What do you tell strangers when they come over?

[DarrinG]

This is a great thread B - my favorite going right now.

I have 3 sons of various ages so no one has ever even asked what they are. They must just assume its their toys.

Its also in a room with much less traffic - so that helps...

[Mommar]

I have to say that 99% of people who see my various collections of stuff (Macross, cars, bike, planes etc..) mostly make pleasant or encouraging comments about them. Hey its my hobby and its what I do!

There was this one time (only just recently actually) that a mate of my brothers was over and saw my Macross display and immediately referred to them as "transformers s%&t"..

I felt overwhelmingly obligated to inform him that they were indeed NOT transformers or anything of the sort but he stood firm insisting that if they do transform then they are just as he originally referred them as..

Then the argument of how much they cost started up with him telling me im an idiot for spending as much as I do on them.. and.. that I am obviously childish, immature for collecting toys and rubbish in the first place and should grow up and act my age.

I was quite surprised at how verbally aggressive he was about it.. My brother later apologized for his mates behavior and said that he can be extremely narrow minded about a lot of things..

As far as I am concerned he can go f@#$ himself.

Yup, I would have straight said it's time for you to leave. You're not welcome here anymore.

[Mechapilot77]

this is kind of a fun topic huh? My collection is actually pretty evenly split between macross and Transformers actually, and I have a small mospeada/robotech collection as well as a few random things (Voltron, a few random things like gatchaman and a godzilla). I have to say, not many people have seen it but when they do they more or less pick one or two things they relate to and talk about that. I mean what kid (even those who were mere infants in the 80s) of the 80s DOESN'T at least know voltron or optimus? The macross stuff is different. If they are American born, I always start with...."Remember Robotech?" and that usually jogs there memories. The name rick hunter is hard to forget apparently too. If they're from Asia, usually its harder unless they had the bootleg VF-1s in the 80s as the toys made it over to asia but the original anime SDFM wasn't super popular in places like Taiwan or HK etc.

[alchemo]

SDFM was quite popular in Hong Kong as I remember, and then DYRL was shown in the cinema, featuring a then popular canto-pop singer voice over for Minmay. She also sing the Cantonese version of the theme song.

Not badly sung at all but I still prefer the original

Edited July 26, 2013 by alchemo

[locidm]

Thanks for the vid! DYRL was pretty big in HK. We ended up having the VHS with Japanese dialog chinese sub and I remember watching it over and over and over and over again.... I don't actually remember that there was a chinese version of the DYRL song. It's sung by Chan Wai Haan, correct?

[alchemo]

Yes, and I remember (vaguely) that TVB in Hong Kong had aired both the Cantonese dubbed version and the English dubbed version in their Chinese and English Channel respectively.

Edited July 26, 2013 by alchemo

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Elaborate. Sounds like a fun story! haha

lol quick backdrop: i work with mostly white collar families ranging from young adults in their mid 30's to H.S. students and my income is based on the number/size of the seminars/classes i teach. in order to increase growth, i have to build a good pedigree rep among the community. (politics, throw annual social parties, lol) People i work with are mostly looking for stable clean cut trust worthy characteristics without any red flags with a very conservative lifestyle. (i even have to be careful what kind of music is around)

The story is when i first got my Macross vf-1's, i displayed all of them on a glass table arranged diagonally in fighter mode thinking it's pretty clean and conservative. (i don't hang posters of comic hero's or have any Sheryl anime figures with butts hanging out but only have a few military aircraft models and mostly valks)

Everyone who came over loved them but one girl had to screw it up. One spoiled H.S. girl came from an influential family within the community starting to complain to her parents how a full grown adult plays with toys and watches violent movies. And she questioned how can i counsel adults if i'm acting like a kid playing with toys.

She was annoying as hell, so i starting getting maturity questions from families... My response was that was my hobby, i'm into building model planes and that killed the noise. But just to be on the safe side, i never invited that family over again and just decided i had to be careful around anything that affects my job.

[mass driver]

Most of my visitors are family members who already know that I collect toys as a hobby. I occasionally get a few of my wife's friends that come over. Sometimes a contractor.

When I get asked about the collection, I just give a one liner. I just say that they are toys that I used to have as a kid and that they bring back good memories. I try to sell their "personal value" to me, not their monetary value. I find that few are willing to argue with you once you bring in nostalgia as a primary reason for collecting anything. It's why people hold on to pictures or chotchkies.

