I’m not entirely sure what the Venn diagram looks like of those who read my blog and those who are on my social media sites, so I’ll state this here: I love collecting action figures. I’m no expert on the lines I collect; I just like acquiring physical replications of characters I love. So, I want to take a crack at writing about some of my acquisitions last year.
My figure itch was scratched quite a bit in 2018 as I started following more toy channels on YouTube, and I kept track of every toy I got last year on my Instagram. The franchise I inadvertently focused on more than the others was Dragon Ball.
I took this picture sometime in late March. Definitely got the year started off right. A couple of my friends went to Japan and got me the BWFC Super Saiyan Goku and WFC Gine as souvenirs. That Goku looks badass, and I’d been wanting a Gine figure since I read Jaco the Galactic Patrolman. I do feel like the WFC line is a bit pricey, but each one I own looks really good, so maybe they’re worth it.
The Dragon Stars figures from Bandai will be a constant in these four pics. I collected DBZ figures as a kid, so I was ecstatic when a new line of American action figures got announced. I’d prefer if they were to scale with the old ones, but I fully understand the call to make them in the six-inch scale. Base Goku was actually the first figure I bought in 2018. Even though I have some problems with their articulation, I gotta admit they can take some great poses. Hit was a must-get for me since he’s a new character (I really should watch Dragon Ball Super at some point). Not much to say about the SS Goku. I do find it hilarious the GameStop exclusives wind up being easier to find than the regular line.
One of my favorite things about collecting Dragon Ball figures is you can find a toy of just about anyone–like Star Wars. I ran across that HG Collection Salza for a low price and realized my giant Cooler figure needs a servant! Speaking of good prices, the SH Figuarts Golden Frieza went on sale at one point, and I had to nab him. He was my second Figuarts (yeah, I got more) and definitely the best Golden Frieza figure I have (yeah, I have three). If you collect toys and don’t have any Figuarts, I suggest you grab one. The articulation and extras are worth the price.
Now, the last three are the Crown Jewels of this pic. Well, the Megahouse Launch might not be. She might be a bootleg, but I honestly don’t know. If you think that Eis Shenron looks weird as hell, well, then, you’re right. He’s a Mexican bootleg figure, but I implore you to look at him again! That’s an original mould! And it’s to scale with the old Super Battle Collection figures! I love it. The main event is the Great Saiyawoman/Saiyaman II Videl from AB Groupe. I dropped…a lot on it even though it’s loose and definitely used, but it’s a figure I’d wanted for years. I love/hate that there were AB Groupe figures that never got re-released by Irwin during DBZ’s heyday, so I have a lot of work to do if I want to get more of them. Great start as far as I’m concerned.
Got these between late March-late July. Like I said, the Dragon Stars rear their ugly heads all throughout 2018. I think I got all three at either GameStop or Walgreens. It also dawns on me I acquired more HG Collection pieces than I initially thought. Fairly certain that’s where the dead Majin Vegeta is from, and that’s definitely where King Piccolo and Piccolo are from. They’re such neat little figurines. Wee baby Piccolo is from the Super Adverge Dragon Child line, and he is absolutely adorable.
Got my second (of two) Mexican bootlegs with that Oozaru. Again, the sculpt is actually pretty cool and original. He’s also a hefty little mofo. I kinda want to get more of the weird pain variations I’ve seen floating around on the nets. Tapion is an intersting one since he’s one of the few Dragon Ball figures I wanted as a kid that I never got hold of back then. Couldn’t tell you why. He wasn’t particularly rare, and even now, he’s one of the cheaper ones you can get from the Irwin re-releases. Decided it was finally time to get him.
WFC Videl is one I got in New Orleans during WrestleMania weekend, so that one will always hold a special place in my toy heart. So will the other two WFCs, too! My dad and cousin got them as souvenirs for me when they went to South Korea. The Figure Rise Standard SS4 Goku and SS4 Vegeta models are also souvenirs from said trip. I’ve always enjoyed building model kits, and I really wanted to get into this line since they look so cool. And let me tell ya, the stickers to put on ’em are annoying as hell, but they are so much fun to build!
This update came about in late September. I, uh, kinda…accidentally won a lot of Vegito and Gogeta figures on eBay. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to have all these since I only had two of the Vegitos already from my childhood. But I did straight up win that auction unintentionally. I think some of those are even from the original SBC line and not the Irwin re-releases.
More Dragon Stars! I actually pre-ordered that base Vegeta since the initial release sold out, and well, I guess I’m trying to get every Dragon Stars. Which, thank God for Anime Weekend Atlanta, or I probably still wouldn’t have Super Saiyan Rose Goku Black. Some dude had every Dragon Stars figure, and he was selling them for really cheap. Great guy.
The Piccolo in the back is another FRS model and another AWA pick-up. He’s actually one of the main things I went to the convention looking for. Piccolo is also the beginning of my Keshi-Gomu collection. I don’t know how many of these things I’m gonna wind up getting, but there are a few characters who have only been released as Keshi, so there are at least a few more in my future. But yeah, I got that Piccolo, so I had to get that Nail…and that Kami. Nappa (with hair!) was an impulse buy. So was the Broly. I think he’s from Bandai, though.
The Shodo Ultra Instinct Goku is the second Shodo I’ve gotten. Lucked out in finding him for pretty cheap at Barnes and Noble. I don’t think I’m gonna get too many from this line, but they are pretty neat and well-articulated for such a small scale. I dunno. Maybe I will get more.
Representin’ Videl twice with the adorable Chara Puchi and the Italian DeAgostini figurine. As with many lines last year, I didn’t own any DeAgostini before 2018. I bought the Android 18 as a test to see if I’d like them, and I fell in love, so I knew I had to get Videl as soon as I found her for a good price. And yes, if you couldn’t tell by now, Videl is one of my favorite Dragon Ball characters. As much as I love Videl, though, number one Dragon Ball bae is Android 21. The moment the Super Skills figurine was made available, I bought it. I am so ready to buy the Figuarts this year.
And thus we come to the end. More Dragon Stars! So many Dragon Stars! But hey, I finally completed one of the BAFs. Sure, it’s first series Shenron, but I’m only missing one each for the other two. Actually got that Trunks and Goku from Walmart. Surprise, surprise.
As promised, I got two more Figuarts busting up in here with Saiyan Saga Vegeta and Nappa. Both were essentially birthday presents since I used gift cards to get them. Vegeta comes with so much great extra stuff and Nappa does, too, but the real draw of the Nappa Figuarts is the heft. Just a solid figure. WCF, Keshi-Gomu, DeAgostini, and HG Collection all being represented once again, as well, with Zarbon, SS Kid Goku(?), Piccolo, and Videl, resepctively.
New lines to the collection here come courtesy of Videl and Piccolo (my favorite Dragon Ball character, bar none). I was super stoked to finally get that Real Works Videl since she has the short hair and is basically to-scale with the old 5″ figures. I never thought I’d start getting the Coca-Cola Bottle Cap figures, but the Piccolo was so cheap I had to do it. Not gonna get any others, though. (Yes, I will.)
Saving FRS Broly for last since he was a Christmas present. Now, I did get mad building him since the stickers for his earrings are actual evil incarnate, but oh my God, I had so much fun building him. I love how they use the muscle panels to aid with the articulation, and the size of the damn thing is just impressive. I cannot wait to get the new one and build it.
So yeah, that’s every Dragon Ball figure I got in 2018. I doubt toys will be something I talk about much on this blog (unless people want to hear my toy rambles), but I had a ton of fun getting these pieces in particualr. I was dying to talk about them.
The Sawce Pot 