Your top 5 toy moments of 2011?

[pud333]

As the year comes to a close, I can't help but feel this was a great year for me in terms of toys. What were your top five toy moments of 2011? It could be a specific toy you got (new or vintage), it could be an event or convention, it could even be the announcement of a new toy line, or it could be a personal moment you had sharing toys with someone you love - whatever you want.

Here's my top five:

1) Macross. There were so many moments here, that each of them could easily fill up my entire top five, so I decided to list them all in one. I finally made the decision to dive head-on into the line, and it was worth it. From getting my SDF-1 to the release of the VF-25F renewal, to the VF-19 Kai... just a steller year and easily my #1. Both Bandai and Yamato really stepped their games up this year. The design and engineering really showed me just how much better these toys were to any other transforming bot toys out there. I would never look at transforming robots the same way again. It's a great time to be a Macross fan. The best is that it's not over yet. I still have a couple nice little pieces coming in the mail before Christmas! And with the 30th anniversary of Macross coming up next year, there are rumors Bandai and Yamato have some truly special stuff planned for us. F yeah!

2) SDCC. I love SDCC. I have never been, nor do I particularly wish to go (no appetite to wait in lineups). But I loved all the coverage leading up to and during the con, and I scored some awesome exclusives this year without any problems. Both Zarana's, the Starscream Skystriker, etc. When others were tearing their hair out with HTS, I logged on and breezed out no problem. Everything seemed to go right for me this time.

3) MP-10. When I first heard a new Masterpiece Optimus Prime was in the works, I scoffed at buying it, especially at the price with so little diecast. But then I saw it at my local anime store and I HAD to have it. So much so I swiped from my Macross funds to buy it. And boy was I happy with the purchase. IMO, it is the best Transformer ever made. It is perfect. Anime accuracy is huge for me, and this did not disappoint. MP-10 reignighted my love for Transformers. As a child, Transformers and GI Joe were my top two, but the general poor quality of toys put me off, and especially once I stated collecting Macross toys, I realized how inferior some of the products were. But MP-10 is amazing, and it brought me back to Transformers. What a fantastic toy.

4) GI Joe 30th Anniversary Lifeline. Yet to be released, I jumped for joy when he was announced. Lifeline was one of the Joes I had as a child. I remember going to the store with my father (I think it was Zellers, but not sure), and picking him up. So when a 30th anniversary version was announced, I was ecstatic. I can't wait to get my grubby paws on him!

5) Revoltech Sci-Fi line. This was introduced in 2010, but I think it truly came into its own in 2011. The Iron Man toys, the Pixar figures, movie Optimus Prime... all great stuff. Revoltech opened the door to my more expensive Japanese import collecting habit. These toys keep getting better and better every year.

[Robimus]

I'm going to twist this a little for my top 5 toy moments,

1. Getting the Star Wars EU Comic 2 Packs to further flesh out my Legacy Comic Figure Collection, including my Treis Sinde custom(not to mention getting Ysanne Isard - a big Star Wars EU character.)

2. SDCC Exclusives at Winners/Home Sense: Getting to score the Camie & Fixer Star Wars EU 2 Pack as well as the Blaster reissue for cheap was a lot of fun.

3. Completing and entering my Jazz Star Wars Crossover at TFCon after working on him for a long time was definitly a highlight.

4. More CHUG line stuff, especially RtS Jazz was huge for me. Tracks, Kup, Wreckgar, Scrouge, Wheeljack, Warpath, Perceptor, all stuff on my most wanted list.

5. My TFCon toy haul, from Stronghold & Toxin, to G1 Omega Supreme, to Sixshot & Sky Lynx. I got so much stuff that I wanted, all without spending an arm and a leg for them.

[Prowl_2009]

1) Getting my hands on SDCC 2011 Swamp Thing at Fan Expo 2011, this figure was easily a highlight of the year for DCUC fans and he was worth every penny!

2) All the awesome CHUG line goodness, from Jazz to Tracks, Scourge to Warpath, these figures really helped me flush out a lot of blank space in my Classics Collection!

