East vs. West
Today I'm going to talk about some of the key differences, as well as similarities, between my (albeit limited) experiences with figures manufactured by American companies and those manufactured by the Japanese companies we know and love. I have a few American-made figures in my collection to make some comparisons with, but there are overall differences as well. In general these could be considered observations on my part; don't think of it as a "review."
A few figures from American manufacturers are sometimes carried by Japanese stores--HobbyLink Japan carries a number of releases from Sideshow Collectibles and sometimes McFarlane Toys.
There are also some Japanese manufacturers who produce figures of western franchises (for example, Kotobukiya's Marvel and DC Bishoujo lines or Square Enix's Halo Reach Play Arts Kai line.)
Additionally, some American companies have produced licensed figures from Japanese properties, or of American properties in an anime style; McFarlane Toys has released figures from Metal Gear Solid and Ghost in the Shell, and DC Direct has a whole line of "AmeComi" figures of western comic book heroines in an anime style.
There are two basic "models" that a figure company could use for selling its products. The western model, as far as I have seen, is generally geared toward producing a larger number of lower quality (and consequently, cheaper) figures, and the Japanese model a smaller number of high quality (and more expensive) figures. I suspect the reason for this is that collectors of American figures are less inclined to pay a large sum for any one item and more inclined to accept lower quality for lower prices. This does mean that overall, more figures (of more characters, not just those which are the most popular) get made by American companies because the costs are lower and thus they don't need to sell as many to make a profit. Some American companies have adopted something closer to the Japanese sales model but with rather mixed results.
The lower quality is a regrettable side effect of the American model. This is much more evident in poseable figures than in static ones, as it seems that American manufacturers just can't manage to get a good joint system that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. Failing that, perhaps they have chosen to sacrifice appearance for increased durability, but I don't see why they couldn't adopt something similar to the Revoltech joint system since it's very resistant to damage for the most part.
When American companies use the Japanese model, it doesn't seem to work as well. I think part of the problem is that the high end American releases are so enormously expensive that they only appeal to the extremely hardcore collectors who are willing and able to spend huge sums on an individual figure. Sideshow Collectibles releases a small number of large figures at staggering prices, on the order of 24,000 yen or more, and I have never seen one sell out. I can only fathom that they must make so much on the sale of each one that it offsets the loss on the ones that don't sell.
Another contributing factor, I think, is the general American tendency to have a lot of smaller things (obviously not applicable to everyone) vs. the Japanese pattern of owning a small number of very large/expensive items, both due to the collecting "pattern" they adhere to and to the size of the average Japanese dwelling.
The end result of this is that you have to watch out for low quality and be careful who you buy from (McFarlane Toys and DC Direct are two of the best in my experience.)
I own 3 McFarlane dragons, a figure of Hawkgirl which I have no information about anymore, a Blizzard Entertainment via DC Direct Queen of Blades, and a pair of Scully and Mulder figures (of which I don't know the manufacturer.) Of these, the dragons and the Queen of Blades are definitely the best quality.
Scully and Mulder, and my dragons as well, are ostensibly poseable, but they don't really look nice if moved from their default configuration. I have never understood this tendency, which I have only observed with western manufacturers. Why make the figure articulated if it will look stupid in any pose other than the default? The usual Japanese solution to the desire for multiple display options in a static figure is to include replaceable parts (such as with Good Smile Company's Unlimited Blade Works Tohsaka Rin.) Possibly western companies don't do this because it increases the cost past the point that most of their collectors are willing to pay? At that point, making essentially useless articulation seems like an unnecessary expenditure. Of course, it is important to note that a good deal of western-manufactured figures are designed not exclusively for the adult collector but also as toys.
Something else I find interesting is the differences in packaging styles between manufacturers. Even where similar styles (i.e. a corrugated cardboard box with plastic blister) are used, there are often differences. For instance, most Japanese figures that use blister in their packaging use multiple layers of rigid plastic combined with soft sheets wrapped around certain parts to prevent them rubbing on the rest of the packaging. The layers themselves hold the figure in place.
For my DC Direct Blizzard Queen of Blades, her box has only two pieces of plastic blister--one for her body and base, and one for her wings--and is secured in place with coated twisty-ties. I wonder if the use of twisty-ties is more as an anti-theft measure here? It is more difficult to extract a figure from a box it has been tied into than one which is just held in place by the blister.
