Anime Figures Prices vs Other Manufactures

Prices are often a sore point for figure collectors.

For a normal person, affordable is all it's at. They are willing to spend ten dollars per figure if possible. That's what is often the cut-off pricing is at for a normal person.

Yes, people are willing to get more. Which is why with Funko's cheapness, it adds up to a pretty big collection.

For a diehard, the price can be meaningless. I know diehard Disney Parks fans are willing to shell out a lot of money for the best experiences, even when it's clear Disney is increasing prices every freaking year. While most people either downgrade or chose not to renew their AP, it doesn't change people still want AP because they love the parks just that much. I know this because my brother and probably cousin recently got a Flexpass AP.

Major collectors out there are willing to shell out to some extent to get what they want in their collection. It doesn't matter what you collect as you collect just something. How to consider it a collectible, it had been rare, significant historically, unique, and not sold everywhere that everyone can have it.

I harp a lot about Funko's false collectibility, but I won't deny what made others feel joy. Nobody should deny what others love. People should embrace the cheesiness and love, rather than hate on others simply because they love and would defend their passion for it. People are allowed to dislike and like something, but nobody deserves hate just for disliking and liking something. In a climate, where Americans don't seem to embrace the cheesiness and embrace subversion and deconstruction, people who loves something to go as far as getting a figure of it. Seriously, why can't people love something, cheesiness and all, without pushing it away just because they're 'grownup' now? Yes, you can seek out subversion and deconstruction but it shouldn't be the only thing. It's great to see people embrace their loves wholeheartedly but it's another to say that just because it's cheesy doesn't make it bad. Cheesiness never equals bad and should never be.

People are willing to shell out money for what they love. Given the 80/20 rule...

80% will spend money on casual things like affordable things to a somewhat reasonable degree. 20% will buy what they love, similarly to the other percentage, but will have more merchandise.

Let's get this out of the way.

Figure collecting is not cheap.

If you are a diehard or casual, figures are not cheap in price. In fact, it can get fairly steep. Anybody who is mildly interested in figure collecting or just getting some figures to know that they have to choose.

Depending on the company, the figure they're selling can be god knows what.

For a lack of a better price range, let's compare with Funko.

Funko cost ten dollars commonly. They can throw an extra five or ten in there for good measure if it's a special pop like an exclusive or specially made like Chrome.

This is why people like Funko. It's affordable and offers a wide range of IPs that kept it relevant.

Anime figures are exactly that. Anime figures. Yes, they can have video games and comic books. But for the sake of simplicity, let's just stick with anime figures.

Prize figures and trading figures, especially of the gasha variety, are priced affordably. Preorders tend to be around twenty to thirty dollars area.

That's worth about two to three Funko pops.

That's somewhat reasonable. Since even the eighty percent probably will choose that. A figure for three Funko pops is okay. It's not too hard-hitting like the next category.

Figures that cost around the thirty up to seventy or eighty bucks at best.

Thirty dollars is around a reasonable range for most people. Hell, my cut-off range is 40 dollars per figure and that's because I know I won't collect that many. And I still tend to choose the mid 30 dollar range. Upwards of that and I refuse to buy it. Yes, I will cry when I see a figure I truly love to have but it's just too much.

This would mostly comprise of what most figures people would see of anime figures. Prize figures would still be among them but if you know which is which, then you will know.

The common ones you see in this area is the Nendoroids and Figmas. Some statues too like SH Figuarts are commonly in the higher range. Looking as a Funko, it's probably three to seven pops.

Here, it's a gray area. People will spend at least thirty dollars or so for a figure. Hell, they are willing to spend for a twenty-something merch.

This just depends. It costs way too much for the common people. While some may try to get it, it's still too much for most people.

Again, most people won't try to shell out for a figure that costs a decent chunk of seventy bucks.

But that's not compared to figures that cost in the hundreds.

I won't shell out that much. I cry whenever I see I truly love to see in my collection but it just too much.

Here, the most expensive figures are the best of the bunch. In the quality that it deemed the price range.

It's relatively high-end. It's costly and would put a dent in your bank.

Some people might pay around the hundreds if they pool together money with a relative or significant other. My brother and his girlfriend are doing this for Disneyland AP Flexpass. At least, that's what I heard because I know they pool together to get the damn 200 dollars lightsaber experience. My brother's girlfriend confirmed it herself.

Compared to a figure that might cost around a thousand or more... I'm pretty sure most people would take their chances of buying a figure that cost seventy. I'm one of them since I'm pretty sure I'll see the price tag first before seeing the figure. Like just seeing the figure, hmming about the look of the figure, see the price, gawk at it, and move on.

Most people won't shell out that money. Only the diehards of diehards will shell out that much! And because of this price, they might be rare as fuck.

Listen, I would love the Thanatos figure about to be released next year and unlike the Veneziano figure I'm getting, I draw the line of spending nearly two hundred something for a figure. Even a Perfect Grade is a heck-no no matter how much I would love one.

People want a good deal. I got my first figure for eight to nine dollars so I'm satisfied. While I am getting three preorders - does a Re-ment count as a figure? -, it's not too costly unlike say the 200-something figure of Stars Bless You Sakura Kinomoto figure or Thanatos DX. While it could cause a dent, it's not as much as I would get a two hundred something figure individually.

This is why Funko pops is the popular choice for the common people. Most people would have at least a ten to thirty-something dollars than say a hundred for a figure that would cost little. A good deal is all it's at.

This is why Nakano Broadway and other stores are often recommended for those who wanted cheap nerdy stuff in Japan. Akiba for locals is often called a rip-off. Again, when you're on vacation and you seriously wanted a souvenir, especially from a place you wanted to visit a long-ass time, would you blow money there too? I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get an extra suitcase

Let's look at it from a Switch example.

The Switch is hugely popular in America. It's almost a given that people would be shocked you don't have a Switch in your family at the very least. My cousin and her fiance have two Switches in their possession.

People are willing to buy games. Games are around the thirty to sixty upwards variety. And people are somewhat willing to pay. Casual gamers may not go that far but they would prefer good games.

Japanese and Korean products are hugely popular. For a diehard BTS fan, they would rather spend money on concert tickets or merch, preferably the former, than say a bloody plastic surgery to look like their idol...and not even looking close, look more like a poor Jeffree Star knockoff.

People are willing to spend money on what they love. If they aren't collecting figures, they're getting games at either good deals or buying full price.

You could compare figure buying to other prices. While most people want to get games than figures, it doesn't mean people don't want figures. Funko pops are still hugely popular. Japan probably never understood it, especially when they're used to Sofubi and other garage kits. Compared that to Funko pops, I don't think Japan would see the value in Funko pops, especially when WonderFest is incredibly popular. Funkos are still being sold in Japan but Japan is used to quality and better designed than this. Just look at Funko partnering with the Pokemon Center to produce A Day with Pikachu figures which turned out to be quite popular.

People are willing to spend at thirty or so dollars at the very least. Not everyone wants to shell out a hundred for a figure.

While this started as a figure discussion, it boiled straight to other markets.

I'm sure that regardless of whether or not people are willing to pay full price or not, people just want a good deal.

