[Cronic / クロニック] Christmas 2008

As 2008 wound to a close, Cronic [クロニック] surprised fans with a lucky bag release at the winter Hobby Complex. I believe the deal was that for 10,000 yen, you would receive one fight-size figure (Zyuraiasu, Maverasu or Tripasu) and two small-size figures (Dorome, Dorogami, Ankoron or Nougaki). I’ve never seen one of these bags opened- and I wasn’t even really aware they were released- so I was both intrigued and confused when I saw a “Cronic Xmas Lucky Bag 2008” up for sale.

[Cronic / クロニック] Black Parade Maverasu

Black Parade! Those words will play at the heartstrings of any Cronic collector. What is Black Parade? Black Parade was a series of four shows showcasing Cronic's work that began in October 2007 and ended at the close of 2008. The first show was held at Super7, and the remaining three at One-Up in Nakano Broadway. Each show featured a large number of one-off customs from Cronic　[クロニック], with original artwork also present in the first show. Black Parade was a display of Cronic's talent in peak form; sadly, it would also effectively be his last hurrah before disappearing into the woods with his airbrush, paint and a large assortment of 1/12 scale fantasy weapons.

This Maverasu is from the 2nd Black Parade show (the first Japan show)- you can see it front and center in the display case in many photos of the event. The little slip of paper beneath the toy is sort of a certificate of authenticity included with all items sold at the Japan shows (One-Up also marked each certificate with a special rubber stamp).

Besides being my absolute favorite Cronic character, this Maverasu combines two great themes of Cronic toys: stuff inside and clear color fades. When you get down to it, no one really can blend colors quite like Cronic. Particularly on clear vinyl. His sense of color arrangement is unmatched in the sense that he can bring together dissimilar colors to create a surprising and balanced arrangement. The metallic lavender over clear aqua on this Maverasu is a perfect example of this. The beads are also glow-in-the-dark. ...kind of. The red seems rich and decadent against the pastels elsewhere on the toy. After putting my Cronic collection on indefinite hiatus these past two years, I am thrilled to start it up again with this fantastic piece of soft vinyl history.

Check out more Black Parade coverage here: Black Parade @ Super7 (via Toybot Studios) Black Parade 1 @ One-Up (via Kaiju Korner) Black Parade 1 @ One-Up (via kadomiumtank) Black Parade 2 @ One-Up (via kadomiumtank) Black Parade 3 @ One-Up (via kadomiumtank)

Please Mr. Postman There Are Kaiju Sleeping!

Today was one of those magical days when the postal service decided to deliver everything at once- right along with a healthy serving of eyerolls from my co-workers. Yeah, that's right- go drink/snort your money away next weekend. Or whatever it is that male humans do with United States currency.

And there are a couple of rad little Cronic monsters in here. The Nougaki in front was a standard release from the "A" Type Lucky Bags from earlier this year. Pearl orange vinyl with mottled pinks, purples and golds- I can't decide if it reminds me of a tropical fish or a poisonous fruit. Next in line is the Dorome released last month at Rotofugi's booth at Wondercon 2008. This is the best Dorome yet- the subtle metallic paints and sage-green pearl base vinyl flow together beautifully.

To the left is the Rotofugi exclusive Marnon, also from Wondercon. Featuring a new forked tongue (following the normal tongue and rather penile 'eyeball' tongue), Marnon is made of clear candy apple green vinyl with chewy GID vinyl poured inside. Painted version here.

In back we have a big M1Go Baltan Seijin 2nd done up in crystal clear emerald green vinyl with a bit of silvery spray on top. I believe they were one of the larger prizes for M1Go's popular ring toss game from the last Wonderfestival.

I also finally bought one of those K-T Original tumblers. It's pretty sturdy and high-quality for only $10. And it's totally cool to drink from a plastic character cup.

And my quest to spend all of my money before tax time continues. If you don't have any money, they can't make you pay income tax, right? What? Jail? Crap.

Manda-Lucky!

(It took me two days to come up with that title. Enjoy it I say!)

*BREEP BREEP BREEP*

Whuh? Blah? Why is it still dark?