3) DCUC Wave 16, Bane as a collect and connect was awesome, but when you toss in figures like Jonah Hex and Azrael Batman, it just makes the line that much sweeter!

4) Star Wars Vintage Collection offerings. It's been a strong year for Star Wars fans and the Vintage Line has been a big part of that! The figures are amazing, plain and simple!

5) Getting my hands on some awesome Takara goodness this year thanks to my buddy Skylynx at Cybertron.ca! He helped me get my hands on Dark Skyfire and Alternity Skywarp, figures that elluded me for quite some time!

[aquanet]

1) MU Dr. Strange, Both Astral and NYC version! Love this figure, probably the best figure they've released!

2) MU Planet Hulk, the stance, I got him on eBay. I got ripped off by some guy on the US sex offender registry, true story!

3) FanExpo, picked up MU Black Goliath for $40, I didn't mind spending a bit more, I scored a lot of dope comics and a Marvel Bishoujo for half price.

4) 30th GI Joe Line, Didn't think they could top that ultimate snake eyes! But I gotta agree with pud333, I remember scoring a lifeline in a school yard trade back in the day! Can't wait to get my Zombie Vipers, Hazard Viper and Stalker! And MF Storm Shadow! Currently in the mail!

5) Winners, Found countless Joes and Iron Man 2 figures for dirt cheap! Matt Trakker for 3.99!

[CTO15]

1. SDCC, all the unveils for the upcoming MU and ML figures. I always get excited for the 3 days that news is slowly leaked out.

2. Getting the SDCC Sentinel, thus making my MU display even more awesome!

3. Hot Toys annoucement of the Iron Monger. When this beast comes out, its going to be an amazing piece

4. The discovery of WB collectibles, cheap loose figures with free shipping. Can't not love that

5. TFC release of the Hercules, not Devastator Tranformers. I've wanted a Devastator to go with my CHUG display for the longest time. And I even thought about making one for myself, but was not excited to see the amount of work that would have to go into it lol

[there_is_a_martens]

1. Assembling the Marvel Select Avengers! Picking up Iron Man, War Machine, Thor, Loki, Captain America, and the Red Skull in their movie forms was awesome. And adding the Movie Wolverine to the line just makes my MS collection look that much sweeter!
2. Ultimate Optimus Prime. No joke! I know there have been many different opinions on him, but I got him for my birthday and I love having him displayed in truck mode (along with Leader Sentinel Prime) on my nightstand. In vehicle mode they're in scale with each other!
3. DOTM release day. Love going into TRU and seeing shelves upon shelves of new Transformers toys.
4. Masterpiece Rodimus Prime. Love him, though it took a couple of tries to get a non-broken one from TRU. Love how the Targetmaster mounts on his vehicle mode.
5. Moving into a new house and rebuilding all my toy displays. And next year, I get to do it all over again!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS< AND MERRY CHRISTMAS! GOD BLESS!

[cobralegion]

1) Getting the GI Joe Mauler MIB after putting it off for many years.
2) Chap Mei/ Toysrus C130 plane...it works great with the Joes.
3) Rambo toys I got off ebay...almost have the whole set now.
4) Winners.....so many great deals there this year...Joes, Ironman, etc.
5) Target exclusives at Zellers...especially the Skystriker.

[StaticShin27]

1. Getting a W Driver: I think what excited me more was that I found a Toku item locally, it was my first kamen rider related buy and my eyes lit up when I saw it at a store window
   
2. Having a local seller for more Toku items: It was real nice to have someone I could just meet up and buy more Gaia memories and stuff from.
   
3. Getting into customizing, mostly paint details: I always figured if I could get into it with Gundam, why not my Transformers? And from then on, every movie figure I've bought has had some kind of paint detailing
   
4. My ever expanding DC Direct collection: they're basically inexpensive statues but I'm surprised I never got into them before, the sculpting is overall great (at least with the ones I have :P)
   
5. Discovering Cybertron.ca/Actionfigurenews: I know it's low on this list but I always appreciate something a bit more if I know it has some connection with where I'm at. You get so used to the international vibe that having a more nation-centric place to discuss is a nice treat