Road Bot 1:18 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII

Some things aren't as simple as what they seem to be. That's just one of the things one can learn from toys that transform from one thing to another, like this Road Bot toy. Unlike the Transformers, these characters didn't come with biography or history so the owner is free to imagine if the character is "good" or "bad". This is my second Road Bot. I enjoyed my Land Cruiser Road Bot and decided to buy another car model. 

Lucky for me, this car in not included in the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN). Because of the new tax law, excise tax on automobiles have increased. While the TRAIN is seemingly "good", since it taxes those who earn more and exempt more people from taxes, things aren't are simple as they seem.

Even before the TRAIN was implemented, minimum wage earners are already exempted from personal income tax. They will not have a bigger take-home pay upon the implementation of the TRAIN.  The TRAIN included an increase in excise tax on petroleum products and introduced a tax a sugar-sweetened beverages. This will affect the minimum wage earners, making their expenses higher. Without an increase in the take-home pay, TRAIN is "bad" for around 2 million minimum-wage-earning Filipinos.

I belong to those whose take-home pay increased due to the TRAIN. That means, I have more money to buy toys and buy I did. I also bought this online so I don't know if proper taxes will be remitted to the government. A lot of online sellers locally are tax evaders. If they don't issue receipts approved by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, they probably are tax evaders. Maybe the TRAIN should have addressed tax evasion on online selling, too.

One thing I like about this Lancer Road Bot that the Land Cruiser Road Bot didn't have is the car interior. I can force-fit an 1:18 scale action doll inside and make it look like she/he is driving.

(Right-hand drive)

I don't like the proportion of the arms to the torso in the robot form. The arms looks skinny and they are flimsy when holding a pose.

What better characters can we pair with robots having deceptive appearances than a couple of spies? Here, Agent 13 and Black Widow are on a secret rendezvous with their new weapons, the Roadbots.

In the past few months, I've been in my Black Widow mode while dealing with people who doesn't care about people who have been adversely affected by the changes implemented by the government. They don't care if some people are getting killed as long as they are safe. They don't care if some people will suffer more as long as they have more take-home pay. Just they wait.

Male China Doll

In the spirit of pursuing close economic and political ties with China, while downplaying the territorial dispute between our countries, let's talk about a doll I purchased online directly sourced from that country. There was a time when this doll was priced at around US$3 but now, the lowest price I saw for this doll is US$5. While I think that the US$5 price is still reasonable, I don't think I'll be buying another one any time soon. I do feel lucky to have got it at a lower price but at the back of my mind, I feel there is something wrong and I can't figure out what it is at the moment.

The doll came in a nondescript box with shipping labels. Judging from the labels, the item was shipped from China to a Lazada office before it was sent to me. As with most Lazada items, this was paid with cash on delivery so there is lower risk for the buyer. Inside the box, the item was wrapped in what seemed like Chinese newspaper (or it could be some Chinese government publication for propaganda purposes for all I know). This wrapper reminded me of the good old days.

The last time I bought something wrapped in newspaper was when we were poor. As a kid, I used to buy dried fish (daing or tuyo) at the suking tindahan. (See, I didn't italicize Filipino words. Deal with it.) Four small pieces are enough for a family of four. The very salty taste of the fish can be balanced with heaps of steamed rice. Dip the fish in vinegar and it's a feast. When we buy dried fish these days, we can no longer buy per piece. We have to buy it per pack, in plastic, mind you! We're rich now.

Feeling rich and #feelingblessed, I opened the package for my new doll. It's so white, like the rich people of the Philippines! Ok, I'm not the rich yet. I have a natural tan. I'm closer in color to your average Fashionista Ken, below.

At first glance, the male China doll looks like a copy of the Ken Fashionista, except for the head. The head looks familiar, though, making me think it might be copied from another doll. I'm not a doll-know-it-all so I can't say for sure. I'm getting a Prince Charming vibe but I searched for Prince Charming dolls and they were different. I like the face sculpt but the face paint is too bland for me. This is a good candidate for a repaint but I'm uninspired to paint these days. Go ask the world if you wanna know why.

The neck articulation is similar to the older Ken dolls with rotation only (no bending at the neck) although the neck joint is different. The hook is attached to the torso on this doll. I'd like to think that Mattel copied this idea for their new dolls and modified it a bit (using a hemispherical surface instead of a flat surface where the hook protrudes from). China is an expert in making things cheap (in more than one sense) and Mattel can learn (or has learned) a thing or two from Chinese manufacturers/designers.

