What are my options when it comes to VO Figurines & Models?

[twistedsymphony]

I've got an OMG Arcade machine and I was thinking it might be cool to get a few models or figurines to place on top of it for decoration

I plan on eventually converting the machine to VOOT 5.4 (if I ever manage to find a set of Model 3 boards for sale) so I'm looking for models from the OMG and VOOT generation, specifically with Virtuaroids that appeared in both games.

The bigger the better and if they're pose-able that's good too. I have no problem building models but I really suck at painting.


Looking around it seems that the Kotobukiya 1/100 models are probably the biggest I can get (please correct me if I'm wrong) and pretty nice looking over all.

I would like an Apharmd model as he's my go-to but I couldn't find any evidence that Kotokukiya made one in the 1/100th OMG/OT series.

I'm looking for Apharmd and Fie-Yen to start, then probably, Temjin, and Raiden followed by the rest of the cast later.

[ChexGuy]

Models and figures from OMG/OT are probably out of production, they seem to be incredibly hard to find and I don't think a lot were made (I only know about the Kaiyodo OT figures which I hear terrible things about). I can't really find the Composite ver Ka Temjin anywhere, and most sites I see only stock Force/Marz kits.

There is the newer 1/100 scale Volks OT Temjin, but it's the only one they've made so far. It came out in December so if they plan on making more, we won't see them for a while.

I haven't built mine yet, but color-separation wise it's only got blue/white with some clear greens, so it'll look really plain without paint.

[twistedsymphony]

I don't mind hunting down out of production stuff... seems par for the course with "old" franchises like this...

[Porcupine]

I don't keep up with all the model kits (there are a lot for Force) but don't forget to look at the VOOT figures by Kaiyodo. It was an expansive line of very poseable, high quality VOOT figures. They are pretty big too. As they were figures, they were not officially stated to be to scale, but I think they were similar to 1/100 scale. Sadly, they never got around to making Angelan, Raiden, Dordray, and Grys-Vok. In their place we got more variants of Temjin and Feiyen than are actually in the game.

They weigh like four or ten times more than model kits, and can stand up to a lot more abuse (they are heavy PVC). They don't preserve so well in direct sunlight though as the paint gets damaged on some of them.

[Viper2]

I don't keep up with all the model kits (there are a lot for Force) but don't forget to look at the VOOT figures by Kaiyodo. It was an expansive line of very poseable, high quality VOOT figures. They are pretty big too. As they were figures, they were not officially stated to be to scale, but I think they were similar to 1/100 scale. Sadly, they never got around to making Angelan, Raiden, Dordray, and Grys-Vok. In their place we got more variants of Temjin and Feiyen than are actually in the game.

They weigh like four or ten times more than model kits, and can stand up to a lot more abuse (they are heavy PVC). They don't preserve so well in direct sunlight though as the paint gets damaged on some of them.

No. NO!

The Kaiyodo figures are horribly fragile! Especially those that come in clear PVC often came broken in the blisters, and the joints tend to stick. The later ones (Temjin Winter White, the Apharmds, and Specineff) have less problems, as their joints were beefed up and the PVC was changed.

Oh, and a Raiden prototype was produced...just never released.

Kotobukiya made small PVC action figures of the Operation Moongate virtuaroids in their One-Coin series. These are really good.

Kotobukiya made 1/100 plastic models that are becoming hard to get (try hlj.com), while Hasegawa has Force and Marz modelks in the same scale.

[Porcupine]

Maybe sunlight is contributing to joint stickage on your Kaiyodo VOOT figures. Mine were okay but the last time I tried to move any of them was a decade ago. Probably the next time I try to move them they will break apart or be stuck as you said.

I am so sad whenever I try to play with an old figure or statue and it breaks off its base or something. I know it happens to people other than me because occasionally I see used figures with that kind of damage on Japanese web stores. It's both funny and sad when I see those pics of PVC figures with a plastic peg jammed up its foot hole that had broken off from the plastic base, etc.

[Viper2]

The Kaiyodo figures were notorious for being fragile way back in the late 1990s when they were first released. Their (clear) Neon Genesis Evangelion figures had (and have) the same problems as the Virtual On figures.

The joint design is cool, but they really shouldn't have made the pegs from the same material as the rest of the parts (PVC that tends to leech out a lot of plasticizers). I have other posable PVC mecha (Front Mission Wanzers) from the same time period that don't have this issue.

Edit: Well, let's put it another way: the main thing with the Kaiyodo figures is that they are not really action figures (even though they were sold as such), but more like posable PVC models. Treat them like a model - move joints carefully and don't force things - and they'll hold up fine. Play with them, and they'll break.

Kotobukiya's One Coin figures are much sturdier, but small (about 1:220 scale). Bandai's Composite Ka Temjin and Fei-Yen are larger, not as fragile as the Kaiyodo figures, but with about as much detail as Koto's figures.

If you want to play and don't care too much about looks, buy the Sega Real Model figures.

What's nice about many of the figures is that they are close to 1:100 scale, so you can put Bandai' s, Kaiyodo's and Sega's action figures next to your Hasegawa, Kotobukiya, and Volks models and have everything look in proportion.

[Ezara]

I bought the raiden one from kotobukiya. http://store.kotous.com/plastic-model-k ... ngate.html

[twistedsymphony]

wow. that looks great

[Viper2]

As a follow-up to myself, I recently obtained the Kaiyodo Specineff, and it's everything that the earlier figures aren't: a great action figure. Firstly, it doesn't feel fragile, like many of the earlier figures (Apharmds exempted). Secondly, the joints are less "extreme" than on the previous figures, meaning it looks good in various poses (although Specineff's design certainly helps). Thirdly, swapping the hands is not a pain in the behind, as the pegs don't stick (like on the early figures) or plug in so securely you have to use a massive amount of force to remove the hands (Apharmds).

Too bad Kaiyodo canned the line after Specineff and never released their Raiden figure...