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11-02-2020, 05:46 AM | #1 |
WONDER RIDER
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,720
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Despite my love for tokusatsu, I am quite concerned over the rampant consumerism present within these shows. Don't get me wrong I'm still going to watch toku, but shows like Power Rangers, Super Sentai and Kamen Rider ultimately exist to sell toys. I often ponder upon the effects this has on kids and adults. Consumerism has been linked to decreased life satisfaction and happiness while also linked to an increase in depression and antisocial behaviour.
I know I often joke that my wallet is in danger whenever a new toy is announced, but I often find myself thinking long and hard before purchasing something, which is usually enough time for something I want in the moment to lose its appeal to me. Hence, I don't have a single Figuart in my shelf. I may be protected to a degree thanks to my stinginess, but I wonder how this merchandising train affects kids watching these things. I know parents would usually buy these things for their kids. Take Kamen Rider for instance, which over the years have increased its arsenal of weaponry and belts. Thanks to the efficiency of production increasing over the years, more and more merchandise can be pumped out compared to years ago. Take Kuuga, who had a simple (relatively speaking) arsenal compared to the merchandising onslaught of Zero-One's 'collectible belts' (if Zero-One's 'collectible items' were belts, then I guess one could argue that Saber's real collectible items are swords, not 'books'). It's not just Kamen Rider. What about Super Sentai? Well, let's not forget the buttload of gimmick-stuffed mecha which have increased over the years to the point that some don't stay for very long. And then there's the plethora of interactive trinkets that you are encouraged to buy, some of which can only be obtained through special sets or lotteries (Ranger Keys anyone?). I know that toku is not going to stop selling stuff to kids and collectors anytime soon, why would they if its making them boatloads of money? Rather, the increase in the amount of P-Bandai over the years seems to indicate that Bandai wants to appeal to collectors as well as children, something which Hasbro has been doing in the West as well through Hasbro Pulse, thus encouraging spending in adults as well. Oh, and making something limited edition just adds a certain appeal to the whole scheme of things. And it's not just exclusives that make merchandising more appealing to collectors. 2-packs, team sets, build-a-figure-whose-body-has-been-separated-through-different-other-figures, combining weaponry that are sold separately. These are all advertised with slogans such as "build the most powerful weapon" or "collect them all to complete the ultimate team" to make the buyer think they are in control and it all benefits them, but as P.T. Barnum once said, "there's a sucker born every minute" (actually we don't know if Barnum ever said that but the point still stands). And then there's also the merchandise which target childhood nostalgia and/or harken back to the roots fo the franchise (Transformers Generations anyone?) So am I against merchandising? To a degree I am. If merchandising really is going to have a negative mental effect on people then I am quite against it as at that point they have been captured by the snares of consumerism. On the other hand, I am aware and recognise that there are people who can exhibit self-control and can shield themselves against the growing consumerism over our age so I wouldn't call a worldwide ban over it. However, that does not change the fact that I'm still extremely concerned over the possible effects this might have on one's mental state. I know I myself have fallen into the pit of merchandising in the past, with the 'gotta have it!' attitude. But it's not just me, there are also a few testimonies from around Tokunation as well (I apologise in advance for not asking permission): Quote:
...
A friend of a friend decided he wanted to start collecting Star Wars The Black Series. That in itself isn't a problem, but as time went on one of each wasn't enough. He had to have every edition of every character. And also multiples. And also other Star Wars merch being released recently because why not. And so on and so on. It got the point he barely had any room in his house due to all the boxes that were coming in. He ended up needing an intervention to sell off a bunch of the stuff he'd been hoarding. So yeah, cautionary tale: There's nothing wrong with collecting, and it can be rather fun, but be careful about it. Quote:
Oooooh BOY do I know this one.
