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About ShiniGami
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
I can answer any question about Action Figure and Toy Design, Prototyping, Manufacturing and Production Management. Over 20 years in the Toy business with clients including Bandai US/Japan/Europe, Hasbro, Kenner, Mattel, McFarlane Toys, Playmates, etc., and also specialty companies including Toy Tokyo, The Showroom NYC, Kid Robot, Wheaty Wheat and many others. <P> <B>NOTE:</B> I travel <B>A LOT</B>, so during overseas travel (Japan, Hong Kong, China), I do not check for questions. Thanks.

Experience
<p><B>Past/Present Clients:</b><BR>Designers including : Gary Baseman, Ron English, Frank Kozik, Pete Fowler, Futura, Stash, David Horvath. Companies including : Bandai Japan, Bandai US, Dark Horse, Hasbro, Kenner, Lucas Films, Maharishi, Marvel, Mattel, McFarlane Toys, MTV, NIKE, Playmates, Reebok, Sony, etc.<BR>
   

You are here:  Experts > Kids > Kid's Toys and Games > Action Figures

SubjectDate AskedExpert

Producing Action Figures4/30/2008ShiniGami
  Q: I like to check with you based on your experience which genre of action figures are mainly most ...
  A: Well, licensed propertiy action figures are nothing to cheaply get into. Tooling alone can cost ...
Action Figure Production, 5 Points, late 70's style.1/23/2008ShiniGami
  Q: I was wondering what the cost would be to do a run of action figures in the late 1970s and 80s style ...
  A: Prototype, maybe $1,500, Tooling maybe $5,000 or so, then pad print masks, spray masks, film for ...
What is the procedure for sending a design for manufacture?1/22/2008ShiniGami
  Q: I am a design student and I am new to the manufacturing process for vinyl toys. Right now I have ...
  A: You'll need a prototype, or style guides to have one made. These are detailed front, back, side, top ...
Attaching a white resin head to a sixth scale body.1/10/2008ShiniGami
  Q: I recently purchased a white resin head of Christopher Reeve for a custom Superman figure. The ...
  A: I guess you could drill out the neck and attach a rod or pin. I guess you could fill the air bubbles ...
metal mold process1/9/2008ShiniGami
  Q: are the metal molds used in mass producing toys, made from waxes or resin casts? it seems to me that ...
  A: They'd tool off the resin, but could also make a copy, and add engineering. The steel neg can be ...
metal mold process1/9/2008ShiniGami
  Q: are the metal molds used in mass producing toys, made from waxes or resin casts? it seems to me that ...
  A: Waxes, Polyurethanes (Resins), Sculpey, Brass and Plastic Extrusions or about anything else. No 2 ...
Manufacturing factory12/24/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I am looking at potentially having an action figure produced. is there a list available of overseas ...
  A: Yes, I'm in the states, St. Louis, MO. I'm a Project Manager, and run projects from Limited run ...
material properties12/10/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I've designed a toy and I don't know what material it should be made of. In the waterfall of ...
  A: Depends on the design. Could be vinyl, or PVC or ABS.I normally tell people $7,000UD to $9,000USD ...
Applying artwork for mass production12/4/2007ShiniGami
  Q: Can you please describe the technique(s) of applying artwork to a plastic toy. Can this easily be ...
  A: Most artwork is pad printed or spray masks. You can look these up on google I'm sure. Can't really ...
White Resin for 1/6th scale Head11/26/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I want to start making molds of a custom 1/6th scale head that fits onto a 1/6 Dragon body. I know ...
  A: E-mail me at DSR@npt.com, and I can give you someone who's a professional toy sculptor to give you ...
Steps by steps for a Newbie?10/29/2007ShiniGami
  Q: Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to make action figures. In highschool I did a lot of different ...
  A: Super Sculpey gets harder the longer you bake it. Just don't overbake, it will burn. I think it gets ...
30 years old and needing direction.10/28/2007ShiniGami
  Q: My name is Mark, I am 30 and I hate my life. Mostly I just hate my job but considering most of my ...
  A: Not sure I can help you. If you need to make art. I'm not a shrink or mental health professional, ...
action figure manufacturing10/28/2007ShiniGami
  Q: greetings... I have ideas for several action figures but i'm confused as to how to get a company to ...
  A: No toy company will make it. It doesn't work like that. Properties need product 1st (DVDs, Comics, ...
Steps by steps for a Newbie?10/27/2007ShiniGami
  Q: Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to make action figures. In highschool I did a lot of different ...
  A: There really is no site I know of. This would basically be what's called a custom, and you build it ...
Cost of materials?10/5/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I am researching toy recalls and I want to know the average costs of materials used for producing ...
  A: Had to do a search to see who Duo Maxwell. I've had people ask me if that was a Gundam name before. ...
Action Figures10/1/2007Leena
  Q: I want to create a small run (3000?) action figures of about a dozen associates at work (don't ask). ...
  A: This really isn't my field of expertise, but I'm pretty sure your cheapest option would be to ...
Producing action figures8/30/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I really enjoyed reading you answers in late august. My question comes from having No experience in ...
  A: The licensing rights would probably be in the hundreds of thousands or more. MLB would not even ...
Where to get your work produced?8/27/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I would like to know if you have any recommendations for those of us who want to produce smaller ...