And so begins my typical day as I roll out of bed at- well, let's just say an early hour- much to the disgust of anyone who might happen to be present (EDIT: for clarity, there would only be one person who might be present). In the darkness of my apartment, I stumble across the length of the room to my computer, refresh the screen and log on to the website of Japanese second-hand store, Mandarake.

At the predetermined time, new stock is revealed in the webstore. Now, 99% of the time, the story ends here as the stock consists of a veritable treasure trove of used hentai manga, girly figures and- shudder- yaoi merchandise. (Look it up.) But on that rare, rare 1%, Mandarake will have patchi-kaiju toys in stock at very reasonable prices. On those days, I don't need my morning pot of coffee.

A couple of weeks ago, Mandarake had one of its 1% mornings. When I refreshed the stock, 90+ new items showed up (which is always a good sign), but as I went down the page, my palms began to perspire. It wasn't just patchi-kaiju for sale, but dozens upon dozens of old or rare Gargamel and RealxHead pieces. Most were unbagged, and as such, priced at sub-$100 levels, even for the larger pieces. As I scrolled down the page, I saw 3 original Mutant Heads in a row- for $30 each!

But you gotta choose, and choose quickly. That's the greatest trick of Mandarake. On good days, there will be 10 things that you want, but you only have time to buy one- forget this, and you'll probably get zero.

So on that day, after wiping the sweat from my palms, I quickly went back up the page and carted off a super-rare Cronic x Sunguts toy (for $45) that had been released at Wonderfestival in early 2007. Once I had checked out, I took my time and poked through the listings a bit more carefully. Of course, all 3 of the amazing Mutant Heads were long gone, but right below them, I saw another tantalizing treat that had been passed over in the initial rush. Take a look:


Looks like one of the blank flesh Mutant Chaoses that had been released in a blind-bag 3-pack not so long ago, right? Well, I guess most people thought so, because it was still there a few minutes later. But look a little closer- the eye is green, where the blind-bag version has a yellow eye.

After a little inner debate, I decided to grab this one as well. It was only $35; even if it turned out not to be anything special, that was a decent price for a flesh blank. Total outlay for the morning: $80.

A few days later, my 'scores' arrived at my apartment (thank you, EMS!). And well, check out the photos for yourself:

Cronic x Sunguts - Camguts


This was a collaboration in which Cronic painted a clear blank of Sunguts' Camguts toy. Allegedly limited to less than 10 pieces, I fell in love with the rainbow warrior when it was released last year, and now one has finally found its way into my hands.

RealxHead - Mutant Chaos (MC-???)


Yeah, thank goodness for terrible photos, I guess. This one turned out not to be the common flesh blank Mutant Chaos, but a very different prototype figure.

And not only is it a prototype, but it is an undocumented prototype. The Super7 Mook recently attempted to compile all known RxH public releases, including a large number of prototypes that were raffled off at a toy show in late 2006. This one was not among those listed, and moreover, I couldn't find any photographic evidence of its origin in display case shots from Junkspot and Katsura-san's new store.


There are other points of interest. First, the figure is cast in a pinky flesh vinyl, which is often used to create test pulls of new figures as it is apparently an inexpensive color of vinyl. Second, the vinyl has a very different feel and weight than other RxH toys- it is heavy and waxy in texture. Third, the details on the Chaos sculpt are extremely pronounced; unlike newer Chaos releases where the bumps and gnarls blend into each other, you can almost see where the sculptor molded pieces on to the torso and arms, and where he pressed his tools into the clay to create texture. It was explained to me that vinyl figures will typically have sharper details earlier in the production process, as bits of leftover vinyl clog the mold over time and smooth out the sculpt. Fourth, the pieces of the sculpt do not fit together well- the head is loose and the arm probe does not match up to the joint. Finally, the eye is the most telling. While most newer Chaos releases have the typical 'small eye' with a textured iris, this Chaos and the OG MC-01 Mutant Chaos share a 'big eye,' which has a simpler design and larger pupil.


