DRAGON BALL | Son Gokou (Young Ver.) 'Vinyl Collectible Dolls' | Medicom Toy (Japan, 2009)

It feels unreal that nine years have already passed since I put together all the relevant material for this entry. I can't quite remember why I didn't publish it back then, but it just never happened. Of course, it was meant to be part of the review repertoire for the original blog, 'Basura Invaluable', but it ended up on the back burner. I don't even have the piece in question anymore. t was painful for me to let it go, but I had to sell it. At that time, I didn't have many pieces I'd consider 'top-tier,' and this was definitely one of them. It was tough to find and tough to afford, so seeing that accomplishment undone really got me down, I still remember. I think that's why I didn't make the post: I figured it would be absurd to write about something I no longer owned. And how could I not hesitate to let this piece go?

The catalog of Dragon Ball figures is infinite; there are thousands of options to choose from. However, if you ask me, there are only very few figures that truly stand out just as much as this one does. Medicom Toy launched their 'Vinyl Collectible Dolls' line back in 2001 (I haven't been able to confirm if the line might have even started a bit earlier, in the late 90s). I've always really admired this line because I feel it's one of the few (generally available on the market) that truly captures the authentic essence of the characters with incredible faithfulness to the original designs, respecting everything: colors, dimensions, expressions, etc. The line has not only maintained a consistent level of quality in its figures to this day but has also significantly improved over time.

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REVIEW | PART ONE: THE PACKAGING

Without further delay, let's dive into the review of the piece. I don't want to skip anything, so we'll start by taking a look at the original packaging from the outside. Something I appreciate about this particular packaging design is its wide window, which allows you to really see the piece without actually needing to open it (a definite plus for those who are super dedicated to keeping figures sealed in their original packaging). I also think that even though it's simple, the packaging functions as a nice display for the piece, which gives it more points if you want to keep it unopened. 

International version of the packaging
with original Dragon Ball logo.

There's a cool fact about this piece: there are two versions of the packaging. The most common one is the one we have in the museum's collection, which features the 'Dragon Ball Kai' logo and corresponds to the Japanese release. The second, very rare one, is the one you see here, which has the original logo from the first series. Apparently, this packaging was designed for pieces distributed internationally, as all the text on this version of the packaging is in English. Plus, it's confirmed by the corresponding Toei Animation sticker for that distribution.

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REVIEW | PART TWO: THE FIGURE

Advertising from Medicom announcing the release.

I honestly don't think I can praise this piece enough. I'd love to hear what you all think, but for me, it's probably the most spot-on figure of the child version of Goku that exists. The care taken in the sculpt is evident in the result, as the character (at least in its anime version) is perfectly and beautifully synthesized into a vinyl sculpture. I think it's more than fair to mention the masterminds behind this masterpiece: Keisuke Sawada (sculptor) and Yurika Kawamoto (costume design). Both collaborated with Medicom Toy through the Sawada Kobo studio (founded in 2006), where Keisuke is the director and founder. The studio has collaborated with Medicom (and many other brands) many times, both before and after this piece's release. It would definitely be worth keeping a close eye on all their releases, as Keisuke has always expressed a strong interest in faithfulness to original designs, as we've mentioned, resulting in stunning and aesthetically perfect pieces. A large portion of the figure catalog they've created includes fabric clothing, like this piece, which for me is an outstanding detail on any figure. Not only is there an enhancement due to the obvious contrast in material textures (plastic-fabric), but it also gives the piece unique character and originality. If you also consider that the clothing is custom-designed to the figure's exact measurements and that every detail, down to the tiniest wrinkle and fold, has been consciously cared for and designed by Yurika Kawamoto, well, you're looking at pure pleasure and admiration.

Magnificent, wouldn't you agree? It's a very simple piece, yet it possesses an overwhelming presence and distinctive elegance. Only three elements make up the sculpture, and that's more than enough to transport the observer on a direct journey into nostalgia and the universe of Dragon Ball. The figure can stand on its own without the "Flying Nimbus" base (though why would you display it that way?); the only accessory that needs to be attached to complete the display correctly is the "Power Pole." Everything is finely designed, and the fit between the pieces is perfect.

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RARITY AND CURRENT MARKET VALUE

Quickly addressing the technical details first, I'd like to mention that the piece is approximately 15 cm tall. That might sound small, but the piece actually has a lot of presence, and I think the chosen scale is appropriate and standard. The piece was released in July 2009 with a suggested retail price of ¥6,825 — yeah, hard to believe. We're talking about a piece that, in July 2009, cost approximately (according to the exchange rate back then) $77 USD / $959 MXN. Now, I normally don't discuss prices in these reviews, but this is a case that has particularly surprised me, as this piece has been considerably increasing not only in scarcity but, consequently, in cost over the years.

Remember that traumatic anecdote from the intro? Well, it had a more or less happy ending, because I recently managed to get my hands on this piece again. The sad part here has been the price change. The first time I acquired it, the price per piece was approximately $4,500 Mexican pesos (about $225 USD), whereas currently there are pieces going for almost 200% more than that price (taking into account Mexico's current, very strict tax policy and the worldwide increase in shipping service costs—I don't even want to imagine). We're talking about an increase of almost 200% over a period of about seven to eight years. Is it worth it? Damn, it's worth every single penny.

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If you want to know more about Keisuke Sawada's studio 'Sawada Kobo', you can visit their official site by clicking here. The site has English and Japanese versions, but you can also use the Google Translate tool to adapt it to your own language.

That's all for today! Before I go, don't forget that if you're as passionate about collectibles as we are, you definitely need to check out our online store, where you'll find a beautiful selection of pieces that are sure to be very interesting and valuable for your collection. Until next time!