  A: 1) You NEVER give away rights to a property. They are simply licensing them for a certain time ...
Where to get your work produced?8/27/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I would like to know if you have any recommendations for those of us who want to produce smaller ...
  A: I'm not sure what you mean by a 3-5 percent profit margin. Where they going to pay for everything, ...
Where to get your work produced?8/27/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I would like to know if you have any recommendations for those of us who want to produce smaller ...
  A: Monkey King or I guess Toy Robot would be middle men. They use factories like mine or others and ...
Bandai Japan6/24/2007ShiniGami
  Q: i have been searching the net for someway of contacting Bandai japan about their recent ongoing ...
  A: They'll never give you a straight answer. And Bandai America has no idea what Bandai Japan is doing, ...
Action Figure Packaging6/7/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I have recently got into scratch building action figures, and now I would like to package my ...
  A: It's done on a vacuform machine. You can buy one, or research on-line how to make one if you're into ...
Plastic toys5/31/2007ShiniGami
  Q: Why do manufacturers display a different color scheme with their plastic toys on the outside of ...
  A: Toys are mainly sold by pre-orders. They show the packaging (And prototype if they have made one) at ...
action figures and weapons5/2/2007ShiniGami
  Q: When our son died we were left with a massive collection of Star Wars and others, but he had bagged ...
  A: Sorry for your loss. There used to be a VERY good star wars site, but about a year ago, it ...
Designer toys4/24/2007ShiniGami
  Q: Once again, thank you for your response. I'm a big fan of designer toys and right now I'm amidst ...
  A: I have alot of projects always going. There's some :Gary Baseman Helper for Critterbox, Harold ...
Recommendations4/12/2007ShiniGami
  Q: You seem like a true expert on the manufacturing of toys and right now I am in the process of ...
  A: I'm a project manager, and take care of the overall project. You can't just "find" a factory, as ...
Star Wars, M.A.S.K. Centurions3/27/2007ShiniGami
  Q: I'm trying to track down persons who were personally involved in producing these lines of toys. Any ...
  A: I did some work on Star Wars. Been so long ago, trying to think of names of people who would have ...
Mcfarlane figures1/14/2007ShiniGami
  Q: My wife recently started collecting Mcfarlane Corpse Bride figures and sets. I've been trying to ...
  A: Sorry, I design toys, don't collect. I've done McFarlane work before, but was when they started in ...
design and production1/6/2007ShiniGami
  Q: my name is Tyler, I’m 10. I am working on models that are a fusion between 2 animals like shark-bat ...
  A: If you can't draw them, you need to hire an artist, and then act as art director to get what you ...
zRf=-2; LOTR followup Ques.1/1/2007ShiniGami
  Q: If you do see Digger and remember, perhaps you can ask if someone at AA would be willing to take ...
  A: Sure no problem. I'm surprised no one at Art Asylum answered. Maybe direct your question directly to ...
zRf=-2;12/30/2006ShiniGami
  Q: I am trying to find out whatever I can on the Armies of Middle Earth series. I have tried contacting ...
  A: I don't know, I didn't work on this project. Who knows how high the licenseing fees where, etc. ...
Mcfarlane sports figures12/21/2006ShiniGami
  Q: I do a little sports figure customizing. Mostly it is upon special request from private parties, ...
  A: This is illegal, as you're asking to buy licensed figures to paint over. You can personally buy ...
original Star Wars weapons12/17/2006ShiniGami
  Q: How can I tell whether a Star Wars action figure weapon is original or a reproduction? Are all blue ...
  A: I worked at Kenner during this time, but I'm sure alot of bootlegs. I've seen alot of re-casts and ...
manufacturing10/31/2006ShiniGami
  Q: How do I find out which companies are used to do their injection molding and packaging?Hi, I am ...
  A: It's done as a project, sometimes using more than 1 factory. Many companies do production for both ...
manufacturing10/31/2006ShiniGami
  Q: I am trying to start my own toy company; however I am finding it hard to find information about ...
  A: I've managed projects for McFarlane, but not Neca. Designers they use are mainly in-house, altho ...
Action figure production costs9/27/2006ShiniGami
  Q: I'm actually trying to find out as much as I can about the industry before I dive in with an idea ...
  A: I'm only going to give a rough ballpark answer, as I have seen the prototype. This is not a cheap ...
Fix yellowing plastic and resin kit9/9/2006ShiniGami
  Q: I think I'll try to bleach some old models before I move on to the chogokin. For the resin kit I ...
  A: Don't know. I worked for Bandai Japan for a few years, so only familiar with the lines I worked on. ...
Getting Started8/31/2006ShiniGami
  Q: What first step do you recomend for someone with a new action figure concept. All I have at this ...
  A: You can either try to fund this yourself(Expensive, $10,000US to even start), or try to get a ...
Manufacturing LAUNCH7/29/2006ShiniGami
  Q: I'm sorry , I was not clear with your response? I need to find these factories or a factory of the ...
  A: Sideshow lowered their quality on 12" figures maybe 3 or 4 years ago. Capes no longer had seams, ...
Designer Toys7/14/2006ShiniGami
  Q: I am looking for vendors in China (or wherever is cheap) to produce my custom designs for vinyl and ...
  A: I project manage a large protion of these projects. Recent include Ron English Supersize ME, ...

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