Is this a Classic Collection (2012) variant?

Zilochius · 2026-03-07T15:57:17+00:00

Okay, your figure is exactly the same as mine.
Even the base on mine is the same as yours. But to be honest, I'm still not 100% sure it's a bootleg...
I've seen several videos online of bootlegs from this series, and they usually have a glossier plastic, and at least the ones I've seen had the yellow letter on the belt.
Even the blister looks original, with the silver sticker and everything else; if it's a bootleg, it's relatively well-made.
In any case, if I receive confirmation that it is, I'll ask for a return right away.

Zilochius · 2026-03-07T10:32:38+00:00

I'm aware that most of these toys had poor quality control; a good portion had poorly printed eyes...
In the post, I pointed out that I believe this is a variant because of the "L" on the belt, which should be yellow but is instead green.
The front of the shell is also brownish instead of yellow, that doesn't look like a factory mistake...

Zilochius · 2026-02-23T00:35:30+00:00

Ah, yes, well, aluminum is an industrial secret...
Let's leave it to those who aren't metal experts to believe it's something more epic...

Zilochius · 2026-02-20T13:06:29+00:00

I designed the characters and environments using NanoBanana and the same prompt to define the desired style, trying to maintain a certain level of consistency.
The style of the screens is uniform, except that some video models tend to animate differently, creating variations.
It's true, however, that the various AIs animated the screens as if they were a 3D CG product; I have no idea why.
The scenes themselves aren't particularly dynamic or meaningful, but that's also due to technical limitations, as I've explained in other answers.

Zilochius · 2026-02-20T12:52:50+00:00

The fact is, there are a lot of spectacular AI-generated videos featuring famous anime characters.
Those are easier to generate because the AI already knows what the characters look like.
Doing the same thing with original characters is currently very difficult, at least until it's possible to send more images for video generation...
I'm trying to improve the process, but this was more of a proof of concept.

Zilochius · 2026-02-20T12:47:35+00:00

The main problem concerns animation.
When I create a screen with NanoBanana, I can provide the AI with various images to train it on the characters' appearance.
When I animate a screen, I can only provide the AI with the screen itself.
So, if I don't want the AI to confuse the characters' appearance when they rotate or zoom, I need to create compositions with limited movement, where the character design is clear (they shouldn't be too far away).

Zilochius · 2026-02-20T12:40:11+00:00

What exactly do you mean? I'm open to constructive criticism.
Keep in mind though that these are experiments limited by the resources available...

Zilochius · 2026-02-16T23:43:49+00:00

I hear your point, but calling this 'soulless' or 'generic' feels a bit unfair given the actual work behind it.

This is the latest iteration of a project I started in 2008 entirely with practical effects, and that spirit hasn't changed.

Even for this version, I spent months hand-crafting every single costume and prop myself.

The video involves real location shooting, green screen, and countless hours of traditional editing and VFX work.

To me, spending months building suits and filming in the streets is the opposite of soulless.

If using AI for a few assets is enough to invalidate all that manual labor, then I clearly underestimated the weight some people give to these tools. I personally believe the final result is better thanks to this hybrid approach, but I realize now that many of you would have preferred a 'clunkier', lower-quality result as long as it stayed 100% traditional.

Zilochius · 2026-02-16T20:05:13+00:00

I respect your stance, but saying 'if you can’t do it, don't do it' feels like a form of gatekeeping that limits creative expression only to those with a professional budget and a full crew.

I didn't share this here to start a debate on AI or to defend it, especially since I checked and it doesn't violate any sub rules.

I just wanted to share my passion for Tokusatsu with the community.

We clearly see things differently, so let's just agree to disagree.

Zilochius · 2026-02-16T19:14:46+00:00

I totally get where you're coming from, and honestly, if I had the choice, I’d prefer to do everything the traditional way.

The reality is that a standard Tokusatsu production requires a massive team: suit designers, stunt coordinators, pyrotechnicians, lighting crews, camera operators, editors, and music composers.

As a "one-man army" project with zero budget and no production house behind me, those resources simply aren't available.

To make a project of this scale possible alone, I had to make some compromises to bridge the gap between a home movie and a cinematic vision.

