right? ^_^

Welcome, year 2010!

2010-01-03T03:56:00.004+08:00

I can't help but to come out of my self-imposed internet hiatus just to get this post off. Yup, since Christmas, I've decided that I'll be staying clear off the internet and my cellular phone until the holidays are over.

However, the post-Christmas present I got for myself is just too awesome to leave unmentioned.

My wife and I were in a nearby mall, when I saw it... on sale... at 70% off the original tag price!

Transformers Universe Generation 1 Optimus Prime

Upon seeing the price, I never let it off my left hand's grasp!

Happy new year indeed! ^_^

Optimus Prime re-color

2009-12-23T15:38:00.004+08:00

I don't know where this image originally came from, but OP here looks awesome in a Generation 1 color-way. ^_^

If you know the origin of this pic, kindly direct me so that I may post the proper credits. TIA. :)

Edit: I finally found the owner!

You must first learn how to walk, err... how to fly

2009-12-07T11:53:00.011+08:00

Who could ever forget the scene in Iron Man where Tony Stark was beginning to learn how to fly? Equally noticeable with Robert Downey, Jr., is the over-enthusiastic and trigger-happy fire extinguisher robot.

Hot Toys once again reprieves it's role of Santa to faithful figure collectors everywhere by introducing the latest reincarnation of the multi-billionaire hero -- The Iron Man Tony Stark Mech Test Version.

Let's just let the images from Hot Toys speak for themselves.

So you want facial details, eh?

Yup, the fire-extinguishing robot is included. ^_^
All in all there has been 6 (if you include the Mech Test Version) releases from the Iron Man movie --

Mark I

Mark II

Mark III

Mark III Battle-damaged version

Mark III Gun-metal gray version

... and do not forget their 3-inch Cosbabies :)

Tifosis over vampires

2009-12-03T11:31:00.004+08:00

Here's another book-related post for those of you who want to see if I really do any kind of reading.

I didn't know what the phenom behind the Twilight saga was... that is, until I watched the first film, and I quite liked it. OK, so I liked it a lot.

I'm guessing if the movie was good, then the book behind it must be better, right?

Last night, I bought the entire set to save myself from having to come to the bookstore every time I finish the previous book.

There were hard-cover versions available but they were almost twice as expensive as the paperbacks, so I opted for the latter... although I admit, the New Moon special edition with black cloth cover, storage box, and came along with other memorabilia was very tempting. I resisted the hard-covers and the special edition since I'm gonna store these for good as soon as I finish the entire set, anyway.

On a related note, a few months ago, I was actually choosing between a Michael Schumacher bio and the 4-book set. The tifosi in me won. ^_^

The best ever

Back to the topic -- I started reading Twilight this morning on my way to work while on the commute (MMDA's color-coding sucks bigtime!) and 15 pages in, I like the book already. :)

You will be destroyed by my cuteness!

2009-12-02T08:40:00.003+08:00

Hey! Long time no post, huh? Something inevitable and very important came up, hence the reason for my absence. ^_^

We all know SDs are cute, afterall, that's primarily their reason for existence, right? Well, here's another BB goodness from our favorite manufacturer (read: Bandai), the super-deformed Unicorn Gundam in its Destroy Mode.

Such a cute li'l bugger!

Thanks to Rodel for the info. Image from HappinetOnline.

Gundam Arios and GN Archer

2009-11-12T14:11:00.006+08:00

This has got to be the funniest image I've seen of the GN Archer as it is docked onto the Gundam Arios --

The cartoon parody above is of course done by their respective pilots, Allelujah Haptism and Soma Peries, with the ever-hot* Sumeragi Lee Noriega (although she's not that hot-looking in this one) watching on. Aren't they cute? ^_^

Here's the real GN Archer docking with the Arios Gundam --

* If you haven't watched any 00 Gundam episode yet (pity), just Google "Sumeragi Lee Noriega" and you'll know what I mean.

High Dream Metaltech Super Robots: Grendizer

2009-11-11T13:13:00.005+08:00

With Kaiyodo showing off a Revoltech version of Grendaizer in the recent Revoltech Expo '09, here comes High Dream with their Metaltech line, and the super-robot that would hold the distinction of being the first is, yup, Grendizer.

The Metaltech Grendizer would stand at about 6" tall and has die-cast parts... I guess this is in direct competition against Kaiyodo's Revoltechs, huh?

The details on the face are just amazing.
Just look at the golden horns. Very un-SOC-yellow-like.
One downside is the lack of chrome.

Can you guess which is which?

If you're wondering how much gokin is going into this awesome release, here's the un-painted robot --

Since the Revoltech's Grendizer has been announced, it has been put on my wish list. Now that Metaltech's version came out, I'm guessing that I'll be acquiring my second 6-incher of a Grendizer, too! I'd bet they'd look good side-by-side. ^_^

Metaltech Grendizer images from gettermario.dynamicforum.net.
Revoltech Grendizer images from Moeyo.

NelMan's Way

2009-10-30T17:26:00.019+08:00

Nothing much... I just processed some previous uploads to try and make them more cartoon-ish.

This was the description I laid out for newly uploaded photos on my Flickr account a few days ago.

I didn't expect that they would be warmly received by my contacts (thank you so much, guys!) and that some were curious on how I did it. I guess I succeeded quite a bit on my quoted objective above. :)

The offspring of those requests is this hastily prepared tutorial. :)

By the way, I'm using Adobe Photoshop CS3 with third-party plugins from LucisArt and Redfield. So I would assume that you have at least a bit of knowledge about Photoshop (layers, adjustment layers, etc.) to tackle this one... and of course, the two plugins.

Ok here we go.

1. First up, open your image.

I'll be using a photo of my SD Justice Gundam for this tutorial. Pardon me if the picture quality is not up to par -- I took this photo with my cellular phone's 2MP cam. ^_^

The image is gonna be your background layer.

2. Duplicate this layer by pressing Ctrl + J (Command + J on the Mac.)

Name the duplicate layer "LucisArt."

This is the layer where you will apply the LucisArt plugin.