A comic book that costs four dollars a pop with just one story that isn't even complete yet wouldn't compare to a Funko pop or hell a video game. Even an anime figure that costs around the mid-thirty dollar range is worth better than that.

Figure shopping is costly.

Figure manufacturing companies still provide wares of the affordable variety. They have to, especially when not everyone would shell out that much money for them. Preorders are around the twenty dollar range for prize figures generally.

While it is still around the lower end of thirty dollars, Good Smile Company is releasing a new line called Pop Up Parade. Quantum Mechanix released the Q-Figs with around the twenty dollar price tag.

And those are the affordable ones I can name at the top of my head.

A prize figure is the cheapest regular sized figure you could find if you want a figure. While in America, it's sold in retail for thirty dollars generally.

I mean, compared to a Funko pop which is sold at ten and an Amiibo sold at fifteen, it's a lot more but if you know what you want, then you could get it.

The ones I could name at the top of my head that is incredibly expensive would be Kotobukiya, Good Smile, Megahouse, and so forth. Seriously, I would love to have a GEM figure of Ash and Misty.

Those are the ones that people would complain about, price-wise. They are willing to pay at least thirty for not so much for a figure that could be around seventy.

I don't want to harp on anybody willing to shell out that much. They can spend however they like.

It can get difficult. Especially when you're spoiled with choice. Anime Figures does have choices you can choose from even if it's not an extensive list like Funko.

There are many good figures you can get out there. Entire stores are lined up entirely for figures you can pick in Japan.

Regardless of price, anime figures are various and unique to your own taste.

While I have a major preference for Banpresto and Nendoroids, I don't mind Kotobukiya and others. I would like to have them if I can find a figure I truly like and would have in my collection.

Each company offered something distinct and they try to do something different while keeping true to the character they are putting in figure form.

Funko pop offered both stylization chibi and a variety of IPs I don't think Kotobukiya or Banpresto have. I don't think Kotobukiya has Twin Peaks as something they can make.

By measuring things by Funko pops, since Funko pops is something people are willing to buy, a figure might be two to seven Funko pop in one. So one big figure or a figure that cost two Funko pops vs exactly two up to seven pops... Which do you choose?

It's approximately the same thing. With Funko pops, you would have a lot while for anime figures, it's a figure for the price of several pops.

It depends on what you choose.

For example, my cousin focuses primarily on Fire Emblem Amiibo while wanting Joker and Cloud Player 2 Amiibos. She does want other characters besides FE but she wants the characters she's interested in Amiibo forms. She isn't willing to pay 15-16 dollars but only if it's a 'damn the price' moment...

Now while I do have a variety to choose from. I don't want to list them here since there will be many. I just had a hard time picking and choosing what I like since you are basically spoiled for choice from many lines available. While I do focus on certain series over others, that doesn't mean I won't look at other figures and what they have to offer.

Now those are what I focus on, as for figure designs, I choose designs that just make me happy. Just looking at it makes me smile.

I choose figures that brighten my day, something that had my heart in an instant, something that makes me happy just looking at it. When I feel down, just looking at me calms me.

As a rule, I am not planning to get a roomful. While I do like scales and statues, I need to find space for them and I don't. I would love to display at their full capacity, but I don't. At best, I just hope to display the figures I have now without worry.

Figures aren't the only thing that is in this price range. Most figures are in this including companies not in Japan. Again, these companies do have relatively budget-friendly wares you can choose from.

Even Loungefly, which has lots of seventy dollars wares, has more affordable stuff. And their stuff sold in the Disney parks is not the fun kind of money you want to shell out. You can find more affordable prices at the Disney Warehouse Outlet.

If you consider these stuff in Funko pop numbers (and I don't mean the numbering on the box), then it should be better. If people are willing to buy at least a shelf full of them, even those within a budget of a college or high school student, then the measurement should be easier.

Seriously, people kept saying Funko is the more affordable choice for figures. If people are saying that, measuring the price of actual anime figures to the price of Funko pops usually is. In America, they typically cost ten dollars with the exclusives and 'specials' (referring to Chrome for example) so if you want a figure that costs thirty, it's three Funko pops.

I don't want to force anybody to spend money on a figure they don't want. All I want them is to know where they are willing to spend and to give a barometer on how much people are willing to spend.

At this moment in time, people are willing to spend things on what they like. Heck, my brother bought with his friend, a giant Iron Man Miniso plushie, that my brother was the one who kept it. Considering that he gave it a name just like how we often do with our plushes, I don't think he is willing to let things go.

Hell, I preordered a Re-ment Kid perfume bottle, a Sabo OP Mania Produce prize figure, and the Nendoroid Italy Veneziano/Feliciano. I'm not looking at any new figures beyond sighing at the Hetalia Nendos.

People are willing to spend, even preordering stuff. People already preordered games around sixty and statues around 200 bucks and buying exclusives at conventions. People are willing to spend for what they love. It's no different for figure shopping.

If people are willing to spend a bunch on Marvel Funko pops and I do mean there are many to choose from, then they should have no problem having a figure that cost thirty bucks.

Just that they have to eliminate Funko pops and exchange that for a figure that costs the same amount but in one figure instead of multiple.

Again, think of it at Funko pop prices and it should be easier because people are willing to spend on Funko pops. The casuals would spend money on Funko pops since you are more likely to find those than a Q-fig or a prize figure. Seriously in stores I find,  there are more often prize figures sold for thirty. And that's not how it is in Japan where prize figures are sold for the relatively cheap, cheaper than their counterparts anyway.

Considering a run-off-the-mill good bowl of pork katsu on rice would sell much cheaper in Japan than in America, I don't hold out much breath considering relatively foreign stuff would sell for a much larger price.

When some people say that anti-Funko pops are elitism, they should think again. Funko may be the more affordable choice, especially if you want more figures in your collection but that is not what people are saying. Most anti-Funko pops are usually about the quality and the horrors of the eyes than anything else. Seriously, James of TRO hates Funko pops and you think he's elitist for saying he loathes the lifeless eyes?

No, since people are willing to buy Funko pops and likely over anime figures or Loungefly which in the most expensive case could go for seventy to hundreds, then whatever they're buying should compute up in whatever they can think of as long as they know what they are doing.

Just to get this out of the way, these figure manufacturing companies do sell other stuff.

They have to, especially when people do want to buy their stuff at an affordable price range.

Funko does this. Aside from keychains and apparel, you find they also have other subsidiaries like Loungefly which is really popular with the ladies.

Good Smile Company does this. While Nendoroids is their most popular item - hell, I would love to have the entire Hetalia Nendo in my collection -, they are well aware they need to have affordable stuff. There are keychains, lines that are in the affordable range, and other stuff like that.

Quantum Mechanix sold affordable figures at 20 bucks called Q-Figs.

To not sell affordable wares especially to a consumer base who might not want to buy a hundred-dollar figure is unreasonable. Seriously, I would not likely buy a crazy expensive figure but prize figures are a go for a lot of people. If there are any anime figures people could get, it's often a prize figure. Even a preorder for a prize figure only goes up to twenty, thirty at the worst. In Japan, you could get a gasha figure for only a hundred or so yen AKA one to three dollars.

They need to spread their consumer base.

Again, if people are willing to buy Funko pops, then they can compute the prices vs what they want.

