Kidrobot & Travis Cain Best Friends Forever (BFF) series 2

"I can't live with or without you..."
The song "With or Without you" by Irish rock band U2 basically sums up the whole idea and concept of this series.
I just love designer toys with a witty and cool concept.
In the series are everyday items that go well together but in the process one of the items is actually getting hurt!
Sometimes what you love most can be your downfall...Love Sucks!

I got a couple from series 2.
Each item comes in a sealed packet so you do not know what you are getting.
However most shops that sell this open them up so you can actually choose the figures you like.
In each box there will be a card which will have the picture of the BFF you got plus a quote behind. The quotes are pretty funny.

Overall, a witty designer toy series.
I am on the lookout for more BFF (Bloody F*@king Funny!!)











chester & phillipe
Love quote: isn't love grate?
There is an interlocking action which allows the 2 figures to be combined.









big t & little c & barry
Love quote: you're the sweetest tooth!









maxwell & earl
Love quote: you can't erase true love!









freedy & gaston
Love quote: time for a love omelet!

how2work x 3mix 12" Toy Story Toy Soldier Sergeant

Imagine the Toy Soldier Sergeant in the movie Toy Story blown up to 12" proportion.
Yes! how2work x 3mix did just that.
This figure immediately caught my eye when I was toy hunting in Taipei.
I just love this piece because it speaks so much to me.
It is a 12" green LITTLE PLASTIC MAN (toy soldier) from the movie Toy Story! Seriously what more can I ask for.
On yar...and it was also on discount...the cherry on top of the sundae!!!

The packaging is very simple.
No color at all, just the title, wording and the picture of the figure you are getting.
I usually display just the figures so the simple packaging does not bother me.
The figure is kept securely in the box hence there is very small chance of damage.









At first glance, I thought it was a single molded figure of those plastic-molded soldiers made famous in the movie Toy Story but blown up to 12" scale.
Yes I was still intrigued by it even though my initial thought that is was just a single molded figure.
However when I got my hands on it at the shop, I was surprised.
It actually had an internal articulated armature wrapped around by a rubber casing.
In another word, there is actually articulation in the arms, waist and neck!
How cool is that.

The sculpting is what it should be, those plastic-molded soldiers we used to play when we were kids.
Even though the sculpting is simple, all the details we are familiar with plastic-molded soldiers are there.

The only disappointing area is the color. It needs to be of a darker green. Well nothing is perfect...:P

There are no accessories.
There is a little gun attached to his hand. I don't considered that as an accessory.

If I am not wrong, there is a red and black version but I think the green is cooler as it stays true to the figure it was supposed to represent.

Overall, I love this unique piece.
It looks great displayed with my other 12" military figures!

Toy Shopping in Taipei

I just came back from a holiday in Taipei.
Like any self respecting toy collector in a foreign land, I had to trawl the streets of Taipei to seek out the toy shops.
In general, there are 3 main clusters of toy shops.

Wan Nian Commercial Building

Wan Nian Commercial Building is seated at the intersection of Emei (pronounced as er-mei) Street and Xi Ning South Road in Ximendng.



It was my very first stop as my hotel was located in Ximending.
Majority of the toy shops are located on the fourth floor.
The shops there sell mostly model kits of Gundam, cars and military vehicles.
As you know, I love to collect 1/72 scale tanks and there is one shop that had great stocks of such tanks.
They had a great selection plus the price was at least $10 lower as compared to Singapore.
A fruitful and bountiful first day of toy hunting. I LIKE.







The shop where I blew so much $$ on 1/72
scale tanks!








Ding Hao Department Store

You can either alight at MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station or MRT Zhongxiao Dunhua Station.
From the station, find the East Metro Mall which is basically a underground mall that links the 2 stations together.
At the East Metro Mall, exit at exit 11. Ding Hao Department Store is just outside exit 11. You can't miss it.



On the third floor of Ding Hao Department Store is where Monster Taipei is located, which is considered a big name in the Taipei's toy scene.
They sell mostly designer toys but there are a few assorted 6" figures around.
Another toy shop called Tin Tin was supposed to be on the fourth floor but I could not find it when I was there.

Outside Monster Taipei, there is a flight of stairs that will lead you to the ground floor and out of Ding Hao Department Store. From there, turn left into a lane and walk straight. At the 3rd section, turn to the left and you will reach a shop called "Monster Gear" (from the same nice people who also brought you Monster Taipei). It is opposite a cafe called "Osweets" The shop looks more classy and cool as compared to Monster Taipei.
They sell mostly designer toys and they were having their yearly sale (20% to 40%) when I was there.
HaHa...let the shopping begin!







Hot Dog Toys and Paradise

Another popular toy shop is Hot Dog Toys.
It sells mostly designer toys and anime related toys.
Located near MRT Zhongxiao Dunhua Station.

Near Hot Dog Toys, you will find Paradise which is another toy shop selling designer toys and clothes. Very cool layout.
Within this area, there are other shops selling cute and cool t-shirts and fashion. Worth a check out.

Got a few designer toys from Paradise. Nothing exciting.











Other toy shops

The big malls like SOGO & Momo have very poor selection of toys, very different from Singapore. However in Taipei 101, there is a toy shop called Toy Land which is located just outside the food court at basement 1.
Nothing exciting. You can find console games, Ultraman, model cars and Gundam.
Lego looks pretty well stocked here.



The 12" scene is not really big in Taipei, most of the time I could not find any 12" figures. However toys relating to anime are in abundance. Mainly due to the Japanese influence in Taiwan.
As I also collect 1/72 scale tanks and designer toys, this is where I bought the most toys.
If you are not into model building (gundam, cars or millitary vehicles) or designer toys, Taipei might be a disappointing place for toy hunting.

-----UPDATES!!!!-----
Thanks to Sebastian who informed me that I have missed the biggest place in Taipei for buying toys, which is TAIPEI CITY MALL. It is underground, right below Taipei Main Station. It has tons of toy shops, offering all kinf of cool stuff (tamashii, bandai, revoltech, figma, figuarts, etc)!!!
I may have missed it (Boo Hoo) but that does not mean you have to...:)

My Taipei Toy Haul


Tanks!


Designer Toys!