3. Go to the Filter Menu, Lucis, and click on LucisArt 3 SE.

On the LucisArt dialog box, use these settings:

Style dropdown: Sculpture
Smooth Detail: 3
Mix With Original Image: 50

Click OK.

You should arrive at something like this --

4. Duplicate this layer (LucisArt) by pressing Ctrl + J (Command + J on the Mac.)

Name this layer "Fractalius."

This is the layer where you will apply the Fractalius Plugin.

5. Go to the Filter Menu, Redfield, and click on Fractalius.

On the Fractalius dialog, choose Sketch B W 01 from the dropdown box and click on the green check icon.

You should get something like this --

6. Select the Fractalius layer, and set its opacity to 50%.

You should now have something like this --

Not bad 'eh? However, the colors are a bit pale, so you might want to bump the saturation and the contrast up slightly.

I just added a couple of adjustment layers (for saturation and contrast) to make the colors pop out better, and here's the final image --

+50 on the saturation and added medium contrast

You might want to play around with the opacities of the different layers to alter the result of your image from the one you see above, and you can also play with the different plugin settings to see which one suits your image best.

Remember that, as with other effects, this one would not make every photo as you would want them to be. So you may have to experiment a bit on the type of images you may want to apply this style to.

I don't know what to call this method of processing yet... or whether it was done before using the two plugins (if so, tell me)... hmmmmm... OK, I'll just call it NelMan's Way, and you call it NelMan's Way too! ^_^

By the way, if you find the LucisArt plugin to be more on the expensive side, you can try Topaz Adjust.

Check out my Flickr to see other images processed with this method.

Screamer's Visayan island fly-by

2009-10-23T13:23:00.001+08:00

I've had a few minutes (15 actually) of spare time the other day and I fumbled about thinking what better to do among these choices:

Continue reading Michael Schumacher's bio, The Whole Story
Continue playing Gran Turismo on my PSP
Revive a couple of photos I've taken before and do something creative using Photoshop

I decided to forego the first two options and give the third one a go.

I've always been wowed by shots of fighter jets as they are cutting through the Earth's atmosphere. Whether their backgrounds are of the sky (as these machines are photographed from the side or underneath), or the sea/land as their flight is captured from above their position, I'm sold.

I particularly have a soft-spot for my all-time fave, the Navy's F-14 Tomcat; and a couple of others -- the F-15 Eagle and the F-22 Raptor.

Let me get this straight -- no, I don't get a boner just by looking at military planes (like Michael Bay.)

Explaining why the Tomcat's my "ultimate fighter plane" is easy -- Macross. Roy Fokker's Valks always had the Jolly Roger marking on their tails. The VF-1S also has vari-angle wings. Besides, it's been an impossible childhood dream of mine to at least get into an F-14's cockpit and maybe let some top gun fly me around.

The F-15 Eagle and the F-22 Raptor reasoning also comes easy -- Starscream.

Ok then, I searched in my photo bank for pictures of my Masterpiece Starscream and a viable background.

The Screamer pic I used was very similar to this one that I posted on my Flickr stream.

An island photo I used for the background.
I took this photo of an island in the Visayas shortly after takeoff during one of our flights back to Manila from Boracay.

This was what I came up with, a good quarter of an hour later --

I just added condensation trails from the tips of his wing to add more spunk. Adding afterburner flames would take me about 5 minutes more so I decided against it. :)

Masterpiece Megatron's Mini-me

2009-10-21T10:19:00.002+08:00

They haven't released Optimus Prime's "mini-me" yet but that wouldn't keep the iGear guys from showing us another masterpiece (excuse the pun).

This time, and as expected, it is Megs' turn to get a smaller scale -- about two-thirds the size of the original MP-05.

Maybe iGear has a working model of Richie Rich's shrinking machine ^_^

The original MP-05 (top) and iGear's version (bottom)

The alt mode seems just about right for the average hand

Images from TFormers.com.

Mac vs PC

2009-10-21T08:30:00.005+08:00

I can't believe that I'm doing my second video post in a row... but this is just way too cool to leave unnoticed. ^_^

Mac versus the PC

As you can see, towards the end, the MacBook got its ass whupped and the damned thing ran away! LOL!

I'm guessing that there'll be a sequel to this video. Revenge of the Windows desktops, perhaps? :)

Edit: There is a sequel! Here's the trailer.

Fever Macross

2009-10-20T13:02:00.005+08:00

or Macross Fever.

Either way, new live action spots have been shown.

The live Minmay is such a beauty!

Just watch and marvel at the way they did the animation!

Wishful thinking

2009-10-15T10:28:00.001+08:00

Time for another wish list. I hope this time I'd get a better batting average than last time... which turned out to be better, actually. ^_^

So here goes.

Max Factory Mazinkaiser - I've waited forever for a re-release (and a fair price.) These days are the best time for a pre-order and wait for January for the delivery. ^_^

Image from Max Factory.

Takara Tomy MP-04 Masterpiece Convoy - What can I say? It's the best rendition of OP ever! However, it is being released at about the same time as Max Fac's Maz. I'm betting (hoping, actually) that there'll be tons of MP-04 thereafter, so I'm relegating the MP-04 to second place... I think. :)

Yamato 1/60 VF-0S - I admit, I'm still a Macross fanboy.

Image courtesy of Joriel "Joz" Jimenez.

ROTF Leader Class Optimus Prime - once this thing goes on sale, I'll be getting it immediately. Better yet, I'll be on the lookout for the RA-24 Buster Optimus Prime -- which would definitely kick some serious ass.

Image from Seibertron.com.

Nintendo Wii - My fiancee and I decided to finally get one.

Panasonic Lumix LX3 (with DMW-LW46) - unless Panasonic releases a newer version, I'd get one. Lugging the a DLSR in my bag isn't actually an experience one would look forward to every single day.

Image from DPReview.

Due to a very valid reason, I don't think I would be getting any of these before December. So I'm actually waiting for the Yuletide season to see what happens. Yeah, like an anxious kid who's waiting for Santa's gift. ^_^

Are any of these items in your Christmas wish list too?

