Sideshow Bodies

Now before we start let me put up a disclaimer:

This is NOT a SS body sucks thread.
This is NOT a comparison thread.

This IS a thread to talk about how the bodies can be fixed slowly and cost effectively.

I know those rules won't last long but it's nice to dream.

Now for the last few days I have been staring at my naked Obi Wan over the last few days. And also I have one of the new Hot Toys bodies, so it got me to thinking. Sideshows base bodies CAN be improved. This is something we all agree on I think. However I think it can be done slowly and over time thus not dumping us with the cost of R&D on an all new body at one time. The easiest fix I see at the start, rework the crotch of the figure. We may lose some articulation but I hate the bunching fabric. Tweak the elbow hinges to allow for a little more push to get the bicep and forearm as close as possible. Tweak the wrists. I have the Hot Toys bendy hands on the Obi body and I love how they look. I may just keep them on there

The places that will need the most work, the chest and shoulders. This is the one place that drives me nuts for some reason, can't really name it though. Then there are the legs, I would add a little more bulk to the calves and mess with the ankle joints a little. Also tighten everything overall. Semi loose or wonky joints can just destroy a figure.

So those are some of my ideas, and again, these could all be done slowly in stages. Let me say as a closing, I think for what I am paying for a figure (about $65 shipped) I am MORE than happy. For the Hot Toys body alone I think I payed almost $40 shipped. So yes, I am happy with the base body but would like to see some tweaks made here and there.

At this point I am not sure if this has much of a point other than a long winded rambling but other thoughts would be apprecaited, but please lets not turn this into a VS thread or anything like that. If you want to fight, go to one of the Fett threads and stay outta mine

F' THOSE THINGS THEY SUCK AARRGGH!!!!


Ok I'm just messing with you cause' of the disclaimer, first thing, elbo articulation, that's my big thing, their arms need to be fixed first.

PosterBoyKelly said:

F' THOSE THINGS THEY SUCK AARRGGH!!!!


Ok I'm just messing with you cause' of the disclaimer, first thing, elbo articulation, that's my big thing, their arms need to be fixed first.

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In theory, the arms are more or less the proper length on the regular figures. What throws them off and gives the illusion of longer arms is the size of the sculpted hands. The average human body is symmetrical to a certain degree. The lower leg is usally about the same size as the upper leg, same with the arms. If you actually look at a SS figure, the arms appear to be the same length on the standard sized body.


PS I just measured with a toothpick, not totally accurate I know, but the arms ARE more or less the same length. The lower arm is a fraction longer to accomidate the wrist articulation.

The size of the hands have just been a problem on Star Wars figures. Their other lines are fine. The problem is the first round of hands they did for the SW figures have been copied and pasted to the other SW figures. They should have got the scale right to begin with.

As for tweaks, elbows need more movement, heads/neck needs to be able to go down further in the front, and the ankles need more rotation.

EVILFACE said:

The size of the hands have just been a problem on Star Wars figures. Their other lines are fine. The problem is the first round of hands they did for the SW figures have been copied and pasted to the other SW figures. They should have got the scale right to begin with.

As for tweaks, elbows need more movement, heads/neck needs to be able to go down further in the front, and the ankles need more rotation.

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The hands I think have been a minus. I love that we get the options, but they have been copy and pasted which makes me go meh. As for the neck issue, I dunno it doesnt really bother me. Ankles seem to be a moot point because of the boots on most figures. However If I cannot pose the Oola figure we had better get in a good dancing pose I will not be happy

Also Im sorry that Im every other post, but I am hyper today and have much to say for some odd reason.

I think we are getting new bodies this year. What kind remains to be seen.

personally I feel the biggest problem are the ankles. Those ankles are pretty much worthless. Cant hold any pose except for standing straight up. open leg pose just look weird. True, part of that problem is due to stiff boots on certain figures. But from a base body's point of view. they still cant hold any pose well.

As for gradual improovement.... at this point the game has move on so much, SS might as well just develope a brand new body and pass the R&D on to their products. There are just way too many problems with it. Or maybe just outsource the body and focus on creating HS. (for example, use HT's body $30, and add the HS.)

The one thing I'd like to see is improved articulation in the necks, I can understand using the bodies they have over the years because figures like Buffy and X-Files don't need that dynamic a head movement, but some of the Star Wars characters would greatly display better with a a wider range of head movement, particualarly characters like Maul.

Im going to pretend that I never saw this thread and it doesn't exist

Memnoch21 said:

Now for the last few days I have been staring at my naked Obi Wan over the last few days.

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Just like that, i have a new sig :chew

Whatever they do, they need to bring about articulation that can give the body more "natural" poses. I'm sure all of you who own both a Hot Toys and/or Medicom body and compare similar poses to the Sideshow body can notice that Sideshow's lack of articulation makes cause for many "rigid" and unnatural looking poses.

Even with the articulation that the figures have, it still needs to be vastly improved.

They also need to make some dang armored figures, every other company does but Sideshow doesn't. I suppose that's to keep costs low.

Just exactly why is your Obi Wan naked?

Memnoch21 said:

In theory, the arms are more or less the proper length on the regular figures. What throws them off and gives the illusion of longer arms is the size of the sculpted hands. The average human body is symmetrical to a certain degree. The lower leg is usally about the same size as the upper leg, same with the arms. If you actually look at a SS figure, the arms appear to be the same length on the standard sized body.


PS I just measured with a toothpick, not totally accurate I know, but the arms ARE more or less the same length. The lower arm is a fraction longer to accomidate the wrist articulation.

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I meant the articulation more than anything. SS 1/6 can not do what my HT and Medis can with their arms.

Jango56031 said:

Just exactly why is your Obi Wan naked?

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I was originally going to swap him onto the Hot Toys body, but once I had done it, I wasn't pleased with the overall effect so the head went back on but I haven't gotten the time to go the whole nine on redressing him.

I think that engineering a more naturally flowing body would make a lot of difference. The Art S. Bucks are too rigid. I remember during one of the Spooktakular chats it was stated that new improvements would be coming in '07... but not specific dates were given.

I really like the range of movement in Sidshow's wrists... but would like the aesthetics to be improved. And of course the legs could be improved by losing the emaciated look which leads to the bunched fabric and what-not.

Another note from the main post. Why would Sideshow make changes "slowly"? I think it would push the R&D cost even higher than if they just developed a new body, put it out there and that was it.

It would take more work and time for them to develop a body, fix the arms...put that out for one or two figures while at the same time they're working on a new design for the shoulders...oh then they realize they could've improved the elbows and go back and forth, back and forth. It'd be a mess. There's also the manner of testing proper plastics, seeing how durable new designs are, etc. it's a lot of work and why not do it at once instead of doing it all in separate parts for different releases?

I think they do all the R&D at once and put a new body out there instead of "gradual" changes. If they want to do changes afterwards and feel that there's enough to warrant it, then that's cool and they can put a new "Art S. Buck v2.5" or whatever out there.

I'm sure they're working on it at this minute and they're holding out for the new body because they want to build characters like Darth Vader and Boba Fett with it.

It would be nice if it's something more customizable so changing heights can be achieved better and also different builds.

That's one of the main reasons I LOVE SS. They do attempt to stay in scale.

On a side note, I see Triad Toys has their female body up... but does anyone know when the high end one is going to be on sale?