(I just realized how bleak it was to literally see Woody, Jessie, and Buzz behind glass in a Japanese toy museum, given the plot of Toy Story 2…😔)
08.03.2026 23:35
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(I just realized how bleak it was to literally see Woody, Jessie, and Buzz behind glass in a Japanese toy museum, given the plot of Toy Story 2…😔)
...And that pretty much does it for my 2017 trip to the Kaiyodo Hobby Museum!
Their website is gone and Google lists them as Closed, but there are still reviews from as recent as late last year, so if you're ever in Shikoku, I recommend making the trek to check out this piece of collector history.
There's plenty of awesome non-licensed stuff, too, such as these adorable miniature rooms and plastic foods.
They've done plenty of stuff for Star Wars, too!
...Which leads to what I really came to see: this T. Rex leg from the original Jurassic Park. 🦖
The plaque says it was used in the jeep scene, but that leg was CG, not a plastic prop. I found it in this blurry production footage from on YouTube years later, but still no concrete answer to its use!
The founder of Kaiyodo was also friends with Hollywood directors like Joe Dante, Steven Spielberg and David Cronenberg, and even helped with practical effects their movies.
For example, here's original props from "The Fly" and "Gremlins", safe from the abuses of the @redlettermedia.com crew!
...And of course, Godzilla gets a display all to himself!
A nearby collection of kaiju toys, all posed in adorable dioramas. I'm sure @monsterislandb.bsky.social would get a kick outta these. 😁
In case the life-size Kenshiro by the entrance wasn't a clue, Kaiyodo has a deep love of Fist of the North Star, which were some of the very first licensed toys it ever produced.
...and an impressive miniature blade collection.🔪🔪🔪✨
On board is a collection of Pokemon figures, among others...
The first thing that greets you is this a wooden ship at the center of the main hall.
No, I have no idea how they got this thing in here, and my Nihongo was too poor to ask. 😆
The museum itself is quite remote--a 2-hr train from Kochi City, then another fifteen-minute drive through the winding mountains of Shimanto. The museum itself is built in the repurposed gymnasium of an former elementary school.
(if you've ever heard of Kaiyodo, it's likely for their Revoltech line of action figures, including my all-time favorite Cable and Venom toys ever--the closest to their MvC2 designs we ever got.)
With things the way they are, I'm getting nostalgic for Japan lately. So on this lazy Sunday, I'd like to take you on a photo tour of a toy collector's paradise: the Kaiyodo Hobby Museum in Kochi, Japan!
We loved working with Dave! And we just featured his art at our Emerald City Comic Con Table.
Shirts advertising the Electronic Game Developers Society (EGaDS!), with designs parodying Persona 5 and Hades.
Oh, and check out these SICK shirt designs! 👕🔥
After chatting with many of the students, I have three major takeaways:
-Whatever anxieties about the industry we indie devs have, students are feeling twice over.
-Gen Z has never heard of Katana ZERO.
-I should really print some business cards.
Just came home from an exhausting but wonderful day at GDC², an event hosted by UT Austin for aspiring student devs.
Tons of student game showcases, lectures from industry guests, and yummy food! Thanks to the Electronic Game Developers Society (EGaDS!) for putting this on.
@soundstrider.dev Hey, Will! Great presentation this morning, and the live demos in the atrium. 😁
Good luck at GDC proper!
Some WIP materials, as well as a very helpful client brief.
A bit late for Steam Next Fest, but here's some Steam capsule art I drew for Haunted Heist by Autotroph Games, a zany party game where thieves try to rob a haunted mansion. I also designed the new logo!
🌟 It's here! Mistpaw Ravine is now available on Steam!! 🌟
Build a home for magical cats, have them shoot lightning, clean their poop!
Get it now: store.steampowered.com/app/3735490/...
First up, the Batman/Ninja Turtles trilogy, drawn by @freddieart.bsky.social!
I watched the animated movie adaptation years ago, but haven’t a chance to read the comics until now.
Nothing quite like moving to make me realize how many books I still own, even after tossing most of my old manga in 2023.
This year, I think I'm going to try and visit my local library instead of buying books outright, see if that motivates me to read more often. 📚🏫
Dude that sucks. I hope you feel better soon. ❤️🩹
Condolences to anyone who's lost their roles in these closures, you guys are (still) my heroes.
It's now that I learn Twisted Pixel and Bluepoint were both from Austin--right as they get shut down.
Some days, it's like squatting in ruins of the Library of Alexandria. This city has such rich game dev history (it gave us Ultima, ffs), but lately we've only been seeing loss after loss.
My hand got stung by fire ants yesterday. ✋🐜
It doesn't hurt much (just kinda itches), but now my grip wobbles a bit when I try to draw stuff, so it's hard to draw straight lines. Might have to take a break till it heals...😖