Because seriously, how else I'm going to tackle the problem of prices when Funko enjoyed a decade of success so far?

Haikyuu Speculations

So my speculations were wrong, of course.

Look, the intervening chapter between the new arc and the Nationals arc is rushed. The info dump is not well done and we've at least seen more of the third years passing the torch with Asahi entrusting the ace role to Tanaka. Just something more because it's just so sudden. We could've gotten the flow of time till the third years' graduation like three chapters at most instead of just one chapter with rushed info-dump.

While we have seen Hinata evolve as a player, we still have no clue if Hinata achieved his desire for the ace role. Because it seemed so rushed, the buildup to would-be rematches like Date Tech, Nekoma, and Kamomedai is lost. Any promises made were done offscreen. For the love of Godoka, what in the hell happened to Hyakuzawa? Because Hinata flat out said to him that he wanted him strong just so he could have a match with him. Captain Ennoshita? The confidence of Kinoshita and Narita? Ace Tanaka and his relationship with Kanoka? What the fuck happened to Fukurodani? At least I know where Bokuto is going but I don't know what happened in the nationals then!

Like, could've at least seen their matches? Or interactions before and after matches? A montage or this arc is going to be non-linear?

It was so rushed that if you didn't know that the mangaka is planning the Olympics arc, the chapter blindsides you. Seriously, I didn't even know the mangaka is planning a time skip and it came out of nowhere. Naruto and One Piece have a logistic reason for the time skips because it flowed easily into it. Heck, there's better transitions had been better done in Haikyuu arcs before so the rushed intervening chapter is probably the worst written of the entire manga I have seen.

While I am happy to see Yamaguchi as captain in his third year up to making the team go up to the third place at Nationals, what happened to Tsukishima? Because while Kei now has a deep love for volleyball, probably selecting a college with a strong volleyball team, I don't think the attention was drawn about going pro in his end. Unlike Kageyama who immediately joined the pro leagues, we learn Tsukishima go to college instead. Kei did want to block Hinata but I don't think he would ever will, the rate the story is going. Kei is unlikely to go pro in the likes of Oikawa, Hinata, Ushiwaka, and Kageyama.

Because of the rushed way the ending happened, I was left thinking what the fuck happened to these characters and did they ever achieve their goals or manage to get their character shown after the matches?

In the nationals, we were shown the Miya brothers and the so forth. After the Miyagi finals, we just saw Ushiwaka passing the torch to his juniors. Just what the fuck happened because it was just so fast and somebody who is used to Haikyuu's pacing is going to surprised going into the International arc.

People are allowed to feel the way they do, regarding the sudden change because they have little time to adjust. Even past arcs in Haikyuu spent a few chapters before it flowed into the new arc. Just look at the intervening chapters between the nationals arcs and the practice arc.

Regardless, I rethought the path of the story going on. The Tokyo Spring Nationals arc is dedicated to regaining Karasuno's glory, particularly since the seniors just wanted to go Nationals and not win exactly. Bokuto actually said that Fukurodani is going to win and we have no freaking clue who won in the end. At least, we got Karasuno's place in the third year. Just who won the first nationals Karasuno went to?

Because the scene is not in the anime, Hinata and Kageyama actually made a promise to meet each other in the Olympics. Not in a match since they are different disciplinaries as of currently but they will sometimes years into the future.

We should've seen this coming because Kageyama went to that path the fastest, immediately joining a pro team and then selected to join the National team to represent Japan at the Olympics. Of course, he didn't win in Rio 2016 but he probably wanted to win with Hinata.

This final arc, which I'm going to call the International Pro League arc and the Olympics arc, is going to be Hinata and Kageyama's goal to win the medal with Oikawa and Ushiwaka.

We haven't seen the rest of the cast yet, introducing little by little either through flashback or time skip. I'm pretty sure we're going to see them one way or another because it would be a disservice to the characters who are probably going to be pros unlike the characters we are focusing are in this arc extensively. While we'll likely see supporting characters from the original Japan teams, we are going to see support from Brazilian characters as well.

What I'm more surprised about to see international leagues and pros into this.

I had already guessed the pros would be in Haikyuu because it's Kageyama and Hinata's goal. It's part of their promise so of course, we'll likely see teams against each other in an international league before officially joining the national team together.

Hinata and Oikawa vs Ushiwaka and Kageyama in a match before the Olympics before all of them are selected to the National Team for the Olympics.

I'm at least sure of that since we're a year past the 2016 Rio Olympics. Hinata is one year into his stay in Brazil. He could probably move to Argentina to join Oikawa or something. He obviously didn't participate in the beach volleyball part of the Olympics nor the indoor volleyball.

What is with sports manga/anime with international and pro leagues nowadays?

Daiya no Ace featured an American team.

Free is diving more into pro leagues with Rin actively training to participate for the Olympics. We've seen more of Australia than what happened in season two.

And now Haikyuu is going headfirst into the Olympics training for the 2020 Olympics.

Baby Steps featured pro leagues with the main protagonist choosing to go pro. But this is before all these started into the pro international leagues themselves.

From what I could gather, Yuri on Ice probably kicked it off since it's the first to feature only the international leagues for a mainstream audience.

But these mangakas have to be careful because the international league demanded much more from their athletes. If they are training to be an Olympic athlete, then they better train to be one.

If you are training for the Olympics or at least major leagues around the world, the athletes have to be serious.

And the characters in these arcs now and then are completely serious.

And anybody thinking Haikyuu is going to end like in a few chapters... No, it's not. Have you seen long-running manga with long arcs? It's not gonna happen that soon, probably in a few years give or take. Let's just hope Furudate doesn't rush out the final arc as he did the interval chapter between the final and the Nationals arc. Given the mixed responses to the interval chapter, it's better for Furudate not to rush it out just because he was burnt out. Furudate took a semi-vacation to Brazil so he could've gotten time to rest and think.

We are in the year 2017 canonically, just a year after the Rio Olympics. We literally just seen Hinata watching Kageyama in a volleyball match on TV while doing his delivery work. It had been hinted that Hinata was in Rio by the time Olympics took place since it's implied he moved there sometime in the next school year and he's currently nineteen.

There are three years left until we head to Tokyo in 2020. Commonly in Haikyuu or sports manga/anime, they'll always be a training arc before the tournament. Haikyuu would have the training arc before the tournaments arc.

Because given the mixed responses to the sudden time skip that I'm pretty sure nobody has the time to adjust to the change - just one chapter -, the mangaka has to be careful if we are going to have another time skip so suddenly in the final arc. We're having a flashback to Hinata's beginnings in his stay in Brazil and reconnecting with Oikawa.

Even if people say it's the final arc, it's gonna be dang long. Just like the Wano arc having five acts just like kabuki and many fans including me are pretty sure the arc is going to be pretty long, I'm pretty sure there are mini-arcs within the final arc.

And hell yeah, Hinata is an OP fanboy and loves Zoro! Pedro couldn't even choose though Luffy is definitely one of his favorites!

Funko Pops

I don't hate Funko Pops. There are lots of problems I had with the figure, especially since sometimes it just doesn't look good overall.

My cousin really hates them. She doesn't think the chibi design is well done. Unlike something like Hello Kitty which she bore no ill to, hell she even grew up with it being exposed to it during childhood, she hates Funko Pops in every fiber of her being.

