Toy Reviews From Me in 2010

[Darke Raven 07]

They just sit around forever and I'll NEVER ever sell them so I'm going to start freeing them from their boxes, and write reviews (and maybe once a month hit the big stores like KMart or Target and raid their discount bins and pick up new content every so often for review).

So as soon as I figure out where I'll store the toys for display once they're out of their packaging (away from all the cats since alot of these toys have small choking hazard things) I'll start reviewing. Stay tuned.

(NOTE - Hmmm wait. I thought there were toy reviews but I better wait to see if toys can be reviewed or not (hate to start opening these up and find no home for their reviews). So once I get the all clear out they come and I'll start reviewing them. I have enough content to last until Mid April right now but once I get rolling I hope to start adding fresh content ASAP).

[Darke Raven 07]

Oh well... while I wait for a verdict... (starting to write introduction review)... aghh!! They're out of the package! They're out! They're... oh... hmm... (sniff)... hey! This figure doesn't smell like bacon!... uh... never mind. I'll finish writing the intro now and hold off on reviews until I get an answer.

[Huxley]

This might explain it better: http://www.homemademech.com/manganews-28.htm

Basically, yes we still do toy reviews

Sounds good.

[Darke Raven 07]

Well then let's get to it then. Thanks for the 4-1-1 Huxley.
OK. First week's reviews I'm turning in is as follows... (looking up)...

Introduction to my toy reviews in 2010 (including an introduction review to go with it)

And reviews of... (alot of it is Star Wars for the time being since I have alot of that that needs to be unpacked and reviewed, until I get new stuff on hand for review -- ideally I want to first pick off the bargain bin at the big stores for reviews but later maybe do some online pick ups of stuff I want to review, mainly Kamen Rider reviews to start).
(Donations of unwanted toys for review always welcome, BTW).

Star Wars - Epic Forces : Princess Leia
Star Wars - Episode I : Mace Windu
Star Wars - Power of the Force : Grand Moff Tarkin
Star Wars - Shadow of the Empire : Prince Xizor

So that's that. Let's get these done and turned in shall we? Next post will be what's I'm turning in next week.

[Darke Raven 07]

Halfway done for the week. Just need to review Mace Windu and Grand Moff Tarkin and then I'm done for a week.

How many reviews do I have left after this?
Fast Food Toy Reviews - 2
Random Reviews - 1
Star Wars : Episode I - 12
Star Wars : Power of the Force - 6

We'll last a few months until I need to restock.
Just finish up and then I'll post here an update as to what's next week.

UPDATE
That's it. Turning in the last reviews of the week.
Next week I sit down and review the following...

Star Wars Episode I : Anakin Skywalker (Tatooine) & Darth Maul (light up statue)
Star Wars - Power of the Force : Gamorrean Guard

Might as well get all the hazardous reviews out of the way quickly I figure, so another statue next week (try to sit down every weekend and review a few toys a weekend). Thanks for sitting here and listen to me update my reviews, take care.

[Darke Raven 07]

If I find a steady source of toys for review so that we have a decent rotating batch of reviews every week I'll celebrate by popping open the Adam Warren Dirty Pair set from their containers and giving a full out 100% review.

UPDATE - Celebration should be soon mind you as I figure I have enough content to review for 3 months before exhausting present supplies. Oh well. Good thing they built a Target over in Kona so I hope they have a nice bargain bin to raid once I start picking up new review materials.

[Huxley]

Got them, cheers. I'll update this weekend.

[Darke Raven 07]

Ok. Thanks. Hmm...

UPDATE - Actually I think I have more toys to review but I need to find them. Look all over for whatever else I have to review and put into the review drawer. Hmmm... with my luck it's all inaccessible in some large section of boxed stuff I can't dig into. Anyway writing the next reviews this weekend.

Done writing the new reviews. Turning them in tomorrow (Friday).
Next week I'm writing reviews of Deluxe Hoth Rebel Soldier with Anti-Vehicle Laser Cannon from Star Wars : Power of the Force (at last our first chance to review something with a firing projectile) and the Battle Droid from Star Wars Episode I.

UPDATE - Turned in my new reviews. Be back next week with more reviews to turn in.

[Darke Raven 07]

OK. Let's pull out the next batch of toys and review them already (turning the reviews in Friday).

One more three pack of reviews (finish the last of the evil plastic twist ties reviews).
Theme is robots (mostly)
Star Wars Episode I Battle Droid
Star Wars Power of the Force 8D8 and Deluxe Hoth Rebel Soldier with Anti-Vehicle Laser Cannon
(BRING OUT THE MINI FIGURES FOR TARGET PRACTICE!)

This week we premiere new review context.
- Firing Range (for toys with the ability to fire projectiles)
- Multi-articulation (while this week no toy has that I'll lay out the groundworks all the same)
- Major Accessories (Deluxe figure and maybe 8D8 as well)

UPDATE - Done. And I just turned in my reviews.

So next week I'll be reviewing four figures.
Star Wars Episode I Gasgano/Pit Droid
Star Wars Power of the Force EV-9D9
First Week of Generic Rivarly. KTA's Generic patriotic American military soldier vs. Foodland's Generic Firefighter figure... to the death!

[Darke Raven 07]

I finally went to Kona today and here's my findings...

Blockbusters - Almost forgot Blockbusters has some toys at times and when they mark them down I should consider snapping them up for review. I should check them out soon and see what they got on hand these days.