This is, like... yeah. I remember back when I was focusing on collecting Transformers, I really got it into my head that I must collect full sets. Like, I should have a full 1984 Ark crew or a full MTMTE main character display. And it just made collecting very... dull? I wasn't picking up characters like Mirage or Cyclonus because I was especially attached to them, but because they were Part Of The Team and I needed them to Complete it. I think what eventually woke me up was one particular quote from Vangelus; I forget if it was on a panel or some other youtube video or something, but he talked a lot about Fill A Gap mentality -- which was doing exactly as I described. Do you really want this toy you're about to spend money on, or is it just because you've convinced yourself it's needed for a collection? And of course, it's not necessarily wrong to collect a full crew or anything. I'm not into judging people for how they collect or what they decide to do at all; you get what you get for any reason you like -- because you've got an emotional connection to the character; because a full group shot looks wonderful to you; because you just think the character goddamn looks cool or there's a fun gimmick. But you've got to make sure that the reason you're doing it is a reason you actually have, and not one that you just do have. And I think in collecting, especially when many toylines gear themselves towards completionism and because many other people show their shelves and goals of having full sets; that by default we go into it thinking we should just get a full collection. For me, that was bolstered by getting into buying Transformers again with Combiner Wars; a toyline that necessitated getting at least 5 different figures for a full complete Combiner -- and then on top of that there being different Legends Class figures for accessories, and on top of that there being many aspects of the complete Combiner that was unsatisfying such as the hands and feet, so you'd want to go after Third Party solutions to those problems. All of that to say that it was incredibly refreshing for Fill A Gap mentality to be explained so that I could start thinking "hey, actually, do I really want to buy this character?" I don't regret all of my choices or anything -- I got back into collecting with CW Blast Off because I really liked Bruticus, and I still really like Bruticus and am still happy to have him! But so many others... T30 Roadbuster, Legends Arcee, Three (!!!) TFP Vehicons... I mean I liked the TFP Vehicon, awesome toy, but how did I get it into my head that I needed to troopbuild them because eventually I was going to have a complete TFP Decepticon display alongside a thousand other Transformers displays? Was I really going to get complete displays of every significant Transformers cast, especially on my limited paycheck? And would that really have made me happy in the end? The answer to all of those is a big huge No, and for me personally, I've these days discovered that the Transformers that personally make me happy are a select few who I either like the character of or who I think look cool or I have fun transforming; as well as getting a few Cybertron figures due to how nostalgic I have for them. And that's such a far, far cry from what I originally wanted! And at one point, I slipped back into that with Kamen Rider. When the Seihou OOO line was revealed, I convinced myself I was going to get every Combo they came out with because I loved the gimmick and the character -- but while I do like that gimmick, did I really... need that? Like, was I seriously going to be that into Ratoratah or Sagohzo on their own, and would I even be that interested in Combo Changing? Would I have a place in my display for them? At best, even if I did have a place for them and did want all of them, would I not be better served by cheaper lines like SODO or the original OCC line, rather than getting expensive high-end £50-60 figures of them? Eventually I realised... nah, nah I love OOO's gimmick but I hardly need all these Combos. I really would just be happy with Tatoba, Tajador, maybe Putotyra and then eventually some time in the far future I might go after cheaper versions of the other Combos. Right now I'm going after a few very particularly very limited displays based on my absolute favourites, and a couple Main Riders outside of those with FRS providing options that are not just very cheap but very fun and satisfying to build. And that's proving to make every purchase and every received figure a joy to pick up. Moral of the story here really is that collect what you want, do what you want... but sometimes you gotta kick yourself up the ass to ask if it really is what you want. Quote:
Just like liquids take on the shape of their container, I think collections fill the space allotted. When I lived in a small place, I had a few things. As I got more and more room, I got more and more stuff.
