Earlier this month Tamashii Nations did something rarely accomplished these days in the toy industry. They announced a figure previously unknown and made it available for purchase the next day. During the Hong Kong stop of their Dragonball World Adventure a repaint of Bulma in her manga color purple hair dropped. It’s a repaint of the end credits battle Bulma that came out last year with one pant leg, machine gun and goggles. This version is the same mold wise, just some new paint. Hair is purple, pants a bit darker, and there are some words on her gloves and boots now. Overall it’s a really sharp release, and if it stays being an exclusive to that one event, should wind up being rare. Site sponsor Big Bad Toy Store had some listed for pre-order so we’ll have to wait and see how that all shakes out.
We got our copy direct from HK and ran her through a photo session. Read on to check out how she stacks up to the original!
ICYMI – Check our 2019 SHF Dragon Ball Galleries:
Kid Krillin
Mr. Satan
Great Saiyaman
Evil Majin Buu
Movie Gogeta
Movie Broly
Movie SSGSS Vegeta
SDCC Kid Goku
SDCC Ultimate Gohan
SDCC Goku Black
SDCC Golden Frieza
Android 21
Movie SSGSS Goku
SHF Hong Kong Bulma 06
SHF Hong Kong Bulma 10
SHF Hong Kong Bulma 21
SHF Hong Kong Bulma 22
SHF Hong Kong Bulma 30
SHF Hong Kong Bulma 33
SHF Hong Kong Bulma 34
SHF Hong Kong Bulma 36
Been a minute! Starting catch up now, with Broly and Gogeta!
Broly
Gogeta
Nice
Broly seems plain. The accessories are really meh on him. Glad I passed.
Next up - Majin Buu (Super / Evil)
S.H. Figuarts Dragonball Z Evil Majin Buu Gallery
And, the Great Saiyaman is up!
S.H. Figuarts Dragon Ball Z Great Saiyaman Gallery
Lol. I bet that GSM photoshoot was a blast!
Little teaser for Broly Vegeta. In Hand, but I won't be able to post the gallery until next week. :/
SSGSS Movie Vegeta is up!
SSGSS Vegeta S.H. Figuarts Dragonball Super Broly Movie In-Hand Gallery
Outstanding shots again this round. Those flight shots are killer.
I am incredibly jealous of these shots.
You're galleries are always great but this one feels special.
Jiren will be released on January 2020.
Source.
First Jiren's official image.
Source.
Never been shy about voicing my displeasure with these figures. So, it's important that I hit the other end of that for this release.
This figure is phenomenal. The best Vegeta in the entire line. Previously, I used to think it was a tie between the 2013 armor Vegeta and the 2015 SSGSS Vegeta (I didn't like the 2.0 Vegetas for various reasons). Now? This is hands down the best. This looks like it was ripped directly from the movie - picture perfect reference accuracy, right down to the skin tone (which tends to be hit or miss - here, it is perfect). Unlike the other 2.0 Vegeta faces, these faces actually look like Vegeta. And two things about the boots - I'm very pleased to see that they removed the extremely odd diagonal ankle joints and that they included the soles of the boots. My only complaint with the figure is that I wish the hair strands had been a bit longer - same shape, same sculpt and everything, just a tad longer, but I'm definitely not saying it's a flaw. 10 out of 10 as far as I'm concerned. Here's hoping they make a replica of this release that matches the Dragon Ball Super color palette and has normal form faces.
(I'd say pretty much the same about the Gogeta and Broly figures - it is hard to complain about either of them because they both turned out so well.)
