Prototype of a Guts bust

This appears to be the prototype of a bust that is being worked on at the moment, possibly a future release (click on the thumbnails for full size pictures).


The information and pictures are courtesy of http://homepage1.nifty.com/witchcraft/.

So far sooo good.

PROFESSOR X!

The quality of a lot of the statues on that site have decent faces... Then you come to the Berserk page. ANd for some reason (IMO) the quality falls.

Why can't berserk recieve the level of detail that the softcore porn statues get?! Sad CnC

CnC said:

Why can't berserk recieve the level of detail that the softcore porn statues get?!

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I've stopped wondering long ago. I've come to believe that AOW just doesn't currently deserve to make Berserk collectibles. The recent dioramas are a step in the right direction though.

I can't really be sure from the angle/perspective of those pictures, but that thing looks huge!

DirectDK said:

I can't really be sure from the angle/perspective of those pictures, but that thing looks huge!

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Yup, I had the same impression.

Aazealh said:

I've stopped wondering long ago. I've come to believe that AOW just doesn't currently deserve to make Berserk collectibles. The recent dioramas are a step in the right direction though.

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Deserve? That is a rather bold statement. I have to admit I'm not always satisfied with what comes out. I think Kentaro can decide who deserves to make product for his characters on his own.

DirectDK said:

I can't really be sure from the angle/perspective of those pictures, but that thing looks huge!

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No kidding...I don't even want to know how much it will cost in the end...and I thought the Zodd II statue was bad...

Maiku said:

Deserve? That is a rather bold statement.

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Yeah, and I maintain it. It's a fan's extreme point of view, and I can justify it easily, as I'm sure you know. Lack of attention given to the faces, lack of originality and renewal, prices, sheer quality of some products, standpoint toward the customers (especially international)... I just think they're taking what they have as granted, and they don't try to outdo themselves anymore. I appreciate and praise their products when I think it's fitting, but I reserve myself the right to criticize them as a customer. I don't think being docile and not daring talk bad about them even when it's warranted is good. Actually, we could make a thread about the good and bad points of the company, reviewing all the products, that sounds like fun to me.

Maiku said:

I think Kentarou can decide who deserves to make product for his characters on his own.

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It's "Kentarou" with a 'u' in the end, even if western companies can't seem to understand that. That's the way he writes his first name, so if people are going to use it abusively I'd prefer if they respected this. I think he can decide how his own name should be written (). I'm also not sure that he personally reviews the collectibles they make, it's not his job (I'm not certifying anything though). He's certainly not the one that had the idea to make a Berserk anime, and apparently he didn't like it so much. He's collaborated with them a couple of times in the past but that doesn't mean anything. And even so, they've certainly not been doing a lot of effort for a while, they're just milking a cow (at least that's the impression I've been getting for the past year). Regardless, I don't see how my opinion on the matter relates to what you guess the author wants or thinks, I'm not pretending I'm in charge at Hakusensha.

Aazealh said:

Lack of attention given to the faces, lack of originality and renewal, prices, sheer quality of some products, standpoint toward the customers (especially international)... I just think they're taking what they have as granted, and they don't try to outdo themselves anymore. I appreciate and praise their products when I think it's fitting, but I reserve myself the right to criticize them as a customer. I don't think being docile and not daring talk bad about them even when it's warranted is good. Actually, we could make a thread about the good and bad points of the company, reviewing all the products, that sounds like fun to me.

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That's what I think, too.

Aazealh said:

It's "Kentarou" with a 'u' in the end,

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How come you don't have the page set to auto correct it? It would keep things consistant.

Hey I have problems with AoW just like anyone else. I wish the paint on a lot of the items was better (ug Chicken Pox Maken). I think the number of Puck items comming out is ridiculous. I wish the faces were better. I think the wooden items are the most retarded idea ever.