I mentioned improvements in my first post of Funko Pops.

Here, I'll mention the price range.

Common Funko Pops are typically within the range of ten dollars. Certainly, they'll be some be fifteen or twenty or even running up to the expensive.

Compare that to anime figures which typically cost around fifteen dollars range with Nendoroids costing about seventy to eighty bucks. The most expensive figures are really valuable from the hundreds to the thousands.

Look, I get it, anime figurines are bloody expensive and would break the bank if you weren't careful. I was only lucky to get my Usopp figure for nine bucks. Hell, I donated loads of textbooks so I could have space to display my Gunpla and get a tax deduction.

Funko Pop is supposed to be the easiest collector's toy out there. As a rule and probably why Funko is popular:

• affordable - it's really cheap for a common one. This is one of the main appeals really. Unlike the anime figures which cost a bunch, this is inexpensive. If anybody wants to compete with them, they need to be a low-cost alternative which Funko unfortunately cornered. Not everybody will shell out a hundred for a figure. I know this, any anime figure collector knows this, the entire world knows this. Although getting Funko Pops will add up if you aren't careful... At least anime figure collectors understand they have to be careful. I'm pretty sure getting thousands of Funko Pops will head up to the thousands pretty quick. 
• accessible - not every franchise will have a figure, especially for some obscure work or some work that doesn't demand a figure to be made. There could've been a better alternative than Funko Pops but in most people's minds, a Funko Pop figure which is the cheapest they could find for any figure that isn't vintage or cost a whole lot more. 
• don't require that much care - pretty obvious. Whether you leave it out or not, at least you don't have to care that much for it. You can leave it on your shelf in the box. All you have to worry about dust on your shelf.

Sure, there can be good figures and incredible detail that shows a good work on it.

But its general quality doesn't hold a candle to even a gacha or a prize figure. And those are probably the cheapest I could think of. And the prize figures are given to winners of Ichiban Kuji or crane games.

I love Gunpla because aside from cleaning, it's therapeutic once I got into the rhythm. Now, unlike others who can complete theirs within twenty or thirty minutes, I took typically two to three hours if it's an easy one but two days - but when I calculate the hours, it would be half a day - to complete a relatively normal one. When I go at my own pace, especially since firstly I have to follow directions and see how much I can complete within a time frame, it's satisfying, especially when the final product looks decent.

Even when looking at my precious anime figures, it just gives me a sense of happiness. When my cousins see her Amiibo that she personally put on her desk so she can see it at all times, she's genuinely happy.

Now, Funko wouldn't make her happy. While there are sculpts that she can see is well and good, she just doesn't like the eyes. I'm pretty sure people would agree with her on the eyes that just seem to lose any light or joy. She especially hates the Pokemon Funko Pops and thinks some of the poses made it look like it's going to pounce on her or stare into her soul.

If Funko Pops make you happy, you do you. I honestly don't care about what you collect or like as long as Funko itself finds some way to sustain itself rather than pumping out pops every single day.

Look, I understand Funko is a business, a public one too. The point of their marketability is affordable and accessibility. But when does common becomes too common and when will oversaturation will become too oversaturated that people feel like they wouldn't be caught dead with one and it doesn't help the black expressionless eyes unnerve people...

Some pops do look good and those pops have to change radically from the pop template. That's what I prefer.

As much as I like the Zoro and Brook Funko Pops, I refuse to put a single Funko Pop on my shelf because I can't play with them or display them with the grandeur. Seriously, I can play with my Nendoroids but I can't play with a Funko Pop because it's too stationary.

*sighs*

The prices depended on the store and the pop's exclusiveness. It's a far more reasonable price. Which means it loses some of its collectability and rarity. There are Funko common for a reason.

No anime figure is the same as the other. They have their unique poses. I have seen many Luffy figures and none have I seen are the same as the other. Similar in poses certainly like the Gear poses but I never heard the complaints from the anime figure collecting community much. From what I seen of the Luffy Gear figures, they are small, large, expressions similar but different enough from each other because the figures are sculpted with care.

As for Funko Pops, due to its accessibility, it can be a curse and a blessing.

Not only is it everywhere. You can find the same figure twice in stores, sometimes just because the only difference can be as minuscule as holding something or a streak of color. The supposed difference is the sticker stamped on the box. Sometimes, they'll overlay with something like glitter or scent or metal. Yet it's the same figure. Lego Minifigs have more features than Funko pops!

Better yet, anime figures have the thrill of the hunt AKA rarity in the numbers sold. That means anime figure collectors can sell/resell their figures. There is a reason Good Smile re-release Nendoroids. I know the feeling, especially when seeking out figures. Even before I started collecting figures and Gunpla, I did like looking at the figures because they are unique regardless of price.

Even Amiibo gets this with the lowered number getting out.

Funko is having too many of the Commons, Flocks, Chases out there, getting rid of the thrill of the hunt. Now, I understand the selling in various shops but for the love of Mew, there is no fun in getting the figures if you can find it easily.

Please, I'm pretty sure the common folk can get a common which would lose its value pretty quickly because it's not unique.

A common is not going to worth much unlike a Flocked. You can literally pass a common off to a younger kid without any thought because it's that basic.

For better or for worse, anime figures' prices and their low numbers made figure collecting, especially since this type of collecting can be restrained due to the figures' prices.

Anime figure collecting does not force you to get every single figure regardless of price.

It means a certain allocation of which figures you want and if you truly want it. It means understanding what figures you want and if you are willing to shell out the money for it.

It means you must really like the figure.

Anime figures are only in anime shops or anime designated places such as thrift shops. Not every shop shares the same prices or the same figure. Akihabara is a goldmine of anime figures. There are exclusives to Ichiban Kuji, shops, etc. Gunpla is the same where there is Gunpla available only at Divers City. Because it's only sold in anime-related shops or in geeky spots, anime figures are highly sought after, especially given its high quality and uniqueness.

As for Funko, you can have the liking for the figure, yes. I won't dispute that.

However, because it's everywhere, it loses its collectibility quickly. It forced you technically into collectibility because it's often in series and lines. Especially if it's not the only line of Stan Lees, Deadpools, and Batmans out there. Seriously, if you are only collecting just one of the aforementioned three, Funko Pops pumps out more. And the only difference is something as small as holding something or just different clothes despite the same squatting beady-eyed figure.

If the serious collectors aren't getting it, then the common folk aren't getting it either.

The anime figure community is relatively niched. It's not like people can easily get it unless you want it. It's available through many means but you have to want to get it.

Funko Pops...

They are making mistakes and in a bubble that could kill or at least cripple them.

The anime figure collecting has not died down anytime soon nor had the Gunpla which had been going on since its conception. For Godoka's sake, nobody can dispute that Gunpla is something people can just snap build. And you don't have to collect every single one either.

The reason why anime figure collecting is so huge is that each figure is unique and there are various ways to get certain figures from claw machines to winning a fucking lottery. And when I say each figure is unique is not a joke.

It's not something as small as holding a detail that differentiates it. It's an entirely new pose and face and feature. There's a figure with squishy breasts for the love of Godoka.

As for Funko, you could collect what you want.