Change of plans

2009-10-14T15:01:00.000+08:00

As I've stated on one of my posts last year, the following WERE my must-haves for the rest of 2008:

1. Bandai's VF-25F Alto Saotome Valk (it's on top and you prolly know this by now)
2. MG Infinite Justice (I'm a Seed/Seed Destiny fan)
3. Bandai's VF-25S Ozma Lee's custom Valk (the Skull Squadron leader's ride, need I say more?)
4. GFF Gundam MKIII (this GFF is gorgeous)
5. NG 1/100 Astraea Type F
6. PG Strike, which I will AB as the Strike Rouge... I don't wanna shell out the extra moolah for the Sky Grasper/Aile Striker... the base model Strike is fine with me
7. some DC Direct figs in between kits

Uhmm... ahmmm... err... it's been more than a year now since that list was made and I got 1 out of 7. It's not bad at all. In fact, my batting stat was horrendous! ^_^

Let me explain what happened.

My Macross fever for Frontier has died down a bit. So Alto's and Ozma's valks would have to wait. But man, I'd have to admit that those valks are still wicked looking! They're still on my wish list, but slightly further down.

On a side note, I barely grabbed a VF-0S, but Voltes V (GX-31V) was more enticing.

I promised myself not to buy any Gundam kit as long as my 5 MGs are still in their boxes! So out goes 3 on the list. ^_^ Besides, I do not have as much free time as I would have liked in order to build more GunPlaMo. This fact alone makes me want to go to a corner and cry. :(

Don't worry, I still intend to build and finish my 5 MGs.

My fixation for the GFF MkIII simply went away... but that Gundam is still one of the photogenic figures, IMO.

Finally, after 4 or 5 days from that blog post, I got one DC Direct fig -- that of Superman as inspired by Alex Ross' Justice storyline.

Now to the good stuff.

Even though I horibly missed on 6 of the 7 items I've mentioned, I still got away with acquiring much cooler toys up to this writing:

Transformers The Movie Leader Class Optimus Prime Premium Edition

Masterpiece Starscream U.S. Takara Version

SOC GX-01R Mazinger Z

SOC GX-31V Voltes V

Transformers Animated Voyager Class Starscream

SOC GX-45 Mazinger Z

This reminds me -- I haven't taken photos of some of the toys' boxes. :)

So... not bad (in exchange for the missed 6) 'eh?

SOC GX-50 Combattler 2.0

2009-10-14T08:28:00.003+08:00

Here's another Soul of Chogokin offering from Bandai that is worth looking at -- the second version of Combattler. :)

Voltes V's predecessor

Look at all the goodies!

I don't know how much gokin the version 2.0 has, but I hope that Bandai molded most of Combattler's parts with alloy... and not in plastic -- which was becoming the trend with the recent releases. Is SOC becoming soul of plastiku? ^_^

Anyway, Combattler Ver. 2.0 is coming out in December with a 18,690 JPY price tag, tax included.

Images from GA Graphic.

PG 00 Raiser box art

2009-10-09T09:16:00.003+08:00

From the 49th All Japan Plamodel Radicon Show, here's the box art of the upcoming Perfect Grade 00 Raiser --

Box art for the PG 00 Raiser

It was edited to present a more frontal point-of-view. The original photo is from Hobby Stock.

For curiosity's sake, here's the untouched image --

Max Fac 'Kaiser

2009-10-08T09:07:00.004+08:00

Here are more images of the Max Factory Mazinkaiser that would be released on January, 2010.

Just look at that finish!

Heck yeah!

A medieval knight can be put to shame with the number of swords 'Kaiser has.

Have wings, will fly.

As expected from Max Fac, gokin content, the finish, and the details are just superb!

It is already up for pre-order at Hobby Search.

I will abso-friggin'-lutely get this when it comes out!

Images courtesy of Good Smile Company.

Max Factory Mazinkaiser re-issue

2009-10-07T13:16:00.005+08:00

Awe-effin-some! This has got to be the most-awaited news in Gokin land -- Max Factory's Mazinkaiser re-issue!

Max Fac Mazinkaisers have long been considered quite rare. This can be backed-up by the fact that the price of 'Kaisers have more than doubled (or tripled) years after the original release. I've seen sellers pricing this thing at around 600 USD.

Mean. Very mean-looking.

Now, with this re-release slated on January, 2010, non-hadcore collectors get a fair chance of owning this wicked fig, priced at 15,540 JPY (tax included).

Hmmmmm... In this regard, I'm always wondering why Bandai is taking so friggin' long to release a SOC Mazinkaiser... is it waiting for the centennial number? GX-100 Mazinkaiser perhaps?

Anyway, time to save-up and make room for a post-Christmas present for yourselves, guys! ^_^

Images from the Figma Blog.

Perfect Grade 00 Raiser

2009-10-05T17:16:00.003+08:00

The next Gundam to be honored by Bandai with a Perfect Grade version doesn't look like it has more details than the 1/100 version, but it still looks nasty.

Perfect Grade 00 Raiser

Notice the cool lighting effects on the GN drives and the shield?

I have always considered the Strike Rouge as the mech I am going to buy as my first PG, although now, I'm having second thoughts about it. ^_^

To be released in November and costs 26,250 JPY (tax included).

Image from Happinet.

Movie-perfect

2009-09-25T13:15:00.004+08:00

Ohhh-kay. Time to bring out a little more diversity for this one, and post a book review. Yes. A book review.

I had just finished reading Dan Brown's latest novel, The Lost Symbol, two nights ago and... well, it didn't actually blow my mind off.

So I guess it would be needless to say that Brown's Angels & Demons is still on top of my Robert Langdon adventures. With that in mind, I'm still second-guessing on which is better -- The Da Vinci Code or this one.

I do not know if Brown is lobbying for a third movie installment (of course he is, right?) but with the way the novel is written and the way it's time frame is delivered, The Lost Symbol is perfect for a two-hour movie.

The telling of the story is pretty much straightforward that you'd think you were actually watching a movie unfold before your very eyes.