Upon consideration of these points and other circumstances (i.e., the older RxH and Gargamel pieces in the mass sale), my speculation is that this is one of the first test-pulls of the Mutant Chaos. Possibly this one was given to the original owner as a gift. Anyway, while it's doubtful that I'll ever know its true origins- short of an e-mail from Katsura-san himself- it's a unique piece and the mystery makes it fun.

So, to all new collectors of patchi-kaiju and fight figures, don't be frustrated by high prices and low run numbers. There are still many, many good deals out there if you keep your eyes open.

Larger versions of photographs available on my flickr set.

Cronic x Sunguts - Camguts


My lame attempt at a 'flying shot' of the flying-pose Camguts. :P





RealxHead - Mutant Chaos (MC-???)

Abroad with a broad - A trip to Chicago and San Jose

I've been out of town for a couple of weeks flying about the country on a trip that was for both business and pleasure. Beginning in early January, my girlfriend had work interviews in Chicago, San Jose and Phoenix; as some of these areas were not places that either of us were familiar with, I was able to get some time off work to accompany her on the interview trips. Although about 60% of the time felt like it was spent shuttling between various airports and hotels, we had a couple of days to go sightseeing and shopping. The photos that I'm posting tonight are from our visit to the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois and the venerable Winchester Mansion in San Jose, California. Sorry, Phoenix-area folks, I forgot my camera on the day that we visited the Museum of Contemporary Art and Scottsdale Fashion Center in Scottsdale.

On the (Chica) Go.

Chicago was probably the most enjoyable portion of the trip for me, not only because (as my girlfriend maintains) I was able to visit Rotofugi, but because it was an area of the U.S. that I am entirely unfamiliar with. I've lived on the west coast and have visited the east coast on several occasions, but I haven't spent much time in the midwest- especially in such a major metropolitan hub as Chicago, Illinois. Overall, my impression is that Chicago has a favorable blend of the turn-of-the-century urban elegance that I associate with areas such as New York (as opposed to the unsightly urban sprawl that is Los Angeles), but lacking some of the less savory elements of such cities. It also has really, really good Italian food (more on that later).

Although I don't have any photos- I was too excited to whip out my camera- of my visit to Rotofugi, I think I can safely say that this was one of the highlights of my Chicago visit, if not the entire trip. On some free time, I caught a cab to Roto, which was conveniently located about 10 minutes from our hotel. While not a problem to find, Rotofugi did not immediately jump out at me, as the storefront was inset into a row of otherwise nondescript shops- however, the graffiti-style sign and stickers plastered on the front door were an easy giveaway.

I was fortunate that on the day I visited Roto, Kirby (co-owner, along with his wife, Whitney) was at the front desk. One thing that we both share is a passion for Dream Rocket's toys, a wonderful selection of said toys having been exhibited at Rotofugi's Toy Karma show, so I was pretty excited to have a chance to shoot the bull with him, as they say. After introducing myself, the first words out of Kirby's mouth were, and I quote, "You're too early for the Dream Rocket stuff- it's coming in next week." Mind-reader.

Although Roto has been primarily a seller of western vinyl, there is now a very full shelf of neo-kaiju items near the front of the store; they have also released several store-exclusive toys with toymakers such as Cronic, Clap Monsters, and now, Dream Rocket. And unlike other stores, you are encouraged to touch and experience the unbagged display models of each toy. I think that's a really nice touch, as you can really get a sense of the heft and texture of a toy, which is something that is lost when merchandise is hidden away behind glass doors.

After meeting both Kirby and Whitney (and Ed- I don't know if you were hanging out or whether you work there, sorry), I'm really glad that I had a chance to stop by the store and chat with them. It's especially nice to know that you're buying toys- or anything, for that matter- from store owners who seem like genuinely good people that are deeply interested in their line of work. And of course, I had to buy the requisite souvenir...

Zaran, 2nd version, by the enigmatic Clap Monsters traveled the country with us, after climbing down from the top of Rotofugi's toy shelf. The first version of this toy was sold at the Toy Karma show, and was limited to only a small handful of pieces. This design has been both praised for its charmingly crude sculpt, as well as criticized for its odd pot-bellied shape. As with many 'neo-vintage' toys, I think, the aesthetic takes a while to sink in, which probably makes it difficult to sell from photographs alone.


