Otomofan
Super Freak
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2009
- Messages
- 5,037
- Reaction score
- 3,675
Ever wonder why we like figures so much?
I can only assume it's cause I grew up in the early 80s and for me there was nothing more fun than having adventures with my Star Wars, He-Man, Transformers, Thundercats, etc. We had actual "role play" toys, as in kid-sized plastic lightsabers to whack each other with, but I definitely interacted more with the action figures. I'd sit for hours coming up with stories and scenarios and have them kill each other off one by one.
Decades after I grew out of the ability to "play" with figures in an actual role-play/fantasy situation, I find myself spending more money than ever on continuing to accumulate MORE.
Isn't it weird? As adult collectors, we generally gripe about better articulation, but why? I don't "play" with my toys. At the very most I'll spend a few minutes with a figure just putting him in different poses but that's it.
I definitely think the "action figure" is a product of its time. I haven't seen children actually playing with action figures in at least a decade. It seems like all kids like these days are Lego and video games. You let any five year choose between a Spider-Man figure and a iPad, I'd bet they go straight for the iPad. I guess that's just the way children "role play" now.
There must be some segment of the population that enjoys having replicas or miniatures of things. It's not just toys. I've seen some crazy stuff here in Japan. What I would once consider "doll house" type items are so commonplace here...little tiny replicas of payphones and traffic signals and sushi. Clearly there are people here that enjoy having little miniature replicas.
I just wonder if we're all just gonna die off, like train collectors, and in 50 years nobody will make toys and nobody will want all our old crap either. All of our precious treasures will eventually be floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
It's strange though; at a time when every other form of "entertainment" seems to be completely void of innovation and creativity (meaning television, movies, music, etc.) I think the action figure industry is absolutely entering a golden age. The figures just seem to get better and better, which is the opposite of just about everything else.
I'm totally rambling now...I don't know exactly what I'm trying to ask. Do you ever wonder about the nature of being attracted to figures, statues, replicas? Are we crazy?
I can only assume it's cause I grew up in the early 80s and for me there was nothing more fun than having adventures with my Star Wars, He-Man, Transformers, Thundercats, etc. We had actual "role play" toys, as in kid-sized plastic lightsabers to whack each other with, but I definitely interacted more with the action figures. I'd sit for hours coming up with stories and scenarios and have them kill each other off one by one.
Decades after I grew out of the ability to "play" with figures in an actual role-play/fantasy situation, I find myself spending more money than ever on continuing to accumulate MORE.
Isn't it weird? As adult collectors, we generally gripe about better articulation, but why? I don't "play" with my toys. At the very most I'll spend a few minutes with a figure just putting him in different poses but that's it.
I definitely think the "action figure" is a product of its time. I haven't seen children actually playing with action figures in at least a decade. It seems like all kids like these days are Lego and video games. You let any five year choose between a Spider-Man figure and a iPad, I'd bet they go straight for the iPad. I guess that's just the way children "role play" now.
There must be some segment of the population that enjoys having replicas or miniatures of things. It's not just toys. I've seen some crazy stuff here in Japan. What I would once consider "doll house" type items are so commonplace here...little tiny replicas of payphones and traffic signals and sushi. Clearly there are people here that enjoy having little miniature replicas.
I just wonder if we're all just gonna die off, like train collectors, and in 50 years nobody will make toys and nobody will want all our old crap either. All of our precious treasures will eventually be floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
It's strange though; at a time when every other form of "entertainment" seems to be completely void of innovation and creativity (meaning television, movies, music, etc.) I think the action figure industry is absolutely entering a golden age. The figures just seem to get better and better, which is the opposite of just about everything else.
I'm totally rambling now...I don't know exactly what I'm trying to ask. Do you ever wonder about the nature of being attracted to figures, statues, replicas? Are we crazy?