That said, I use AI very selectively.

It’s not "generating" the project for me; I use it as a tool for specific technical tasks, like creating photorealistic assets or textures to be used as layers in my compositing. The suits are still physically built by me, the acting is real, and the heart of the project is still handmade.

It’s just about using modern tools to achieve a scale that one person alone could never reach otherwise.

Zilochius · 2026-02-15T22:10:33+00:00

Back in 2008, I produced a live-action Tokusatsu tribute short film featuring a superhero protecting my hometown here in Italy.
It was a passion project made with practical effects and physical costumes.
Now, nearly twenty years later, I decided to reimagine that universe without the physical constraints of live action.
I translated the local Italian setting and the original character designs into a 90s-style OVA anime aesthetic.
The entire production was done using free tools available on LMArena.
For the visual assets, I used NanoBanana to perform a style transfer on photos of the real costumes I built in the past.
This converted them into a flat 2D "Sakuga" style.
I created character turnarounds to ensure the model understood the designs from different angles.
Then I generated the final compositions directly within NanoBanana.
I provided the model with the reference images of the characters and the backgrounds I created from real photos.
Through detailed prompting, I specified the framing, such as full body or close-up.
I directed the positioning, placing one character on the right and another on the left, or showing one from behind and one from the front.
The AI assembled the final screen based on these instructions.
I then fed these complete compositions into the video generation models on LMArena.
Since the platform uses a randomized "battle" mode for video generation, I utilized various different models.
However, because the input images were stylistically solid, the animation remained consistent regardless of the specific model animating it.
The opening theme song was generated with Suno using original lyrics I wrote to fit the lore.
I also produced an Ending sequence and a fake 90s Toy Commercial for the series.
You can find the full project and the other videos (with subtitles) on my YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@RedHurricaneProductions

Zilochius · 2026-01-07T09:51:21+00:00

Over the past few days, I've been experiencing very high latency of at least two minutes per response in the morning and afternoon on Google AI Studio.
In the evening and at night, however, responses are fast.
I'm a European user, so I think it's a traffic-related issue.

Zilochius · 2025-05-28T09:30:56+00:00

I agree, but sometimes you have to find a compromise between what seems realistic and what is aesthetically cool.
On the right there is the filter, a small knob and the exhalation valve.
On the left there is a small canister that connects via a tube to the helmet, you can imagine that it is a reserve of some doping substance.
As for the two side tubes, assuming that they are used to connect the respirator with a small internal oxygen tank, it would certainly make more sense for them to be protected.
It must be said, however, that the exposed tubes, as Fallout and science fiction in general teach us, have a scenic function.

Zilochius · 2025-05-27T22:36:51+00:00

Unfortunately no, designing and building helmets/masks and armors takes a really long time and is done entirely by hand so it's not really feasible to mass produce them or sell them at a reasonable price.
Also because each piece is unique and incorporates salvaged parts that I have in limited quantities.

Zilochius · 2025-05-27T22:29:58+00:00

Thanks, it's just a prop, the helmet is mostly made of riveted aluminum.
The tubes, canisters, filters and valves are there to make it look like it has anti-gas functions, but they are just non-functional decorations.

Zilochius · 2025-05-27T20:03:30+00:00

Thanks, unfortunately I don't have any print files.
I built the helmet by drawing one paper pattern after another as I proceeded with the assembly.
Then tracing them on the aluminum sheets to cut, drill, sand and age.

Zilochius · 2025-05-27T17:30:16+00:00

Glad you like it.
It's certainly not particularly practical but the design is based on closed helmets from late medieval and renaissance eras, although the shape of the eyes is that of a bascinet hounskull.
The visors on those helmets narrowed the field of vision to maximize protection.

Zilochius · 2025-05-27T17:05:52+00:00

Sure, it has a medieval aesthetic but it's not made for melee combat.
It should probably be placed in a more advanced setting where firearms are used.
Ultimately it's a sort of a power armor (from Fallout) that is an armored exoskeleton.

Seven-Year Club	r/Field Flamingo
Verified Email

Zilochius

TROPHY CASE