The year 2015 is behind us now and to mark the year that was, the TFW2005 Staff has compiled our favorite toys from the third party collecting scene that were released the past 12 months! Year after year, collectors often question how long third party companies can keep this pace up, when will the bubble burst? 2015 saw yet another stellar year for third party companies with no signs of slowing down. Our Staff alone selected 84 different figures in their top lists! After the jump you will find a recap of the year and TFW’s Staff top third party toy picks.
If you’re looking for TFW2005’s Official Transformers Staff picks, jump right here.
In addition to our Staff picks, please take a look at TFW2005 member CZ Hazard’s fantastic write up of the 2015 third party year, as voted by our very own members.
Over the course of 2015, many trends in the third party hobby were evident, but most obvious was the impact third party toys continue to make on our collections. Our third party forum remains one of the most active sub-forums on TFW and the products released in 2015 generated much discussion. Among our Staff picks, products and companies were well represented, but Fans Toys (19), Mastermind Creations (16), MakeToys (10), and X-Transbots (9) were our top represented companies. From the 84 different figures nominated among our Staff, those 2015 trends emerged that many have been discussing all year.
“I only collect Masterpiece.”
With the continued success of Takara’s Masterpiece line, it has come as no surprise that nearly all third party companies wanted a piece of the action. Many companies began shifting their resources to producing Masterpiece styled toys that collectors continuously ate up, a shift we’ve been seeing gradually happen for two years now.
Companies such as Fans Toys (receiving the most representation overall at 19 total nominations) continued their trend setting releases by giving collectors the well received Sever (receiving 7 total votes with 3 of them being first place), while X-Transbots shocked the world by releasing their most ambitious project to date: Apollyon (6 total votes, 2 first place).
The next two top vote getters were also Masterpiece inspired, being Fans Toys Grenadier (5 total Staff votes, 1 first place) and MakeToys Cupula (4 total votes, 3 first place). These Masterpiece styled toys undoubtedly left their mark on our hobby and are here to stay, don’t expect 2016 to slow down at all!
The “Classics” Still Function
Masterpiece styled figures are now the focus of third party, but that doesn’t mean “Classics” inspired figures went completely to the wayside. With Staff votes going towards stunning figures such as Mastermind Creations Spartan, Mastermind Creations Anarchus, and Maketoys Rear-End, the Classics enthusiasm still remains. How much longer will Classics stay relevant? Perhaps the key for third party companies it to target the comic inspired characters, such as the More Than Meets The Eye crew. 2016 boasts an impressive Classics line up with more DJD and MTMTE characters planned, so for now it’s safe to say the Classics still function.
The Combiner Wars STILL Fight On …
Although it’s at a much decreased pace and enthusiasm, third party companies are STILL battling it out by releasing / revealing combiner teams projects. New company Generation Toy made a splash with their massive Devastator project, one that will stand eye to eye with any Transformer. Generation Toy Scraper received Staff acknowledgement as a top 2015 toy, while other combiner limbs such as Fansproject Tricerabot, Unique Toys Siegfried, and ToyWorld Muddy also received Staff picks. 2016 will see the combiners race heat up again, with companies finishing release schedules and companies looking to enter the combiner wars.
You can see all of the Staff picks using the discussion thread linked below. Let us know what we got right, what we got wrong, and your top list!
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