As expected, Brown has once again sprinkled it with lots of trivia about things what we already know, and you can expect this to go on the moment you turn past the first pages until the very last chapter. If you're a trivia buff about general knowledge (like I am), you will be giddy about this book which covers interesting facts over a vast array of disciplines -- religion, art, history, technology, to name a few.

There is only one major twist in the story that would make you utter the words "I thought so," although there is a number of turns on the side.

Much like the first two Langdon adventures, The Lost Symbol only contains a handful of action scenes... sheesh, I'm now talking like this is a movie review.

Speaking of the movie-like way the book was written, I'm imagining Morgan Freeman to be cast as one of main characters. If only the female boss of The Incredibles was a real person, I'm quite sure that she'd make it, too. ^_^ Surely, Tom Hanks would reprise his role as the great cryptologist, Robert Langdon. And as for the main antagonist, a good friend of mine, Bryant, suggested Dwayne Johnson. LOL!

Come to think of it, what he said is a possibility.

All in all, I'm not a ratings (read: n out of 5 stars) kind of reader/reviewer, but The Lost Symbol is definitely a must-have. Just go out and get your copy. Now.

Want some Koji?

2009-09-25T09:00:00.002+08:00

I currently too lazy to play around with words right now. So, I'll just let the photos do the talking.

My GX-45 Mazinger Z (Shin Mazinger)

Want some Koji?

I couldn't wait for the GX-49 Mazinger Z, which is the same as this one except it would include the God Scrander... I'm not that big into taking photos of Maz with his Scranders anyway. Well, maybe someday, I would. ^_^

Click here for the full set of my SOC GX-45 photos in Flickr.

Happy birthday, Superman!

2009-09-15T06:46:00.007+08:00

Well, kinda for my Kal-el.

MISB photo from a year ago.

Almost after a year of acquiring this marvelous DC Direct (Justice Series I) figure inspired by the great Alex Ross, I decided to let him out of the box and take some photos.

The faithfulness to Ross' depiction is virtually spot-on, and I believe that of all Big Blue's action figures out there, this is the best of the lot... exept for the Retailers Version wherein he had those red pupils that seem like they're going to give an unlucky villain a very long day.

What do you think is Supes' best action figure to date?

Mine is bigger than yours

2009-09-14T16:21:00.002+08:00

Some images of the MG Astray Blue Frame Second Revise from Amiami.

Considering that this is just an MG, I'm really impressed by the details that Bandai have incorporated into this particular kit. It can rival those of Perfect Grades.

Have you ever seen a bigger sword among the current Master Grade Gundams other than this? The Blue Frame's sword can put those in Final Fantasy to shame! ^_^

My third... and second.

2009-09-14T13:22:00.006+08:00

I drove for about 45 minutes in order to pick the SOC GX-45 up from the store just moments before their closing time last night.

I know that this is just another SOC Mazinger Z, but the sheer articulation of this figure is reason enough to justify the purchase. ^_^

Oh, about this post's title? The GX-45 is my third SOC, and it is my second SOC Maz.

Now I really, really want to get that GX-45A Mazinger Z Atami Night Version. :)

GX-45A Mazinger Z Atami Night Version

2009-09-11T16:42:00.004+08:00

Available at Tamashii Nation's Autumn 2009 event for 6,500 JPY.

If you're a Maz fan, this is another must-have SOC! ^_^

The event runs from October 2 to October 4, 2009. Anybody going? :)

The greatest ever

2009-09-11T08:08:00.005+08:00

Today, the greatest player ever to grace the NBA's hardwood floors will be inducted to the James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Image courtesy of NBA.com.

Michael Jordan, along with David Robinson, Jerry Sloan, John Stockton and C. Vivian Stringer, will comprise of the greatest Hall of Fame class ever.

From Wiki, here are some of MJ's accomplishments:

6× NBA Champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)
5× NBA MVP (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998)
14× NBA All-Star (1985-1993, 1996-1998, 2002-2003)
6× NBA Finals MVP (1991-1993, 1996-1998)
1× NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988)
10× All-NBA First Team Selection (1987-1993, 1996-1998)
1× All-NBA Second Team Selection (1985)
9× NBA All-Defensive First Team Selection (1988-1993, 1996-1998)
1985 NBA Rookie of the Year
1985 NBA All-Rookie Team
3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998)
2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner (1987, 1988)
2x Gold Medal Winner in the Olympics (1984,1992)
NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
1× NCAA Men's Basketball Champion (1982)
1982 ACC Freshman of the Year
1× ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year (1984)
1× USBWA College Player of the Year (1984)
1× Naismith College Player of the Year (1984)

I have watched him play since his first year in Chicago; back when the name "Chicago" was still written in cursive on the Bulls uniform.

I can not think of anybody (sorry Kobe and LeBron) that can equal the phenomenon known as His Airness.

Nobody can come close. Perhaps, nobody ever will.

Gundam RX-78-2 is falling down, falling down, falling down...

2009-09-09T07:20:00.005+08:00

The 1/1 Gundam RX-78-2 in Odaiba, came crashing down when they tried to dismantle it.

I wonder what could've happened during the process.

On a lighter note, I bet that Char would've been very, very pleased. ^_^

From Danny Choo's blog.

Canon EOS 7D 24p footage

2009-09-09T06:59:00.002+08:00

The 7D's 24p video capabilities.

All I can say is "wow!"

Dublin's People: Canon 7d 24p from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

I want! I want! I want! ^_^

Another way to lazily light your figures

2009-09-04T07:48:00.005+08:00

Here's another lighting setup that I use if I'm not that lazy in putting up the lamps when I'm shooting my toys.

This time I'm using a dark background and two 23-watt fluorescent lamps to capture the Volt Bomber's profile.

A black board was utilized as the platform and background, while the two lamps were placed on both sides. The one on the left was placed slightly above the Lander, while the one on the right was level with the toy.

Copy papers were used to diffuse the direct light coming from the lamps. This was necessary to eliminate the harsh lights and to keep the highlights from being blown up.

Finally, since I do not have barn-doors (metal flaps that allow you to prevent the light from a certain area) two more boards were used to block the lights from spilling over to the background*.

You can click on the image of the setup above to view the complete notes.