It is easier to make this doll slip into (now dated) slim fit pants because you can adjust the foot. The feet on this doll has better articulation than your playline Ken doll but it doesn't necessarily mean it is better. I've read a review that the peg that holds the foot in place breaks easily (like how easily the hand broke on one of my  Chinese dolls). I'm very careful when taking the shoes off this doll as the foot might get stuck on the shoe. 

The hands on this doll is similar to the Harley Davidson Ken doll. It looks more relaxed than the Fashionista hands. Like the feet, the hands feel like they can be easily pulled from the arm breaking the peg. I won't risk ruining his hands just for the sake of certainty.

Speaking of how easy it is to break this doll, another joint that can easily be broken is the hip joint. I have tried to pry the legs off the hips of both Ken and Barbie dolls and it's tough. Doing that to this doll feels effortless in comparison. The arms and legs on this doll feels more like soft vinyl and not hard plastic making it more prone to staining.

This made me think. Why are these toys, intended for the Chinese market, not designed for tough play like those designed for Western market? Are the kids in the West more violent in playing with their toys? Am I being a Robin Padilla in asking that question? Or maybe I'm not being Robin Padilla enough for accommodating something foreign and lowering my expectations.

This toy is cheap and some may argue that you get what you pay for. Does that mean if I paid US$10 for this same toy instead of what I actually paid (US$3 total including shipping), the toy will magically be sturdier? This item is being sold are different prices ranging up to US$16.

Instead of a sense of happiness with a peace of mind, this toys leaves me with a lot of questions. This toy is just a little reflection of how things have been changing. Whether this change is good or bad, only time will tell. But if you're the type of person who thinks that change is good, go change your face.

I'm Dreaming of a Colored Christmas

I'm thankful that Mattel has made the following changes on the Barbie Fashionista line this year:

1. Less pink in everything from fashion to accessories.
2. More unnatural hair colors
3. New face molds

What I'm not thankful for is the absence of some dolls, especially dolls of color, not only in the playline Fashionista line, but also in the collector dolls. Here are just some of the dolls that didn't make it to the Philippine toy shelves.

I would have paid full retail price for those, but since I was frustrated, I decided to wait until discounts were offered on all Mattel doll I'd buy. It really makes me smile, a smile that goes deep inside, whenever I see the white dolls not being sold even if they are already discounted, especially the blonde ones.

I feel like a broken record complaining about this over and over but I will not be silenced. I might get tired and rest for a while but I will keep talking about the things that matters to me. The least I could do about the situation is to speak up. Yes, I could buy them online but what about an ordinary person who wants to give a doll to a kid and at the same time send a message that beauty comes in different colors? Collectors can handle the hassle of buying online (yes, locally it is a hassle) because it's their passion but you can't expect that from a casual buyer.

What we see in toys, is usually what we are familiar with in ordinary our lives. When some dolls are restricted from entering the Philippines, it reminds me of immigrants or refugees being restricted entry in some foreign white country. Also, the absence of these dolls in the local toy shelves reflects the Filipino notion of beauty being connected to skin color, something a lot of local parents have no shame in passing on to their kids. The best selling beauty products are still related to skin whitening.

I've been collecting dolls for about 10 years now and I've heard about the problem on the lack of ethnic diversity in dolls from the time I started collecting.  I thought this has been addressed when they released the 1st wave of the Barbie Basics line but it was short-lived. While foreign markets are satisfied with the changes, I can't say the same for the local front. I'm dreaming of doll shelves with ethnic diversity unlike the ones I used to know.

From the stockpile

It has been years since I got her. I have dressed her in numerous outfits. I have taken a lot of photos of her. The thrift shop where I got her from has closed down. I have acquired new and more expensive dolls that didn't quite give me joy as she did. She remains a favorite. 

Marvel Universe Jessica Jone aka Jewel

Despite the reduced articulation for the recent 4-inch Marvel Legends or more popularly known as Marvel Universe dolls, I was really interested in this Jessica Jones figure. It might be due to her unicorn-inspired color scheme. Who doesn't love pink hair, right?

She also has a good face sculpt, one of the prettiest for the toy line, to be honest. Her hair is gorge, not over the top. Her face is painted perfectly. She could use a lighter expression to match her unicorn-inspired look, though. Her tough expression is more appropriate to her jaded version. It was in her happier and naive days when Jessica Jones went by the name Jewel and wore this costume. A number of tragedies transformed her to a tough and serious character portrayed in the Netflix series.

If it wasn't for her molded belt, I would have bought a number of her. Without her belt, she could be a great base for custom female figures. It's good thing I only bought one, though. She has problematic knees.

Despite her shortcomings, I decided to get her at full price since we rarely get female characters. When we do, they usually sell out instantly.  And this is my first Marvel character with pink hair!