So here is a little story about how CollectionDX really started whether Josh admits it or not. The story about the first Japanese toy I got from Macross, the first toy that cost over $100, the toy I brought over the Pacific Ocean, the toy that survived a house fire, the toy that I nonchalantly gave away a few years later and how it came back to me.
May, 1986. Honolulu, Hawaii. I am 13 years old and about to graduate from Junior High and at the beginning of the summer we are moving to Massachusetts. There was a small hobby/toy shop that opened near my school and I had become friendly with the owner.
I would stop in day after day to chat and stare at the Valkyries he had for sale with their prices keeping them firmly out of my reach. Then one day the Hikaru Strike Valkyrie from the movie disappeared from the shelf. Now I would never get it!
Turns out, Mom bought it and gave it to me as a graduation gift. I was overjoyed and loved it. Shortly after that I obtained a few more Valkyries. A few months later we crossed the Pacific Ocean and my growing collection of Macross and Mospeda toys came with me.
I started High School and as time went on the Valkyries ended up packed back up and in storage. After finishing High School we moved into a new house and the items remained in storage up in the attic until a few months later when we had a fire and lost just about everything we owned.
A terrible experience for sure, but no one was hurt. When we went back to see what could be salvaged it turned out the Fire Department had gutted the attic during the call and threw most of what was up there out the window three stories down.
In the pile where most of my Japanese toys: Alpha Fighter, Cyclone, various Valkyries, etc. etc. The boxes were trashed but most of the toys where undamaged. My favorite one, however, the Hikaru Strike Valkyrie was a bit smoke damaged and most of the armor missing. I salvaged what I could and they kicked around the next few years on the shelf or in the corner.
Flash forward a few more years, Josh and I meet, became friends and ultimately end up living together as roommates. At the time I felt I had “outgrown” my “toys” and I started selling them for stupidly low prices to the local comic shop but gave Josh the Hikaru. He was touched and made it a centerpiece in his collection for a while. Which I argue led to the massive collection he has today.
And thus was born CollectionDX, indirectly. Time marched on and Josh got more into following the Japanese toy scene which blew up to the near legendary status he has now.
Upon a recent visit, I was pointing out the Hikaru Valkyrie to my significant other and Josh reached into the big glass cabinet and gave it back to me saying it was time it returned to me, making me promise to not Ebay it.
But how did all this change my life? Well thanks to Josh’s encouragement I am here writing for CollectionDX now which in turn led to my other online projects, which has all been incredibly rewarding creatively, all because I gave Josh my favorite toy. Hikaru now represents the creative spirit of my endeavors and stands proudly next to my other recent Macross score (thanks to Sanjeev) and will remain there till I pass it on in my will.
Have a toy with some real personal history? Please feel free to share it in the comments section.
I would stop in day after day to chat and stare at the Valkyries he had for sale with their prices keeping them firmly out of my reach. Then one day the Hikaru Strike Valkyrie from the movie disappeared from the shelf. Now I would never get it!
Turns out, Mom bought it and gave it to me as a graduation gift. I was overjoyed and loved it. Shortly after that I obtained a few more Valkyries. A few months later we crossed the Pacific Ocean and my growing collection of Macross and Mospeda toys came with me.
I started High School and as time went on the Valkyries ended up packed back up and in storage. After finishing High School we moved into a new house and the items remained in storage up in the attic until a few months later when we had a fire and lost just about everything we owned.
A terrible experience for sure, but no one was hurt. When we went back to see what could be salvaged it turned out the Fire Department had gutted the attic during the call and threw most of what was up there out the window three stories down.
In the pile where most of my Japanese toys: Alpha Fighter, Cyclone, various Valkyries, etc. etc. The boxes were trashed but most of the toys where undamaged. My favorite one, however, the Hikaru Strike Valkyrie was a bit smoke damaged and most of the armor missing. I salvaged what I could and they kicked around the next few years on the shelf or in the corner.
Flash forward a few more years, Josh and I meet, became friends and ultimately end up living together as roommates. At the time I felt I had “outgrown” my “toys” and I started selling them for stupidly low prices to the local comic shop but gave Josh the Hikaru. He was touched and made it a centerpiece in his collection for a while. Which I argue led to the massive collection he has today.
And thus was born CollectionDX, indirectly. Time marched on and Josh got more into following the Japanese toy scene which blew up to the near legendary status he has now.
Upon a recent visit, I was pointing out the Hikaru Valkyrie to my significant other and Josh reached into the big glass cabinet and gave it back to me saying it was time it returned to me, making me promise to not Ebay it.
But how did all this change my life? Well thanks to Josh’s encouragement I am here writing for CollectionDX now which in turn led to my other online projects, which has all been incredibly rewarding creatively, all because I gave Josh my favorite toy. Hikaru now represents the creative spirit of my endeavors and stands proudly next to my other recent Macross score (thanks to Sanjeev) and will remain there till I pass it on in my will.
Have a toy with some real personal history? Please feel free to share it in the comments section.