[WishfulThinking]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HBCoffin

No disrespect. I completely understand everyone can only allocate so much to the hobby, but that's besides the point. I've seen a fair amount of "grails" come up in this thread that can be had for $50.00 or less. If a grail can be had for the retail price of an S.H. Figuarts toy, and is regularly available through virtually every resale outlet (Amazon, eBay, Mandarake), I must be misunderstanding the concept.

There's a difference between something being obtainable in the foreseeable future vs. near impossible to obtain, or possibly unobtainable in one's lifetime. What's the point of using the term "holy grail" to define something that's not so far from reach? If one has obtained 5-6 "grails" over the course of a couple of years, I think they're being a tad liberal with the term. Again, it's not simply about the money–some toys are just hard to find. Regardless of how deep your pockets are, it can be extremely hard to track some toys down without serious dedication, the knowhow, or the right connections.

"From the knights of medieval legends to Indiana Jones, the holy grail has been the most sought-after Christian relic in popular culture for centuries. The grail is most commonly identified as the cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper and that Joseph of Arimathea used to collect Jesus’s blood when he was crucified. Given the importance of Jesus’s crucifixion and the eucharist in Christian beliefs, the search for the grail became the holiest of quests as it signified the pursuit of union with God." - http://www.history.com/news/ask-hist...the-holy-grail

Taking into consideration the historical reference point, don't you think it's a bit silly to equate the "holiest of quests" to scoring a DX OOO Driver (one can be had brand new off eBay for $62.99 right now with plenty more to go around)? There's nothing holy about waiting for your next paycheck or settling for ramen one week.

If you want to read about the quest and acquisition of a true holy grail, here's an inspirational story that will put such petty desires to shame:

"RARE JAPANESE TOY GOES TO AMERICAN COLLECTOR" - http://toyboxdx.com/ramblearchive/2006/k7/

There are several "grails" that, if I really really wanted to forego all other hobbies and starve myself for a month, I possibly could own. If I keep my eyes peeled, I could in theory purchase a decent Godaikin Dynaman for around $300 off ebay. But, I have found that in times when I DO have surplus money of that sort, I'm more inclined to spend it on many things plus some credit card bills instead of that one "grail" piece.

In a way, knowing that it's out there and I really want it is almost better than owning it. Because once I own it, part of my journey of collecting is over. And I like to enjoy the ride...

Also, I think I'm holding out faint hope that Bandai will eventually start pushing out the rest of the Godaikins in the Soul of Chogokin line. Someday...maybe...