Just what the hell is it about 1/6th that makes it so addictive?

[jkno]

Living in a country that was under Soviet rule until 1990 was quite hard since there were no Star Wars toys at all - though Star Wars was for me and young Romanian generations like a light tower illuminating the darkness. I managed to watch SW (ANH) and ESB on cinema but ROTJ we had to watch on a VHS tape at a friend since emperor Ceausescu didn't allow it in cinemas.

As for toys I had tons of them, no SW though. I had die-cast cars and tanks small soldiers etc., even some Soviet toys that I've seen selling on ebay for hundreds of dollars. I started collecting other items early 90's and started with the small but cool lines of Action Fleet and MicroMachines.

When these 2 lines were canceled by Hasbro I got into collecting higher end starting with Kotobukiya statues and going through Gentle Giant statues (busts didn't appeal to me - I have just a few), Medicom figures, Sideshow figures and PF's (and soon 1:1 busts), Master Replicas & eFX prop replicas.

I totally changed Star Wars my focus to Original Trilogy Imperials and sold out all my prequel figures and collectibles. I also collect anime especially Ghost in the Shell, Terminator (T1 & T2) and Predator (1 & 2), but also other items that I find interesting.

As for 1/6 collectibles I started with Kotobukiya (maybe some are 1/7, but still close) and I really liked their superb details. Then I got the RAH Stormtrooper and BHS and Vader. I didn't start collecting Sideshow until getting the PF Vader and in 1/6 until Praji, which was my first SS 1:6 figure. Now I got all SS OT Imperial figures excepting Thrawn (I might get him later).

I was stunned by the quality of the Hot Toys figures, when I got the HT T-800 Endoskeleton I was amazed looking at all those tiny details and movable joints and fingers. Then I had to have the BD Endo and got it too. I also got the RAH Ghost in the Shell Motoko Kusanagi figure and the Appleseed figures. Between these I managed to score the Predator 2 BD and Machiko and recently Predator 1.

All these 1/6 figures are now part of my collection and haven't sold any of them. Can't wait to be able to display the whole collection in one place, right now it is separated in 2 places: at the small apartment where i live now and at the new house where I intend to move soon.

The 1/6 are addictive for a few reasons IMHO:
- good scale - perfect for display, they don't take too much space
- excellent details at this size, the clothes look cool, (for comparison on Hasbro's SW 3"3/4 figures cloth capes look bad), human faces on some HT/SS figures look like miniature actors
- companies who do their best in producing high quality figures and good customer service (especially SS)
- price which most of the time is ok (cheaper than props and PF's and sometimes as good as those)

 

[Cap'n Cook]

Metal Gear Solid 3 was the start of my demise.

Saw that a company called medeeecomm were making a Naked Snake 'toy' and decided to get one to display next to my PS2. Then I noticed they were to release another version with Squares camo and thought that may look nice to display opposite him.

A few months later I stumbled across a small site called MediWorld and bought the Takara Batman that Christmas. After someone showed me some FML work I came here and have never looked back.

Now, it is definitely like a drug. Each figure is only as exciting as the next one. Every new year I say I will be cutting down, or even that 'I only need THAT fig' then I am completely OUT. Never happens though. I love these things. Being able to have near perfect representations of characters from my fave films around me is brilliant. I adore film and adore these representations. Can stay on the shelf prone, but when and if I get bored can be rearanged as I see fit. Perfect.

 

[GrayWolf87]

For me, when in mid teens wanted to get collectible toys like the McFarlane predators, spawn and horror stuff. But at the time just convinced self that was daft and waste of money. Then a little over a year ago decided "**** it" and looked for some Dark Knight stuff and found Hot Toys. Got dark knight costume and bank robber joker and LOVED IT!!!. Then when they released predator I was hooked on 1/6th scale, and now my wallet weeps sadly in the corner. Theres so many releases to keep up with so just have to get ones really want. One thing I love though is the possability and the detail!!! especially stuff done by Hot Toys and Enterbay. And even though I'm not into customizing, some of the work people do on here and elsewhere is jaw droppinly awesome

 

[uzumaki_1]

@ GrayWolf87. Thats exactly what happened to me. I wanted to get some collectable item from the Dark Knight film and nothing looked good to me. Then I found the holy grail of figures that is Hot Toy's Dark Knight 1/6th Batman !!! I remember that I contemplated soo much over if I should buy it or not just because I had never spent so much for a figure. The day I got it I couldn't stop looking at it. Just so god damned perfect. Then came Superman 2 in 1 (wallet buster or what !?), then I thought if i've got the Dark Knight version batman I might as well get Original costume (another wallet buster), then Joker Bank Robber (purely because it was the best rendition of Joker, and i bought it cheap!), then the Sideshow Darth Vadar, very cheap and looks kickass !!!!!