This figure is phenomenal. The best Vegeta in the entire line. Previously, I used to think it was a tie between the 2013 armor Vegeta and the 2015 SSGSS Vegeta (I didn't like the 2.0 Vegetas for various reasons). Now? This is hands down the best. This looks like it was ripped directly from the movie - picture perfect reference accuracy, right down to the skin tone (which tends to be hit or miss - here, it is perfect). Unlike the other 2.0 Vegeta faces, these faces actually look like Vegeta. And two things about the boots - I'm very pleased to see that they removed the extremely odd diagonal ankle joints and that they included the soles of the boots. My only complaint with the figure is that I wish the hair strands had been a bit longer - same shape, same sculpt and everything, just a tad longer, but I'm definitely not saying it's a flaw. 10 out of 10 as far as I'm concerned. Here's hoping they make a replica of this release that matches the Dragon Ball Super color palette and has normal form faces.
(I'd say pretty much the same about the Gogeta and Broly figures - it is hard to complain about either of them because they both turned out so well.)
I still have Hercule and Kid Krillin to post, then will be caught up for the year. Android 21 is out in Japan, with Goku dropping soon I think.
Ok, big update today. EIGHT galleries done and up. 300 pics. Thought I was done and then that Purple Bulma dropped, I literally yelled out loud What the F*** when that dropped.
Kid Krillin
Mr. Satan
SDCC Kid Goku
SDCC Ultimate Gohan
SDCC Goku Black
SDCC Golen Frieza
Android 21
SSGSS Broly Movie Goku
Some favs from each:
Tony_Bacala...you are a photo and posing GOD. All of your shots are phenomenal, especially your lighting, posing, and backgrounds. Can you please direct me to any sort of resources to learn how to get my shots to look even close to yours? Thanks!
Haha, thanks. I appreciate the feedback, but I was really unhappy with this round of stuff. Like single shots per set came out solid, but overall felt off. I just shot DB so much in a row I had to call it a day. Most were already late as it was.
.
As far as tips for shooting, it really depends on where you are in the journey so far. Basics I'd suggest:
Good camera, preferably one you can change lenses with.
A good macro lens for it.
Shoot in manual mode. Learn how to control it. Specifically the exposure "triangle" - Shutter Speed, ISO, Aperture.
Lights - have many. Large ones with soft boxes or some form of big diffusion of them, and then smaller more precise lights. Be able to control the location, distance, intensity of each individually.
Posing - that's just practice. I'm still practicing myself
Posing in air - Get stands, and or wire coat hangers, or stands made of wire coat hangar materials, learn to remove them in Photoshop.
Shoot RAW. Gives you more control for editing.
Editing - Use Lightroom and/or Photoshop, or find something similar you are comfortable with. But Lightroom and Photoshop are the industry standard and worth the cost if serious. I use Lightroom and try to never go into Photoshop unless necessary.
Watch youtube videos on studio lighting, product photography, portrait photography, fashion photography. The techniques they go over in those will be different, but toy photography uses elements from them all. Pick the ones that work from each and add to your arsenal.
Get a big desk area if possible, dedicated to this. I use a 5 by 5 foot area, with light stands on each side. Try to shoot with the camera on the desk, using a mini tripod or no tripod and just stabilizing it. Allows for more freedom with angles. (Not all will agree with this).
That's a lot, so do your homework and I'll see you in a couple years for the 102 class.
So my cheap cell phone and $70 light box can't produce the same results?
Seriously great shots though. Love the Buu saga pic.
Seriously great shots though. Love the Buu saga pic.
And hey, if you control your phone and the lights and run some edits, anything is possible. Not what you got, how you use it. Hehe.
So, lighting should be relatively cheap, table too...now, camera and lenses. Any recommended entry level camera that will still serve me well a few years down the line? Preferably something in the sub $300 range?
Folding table is just fine. Just give yourself room to work, leave tools and props off to side, etc.
Camera - Look for a used Sony Alpha 3000x,5000x range model. Or, used Sony Nex. Those are entry level and really good for the coin, especially used. You can buy lenses over time as you can/want, and then upgrade the camera body down the road, while keeping your lenses for the new body then.
Hong Kong Bulma is up:
Hong Kong Exclusive Bulma S.H. Figuarts Dragon Ball In-Hand Gallery
Full Thread: Toyark's 2019 S.H. Figuarts Dragon Ball Galleries
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