ShF Super Saiyan Gohan

I believe this was the third figure in the DBZ Figuarts line. He is basically a scale down of Goku's body. With this smaller body, I hope they will reuse it in the future to make Goten, little Trunks, and hopefully Gotenks (I mean, just give that SS3 Goku hair to this figure and you almost got a SS3 Gotenks right there!)

SHF Super Saiyan Goku

Let's continue with the SHFiguarts Super Saiyan Goku for today. I was a huge fan of Dragonball Z when I was a kid and had a bunch of their figures. The figures back only had the shoulder up/down articulation, but even then they were very fun to play with. So you can only imagine when I found out they were coming with articulated figures for DBZ, I was ecstatic. And they sure did not disappoint. Although Goku being the first release, I thought the likeness of his face was just a tiny bit off. Nonetheless, it is awesome to finally have a nicely articulated Goku figure that can be displayed in many of his signature poses like the following.

SHF Super Saiyan Vegeta

I've chosen the SHF Vegeta that I got recently as today's model. I didn't do a review on him because he was a very basic figure. He came with several pair of hands and faces, but really nothing special except for the fact that it's a Vegeta figure. I personally think he was way too expensive for what you get, it should at least come with some effect parts and another face (a forward yelling face would be nice). Although they did improve on the paint especially in the hair compared to the first several releases in this line: Super Saiyan Goku and Gohan. His hair has several shades of yellow while the Goku's and Gohan's hair is basically just one shade of yellow. From what I see though, the upcoming Trunks figure is going to come with a lot of accessories and should be well worth the price.

Energon Megatron

Yet another Megatron that I just added to my collection. I don't know anything about this Megatron, but have always liked the mold design and the color combination with the little bits of green translucent pieces. After I received it in the mail, I had just kept it in this mode and position ever since. It is such a beautiful toy and I am really glad I was able to acquire this one in such minty condition as well.

That's the last of my new additions, although I do have something coming in the mail, but that will take a while to come as it's coming from Korea. But I do plan on continuing this toy picture everyday thing.

Beast Wars Megatron (Part 2)

So I purchased this Megatron in robot mode, I did not see any pictures of this toy from the seller. I just assumed there was only one Beast Wars Megatron, apparently not. After I transformed him, I was shocked to see that he had no paint apps on his chest. For a moment there, I thought I got a knock off. But after some research, it turns out this is the first release for this mold and this is how it was. Then I go searching around, it seems only a Toysrus exclusive and the Beast Wars Megatron releases after this one had more paint apps that made it more show accurate. However, since this was the original one, I am still happy with it. Maybe in the future I will hunt down the more show accurate release of this mold.

Beast Wars Megatron

Picked up another Megatron from a local collector today, this time it's the Beast Wars Megatron. I've been wanting one of these ever since I was a kid. I had the choice of getting either him or the Gorilla Prime, I ended up choosing the Prime (which ended up being donated in my teen years). And now I have the T-rex Megatron, but without Gorilla Prime...which I am still on the look out for so I can finally unite these two.

Robot in Disguise Megatron

Don't really know much about this Megatron, but he was on my "Must buy" list for quite some time because he just looks so cool in this robot mode. I was finally able to score this beauty MIB locally yesterday. This has got to be one of the coolest Megatron, of course, after the Beast Wars Transmetals 2 Megatron...both of which have dragon beast modes haha!

Beast Wars Magmatron

Picked this guy up from a local collector today. I learned about this character in the Beast Wars "The Gathering" comic I picked up a while ago. I never even knew there was a toy of him but just happened to stumbled upon it. So glad I got him. He's a combiner from three different dinosaurs, it's really cool that all three heads from his beast modes can be seen in his robot mode too.

More Astro!

My friend reworked the image I took previously and here is the result, which MUCH MUCH BETTER than I did lol! I didn't even know there was so much data in my image. But as shown on the picture, I've confirmed just now that the black dots are dirt on the camera sensor...which I hate since that means I have to clean the sensor...which is not an easy task.