What you should be doing is being careful, especially if something might lose its value pretty quickly precisely because of shady business practices and the loss of the thrill of the hunt.

Funko Pops should not be everywhere. Just like anime figures are only in anime shops, Funko shops should only be designated in particular shops and low numbers so that their cost and rarity would actually count. That way, it would not lose its value quickly as soon as one jot down the number.

Funko must not continue doing this, not when their figures aren't typically unique from one other, too common that it loses its value, and don't require much care or creativity.

I understand Funko Pop is supposed to be the everyman's collectible. However, it's a double-edged sword.

Collecting is a niched hobby ranging from model ships to antique toys.

The difference is its rarity and uniqueness in its history and/or numbers. I'm pretty sure not everyone would have the figures I have and quite literally everyone who collects anime figures has different figures in their collection. It shouldn't be the same old pop just with different coloring. It should be just different enough so that it was worth buying and collecting.

Yes, I do love the details in certain Funko Pops. Zoro is the first to pop in my mind alongside Spider-Ham.

But I refuse to have a Funko among my collection. Regardless of its detail or sculpt, it's just too common when I have differences among my Gunpla and anime figures. Seriously as much as I love the detail on that Zoro Funko, I would rather have an actual anime figure of Zoro who looks cool.

It just wouldn't look good in my collection, especially given just how samey Funko figures ended up looking.

Funko, as a figure, has a problem right now, probably in a bubble that could burst sooner or later because of their business practices.

If Funko must survive, they have to change up their strategy.

Unlike anime figures or Gunpla which I recall never having been called a fad, Funko Pops are called a fad, whether it is by the people who dislike or just critical of it despite their love for it.

Regardless of your stance on Funko Pops, Funko would be in trouble if this short-term plan vanished.

Even Loungefly has a better chance of survival because they offer variation in their merchandise and I love them for it. Really, even looking through their catalog alone, I think Loungefly would still do well.

As for Funko, there's a probability the figures wouldn't even survive in the climate of figure collecting when it's just everywhere.

While I don't think Funko will fail completely, I do think the only reason it hasn't fallen off of relevancy is because of the IPs. The IPs will keep it relevant or at least be its mainstay, no matter how samey the figures ended up getting.

Seriously, the details on certain Funko Pops like the Zoro one I just mentioned have so many details go into it like the scars and the swords.

But as much as I like that Zoro Funko, I want an actual Zoro anime figure because I want my Zoro to look awesome. I love my Zoro to be that demon as much as I love him dorky.

I am not hating on Funko. Yes, I don't like Funko Pops on a variety of issues while my cousin truly hates it.

What I do want Funko and their fans are to worry about the business practices and why the figures just aren't unique with pumping out news and pop every freaking day without consideration of the space and money of the customers.

Doug Walker, Nostalgia Critic, and Channel Awesome

I talked about Channel Awesome before so let me talk about Doug Walker. 

I will never say that I wasn't a fan of his. I was at least until I grew disinterested in his work. To say that I was never ever a fan is disingenuous for me. I was a fan and watched his series before he uploaded it to YouTube officially. 

Because I watched his videos, I found others to watch like Linkara and JesuOtaku. 

Now that's history is out of the way, I wanted to discuss Doug Walker as an artist.

In all intents and purposes, Doug wanted to be an auteur filmmaker and producer. He certainly thinks himself better as one while his former friends and associates (Lindsay Ellis, Ed Glaser, Eric Rodriguez) who actually went to film school disagreed. I don't know about Noah Antwiler but since Spoony wanted to be a part of the filmmaking scene, I just don't know especially given poor Noah's mental state. 

For the time period of the early 2010s, his editing process would be deemed okay. Not respectable, amateur but okay. His friends, AVGN, Angry Joe and Phelous, have better editing at the time. 

You would think he would hire a group of editors or just some editors to help him make better. Arin Hanson hired editors, the Try Guys hired editors, Safiya Nygaard hired editors. 

You would think for a group hiring actors and collabs would also hire editors.

But the editing has not changed. It's easy cuts to scenes to 'theatrical cuts' of some plot or skit. The green screen is not easily blended to show enough realism and the editing would just come off silly. It makes the videoes he just didn't put in the effort, even for a video he supposed have months to show for. 

It's no secret Doug has an apparent egocentric self-centered personality about his filmmaking. He legitimately believed he is making art when his editing is a bit not good. There's a cringe compilation for the love of Godoka. 

However, his naivety and often times his ego would get in the way. Just look at the production issues with all three of his anniversary movies. 

Let me make this clear.

Those movies are his movies. While Mike Michaud may make the final calls in official business including firing people for not being at a Skype chat for fifteen minutes, the movies are Doug's babies. To Boldly Flee was Nostalgia Critic's swan song.

However, if only Doug gets out of his head of his own issues which he fully admits and actually extends a hand he negligently forced upon unwarranted cruelty just so he could escape lawsuits. 

Doug wanted to be a filmmaker. He made his intentions clear with Demo Reel.

Except he should've let his fans and producers know about it. They would still support him if they were allowed time to adjust. Announce the retirement of your character to your producers first about a year beforehand, allowing them time to organize how to survive.

Doug can have his Demo Reel by trying it out as a separate show from the Nostalgia Critic main. That way, not only Doug can have his passion project but get fans' reactions. Have a pilot and test it out. It couldn't be easier than to get fans' reactions and the allowance to make changes if necessary, getting the groove on.

Instead of forcing fans to dedicate forty minutes of their lives each episode to a show that had a loose schedule and poor reception from the get-go because fans didn't have enough time to adjust with the lack of Nostalgia Critic. 

I was willing to give Doug the benefit of the doubt that he believed he has the support from fans and producers if he surprised them instead. 

But hindsight is fifty-fifty. 

Fans are not willing to support something they aren't used to that has no advertisement beforehand or announcement of the previous show's ending that came abruptly.

They are willing to give you the ending Nostalgia Critic deserved. If they didn't spring upon with the news of Nostalgia Critic's, in their eyes, abrupt cancellation. 

They would fully understand that you want to get out there and produce auteur filmmaking but give them a warning beforehand, give them time to adjust. 

*sighs*

I'm supposed to be talking about Doug as a filmmaker.

He's not a filmmaker. He legitimately believed he is making art if his reviews and skits have anything to say about it. 

He's a YouTuber, a guy in a costume ranting in front of the camera in a blank room. 

For all his belief he's a filmmaker, he never tried to evolve. His editing is the same early 2010s style that would jive with the YouTube of 2019's editing. 

It might work then but it won't work now.

Not when video essays and commentaries with well-animated and precise explanations and research are desired in this day and age. 

Easily flowing editing that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb like Ben from Game Grumps and the group of editing the Right Opinion rounds up for his commentaries are notable examples. An informed well-researched explanation/critique is all that people would want.

Even videomakers who didn't go to film school but study film in books and attend some class in improv comedy - yes, Arin attended improv to better improve his comedy - shows that Youtube had grown since the early 10s. Abroad in Japan and Slime House is one of the examples I can name at the top of my head. 

Yes, they would escape reality with videos of Let's Plays or travel videos or living vicariously through those whose traveling or finding fun in people doing challenges. 

