If you've been around Tomopop for awhile, you'll know that I'm a huge One Piece fan, including the excellent Portrait of Pirates series from Megahouse. So I'm pleased to tell you guys that another two P.O.Ps have gone up for preorder over at Amiami. For 4800 yen each, you can get updated versions of the main character Monkey D. Luffy and his older brother Portgas D. Ace. The two can be set up back to back like they were in the latest arc of the One Piece manga.

If you're anything like me, seeing the two brothers like this will make you BAWW, especially considering the events of the past several months. Without giving out too many spoilers, let's just say the demand on Ace has gone up significantly since the end of the last arc. It's also pretty awesome that they can be set up back to back. I'm pretty sure that's a first in the P.O.P line. So, who's going to pick it up and who might add a few, uh, "battle scars" to good old Ace over here?

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The life-blood of a convention is its Dealers Room. That is how you draw in people. There's nothing quite like the basic urge to shop to get people to plop down $65-75 for an entrance fee. Typically Otakon has the best dealer room for all the cons that I attend. It's been like that for the last three Otakons that I've been to. Unfortunately, this year breaks that streak and decends into mediocrity. Follow me after the jump to find out why and to see some (shakey) video from the con.

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Welcome back to the horrifying descent into Figure Hell!

We've gone through three circles, but we still got a ways to go. We've nailed bad design, tacky figures and limited editions, but our latest challenge puts all the others to shame! The overpricing of statues, both PVC and vinyl, is something that has been a constant thorn in the side of collectors since the advent of the hobby. Many think it's an inevitability, but is it really? Follow me after the jump to dissect the wizened form of Avarice.

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Welcome back, fellow travelers. I'm glad to see that you haven't wandered off and are staying close, for as we descend farther into Figure Hell we increase the danger and sheer annoyance we face. As of now, we've pushed through the perils of bad design and the horrors of tacky figures, but now we face an ugly sin indeed.

Gluttony, the urge to devour all that is around you. If you're a figure owner, this expresses itself as Limited Edition figures. While this may seem like a matter of fact in any collectible world, that doesn't mean it isn't as vile as an other vice. Follow me after the jump to see why.

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The Wave Corporation is quite fond of ladies in swimming suits. As we've posted many times, their line of "Beach Queens" has been growing steadily since late last year. Everything from loli pop stars and ancient warriors to luscious school teachers and moé blobs have shown up to various amount of fan fare. However, there's very little in the way of classic characters, or even characters that were introduced before 2000. It was with great pleasure that they announced not one, but two pre-2000 characters.

One of the announced characters was idol and savior to the human race Lynn Minmay from Super Dimension Fortress Macross. Decked out in the bikini she wore for the Miss Macross beauty pageant, Minmay is made to appeal to old-school fans who wanted this lovely lady on their desk. I'm pleased to say that Wave has done a helluva job with Minmay.

Follow me after the jump to have a bit of summer fun with a queen!

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Welcome back, my fellow traveler. Having survived the entrance to Figure Hell, we descend further into treacherous lands. The first circle was merely a warm up to the horrors you will experience, but stay close and you'll have nothing to worry about. The guiding hand of Tomopop will now show you the second circle of figure hell: Lust and Tacky Figures.

Follow us after the jump to behold the pitfalls of overly large breasts and microscopic waists.

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Collecting figures is not unlike being in a dark wood at midnight. You have the light of your ambition and desires to light your way, but there are a ton of foot falls and tree roots that can snag your feet and pull you down into the darkness. Even those with experience can occasionally fall victim to an errant branch in their path. At times like that, you need a guide to move you around obstacles that would make figure collecting a living hell.

That's where we come. Allow me and the editors of Tomopop to be Virgil to your Dante as we take you through the circles of figure hell. We'll point out the nastier bits of PVC culture so that you won't have to go into things blind. Follow me after the jump to learn more about shoddy design, the Limbo of the figure world.

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Monday evening I get a call from my mother telling me that a medium size box arrived. I ask who is it from and she says it's from Leah Bayer. I instantly knew it was the birthday package that the awesome editors here at Tomopop chipped in for me. I wanted to get up right away and dash home to open the box. Un/fortunately, I was slathered in sun lotion and lying on the beach at the time, so I had to wait a couple of hours to rip open the cardboard on my goodies.

Several hours later, slightly crispy and covered in sand, I got home and grabbed the nearest sharp object and tore apart the tape on my box. Follow me after the jump to see what goodies the Tomo editors got for me!

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I love the female form.

Not just love it, I worship it. It's as near to perfection as anything in nature can reach. Everything from the silhouette of a woman to the slope of her breast to the curve along the small of the back leading to the booty is absolutely glorious to me. I can understand why artists will agonize over the smallest details in their art when they try to get a model just right.

So why do I hear so much static about displaying the female form in plastic and vinyl on my desk? Why is it acceptable to have a painting of a nude woman on my wall and not in figure form? Follow me after the jump as I examine this odd paradox.

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One Piece is a series that lends itself well to PVC. The art style combined with the bizarre characters and costumes make for some pretty entertaining statues of both men and women. As I've said before, the best of these statues belong to the Portrait of Pirates line from Megahouse. Beginning with just the Strawhat Pirates, the P.O.P. line has expanded to a line of extra large figures, plushies, and now includes alternate costumes with the introduction of the Strong Edition line. Based off art from the One Piece movie Strong World, these statues have the Strawhats wearing dramatically different costumes in new poses.

I have the honor of presenting Cat Thief Nami, the navigator of the Strawhats.  Hit the jump to get a peek!

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