This is a trap! Don't do this! As I look at my many, many robot toys, I sort-of long for the time when it was a more manageable collection. I'm in a pruning stage right now, since I'd used up all of my display space (6 massive IKEA Besta cabinets I added glass doors and lights to) as well as all of my storage space. It was all stressing me out too much, you know? Getting something was becoming Dead Man's Boots, where I'd need to move an on-display figure into storage, and then try and wring one more cubic inch of storage space out of over-filled bins. Now, I'm being as brutal as I can with my shit. Do I need four colorways of the same figure, if they're all out of sight? Do I need an entire wave of toys if only one or two was fun to transform? Wouldn't it be nice to enjoy these things without stressing about where they're all going to go? There are points when I think about what I'd do if I had less space. Fantasize, really. I'd keep my full collection of Thrilling 30 Springer, let everything else go. I collected every variation. I love that mold. It takes up one little cube of my displays. And, y'know, it's done. I can't imagine Takara or Hasbro are going to do some new deco for an old figure, especially with them having a G1 Springer recently released. How nice it would be to have a neat, reasonable collection. ... Anyway, long story short, all of this talk is pretty universal. We're all trying to balance our enjoyment for our collections with things like space, money, reality. I think we've all got good days and bad days when it comes to it. Perspective is good. Talking about it like this is good. I think everyone needs to do what they feel is best for their situation. If collecting is ever stressing you out, take a break. It's all just stuff. There'll always be more stuff. To those who are about to fall in the rabbit hole of buying toku merch, I advise you to exhibit caution; once you drop it's hard to stop. Spare yourself the pain that I and many others have experienced. Please think about your needs first before your wants. I also advise saving money for any future emergencies or in case your family or friends have any trouble that you could lend your financial aid to. To those who are currently spending lots of money and have a 'buying addiction' or seemingly insatiable need for toys and merch, I ask you to please stop for a while and think over your life. Your life may not have become worse, but has your life improved via these purchases? What about your finances? Space in your home? Relationships? Spirituality (for those who are spiritually or religiously minded)? If any of these have been affected negatively after purchasing, I say stop immediately. Oh, and also, I may have talked a lot about physical merchandising in this post, but consumerism also extends to the digital medium as well (loot boxes, DLCs, etc.) so keep an eye out. So what about you guys? I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions over this matter. I've given my two cents, let's hear yours. And I am not even going to go into the whole 'mint in packaging' or 'box in mint condition' mentality some collectors have, it's gonna drive me nuts (I won't judge you if you do prefer to keep your box in mint condition though).
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Last edited by gashatfreak; 11-02-2020 at 05:58 AM.. |
11-02-2020, 06:29 AM | #2 |
Some guy. I'm alright.
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,411
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Don't worry about not asking permission, me personally I think it says alot that you're ultimately looking for the wellness of others via this post.
And yeah, like anything, buying things can most certainly become an addiction, especially in recent times where it's more tempting than ever to buy something just for the sake of buying it due to boredom, loneliness, etc. Like anything that says "think of the children" though, my response is that it's ultimately on the parents/guardians to teach their children self control and to know when to stop, as well as the difference between a want and a need. Needs should always come first. Could you interpret these shows being glorified toy commercials as scummy? Sure, but it's not like there isn't any substance behind it. Substance which has only grown as the years have gone on. And unfortunately, selling merchandise is the primary way shows like these survive. Heck, alot of media in general does, whether it be DVD sales, posters, etc. Just kinda how a section of business and the economy works. I'm not really great at contributing to discussions like these, but again, I appreciate you taking to time to think something like this out!
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11-02-2020, 07:16 AM | #3 |
Reiei
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 3,691
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Jesus, this post has really made me recount the trash fire of 2015-2016 where I bought up so many of Gundam IBO kits. In short, I got really into the anime and wanted to buy so much of the coolest designs I could get. It started with just the Astaroth Origin and now I'm stuck with a lot of them. I managed to trim it down substantially by either throwing some away, selling them, or giving them to friends, depending on the condition of the kit. I had plans to trim them down severely this year but, it's obvious why not.
