Remember the recent attack on figures in Malaysia?
Yesterday, two more articles were published regarding the issue.
Click here to hide this articleAre anime figurines 'too sexy' for public consumption? A few collectors enlighten us.
She is 158cm tall, has icy blue hair, and piercing red eyes, and she can be yours for 380,000 yen (about RM11, 450): it's the 1:1 scale figure of Rei Anayami, the lead female character from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, and arguably one of the most popular character in anime history.
Such are the lenghts some collectors will go to collect anime figurines, a hobby that has seen a huge burst of popularity in Malaysia lately, no doubt to the sudden interest in Japanese anime and culture. After all, what better way to declare your love and interest for an anime series than to display a real-life replica of your favourite character on your desktop?
These anime figurines come in many shapes and sizes, and cater to a wide range of buyers, from the casual fan to the die-hard collector.
While smaller, less detailed anime cost around RM8 each, the larger, more detailed ones can cost up to RM200 or more. The size and level of detail is usually what determines the price. The larger and more detailed a figurine, the more expensive it is.
Why are collectors so interested in collecting them then? What motivates them to fork out hundreds of ringgit just for one figurine?
Twenty two-year-old figurine enthusiast Ahmad Khurshid Ahmad Khidir only collects figurines that are able to fully capture the essence of a character.
"I personally collect anime figurines because it is a work of art," says Ahmad. "It isn't easy to sculpt a human body and make it look real, and I only collect figurines which are able to capture the body, movement and feeling of a certain character."
Valiant Ho, 31, an avid figurine collector based in the Klang Valley believes that figurine collecting is not only a hobby - it can also be an investment.
"I see figuring collecting as a hobby, like how people collecting stamps and coins," says Ho. "And just like how rare stamps and coins can fetch high prices in the market, the same goes for figurines. Most anime figurines have a limited release and if the demand is overwhelming, the value of the figurine may increase several fold.
"The amount of detail and hard work put into sculpting anime figurines is also another thing that attracts me. I even use them as models for photography!" he says.
Recently, questions were raised about the integrity of anime figurines, with a Malay daily claiming that the figurines are overtly sexual and have provocative poses.
"While I do not deny that figurines for adults do exist, these figurines only make up a very small niche of the total figurine market," says Ho. "It is actually easier to find a normal, decent figurine than an adult one, unless you really go for it.
"Adult figurines also clearly marked with an '18 and above' rating which is printed on the box for easy reference. And even then, these figurines are always sold clothed and never nude, just that there is the option to cast them off," he adds.
Kevin Choo, 24, is the owner of The Figure Mall (www.thefiguremall.com), a web-based figurine business that has been rapidly expanding since its launch last year.
Beside selling anime figurines, Choo also collects them. He often collaborates with other figurine enthusiasts to set up a figurine display booth at local anime conventions, most recently Taylor's Anime Fest 2008.
"I see anime figurines as 3D representatives of my favourite characters; looking at them evokes fond memories of certain anime series," says Choo.
When asked whether anime figurine collecting was an adult hobby due to the price and adult nature of some figurines, Choo says: "While it is true that some anime figurine can cost around RM300, this is due to the highly detailed sculpting and the effort that the sculptor has put into creating it.
"Also, a market survey of Japanese figurine catalog shows that only a very small percentage of figurines are adult-oriented. Figurines made by good, reputable companies like Good Smile and Alter are 100% clean and fit for all ages."
With a wide-range of products and an even wider range of price-tags to select from, anime figurines will certainly appeal to fans of Japanese anime - the die-hard ones in particular.
Click here to hide this articleA recent crackdown on ‘pornographic’ anime figurines has some otaku wondering, ‘What’s next?’
WHEN a mother walked into a toy shop and saw some naughty figurines displayed in full view of her young sons, she was understandably upset. The story became the front page news of a Malay daily on Aug 4 and had caught the attention of KDN (Kementerian Dalam Negeri) who went on to confiscate about RM10,000 worth of figurines.
“Action has to be taken as such pornographic dolls affect society’s moral values,” said Home Ministry Quranic text control division central enforcement unit head Mohd Rizal Abidin. (Young collectors with fetish for obscene dolls, The Star, Aug 12.)
To be honest, I am not a big fan of figurines. But I am a big fan of manga and anime. I appreciate figurines, and if there is a detailed and well-done one of Konata Izumi from the anime Lucky Star I will buy it. It’s like buying a piece of art or a collector’s piece.
I know a few people who collect figurines (both the normal and “erotic” ones) as a hobby and they are hardly corrupted sex maniacs. Plus, not all figurines are provocatively posed.
A peek into Malaysian forums and blogs reveal that anime figurine collectors are upset.
“We don’t collect figurines because we get turned on by them. We just like the details of the sculpture and the character,” says one in a forum.
“These erotic looking dolls are actually harder to find than character figurines! It’s not like you walk into any toy shop and it’s there! And even if they want to shut down these shops we can hop across to Singapore to buy them if we really want to (LOL),” says another.
“I wish they don’t just lump every collector into the same category. Not all of us figurine collectors collect naked dolls,” fumes a passionate collector.
Calling these collectors “weird” would be unfair. Some collect butterflies, others coins; we all have our preferences – this is what makes us human. As long as the hobby doesn’t hurt or harm anyone, why is it considered a menace to society?
Some otaku are afraid that comic shops will be raided and closed down just because they carry figurines.
Therefore, let me end with a plea to the authorities. Please understand what’s pornographic and what’s not. Please do not confiscate every single figurine that has to do with manga or anime just because of a few pornographic ones on the shelves. And please do not ban manga without knowing what’s inside.
Source: the Star Online (Figurine love) (Concern over hobby)
I was laughing my head off while reading those articles. ^^;
Anyway, I'm glad that our Malaysian otaku community did not keep quiet about this matter, but instead stood up to defend our otaku pride.
Now, if only the authorities would listen.