Edited July 26, 2013 by mass driver

[Jasonc]

I definitely see the trend forming around guys and gals collecting and branding sci-fi, comic, and fantasy memorabilia. It's been going on for a few years now, and seems to be more the norm everyday. At my previous house, I had a nice display in my office, and people that came in, and didn't know anything about it thought it was great. Some of it, I think is the way it's displayed. They weren't out like a bunch of toys, but thoughtfully arranged in a somewhat artistic manner, that made it look like art in toys, rather than just display cases as a toy box. Maybe it's just me, but I never had to tell anyone it was something else, other than it's my collection of toys (if they even asked). More often, it was comments on how great it looked, the business as usual.

[SuperSenpai]

I honestly find it hard to believe how anyone could come over to a person's house and openly insult them or otherwise make impolite remarks about their home or their hobby. If you want to judge them, go ahead and do it silently in your head, but verbally expressing it to the person whose home you're in? That's just rude. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but no matter how slovenly or ridiculous I thought someone (or their home) was, I would just keep it to myself while I'm their guest.

As far as guests confusing Macross toys with Robotech or Transformers -- at least you didn't have cousins in Korea who called your VF-1J a "Gundam":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TuhEycaDg4

[mass driver]

Jason has a point. A lot of it is presentation. IMHO, artfully displayed valks in a clean tasteful display case are much more likely to be appreciated than just a bunch of randomly displayed toys on a desk or bookcase. All my valks are in a large display case I purchased a few years back. Half my valks are also displayed in jet mode, which helps also since the f-14 is iconic and the silhouette is easily recognizable.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

I honestly find it hard to believe how anyone could come over to a person's house and openly insult them or otherwise make impolite remarks about their home or their hobby. If you want to judge them, go ahead and do it silently in your head, but verbally expressing it to the person whose home you're in? That's just rude. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but no matter how slovenly or ridiculous I thought someone (or their home) was, I would just keep it to myself while I'm their guest.

As far as guests confusing Macross toys with Robotech or Transformers -- at least you didn't have cousins in Korea who called your VF-1J a "Gundam":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TuhEycaDg4

yeah i have several Korean students point out that show...lol

that spoiled rich girl was Korean too... she didn't say anything to me but only heard her comments from her parents... but gotta keep the good relations... always.

i just don't invite that family ever back to my house... but i get good references from them so i'm good.

[Valkyrie addict]

One thing to consider also with how they are display is where they are displayed. There is a certain standard that people expect when visiting someone else, if you have a huge display of valks in the main living room or your bedroom some people may not see it as a nerdy hobby but more of a level of immaturity in having toys lying all around.

It doesn't apply only to toys, any collectable, imagine going into someone's house and the first thing you see if sport memorabilia everywhere, it's cool but ultimately is sorta uncomfortable.

[Benson13]

This is a great thread B - my favorite going right now.

Thanks man I try. I look for something fun in the threads I create. I'm looking forward to the Holiday Loot thread blowing up again. I have an idea for another but it's on hold since I'm starting my own company.

[spanner]

You know what that really was right? Straight up jealously. He obviously never had a childhood, hatched from an egg, and was never loved. On top of all that some ginger headed death machine stuck a firecracker in his Jetfire and he's been traumatized ever since.

haha! firecracker in his jetfire! LOL! yep i'd say that's most likely it! Oh yeah the other thing he said was its creepy that someone of my age (like im really that old at 37..) is still playing with toys.. They're collectibles idiot I don't actually play with em loser.. sheesh!

[skullmilitia]

haha! firecracker in his jetfire! LOL! yep i'd say that's most likely it! Oh yeah the other thing he said was its creepy that someone of my age (like im really that old at 37..) is still playing with toys.. They're collectibles idiot I don't actually play with em loser.. sheesh!

But after he left your abruptly pulled on out and swooshed it right... I mean that's normal right.. asking for a friend.

[Benson13]

Judge me for whooshing my Valk around my house and I may just park a SV-51 in your eye.

[spanner]

hahahahahah!!! I don't feel I want to answer that question!

[Gakken85]

That sucks David. That girl sounds like a real brat.

I feel you. It sucks to have to present yourself for your job sometimes, but that's part of life.