Sometimes I think I want an almost clean-slate. Make all the model kits I bought disappear, keep only the expensive figures. Get into painting, caring for each individual kit instead of snap-fit and go. Going back to the topic of tokusatsu merch. I'm starting to not be a really big fan of large rider casts. Zero-One was the catalyst for this but I didn't really mind since I found all individual characters interesting, but Saber, coming with seven riders out of the gate put a bad taste to my mouth. I wanna buy SHFs of the riders, they're really cool designs but I also don't wanna buy almost all of SOL since I know that a season is a yearly thing and these characters would either just become irrelevant or get a mainstay upgrade that makes my previous purchase irrelevant (FF Jin vs BF Jin). It's also why I don't buy DX toys. It looks painful for a lot of people. Let's say the DX Zero-One driver is released, people buy it en masse since it's the spiffy new belt, regardless of the price. People buy the rest of the upgrades too, full price. Then the show ends, and now you have Mandarake being flooded with the same toys you bought, just now dirt cheap. But this shines a light on something I'm slowly be aware of in modern day society. The consumerism aspect that we have grown accustomed to that are further enabled by things like Netflix, shows that it becomes extremely difficult for something to be a "classic". You'd watch Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, you buy merch, show finishes, move on to Build, rinse and repeat. It's a scary and unsustainable of consuming media. At the end of the day, it's a kids show. You yourself have the ability to control yourself if you wish it so. And also, I gotta go and clean up my gunpla flood. |
11-02-2020, 08:06 AM | #4 |
WONDER RIDER
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,720
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Oh man I hear you. I don't really care about collecting Gunpla anymore, no matter how cool they might be. However, I do dream of eventually creating my own original Gunpla that I can call my own, with custom paint, detail and everything. I guess I'm just affected by the plastic mecha romanticism from Build Fighters hahaha.
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11-02-2020, 08:15 AM | #5 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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I definitely would have preferred if you asked permission first, but this is very much something I agree with -- and you probably won't find too much pushback on this forum, considering how much we go on about recent shows having too many toys!
I've been thinking about this recently in two particular ways as well. First off, I was without a laptop for almost two months and hence I missed a LOT of ongoing Toku -- and I love Toku enough to not, like, go on Kissasian with my phone or whatever; I decided to wait till I could actually watch it on a new computer. And when I did finally get it, I was able to watch through episodes 21 through 29 of Kiramager! ... and hooooly SHIT that was a massive deluge of toys all at friggin' once. And I liked these episodes, quite a bit! But it was hard to escape the feeling that the vast majority were writing around having to advertise a billion toys at once. We'd just gotten the Mashin Driller and PB Yodon Changer; but now they got a new train, then the Kiramai Arrow, and now the Oradin mech. And every single one meant that while writers have gotten clever at writing around these; this forced them into a loop of writing the same story every two weeks -- bad guys up the ante, need a new powerup, get a new powerup in part 2. And while I like how some of these went (LOVE the moral of the Kiramai Arrow 2-parter; wasn't expecting it at all), it was difficult to feel like I wasn't watching the same thing over and over; and that if they'd just cut out the second train or something it would have been a lot smoother. It was most noticeable with this stretch of Kiramager, but there's countless other examples recently -- Saber's episodes so far have had like three new toys each, and bless your soul if you were keeping track of Build's fullbottles or Ryusoulger's keys. In many ways modern Ultra is a little more resistant to this; still being on a budget meaning they have only a handful of toys and the auxiliary forms still actually matter. Still have a lot of irrelevant items like Z's lance but it's nowhere near Toei's big two. The second way is... as stated in that quoted post, my SHF collecting is relegated to a specific few collections of characters that I like. And I have a list of those -- which recently I've been pretty ruthless in cutting down. I have a W/OOO/Fourze display, and I'd like to see that completed; but do I seriously like Accel enough to hunt him down and drop £60 on him when I care way more for Birth and Fourze that I got for far less? Like I'd go for an FRS in an instant, but... no. No. You're cool, dude, but c'mon. I've also been cutting Ultras from the list on the realisation that the two I have coming up I'm more than happy with at the moment and I could always go after the other few at a later date especially with how good SHF Ultra is about re-issues; I've been realising that certain earlier SHFs are probably good enough instead of waiting for renewals; etc. As such my potential spending list has been cut down by a lot and it's very refreshing. I think just... I dunno. The whole thing gets a bit depressing after a while if I'm honest; and I'll be happy to get to the point where the few new SHFs I want run out and I can just focus on earlier SHFs and FRSes, which are both much cheaper and always readily-available so I don't have to be ready to dump down £50 by next wednesday.
