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Retro Video Games Mystery Mini Figures

Summary:

Retro Video Games is a series of Funko Mystery Minis, with a total of 12 figures to the set. They are colourful little vinyl figures representing stylised versions of characters from Dig Dug, Pac-Man, Centipede, Q*bert, Frogger, Mega-Man and Ms Pac-Man.

Presented in boxes styled like miniature versions of the games’ cabinets, they are great to display on any shelf, games cabinet or in your minatures collection.

Ease/difficulty of getting the one you want:

Out of all of the little figures on my shelf, I am very happy with these little guys.

After I picked up 5 of them on sale for a little more than half the price, I was super lucky to get all of the characters I hoped for.

(image courtesy of poppriceguide.com)

A helping factor in this was the box designs. Instead of being randomised, the game graphics on the arcade cabinet shaped boxes corespond to the figures inside (All Pac-Man related figures are in the Pac-Man boxes, etc), creating subsets to collect.

This is a really great idea, as those interested in a specific game only need to try their odds at their favourite game’s boxes, instead of gaining a character they may not want. Some characters, like Frogger are the only figure in the subset, meaning any Frogger box will contain that figure.

If you are a fan of Centipede, Mega-Man or Frogger, or simply enjoy those figure designs, make sure to grab a Centipede, Mega-Man or Frogger box - you’re sure to get them!

My Current Collection

Thus far, I have collected all of the Dig Dug set (Taizo, Pooka and Fygar), along with Frogger and Mega-Man.

By feeling the weight of the boxes, I was able to successfully collect all of the Dig-Dug critters, and they look fantastic together. The stylisation of the figure’s sculpts are excellent, and the solid colours of vinyl plastic make them stand out among my other collectables.

The simplification of the colours and painting allows for a lot less errors and imperfections, leading to clean and smooth looking figures. They are quite weighty, and fit within the palm of my hand. Even Pooka who is basically a big red ball with goggles is not a hollow casting, and would make a great paper weight!

I hope to get my hands on some of the others in the set, but I am currently very happy with the characters I have in my collection already.

Final Thoughts:

Score: 9.5/10 (I absolutely love these cute guys. They look fantastic alongside my games and on the top of my shelf).

Overall, I think this collection of little vinyl figures was fun and pleasant to collect.The colours, designs and paintwork on my own figures is great, especiallly when I compare them to other Mystery Mini figures I have received in the past.

The ability to collect the figures from the specificfranchise you want is great -  and I very much appreciate this much fairer approach to blind boxes (being someone who isnt very font of the random aspect).

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Toriko Vol.2: Coco!!

Volume Summary:

The second volume sets off on a brand new adventure for Toriko and Komatsu. Commencing a new arc centred around the hunt for the Puffer Whales, volume 2 begins in an almost HunterxHunter-esque ‘race to the item’ fashion, as Gourmet Hunters gather onboard a train on their quest to find the creatures while they spawn.

The population of Toriko’s world is explored here, providing an insight into the nature of gourmet hunting, and the type and number of people interested in such a lifestyle. Other gourmet hunters’ full course menus are also touched upon - as we are introduced to some of the colourful characters on the voyage (like Zongeh).

Coco, of the Four Kings (the Gourmet Hunter group which Toriko is part of) is introduced within this volume, adding to the currently small roster of main characters in the series so far. 

He is presented as a very well spoken and kind fortune teller, and someone who can assist Toriko and Komatsu in preparing the Puffer Whales they on the hunt for. As a poisonous man, Coco’s body flows with many poisonous compounds which he can use to his advantage in combat - making for very interesting fights!

Toriko, Komatsu and Coco depart for Cavern Lagoon to capture and prepare a Puffer Whale.

Art:

As in the first volume, the art in this volume is very clean. It presents some interesting creature designs and environments which help build the world Toriko and friends live in.

Use of black space is common in Toriko so far, and is used very effectively. Some scenes feature black and shading to their advantage, creating great contrast. The panel of Komatsu and Coco abseiling was one of my favourites, due to its effective simplicity.

Neat Ideas:

I’m a sucker for infographic style illustrations - especially when they are full page spreads. Toriko is filled with fantastic descriptive drawings of the creatures of the Gourmet world. They are fun to read, and despite being an exposition dump, they help to better immerse the reader, and provide extra explanations to the creature/food’s specific parts.

Location maps help in a similar way. These really helped me picture the whereabouts of different characters in the environment - eliminating any confusion and distraction.

Cool Plot Points:

Knocking Master Jiro is introduced as an elderly drunk, aboard the train to the cavern. After a polite exchange between him and Toriko, he later comes back as a powerful addition to Toriko’s cast of characters.

Coming back just in the knick of time to save Komatsu, Jiro really is an interesting Gourmet hunter - shortly being identified to the reader as a legendary individual in the manga’s universe. I hope he comes back in future volumes!