Oh yeah, the result --

* I know, I should have taken comparison shots to clearly show what the heck I'm talking about when I talk about harsh lights or blown highlights. Promise, I'll do that next time. ^_^

Canon EOS 7D

2009-09-03T15:26:00.004+08:00

It's official, and it's coming at the end of the month.

Canon EOS 7D

18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor (WTF? Not FF?)
8 FPS continuous shooting
1080p 24FPS HD video (full manual control)
3-inch LCD
19-point AF system
Wireless flash control, finally!!!

US$ 1,699.00 (body only)

Tough as nails

2009-09-03T14:52:00.005+08:00

I've had this Seagate FreeAgent Go for around a couple of years now and it is still working flawlessly.

My uber-tough 160Gb FreeAgent Go

I'm mentioning this in spite of the fact that I have already dropped it (unintentionally, of course) no less than three times -- once from my car's passenger seat to the pavement, once from the top of a 3-foot high table, and once again from the same table -- while the drive is still connected to my mobile computer.

Call me lucky... or you can call it tough. Either way, it's definitely a must-have for someone who shuttles gigs of files to and from the office everyday.

Caveat emptor: I've read reviews on the interweb where consumers have dropped it ever so slightly and it failed to work afterwards.

How to lazily light your figures

2009-09-02T09:25:00.002+08:00

Lazily. That's the operative word for this guide.

If you can't afford (or haven't bought) a decent lighting setup yet, then I guess this is also the guide for you.

In other words, this is a cheap solution in setting up your figures for a decent photo.

This is the setup I almost always use when I do not want to bother arranging lamps and other stuff for about 20 minutes just to take an image. Yes, lazy.

Here are the things you'll need:

A table where you're going to set your lights up. If don't have a free table around, you can use the floor. Just be prepared to lie on your stomach for quite a bit.
A bristol board or any large sheet of paper (you can use cloth/textile) to use as the base and background of your figure.
A 32-watt fluorescent lamp.
A couple of rods.
A couple of boards or large boxes to serve as light reflectors.

A tripod is not required, but it certainly can be a big help, especially for those with shaky hands.

I'll skip the narratives on how to set this up and just show the pic --

For the complete notes, just click on the image above.

Here's the result --

By the way, secure the lamp and aluminum rods safely to the boxes on the left and the right. I made the mistake of not fastening them at all. As I was adjusting the background for a different angle, the lamp fell and broke into a gazillion pieces. That happened within an hour of taking the photo above. Oh well, great luck!

Five years!

2009-08-31T21:45:00.003+08:00

My blog is now technically 5 years old this day!

During the first few years, I never thought it could go this far. In fact, I never knew blogging would get this big.

I actually created this account (then with Blogspot) just for the heck of it -- just to say that I have a web log. This is evident on the number of posts I made during the blog's first four years -- two. Yes, two pathetic posts.

It was only in April 2008, the year I got hooked on Gundams, that I tried to regularly update it with posts about my kits' works-in-progress.

Since then, the blog has gone through a number of revisions including layout changes, header mods, and content.

What has been reborn as a blog for my Gundam kits and their progression to completed works has diversified a bit into one about other toy lines, photography, tech gadgets, and news.

To you guys, who drop by for whatever reason, thank you so much!

So there! Here's to another five awesome years! ^_^

Screamer

2009-08-30T00:59:00.004+08:00

Even though I haven't watched any episode from the Transformers Animated series, I went ahead and bought the Voyager Class of Starscream.

I thought that the jet mode looked awesome as well as his robot mode... in fact I like the TFA robot mode better than the TFTM or ROTF robot mode. Besides, the toy was on a super-discounted price of Php 700.00 (around 14.58 US$) at Toy Express. ^_^

Voyager Class versions of Skywarp and Megs are also of the same price, so I might come back tomorrow. But, that's not all! Once gets raffle tickets for a minimum purchase for the chance to win a spanking new Sony Playstation 3!

IG-PP01 Masterpiece Optimus Prime's Mini-me

2009-08-28T08:16:00.004+08:00

iGear will be releasing their version of Masterpiece Optimus Prime.

As you know, iGear was the company that made a bigger version of OP's trailer sometime ago.

Theirs will have a more anime-accurate head sculpt which is more articulate and a pair of hands that is masterpiece-worthy.

However, there is one downside (excuse the pun) about their Autobot leader --

Yes, their OP is way smaller in scale as compared to Takara's MP-01.

IG-PP01 is expected to be released this November, 2009 and it would cost 95.00 US$.

Images are from iGear.

Voltes V

2009-08-22T02:45:00.003+08:00

The culmination.

Although he's not necessarily my favorite super-robot (Mazinger Z is), Voltes V's Respect for the Volt-in Box version, GX-31V, is by far my favorite SOC.

He looks good up close, but I didn't realize how photogenic he is until I saw the result of my photoshoot. Damn, he looks great! ^_^

You can view the complete set of pics (including the individual photos of Volt vehicles) here.

PS3 Slim

2009-08-19T08:23:00.003+08:00

Quick specifications:

HDD: 120GB
Length: 290mm
Width: 290mm
Height: 65mm
Weight: around 3.3kgs
Price: US$299 (the current PS3's price will drop to this level too!)
Launch date: September 1, 2009

Image from ign.com

Volt Lander

2009-08-14T10:31:00.003+08:00

The final component of Voltes V -- Jamie's Volt Lander. ^_^

From Wiki --
Jamie Robinson (Megumi Oka) is a kunoichi (female ninja) and the 18th heir of the Kōga-ryū ninja. Young, slim, and beautiful, Megumi received special training during her childhood. By the age of 13, she already possessed extraordinary skills and lightning reflexes. She also learned the gentle arts from her mother. Through her mother's guidance, Megumi became a person with a calm yet alert disposition. Joining the Voltes V Team, she was the voice of reason among the male members, especially whenever Ken'ichi and Ippei were about to clash during personal conflicts. Her cool demeanor and uncanny skills qualified Megumi as the fifth (and only female) member of the Voltes V team. Her uniform was yellow with pink accents. Voiced by Miyuki Ueda, who also played as the voice of Chizuru Nanbara in Combattler V, as Erika in the Daimos series, and as Marie Antoinette in Rose of Versailles; the latter was another series which Nagahama, the creator of Voltes V, was one of the contributing directors. She pilots the Volt Lander (Feet).