To answer the question I think am addicted because its like having mini versions of the actual character. Its the perfect size for detail and poseability !!! Its like having a living character in your display cabinet, except hes/she is 13cm tall lol.

 

[brewt1mer]

i think that if it wasnt for hot toys then i wouldnt collect 1/6th scale models...but they have pushed whats possible so far ahead of what was on offer before that they are impossible to resist...plus they dont take up as much room as the large stuff that i have so i can buy more of them...

 

[The Entity]

But what got you hooked, what is it that made you decide... right, I'm gonna spend $100 + on a toy for my shelf?

The funny thing is, that it was actually yours and Michael Crawford's reviews of the Bank Robber Joker with all the amazing pics that made me actually decide to buy a figure that cost more than €100

When I saw TDK I just knew I had to have an awesome representation of the Joker. I wasn't really into 1/6th at that time so I bought the DCD Joker.

But, a couple of weeks later I saw the reviews and I was like totally overwhelmed with the awesomeness and extreme likeness of that figure. So while looking at the awesome pics, I decided to order him

And am I right in thinking that after the pain, and soul searching of that first purchase, it got easier to justify... and ever so slightly addictive, do you now search out a weekly, monthly, occasisional fix of the good plastic stuff?

Yup, you're right!

Hot Toys is my main focus now; I have 3 figures at this moment and I'm gonna pre-order Aldo Raine soon

Besides that, I'm very excited about their Terminator/T2, Avatar and Clash Of The Titans licenses too!!

 

[V!C]

The realism is what addicted to me. The size, in combination with the details a company like HT incorporates just hooks you in.

And pictures by collectors just don't do any of the great figures justice when you actually un-box and peel your eyes on the piece for the 1st time.

 

[meth head]

I only started a couple of years ago

A couple of my mates at work had been collectiong the more military 1/6 figures. I could never see the attraction, i preferred going out on the lash and pulling women.

I now live with my partner and son and i am engaged to be married in the not to distant future. The nights out on the lash and pulling women are long gone. I just remember my mate buy a Winson Mai T-Rex 1/6 in orange and it looked awesome! I went online that night when i got home to find out more about these figures and ended up dropping $350 on the special edition white variant. I was thrilled and very excited! I remember tracking it and getting excited day by day as it was getting closer to being in my possession. It arrived and my love for 1/6 figures had begun! I finally bought a few more in the next couple of months from the copperhead range and brothersworker range. I then came onto this board and seen the movie representations available and a whole new door opened. I cant explain really why i love this hobby i guess i am like snake eater and just love to have my fav movie characters in 1/6 form. I myself always say just this one and i will take a break for a while but that just never happens

 

[karamazov80]

I mainly only collect PF, busts and 1:2. Everything else will end up in a garage sale eventually and/or forgotten...not worth the investment. The only HT piece I own is a 1/6 tumbler...and thats where it stops.

Chris

Hate to break it to you bud, but these statues are gonna be worth about the same price as the dollies say, 10 or 15 years from now. People are into these things for similar reasons at this point in time, and once collectors move on to something else (whatever that is going to be), their prices will slowly plummet until they aren't worth but a fraction of what they initially costed. If you are trying to invest in something, trust me, there are a lot more lucrative ways to go than investing in statues of comic, cartoon, and movie characters.

These are all geeky, glorified toys, no matter how you try to spin it, just with variable sizes and levels of quality and articulation. If you want to treat a statue of a character created for 5-10 year old boys to read about as "art" but won't treat a fancy toy as such, that's your prerogative, but in my opinion it's not a distinction that makes a lot of sense upon objective scrutiny.

 

[-jay-]

Hate to break it to you bud, but these statues are gonna be worth about the same price as the dollies say, 10 or 15 years from now. People are into these things for similar reasons at this point in time, and once collectors move on to something else (whatever that is going to be), their prices will slowly plummet until they aren't worth but a fraction of what they initially costed. If you are trying to invest in something, trust me, there are a lot more lucrative ways to go than investing in statues of comic, cartoon, and movie characters.