But considering he didn't do a simple Google search for soundproof sound stages in his office he got just for Demo Reel... Yeah, I wouldn't hold out hope he would be nothing more than a YouTuber who got lucky and wanted to be a filmmaker above all else.

And the only fame he would get is from his little fanbase. 

Doug has been a laughingstock ever since the Change the Channel debacle about his many, many flaws as a reviewer and a video-maker. 

When even people who have small channels with few subscribers say they would not make his piss-poor editing is an understatement. It would work for a first-timer but for someone who did it as long as he did, it's unacceptable. 

Doug's type of evolution is being a filmmaker.

He adds skits because he so desperately wants to be an actor and director. It shows so hard that he wants to be one.

But he doesn't want to go to Hollywood. Other than the horrible business practices Hollywood often partakes in, Doug doesn't think he would survive in an environment.

Then why doesn't he become an independent filmmaker then? 

Let's look at another filmmaker who is two decades his senior. 

He crowdfunds his movies and people support him because he made entertainingly bad movies in the likes of Tommy Wiseau and James Nguyen. 

Breen didn't even study in film school. He's a real estate agent and only made the movies because he has a deep passion for them. If IMDB is right, then Doug did get to film school and according to Erod, bragged about attending one film shooting unlike the many that Lindsay, Eric, and Ed may have attended. 

Neil Breen is an independent filmmaker and for all his faults, he's inspirational for aspiring filmmakers especially of the independent type. 

And Doug Walker will never now walk in Breen's shoes as an inspirational independent filmmaker.

If Doug wanted to become a filmmaker, then become an independent filmmaker but learn from the mistakes first and crowdfund your independent movies that people want to see.  

Instead of forcing the actors to recoup the cost for you. 

Crowdfunding wouldn't do much for Doug since that game show was shot to hell and considering that the Walkers and Michaud see it as e-begging...

Yeah, Doug Walker would never become the filmmaker he desperately wanted to be. 

He couldn't get shooting permits for his previous movies, for the love of Godoka and thinks that fast food runs are all enough for his actors when his actors need food and water the entire time they are in the vicinity of the set. He can be aware of his actors getting sick or borderline thereof but something like providing food and water is something not obvious to him. Even I am aware of this because this is both a necessary and common sense. 

Doug has to have known his movies are vanity projects, given Nostalgia Critic blatantly point it out. 

But his movies, according to his former friends, came with him had no intention to learn. Because he thinks he knows everything.

Though given years later, he doesn't soundproof his new office or tries to make his editing look more fluid.

I don't know when his ego came in full-force.

But his friends were supportive up to a point. In To Boldly Flee, while they did have fun, the hellish production was too much for everyone involved. The management didn't even try to make it better for everyone involved. 

When even his friends who aren't even aiming to be actual independent filmmakers have the common sense to provide their crew with crafts services and get permits. Linkara learned from Doug's mistakes and made damn sure to have his cast and crew comfortable. Marzgurl, who made the unfortunate Farewell FamiKamen Rider, made sure she paid for the time her cast and crew made for the movie. Mike Jeavons, who made Internet Dating and Me, outright said that he paid the shooting permits and hotel for his cast and crew. James Rolfe outright stated that he went through so much trouble to get legal permits. None of them are aiming to become indie filmmakers in any way since that's not their goal and they know they're YouTubers. 

Doug, get your head out of your ass and learn from your mistakes. If you truly want to become that auteur, you must learn to become a truly great filmmaker.

It's amusing Tommy Wiseau actually went to the Golden Globes whereas Doug Walker would never be recognized in the same fashion. 

He basically became Tommy Wiseau in Internet form. But this time, Doug's works wouldn't be recognized on the same level as The Room's fun. 

I understand Doug has the right to hate or don't care. I honestly do not care Doug don't like Pokemon or Power Rangers. That does not hurt me. What hurt me is that he doesn't care for their legacy or their adult fanbase whose heart truly loves it. 

His jokes border on the mean-spirited and the implication he never tries to understand the thing he doesn't like or understand. 

Just look at Sailor Moon. It's obvious he doesn't care and spread misinformation when Sailor Moon is a shoujo, written by a female mangaka, and shoujo is aimed at girls. 

Yes, Sailor Moon has its problems but all stuff does. Do you think I let the flaws of Hetalia and One Piece ruin my enjoyment? Never. 

I am not asking him to become a fan but rather the willingness to have him understand so he can make an informed decision from an outsider's perspective. Bring in major fans who actually know the ins and outs of the series and provide insight. 

Don't make assumptions. Learn, research, and understand why the thing you're hating managed to become so big even among adults now and managed to maintain their reputation to this day. Doug seemed to think Pokemon is a fad when not really... His excuse that he was in high school when Pokemon came out is weak when I know full well high school and college students are in love with Pokemon. Adults love Pokemon and they are unrelenting about their love. 

It would be disingenuous for the fans who love the series Doug hate. Even if he would never understand, he could at least make an effort to understand the fanbase since he seems to like being praised.

That's all I've been asking him. 

I'm pretty sure the fans of Pink Floyd's The Wall want the same thing too given how much backlash he did not understand what the album means personally to Roger Waters or its historical context. I'm pretty sure they don't care if you hate or love the product as long as you review it and not waste time with repetitive badly written 'parody' songs. 

The reason I'm saying this is because of Doug knows how to put in the research. For the most part, his editorials can be a hit or miss. Just look at his Whitewashing video for the love of Godoka.

He can put in the research if it's something he loves like TMNT. Just look at his Ducktales 2017 video. 

And even then he doesn't do that much. Just look at his poor understanding of Jean Grey and her character development. Listen, the comic history is convoluted but he could at least reach out to people who know the history or look it up for better understanding.

It's not that hard. A simple Google search is all he had to do. Go to forums or go to his friends who actually know it. For the love of Godoka, Calluna released a retrospective on Sailor Moon. 

Seriously, a Google search is all he can do so he doesn't embarrass any further by portraying himself as an auteur director when he's anything but. 

When his fanbase is based entirely on new fans with old fans abandoning due to disillusionment. 

What he can do to rebuild the bridge and reach out to those he hurt in his ten-year reign with Rob and Mike. 

What he can do is learn and understand.

Channel Awesome might never reach the level of its golden days but the complications may prove difficult for those who want a happy ending. 

But considering real life, I don't think Doug would be apologizing or understanding of differing opinions or listen to criticism.

Listen, unlike Arin Hanson who doesn't see the comments he gets about how he's terrible at games or how he's bullying Dan but if you know the long history, they are best friends and stuck together for years now. His comments are basic and there are times Arin has shown to be a decent player. Like he's no Jirard or Joe Vargas but if he knows how to play a game, then it's all fine. He's not an egotist since I bet he's fully aware of his flaws and is a good friend up to including to letting SuperMega go as his editors for their happiness despite knowing he has to hire another editor.

Doug, though, has an ego and thinks himself a next Steven Spielberg. He doesn't listen to his friends when all they want is to give advice so he could make a better product. Yes, he has issues during his production which he admitted to not eating or sleeping for long periods. But his depression doesn't give him the right to have negligence in the set as forcing people to endure in a hot attic with no filming or go to the local Walmart to buy bottled water in bulk or just call crafts services for the love of Godoka. 

