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Original reporting: indie + vintage toys, shop visits, interviews, event coverage.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
2010 Taipei Toy Festival (Part 6: Venue and wrap up)
I wanted to share some more shots and thoughts on the show's venue: The Huashan Creative Park, which is located on Ba De Rd, just down the road from the main Taipei train station.
Last year (click here to check it out) I wrote about the converted factory, since it was as much a story as the 2009 TTF. Over the last 12 months, they've done a lot of work renovating the site, which now includes galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, and interesting shops.
They also have events on the front lawn, which is one of Taipei's largest open areas.
Pics of the site:
There were a bunch of people waiting in line to get into this former warehouse turned (for a day, anyway) multimedia live action/anime show:
There are still plenty of signs of the site's well worn look which add to its charm:
Well, that's all for the 2010 TTF. All in all, it was a good show. Perhaps not as many exclusive toys as in previous years, and a lot less sofubi, but still some nice stuff to see, a great variety of art forms, and some knock out exhibitions. Plus, it's always nice to hook up with old friends and meet new ones.
For those who have lasted this long and made it through all 6 parts: L'chaim! Thanks for hanging out. Stay tuned for plenty more toy show reports this year from Tokyo and beyond!
Last year (click here to check it out) I wrote about the converted factory, since it was as much a story as the 2009 TTF. Over the last 12 months, they've done a lot of work renovating the site, which now includes galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, and interesting shops.
They also have events on the front lawn, which is one of Taipei's largest open areas.
Pics of the site:
There were a bunch of people waiting in line to get into this former warehouse turned (for a day, anyway) multimedia live action/anime show:
There are still plenty of signs of the site's well worn look which add to its charm:
Well, that's all for the 2010 TTF. All in all, it was a good show. Perhaps not as many exclusive toys as in previous years, and a lot less sofubi, but still some nice stuff to see, a great variety of art forms, and some knock out exhibitions. Plus, it's always nice to hook up with old friends and meet new ones.
For those who have lasted this long and made it through all 6 parts: L'chaim! Thanks for hanging out. Stay tuned for plenty more toy show reports this year from Tokyo and beyond!
2010 Taipei Toy Festival (Part 5: Other oodles and noodles)
As with every show, there were plenty of sites and sounds that made you say, "Oh! Wow! Huh?"
This clothing store has a huge shop in Shihlin:
My award for the best multitasking clothing goes to their bullseye T-shirt:
These waxy figures were made with a 3D printer. Definitely one of the most "now that's something you don't see every day" booths at the show.
Pizza Cut Five (very popular brand that packages shirts in pizza boxes) showed up to win the award for most unexpected crossover. Some nice shirts featuring seijin and kaiju.
You can see the pizza boxes in this shot:
These guys always bring a nice assortment of licensed stationary:
Day One door giveaways (limited to the first 500 people in line only. you snooze, you lose):
Click here for Part 6: Venue and wrap up
This clothing store has a huge shop in Shihlin:
My award for the best multitasking clothing goes to their bullseye T-shirt:
These waxy figures were made with a 3D printer. Definitely one of the most "now that's something you don't see every day" booths at the show.
Pizza Cut Five (very popular brand that packages shirts in pizza boxes) showed up to win the award for most unexpected crossover. Some nice shirts featuring seijin and kaiju.
You can see the pizza boxes in this shot:
These guys always bring a nice assortment of licensed stationary:
Day One door giveaways (limited to the first 500 people in line only. you snooze, you lose):
Click here for Part 6: Venue and wrap up
2010 Taipei Toy Festival (Part 4: Exhibitions)
This year, the TTF expanded to include an adjacent building in the Huashan Creative Park. That allowed them to host some interesting exhibitions which, I thought, were some of the highlights of the show. There were three exhibitions.
1) Selection of Bologna illustration artists. These were reproductions of some of the art pieces accepted to the Bologna Illustration exhibit. In addition to paintings and other illustrations reprinted and mounted on canvas, a series of animations was shown.
2) United Planet exhibit. I had seen some of the toys (from a Hong Kong duo) before but didn't know much about them. This exhibit featured a nice mixture of illustrations, comics, toys, sculptures, and animation.
3) I heart Kaohsiung statue exhibit. These guys have made the rounds in Taiwan. Some are also positioned in other parts of the Creative Park. What I find interesting about them is the range of the themes and motifes painted on the statues. You've got everything from abstract designs to traditional temple imagery to nostalgic cinema images.
Click here for Part 5: Other oodles and noodles
1) Selection of Bologna illustration artists. These were reproductions of some of the art pieces accepted to the Bologna Illustration exhibit. In addition to paintings and other illustrations reprinted and mounted on canvas, a series of animations was shown.
2) United Planet exhibit. I had seen some of the toys (from a Hong Kong duo) before but didn't know much about them. This exhibit featured a nice mixture of illustrations, comics, toys, sculptures, and animation.
3) I heart Kaohsiung statue exhibit. These guys have made the rounds in Taiwan. Some are also positioned in other parts of the Creative Park. What I find interesting about them is the range of the themes and motifes painted on the statues. You've got everything from abstract designs to traditional temple imagery to nostalgic cinema images.
Click here for Part 5: Other oodles and noodles
2010 Taipei Toy Festival (Part 3: Toys)
On to the main event: the toys at the 2010 TTF! Are you ready to vinyyyyyyyyyyyyyyl! Sorry, after spending hours sorting and posting images, my brain feels like Mankind and Mr. Socko took a liking to my gullet...
Pics in alphabetical order. Click on each image to see it's full size.
8 Style:
TTF Kinnikuman exclusives:
Amanda Visell's Seahorse + rider. Black colorway - Paradise exclusive:
Danke Schoen:
Devilrobots:
Eric So:
Hot Toys:
Husky:
Kennyswork:
Mimobot:
Mutineer Jun:
RC Work:
Rockin Jelly Bean (most of the booth was for display only):
Secret Base:
SB Rebel Inks (1 Blue Chrome, 9 GID, and 9 Rootbeers were sold - all sold out quickly):
Shon Side (Cap Duck):
Ultraman (this thing is really cool - the figures in the head spin around, and there are lights strung around the fatherbot):
William Tsang:
Winson Ma:
Wonderfulman:
Other booths and interesting odds and ends:
Whew, that was a POST. But that's not all! Click here for Part 4: Exhibitions.
Pics in alphabetical order. Click on each image to see it's full size.
8 Style:
TTF Kinnikuman exclusives:
Amanda Visell's Seahorse + rider. Black colorway - Paradise exclusive:
Danke Schoen:
Devilrobots:
Eric So:
Hot Toys:
Husky:
Kennyswork:
Mimobot:
Mutineer Jun:
RC Work:
Rockin Jelly Bean (most of the booth was for display only):
Secret Base:
SB Rebel Inks (1 Blue Chrome, 9 GID, and 9 Rootbeers were sold - all sold out quickly):
Shon Side (Cap Duck):
Ultraman (this thing is really cool - the figures in the head spin around, and there are lights strung around the fatherbot):
William Tsang:
Winson Ma:
Wonderfulman:
Other booths and interesting odds and ends:
Whew, that was a POST. But that's not all! Click here for Part 4: Exhibitions.