I also shot some more last night at another target: the Pleiades. Not a really good image since the clouds pretty much came in and covered everything after 15 minutes of shooting. But man I am addicted to this stuff! It's just amazing how many stars are up there!



I better get that sensor cleaned quick if I want to image more!

Astrophotography Update

Some of you might remember, back in 2011, I purchased some astrophotography equipment: an equatorial mount and a IR modified Canon XS. After that, I've spent countless hours freezing my ass off outside in my backyard learning how to set it up and doing some trials. I haven't had any *cool* results until last night where I spent several hours outside in -20C weather.

I was just going to do some testing again since we had a very clear night (which naturally coincides with freezing temperatures). After an hour or so of setting everything up, I looked up at the sky to see which patch of sky I should test out this time. Then I saw this interestingly pattern of 3 bright stars in a row towards the southern patch of sky. A quick check on Stellarium and I found out they were Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, also known as, the Belt of Orion. And just a bit underneath it is the famous Orion's Nebula which is one of the most common targets for an astro-newbie like myself. So I setup the imaging program and let the computer take over. I imaged for about 2 hours with 60 1 minute exposures and 30 2 minute exposures. But I found out in post-processing that my polar alignment was a bit off so the 2 minute exposures had drifted so I was only able to use my 1 minute exposures.

This is the first time I've gone as far as to stacking the RAW files in DeepSkyStacker, a free software for stacking multiple exposures. And then to manipulate the output file to bring out the colors. I am still a noob at this, but the process was really fun and somewhat rewarding. I literally LOL outside in the backyard by myself in the freezing cold when I saw the Orion Nebula show up on my screen!

First post-process: I was trying too hard to bring out the reds here because other than the Orion Nebula, there is also the Horsehead nebula where Alnitak is (first on the left of the 3 bright stars). In this image, you can see a faint hint of it, but I just can't bring it out. I guess I need more data. Click for full size image.


Same image, but I just tried to bring out more details in the Orion nebula and forget about the Horsehead.


Crop of image above with some more aggressive processing, I think I overdid it here though.

Belt of Orion on top and the Orion nebula on the bottom.


These are nothing amazing, but I am happy since I finally got *something* LOL!

All these were shot with a Nikon 50mm f1.8 stopped down to f4. Since it's a cheap lens, the edges of the pictures are not too good. I want more focal length!!!

OMG Marvel Legos!?

Just saw this picture on the local forum, I remember seeing this from the last toy show too but forgot about it after. The ad says they will be available in April. I can't wait to see what sets they are going to have! I might finally have to get back into Legos!!! I am really looking forward to the Iron man and Hulk sets!

The virus is spreading...

I've just placed my pre-order for this guy...sigh...I shouldn't have gotten that Superman to begin with...but to be honest, I couldn't afford to get the first version of this figure when it came out, so there's no way I am going to let this one slip!

Several TF additions...

Well, only one of them is a true addition as I got the other two already. I found a cheap loose Cybertron Optimus Prime which was missing quite a lot of pieces, mainly from the trailer. But since I have the one I recently got displayed in his Sonic Wing Mode, I had the original trailer backpack sitting around, so I grabbed this loose Prime to have him displayed in the original Super Robot mode.

This one is also the black/red one compared to my original blue/red one.


Since the seller was from Edmonton, there was the shipping cost on top of that, so I grabbed several more figures from him to offset the shipping a bit.

FINALLY picked up the Transformers Animated Oil Slick. I never even laid an eye on him ever since the beginning of the TFA line. But now that I got him, I wondered why I waited so long, he is actually a pretty cool figure. Here's him joining the ranks of my TFA Decepticons.



