Monday, May 23, 2016

Masterworks Cadaver Kid

5 years ago I created the Cadaver Kid, changing the landscape of designer toys. It's hard to asses the gravity of the original Cadaver Kid, but I see it as the catalyst that ushered in the horror toy category, that has rose to prominence over the street figure style. Things have really changes in the past 5 years. Back then interest in designer sofubi was wavering, but now, tides have reversed, and sofubi seems to be more popular and appreciated than ever, attracting more collectors every day.

My ability has greatly changed in the past 5 years as well, I feel like a much stronger artist now. I thought the Cadaver Kid was due an unpgrade, Actually I shouldn't call it an upgrade, there is nothing I would change on the original 4" figure. I feel the level of detailing is pretty much perfect for that scale, so I'll call it an upscale.

I love kaiju and neo-kaiju, and sofubi as a material, but there is a problem with the association. People will use the terminology as a crutch, to excuse sloppy texturing, bad symmetry and form. I've always looked outside the kaiju and designer toy world to improve as an artist, learning from special fx makeup, masks, and creature design, among other areas. When I created the Cadaver Twins, I was one of the first sofubi artists to apply Special fx paint techniques to my toys, now I'm bringing the high detail sculpting techniques into a new Splurrt Masterworks line. This will be a line of standard figures, with unprecedented detailing. The line will feature characters new and old. Here is the first look at the Cadaver Kid Masterworks version, I'm hoping to debut the figure at NYCC, the hometown and birthplace of SPLURRT and the Cadaver Kid.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Shinjuku Demon



I just finished a new sculpt, the Shinjuku Demon. It will be about 11cm (4") tall. It pays homage to the underground ogre from Demon City Shinjuku. I saw the movie as a child and it was one of my first experiences seeing such mature animation. It was a revelation, to see what was being done in Japan in animation. The movie and underground ogre have always stuck with me. I am very proud of this work, and hope that other fans of the move, and the late 80s/early 90s anime era enjoy it. He should be in vinyl by late summer.