This is a good thread. Everybody bonding over being a big nerd

[SaitouSad]

these kinda thread pops up on 4chan's toy channel all the time. Always an interesting read. toy collecting isn't a common hobby and is usually frowned upon where I'm from (though that trend seems to be slowly changing), so I'm pretty envious of the people here who can show their collection more prominently

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I definitely see the trend forming around guys and gals collecting and branding sci-fi, comic, and fantasy memorabilia. It's been going on for a few years now, and seems to be more the norm everyday. At my previous house, I had a nice display in my office, and people that came in, and didn't know anything about it thought it was great. Some of it, I think is the way it's displayed. They weren't out like a bunch of toys, but thoughtfully arranged in a somewhat artistic manner, that made it look like art in toys, rather than just display cases as a toy box. Maybe it's just me, but I never had to tell anyone it was something else, other than it's my collection of toys (if they even asked). More often, it was comments on how great it looked, the business as usual.

Still the best thing is to leave it in boxes. The trick really is to have one really good toy and have it in plane mode. Nobody will give a crap if it is just a plane. But if they see robot mode and depending on the colouring (the low viz vf-1 looks pretty militaristic but a VF-19 Fire valk?? hmm looks like a kid's transformer with its bright colouring) you might get different reaction.

For me having so many at once being displayed is probably why people are judging the display. The price it must cost to get that many might be the reason. If you just display one really good one and it isn't "toyish looking" those people might not freak out.

I don't have the display space to put them all out at once and just settle on leaving them in boxes. but I know that if I did, I probably wouldn't have them all displayed at once. Not because I care about people's reaction so much, but the idea is that having them all in one big group together takes focus away. An example if you have a Monster by itself it looks cool. The focus is on that one robot. But if you have it surrounded by planes and enemy mechs it loses its impact imo. Your eyes gazes at a mass of colourful objects instead of settling on one thing.

Try this and nobody will give a crap about your hobby. The other point about it being rude to have them lying around: nah I think it is more the total volume of the same things you have at once. If you have a musuem do you just show one type of dinosaur or one type of historical thing or do you vary it up?

If you have a VF-1 does it really matter whether you have a squad being shown together all at once? Having all variations of the one type of thing might mean big thing for a collector, but for a person looking at your display it may look a bit plain and ugly. Having a theme "these are scifi planes" and then only displaying planes is fine but all VF-1 bunched together isn't really necessary but that is just me.

These are things you can do to reduce the negative comments:

-less on display at once

-present them in clean looking case like you would at a jewelry store in good lighting so it looks like it was meant to please the eye

-don't put up paintschemes that are not realistic (mcdonalds valk pretty much IS a transformer - I think masterpiece starscream could get away with less negative comment since he is just a F-15 and is not glossy)

-teach them about the show so they understand why it was popular (it isn't a show necessary aimed at kids but kids like it for the robots) and how it influenced you growing up. Without that knowledge those guys just think you play with toys. In fact you may not like toys in general, but just be a fan of macross and the merchandise reflects that fan love.

-a poster of the show to go along with the toy can help them understand what it is you are showing

Being a fan of something is ok but the age of the person you are displaying to must be considered. The older generation may see science fiction as something you grow out of. (much like skateboarding, videogames, or other things young people do) But really they might be closet nerds too so they judge other nerds harshly to make themself look less nerdy. It's a mind game. heh

Anything not considered constructive or productive in society is considered bad to them. If you do listen to rock music you are already doomed because it was about the 60s when society decided to blame people that were young for the decline in everything that was once good in their eyes. Horror movies, videogames, comics were lumped in with drug abuse, actual violent people commiting murder, and the general lack of morals people have.

These people are not looking at the greater corruption that exists at their age group because of bias. So they tend to stick together and form a team looking at things from a narrow perspective. For instance books have always enjoyed a more adult acceptance to graphic novels. Simply because there is no visual art to describe that character. Reading about some character may seem more "intelligent" or "grown up" as opposed to a comic book with a glossy paper, but a image can give information that words can't capture as well. In the same way as hearing about a person fight something from a description in words is not the same was watching it on screen. They are narrow minded because they think their own generation is superior. lol

One semi related topic is how the videogames industry is going through a problem right now trying to make itself not look like it is "only about shooting people with guns and massacring hundreds of people". The latest craze is to try to give us actual characters that have flaws and putting them in there as people you care about in realistic settings. (The Last of Us is one example - combine "The Road" with Goerge Romero zombie movies and you get this)

This is a big change from the days when it was just kids playing pac man or space invaders for 5 mins ad ther was no mature storyline. So the older generations have an outdated view of things that needs your help to change their perception about the misunderstood hobby. A lot of adult for instance play videogames and we always get pissed whenever the government tries to blanket ban a violent game as if this were only a kids hobby, and treating us like kids when we have kids of our own now. lol

If you are worried about what these older guys think that is fine, but I personally believe INFORMING them is better. The reason they are rude is because they are just repeating traditions their older parents had, and then pass them onto their own kid, but attitudes change over time. What you see as old-fashioned and what your kids will see as old-fashioned are going to be different. There might be a revival of old traditions that your kids think is cool and new to them, but which you see as old to you.

