Forum - View topicNEWS: Anime Collectible Maker Southern Island Goes Bankrupt
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NezuChiza
 Posts: 32 |
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It's more proof of the end of the world! AHHHHHH!
With that out of the way, this is only somewhat sad. Some of their products were just hideous. |
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Kiyoko
 Posts: 131 Location: Pennsylvania |
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Aw, thats too bad.
While their original figures were somewhat poor, I purchased the deluxe Ed & Al FMA figures that they imported from Japan. I was hoping to buy the Roy Mustang & Movie-version human Alphonse from them, but it looks like I'm gonna have to spend countless hours trying to hunt them down from other importers. 
But I think the niche-figurine market just isn't what it used to be. I remember when Palisades Toys went bankrupt, despite a loyal following from Muppets & Invader Zim fans. |
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E-Arkham
 Posts: 53 |
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They're auctioning off less than 10k worth of toys as part of the liquidation. Is that Southern Island's complete remaining stock? If so, that's rather small. 10k is still considered a "limited edition" run for many toy companies.
How big was this company? Kep |
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Proz512
 Posts: 74 Location: Texas, Ya'll |
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/insert sky is falling...
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Emerje
 Posts: 7411 Location: Maine |
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Good riddance. They were just another up-start toy company tying up licenses with promises of horrible looking toys. They greedily sucked up all of the Funimation licenses they could, but never got beyond releasing those horrible Fruits Basket "maquettes" (they're statues, maquettes are something all together different), and importing a few things. They're attempt at doing Fullmetal Alchemist was the biggest disappointment, the sculpts were hideous, but they couldn't see it, stating several times that they were superior to their Japanese counterparts. I have no problem with "new" companies trying new things, but this is proof positive that you do not want to bite off more than you can chew. They got what they deserved, they were juggling some dozen or so licences with no products released to pay for them.
Emerje |
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miji
 Posts: 74 |
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Their figures are hideous, so it really isn't a surprise that they would go under. Though, it is sad to know that some people will be losing their jobs.
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AnimeCornerStore
Accredited Retailer
 Posts: 119 Location: Winchester, VA USA |
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Gads, I have to agree, they did market some horrible looking figures. We never carried them because of that. I think this is just another case of poor execution vs. 'the sky is falling'. Robert www.animecornerstore.com |
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kokuryu
 Posts: 915 |
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Hmmm, a mix of both good and bad from them. One thing that definitely killed them - no advertising. I had no clue they even existed until the bankruptcy notice here.
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child of Lilith
 Posts: 137 Location: Egg of Lilith ( the black moon) |
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Sad but true, I never heard of them before this ether. |
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domino
 Posts: 373 |
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If that picture of figures is any indication of the quality of their merchandise, this is probably good news.
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Haipaa_Koneko
 Posts: 28 Location: somewhere in the midwest |
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I have to agree with everyone those are just terrible character renditions, even my cheapest gashapon is better than what they put out. I truly am sorry to hear they went out of buisness because that means alot of people need to find new jobs, but they should have put better quality into their work.
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poweranime
Posts: 51 Location: Los Angeles |
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hmmmpf... pretty good pricing on the medicom toys, but too bad they didn't keep up... looks like I'll have to import the FMA Roy and Al from Japan myself for my customers... if they were really on it, they could have nabbed the Medicom Deathnote figures... which are going through Sideshow now...
Up next, Jazzwarez.... grotesque at best |
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Kiyoko
Posts: 131 Location: Pennsylvania |
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I love you already. <3 |
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tekwych
 Posts: 75 Location: New Mexico |
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Considering his business practices as a web retailer before becoming a manufacture, attitude toward other figure manufactures, and complete disregard when offered advise from people far more knowledgeable and successful in the industry this is NO suprise.
That said I expect to see at least 2 'A' list collector market manufactures go out of business before July 08. Neither has any Anime or Manga lines but both have CLOSE ties to the movie industry. The toy Industry is imploding imports, with their lower profit margin, will be MUCH harder to come by through stateside manufactures. The Toy Industry Association (TIA) is proposing that the government place new tariffs and testing on 'toys' coming from Asia. This will seriously effect the collectors market and problems for many Manga and Anime figure collectors as well. Pay attention to this bill when it gets introduced and talk with your representatives, this will hit a lot closer to home than most think. |
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Lucca_Ashtear
 Posts: 68 |
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I think my gut reaction to this was "...great, now I'll never be able to order one of those medicom figures off their website."
It's a shame about the company. I think if they had focused more on importing figures (like when they were granted exclusive rights to distribute the Fullmetal Alchemist Edward and Alphonse figures) they may have had a better chance. Instead, they put all their money into snatching up big name properties and sculpting their own collectibles that (if this thread is any indication) no one wanted to buy.
I'm worried about this as well. As a child, I used to collect miniature pewter sculptures (dragons, wizards, and whatnot), you could find them fairly easily at gift shops and mall kiosks. By the mid nineties, the US had really cracked down on items containing lead ..and as a result ...those collectibles pretty much went the way of the dodo. |
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