As far as the sculpt goes, I think Clap Monsters did a fantastic job recreating the rough- almost randomly patterned- reptilian skin of Zaran. The vinyl is surprisingly thin and light, but does not feel at all cheap. The spray work is imprecise, but delicately and beautifully applied over the glossy yellow vinyl in a manner like that of a watercolor painting. I especially like the way the differently-textured vinyl peeks out from between the layers of paint, hinting at the basic nature of the toy. Perhaps it was all of the effort and care taken in transporting this toy across several states, but it is one of my favorite recent purchases. Sometimes it is a good thing to step outside of your usual buying patterns.


Right before I left, Rotofugi also released its New Year's exclusive Nougaki. Here's some photos of that one as well. Sparkly orange base vinyl, combined with creamy metallic blues, greens and golds remind me of a tropical fruit sorbet. Better not leave this one in the sun for too long!


You can buy the 2nd version Zaran here, Rotofugi Nougaki here, and their all-new store-exclusive Dream Rocket Doguma right HERE. Don't sleep on these, because you won't get them anywhere else once they're gone!

On the second day of our trip, we took the Chicago "L" out to the Magnificent Mile. Much like other older cities, Chicago has an extensive public transportation network, which is quite convenient and easy to use- don't know if I'd ride it at night, though.

Upon stepping out of the Washington Ave. stop on the Blue Line, we immediately found this strange sight in the middle of a concrete walkway: dozens of pigeons huddled around a small flame like a bunch of winged hobos. Although they certainly seem to be enjoying the heat, what's the real purpose of the little flame?


Couple of photos of Chicago's spectacular architecture. I guess it's nothing special if you live in the city, but something about the old style of these buildings evokes a feeling in me that can be best described as nostalgia in me, I suppose, however, it is for a time and place that I have never experienced. You can almost feel the vast history that underlies the city, despite all of the modern machinery and construction that has changed it over time...


Interesting fact: the reason that Chicago has so many brick structures is due to the great fire of 1871 that leveled much of the city. After that disaster, wooden structures were apparently outlawed for some time, causing many of the existing older buildings to be built from bricks. I guess it's a good thing that Chicago is not plagued by earthquakes like much of California.


Our first stop on the way to the Mile was Millennium Park, which is the current home of this concert hall and the giant "Silver Bean" sculpture. The big bean reminds me of something from "Flight of the Navigator." Anyone remember that movie? Anyone? Crickets? There were also these freaky giant digital sculptures that displayed changing, moving images of faces. I can only imagine the amount of electricity it must take to power those on a continuous basis...


Under the streets (weird!), we found the famous Billy Goat Tavern and its offer of "Cheezborgers, Cheezborgers, Cheezborgers!" Still there, apparently, after all these years.


After a long evening of shopping up the length of the Horrendous Mile, we took a trip up 94 floors to the top of the Hancock Tower. The price of a ride up an office building to look out of a giant window: $23.. PER PERSON.


Finally, after a day of waiting, we found a Giordano's on the northern end of the Magnificent Mile. So good. We had a small 10" with mozzarella and spinach filling... so cheesy and wonderful. I wish we could have finished the last piece, but someone at the hotel got a nice midnight snack anyway.


So with a suitcase full of kaiju, and our bellies full of delicious, delicious mozzarella, we bade farewell to Chicago... and to Rotofugi. Sniff.

The Crazy House.

Apologies in advance to any of you who hail from San Jose, but there really wasn't anything else to photograph out there. I guess we could have taken pictures of our quarter-mile walk from the hotel to A&W and Taco Bell- oh, and the gas station where we bought soda.