I also picked up a loose TFA Blackarachnia (also missing several pieces). I've been wanting to customize a TFA Blackarachnia for a Beast Wars stand-in. I am still not exactly sure how I want to approach this. Either a straight repaint or add some sculpting, but to make it more show accurate hence changing the sculpt, I doubt I will be able to make it transformable after. Hmmm...I still have to think about this one.

Vegeta is here!

HE IS FINALLY HERE!!! WOOO!!!

Luckily these were available at a Canadian online store so it didn't have to go through customs and I save some on shipping as well. Just placed my order for the Trunks coming in May too!

Bad luck with toys lately...

So today I decided to open the Kamen Rider W Cyclone Joker figure I got in November from Toy Arena. I was really happy to finally get this figure because I've been looking for one for a year already so I was admiring the figure and thinking what pose I should display him in. And then I went to put on his scarf attachment and low and behold...missing ball joint from one of them. It looks like it was somehow snapped off...but the ball part is not anywhere in the package. Sigh...another broken toy...this is the first time I've had QC issues with Figuarts and hopefully it will be the last time.

I am going to contact Toy Arena to see if I can get some replacement part for this piece. If not, then I guess I will have to fix it myself somehow...any ideas?

[Update] Got a reply from Toy Arena, I was told to contact the distributors which I think is Bluefin since they only do returns within 7 days of arrival (which won't apply to me EVER since I still have stuff MIB from 6 months back LOL)

Guess what happened to my NECA Predator figure?

Broken leg on the NECA Elder Predator figure I just opened! Why is this not a surprise (see here and here)?



Well, I bought these while knowing these existing problems with these figures, but I just wanted an Elder Predator sooo bad! I hope they end up doing him again with the improved articulation (and hopefully better QC as well).

Oh well, looks like my next project is fashioning an ol' wooden leg for him...ya who needs legs...he looks boring with legs...LOL

New Years Haul

Ordered these just before 2011 ended and received them today.

Some more NECA Predators because I am in LOVE with this line even though some of them has poor QC.


And this...my first Hot Toys haha...can anyone guess who it is?


Well since Leon already guessed the correct answer: It's Superman!
I actually don't even have room to display him out of the box right now so that's how he will be displayed for now. Now I am thinking I want to get that rere Iron Man Mark 1 that I read about on the toy news. Great...New Years resolution already broken LOL

Transformers Collection Update

Just wanted to show some pics of my new additions and setup for my Transformers collection.

Classics Autobots

I know the Optimus is from Galaxy Force and is not from the same series, but I just felt he would look awesome with the rest of the classics line. I do have a Classics Prime to put in here, but then I wouldn't have a place for the Galaxy Convoy Prime.


Classics Decepticons

Right underneath my Classics Autobots are my Classics Decepticons. As you can see here, they are still looking for recruits, although I am not really sure who I want to add here. Also I just don't have a definitive Megatron for my Classics collection that I like, I think the Revoltech Megs looks pretty good here though. I am surprised how nicely the WFC Soundwave fits with the Classics collection as well. You can also see the KOLD Nemesis Prime which I just received last week on the far right.


Miscellaneous

Here is where the ones that don't belong to any specific shelf or because I don't have enough room for them on the specific shelves go. Starting on the left is the KOLD Crystal Prime I got last week with my Nemesis Prime. This seems more of a Prime shelf (+ BB and Rodimus)


Transformers Prime

I've reserved this shelf for the Transformers Prime line. I hope we will get enough characters to fill this shelf up (and more!). Right now Starscream is feeling very lonely. Hope we get some Decepticons and Rachet soon! I actually haven't even really watched Prime yet, only watched several episodes from it. I am waiting for the Season 1 DVD to come out in March before I watch it. Currently I am busy watching the G1 boxset I just got.


That's it for the update! I can't wait to see what TF's are coming out this year! I know the Prime Vehicons should be coming out soon. I hope they are continuing the Classics line though. With the Dark of the Moon line ending, I hope Hasbro concentrates on the Prime series and give us a full toy line at least as good as the Animated line was!