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11-02-2020, 09:22 AM | #6 |
Ex-Weather Three leader
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,530
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Quote:
Take Kamen Rider for instance, which over the years have increased its arsenal of weaponry and belts. Thanks to the efficiency of production increasing over the years, more and more merchandise can be pumped out compared to years ago. Take Kuuga, who had a simple (relatively speaking) arsenal compared to the merchandising onslaught of Zero-One's 'collectible belts' (if Zero-One's 'collectible items' were belts, then I guess one could argue that Saber's real collectible items are swords, not 'books').
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11-02-2020, 09:23 AM | #7 |
Showa Girl
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 9,064
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Quote:
Yeah, come to think of it, just looking at Zero-One and Saber they are pushing two sets of collectibles; Zero-One started off with them Progrise Keys but eventually a second set of collectibles emerged through the belts. And Saber continues this newfound way of collecting two sets of collectibles with the Wonder Ride Books and the transformation devices, in this case the swords. Now I am curious if this will continue next year with Reiwa rider no.3 as well.
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11-02-2020, 10:18 AM | #8 |
Suprise Gamma Future
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 2,852
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I keep track of my collections with a spreadsheet which helps me both manage it and give me a better appreciation of when it gets absurd or out of hand.
I hope people realize that just about every reason we use to justify a purchase (gap filling, limited edition, set collection, etc) is well understood by the makers to sell those things to us. It's not our justification, it's theirs.
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11-02-2020, 11:09 AM | #9 |
King of Souls
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Georgia
Posts: 841
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Considering my Toku collection so far fits neatly on my dresser, I think I have a little bit of wiggle room before I start needing to worry about this stuff. Buuut still, probably a good idea to keep an eye on myself.
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Selling stuff, check out my stuff. |
11-02-2020, 11:48 AM | #10 |
Dai Shogun
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 7,528
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Well this is - quite the personal topic. Sounds like you needed to get something off of your chest which is absolutely fine.
The way I see it, yes, they market their stuff on purpose so they have lots of things to sell and lots of kids who want it. But the danger in that lies less with the products and the marketing, but the way children are raised IMO. It's up to their parents to not let their wants spiral out of control and to teach them the value of their toys and what effort is needed to get them. As far as the adult collecting thing goes: Focus and control are everything. You need to establish what you want, and it needs to be the lowest priority for you to spend your money on. Personally, basic needs are to be covered first, then you put a good deal into savings and whatever is left at the end is free to spend. That's control. And for the focus, that is something every collector needs to discover on their own. I have discovered a few brands I'm 100% into, Figuarts being one of them, while others even though hot with collectors I don’t touch because I don't like the way these figures "feel" in hand. It may also help that not everything is readily available around here so I often have to look for imports and be prepared to pay shipping and import fees. It's weird but after a while at least I learned quickly what I want to buy. If I see something and it checks all my boxes, I pre-ordered it without second thought and usually end up satisfied. If there's something really cool that I could afford but have the one nagging thought in the back of my head "Do you really want this though?" I usually don't order it; let the feeling cool down a bit and then see if it still interests me after a week or two. Usually it doesn't and that’s money saved. Wow, now things have gotten personal on my end too, huh? What I'm trying to say is, try to maintain control and focus, finding it isn't easy and may lead to some acquisitions you regret and sell later on. But once you find your focus and have control, collecting is a very rewarding hobby. Seeing new figures revealed that I'm into is always exciting, even though I don’t buy most of them. But that one thing becoming reality you always wanted to see can really turn some bad moods upside down, and a package coming your way at the end of a month is a nice little thing to look forward to. |
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