Flash Back 2009

As I am staring at the closure of 2009, I think it is a good time to step back and look at the whole picture of where Open the toy has been.


I started the year with the first purchase of my Mattel Joker which ranked the 2nd place of my Top 10 Favorite list. Shortly I have done up a resolution for this blog. Although I didn't completely fulfill it, it is good to have that as a guide to set the direction for this blog. I was trying out some Quiz to make the blog fun. I decided to talk about my growing toys and cartoon and how I missed the Thundercats. I started a topic of why bootleg toy exist and received many responses. Chinese Lunar New Year came early in 2009 and got busy redecorating the blog for that festival.


My mood on missing some retro figure continue as I talk about my old missing toys such as Convertors Avarians Robat and Rex. I did a review on a pair of Transformers Animated Activator, Bumblebee and Cliff jumper and other Dinobots. I got my hands to build BB Gundam ZhaoYun shortly after.


Due to the increase of readers, I decided to start a Dragonball series called Dragonball Tuesday to share my love for Dragonball. It was then I got invited to go for the Dragonball Evolution movie Screening by an online friend. Although I was disappointed with the movie, some factors made the movie more endurable. As for toys, I shared some of the Tin toys in my collections.

It was around the time Legend of Chunli was screening that I started a Street Fighter Week to bring some sexiness back on the proper street fighter. So I made a Legend of Ryu in protest to save my all time favorite arcade game. We have a NECA Ryu review by Phatomzone, the sharing of my precious Street Fighters Capcom gals gashapon collection and some of my retro Street Fighter trading cards.

We ended March to pay tribute to Matrix movie as it reached it's 10 Anniversary with my matrix kubrick .


I pulled a  successful April fool joke regarding OTTi, a toy line of my own that was way into production. It was so convincing that many congratulated me for my venture. All thanks to TengChia a talented 3D modeler who made the successful deception. I got more personal and shared 6 random things about myself which was a tag game. It was fun to see other responded and get more personal. I took a short holiday with my family and visited some of the Toy shop in Hongkong.

For personal collection toy review, I reviewed my Jedi fighter and my vintage Donatello from playmate. I started a Karmen Rider week with a good friend KazeTora. We covered on the First 10 belts of the karmen riders, trading cards, DVDs and my Mini Karmen Rider helmet collections.



My family got our own Wii that month and I did a Mother Day Special.  I did quite a number of toy review that month with the spoil I took from Hong kong. I began to share my vintage Playmobil toys collection.


Shortly after my Playmobil blog, I got a free gift from a Playmobil collector, Cosmicbaby. Did some photo shoot of my one and only  ANA air stewardess, my very first Maverick Nerf gun and my first Revenge of the fallen deluxe Sideswipe.

I found a retro card machine hidden in my neighborhood and bitched about the need to have more civil minded shoppers. Since I did a mother day special, I did a Father day Special just to be fair. It ended in a sad note when I learned about the passing of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. :(



I visited the Toy Carnival @ SAM and I started the Vader Invasion which was good to see other toy bloggers joined in to share about the number of Darth Vader they owned in their toy collection. As the Transformers movie fever was full grown, I failed and give in to the temptation to get some of Transformers toys. I did a special at the end of the month with Swindle reflecting somethings that is happening in the local toy market.


August has always been my month for obvious reason. I did my first interview with Geek central station of their cute looking amigurumi. I did a special for Singapore National Day with my keroro Gunso! But the main highlight was to be invited to the Opening night of STGCC together with other bloggers. In that same month, I had my First giveway to my reader. OTTi on the other hand get to have his own OTTi paper toy by Little Plastic Man.


I was invited to the Opening of Gundam Fiesta. I started a Doramon month as I was collecting the Doramon Mcdonalds Happy Meal figures. My friend and I were so into the PSP game Project Diva that we decided to remake some of the Project Diva music for fun. I started the Vocaloid series on every Friday for sharing some of  Miku Hatsune's magic.

I attempted to construct OTTi in 3D Max amateurishly but it doesn't turn out well. At the end the month I did a review on Yotsuba and a Doramon giveway.


I acquired a Canon DSLR that month and started to play around with my C.I boys. Shortly I organized a group photoshoot outing for toy bloggers and photographer in Singapore. We had a great time exchanging ideas of photography and passion for our toys.

In that same month, I met up with SGNerf for modification of my Nerf guns. I have the pleasure to revisit some Vintage Mcdonald Happy meal toys in Singapore. On Halloween, Joshua and I had a NECA Raziel review together.


November was a mess, I couldn't get things done the way it should be due to busy schedule and pure laziness.:P However I was happy to get some surprised find like Crayon shinchan from kfc chicky meal, Gundam Guntank and cosplay at AFA09. At the end of the month, I did a first anniversary special for this blog by doing a flash game OTTi cosplay which took a lot of the time away. Was it worth it? Hm...


December was a colorful month with toys review of designer toys like To-Fu, Uglydoll and Domokun! I gave away some toys during Christmas and meet up with other toy bloggers for Christmas night shoot. I did an exclusive interview with Mick baltes who share about the secrets and motivation of his creativity for 12 inch diorama. Finally did a short visit EOY09 for cosplayers and did my Top 10 favorite toys for 2009.

So that's a recap that I personally wanted to hear too. I am thankful for what happened in 2009 for the growth of readership, followers, comments and encouragement. As for what hope for next year, we shall talk about that next year. Meanwhile, Happy New Year in advance. LOL


Comments

Anonymous said…
I think your best is at AFA right ^_^
Anonymous said…
how about your best toy ever bought??
still yotsuba
LEon said…
@moemoekyun
I can only say AFA gave me a new interest in taking photos of cosplayers. As for the best, I can't really put a finger to that as most of the month are eventful.

Yotsuba certainly is top of my favorite toy for 2009 list. I hope there will be better toys to come in the near future. If not, I would stop buying toy already. LOL
Great recollection on this annual report posting. Indeed an awesome blogging journey in 2009. I'm sure 2010 will be even more interesting and exciting.
LEon said…
@Dennis
I hope so too Dennis. Need to manage my time in 2010 if you know what I mean. :)
desmond said…
Overall, quite an interesting blog you created in 2009. Keep it up!!
LEon said…
@desmond
Thank you bro for your constant support.
Anonymous said…
Leon,
Want to wish you a very Happy New Year. You do have a great site. Thanks for all the hard work you put into it. Also I am enjoying the gift I won for your Christmas giveaway. Hope to be able to participate in more.
have you ever done any reviews on Evangelion figures or Bleach figures?
Well have a great one,
Peace out.
rockleelotus said…
nice way to sum up 09 ^^ happy new year to you LEon! wish you the best in 2010!
LEon said…
@Leo
Happy New year to you and you are most welcome. I did a review on a kisuke Urahara from bleach before.

@rockleelotus
Thanks buddy. Happy New year to you too. :)
A great 2009 and 2010 can only get better. Happy New Year Bro!
Anonymous said…
Joined in the Fun in August-ish September time. We shall have more meetups!

Happy New Year LEon!
LEon said…
@Little Plastic Man
Thank you bro. Happy New year to you too!

@zh3us
Sure will look forward to that. Happy New Year buddy! :D

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