Do any of you have or collect any figures from western manufacturers? Which ones do you have?
A few figures from American manufacturers are sometimes carried by Japanese stores--HobbyLink Japan carries a number of releases from Sideshow Collectibles and sometimes McFarlane Toys.
There are also some Japanese manufacturers who produce figures of western franchises (for example, Kotobukiya's Marvel and DC Bishoujo lines or Square Enix's Halo Reach Play Arts Kai line.)
Additionally, some American companies have produced licensed figures from Japanese properties, or of American properties in an anime style; McFarlane Toys has released figures from Metal Gear Solid and Ghost in the Shell, and DC Direct has a whole line of "AmeComi" figures of western comic book heroines in an anime style.
There are two basic "models" that a figure company could use for selling its products. The western model, as far as I have seen, is generally geared toward producing a larger number of lower quality (and consequently, cheaper) figures, and the Japanese model a smaller number of high quality (and more expensive) figures. I suspect the reason for this is that collectors of American figures are less inclined to pay a large sum for any one item and more inclined to accept lower quality for lower prices. This does mean that overall, more figures (of more characters, not just those which are the most popular) get made by American companies because the costs are lower and thus they don't need to sell as many to make a profit. Some American companies have adopted something closer to the Japanese sales model but with rather mixed results.
The lower quality is a regrettable side effect of the American model. This is much more evident in poseable figures than in static ones, as it seems that American manufacturers just can't manage to get a good joint system that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. Failing that, perhaps they have chosen to sacrifice appearance for increased durability, but I don't see why they couldn't adopt something similar to the Revoltech joint system since it's very resistant to damage for the most part.
When American companies use the Japanese model, it doesn't seem to work as well. I think part of the problem is that the high end American releases are so enormously expensive that they only appeal to the extremely hardcore collectors who are willing and able to spend huge sums on an individual figure. Sideshow Collectibles releases a small number of large figures at staggering prices, on the order of 24,000 yen or more, and I have never seen one sell out. I can only fathom that they must make so much on the sale of each one that it offsets the loss on the ones that don't sell.
Another contributing factor, I think, is the general American tendency to have a lot of smaller things (obviously not applicable to everyone) vs. the Japanese pattern of owning a small number of very large/expensive items, both due to the collecting "pattern" they adhere to and to the size of the average Japanese dwelling.
The end result of this is that you have to watch out for low quality and be careful who you buy from (McFarlane Toys and DC Direct are two of the best in my experience.)
I own 3 McFarlane dragons, a figure of Hawkgirl which I have no information about anymore, a Blizzard Entertainment via DC Direct Queen of Blades, and a pair of Scully and Mulder figures (of which I don't know the manufacturer.) Of these, the dragons and the Queen of Blades are definitely the best quality.
Scully and Mulder, and my dragons as well, are ostensibly poseable, but they don't really look nice if moved from their default configuration. I have never understood this tendency, which I have only observed with western manufacturers. Why make the figure articulated if it will look stupid in any pose other than the default? The usual Japanese solution to the desire for multiple display options in a static figure is to include replaceable parts (such as with Good Smile Company's Unlimited Blade Works Tohsaka Rin.) Possibly western companies don't do this because it increases the cost past the point that most of their collectors are willing to pay? At that point, making essentially useless articulation seems like an unnecessary expenditure. Of course, it is important to note that a good deal of western-manufactured figures are designed not exclusively for the adult collector but also as toys.
Something else I find interesting is the differences in packaging styles between manufacturers. Even where similar styles (i.e. a corrugated cardboard box with plastic blister) are used, there are often differences. For instance, most Japanese figures that use blister in their packaging use multiple layers of rigid plastic combined with soft sheets wrapped around certain parts to prevent them rubbing on the rest of the packaging. The layers themselves hold the figure in place.
For my DC Direct Blizzard Queen of Blades, her box has only two pieces of plastic blister--one for her body and base, and one for her wings--and is secured in place with coated twisty-ties. I wonder if the use of twisty-ties is more as an anti-theft measure here? It is more difficult to extract a figure from a box it has been tied into than one which is just held in place by the blister.
Do any of you have or collect any figures from western manufacturers? Which ones do you have?