Action figure collecting: Whats the attraction?

What is the attraction behind action figures? The answer is to that question is: “Who knows?” It was a question that is used to answer another question. There are many reasons people collect action figures. This can also be extended to the types of action figures we collect. I was into Marvel Comics. My friends were into Marvel Comics. One of my cousins was very much into Image Comics. My best friend is very interested in the Dragon Ball Z franchise. I know a few people who are into Japanese anime series such as Gundam, Fullmetal Alchemist, or Cowboy Bebop. I do know a few people that are into video game series such as Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, or Street Fighter.

My friends and I back in middle school were very much into the Marvel Comics franchise. This was long before I had started getting into Japanese anime. Back when I was eleven, my mother bought me several Marvel Comics action figures. I had Iceman, Wolverine, Sabretooth, Mr. Sinister, Silver Surfer, and Spider-Man. Throughout the months, I would expand on my collection. That would pretty much explain the reasons I went to buy Marvel Comics action figures. I was very much into Marvel Comics. That would be the contributing factor to why I find the attraction of collecting action figures.

My cousin was very much into Image Comics. That is the contributing factor to why he bought action figures pertaining to Image Comics. One of the most notable action figures he had bought would be things relating to the Spawn franchise. The reason we collect action figures let alone certain types of action figures is because we are interested in those extra franchises. Because of this, we collect those action figures.

If I collected action figures and I was interested in Transformers, I would collect Transformers action figures. It only makes perfect sense. If I was into Power Rangers, I would collect Power Rangers action figures. In the past, I was very much into G.I. Joe. I would collect G.I. Joe action figures. The other attraction is that we like to play with action figures as a way to spark our imagination.

I really started getting into the Gundam series. As an anime fan, I happen to think that mechas are actually cool. At any anime convention, I cannot resist the urge to buy the Gundam action figures and assembly kits. Also, action figures do make for pretty good decorations as well. You can use them as decorations in your room or on your living room.

Several years ago, my best friend started getting into Dragon Ball Z. A few months later, he was buying up Dragon Ball Z action figures like crazy. He would decorate his bedroom with those DBZ action figures. That established the fact that he was a huge fan of the Dragon Ball Z franchise. To sum up everything, the attraction of action figure collecting stems from our interests in various comics, anime, manga, TV shows, video games, and everything else.

If you are a fan of the Metal Gear Solid franchise, you may find the attraction in collecting Metal Gear Solid action figures. If you are into the Capcom franchise, you may find the attraction of collecting figures belonging to: Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Capcom vs. SNK, Devil May Cry, or Dark Stalkers.

If you are into Ghost in the Shell, you may find the attraction in collecting GITS action figures. Why are we attracted to that stuff? We are huge fans of those franchises.

Movie reviews: The Transformers (2007) – Part 51

Alternate Title; Michael Bay forgets to take his Ritalin.

Disclaimer; At the time of this writing, I have another article pending approval by Helium.com that I spend more than enough time complaining about Michael Bay. So don’t mistake this article for a Michael Bay rant. This is a movie review. It just so happens that he directed the film.

And I’ll try to avoid any spoilers.

When I was between the ages of 5-8 years old, I recall coming home from school and plunking down in front of the television to watch episodes of G.I.Joe, Transformers, and Thundercats back to back. The glory days of not caring about deep involving plots, acting, budget, special effects, or the fact that my homework still wasn’t done. If I was lucky it would be done in time for Macgyver anyway. No way was I going to miss those shows.

Gone are those days, and now, twenty years later, I’m of an age where those things matter to me….or they’re supposed to anyway. My homework still isn’t done.

And now that Transformers has hit the big screen, I of course, had to go see it in the theaters. I suppose that was my first mistake.

Now normally I’m the type who goes to see a film if it looks like the theater experience will make a difference in the presentation of the film. Typically special effects, explosions, mass mayhem and carnage are the type of things that draw me into the theater. I had no idea until this film that all of those things could be overdone. I had a lot of trouble tracking the fight scenes as the Autobot on Decepticon combat, for some reason, involved a lot of close ups, dust, debris, explosions, and not enough “letting me see what the heck is happening.”

And that brings me to my next point; the robot choreography. It starts of reasonable enough, but as the Autobots are introduced I couldn’t help but notice that they were all prancing and posing! There are several scenes in the film, particularly during the combat, when the Autobots strike poses and execute rolls and flips as though they were practicing for an audition on Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. To top that off, it seems that all of the Autobots took some Kung Fu lessons during their 20 year hiatus. Much of the robot-on-robot combat involves a lot of jumping around, adding to the confusion that already is the many battles. Funny, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles never looked so tall or metallic before. The human versus robot fight scenes are much easier to follow, with the exception of the climax,