Volt Frigate

2009-08-12T08:57:00.003+08:00

Here's Little John's Frigate!

It would've been uber-cool if they added an Octo-One figure in GX-31V! ^_^

Little John and Octo-One

From Wiki --
"Little" John Armstrong (Hiyoshi Gō) is a genius in inventing automatons. He has been interested in learning mechanics, robotics, and electromagnetism since a very young age. He was considered a genius by many university professors. He even created a funny little octopus-robot called Tako-chan ("Octo-One" in the dubbed version). But to his big brothers, Ken'ichi and Daijirō, Hiyoshi will always be a little brother, a child who never felt the warmth and love of a real father. He also excels in swimming and diving. Because of his exceptional talents, Hiyoshi was asked to join the Voltes V Team as a technical handyman, specifically for repairs during field operations. His uniform was light green. Voiced by Noriko Ohara in the original Voltes V series. Volt Frigate (Legs) is Hiyoshi's vehicle.
Little John and Octo-One image from http://edsabhrainweblogs.blogspot.com/.

Sweetness!

2009-08-11T15:42:00.004+08:00

The G.F.F.N. Launcher/Sword Strike Rouge

My favorite Gundam -- Cagalli's, of course, in all its G.F.F. Next Generation glory!

Launcher Strike Rouge

Sword Strike Rouge

9,240 JPY, to be released during the Christmas season!

Images from Tamashii.

Volt Panzer

2009-08-11T08:29:00.004+08:00

The next Volt vehicle is as big as its pilot, Big Bert, himself -- the Volt Panzer.

Even the structure of the Volt Panzer would remind you of Big Bert's profile. ^_^

The cockpit slides in when the volt-in procedure happens to allow the Frigate to dock.

This is the side where the Volt Bomber docks.

I forgot to make the left claw flush with the body. ^_^

The most viewed angle of the Volt Panzer -- Voltes V's chest. :)

From Wiki --

Robert "Big Bert" Armstrong (Daijirō Gō) is the defense tactician. He was once a playful child but Daijirō's outlook in life suddenly changed when his father disappeared. Alarmed by this change in his personality, Mrs. Gō sent him to live in the country where a martial arts master taught him different fighting styles and forms of meditation. Upon rejoining his brothers, Daijirō was already a master of different hand-to-hand fighting styles. The naginata (fighting staff) became his favorite weapon. Together with Ken'ichi and Hiyoshi, Daijirō started training as a member of the Voltes V Team. Unlike in the group portrait above his uniform was dark green, not brown. Voiced by Tesshou Genda in the original Voltes V. He pilots the Volt Panzer (Body Chest).

Volt Bomber

2009-08-10T10:04:00.003+08:00

Here's number 2 among the Volt vehicles, Mark Gordon's Volt Bomber.

From Wiki -

Mark Gordon (Ippei Mine) is a rodeo champion. He was orphaned while still a young boy. His mother died trying to save him from a pack of wolves. After his mother's death, he grew bitter, aloof, but cool under crisis. He learned how to live in the streets and perform odd jobs. This kind of life strengthened his personality. Upon joining the rodeo, he learned to ride horses and how to use a whip. He found his greatest friend in a white stallion known as Aiful ("Alpha"). The two, man and beast, became inseparable. He won two rodeo championship contests with Aiful as his horse. Then one day, The Earth International Defense Force asked Ippeo to join the team. When he refused, he was taken forcibly, so for the first time, Ippei and Aiful where separated. Dr. Hamaguchi has Aiful brought to Big Falcon early in the series. His uniform was blue. Voiced by Kazuyuki Sogabe in the original Voltes V series. He pilots the Volt Bomber (Arms).

Business as usual

2009-08-07T11:38:00.009+08:00

Yes, you are still viewing NelMan's blog. :)

I guess I just grew tired of the old layout, which was getting too cluttered. So I went ahead, bit the bullet, and selected a new template -- Minima Stretch for more real estate.

So please expect layout changes to commence during the next few days.

However, this is not like a retail store who temporarily shuts down operations once renovations are going on. No. I will still continue to post entries.

Think Phoenix. ^_^

Edits:

Put the old header image back on.
Put the new header image. How does it look?
Purged the labels

Volt Cruiser

2009-08-07T10:43:00.008+08:00

Call it the Volt Cruiser, Volt Cruizer, or Volt Crewzer... it is still Steve Armstrong's plane and Voltes V's head.

Since the white background I used earlier didn't suit my taste, I just had to do a re-shoot with the Voltes vehicles.

You can see Voltes V's chin in this shot. ^_^

From Wiki --

Steve Armstrong (Ken'ichi Gō) is the Voltes V team leader. He is a marksman, a Motocross champion, an ace pilot, and the eldest of the three Gō brothers. He was a very adventurous child, but the disappearance of his father changed him. He became more responsible, caring for his younger brothers as well as for the people who depended on him. His uniform was red. Voiced by Yukinaga Shiraishi in the original version of Voltes V. He pilots the Volt Cruiser (Head).

I guess you know what's coming up next, right?

SHCM-Pro Unicorn Gundam

2009-08-04T07:31:00.005+08:00

Soon to be released is the 10,290 JPY Super High Complete Model Progressive (SHCM-Pro) Unicorn Gundam.

SHCM-Pro Unicorn Gundam

I wonder how careful one should be when transforming it from its Unicorn mode to the Destroy mode. Such tiny pieces to move!

Based on the preview pics, the Gattling gun wouldn't be included... and its horn could use a bit of sharpening. However, from the looks of it, this 1/200 figure has better articulation than its Master Grade sibling. Just look at how it is able to bend its knees. ^_^

I guess with this release, a SHCM-Pro Sinanju wouldn't be that far behind.

Image from Rakuten.

That's two! Happy birthday, Dad!

2009-08-03T13:53:00.005+08:00

I was excited to get this one. Perhaps, I was more excited to get the SOC GX-31V than my SOC GX-01R Mazinger Z.