KMart - Well they have a clearance aisle and I did see at least TWO toys I want to review at present. I figure at least one toy review a month can be gleaned from KMart. As for the present I'm going to hope those toys are there when I go back in the near future whenever that'll be and add it to my list.

Target - With Target (and oh wow could they be more stingy with their price lowering?!?) I'm going to start a new line of reviews called "GENERIC QUEST" (because the cheapest toys of the place are generic brands which will rack up their own review section).

(NOTE - Once I am fully set and have budget to spare months from now, and cleared off their GENERIC section which shouldn't take too long, I'll break down and add this Spring reviews of G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra figure line (the set most in line with my budget). So that's going to be by first mainstream new toy reviews in the future... though to be honest if I have wiggle room to roam I'd like to start off with Power Rangers R.P.M. (aka the Engine Sentai Go Onger line))

And while I'm at it
Foodland/KTA - Another Generic Brand review section, this time called GENERIC RIVALS (a set of rivalries between two grocery store's toy sections (each store a neighbor across the street from one another) and the figure they offer). First rivalry coming soon.

So is this enough to warrant me opening up the pair? Hmm... OK. I'm going to break down. I'm going to move the figures up to emergency review status (if it looks like we're about to zero out of review content I'll pop them open and review them). So that should add a little padding while I work to add new content on this month to the list.

Next batch of reviews to be submitted in a week, stay tuned.

[Darke Raven 07]

Unpacking Adam Warren's Dirty Pair figures to review this week to celebrate my birthday (turning in reviews this weekend). Also having one more figure review to coordinate with my birthday, I'll post more info on that review here later this week.

On a non related note I wonder if Poundland has any cheap action figures to review (though I guess Target is the cheapest place to pick up cheap tat to review here with a line going for $2 a pop)? Somehow though I think it's probably most impractical I wonder if I should wire money to the UK every few months just so somebody would raid Poundland or the 99 pence store for content for me to review... yeah, might as well invest it here at Target then. Oh well... and yes I do frequently wash Dr. Ashen's stuff... it shows doesn't it. Oh well.

By Summer once the present shelf toys get thrown into the bargain racks I'm going to avail myself of them (at cheaper prices) for review content. Summer may suck for video game reviews but toy reviews it should be golden (since a new summer of toy friendly movies should mean alot of stuff that needs to be moved off shelves to make way for new toys).

[Darke Raven 07]

There. Finally broke Kei out of the package and reviewed her!
Overall satisfying review (and she'll sit by my worktable here along with Yuri once she's out.
The figure did come with some disappointments once opened, but that didn't stop me from giving it a good score. Tomorrow write up Yuri's review for a full review set. (Ack though, evil twist ties in this figure!)
Turning in new batch of toy reviews (including my Dirty Pair toy reviews) on Friday.

[Darke Raven 07]

Let's see... what am I reviewing in the coming weeks and months? All I know is that with this plan I should be cranking consistent weekly review batches for sometime to come.

Kameula
Blockbusters - Guess I'll pick up a bargain bin boxed set of trading cards every so often for review and keep looking during the summer when they pack in movie themed toys for review.

Foodland - Generic Transformers & Generic Ninja/Samurai figure
That should be a short run on generics (KTA eliminated after first review)

Gift Shop (KTA side) - ?
Have to check it out.

Giggles (Foodland) - Star Wars : The Clone Wars figures and Generic WWII figure
I guess once I can I'll start buying one to two SW:TCW figures a month for review (new content reviews).
(Unless it's over $9 then I'm buying out of Kailua Kona)

Kailua Kona
KMart - Clearance aisle and Star Wars The Clone Wars

Target - Power Rangers RPM (Engine Sentai Go Onger) and GI Joe The Rise of Cobra and Generic figures

So on mainstream toys this year for the time being I'll be reviewing Star Wars, GI Joe and Power Rangers for the year... unless I find some severely marked down Transformers then expect me to throw in my review lot with that... not happening but still...

[Darke Raven 07]

Turned in some new reviews for the weekend.

Two generic toy reviews.
Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars : Power of the Force)
Darth Maul (Star Wars Episode 1)
Kei & Yuri (Adam Warren's Dirty Pair)

Next week's reviews
EV-9D9 (Star Wars : Power of the Force)
Gasgano/Pit Droid (Star Wars Episode 1)

[Darke Raven 07]

Figure Review Correction
Battle Droid - Wow. I was bored and toyed with this to realize the head IS on a ball joint, and can be rotated 360 degrees (hindered by the antenna from the backpack, which CAN be removed to allow full head rotation).
Now that's a real good multiple articulation if I ever saw one for a Star Wars size figure!

Adam Warren Dirty Pair - Wow. These small handguns? They're magnetic! (Found that out by accident!) They can attach to the right thigh (black leg band). Very nice. Too bad only the small guns are magnetic though (tried the larger ones).

[Darke Raven 07]

Down to my last Star Wars : Power of the Force figure reviews next week.
Hope to start picking up and reviewing Star Wars : The Clone Wars figures in March.

Please download and check out the Pandora's Action Figure Chest audiocasts if you can! Right now we're up to Week 4's cast. Head to 4shared, look for music, .wav format and Pandora's Chest or Toy Reviews for download.

UPDATE - All done. Now I just turn in my two reviews tomorrow (Sunday) and get ready for next week's reviews.
Week 5's cast comes out this Wednesday closing up the Star Wars : Power of the Force reviews.

[Darke Raven 07]

Releasing MP3 casts of everything to date today. Right now it's still at 4shared but hope to find new sites to host casts today as well. Stay tuned.