What Doug has to do is learn, understand, and become better for it. 

Listen, for those who are still watching Doug's content, keep watching him for all your heart's content. 

I honestly do not care if people still enjoy it. 

There's a difference between cancel culture and the death of the author. 

The problem is Doug himself and his unwillingness to change or grow in the decade he got his Internet fame. And he's losing it the more he doesn't do the research or respect the material he's reviewing when all he had to do is just search online.

Come on, he has problems with tech and a single Google search is probably the easiest thing anybody can do, even the least tech-savvy. He should have an easy time researching, given he actually went to college where research is definitely required for a better essay. It should be a no-brainer that he could do a simple Google search on the Wall gave how much he said this is his pet project, something he had been working on for months.

Instead, that effort clearly went into getting collabs and those collabs have a tight schedule for the release of the video, and the songwriting and just basically recreating the scenes probably from one watch. I doubt he even saw the movie again. 

By someone who outright mistakes names and not jokingly too and outright misinterprets scenes when the scene is right there in the original. It's alright for a bad movie since everybody can watch a fascinatingly bad movie like The Room but it's another when it's something that actually has exposition right there and it's spelled out to you like Deadpool and the newer Jurassic Park movies. 

Doug does have potential and I will never deny anyone their dream. 

But the way he's going is showing he isn't growing and learning the more he continues in his trek. What he must do is obvious if he truly wants to become an indie filmmaker and that's to learn and grow. 

Universal and Disney

Look, I always planned to visit USJ one day with my one desire to see the One Piece Summer Premier. Now though, it looked more tantalizing.

The last theme park visit I ever had was at Universal Hollywood which I am actually glad about. The last time I ever visited Disneyland was just before I entered middle school I think because I am sure I never visited Disneyland anytime after elementary school. The closest thing I could ever get to Disneyland nowadays was a trip to Downtown Disney and that's years ago.

I harbor no interest in ever visiting Disneyland or any Disney Parks...with the sheer exception of Tokyo DisneySea and that's only because I want to see the beauty. Without any IPs.

I'm not a theme park visitor. Again, the last time I ever visited a theme park was at Universal Hollywood. And I'm sure I was there before the Hollywood Universal Park version of Harry Potter opened in 2016. Because if I was there, I'll pretty much drag my parents there. My family kept complaining about the hiking prices at Disneyland, making them not want them to visit again. My cousin and brother are the only ones who visited Disneyland sometime within last and this year. My little niece visited Disney World years ago with her mother, grandmother, great aunt, and father and that's two years ago and she's three.

Seriously, having a Nintendo land is going to give a good black eye to Disney.

I don't want Disney to fall. All I just want for Disney is to have rivals because having rivalry is good for capitalism. The fact Universal Harry Potter land had given them a black eye in the past is great for them.

All the things Disney is doing is a bad look and even me, not even a Disney fan for a long time, is worried that they are increasingly arrogant and need be taken down a peg. If it takes the Japanese video game sphere - which I have to remind you will not sell themselves to Disney, no matter how they love it because what they are built on the blood and tears of their ancestors - to do it, then Disney needs that punch.

Because Japanese and Korean media have been increasingly popular nowadays with the rise of manga and anime to the point Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu are trying to compete for titles on top of Funimation, Sentai, and other anime dubbing companies.

I mean the Hagrid ride has a ten-hour wait line!

Right, where crowds are light at Disneyland and rides at Galaxy's Edge. But for Disney crowds at the parks in the peak summer... yeah...

Yes, Harry Potter beat the hell out of Star Wars!

Disney needs rivals and this is a good one.

Especially since one of their few successful games ever is Kingdom Hearts. Although I consider that more Square Enix because it's Nomura's baby. I doubt Disney had any hand in the main overarching story at all. Yes, the Pixar crew and some writers on the Disney American side of things helped with the story writing even if it's for an arc or two - I count each world as an arc - but they barely had little idea on what Nomura is even planning. Even the most dedicated of KH fans still have their confusion with the story and they caught up with the entire saga.

But in comparison to the likes of Super Mario Bros, Zelda, Pokemon, Donkey Kong...

Yeah...

Disney had tried to appeal to the video games crowd before and didn't work out too well.

But when it comes to Nintendo where today the Nintendo Switch is huge and Nintendo games are a continuous success, I think Disney is panicking right now. I don't see Mario and Zelda losing their appeal in the years to come.

And they need to and should panic.

Disney had made many bad decisions in regards to Star Wars and their parks with their price increase. I know this because my family doesn't like the price increase. They have no desire to go to Disneyland. In the end, they began traveling abroad or up north in Cali instead. My aunts who long since became new grandparents began traveling to New York to visit the Niagra Falls and only visited Walt Disney World years ago. They even have a Niagra Falls souvenir on display at their house. My other cousins with their parents traveled to London, Italy, and France. Another cousin with her now fiance traveled to France and Japan. My entire family knows about my desired trips to Japan because it's not like I made it more evident with watching travel videos regarding Japan.

Now my family does visit Disneyland but it's only a very few. They still love Disney albeit relatively muted. Again, only one of my cousins and my brother are the only ones who visit and they aren't annual pass holders.

Disney cannot keep raising prices that even my cousins are complaining about it. They must not.

If they want to keep getting money from their consumers, they must be treated as consumers.

Disney cannot buy any more franchises or create mergers with any other big companies. They are already in big debt and eating themselves alive at the theatres. They must not buy more, not when they are raising prices at their parks and potentially Disney Plus. When their parks are in trouble, they cannot afford to buy more and force their consumers in their overpriced products. There's a reason why the Disney Character Warehouse Outlets is doing well.

Disney, don't buy anything more and don't increase prices to your previously overpriced products and parks. You won't get any more consumers if you price out your middle-class consumers who would likely find it much better spending money on overseas vacations or your theme park rivals or even your overseas Disney park.

Make your prices reasonable or making things cost so much less. Bring entertainment back because people go to your park, not as a mall, but for entertainment. Listen, I don't go to Universal Hollywood to see just more than just the rides, I see the shows.

People want entertainment and in a period where various methods of entertainment can be found, cutting entertainment out of the parks would leave nothing but a mall with rides.

You're practically making your rivals and your overseas parks as a better avenue of vacation any day of the week.

Just don't, Disney, don't overspend, overprice, cut entertainment, fire people who least deserve it, and most of all, don't lose sight of your consumer.

As for your Galaxy's Edge, you shouldn't open it early and at least give out information about changes. Don't budget cut it, especially when your rival Universal throw money just to compete with you. If Universal knows they have to go all out to compete with you, then you shouldn't budget cut it. In the realm of theme parks, you either have to go all out or find some efficiency or both.

Especially when that Disney magic and showmanship could get you the money you need to pay back.

For fuck's sake, Iger, get your head out of your rear end and help save the company that made you rich in the first place.

Listen, I understand Disney is a business. I understand that fact for a long-ass time.

But it shouldn't come at the detriment of people not willing to shell out more than hundreds and thousands.

The middle class is something you should be tackling, not draining the only ones who are going there regardless of price. Lower the goddamn prices. Don't get rid of entertainment when people go there to be entertained. Fill your hotels to capacity by lowering the prices so much you could have more families going in.