You are probably right but that doesn't bother me one bit as i bought these to enjoy and if they are worth nothing in 10 years then so be it as i'll have had my had my money's worth.

I've only just got my first 1/6th DX Joker and think it's great and like others i wasn't bothered for them but now having got this i'm getting more like Blade & T-800. These are great but i'm still a bigger fan of PF's etc and there isn't a 1/6th that is going to make me more happy than i am with my 1:2 scale Endoskeleton.

 

[ChaserFan]

i'm still a bigger fan of PF's etc and there isn't a 1/6th that is going to make me more happy than i am with my 1:2 scale Endoskeleton.

Show off.

 

[-jay-]

Show off.

You know i wasn't showing off just saying everything has it's place, i'm probably just trying to put myself off getting hooked on 1/6th now i'm running out of cash.

 

[karamazov80]

Well sure. Most of us here, I would hope, collect these things because we like them, and not because we hope they are gonna pay for our kids' college educations. Atheris criticized collecting dollies because they aren't good investments and aren't something a mature person does, I suppose. I don't really disagree on either count, but think it is silly to try to make the distinction that collecting geeky statues somehow sets you apart. That's just a rationalization to justify what you do by caricaturing the actions of others, way that I see it.

 

[-jay-]

Well sure. Most of us here, I would hope, collect these things because we like them, and not because we hope they are gonna pay for our kids' college educations. Atheris criticized collecting dollies because they aren't good investments and aren't something a mature person does, I suppose. I don't really disagree on either count, but think it is silly to try to make the distinction that collecting geeky statues somehow sets you apart. That's just a rationalization to justify what you do by caricaturing the actions of others, way that I see it.

Oh i agree with you on that point they are indeed all a bit geeky, i feel geeky when people come to my house and say stuff like why have you bought that?

Erm cos i wanted to now get the f---- out of my house.

 

[ChaserFan]

You know i wasn't showing off just saying everything has it's place, i'm probably just trying to put myself off getting hooked on 1/6th now i'm running out of cash.

No, you're just having a hard time accepting the fact that now you've bought one, you've bought hundreds............"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" - words to live by there Jay

 

[-jay-]

No, your just having a hard time accepting the fact that now you've bought one, you've bought hundreds............"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" - word to live by there Jay

Class!

 

[karamazov80]

Erm cos i wanted to now get the f---- out of my house.

Word.

--edit: by the way, I apologize about taking that guy's bait and pulling the thread off track. Interesting idea for a thread, and I'm curious to see what got others into this business--

 

[Grenouille]

The Dark Knight figures brought me into 1/6 collecting. I was on the fence about buying the DC Direct figures, when I say the Hot Toys versions and was blown away. Things have definitely mushroomed since then as I try to play catch-up on some of the figures I missed.

As for them being investments, I could really care less. I don't look at these like I do my stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, and trust fund. 10 years from now those will help me buy a vacation home, not the Hot Toys Wolverine figure. Hell, maybe that figure will get a prominent place on a shelf there.

 

[cr0w]

I dabbled in 1/6 for awhile, picking up the occasional Sideshow figure (horror-related) or what have you, but my first Hot Toys figure was the AVP:R Wolf Predator, which was an impulse buy. I loved it, but it was still kind of a niche purchase for me since I didn't really collect Predator stuff and most of my collection was still 7" scale.

Then I bought the initial Medicom Batman Begins offering, which kick-started my 1/6 Batman addiction. HT's Dark Knight line didn't help at all, and I've bought every offering of theirs. That caused me to become a pretty hardcore HT collector, and I've added their Iron Man stuff to my collection as well as the P1 Predator, their X-Men Origins Wolverine, and Enterbay's Jack Bauer. I've also since gotten Sideshow's complete The Dead collection as well as their G.I. Joe offerings since Joe was my first collecting love, and their versions are what I've been dreaming about since I first opened my Barbecue figure way back in 1986.

I think what hooks me about 1/6 is the sheer options. You can display them almost any way you want, what with the clothing and accessory options you have out there. A good example is Enterbay's Jack Bauer. I have two distinct clothing sets for him and a couple of sunglasses on the way. Plus, the detailing and sheer realism has skyrocketed in the past few years. Also, the spacing out between releases has really helped me be able to save up and make room for collecting in my budget, as opposed to impulse buying entire lines of 7" or smaller figures when they hit stores.

 

[EVILFACE]

I like the amount of detail, quality and price of the scale.