Top 10 Action Figures (toys) of the Year
I'd like to know what you like as your top 10 Action figures of the Year or Toys. If those of you who get the High dollar import figures would like to have two lists that would be great. I'd love to see a retail list from as many folks as possible. Merry Christmas!
10. Creature From the Black Lagoon Funko Reaction Figures 3" scale. (Nod to the whole line but my favorite)
9. Creature from the Black Lagoon Neca 7" scale. (Best Creature figure ever)
8. Godzilla 2014 Movie Edition Neca 12" Long (6" scale) (Japanese imports at 3-4x the cost are on par)
7. Godzilla 2014 Jakks 24" Monster (The Biggest toy on my list and still under $50. He's HUGE!)
6. Hawk and Animal WWE Elite Mattel (Ooooooh What a rush!)
5. Darth Vader Hasbro 6" (The helmet sucks, but it is the Dark Lord of the Sith here)
4. Storm Trooper Hasbro 6" (Best army builder ever, hands down)
3. Link The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword, World of Nintendo (Finally)
2. Whirl Transformers Generation Voyager (Two words, sticker sheet)
1. Armor Up Baymax
Baymax is a great figure for a great price. Getting it at the 14.99 price at TRU during the sale helped out a lot. There is just so much love for that price. It's also the only new property on my list. Everything else is pure nostalgia.
I may think of some things to change down the road but this is my list. What's your?
Just got my Deluxe Flying Baymax. Somewhat familiar "Boy & His Robot" theme revisited...
I have not seen this cutesy, Disney BigHero6movie yet, but I'm all over any big, red robot toy (or just about anything big & red...I suppose my obsession started when I first laid eyes on Kirby's Giant-Man back in the 60s...)
At Deluxe Baymax's ~$60 price point, I wish he might have been molded in a more metallic red plastic, and it's unfortunate this range of motion/articulation is pretty restricted, over all. His tiny "Porky Pig" feet can be tricky to balance upon, unassisted. (Again, for $60, some sort of "flying stand" might have been included.)
The microscopic illustrated instructions that came with Baymax were a challenge for my old eyes to interpret, especially after Bandai managed to cram 3 different language translations into this tiny document.
Baymax's head is actually cast in clear plastic, and is simply painted over the same shade of red as the red plastic body, except for his clear eye plate. The eye plate appears darker unless the eyes are lit up, so one doesn't always see Baymax's "pupils."
His light-up features work well, and most of the recorded sounds are intelligible. (Replacing the demo batteries was not that easy.) When you clip the magnetic boy/rider on Baymax's back, the robo makes swooshing sounds as he "flies" around. The Rocket Fist rocks. Nuff said!
This guy is large & in charge, heavy, and his pop-out wings have about an 18" span!
A late entry for 2014, and not as much play value as the Armor Up version, but one more suited to adult collectors, perhaps?
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However, additional contenders:
- Go Hero's LONG awaited Doc Savage 12" figure is shipping NOW. It may wind up being #1, in my book.
- The new BTAS figures look good, but I doubt I'll recollect these Timm designs just for the larger scale & WAY better articulation than previous efforts.
- Don't misunderstand. I hate, loathe & despise the New 52 crap...but the Earth 2 (JSA) Superman, Alan Scott, and Flash look pretty nice, despite being a big oversized, IMO. The gloss/matte paint ops are outstanding!
- NECA's 18" Adam West Batman is an outstanding value! Super paint ops and likeness, compared to smaller $$$HotToys versions. I'm hoping the matching Robin will ship this month, too.
- All of the new Crime Syndicate figures were some of the best I've seen in 2014!
