Wonder Festival 2011 (Winter) / ワンダーフェスティバル 2011［冬］

Wonder Festival is the mother of all Japanese toy shows. With hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of toys across dozens of genres, it's a numbers game that leaves your head spinning and feet aching. An average of 40,000 fans attend the event, vying for mouth watering exclusives from their favorite companies.

Wonder Festival is held at the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, which is to the east of Tokyo.

Wonderfest this way....

This is Kaiju Korner's biggest coverage ever. After the jump, we've got 300 photos for you. Let's go....

Gargamel:

The next four shots feature the day's releases:

Gargamel Gachapon!

Butanohana:

Today's releases

 

 Denboku:

This was a super popular booth.

Linden:

Bullmark:

M1:

M1 also had lucky bags, but they didn't last long. A number of people went in line over and over. I spotted one guy with 4 bags.


Amapro:

Amapro also pased out leaflets announcing the next Pachisummit, to be held this June.

Dream Rockets:

These amazing Gibazas were painted by a number of artists.

Pico Pico

Sunguts

Sunguts

Nerd One:

Chaos Stereo with resin eyes. Limited to 12.

Dr Strange Toys:

Ilanena:

Ilanena's gorgeous rendition of Velocitron's Larvagon

 Ilanena 10th Anniversary Dai Kaiju Card Monsters show preview:

This show is going to rock!!

Sucklord

Irene Fu

Paul Kaiju

Velocitron:

Ricky's amazing Star Wars themed custom for the Ilanena show. Super appropriate as Ilanena is a huge Star Wars fan. (Just check out the font for his logo!)

Ricky's custom for Mark Nagata's Alien Argus show.

Fig Lab and friends:

Kumon

Callgrim

Really love this display.

Kikake:

US Toys:

Today's releases

Shikaruna:

New anime line releases:

Upcoming figures in the anime line:

Yamomark:

Pico Pico and Sunguts:

This resin piece debuted at a show at the Billiken Gallery the other week.

He was hopping around like this for a while!

Restore:

Breaking news on Restore's sofubi plans: His first figure may be released as early as this month!

Max Toy Co:

Dream Rockets paint #1

Dream Rockets paint #2

Mark Nagata design.

Scheduled to be released at the Max Toy 5th Anniversary show in April.

One Up:

CCP:

Cosmo Knight Alpha:

TTToys:

GG'R:

First time I've seen this outfit. They do really nice work!

 Daimos:

Love this Godzilla!!

Three Family Modelers and Kusiya:

Met these great guys today! Such good spirits and amazing resin and mechanical work.

Remote controlled!!!!

Mega articulated resin figure!!

Medicom:

threeA Exhibition:

How 2 Work:

Kotobukiya:

Revoltech:

They had a table where you could play with the toys. The articulation on these figures is mind blowing!

Prince of Pirates:

More Kaiju:

Garage Kits:

One of my favorite pieces from the show.

Sculptures and busts:

Miniatures:

Mecha:

It really walks!!

Kaiju puppetry and animatronics:

This master puppeteer has created a smoke breathing Godzilla!

Mothra is on strings. The puppeteer made it fly. Looks fantastic.

Kaiyodo Hobby Museum Exhibition:

This museum is slotted to open on 4/29/2011

The Last Kappa Exhibition:

This exhibition contained a number of artists' interpretations of Kappa. Really nice display.

Toy dealers:

Cosplay:

 

Try and fit that in the overhead compartment.

 

Live performances:

This group had the crowd rockin'!

 Crowds and lines:

It's hard to overstate how massive Makuhari Messe is. WF is in THREE rooms the size of jumbo jet hangers!

Misc:

Dude was a walking studio!

Someone gave Real Head's Fortune Cat the gem treatment!

Okamoto Taro minis!

Dice game. Contestants climbed onto the stage and rolled for prizes!

Well, that's all for this year's Winter Wonder Festival. Thanks for reading!