Maybe I was too excited that even Ate Melai, ever-hospitable staff of GreatToysOnline's Greenhills branch (along with Ate Marilyn), saw it in my eyes, as she remarked, "Excited oh!", as we were checking the contents of the box to make sure that all the parts were there.

Yes, I was and I couldn't hide it.

Mazinger Z may be my favorite super-robot of all time, but getting Voltes V's Respect for the Volt-in Box version made me smile like a kid.

Back in 1980, I think I might've had the chance to get the Godaikin version of Voltes V, which was hugely popular here in the Philippines. Unfortunately, I didn't cry my eyes out enough to make my father (who incidentally is celebrating his birthday today) shell out Php 800.00 and get me one as we passed by a local toy store. I'd bet, that if I cried like hell during that day, I would've gotten my Voltes V.

Anyway, dad -- my hero and my idol, more than made up for it by getting me die-cast versions of Mechander Robo and UFO Grendizer.

Yesterday, after 30 years of patient waiting, I finally got MY Voltes V. It may not be the Godaikin version, but the SOC version is more than enough to make me realize a childhood dream.

Ok, so I'm a wuss who's getting teary eyed already... but this is Voltes V!

Oh yeah, my dad saw me bringing the box in yesterday and he was delighted that I got a Voltes V toy already. My mom who saw both of us talking asked, "Didn't you have a Voltes when you were still a kid?" Dad responded by saying that what he got me during those days were the Mechander and the Grendizer. How's that for very cool parents?!? They know their super-robot stuff!!! ^_^

I've got two of the best parents in the world, I tell 'ya!

I mentioned in my previous post about showing my own pics early this week, right?

Steve Armstrong's ride, the Volt Cruizer

I hope to get a full-on shoot with the rest of the Volt-vehicles on Tuesday night. ^_^

Happy birthday shoutouts to my dad -- my idol and my hero, on this special day! May you have many more candles to blow and continued good health along with mom.

I love you, Daddy! We all love you! :)

Next!

2009-07-31T08:55:00.006+08:00

I was having quite a bit of a dilemma these past few days.

You see I'm a bit overdue for a new collectible to take pictures of and couldn't decide what toy I should get first. I have a few of them... okay, I've lots of them running around my mind, and I sort of shortlisted them into a compact list:

MP-04 Convoy from Takara Tomy or otherwise known as Masterpiece Optimus Prime and his trailer
SOC GX-31V Voltes V Respect for Volt-in Box from Bandai
1/60 VF-0S from Yamato
Iron Man Mark II or III from Hot Toys

Eliminating IM from the list was pretty easy. My senses came around after a while and reminded me that I should get the icons from my younger years first, before acquiring the more contemporary figures. Don't get me wrong, I still find the HT IM 12-inch figures as two of the most awesome figs out there and I would love to have them in the future, but... they just don't fit into what I would call my icons... yet. Sorry, Tony Stark.

Out at second runner-up is Yamato's 1/60 VF-0S. I regretted cutting Roy Fokker's mech from my list because it is my absolute favorite among the Valks that are available. For me, the VF-xS are the most endearing vari-fighters and I find the Macross Zero version simply as the one who runs away with it all. I just adored everything about it when I first saw it in Zero. I'll get you next time buddy... probably when Yamato releases a 2.0 version.

So, there were two.

Optimus Prime couldn't have said it better when he uttered, "One shall stand, and one shall fall." Yet no matter how wicked the Takara Tomy MP version of the Big Guy may look, he fell short as he was against a very tough contender.

Yup, I'm going for my ultimate icon -- Voltes V, specifically the Respect for Volt-in Box version.

The decision was basically up in the air until I saw these images and licked them off eBay

Doesn't he look awesome?!?

Volt Cruiser

Volt Bomber

Volt Panzer

Volt Frigate

Volt Lander

Just look at all the included weapons and accessories!!!

This is the image that sold the deal. ^_^

So yeah, I am going after him. And hopefully I'd have my own pics of Camp Big Falcon's hero to show early next week!

I'm setting my optics after MP-04 next. :)

Kick-ass Optimus Prime

2009-07-26T00:12:00.005+08:00

I deeply apologize for the title of this post, but there's no other way to describe Optimus Prime in ROTF. He was one mean SOB.

Nothing epitomizes this fact more when he asked Demolishor, "Any last words?" and then proceeded to shoot the poor thing in the face.

I thought only Megs was capable of such violence. Remember Transformers The Movie? No, not the Michael Bay one in '07. The animation one. Where Megatron mecilessly blasted Ironhide's brain out as Ironhide was crawling on the floor and held onto Megs' foot.

I guess it's payback time, huh?

Here's the RA - Buster Optimus Prime from Takara Tomy... as kick-ass as his ROTF movie version.

Prime killed Demolishor with this thing. Nicely weathered too!

Just look at the details and the bling on this alt mode!

I don't care what some brainless idiots would say, but I'm still right -- Optimus Prime and Jetfire still does not combine.

The addition of a few panels would make it perfect.

Costs around US$ 83.00. So, are you going to get one? Reservations on Hobby Search are currently closed. :(

Images from Hobby Search.

DC Comics heroes on Google's Doodle

2009-07-24T08:07:00.007+08:00

A bunch of superheroes appeared on Google's Doodle today in its US homepage.

Those who made the cut and were illustrated by Jim Lee were Batman, Plastic Man, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Boy Wonder, Robin.

A few notes, though:

Batman still likes to perch on beings immortalized in stone.
Plastic Man seems as if he ate the first 'o' and the 'e' in the word 'Google.'
Wonder Woman's invisible jet looks like a service unit which was provided by the Justice League's aviation engineers as they were still repairing the original.
Green Lanter was, well, being Green Lantern -- turning stuff into green. ^_^
And finally, Robin appears as though he's enjoying every bit of attention he's getting due to the hundreds of millions of hits Google obtains in a single day.

Where's Supes, you might ask? Well, he's at the Daily Planet... writing a grudge article about how Google has decided to leave him out of today's doodle.