I know I'm forgetting/leaving off dozens of toys, but here's some of my favorites in no particular order:
1. AOE Evasion Optimus Prime - the gem of the movie line
2. ML Black Widow - no pistols, but hey, you had a choice between two hairdos
3. Neca Keaton Batman - both versions, practically a middle finger to Mattel
4. Prototype 6" Boba Fett - Nicely textured and multiple shades of white. I think he looks classy.
5. The Walking Dead Daryl - Smart move by McFarlane to release him three times (w/motorcycle, Walgreens, Target)
6. Transformers Jetfire - would've been even better if released when Hasbro wasn't so cost conscious
7. Mashers Deadpool - Sadly, after his wave, Hasbro removed the rocker ankle articulation
8. GOT Drogo
9. GOT Jaimie - Brienne gets honorable mention. FUNKO raised their game with series two
10. WWE WM 30 Elite Shawn Michaels - I marked out when I found the 1st run version at Walmart
Random stuff from import, specialty, and comic shops:
DCC: Superwoman, Red Robin, (Capullo) Nightwing, Starfire
Kotobukiya Bishoujo: Starfire, Psylocke, Cammy (Streetfighter)
3rd Party Transformer - Scoria, Toyworld's Grant (under rated because MP style gets most of the glory)
1/6 scale - Sideshow GI Joe Baroness,
Dam Toys Gangster Kingdom Diamond 3 (Danny Trejo) and Spade 3 (Wayne Rooney)
TRU Exlusive: MP Grimlock rerelease, Power Ranger Dragonzord
I agree Baymax Robot and Frozen Doll are the new sensations of the seasons. The movie-makers do time their releases perfectly to catch the Christmas season. But yes Baymax is a robot toy which my son is still finding interesting. I in fact found the review on this site which led met to buy it - http://bestrobotictoys.com/meet-the-robot-toy-hero-in-big-hero-six/
Great list, thanks! Must get my hands on the Armor Up Baymax, one day.
Stop the Presses! That NECA quarter scale Burt Ward/Robin just landed. The likeness, the accessories, the materials...all top drawer. This Batman & Robin astound me with their goodness!
Heresy, perhaps, but even when I was in 5th grade in 1966 I thought the Batman TV show was silly & stupid. However, the characters looked great in costume, IMO! I'd much rather have these two than the Hot Toy$ versions.
Fun picks! It's always neat to see what the ToyBuzz has to say about the year's best.
Here's mine:
1. 4Horsemen The Raven
This got to me Dec 29th and just squeaked in. The latest in their fan-built Gothitropolis line, this one funded through Kickstarter, has been shown around for years, and when it finally came out, it really did not disappoint. One of the best super-articulated 6-inch scale figures ever made.
2. Transformers Masterpiece Wheeljack
The Masterpiece line keeps putting out some real gems, but only a few a year. Wheeljack is a beauty as a car and a badass as a robot and an easy fave of the year.
3. 3rd Party Transformers - FP Cubrar
Fanproject's stunning take on the dinobot Slag is built like a tank, very imposing and really cool-looking. Production is solid and articulation plentiful in my fave of the many many 3rd party projects to come out last year.
4. Infinite Carnage
Not much to it, it's just the Bucky body with a new head hands and some tendrils on the back, but this is a case of using what you have very well. It's simple design is so well -executed.
5. Pacific Rim Alpha Cherno
Of the many very nice toys that NEAC has been making for Pacific Rim, I was so happy to see the big crazy Russian walking atomic power plant Alpha Cherno. A great design and a solid fun toy.
6. Bandai Kit Darth Vader
I liked the Hasbro Black version, but the snap-together model kit by Bandai that was released shortly afterwards blows it away in sculpt and articulation.
7. ML 3-pack Warbird
Really just a repaint of Moonstone, another example of Hasbro using their new bucks right. The Radioactive Man that came in the 3-pack with her was surprisingly good, but Warbird takes the cake.
8. Infinite Agent Venom
I get happy when any of the lost legends make it to retail, and this year found us visiting Walgreens to find this exclusive figure. It's a hell of a nice toy too.
9. Generations Jetfire
Despite some areas of hollowness in the limbs, our favorite Transformer who is also kinda a Macross toy get s a major update in the Generations line. The Japanese version got more paint apps but the US Jetfire was still one of the best toys you could find on the shelves lastyear.
10. Generations Cosmos
The little Autobot UFO gets a very neat and inventive toy with the cute-as-a-button Cosmos. Great fun.
If anyone is thinking about picking up a Baymax after reading this thread, check out Walmart for the Deluxe Flying version. Yesterday, I picked one up for an even $19.