At the same time though Zodd II man! I work in the toy/statue/collectible industry and this is one of the best statues I've ever seen. Is it over priced? Sure but not as much as you think. The level of detail and how dynamic it is made this one expensive to produce I'm sure. Also how many Japanese companies take the time to make an English page and are willing to ship overseas! Yeah it's a fucking bitch and a half but I'll take it over getting my stuff off of Yahoo Japan.

I'm thankful we have a company putting out a variety of Berserk products. It wasn't just that you said stuff is bad but that they didn't even deserve to be doing it. I thought it was a little harsh for a small company working on a niche license.

Maiku said:

How come you don't have the page set to auto correct it? It would keep things consistant.

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Wow, I didn't think of it. -__-;; Because of Dark Horse and all I didn't want to impose it but... Good idea thanks, I guess I'll do that.

Maiku said:

I think the number of Puck items comming out is ridiculous.

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Especially the themes... I mean, I love Puck, but fishing Puck (and I bought that)? HEADLONG's Pucks are a lot better, and all it takes is to read the manga. They've never released a serious and well crafted Puck statue either, just "funny" ones.

Maiku said:

At the same time though Zodd II man! I work in the toy/statue/collectible industry and this is one of the best statues I've ever seen. Is it over priced? Sure but not as much as you think. The level of detail and how dynamic it is made this one expensive to produce I'm sure.

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Hahaha, yeah it's true. I guess I was a bit hasty and should have detailed my thoughts; I didn't mean that they don't do good stuff. That's what is frustrating me: they do some great things, and I mean it, but these days I feel that the good products are swarmed by (IMHO) subpar items (though as I said, the dioramas gave me hope). And when they create original models I can understand the price to some extent, but not on the recycled stuff they've been coming up with recently. Like I said, I recognize a masterpiece when I see one, but as a fan I am also exigent when it comes to consistency. Because that's what I feel is (has been?) the problem, their lack of consistency in quality. At some point in the past I even wondered if their artistic director had changed.

Maiku said:

I'm thankful we have a company putting out a variety of Berserk products.

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Well, I think we all are.

Maiku said:

It wasn't just that you said stuff is bad but that they didn't even deserve to be doing it. I thought it was a little harsh for a small company working on a niche license.

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I did exaggerate a bit of course but that's because I'm not sure anymore they're trying to attain perfection. I want all of their products to be like the Zodd statues (I or II as far as I'm concerned) in terms of quality and meticulosity, not just to have one superb release so that people can forget the mediocre stuff. And Berserk is not a small license in Japan. Maybe it was in 1994, but not anymore. It's a very popular and steady series, and that's also why I think AOW should be more serious about it. They're quasi-alone on the market, and I'm afraid that they might be abusing their position. Hell, I could also complain that they don't release in enough quantities, and that people can't get statues if they're late or new to the series, that's also annoying. Sure it makes the items more prestigious but it also means that a lot of fans can't collect them. Anyway, that's a rant for another day.

So yes, they do have redeeming qualities of course, but it's their apparent state of mind on some things that disturbs me. Sometimes I wonder if they genuinely care about Berserk and are aware that they hold the fans' hopes in their hands or not. That being said, I want more Neo Hawks statues. So whoever spies this board for AOW should take good note of it and appease my wrath. XD

Hmmm... :/

Well, the anatomy looks good, but his face is weird.  As are many of the faces, as people have mentioned.  Here, his features look too small, and his face is too fat.  His mouth looks tiny, and he's got a weird expression, like he's chewing or something...I do wish they could capture likenesses better.  After all, they have tons of reference.

TheSkyTraveller said:

Well, the anatomy looks good, but his face is weird. As are many of the faces, as people have mentioned. Here, his features look too small, and his face is too fat. His mouth looks tiny, and he's got a weird expression, like he's chewing or something...I do wish they could capture likenesses better. After all, they have tons of reference.

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Agreed. Who knows how early of a prototype this is. Hopefully changes will be made.

Maiku said:

Who knows how early of a prototype this is. Hopefully changes will be made.

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Yep. And if we are to complain, the ears and lips are totally off, that's the most striking to me. It's just not like him at all.