Edited July 30, 2013 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[derex3592]

So I wasn't sure where to post this, but this seemed a good a place as any..My GF has started writing a blog and once a week I get to give her a word and let her blog about it...so this week's word was Valkyrie...enjoy..

http://takingoffthetrainingwheels.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/boy-words-volume-3/?fb_source=pubv1

[mass driver]

That was quite articulate and funny. She really did do some research after all. Gotta give her credit for that. My wife regularly confuses my valks with the transformers. I've stopped trying ). Your gilfriend is a talented writer.

[derex3592]

Thanks! Her other blogs are pretty funny as well. I guess I'll keep her around..we had "a toy date" at one point and I kinda taught her how to transform a VF-1..

[skullmilitia]

If anyone gives me a negative comment about my valks in my house I simply point and kindly say

"Get the **** out"

Forget all that how to display nonsense.

[BoaRepublic]

I usually say "You should see my gun collection!" That'll make them think twice about saying or thinking anything.

+1 to this. I will use that if you don't mind

I collect more than just Macross. I am weary of every micronian that is not me

[Valkyrie addict]

Funny blog, nice girl! a keeper.

I guess I understand my girl a little bit more after reading that. Although, a coworker of her turn out to be a Robotech fan and she swiftly corrected him about Macross and the guy was dumbfounded by how much she knew.

[Benson13]

That is awesome.

[SilentCrossHairs]

What I tell someone when they see my toys? I say this. "I enjoy it, and it makes me happy." No one in my peer group thinks nothing of it. They know about my collection and they like it to.

[plastik]

I agree with Jason and great post LowvViz! Clean presentation is everything. Everyone who has seen my collection immediately assumes that they're models. I haven't gotten "are these transformers?" or "you collect toys?!" BUT I have heard from my fiance's sister "you collect dolls?". She was referring to my 1/6 Hot Toys collection....

[Cdisdope]

I have to say that 99% of people who see my various collections of stuff (Macross, cars, bike, planes etc..) mostly make pleasant or encouraging comments about them. Hey its my hobby and its what I do!

There was this one time (only just recently actually) that a mate of my brothers was over and saw my Macross display and immediately referred to them as "transformers s%&t"..

I felt overwhelmingly obligated to inform him that they were indeed NOT transformers or anything of the sort but he stood firm insisting that if they do transform then they are just as he originally referred them as..

Then the argument of how much they cost started up with him telling me im an idiot for spending as much as I do on them.. and.. that I am obviously childish, immature for collecting toys and rubbish in the first place and should grow up and act my age.

I was quite surprised at how verbally aggressive he was about it.. My brother later apologized for his mates behavior and said that he can be extremely narrow minded about a lot of things..

As far as I am concerned he can go f@#$ himself.

You should beat him with both a Transformer and a Toy-Biz Robotech figure and show him what the difference is. What a chump.

[Benson13]

Plastic, the Macross stuff should be on top where it's easiest to see.

[plastik]

I had originally moved them to the lower shelf to keep them away from sunlight but I recently tinted that window and have been too lazy to move them back to the top

[Cdisdope]

Interesting topic! Living in Japan, I don't have to worry too much about my someone breaking into my apartment and having my collection getting jacked (or getting shot in a random place, or being a victim of a bomb, or...)

I have my stuff still in boxes on shelves 'cause I live in a kind of small apartment. I get mixed reactions when people see my collection depending on who it is. Most of the time, it's positive. Sometimes if it's a girl, "お金もったいない” (okane mottainai) "What a waste of money." Then I question them about how many pairs of shoes or how many clothes or bags they have and say it's the same thing. My gf doesn't mind my collecting at all...she finds it a little amusing.

When I meet people for the first time, I don't mind saying that I love Macross and collect figures. I'm an English teacher and all my students know that I'm kind of an otaku. It's part of who I am, so why would I try to hide it?

[Kicker773]

Its usually silence...