Poor man's modeling - Neb kit hose hack: Redux

2009-07-21T07:08:00.012+08:00

Remember my Neb kit hose hack post last year (August, 2008), which was part of my Poor Man's Modeling series?

I didn't quite finish it, did I?

Anyway, resting after a sumptuous dinner-date with my fiancee last night wasn't really an option. Too much calories were taken in, and I had to burn some of them. Besides, co-members from a local GunPla forum got a bit interested in my pseudo-compressor of a nebulizer.

Let's get things underway, shall we?

First off, the materials. You need the following lest you decide to make the entire system out of paper mache:

A. A nebulizer kit hose (two of them, actually... I'll explain why you need two in the latter part.) These come relatively cheap from your neighborhood drugstores. You can buy the ones for adults, or the ones for infants. It really doesn't matter. On second thought, get the one for adults. You can use the mask as an alternative when you are doing the dirty deed -- airbrushing... what were you thinking? Anyway, each costs around Php100.00 a pop. If possible, get the hose without inner ridges.

B. GSI Creos' One-Touch Plug for Mr. One-Touch Hose 1/8 S. These plugs aren't really necessary, but if you want your hoses to fit on your airbrush without them popping off from time to time, you might want to consider 'em. By the way, I'm using a Tamiya Spray Work HG airbrush and these plugs are the ones that work with it. If you've got a different AB, go to your favorite hobby store and get the plugs that work with YOUR airbrush. Don't come running back to me, crying, and saying that the plugs won't work. They come in two pieces per pack... I don't know why, but they just do. If you don't need the extra plug, sell it to a geeky friend. Say that it came from the Apollo rocket, or something important. Oh yeah, I got mine for around Php650.00 from STC in V-Mall, Greenhills.

C. Bleeder valves. They are the ones used for aquariums to redirect/lessen the air going into your fishes' domain. You can make the bleeder valves work by turning the small levers. These valves can range from Php50.00 to Php120.00 each. Some has got two bleeder valves, while others can have three or four. They are not really required, but it's nice to have one around just in case you want to decrease the air volume going into your airbrush for detailing work. I don't use them. Really. I just bought one because I thought I needed it. I might someday. I was a boy scout. 'Nuff said.

D. A pair of scissors, or cutters... or blades. Any cutting tool will do. If two slabs of granite can cut cleanly through your neb kit hose, then fine.

E. Silicone or epoxy... some type of sealant. I used silicone for my hose.

Okay, now that we've put the requirements out of the way, it's time to hack that hose.

1. This is basically the nebulizer kit hose with the attachment for holding the nebule -- the nebule tank. Hose 1 is attached normally, while Hose 2 is attached to the part where the face mask is supposed to go. Fix Hose 2 in place by using the silicone... lots of it. In short, be generous with the application of the sealant. Let the sealant dry to bind the the pieces.

Notice the splatters of paint on the tank? ^_^

2. If you do not have the GSI Creos' One-Touch Plug for Mr. One-Touch Hose 1/8 S, this will be the penultimate step for you. Otherwise, proceed to Step 4.
Attach the other end of Hose 1 to the nebulizer. You might need... I guess the proper phrase would be -- you WILL need to force the end of the hose to your airbrush. It may take a bit of elbow grease, but it will fit. Now, this isn't exactly what you may call a snug one, but it's the only thing you can do without the GSI plugs. I encountered a few times wherein the hose kept on popping out with this setup, so the plugs are a welcome addition.

3. Attach the other end of Hose 2 to your airbrush. Proceed to Step 8.

4. You should have reached this step if you've got the GSI plugs. If not, go back to Step 2. Cut the other end of Hose 2 (the one you didn't seal to the nebule holder) with your granite slabs, er, scissors.

5. Get one of the GSI plugs.

GSI Creos' One-Touch Plug for Mr. One-Touch Hose 1/8 S

6. Attach it to your airbrush.

The Tamiya Spray Work HG airbrush and a GSI plug

The GSI plug attached to the Tamiya Spray Work HG airbrush

7. Attach the end of Hose 2 (which should now be cut) to the GSI plug. If the inner walls of your hose has got ridges, the air coming out of the nebulizer will leak. You can remedy this by tying Twist Ties to clamp the hose tightly to the plug.

8. You're done! But wait... in the case that too much air volume is rushing out of the nebulizer, you can do this final step to bleed some air out. This is one part in the Poor-man's-GunPla series, remember? We do not have enough moolah for air regulators. Cut anywhere along Hose 2. I would suggest to cut near the nebule holder so the length of the hose wouldn't be compromised in case you want to chicken out and not use the bleeder valves anymore. Insert the bleeder valve between the 2 pieces of Hose 2.

The bleeder valve installed

NOW you're done! Happy airbrushing!

Notes of further confusion:

1. You really need only one piece of hose to make this work. However, you will notice that as you go about airbrushing kit pieces of your precious PG Strike a bit longer, condensation will appear inside your hose. That's where the nebule holder comes in very handy. It acts as some sort of water trap. It is best if you put a piece (or two) of cotton balls in it (nebule holder) to be sure that water (condensation) will not ride up to your airbrush.

2. The transparent hoses make it easier to see if some sort of condensation (again, water) appears inside your hose.

3. This hack would work with either single-action or double-action airbrushes. However, as you may very well know, the dual-action functionality of, well, dual-action airbrushes, are useless without them being connected to air tanks

Click here to see the rest of the Poor Man's GunPla/Modeling series.

Addition:

If someone else is using the nebulizer (most likely for health treatments like asthma) it would be best if you cover the neb unit when you are airbrushing. This is needed so that stray paint wouldn't stick to the unit and make it look like a graffiti wall.

The next Perfect Grade: 00 Gundam

2009-07-16T22:48:00.004+08:00

This is one helluvan exciting news.

Based on a scoop, with matching pic (shown, although I adjusted the colors a bit) from ToysDaily, the main mech in the not-so-recently-concluded 00 Gundam series should be the next Perfect Grade from Bandai.

No, it is not the Exia... c'mon, a Master Grade had just been released.

It's going to be the 00 Gundam!