As humdrum as our area was, we were conveniently located near the Winchester Mansion. Frankly, I had no prior idea that this landmark was located in San Jose- or even that we would be within driving distance- and would never have found it without the smattering of local amusements listed on our hotel's website. For those of you who do not religiously watch shows like Ghost Hunters and A Haunting, the Winchester Mansion (although it is apparently now called the Winchester Mystery House, but that sounds far too Scooby-Doo for me) was built in the late 1800s by the widow of the late son of Oliver Winchester (owner of the company who developed the Winchester Rifle), Sarah Winchester. William and Sarah Winchester had only a single daughter, Annie, but due to circumstances, Annie, William and Oliver all died in succession, leaving Sarah with a majority ownership in the Winchester company. In modern parlance, she was quite loaded.

And she was quite paranoid, by all accounts. Sarah allegedly believed that the spirits of the Native Americans and various persons killed by the Winchester firearms were responsible for the death of her family, and so in 1884, she began the construction of the Winchester Mansion. By continuously building the mansion (pursuant to the guidance of 'good' spirits), and by incorporating a number of dead-ends and false doors, she believed that she could elude the 'angry' spirits. The mansion, as we learned on the tour, was not actually an original building, but a massive growth imposed over the farmhouse which previously existed on the property. And so, for 38 years, the Winchester Mansion grew both upwards and outwards from the tireless efforts of many carpenters, based on plans drafted by Ms. Winchester herself (who was not an architect). The result today is 160 rooms (who made the count, I do not know) crammed into a deceptively small structure. Oh, and it's supposedly haunted, but the tour guides will not mention this feature unless asked directly.

So while the gas station begged for a second visit, we decided to take a taxi to the Winchester Mansion one evening before dinner. Considering that the mansion was not far from our hotel, the cab fare was surprisingly high; next time I am going to take my Garmin so that I can more properly direct the drivers. If you are expecting the Winchester Mansion to be a rustic monstrosity on the town outskirts (a la "13 Ghosts" or "The Haunting"), you will be disappointed; it is smack dab in the middle of town, next door to the Santa Ana Fashion Center. While the neon lights of the nearby movie theater destroy its aura of mystique, I suppose it is conveniently located. Tickets for a tour of the house were about $25 per person, owing to the fact that the 160 rooms do not sweep themselves. Sadly, self-guided tours were not on the menu.

Totally unrelated, but there was a little arcade right before the tour entrance. Amazing as the mansion may be, I was floored by the selection in the arcade. They had the original Simpsons game, just like I used to play when I was 10! This must be one of the last original units in operation, and time has taken its toll on the arcade cabinet, but not the sweet, simple gameplay within. I sincerely enjoy these smash-em-all style teamplay games more than the crap that is found in most arcades today. Maybe I just don't associate dancing and DJing with fun. I don't know.


And is that a Super Mario Bros. machine??? Is this for real, or is someone misusing an NES console?


Barnroom filled with antique stained glass. Good thing there are no earthquakes in the area.


The greenhouse. Nothing weird here, but I just like the style of the room.


Window in the floor. You'd better hope that M.C. Escher's attorney doesn't hear about that one.


Nothing in here. Some rooms in the mansion were extensively decorated with period items from personal collections, but others were just, well, barren. Here is one such room.


Panorama taken from one of the higher rooms in the mansion. I think this gives a sense of the size of the mansion better than any photograph from the ground. It's not so much that the mansion is truly sprawling, but that the 160 rooms are packed into it like passages in an ant hill.


A couple of scary-ass statutes in an inner courtyard. Can you imagine that eagle on a moonlit night? Jesus.


The "Grand Ballroom," with Ms. Winchester's pipe organ (not shown). In this picture, you can see the famous stained-glass windows with their cryptic quotes. I forget what those quotes are, BUT I BET THEY ARE CLUES TO SECRET BURIED TREASURE. Now I just need to find the correct combination of keys on the organ to unlock the secret passageway... I've said too much already.


And the most interesting for last. I took this photograph with flash, so I can't really rule out the possibility of reflected light or a dust speck on the lens. But the light orb in the center of the photograph really doesn't look like either. And the house has been investigated by both the famous TAPS team and the nuttier British team from Most Haunted due to its paranormal history. What do you think?

We went to Phoenix, AZ, too, but it was kind of boring. So there we are. Back to the toys.