Ramen Toys

[TheRealSmallville]

Do we really not have a thread for Ramen? I know they've come up, but Search says it's always been in other threads.

Anyways, Ace had a live stream earlier and made a couple announcements that caught my eye.

A) I never watched Bravestarr, so have only been half paying attention to their versions of Bravestarr and Thirty/Thirty, but then they revealed this guy:

And my jaw dropped. Bad-ass just by himself and makes me want to go back and rethink the Marshal and 000 (I think they're calling the horse).

I somehow missed this thread, and only just seeing this now. When I was a kid, I had pretty much all of the Bravestarr line (including Fort Kerium...wish I still had it). One of my favorites was Tex Hex and his walker-speeder thing there. If I recall, it was a vehicle for flying and walking, the legs would fold down.

I have Ramen's Marshal, he's great. Can't wait for 30-30, and Tex Hex is in the pipeline? What a cool time to be a collector (outside of the real-world stuff, obviously). So cool!

 

[Misfit]

I didn't either until it was pointed out and then of course I couldn't unsee it afterwards. Likes I said I don't know why he went with the singular when everyone seemingly has an inclination to see/use the plural.

It's kind of like those word exercises where they change/remove a word, or the spelling of a word, in a sentence/paragraph to show how the mind will fill in the expected structure of the sentence.

Funny enough, I just got an email from them and the address is "ramentoys..." It seems even they're unsure of what their company name is supposed to be.

And as it relates to my issue, it will cost me $15 to get new cables from them which they say is the price to ship. I guess I'll do it, but they better work.

 

[Thwiptster]

It's kind of like those word exercises where they change/remove a word, or the spelling of a word, in a sentence/paragraph to show how the mind will fill in the expected structure of the sentence.

I read this twice to see if you out a word.

 

[mrArticulate]

KITT is up $299 early bird thru June. Ramen shipping is $46, Factory Entertainment shipping is $25 in CA, but they will probably add sales tax to US buyers - so a wash

 

[Damien]

Can I just say... I think Ramen's not-He-Man figure kind of looks like shit?

 

[mrboshek]

Does he have a full He-Man figure or just the head? I only recall luke warm, polite reactions to the head sculpt by the usual youtubers. Ace from Ramen usually gets less criticism because he seems nice.

About a year ago I was hot for reacquiring Kenner KITT. Found one that looked like it had potential for $160 on eBay. It cleaned up nicely with some plastic polish. Anyways, I kind of would like the Ramen KITT, however I was really more nostalgic for the Kenner Toy rather than Hoff and the show. Do I really need to spend $300 on an item from a show I haven't thought about in 40 years? I can't recall any story or plot from the show. At least CHiPs had amusing car crashes and flips on a California highway.

I'll never forget the CHiPs episode when a family picked up canned food on the side of the road after a truck turnover. The food was tainted with botulism and Ponce and Jon had to locate the family. 1970's peak TV.

 

[canprime]

Does he have a full He-Man figure or just the head? I only recall luke warm, polite reactions to the head sculpt by the usual youtubers. Ace from Ramen usually gets less criticism because he seems nice.

About a year ago I was hot for reacquiring Kenner KITT. Found one that looked like it had potential for $160 on eBay. It cleaned up nicely with some plastic polish. Anyways, I kind of would like the Ramen KITT, however I was really more nostalgic for the Kenner Toy rather than Hoff and the show. Do I really need to spend $300 on an item from a show I haven't thought about in 40 years? I can't recall any story or plot from the show. At least CHiPs had amusing car crashes and flips on a California highway.

I'll never forget the CHiPs episode when a family picked up canned food on the side of the road after a truck turnover. The food was tainted with botulism and Ponce and Jon had to locate the family. 1970's peak TV.

You could also look into the Playmobil version of KITT. I have that one and it is pretty great. It has lights and voice clips. Sure the figures are Playmobil and it doesn't have super pursuit mode, but it is cheaper and a smaller to it is both budget and space friendlier.

 

[mrboshek]

@canprime I got KITT and A-Team during some Amazon sales. Not having bought Playmobil since I was a wee lad, I was also impressed by the deco on the figures and little touches like Hannibal's gloves. One of these days I should get Magnum's Ferrari and the Mystery Machine.

 

[Damien]

Does he have a full He-Man figure or just the head? I only recall luke warm, polite reactions to the head sculpt by the usual youtubers. Ace from Ramen usually gets less criticism because he seems nice.

Quick recap for those that haven't been following:

Ramen made a rough draft of a super-articulated He-Man figure in the same vein as his other crop of unlicensed figures. But this time he actually reached out to the licensor (Mattel, nat) and asked to be allowed to make it the right way, with all the appropriate branding and licensing fees and such.

Mattel said no. Probably because this guy has built his entire reputation on stealing other peoples' IP. Hardly a surprising answer from a company VERY committed to protecting their IP. Also, they'd already licensed MOTU to Mondo, which could be a conflict with Ramen. AND Ramen basically wants to make an articulated, regular He-Man figure. So he was basically asking if he could please and thank you compete directly with Mattel's own product. Silly boy.