It featured more of Toriko’s Appetite Demon along with introducing Coco’s own, ‘Poison’.

Final Thoughts:

A great little adventure!

Score: 9.5/10 (This volume felt like a one-off story, able to start and end all within one book - yet felt so fleshed out and exciting that it was a joy to read from start to finish. I often remember the puffer whale arc as being a lot longer as it truly is. The relationship building between characters really is a strong point for this volume! I just wish it didn't leave on a suspenseful cliffhanger just before the exact end of the arc!)

(I actually really liked the cliffhanger though...)

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Toriko Vol.1: Toriko the Gourmet Hunter!!

Volume Summary:

The first volume of Toriko is offers a great introduction to the characters and world of the manga.

Taking place in the Gourmet World, humans living in the Gourmet era treasure all that is edible - taking great pleasure in foods from near and far, both common comfort foods and hard to find delicacies.

We are presented with Toriko, the titular character of the series, and a reknowned hunter of the wildest beasts and most delicious culinary oddities.

Accompanied by the shy but courageous budding chef Komatsu, Toriko sets forth to hunt some large creatures.

Art:

This volume was a pleasant surprise in comparison to many other shonen debuts. The art was clean and immediately presented a unique style! Where other series often fail, Toriko starts off strong - yet still has a lot of opportunities for improvements in later volumes.

Characters have distinctive facial structures, features and expressions, making them very easy to distiguish from one another.

The clashing of highly muscular men and creatures often reminded me of Dragon Ball Z and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, however the storyline and artstyle often take a much more light-hearted approach.

The creatures such as the GararaGator are cartoonishly quirky, yet still hold a scary quality which makes the stakes a lot higher during fights.

As the main subject of the series, the drawings of food definitely take the spotlight as some of the most interesting artworks yet!

Neat Ideas:

I absolutely loved how food related utensils were encorporated into Toriko’s attack of ‘Knife and Fork’. It makes the martial art style of this manga unique, while adding a hint of humour to the story.

The volume also introduces the concept of ‘knocking’, where creatures may be tranquilised in opposition to killing them. Shonen is often a genre in which violence is glorified -and as much as I absolutely enjoy a good, gorey, violent shonen, I really appreciated this concept.

Cool Plot Points:

Komatsu the chef’s character contrasts greatly with Toriko, and acts as a means for the mangaka to reveal aspects of Toriko’s character and the world they live in. Komatsu’s questioning and aprehensiveness towards tasks allows the mangaka to explain concepts without too much obvious exposition dumping.

This allowed Toriko’s first volume to begin world-building from the beginning, without it being an afterthought or leaving it until later in the series.

Toriko’s Full Course Menu is introduced as an interesting plot concept. Toriko’s main life goal is presented as completing this menu; a list of his all time favourite dishes, from hor d’oeuvre to something as overlooked as the drink. The list is presented in a very cinematic, animated fashion as items are added.

It will be interesting to see how much this plot device is used, and adds an element of mystery to the story. When will Toriko complete his menu, and what will it include?

Toriko’s intimidating, demon-like form appears throughout the volume when he is required to stand up to a large creature - seeming like a kind of JoJo stand power. However, this concept is not fully touched upon within these chapters so it is a great mystery for the rest of the series to touch on. (It also looks badass)

Final Thoughts:

It’s a thumbs up from me!

Score: 8.9/10 (I really enjoyed this volume as an introduction to the world of Toriko - however, I know there is definitely more in store as the series will progress and I cannot wait for the more action-packed, emotional, and plot-driven volumes to come.)

I am really enjoying Toriko and will continue to post my thoughts as I get through the series. Overall it seems very pleasant, and I cannot wait to get to the end. Perhaps it will become a lot darker as it progresses? I can’t wait to find out. After suffering from shonen burnout, and trying so many different series and becoming uninterested, Toriko has peaked my interest once again.

My further posts about toriko will be a lot more reaction based, and less in-depth. I thought it was necessary that this initial post give a good enough idea of what the manga presents that it may encourage others to read it. If you enjoy it, please let me know!

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Experiment 10 - the model breaks itself

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Project 2 was an interesting exploration into the properties of materials and what unique or unusual characteristics they can offer the designer.

For my final experiment, I took my findings from my weekly experiments to create an interesting outcome.

In my first experiment, I created a crochet ball, which I then molded using a 2-part molding compound. My first attempt was not successful as the yarn embedded its small fibers into the mold, making it almost impossible to remove. Instead of using yarn, I found a similar alternative - cooking string. This material is free of small fibers jutting out in every direction to avoid them getting into food. This also allowed me to easily make a mold of my ball. To make sure there were no fibers, I decided to quickly coat the full ball in a thin layer of clear nail varnish to make it more smooth.

