AFHub Handle: Protoform-S
Real Name: Stephen Si
Year of Birth: 1973
Location: Antipolo (Tokyo, Japan as of this writing)

Fellow toy collector, AFHUB member, Cybertron Philippines admin, and my friend, Stephen Si has been marooned in Tokyo for the past 3 weeks (and will probably be there for several more). It must get pretty lonely for him being in the land of electronics, gadgets and toys all by his… well uhh… lonesome. But in spite of being away from home, he has been in regular contact with us here, sharing photos of his adventures.

As a friend, I’ve only known Stephen for a couple of years. But in all that time, I’ve always known him to be selfless and a class act, always willing to help out his fellow collectors in finding both those elusive short-packed, hard-to-find figures, as well as those regular stuff that have just been delivered fresh from the warehouse. How he does all that amidst a hectic day job and going home all the way to Antipolo is still a mystery to me.

As a toy collector, everyone who’s been into this hobby for a long time now know that he has one of the most definitive Transformers collections. I think the folks at Cybertron Philippines have given the best description about Stephen: “The guy with a big heart, and an even bigger TF collection to boot.”

This brief write-up on him and the following interview has been sitting in my to-dos list for the past couple of months now. So without further delay, let’s get it on!

1. When did you start collecting?

I started collecting Transformers way back in 1984 or 1985. I stopped collecting while I was in college. I restarted the hobby around 2001 or 2002.

2. Your collection focuses primarily on the Transformers. Can you share with us the reason behind this “obsession”? :-)

It is the toyline that stuck to me when I was little. I love the concept of sentient robots transforming from one form into another. Add to that are the numerous cartoon series that helped sustain the toys, most notable of which are the G1 80’s classic cartoon and the Beast Wars CGI series.

3. Being a huge Transformers fan, what is your take on the upcoming movie? If you could call the shots, what changes (if any) would you recommend to the producers?

The live action movie is something to look forward to watching. It isn’t the same G1 Transformers that we all grew up with and loved. I’m excited about the movie.

If I’d call the shots, I’d tell the producers to give the Transformers characters as much air time as the human actors. I’d also tell them to balance the special effects and action with a very good storyline.

4. Tell us the good things and bad things about collecting Transformers toys.

The good:

1. Collectors can choose whether to purchase the Takara or Hasbro versions. The Hasbro version is usually cheaper than the Takara version;
2. Hoarding or scalping incidences are minimal or negligible;

3. The toyline offers a lot of variety and gimmicks for collectors.

The bad:

1. Prices are usually higher than action figures;
2. TF supplies aren’t all available in local malls. Collectors would have to depend on specialty shops or other sources for specific figures;

3. Sometimes the toyline offers too many characters and sub-lines.

5. How would you compare the newer, more modern Tranformers toys versus the vintage releases?

The newer Transformer toys provide a lot more poseability, features/gimmicks, and play value. Unlike the vintage Transformers, most of the newer Transformer toys do not have diecast in them (except for some sub-lines such as BinalTech). They are, however, surprisingly durable. The newer toys have safety features wherein joints and other parts can pop out in case too much pressure or force is applied, thus reducing the possibility of breakage.

On the negative side, quality control on the newer toys has not been consistent as compared to the vintage ones though.

6. What other toy lines do you collect? And why? (please give a short reason for each toy line).

These other toylines are influenced by my good friends in the toy collecting industry. I don’t focus on these as much as I do Transformers.

Super Sentai Robots – I got attracted to it coz most super sentai robots are combiners. This feature is also evident in some Transformer toys that I collect. A group of 3 to 6 robots/vehicles/beasts would combine/merge to form a bigger robot.

Marvel Legends – I’m just after the very big figures with good articulation. I got into them due to their sheer plastic content, and they don’t get toppled over.

Mattel Batman line – I like this line because of the sculpt and limited number of figures (thus easy to collect).

SOTA Streetfighter – It is the one video game that stuck to me since I was little.

7. If you had to choose only one, which item in your collection would you say is your absolute favorite and why?

My favorite would vary from time to time. My current favorite is Galaxy Force Starscream. It is a good sized figure with excellent articulation and gimmicks. This is probably the best Starscream toy released thus far. And he was pretty cool in the Galaxy Force cartoon.

8. Do you have a Holy Grail that you’re still hoping to someday own? Which one is it?

I don’t have a Holy Grail per se. It is more like a goal. I want to complete all the toy molds for each main Transformers toyline from Beast Wars onwards.

9. What prompts you to purchase an item?

The toy has to belong in the particular Transformers series that I’m collecting. It doesn’t have to be a show character though.

Also, it has to be a new toy mold. I usually avoid recolors and remolds. But in some cases, I make exceptions. If the remolded parts are numerous or if the changes are significant, I get it. If I’m army building or getting the female robots, I do get some recolors.

***Price is also an important factor. I put a price cap on any single TF robot. I don’t get toys that are over priced, which is why I wait till the prices are cut or when discounts are offered. I take my time in buying the TFs that I need.

10. Where do you do most of your toy purchases? Do you shop online?

I don’t shop online or bid in ebay. I usually buy from local toy stores or specialty stores as much as possible. If the toy isn’t available locally, I use my contacts in Hong Kong or Singapore to get my stuff.

11. How do you display your collection?

Right now I don’t display my collection. They’re stored in large plastic containers. Once I get my own place then I would probably think about displaying them.

12. How do you decide which items to open and which ones to keep mint-in-package?

I open my Transformers toys. The only reason why I would keep a few mint-in-package is due to lack of space/storage facilities or if the card/box was signed (like one toy which was signed by the voice actress herself).

13. What’s the first thing people tell you when they see your collection?

They would usually say that I have way too many Transformers or they had once owned a certain Trasformer toy when they were little.

Here’s a snapshot of Stephen’s awesome collection…

See more photos of Stephen’s stuff here:
https://www.afhub.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=52

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