People understand you need money, Disney. They understand at some level, you are a business.

What they do not want is for Disney to lose that magic. People are getting more disillusioned the more they learned they learn bad stuff like low pay or budget cuts that rid of entertainment or focus on an audience. Don't lose your core audience to your greed.

You cannot keep doing this, Disney. Just don't raise prices even more and produce quality works that are actually worth it. Don't overspend on wastes of money that would increase your debt, forcing you to drain your loyal customers.

Universal learned this lesson well with the Harry Potter land which managed to stand the test of time simply for its immersive atmosphere and activities.

It's good and all you are focused on diversity but your story and characters must not be detrimental. Call people 'racists' or 'sexists' simply because they don't like the character would not help the movement. Respect your audience and consumer but don't lose sight of what matters to people and that's a good story and character.

And Rose Tico is not a well-executed character or the potential is lost there all just for politics rather than making a good character and the loss of the potential of Finn, Poe, and Rey is much evident.

Let me address the elephant in the room.

Disney's bad press is increasingly closing on them. From denying a simple headstone for a boy who was a fan of theirs to the flop of Galaxy's Edge to Chinese politics to allegations of fraud, this quarter is not a good look for them. In fact, it's really easy nowadays since the debacle of not allowing a dead boy's favorite character on his tombstone.

I don't hate Disney. I am annoyed at Disney and horrified that Disney is going to form a monopoly in a flawed capitalistic world. I don't buy much into Disney's hype nowadays. Not since Toy Story 3 and Frozen. While Brave did weather my liking for Pixar, TS3 screwed the pooch and made me refuse to buy even a single merch for them. Same with Frozen. Then again I haven't had any Disney merch since I was a child. Any kind of Disney merch I even have currently such as a lounge fly mini backpack that was bought from Tokyo Disneyland is from my cousin. Years later.

I don't think Disney would fail anytime soon. In all likelihood, Disney would be forced a humble pie just as the same pie was forced into the faces of the Channel Awesome higher-ups. Disney needs some humbling and if it takes the people to force them to eat that pie, I would have no problem joining the crowd, breaking the pedestal.

I grew up with Disney watching The Wonderful World of Disney and having some Disney movies on hand. My nostalgia has long since disappeared and I have since looked at Disney with a critical eye. I still have a fondness for animated movies but my family knew full well how much my opinion is pretty much 'meh' and my disliking of Frozen. And my dearest wish to travel to Japan seasonally.

I don't want Disney to fail. I don't want Star Wars and Marvel to fail. I don't want Sony to fail. I don't want Fox to fail.

They should be held accountable for their actions that hurt others.

The way Disney is handling PR and things that are coming out right now especially for a company that manufactured a good family-friendly image. So, Disney, all I can say is Good Luck.

Despite my feelings towards Disney nowadays, I still have fond memories of the movies I watched in my childhood and my childhood summer trips to Disneyland. Even now, Disney Cinderella is held close to my heart. Disney is the reason why I always planned a retelling of fairy tales novels with Cinderella being the first of the lot.

I don't hate Disney. I just want them to do better than just attacking fans just for not agreeing.

I understand the betterment of the marginalized and their rep in media. But pushing that as the only appeal rather than the story and the character is no good.

People can still have their better rep but it shouldn't be the only appeal. The appeals generally are good story. If it has a gay character that is respectfully treated, then that's good and a bonus to a good story.

Disney, I want you to do better and get your head out of your rear end.

If anyone has any negative thoughts that I hate Disney, I don't. I still treasure my childhood trips to Disneyland. I still love the Disney movies with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White being the first exposure I ever have to Disney.

As a tradition, before we went inside the park, we always take family pictures in the front garden. We still kept pictures of it.

Now, I worry about Disneyland's attendance.

After that, we immediately went for Fantasyland for the Teacups, Peter Pan and Snow White rides. Because that's also a tradition. After that, it's Small World, then Toontown, then Pirates. (It was annoying when Disney got rid of the wench scene but for the love of Godoka, last I heard from parks fans, there was no decrying).

I remember the day walking around the park, riding rides I can't remember.

And all of this was in the Eisner era.

I won't dispute others for having precious memories in the Iger/Chapek era of Disney right now but I certainly don't remember the sardine level of crowds. I was able to walk around easily.

While I would love to visit Disneyland again, I would rather choose studio tours - I went to Warner Bros Studio Tour - and other immersive theme parks and especially trips to Japan. I definitely want to see Tokyo DisneySea.

I don't want the parks to fail.

While my family isn't hardcore Disney park fans, we love the parks for its experiences. And let me tell you, my brother and my cousin aren't ap holders. And they will go to the parks if they planned it.

When I say experience, it's stuff like the rides and the atmosphere that got us. While some of my family members do have Instagrams, they aren't social media influencers and prefer to take pics when it's cute or show some kind of experience they deeply enjoy. For example, my cousin who went to Japan with her now fiance has an Instagram of her friends there so she could know when to take her trips next. She loves the Nara deers. I'm sure they would take photos of cute food since my other cousin took a picture of an alcohol bottle shaped in a Chinese dragon but they aren't social media influencers. They love taking pictures but they aren't influencers.

I truly doubt my brother and my cousin who went to Disneyland actually go there for the walls when they have been there for summer childhood family trips.

So anime and manga had been on the rise again.

I was surprised about the sudden rise of Naruto and Bleach coming back to the forefront with the latter live-action movie, which I actually like. And I was there in the rise of manga and anime partially because my cousins were definite watchers of Pokemon and Power Rangers.

Japanese and Korean media became increasingly popular for various reasons. From superheroes shifted the focus to the variety of anime and manga had to offer...

I'm worried about Hollywood and Disney. Disney already owned too much and they need competition thus be taken down a peg.

I honestly don't care about live-action adaptations of anime. Yes, I will still seek them out if I'm interested but for the most part, I don't care.

Why should I worry when I got my anime and manga to watch and read? I'm perfectly happy with One Piece Wano arc's animation. Speaking of which, I'm honestly want to watch the live-action adaptation of One Piece to see if they can adapt a series who mainly used the sea as a major backdrop and elaborate settings.

Yes, I do worry about the PC and cultural imperialism that will inescapably occur in this inevitable adaptation. Not even caring about what the Japanese have to say about their own political and social sphere. Because why care about the Japanese voice when your voice is stronger!?

For the love of Godoka, please try to know what's make these series inviting in the first place and don't ruin the original's magic. I already had my heart stabbed by many American live-action adaptations with the recent one being Ghost In the Shell.

I already had enough of American feminists trying to inject their PC into a Japanese work where Japanese feminism exists. And Japanese feminism is a whole different beast.

Speaking of which, I am hoping to see a new Ouran High School Host Club because I genuinely love the series to the point I have a complete collection of the manga and hoped to see the completion of the original manga in anime form. Hopes that adaptation would in the likes of the current Fruits Basket adaptation than the slightly dubious Sailor Moon Crystal. And I'm not the typical watcher of re-adaptations when I have the manga. Because seriously why not? There's already Sailor Moon, D.Gray Man, and now Fruits Basket. Why would another truer to the text anime adaptation hurt any more when there are already several to choose from?