The mold was quite interesting to look at, the stitches from my crochet forming little bubble/spot-like dimples in the compound. I then cast a clear, yellow resin into the mold. The final cast appeared very organic in its form and appearance. I used hot glue to create a lattice-like formation in my mold, to create a twin which was more ‘sparce’ and ‘empty’ than the original. Whilst the glue was still hot, I bent the structure with my fingers to alter its shape, flipping it inside-out. I thought that my photo was quite successful, enjoying the aesthetic brought on by shining the light through transparent objects. I decided to carry this forward to my final submission.

I found the resin and molding compound to work very well, however I knew that resin would be quite risky to use, as the conditions required are not necessarily present in my halls of residence. My experiment had cured, but not fully, and had taken almost a week to dry rather than 24 hours. This risk, combined with the price of the materials lead me to try out some more common, cheaper and readily available materials.

Similar to my first experiment, I used yarn, however this time it was regular acrylic yarn. I chose a multi coloured skein to add to aesthetic appeal. In the soldering experiment, I decided to heat up this yarn before pouring solder onto it, to allow it to adhere better to the soft surface. However,I realised that because the yarn was 100% acrylic content, it began to melt under the heat. It did not melt into a liquid form, instead, shriveling and turning brown, almost like an instant noodle texture.

I decided to bring this method forward into my final model...

After comments from tutor and lecturer I decided to experiment with the idea of melting the acrylic into a liquid which I could cast OR to create more of a progressive gradient between the pristine yarn and the sizzled section. 

(note the large contrast between the two states).

I wanted to create a parasitic relationship between my yarn and the casting material, making the yarn look as if it is a creature/fungus best suited to ‘living’ inside the cast material, and when out in the open, shrivels and dies.

The casting material was the most difficult decision in this project... 

>resin would be perfect to give the material a clear, transparent look, but would be toxic to heat and therefore I would not be able to burn the yarn as I wanted to. >with gelatin, It would have taken too long to set, and for the approach I was going for, I would need a casting material that would set quickly - OR that I would be able to quickly set using a cooling method. >I explored the possibility of glycerin melt and pour soap to cast, however this requires a lot of time to set, and conditions and equipment which I do not have access to. From prior knowledge, melting any kind of soap creates a horrible smell which would not be welcome in the workshop or hall of residence. >I decided to use wax for my final design to ensure a quick setting time (I can quickly set it using cold water/ice). It is cheap to buy and although it dries mostly opaque, I realised that this would create an interesting effect in my model. The yarn would become increasingly less visible as more wax was poured on it, however when a light is shone through, the coloured yarn would be visible within the milky material.

I began by melting a small layer of wax and placing some unaffected yarn into the bottom.

Then, using crumpled tin foil as a mold, I began gradually layering wax into it, with every addition of yarn becoming more and more burnt/melted, with the final, almost black burnt piece settling on top, as if shriveled by the outside conditions.

After I removed the model from the mold, I heated the full thing yet again with a heat gun, and moved parts around to produce a more aesthetically appealing model.

The ‘fungus’ appears  as if it is burrowing into the wax and thriving and growing colourful inside.

My final photo utilises my lighting technique from earlier experiments to show the internal structure which is not visible in a regularly lighted environment.

My drawing focuses on the contrast between colourful and scorched materials, as well as being an abstract representation of the yarn becoming progressively more shriveled and messy as it reaches the top of the material.

My chosen composition was an overlay of this onto my original photo to demonstrate these themes further. Overall, I am quite pleased with my project, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I believe I successfully achieved a parasitic relationship between my cast and crafted materials.

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MyCo is a rough and grainy board. It is a bit heavy and very tough, yet I think with enough manhandling and force applied to it, this material would split, resulting in a very jagged edge due to its compressed layers and pieces.

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This material known as "Koroyd" is a very brittle and lightweight polymer, it's translucent green surface seeking to emit a pleasant glow when light hits it or shines through. As it displays no flexibility, it would be interesting to snap this material, and interrupt it's honeycomb pattern. It also seems rather melt-able due to its thin plastic materiality.

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The material named "Skydex" is a firm yet flexible and squashy polymer. It's transparency and colour gives it a pleasant sheen. Skydex's primary use is for impact absorption, retaining its original shape after being squashed or bent. I believe this material can be heated and cooled down to mold it into a non-flat shape. Because of its firm build, this material is impossible for me to tear into or rip it. Cutting it with sharp scissors would be easy. Because Skydex displays a pattern, it would be great to cut and burn this material to interrupt it's repetitive pattern design.

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Animation test. “Origins (beauty)”

Created in Adobe After Effects

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Cardboard+Plastic+Aluminium Wire+Sewing Thread = Model demonstrating a shift from dense to sparse.

(Mediocre Photographer = Me)