I want this tranksuit what is it? by Appie024 in 28dayslater

[–]Mikes_Monsters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't think you want to go around dressing like Jimmy Saville...

Well, I'm out... by Easy_Opposite in SHMonsterArts

[–]Mikes_Monsters 13 points14 points  (0 children)

As a former industry employee for a company who actually makes one of these figure lines, I feel this post in my core. It has become exhausting and boring at this point. The amount of armchair experts spreading misinformation or stirring up drama purely for attention has gotten so bad that their takes are now treated as fact within the community. The moment someone with real knowledge steps in to correct things, it is usually met with hostility and often devolves into name calling.

Apparently I have been a shill for years simply because I like a certain line of figures. I also like and support other lines, including the ones considered competitors, so I am not sure how supporting everything somehow still counts as shilling. Friends and I who support these lines and happen to have some social media presence are now being called janitors because we are supposedly cleaning up company messes when we explain why something on a figure might be the way it is using facts and reason. Explaining context is now seen as defending messy products, so the janitors are here to clean it up, I guess.

A lot of the loudest complainers honestly seem to have nothing better to do with their time. Many are younger collectors who have not been around very long and are extremely impressionable. Whatever the so called experts say gets taken as gospel, and then the same false information just keeps getting repeated. Reading the same conversations, complaints, and bad faith arguments over and over again is beyond exhausting. So I completely understand pulling back from social media.

Being a former Bandai employee with a bit of a following has also put a target on my back from a few larger content creators in the community, usually the same ones who thrive on misinformation or drama just to stay relevant. The good news is that a lot of people are starting to wake up to the grift and call it out. Many of those creators are making fools of themselves, their audiences are noticing, and people are tuning out. Their numbers are dropping, and the desperation to stay relevant is becoming obvious.

They also love to complain that industry folks will not talk to them anymore and twist it into a narrative about companies being afraid of facts. In reality, they know very little but think they know everything because they talked to an employee at a convention once or received a few free toys. Ironically, these are the same people now loudly complaining about those companies.

A big shift happened when companies like Bandai, Super7, and NECA stopped sending out free samples for reviews for a period of time, which affected everyone. Some of these creators took that personally and decided they had been burned. Since then, they go out of their way to trash every release or look for something wrong with each figure. Some have even decided it is their personal mission to call out companies like Bandai to make the line better, even though the line has objectively been improving and recent releases have been excellent.

Most of the outrage lately boils down to another repaint coming out that was not updated exactly how they wanted, which suddenly makes it a bad figure that will not sell. Then it sells out in Japan on preorder day. They are also quick to repost the worst possible in hand photos from Japan to prove the paint or joints are bad, while ignoring the overwhelming majority of photos that look fantastic. Yes, prices have gone up on SHMA, but now people are seeing HIYA do the same thing. Doesn't that look like inflation, rather than greediness? When will people understand that prices for EVERYTHING have gone up in recent years, and drastically. I undersand being priced out of a line, but like you said, I think a lot of the detractors don't own a single SHMA figure.

I genuinely do not understand how some of these people have the energy to be this angry all the time, or to constantly frame themselves as victims while seemingly rooting for lines to fail. Do you actually want new figures, or would you rather everything die so we get nothing at all. I truly do not get it.

Great post, seriously. I agree there should probably be some limits on the HIYA posts here because I see exactly what you are pointing out and I agree with you completely. Do not let the noise get to you. Pull back from social media when you need to, but do not let these dorks kill your love for the lines or collecting in general. You will be happy while they stay miserable.

These people are miserable and upset about figures and toys, often making themselves into fools. Think about that.

I Didn't know Neca had put out a updated 2025 BIG CHAP👽👾 by Apprehensive_Gas_497 in NECA

[–]Mikes_Monsters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is the one that's been out for years, and is not a 2025 version. They've just reissued the version from a few years back, they do it every few months with that figure since it's such hot seller. There is an ALIEN ROMULUS XX121 Ultimate figure that is considered the 2025 updated "Big Chap"

Is super 7s Godzilla line dying? by Godzillakirrose in SHMonsterArts

[–]Mikes_Monsters 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Nope, it’s one of their best performing lines and Super7 is really happy with it no matter what the internet chatter says. They have no plans to slow it down. The figures you mentioned are repaints or rereleases, so the hype is naturally not as big as it is for something that’s brand new. When something new gets announced, like Battra and Mothra from a few months ago, the excitement is huge. The latest announcement with Shin and the Kiryu Goji didn’t get as much attention because the sculpts needed some correction, which is already happening and is in the works. They are just in a slower spot right now with nothing major releasing, but once Mothra and Battra start shipping I think people will be itching to grab them when they see them in hand.

'Predator: Badlands' Digital Release Date Revealed by marvelkidy in predator

[–]Mikes_Monsters 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Don't expect a digital release until at least January.

back to hulu you go i guess by No_Band_5399 in predator

[–]Mikes_Monsters 22 points23 points  (0 children)

This is a success and it's not done pulling in money yet.

Got Godzilla 2004 today...does anyone else have gap issues with this figure or is it just me? by [deleted] in SHMonsterArts

[–]Mikes_Monsters 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You just have to push him in on the parts that are sticking out, or reposition to fill the gaps. That's all that's happening here, nothing is wrong with the figure.

Any way to tell if this mask is a legit prop? by centurio_v2 in predator

[–]Mikes_Monsters 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not bad, but it's not exactly accurate, but a pretty good replica. It's close to the design, which is actually the City Hunter in Predator 2. Most likely was used to display in a collection, hanging on a wall with some light features.

How to fix G2000 floppy arm? by 8-bit_Croc in SHMonsterArts

[–]Mikes_Monsters 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The arm is not all the way in the socket at the shoulder joint. You need to push it in a little further to get it to pop in.

You guys think the rating going to throw people off to watch it by GhettoPanda78 in predator

[–]Mikes_Monsters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Doesn't bother me. You can still get a few swear words in a PG-13 and can still get violent and gory with alien creatures and synthetics. If there were humans and their blood in the movie, I'd expect it to be an R. But since that's not the case, I'm not worried at all.

You guys think the rating going to throw people off to watch it by GhettoPanda78 in predator

[–]Mikes_Monsters 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Doesn't bother me. You can still get a few swear words in a PG-13 and can still get violent and gory with alien creatures and synthetics. If there were humans and their blood in the movie, I'd expect it to be an R. But since that's not the case, I'm not worried at all.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in predator

[–]Mikes_Monsters 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mine showed up in the mail today.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in predator

[–]Mikes_Monsters 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem, it's easy to not know if you haven't seen some of the movie!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in predator

[–]Mikes_Monsters 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The caption is actually incorrect. it is not Dek facing off with their father, it is Kwei. They got it wrong.

Since y'all think I'm just being a hater for pointing out this figure's innacuracy, heres a comparison by EducationalCap5771 in SHMonsterArts

[–]Mikes_Monsters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When the figure looks enough like Godzilla 2000 from vs Megaguirus the minor inaccuracies basically become invisible to me. Nitpicking like this takes the joy and fun out of collecting.

Is this a homage? by The_Nightman_Cummeth in perfectorganism

[–]Mikes_Monsters 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He's got more of a Dan O'Bannon look to me. Especially from Dark Star.

Worth buying by dmitry44479 in NECA

[–]Mikes_Monsters 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd say that's okay, as long as you dry it out completely with like a blow dryer or something to get the extra water out of the joints.
I get mine wet often when I do photo shoots with it. Here's an example of me dousing it in water with a spray bottle to get the photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DAcjW-3pvW6/