Anyway, it's Ramen, so you know what comes next; he's making it anyway and just not caring about it not being officially licensed. He's currently calling the He-Man figure 'Cease-Man,' which is honestly kind of clown behaviour if you ask me. I forget what he's calling his Not-At-All-Legally-Distinct Skeletor.

Anyway, the He-Man body looks... fine. The chest is very flat-looking. He said it's so all the Masterverse equipment can fit on the body, but it also just makes the body look kind of not great. The shoulders seem like they sit really low. The head-sculpts, combined with the weird way he did the hair, look pretty bad actually. The hands look kind of weird, but I can't place how. And the power sword is ... better than the mechanical 200x version? MAYBE? Super long grip, which I fucking hate on a power sword and looks awful proportionally. And the sword itself looks.. puffy. Like a blow-up pool toy.

I'm usually pretty positive on his stuff, even though I don't buy any of it because it's never properties I care about. But He-Man just looks bad. You can see the pics on his IG; ig_ramentoy

 

[SalemCrow]

@canprime I got KITT and A-Team during some Amazon sales. Not having bought Playmobil since I was a wee lad, I was also impressed by the deco on the figures and little touches like Hannibal's gloves. One of these days I should get Magnum's Ferrari and the Mystery Machine.

I have KITT, the A-Team van, Mystery Machine and Ecto-1. I have Magnum's car saved on Amazon in case it ever goes on sale again.
I have the DST KITT, but would like a more 1/12 scale version.
If I do well with sales at the toy show this week, maybe I'll treat myself to KITT as well as another display case like I was planning on.

 

[canprime]

@canprime I got KITT and A-Team during some Amazon sales. Not having bought Playmobil since I was a wee lad, I was also impressed by the deco on the figures and little touches like Hannibal's gloves. One of these days I should get Magnum's Ferrari and the Mystery Machine.

Yeah somewhere along the way I managed to get a nice little collection of Playmobil vehicles. All of them on sale to varying degrees. I had to take a look after posting and here is what I currently have:

Non-Media:

Mercedes Benz 300 SL, Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7, Porsche 911 GT Cup, the Porsche Mission E (got it for $20 sealed) and the smaller City Fire Truck ($9 sealed).

Media:

KITT, A-Team Van, DeLorean (BTTF), Ecto-1 and the Firehouse.

I am pissed at myself because I missed the 007 Aston Martin by playing clearance chicken and of course it is gone from Canada now except at full price ($125). So I'm going to be a little more aware for the Magnum Ferrari because I definitely want to get it as well but I won't expect it to drop below $80Cdn.

I am also keeping an eye on some of the remaining real world vehicles that go on sale from time to time on Amazon.ca. I wouldn't mind getting the classic VW Wagon on sale.

 

[Boy Wonder]

Let's say I'm a silly idiot (purely hypothetically) and decided that I might want to buy the green ramen tank. I'm probably SOL, right? Are BBTS and the Ramen store the only retailers for those and with them both being sold out, they're not coming back?

KITT looks cool. Definitely an iconic vehicle. I don't have space for many 1/12 vehicles, but if he ever did a Delorean, I'd likely end up dropping whatever he asked for on it.

 

[TheRealSmallville]

KITT looks cool. Definitely an iconic vehicle. I don't have space for many 1/12 vehicles, but if he ever did a Delorean, I'd likely end up dropping whatever he asked for on it.

I was going to get KITT, but $300 is a bit rich for my blood for this one. I agree on the DeLorean though, I would absolutely be all-in on that if he or anyone else made one in 1/12 scale.

Speaking of Delorean's, has anyone made one in 1/10 scale? My NECA BttF figures are lonely on the shelf.

 

[JakeEkiss]

Let's say I'm a silly idiot (purely hypothetically) and decided that I might want to buy the green ramen tank. I'm probably SOL, right? Are BBTS and the Ramen store the only retailers for those and with them both being sold out, they're not coming back?

KITT looks cool. Definitely an iconic vehicle. I don't have space for many 1/12 vehicles, but if he ever did a Delorean, I'd likely end up dropping whatever he asked for on it.

Seems so, but they've got a 2.0 preorder up for the vans so it seems plausible they'll do the same for the tank. Might want to keep your eye on their socials or ask on Instagram.

Honestly, if they do a round 2 you might be better off hitting it anyway. I liked the colorway on the second racer better (the one I got) and the van looks like they improved the seat fit and added a removable roof. If they do a second run of the tank, it might actually be an improved version.

 

[SalemCrow]

I was going to get KITT, but $300 is a bit rich for my blood for this one. I agree on the DeLorean though, I would absolutely be all-in on that if he or anyone else made one in 1/12 scale.

Speaking of Delorean's, has anyone made one in 1/10 scale? My NECA BttF figures are lonely on the shelf.

The DST Delorean is close, but not perfect. Same for the KITT they did (I have both). When I eventually get my display space set up, I have a reproduction of the Delorean license plate made from the original stamping negative that will be the centerpiece of a shelf with the NECA figures and the DST Delorean.